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Monday 12 June 2017
Israeli Executive Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the Foreign Military Financing ProgramRead the Press Release
A former executive of an Israel-based defense contractor was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his role in multiple schemes to defraud a multi-billion dollar United States foreign aid program, the Department of Justice announced.
After being extradited from Bulgaria in October 2016, Yuval Marshak pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of major fraud against the United States in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut on March 13, 2017. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in the amount of $41,170 and pay a criminal fine of $7,500.
“The Antitrust Division is committed to prosecuting individuals who, like Yuval Marshak, commit crimes that corrupt the competitive process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and should serve as a warning to those, wherever located, who scheme to defraud essential, taxpayer-funded programs.”
According to court documents, Marshak carried out three separate schemes between 2009 and 2014 to defraud the DoD’s Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. Marshak and others falsified bid documents to make it appear that certain FMF contracts had been competitively bid when they had not. Marshak further caused false certifications to be made to the DoD stating that no commissions were being paid and no non-U.S. content was used in these contracts, when, in fact, Marshak had arranged to receive commissions and to have services performed outside the United States, all in violation of the DoD’s rules and regulations. Marshak arranged for these undisclosed commission payments to be made to a Connecticut-based company that was owned by a close relative to disguise the true nature and destination of these payments.
The United States spends billions of dollars each year through the FMF program to provide foreign governments, including Israel, with money which must be used to purchase American-made military goods and services. The rules and regulations of the FMF program require the disclosure of and approval for any FMF-funded commissions and require that all goods and services be of U.S. origin to qualify for FMF funding. These same rules also strongly encourage the use of competitive bidding in the award of all FMF contracts. American vendors who receive FMF funded contracts are required to certify their compliance with these regulations to the DoD.
The sentence announced today was the result of an investigation by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Antitrust Division’s Foreign Commerce Section, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, and Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging or other anticompetitive conduct related to government contracts should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Individual Pleads Guilty to DogfightingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On the day jury selection was set to start, Ehbrin Castro-Correa, a.k.a. “Chino,” plead guilty to one count of animal abuse, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Homeland Security Investigation (ICE-HSI) handled the investigation.
Castro-Correa was facing trial on two counts of knowingly and unlawfully possessing and training an animal for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture and one count for attempting to transport an animal for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture, specifically from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic.
On January 24, 2016, defendant used his cellphone to film his dog and another dog engaged in a brutal and bloody dogfight in Juncos. The video was discovered during a search of defendant’s cellphone at the Pan American dock when he attempted to transport six canines to the Dominican Republic for the purpose of dogfighting. The Dominican Republic is a notorious worldwide haven for dogfights. This discovery led to the execution of a search warrant at his residence, which resulted in the seizure of an additional 25 dogs, dogfighting training materials and instruments, and pharmaceuticals commonly used to condition dogs for dogfighting and treat their wounds.
“This is a bloody and brutal crime where dogs are trained and forced to tear each other apart for the amusement of sick and depraved individuals. It is important to inform the public that it is a violation of federal law to even attend a dogfight,” said US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “The protection of animals is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that individuals who attempt to profit from animal abuse crimes will be investigated, prosecuted and punished accordingly.”
As a result of the guilty plea, the defendant may be sentenced to a term of five (5) years in prison, a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00), and/or a term of supervised release of not more than three (3) years. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 16, 2017 by the presiding judge, U.S. Senior District Judge Juan Pérez-Giménez. Assistant United States Attorney Scott H. Anderson is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Glendale Tax Return Preparer Who Stole over $1.2 Million in Refunds Owed to His Clients Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The operator of a Glendale tax preparation business who admitted defrauding his clients out of more than $1.2 million by diverting their tax refunds into his own bank accounts was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison.
Michael Joseph Calalang Cabuhat, 42, a resident of the Hollywood Hills West neighborhood of Los Angeles, who refers to himself in online postings as “celebritytaxguy,” was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter.
At this morning’s sentencing hearing, Judge Walter said Cabuhat’s scheme was “vicious” because it led to both financial and emotional harm to his victim-clients. Judge Walter noted that the stolen money was used simply to enhance Cabuhat’s lifestyle, allowing him to obtain a big house and a fancy car “all on the backs of these individuals who placed their trust” in Cabuhat.
Cabuhat is a half-owner of VisionQwest Resource Group, Inc., which operates VisionQwest Accountancy Group and Icon Tax Group, Inc., in Glendale. By pleading guilty, Cabuhat admitted that, from 2010 through 2016, he defrauded his clients in two ways.
In some instances, the client was given a copy of a tax return that showed a much smaller refund amount than on the tax return that Cabuhat actually filed with the IRS. Sometimes, Cabuhat would simply increase the amount of tax owed on the taxpayer’s copy of the return, thereby decreasing the refund; and sometimes he would manipulate the expenses reported on the filed returns to increase the refund. Without the taxpayer’s knowledge, Cabuhat filed paperwork that directed the IRS to deposit the small amount reflected on the taxpayer’s copy of the tax return into the taxpayer’s bank account, and to deposit the remainder into a bank account that Cabuhat controlled.
In other instances, Cabuhat gave the client a copy of a tax return that falsely showed a tax due, but Cabuhat would file with the IRS a tax return that sought a refund. In these instances, Cabuhat would tell the taxpayer to make the “tax payment” directly to him so he could remit the payment to the IRS. In fact, Cabuhat kept the “tax payment” and directed the IRS to deposit the refund that the client should have received into a bank account that he controlled.
Using these fraudulent means, Cabuhat stole more than $1.2 million that belonged to over 150 of his clients. Cabuhat also admitted that he failed to report this money on his own tax returns, which allowed him to evade the payment of approximately $268,000 that he owed to the IRS.
Cabuhat pleaded guilty in June 2016 to wire fraud and subscription to a false federal income tax return.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Walter ordered Cabuhat to pay $1,496,416 in restitution to his victims and the IRS. Cabuhat has already transferred and agreed to transfer to federal authorities $426,528 derived from the sale of his residence and a Ferrari 360 Spider that was seized from Cabuhat when he was arrested last year.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Glen Ruben, Jr. Sentenced to 60 Months Incarceration for Receiving Child Pornography from a MinorRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that on June 12, 2017, GLEN RUBEN, JR., of San Roque, Saipan, was sentenced by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona, of the U.S. District Court in the Northern Mariana Islands, to 60 months incarceration and three years of supervised release.
This sentence follows RUBEN’s plea of guilty on July 20, 2016, to one count of Receipt of Child Pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). As part of his plea, RUBEN admitted to requesting and receiving one or more visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, using a mobile device with Internet access. In addition to the sentence of 60 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release, RUBEN was ordered to register with the Sex Offender Registry in any jurisdiction in which he lives, works or attends school.
Acting U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “the receipt of child pornography is an unconscionable offense that targets the most vulnerable persons in our communities. Unfortunately, social media has become a common tool for the circulation of such images. The harm to child victims can last a lifetime. The Department of Justice, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, will continue to aggressively pursue those who prey on children through the use of cyber technology.”
Anderson additionally reminds the public that those who have committed sexual offenses involving children have a duty to register and keep their registration current with the Sex Offender Registry in their jurisdiction, under federal and local law. Sex offenders who travel to the Northern Mariana Islands and who reside in the Northern Marianas must inform the CNMI’s Public Sex Offender Registry where they reside, work, or attend school. They must also periodically update their registration information. The Public Sex Offender Registry was created to protect the general public and victims, by informing the public of the whereabouts of sex offenders. The Public Sex Offender Registry for the CNMI can be found online at https://cnmi.nsopw.gov/.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC) Initiative, a nationwide commitment to aggressively prosecute defendants who engage in the sexual victimization of children and adults, possess or receive child pornography, and sex offenders who fail to register with the jurisdiction’s Sex Offender Registry.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Benedetto.
Former Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Former Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo pleaded guilty to federal bribery and income tax related charges announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge William Cotter, San Antonio Division.
Galindo, age 53, of Selma, TX, appeared today in front of United States Magistrate Judge John W. Primomo to enter his plea of guilty to a criminal information charging one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of failure to file income tax returns.
Galindo served as County Judge for Reeves County from January 1995 through December 2006. Galindo, on behalf of Reeves County, negotiated a contract with a company owned by Vernon C. Farthing, III, of Lubbock, TX, to provide medical services for inmates located in the Reeves County Correctional Center. Galindo signed the contract on September 13, 2006. The Information alleges that Galindo conspired with Farthing and District 19 Texas State Senator Carlos Uresti to ensure that Farthing’s company was awarded that contract.
To secure the contract, the Information states that Farthing agreed to hire Uresti as a “consultant” and pay him approximately $10,000 a month. Uresti, in turn, agreed to pay Galindo one-half of the money he received from Farthing’s company. From January 2007 until September 30, 2016, Uresti paid Galindo approximately half of the monies Uresti received each month from Farthing. The Information also alleges that Galindo failed to file individual income tax returns for the years 2004 to the present.
Upon conviction, Galindo faces up to five years in federal prison on the bribery charge and up to one year in federal prison on the tax charge. Galindo’s sentencing date is set for August 17, 2017
The FBI’s Pubic Corruption Task Force is conducting this investigation. The Task Force is comprised of investigators from the FBI, IRS-CI, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Peace Corps-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph E. Blackwell, William R. Harris and Mark Roomberg are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
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Former Miami-Dade Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Exporting FirearmsRead the Press Release
Former Miami-Dade Police Department Officer Michael Freshko has entered a guilty plea to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to unlawfully export firearms from the United States to the Dominican Republic, on flights from Miami International Airport.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.
Freshko, 48, entered his guilty plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia M. Otazo-Reyes.
As part of his guilty plea, Freshko admitted that after receiving firearms from a co-conspirator, he used his official position as a MDPD officer to transport the firearms past the passenger screening area and into the portion of Miami International Airport that housed the departure gates. Freshko thereafter would deliver the firearms to a co-conspirator, who in turn would store the firearms within carry-on baggage. Next, a co-conspirator would travel to the Dominican Republic aboard a commercial flight, with the firearms within carry-on baggage. After arriving in the Dominican Republic, a co-conspirator would deliver the firearms to an associate.
Freshko further admitted that one or more firearms were smuggled in this manner on October 5, 2012, and multiple firearms were smuggled on December 7, 2012. Freshko also admitted that he and his co-conspirators smuggled six firearms from Miami International Airport to the Dominican Republic. The smuggled firearms consisted of four Glock .9 mm pistols, one Sig Sauer .9 mm pistol, and one Sig Sauer 5.56 rifle.
As a result of his guilty plea, Freshko faces a maximum potential term of imprisonment of five years.
The case was investigated by law enforcement officers in South Florida and New Jersey. Mr. Greenberg thanked the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force; the MDPD Professional Compliance Bureau; the FBI Newark Division-Franklin Township Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration Newark Division-Patterson Post of Duty; and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former Delhi City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Theft of City FundsRead the Press Release
A woman who used her position as the city clerk for the City of Delhi to steal city funds pled guilty on June 9, 2017, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Angela Billings, 42, from Anamosa, Iowa, was convicted of Theft Concerning a Program Receiving Public Funds.
In a plea agreement, Billings admitted that she held a position of public trust as the city clerk and that her position of trust contributed significantly to both the commission and concealment of her crime. By unlawfully using the city’s credit card for personal expenses and by either canceling water payments that she owed to the city or causing the city not to submit bills to her for amounts owed, Billings admitted to stealing at least $93,177 between March 2007 and January 2015.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Billings remains free on bond previously set. She faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment; a fine equal to the greater of twice the gross gain to defendant resulting from the offense, twice the gross loss resulting from the offense, or $250,000; $100 in special assessments; and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob A. Schunk and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2032.
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Florida Man Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 18 Months in Prison for Attempting to Gain Unauthorized Access and Cause Damage to the Computer Network of A Charitable OrganizationRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TIMOTHY SEDLAK was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 18 months in prison for attempting to access without authorization the computer network of a global charitable organization based in New York, New York (the “Organization”), and as a result of such conduct, recklessly causing damage to computers of the Organization. He was convicted on February 23, 2017, and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Timothy Sedlak used dozens of computers and electronic devices to unlawfully access others’ computer networks, making hundreds of thousands of attempts to steal information from one charitable organization. Although he was ultimately unsuccessful, Sedlak’s efforts impaired the organization’s ability to operate. I want to thank our partners at the Secret Service for their work to combat cyber attacks like this one.”
According to the Superseding Information, other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made at various proceedings in this case, including the guilty plea:
SEDLAK made hundreds of thousands of attempts to gain access without authorization to the computer network systems of the Organization, and in so doing, impaired the availability of the email accounts and web-based applications of more than 10 employees of the Organization.
From June 2015 to July 2015, computers associated with two internet protocol addresses subscribed to SEDLAK at SEDLAK’s residence in Florida (the “IP Addresses”) made nearly 400,000 attempts to gain unauthorized access to the Organization’s computer network. As a result, numerous Organization employees experienced difficulty accessing their Organization email accounts, and were disrupted in their ability to conduct regular business functions. In particular, between June 22 and July 8, 2015, from one of the IP Addresses, there were approximately 195,000 attempts to log into approximately 20 email accounts of the Organization. Between July 8 and July 10, 2015, from the other IP Address, there were an additional approximately 195,000 attempts to log into approximately six email accounts of the Organization. SEDLAK has never been employed by the Organization, and was not authorized to access any email accounts of the Organization.
On September 11, 2015, U.S. Secret Service (“USSS”) agents executed a search warrant at the Sedlak Residence, from which they seized 42 computers and electronic devices (the “Sedlak Computers”). The forensic examination of the Sedlak Computers revealed that 31 devices contained known hacking software and/or artifacts, indicating they were used in attempts to gain unauthorized access to a network. The forensic examination of the Sedlak Computers also revealed that at least 11 personal email accounts were successfully accessed without authorization. The email accounts belong to individuals in the United States and abroad, none of whom are known to be associated with the Organization. In addition, unsuccessful attempts to gain unauthorized access to over 1,000 entities and IP addresses were uncovered. SEDLAK targeted international and domestic victim entities, including charitable organizations, political organizations, law firms, financial firms, and businesses. When he was interviewed by USSS agents, Sedlak claimed that he hoped to sell the information he found.
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SEDLAK, 44, of Ocoee, Florida, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant’s right, title, and interest in specific property seized by the USSS – including 31 electronic devices – was ordered to be forfeited to the United States.
Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the United States Secret Service.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy J. Greenberg and Jennifer L. Beidel are in charge of the prosecution.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Medical Examination Records for Commercial Truck DriversRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Dr. Anthony Lefteris has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of falsifying documents and to entering false information into the records of the U.S. Department of Transportation (“USDOT”) for selling false medical certifications used to obtain commercial driver’s licenses.
“Dr. Lefteris was entrusted to examine commercial vehicle drivers to make certain that they were physically fit to drive safely,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “Instead, he failed to perform the required examinations and falsified the results of his tests, ultimately making our roads less safe for the rest of us.”
“As evidenced by the guilty plea entered into today by Dr. Anthony Lefteris for falsifying U. S. Department of Transportation medical applications for commercial driver's licenses, we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring the safety of the traveling public on our Nation's roadways,” said Marlies Gonzalez, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge for the USDOT OIG. “Working with our departmental, law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to identify, pursue, and bring to justice individuals who jeopardize the integrity of DOT's safety programs.”
“I am extremely proud of the men and women of the Motor Carrier Compliance Division for their role in this complicated and intricate case. We are honored to have such a strong working relationship with our federal partners and look forward to a continued partnership to ensure a safer environment for the motoring citizens of our state,” said Colonel Mark W. McDonough, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Public Safety.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: One mission of the USDOT is to promote the safety of America's roadways through the promulgation and implementation of medical regulations, guidelines, and policies for the physical qualification of commercial motor vehicle drivers. When individuals seek to obtain or renew a state issued commercial driver’s license, they must submit to a medical examination performed by a medical examiner listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. They must also be medically certified as physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle. These medical examinations ensure that these drivers do not suffer from ailments that would otherwise affect their ability to drive a commercial vehicle safely.
Lefteris was a USDOT medical examiner who admitted he failed to perform certain procedures during medical examinations. Some of the procedures he failed to perform were required vision and hearing examinations, and urinalyses. He then completed USDOT medical examination forms for drivers he examined on which he falsely included figures and information representing the results for procedures he did not perform.
Lefteris also issued USDOT Medical Examiner’s Certificates to drivers certifying them as physically fit to drive even though he did not conduct a complete examination. Lefteris subsequently transmitted his results to the USDOT, fraudulently certifying that the medical examinations were conducted in accordance with federal regulations. In return, the drivers paid him cash, sometimes $65 per certification.
Sentencing for Anthony Lefteris, 72, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for August 28, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Public Safety Motor Carrier Compliance Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia King is prosecuting the case.
For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Columbia Man Pleads to Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced that Joshua Cain Sharpe, age 39, of Columbia, entered a guilty plea in federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, accepted the guilty plea and will impose a sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented in court during the guilty plea hearing established that on November 20, 2015, the Columbia Police Department responded to a call of shoplifting at a clothing store on Bush River Road. When officers arrived, they encountered a vehicle driven by a woman matching the description of one of the two shoplifters. Upon approaching the vehicle, the police detected a smell of marijuana. Officers removed the woman from the vehicle and began searching the vehicle. Near the steering wheel, inside the fuse panel, police found a silver Raven Arms P-25 .25 caliber pistol with a magazine containing two bullets. The safety switch of the firearm was in the off position. Officers also located 11.2 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Additionally, the police located a quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia including a black digital scale covered in white residue.
Officers entered the store and made contact with a man matching the description of the second shoplifter, Joshua Cain Sharpe. After waiving his rights, Sharpe admitted that the firearm and methamphetamine belonged to him. Sharpe also admitted to hiding the firearm and drugs in the vehicle without the woman’s knowledge. The woman also waived her rights and confirmed that she had no knowledge of the firearm and drugs. Pursuant to a cell phone search warrant, officers also observed text messages on the defendant’s phone referring to the buying and selling of drugs.
Sharpe is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms based upon his prior state convictions for trafficking in cocaine, burglary (two separate counts), and armed robbery. Sharpe was out on bond when this incident occurred.
Sharpe faces a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and five years of supervised release on the offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office handled the case.
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Chicago Men Sentenced for Printing, Spending MoneyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Acting United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced that Christopher Pierce, 24, and Harold Jones, 20, both of Chicago, Illinois were sentenced before District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody for the passing of counterfeit securities.
Pierce was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment followed by 1 year of supervised release. Jones was sentenced to time served (113 days) followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, beginning in December 2015 and continuing through spring of 2016, Pierce and Jones passed currency manufactured by Pierce four to five times a week. Pierce utilized a color scanner and printer to create counterfeit currency on linen paper. Pierce manufactured the counterfeit currency in $5, $10, and $20 denominations, because he felt they were less likely to be detected. The defendants used the counterfeit currency to make numerous daily small purchases at fast food restaurants, gas stations, and “mom and pop” neighborhood businesses so they could obtain legitimate change in return. According to documents in the case, the two allegedly made up to $250 in legitimate United States’ currency per day before they were caught.
United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge John Koleno, Chicago Field Office stated, “This is one of many cases that are investigated daily with the help of state and local law enforcement. Businesses that handle cash are encouraged to go to www.uscurrency.gov to learn the security features of United States currency.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jill R. Koster.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child and possessed child pornography was sentenced today to 50 years in federal prison.
Michael Bordman, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a December 22, 2016 guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Bordman admitted that, between 2015 and 2016, he knowingly used a child to produce child pornography. He also admitted that he possessed child pornography on a cell phone.
Bordman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Bordman was sentenced to 600 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed, Bordman was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution, and he must also serve a 25-year term of supervised release. He must also comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 16-81.
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Carlsbad Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing Firearm While Being Subject to a Protective OrderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – This morning a U.S. Magistrate Judge sitting in Las Cruces, N.M., found probable cause to support a criminal complaint charging Joseph Torrez, 31, of Carlsbad, N.M., with violating federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm while being subject to a protective order. Torrez remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 14, 2017.
According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 11, 2017, a fugitive investigator of the New Mexico Division of Adult Probation and Parole (NMDAPP) observed Torrez carry a gun case containing a rifle into a gun shop in Las Cruces, N.M. Based on that information, an officer of the NMDAPP obtained a state arrest warrant for Torrez, who was prohibited from possessing firearms as a condition of the probationary term he was serving as the result of a misdemeanor conviction for aggravated assault. On Feb. 13, 2017, Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted the NMDAPP in arresting Torrez and executing a probationary inspection at Torrez’s residence. During the search, the agents and officers allegedly seized a shotgun and multiple boxes of ammunition.
According to the criminal complaint, under federal law, Torrez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he is subject to a protective order that is in effect until June 8, 2026. Torrez was arrested on the firearms charge in the criminal complaint on June 6, 2017, after he was transferred from state custody.
If convicted, Torrez faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The case against Torrez was investigated by the Las Cruces office of ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Capital Region Anti-Gang Project Reaches More than 1,800 Fifth-GradersRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian wrapped up the 2017 LEADership Project at noon today at a conference at the Troy Middle School.
Joining him were 4 fifth-grade students who completed the project this year, and many leaders and representatives of the participating federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The LEADership Project, an anti-gang training for fifth-grade students, has been reaching over 1.800 students in the fifth-grade classrooms in the Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Lansingburgh School Districts each year for the past two years.
U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian stated: “Over my tenure as United States Attorney, the LEADership Project has helped to prevent young people from becoming involved with gangs and other criminal activities. Through this initiative, we worked with educators, administrators and dedicated volunteers to provide real-world strategies that will help these youngsters break the cycle of violence and criminality that they too often experience. It is our hope that this positive message will make a difference, and that these children will develop the attitudes and values that will turn them into tomorrow’s community leaders.”
The charts below summarizes all the law enforcement agencies that assisted with this project.
Federal Agencies
- U.S. Attorney’s Office
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- IRS-Criminal Investigation
- Transportation Security Administration
- Homeland Security Investigations
- U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, OIG
- U.S. Customs & Border Patrol
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General
State and Local Agencies
- New York State Police
- New York State Attorney General’s Office
- Albany Police
- Schenectady Police
- Troy Police
- Schenectady Auxiliary Police Department
- Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office
- Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office
- Schenectady County Probation Department
- Rensselaer County Probation Department
- Albany County Sheriff’s Office
- Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office
- Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office
Through role-playing skits, centered on two fifth-grade characters who are lured by an older gang member to make some bad decisions, classroom discussions revolve around making good life decisions, focusing on the future, acknowledging positive personal traits, and becoming the best that students can be. The sessions introduce the students to the concepts of responsibility and accountability through learning about Victim Impact Panels and Community Accountability Boards.
In past student questionnaires, 84% of fifth graders stated it was very important to them to have help to stay away from gangs. These sessions help students learn how to do that. While 98% said they were not in a gang, 73% indicated they have friends who are in gangs. When asked who can help them stay away from gangs, students notably listed their parents, teachers, police officers and their LEADership instructors.
The LEADership Project is a small project with big returns. Even though it is only four sessions in each fifth-grade classroom, it reaches over 1,800 fifth-grade students in Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Lansingburgh. The project uses few resources; it is driven by over 80 volunteer law enforcement instructors. The LEADership Project is an investment in our future.
California Resident Convicted of Embezzlement and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Manhattan Beach, California resident today of wire fraud and filing false tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson for the Southern District of California.
According to the evidence presented at trial, James Miller was the president and managing partner of MWRC Internet Sales LLC, an Internet sales company. As part of his duties, Miller had check signing authority for the company’s business bank account. From January 2009 through October 2012, Miller wrote unauthorized checks to himself, embezzling more than $300,000 from the company. Miller used this money to pay for personal expenses and did not report it on his personal tax returns for 2009 through 2012, causing a tax loss of approximately $58,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 7, 2017. Miller faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Robinson commended special agents of FBI and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Kanter and Trial Attorney Benjamin Weir of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Cabell County man enters guilty plea to tax fraud in connection to W.Va. Division of Highways pay-to-play schemeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Lesage, West Virginia man pled guilty today to a federal tax charge, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Andrew P. Nichols pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Impede the Internal Revenue Service.” Nichols admitted to conspiring with others to impede tax collection of the IRS by using the expense account of an engineering consulting firm to make multiple covert payments via cashier’s check to Bruce Kenney, then an engineer at the West Virginia Division of Highways (“WVDOH”). The criminal conduct in this matter occurred from 2009 until at least 2011.
Nichols was previously named in an indictment in November 2016, accused of being a part of a scheme which caused approximately $1.5 million worth of WVDOH work to be routed to the Dennis Corporation, a Columbia, South Carolina engineering consulting firm.
Nichols, age 38, formerly served as the manager of the West Virginia Division of the Dennis Corporation while also working as an engineering professor. According to the initial indictment, he was alleged to have managed the financial relationships between Dennis Corporation and a WVDOH employee, and to have ensured that illicit payments were made to the WVDOH employee.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Public Corruption Unit, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the West Virginia State Police.U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl.
Jeffrey Oliveira, 22, a/k/a Chubbs, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In addition, Oliveira is prohibited from contacting members and associates of the Turner Street gang. In January 2017, Oliveira pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In May 2016, Oliveira and six others were indicted on fentanyl trafficking and firearms-related charges following a seven-month state and federal investigation into violent crime in the Brockton area. The investigation revealed that Oliveira and his co-defendants were distributing drugs in the Brockton area, and on several occasions, law enforcement officers seized fentanyl from the defendants’ associates. In April 2016, Oliveira and Alezio Lopes were arrested after the investigation revealed that Lopes was supplying drugs to Oliveira and his co-defendants. Law enforcement officers seized three bags of fentanyl and a loaded gun from the car that Oliveira and Lopes were driving at the time of their arrest.
Oliveira is the fourth defendant of seven sentenced in this case. Lopes is charged with state violations.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn A. MacKinlay of Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bristol Woman Pleads Guilty to Participating in IRS Impersonation ScamRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Special Agent in Charge William Kalb announced that NANCY J. FRYE, 51, of Bristol, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to her involvement in an IRS impersonation scam that defrauded more than 500 victims in the United States and Canada.
An IRS impersonation scam is operated by individuals who falsely represent themselves as employees of the IRS to obtain money from victims. Typically, those executing the fraudulent scheme make unsolicited telephone calls to people and tell them that they are IRS agents or officers calling on behalf of the IRS. During the calls, the impersonator tells the call recipient that the recipient has an outstanding debt with the IRS that must be paid immediately. The impersonator then threatens persons with either arrest or a lawsuit if they do not immediately settle the bogus IRS debt. Victims are instructed to wire money to individuals they believe are employees of the IRS in order to avoid the threatened action.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2015, FRYE received phone calls and text messages from individuals who successfully recruited her to pick up money that was wired through MoneyGram and Western Union and to deposit the money into specific bank accounts. FRYE, in turn, recruited Douglas Martin and others to assist her in picking up wired funds from locations in central Connecticut. FRYE then deposited the money that she collected into the bank accounts.
Between October 2015 and May 2016, FRYE, and others working at her direction, received approximately $583,000 in wired funds from approximately 527 victims.
FRYE and Martin were arrested on September 15, 2016.
FRYE is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 20, 2017, at which time FRYE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Martin, 52, of Bristol, pleaded guilty to the same charge on May 18, 2017, and awaits sentencing.
Since October 2013, TIGTA has received reports of more than 1.9 million impersonation related calls with more than 10,400 victims reporting losses of over $56 million.
This matter is being investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The U.S. Attorney gratefully acknowledges the assistance provided by the Rocky Hill Police Department, Bristol Police Department, and New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
U.S. Attorney Daly stated that the investigation is ongoing and encouraged individuals who receive impersonation calls, including those who have been victimized by this scheme, to report the information at https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml.
Alien Located in Camden Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Ramon Orlando Alvarenga-Rodriguez, age 34, of Honduras, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia, to Illegal Re-Entry, a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(2) and (b). United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Ramon Orlando Alvarenga-Rodriguez was encountered by ICE-Homeland Security Investigations agents on February 27, 2017 at the Kershaw County Detention Center in Camden after he was arrested for unrelated charges. An investigation revealed that Alvarenga-Rodriguez is a citizen of Honduras. He had been deported three times pursuant to an order of removal and had been convicted of Improper Entry by an Alien, then re-entered the United States without permission.
U.S. Attorney Drake stated the maximum penalty for Illegal Re-Entry is imprisonment for 20 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the ICE-Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office, is prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jesus Parra, 30, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office
Parra was charged as the result of an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Parra was charged in indictment filed on June 30, 2016, with distribution of methamphetamine on May 12, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. During today’s proceedings, Parra pled guilty to an information charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that on May 12, 2016, he distributed methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent. At sentencing, Parra faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
To date, 54 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas and 18 have been sentenced. The remaining defendants have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Spiers.
Albany Man Sentenced for Stealing Government PropertyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – John E. Szumigata, age 70, of Albany, was sentenced today to serve 5 months in jail, to be followed by 5 months of home confinement, for stealing over $91,000 in benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
On June 1, 2016, Szumigata was convicted of theft of government property after a two-day trial. The evidence at trial demonstrated that between October 1999 and September 2012, Szumigata withdrew Social Security monies that were directly deposited into his mother’s checking account for her benefit, despite the fact that she had died in 1999. Szumigata used the money to write checks to himself, pay personal expenses, and transfer money to businesses that he owned.
Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also ordered Szumigata to serve 3 years of supervised release and to pay $91,322.44 in restitution to the SSA.
This case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. White.
Alaska Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Role in Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today significant sentences in a recent drug ring case. Hakim Giddins, 36, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought controlled substances, including heroin and methamphetamine, into Alaska. On Feb. 14, 2017, Hakim Giddins pled guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering, and was sentenced on May 24, 2017.
Hakim Giddins was indicted with multiple co-conspirators including Shakin Giddins, Markin Giddins, Tara McNutt, Kourtney Davis, and Briana Herndon. According to court documents, from 2014 to 2016, McNutt, Davis, and Herndon opened various mailboxes with Alaska addresses for the purpose of receiving heroin from California. This heroin was received and distributed in Alaska by Hakim Giddins and his co-conspirators. Hakim Giddins himself possessed and distributed heroin, and he knew or reasonably foresaw that the distribution of 1000 grams or more of heroin had been the central object of the agreement. As part of this case, Shakin Giddins pled guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering, and Markin Giddins pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
During this same time frame, Hakim Giddins and others also entered into an agreement to launder the proceeds obtained from the distribution of drugs brought into Alaska by the conspiracy. The cash proceeds from the sale of these drugs was laundered by making deposits into bank accounts located in Alaska in other people’s names. This money was then withdrawn in California. Cash was also shipped in bulk from Alaska to California. Hakim Giddins directed others to make bank deposits in his behalf with money that he knew had come from drug trafficking. Hakim Giddins believed that by having the deposit made that way it would conceal his connection to the money as well as to the true source of the money.
Hakim Giddins has been a lifelong criminal, with court documents indicating his criminal activity began as early as age 12. In this current case, while he was incarcerated, he supervised the activities of his co-defendants. Furthermore, he intimidated a witness with violence if the witness proceeded to provide testimony against his brother Markin, a co-defendant in this case.
Multiple conspirators were indicted for criminal conduct related to this drug conspiracy. The following defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges and have been sentenced to the following prison terms in the past month:
• Hakim Giddins, sentenced to 16 years in prison on May 24, 2017
• Shakin Giddins, sentenced to 6 years in prison on May 25, 2017
• Markin Giddins, sentenced to 5 years in prison on May 16, 2017
• Tara McNutt, sentenced to 42 months in prison on June 8, 2017
• Kourtney Davis, sentenced to 18 months in prison on May 16, 2017
• Briana Herndon, sentenced to 9 months in prison on May 24, 2017
The Alaska case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan A. Collins of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Saturday 10 June 2017
Former Providence, Kentucky Police Officer is Charged with Civil Rights Violations and ObstructionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that a former police officer with the Providence (Ky.) Police Department was charged Thursday, June 8, 2017, by federal grand jury indictment, with two counts of willfully violating the civil rights of an arrestee and one count of obstructing justice by filing a false report. The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Wheeler, II, head of the Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., of the Western District of Kentucky.
The indictment alleges that William Dukes, Jr., of Greenville, Kentucky, arrested J.L., a Webster County resident, on May 26, 2016, without probable cause to believe that J.L. had committed a crime, and that Dukes made this unlawful arrest to retaliate against J.L. for seeking to file a complaint against Dukes through state law enforcement agencies. The indictment alleges that the offense resulted in bodily injury to J.L. and that it involved the use of a dangerous weapon. A third count in the indictment charges Dukes with filing a false report with the intent to obstruct any investigation into the false arrest incident.
If convicted, Dukes faces a maximum statutory punishment of 10 years of imprisonment on each of the first two charges and a maximum statutory punishment of 20 years on the third charge.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and Dukes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Owensboro Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock of the Western District of Kentucky, and Trial Attorney Roy Conn III of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Friday 9 June 2017
Woodbridge Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Murder and RobberyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Bernardo Eugene Ford, Jr., 26, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for his role in the armed robbery and murder of a drug dealer in Falls Church.
A federal jury convicted Ford on March 9. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 23, 2016, Ford and a co-conspirator went to the victim’s apartment in Falls Church, intending to rob the victim of his drugs and drug proceeds. When the drug dealer resisted, Ford and his co-conspirator hit him in the head with a firearm, and then shot him, first in the arm and then in the back as he attempted to flee, severing his spine. Ford and his co-conspirator then fled, taking with them one of the victim’s iPhones.
Telephone records introduced by the prosecution showed Ford’s and the victim’s phones contacting the same cell phone tower minutes after the murder and approximately two miles away from the victim’s apartment. Ford’s Facebook records contained communications in which he discussed with two different persons his intention to rob drug dealers. Cartridge casings and bullets recovered from the apartment were fired from two different semi-automatic handguns, leading to the conclusion that two persons were involved in committing the crime.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Rich and Carina A. Cuellar are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-149.
Williamson County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
On June 7, 2017, Julian V. Rodriguez, 21, of Johnston City, pled guilty to methamphetamine offenses, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today.
At the plea hearing, Rodriguez pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea hearing established Rodriguez was involved with others in the distribution of ice and marihuana. Ice is methamphetamine which has a purity level of at least 80%. The offenses occurred between December 2016 and January 23, 2017, in Williamson County. During his plea, Rodriguez admitted he was responsible for the distribution of more than 500 grams of ice and 540 pounds of marihuana. The offenses carry a maximum penalty of 5-40 years of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Williamson County States Attorney’s Offices also assisted in the investigation.
Williamson County Man Charged with Methamphetamine OffensesRead the Press Release
On June 6, 2017, a Williamson County man was indicted for methamphetamine offenses, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today.
Shaundale E. Johnson, a/k/a "Shug," 36, of Marion, was charged in a two-count indictment charging distribution of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges the offenses occurred on March 17, 2017, and March 20, 2017, in Williamson County. Johnson made his initial appearance in federal court on June 7, 2017. At his June 9, 2017, detention hearing, he was ordered held without bond pending an August 14, 2017, jury trial.
The methamphetamine offenses carry a maximum penalty of up to 30 years of imprisonment, to be followed by six years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Williamson County States Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
Williamson County Man Charged with Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
On June 6, 2017, a Williamson County man was indicted for a methamphetamine offense, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today.
Rex A. Hopper, 43, of Creal Springs, was charged in a one-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges the offenses occurred on January 2016 and May 31, 2017, in Williamson and Franklin Counties. Hopper made his initial appearance in federal court on June 9, 2017. He was ordered held without bond pending a June 12, 2017, detention hearing.
The methamphetamine offenses carry a maximum penalty of 5-40 years of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, Southern Illinois Enforcement Group and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Williamson and Franklin County States Attorney’s Offices also assisted in the investigation.
Waltham Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Waltham man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.
Christopher J. Sullivan, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to time served, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000. In February 2017, Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In January 2016, federal agents in Portland, Ore., received information that a minor boy had been engaging in online sexually explicit conversations with an adult man living in Waltham, Mass. Following an investigation, a federal search warrant was issued for Sullivan’s residence in Waltham. During the search, a number of digital devices, which Sullivan later admitted belonged to him, containing multiple images and videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct were recovered. A forensic analysis revealed that the majority of the children depicted in the pictures and videos were between the ages of 7 and 12 years old.
Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Waltham Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Orlando Men Charged in Connection with Impersonating Homeland Security Agents and ExtortionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the arrests and filing of a
criminal complaint charging Ronnie Rolland Montgomery (28, Orlando) and John Pierre Mack, III (25, Kissimmee, former member of the Florida National Guard) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud stemming from their participation in a criminal organization focused on extorting victims by impersonating agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.According to court documents, in 2015, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) (San Diego and Tampa) began investigating a criminal organization that was demanding money from victims nationwide by claiming to be “agents” of Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center (C3). Typically, the victims had responded to an online dating post and engaged in a conversation and exchange of photos with a female that they believed was an adult. The victims were later contacted by schemers posing as “agents,” who alleged that the female from the dating post was under the age of 18. The “agent” would claim that they had an arrest warrant for charges of soliciting a minor and would then direct the victim to make payments for “fines” and “penalties,” in lieu of being arrested. To further their scheme, the “agents” sent paperwork to the victims displaying the DHS seal, a judge’s name, and legal terms related to child exploitation. The schemers utilized email addresses containing variants of “child exploitation” and “cyber crimes center” in their correspondence.
The victims, many of whom were members of the military, sent multiple extortion payments, ranging from $200 to $1,900 per transaction, fearing they would otherwise be arrested. ICE’s OPR agents launched a nationwide investigation that resulted in the arrests of Montgomery and Mack in connection with this criminal organization. Law enforcement continues to investigate individuals involved in this scheme.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by ICE OPR and HSI, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (San Diego) and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Christina R. Downes, on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE. Prosecutorial assistance was provided by the Southern District of California.
Three Methamphetamine Dealers Arrested on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
AMARILLO — Three Amarillo residents have been charged by a federal criminal complaint stemming from their role in selling large quantities of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Specifically, the complaint charges Miguel Angel Bravo-Farias, 41, Hector Terrazas, 25, and Rogelio Xochitl Amparan, 29, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The three defendants made appearances in federal court this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clinton E. Averitte, who ordered them to remain in custody pending the detention hearings set for June 14, 2017.
According to the affidavit filed with the federal complaint, on June 8, 2017, an operation was conducted to purchase 20 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement met with Bravo-Farias, an illegal immigrant, and Terrazas at a Denny’s Restaurant located on I-40 in East Amarillo. Bravo-Farias and Terrazas were in possession of a box containing five plastic bags filled with methamphetamine. Bravo-Farias and Terrazas were arrested at the scene.
A search of Terrazas’ residence revealed a white plastic container with crystal like residue, an igloo style container with a crystal like substance, and 34 empty glass bottles with crystal like substance on the spouts in a bedroom. In the refrigerator, there were two igloo style containers with liquid substance believed to be liquid methamphetamine. In the same room was a closet that was converted into a work station with drying equipment. The closet contained fans and opened igloo style containers. On the floor there were used plastic gloves and utensils that had crystal like substance on them. The residence was used as a conversion lab from liquid to crystal methamphetamine.
The investigation revealed Xochitl Amparan as the head of the methamphetamine distribution operation.
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The U.S. Attorney’s office has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The penalty for the offense charged in the criminal complaints is a maximum statutory penalty of life in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
The Amarillo Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance from the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Potter County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Bell is prosecuting.
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Spokane Valley Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Thomas J. Montieth, age 65, of Spokane Valley, Washington, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty on April 4, 2017 to Distribution of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Judge Justin L. Quackenbush sentenced Monthieth to a five-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a ten-year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Monthieth agreed to forfeit to the United States a computer and related equipment that he used to distribute and possess child pornography images and videos. Upon release from prison, Montieth will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, between July 22 and August 5, 2016, a Homeland Security officer working undercover in Spokane, Washington discovered that Monthieth was using peer to peer (P2P) file sharing to distribute images of child pornography over the internet. Special Agents from Homeland Security obtained a federal search warrant for Montieth’s residence in Spokane Valley, Washington. They executed the search warrant on September 7, 2016. During the execution of the search warrant, Montieth advised the Special Agents that he had been using P2P software to distribute and collect child pornography files. Law enforcement officers discovered approximately 21,244 child pornography images and 394 videos of child pornography on Mothieth’s desktop computer and a flash drive.
Joseph H. Harrington stated, “Prosecuting offenders who possess and distribute child pornography is a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington. The United States Attorney’s Office is, and will continue to be, committed to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for child pornography crimes.”
"The ceaseless efforts of our HSI Special Agents to identify criminals who target youth for sexual gratification are critical steps in making Washington communities safer," said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Seattle. "This case is an example of how HSI,
in partnership with the Department of Justice, will continue to track, investigate and prosecute predators to the fullest extent of the law."
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May, 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
• Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
• Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
• Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
• Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
• Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.
San Angelo Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas —Kelly Turner, 35, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in March 2017 to one count of distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, on July 6, 2016, Turner distributed two images depicting a minor female, under the age of eighteen years, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition to the two images, Turner received and possessed hundreds of images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which he intentionally sought out and found on the Internet.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy was in charge of the prosecutions.
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Roxbury Man Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Roxbury man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing cocaine.
Israel Delacruz, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2017, Delacruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Delacruz was supplied cocaine by Ileana Valdez and Elvin Soto. He, in turn, distributed it throughout Boston.
Delacruz is the 45th of 48 defendants tied to the Columbia Point Dawgs (CPD), indicted in June 2015 on drug trafficking and firearm charges, to plead guilty. Valdez previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Pena is scheduled to stand trial in October 2017.
According to documents filed in court, the CPD, also known on the street as “the Point,” was Boston’s largest and most influential city-wide gang. The criminal organization started in the 1980s in the former Columbia Point Housing Development (now Harbor Point) and, over the years, gang members established drug trafficking crews throughout Boston. It is alleged that the CPD was responsible for the distribution of multiple kilo quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone throughout Boston and Maine.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; and Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, made the announcement.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rochester Woman Indicted for Tax Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker announced a federal indictment charging ROSA MARGARITA MALDONADO with two counts of filing a false claim for tax refund, one count of theft of public money, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. MALDONADO will make her initial appearance in United States District Court on June 21, 2017.
According to the indictment, MALDONADO filed false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns in her name for tax years 2011 and 2012 in which she reported false dependents, claimed fraudulent Earned Income Tax Credits and Additional Child Tax Credits, and claimed tax refunds to which she was not entitled.
According to the indictment, MALDONADO stole a $7,712 tax refund from the U.S. Treasury for tax year 2012 and unlawfully used the names, Social Security numbers, and birth dates of two minor children in the course of that theft of public money.
This case is part of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, and the Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allen A. Slaughter and U.S. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Christopher S. Strauss.
Defendant Information:
ROSA MARGARITA MALDONADO
Rochester, Minn.
Charges:
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False, fictitious or fraudulent claims, 2 counts
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Theft of public money, 1 count
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Aggravated identity theft, 2 counts
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Rio Arriba County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Bank Robbery ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ashley Herrera, 28, of Espanola, N.M., was sentenced yesterday afternoon in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for her conviction on attempted bank robbery.
Herrera was arrested in July 2016, on a criminal complaint charging her with attempting to rob the Bank of America branch located at 4037 Rodeo Road in Santa Fe, N.M., on Aug. 12, 2015. Herrera subsequently was indicted on Aug. 23, 2016, and charged with attempted bank robbery.
On Feb. 21, 2017, Herrera pled guilty to the indictment. and admitted that on Aug. 12, 2015, she attempted to rob the bank by handing a bank teller a note in which she threatened to shoot if the bank teller did not give her money. Herrera acknowledged leaving the bank without obtaining any money. She was later arrested after one of her fingerprints was found on the demand note she handed the bank teller.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shana B. Long and Peter J. Eicker prosecuted the case.
Providence Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with OxycodoneRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A licensed nurse pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to stealing oxycodone pills from a nursing home where she worked and attempting to conceal the theft by replacing the medication with other medications.
Charlotte Demers, 36, of Providence, R.I., pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with a consumer product, specifically oxycodone, a narcotic used for pain relief. Demers is currently enrolled in the Court-run RISE program.
Between Sept. 12, 2016, and Oct. 8, 2016, while working as a licensed practical nurse at Countryside Health Care in Milford, Mass., Demers tampered with four blisterpacks of oxycodone that had been prescribed for residents of the nursing facility. She removed the oxycodone pills from the blisterpacks, replaced them with other medications that were used to treat other medical conditions, re-sealed the blistercards and put them back on medication carts at the nursing facility.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Food and Drugs, Drug Control Program, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The RISE Program (Repair, Invest, Succeed, Emerge) is a Court-run program, designed to aid in the rehabilitation of applicable defendants who have pleaded guilty and are under pretrial supervision prior to sentencing. Their sentence is dependent upon their completion of the program and is determined at a later time.
Pittston Man Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on June 8, 2017, United States District Court Judge Malachy Mannion sentenced Landy Then, age 25, of Pittson, Pennsylvania, to 18 months imprisonment for his role in a drug conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, from February through March of 2016 Then conspired with other individuals to distribute approximately 200 grams of cocaine throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Then was indicted by a grand jury on October 25, 2016, and pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on December 8, 2016.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Gotlob.
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Pittsburgh Man Possessed 300 Videos and 1,300 Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Walter B. Williams, 46, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 2, 2016, Williams possessed more than 300 videos and 1300 images in computer graphics and digital files, depicting the sexual exploitation of children, many of whom were under the age of 12 years.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2017, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.
Pharmacist Charged in Pill Mill Case Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A licensed pharmacist, Kumi Frimpong, who owned and operated the Cornerstone Pharmacy, located on Bolton Boone Drive in Desoto, Texas, was sentenced this morning for his involvement in a “pill mill” operation, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Specifically, Frimpong, 57, of Dallas, was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to 24 months in federal prison and ordered to surrender $41,112 to the United States that constitute proceeds from dispensing oxycodone during the conspiracy. Frimpong pleaded guilty in September 2016 to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone. Frimpong was ordered to report to serve his sentence no later than September 5, 2017.
“Diverted prescription pain pills kill more people in this country than heroin, while simultaneously fueling demand for heroin itself,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “Eighty percent of heroin users started by abusing prescription pain pills first. Those who divert legitimate drugs from their lawful, therapeutic purposes to illicit, deadly purposes all in the name of money are no better than any other drug trafficker and will be treated accordingly.”
Frimpong admitted that during the conspiracy, which began in January 2013 and continued through July 2014, he and his co-conspirators distributed and caused to be distributed at least 40,000 30mg oxycodone pills in Dallas, and elsewhere that he dispensed based on prescriptions issued in the name and DEA registration number of co-conspirator, Dr. Richard Andrews of McAllen Medical Clinic.
After their arrests in January 2016, Dr. Andrews and co-defendant pharmacists Frimpong and Ndufola Kigham were ordered to surrender their DEA registration numbers, preventing Dr. Andrews from issuing prescriptions for controlled substances and Frimpong and Kigham from dispensing controlled substances. Frimpong and Kigham also surrendered their stock of controlled substances that they had at their pharmacies to DEA.
Twenty-four individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Dallas in February 2015 on offenses related to their participation in the prescription drug distribution conspiracy. That indictment alleged that from at least May 2013 through July 2014, the defendants participated in a scheme to illicitly obtain prescriptions for pain medications, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, and then distribute those controlled substances for profit. As part of the conspiracy, individuals, often homeless or of limited means, were recruited and paid to pose as patients at medical clinics, including the McAllen Medical Clinic, to obtain prescriptions to fill those prescriptions at designated pharmacies.
Superseding indictments were returned in December 2015 and in January 2016, and a total of 31 individuals have now been charged. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty.
This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Louisiana State Police, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Arlington Police Department, the Greenville Police Department, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Walters is in charge of the prosecution.
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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Kidnapping, Jewelry Store RobberyRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIMOTHY FORBES, 35, of Allentown, Pa., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 228 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a violent kidnapping and jewelry store robbery in April 2013.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on April 11, 2013, Kasam Hennix, William Davis, Christopher Gay and Jeffrey Houston, all of whom were wearing masks and gloves and two of whom were armed with handguns, broke into an apartment on Gravel Street in Meriden, Conn., bound four victims with duct tape and covered their heads with pillowcases, towels and jackets. Hennix, Davis, and Houston then forced two of the victims into a victim’s vehicle and drove to Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield, Conn., where the two victims worked. FORBES traveled to Fairfield in a separate vehicle, and Gay remained in the Meriden apartment to guard the two other victims.
After Hennix, Davis and Houston arrived at the Fairfield store, they stole jewelry, watches and loose diamonds with a total replacement value of more than $3 million. They then fled in the victim’s car, leaving the two victims bound inside the store. Hennix, Davis and Houston abandoned the victim’s vehicle and got into FORBES’ vehicle. One of the defendants called Gay to advise him that they had successfully carried out the robbery and that he should leave the apartment. The defendants then fled the state.
The five defendants were arrested in May 2013.
Investigators determined that FORBES, Houston and Gay had traveled from Pennsylvania to Connecticut on several occasions in the weeks prior to the robbery in order to track the victims’ movements between Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield and their residence in Meriden. In addition, FORBES and Gay placed a GPS on one of the victim’s vehicles in an effort to make it easier to track him.
On January 19, 2017, FORBES pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Hennix, of Easton, Pa., Davis, of Allentown, Pa., Houston, of Allentown, and Gay, of the Bronx, N.Y., also pleaded guilty to related charges. On April 17, 2015, Davis was sentenced to 176 months in prison; on January 27, 2016, Gay was sentenced to 102 months in prison; on February 8, 2016, Hennix was sentenced to 171 months of imprisonment, and, on April 26, 2017, Houston was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment.
The defendants have been ordered to pay restitution of more than $3.1 million, and have forfeited gemstones, jewelry, watches, a vehicle, and more than $127,000 in cash seized from them at the time of their arrests.
FORBES has been involved in at least three other similar jewelry store robberies, including one that occurred in York, Pa., in July 2012. During that robbery, one of FORBES’ co-defendants shot the owner of the store, permanently disabling him. On March 23, 2016, FORBES was sentenced in the Middle District of Pennsylvania to 14 years of imprisonment for his role in that robbery.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fairfield Police Department and Meriden Police Department. U.S. Attorney Daly also acknowledged the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI in New York and Pennsylvania; the York, Allentown and Bethlehem Police Departments in Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.
Peabody Man Sentenced for Oxycodone TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing oxycodone throughout the North Shore area along with eight others.
Joseph Romano, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2017, Romano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone.
In March 2014, federal investigators began tracking the activities of Romano and his co-defendants. Through surveillance and a cooperating source, investigators were able to make controlled purchases of oxycodone from Romano and his associates. Co-defendants Anthony Panarese, Jarod Presterone, and Paul Williams were oxycodone suppliers, and on roughly a weekly basis, Romano contacted each of them separately to arrange meetings to obtain oxycodone pills for redistribution. At times, Romano also met with Eric Vaughn, who delivered pills to Romano for his personal use. Romano consumed some of the pills and distributed the remainder to various individuals, including Ashley Turner, Sans Milbury and Marcelle Milbury. In addition, when Romano went on vacation in June 2015, Turner handled distribution for him, during which time Williams supplied oxycodone pills to Turner’s father, David Turner Sr., who then delivered them to his daughter, Ashley.
Panarese has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 46 months in prison; Marcelle Milbury also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in prison; Sans Milbury, graduated from the RISE program, sponsored by the Court, and was sentenced to three-years of probation. Co-defendants Presterone, Vaughn, Ashley Turner, David Turner Sr. and Williams, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Office; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Patrick M. Ambrose of the Danvers Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Parma Heights financial advisor charged with stealing $543,000 from clients through identity theftRead the Press Release
A Parma Heights financial advisor was charged in federal court for defrauding clients out of more than a half-million dollars, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Martin R. Stancik, 67, was charged by information with one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identify theft said
Stancik, a financial advisor, stole money his clients believed he would use to purchase annuities and life insurance policies on their behalf. Stancik then used the stolen funds for his own personal benefit, according to the information.
Stancik also stole a client’s identity by taking out a loan against his client’s life insurance policies, without his authorization or knowledge, by forging his client’s name and depositing the loan proceeds check into Stancik’s own bank account. Stancik created false documents purporting to be account statements for policies he never purchased, but nevertheless provided to his clients so they believed the policies existed, according to the information.
The total loss associated with Stancik’s conduct is approximately $543,369, according to the information.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hollingsworth following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Owner of Lake Norman Restaurant Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Peter Gjuraj, 49, of Mooresville N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today and pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
“Gjuraj reaped all the benefits of owning a profitable restaurant on the shores of Lake Norman, but did not want to pay taxes owed from operating his successful business. Instead, he used the extra income to fund homes, cars, and to travel. To those tax cheats who think they can get away without paying taxes owed, you will be investigated and you will be held accountable for your actions,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.
“Today’s plea of Peter Gjuraj’s is a reminder that any attempt to evade tax by hiding income and filing false returns is a theft from the American public. It is a felony offense that carries severe consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Holloman. “The overarching principle of IRS’s enforcement strategy is simply this: We protect the integrity of the tax system by ensuring everyone pays the right amount of tax.”
According to filed documents and today’s court proceedings, from 2012 to the present, Gjuraj was a resident of Mooresville, N.C. and the owner and operator of Blue Parrot, a restaurant in Lake Norman, N.C. Gjuraj served as the bookkeeper for Blue Parrot, which obtained the majority of its income from the restaurant and from sale of gasoline to boaters.
According to filed documents and today’s court proceedings, for years 2012 through 2014, Blue Parrot earned additional gross receipts totaling approximately $2,793,873.00 that Gjuraj failed to report on his individual income tax returns filed with the IRS. As a result of the unreported gross receipts, Gjuraj had additional taxable income substantially in excess of that reported on his tax years 2012 through 2014. The additional federal tax due on this unreported income was a total of $319,974.92 based on additional tax due of $59,576.96, $96,866.96, and $163,531.00 for years 2012 through 2014, respectively.
According to filed documents and today’s court proceedings, as a result of the unreported gross receipts, Gjuraj fraudulently claimed various credits against taxes. For example, in 2012 and 2013, Gjuraj fraudulently claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). During the relevant time period, Gjuarj structured cash withdrawals to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports. For example, between July 8, 2013 and September 27, 2013, Gjuraj made approximately fifteen cash withdrawals from a bank account of amounts between $9,000 and $9,900, totaling approximately $141,850.
According to filed documents and today’s plea hearing, Gjuraj’s expenditures for years 2012 through 2014 were far in excess of his reported income. Gjuraj used business funds to purchase, among other things: two houses for $375,000; cars worth approximately $80,000; and additional personal expenditures including travel and home improvements.
Court documents show that Gjuraj failed to file a timely tax return with the IRS for 2015, despite earning approximately $631,666 in income. As a result of his unreported gross receipts, Gjuraj has an additional tax due and owing of approximately $217,015.05 for tax year 2015.
Gjuraj was released on bond after his plea hearing. The tax evasion charge carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine. As part of his plea agreement, Gjuraj has agreed to pay restitution of $536,989.97 to the IRS. As sentencing date for the defendant has not been set.
The investigation was led by IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.
Oklahoma City Lab Worker Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Allowing Submission of Fraudulent Urine Samples for Drug TestingRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – JASON MICHAEL GOMEZ, 38, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty today to accepting a bribe in return for committing a fraud on the United States, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On May 1, 2017, Gomez was charged by information with one count of bribery. Gomez worked in Oklahoma City as a urinalysis collector for Catalyst Behavioral Services (CBS), which contracts with the United States Probation Office to provide drug testing and treatment services for individuals supervised by U.S. Probation. As part of his job, Gomez collected urine specimens from individuals required to undergo court-ordered drug testing as a condition of their supervision. According to the information, from June 2016 until February 6, 2017, Gomez solicited and accepted cash payments in exchange for allowing individuals to smuggle into CBS "clean" urine samples for drug testing, rather than requiring individuals to provide their own urine sample. Gomez also falsely certified on U.S. Probation Office chain of custody forms that he had observed individuals provide their own samples.
At his plea hearing today, Gomez admitted that he accepted cash bribes in exchange for allowing individuals under U.S. Probation supervision to provide fraudulent urine samples for drug testing. Gomez also admitted that he submitted false chain of custody forms to the U.S. Probation Office.
At sentencing, Gomez faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Perry.
New Iberia man sentenced for sending threatening letters to government agencies in south LouisianaRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a New Iberia man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for sending threatening letters to government agencies across South Louisiana, including the governor’s office.
Kyle Dore, 33, of New Iberia, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on five counts of mailing threatening communications and four counts of false information and hoaxes. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the guilty plea, Dore sent a series of letters in December 2015 and January 2016 threatening agencies and persons working at offices in local, state and federal government. In four of the nine letters, he sent a white powder with the implication that it was toxic. The substance was later tested and found not dangerous. He sent letters to the Louisiana State Capitol to the attention of Governor John Bel Edwards, the Vermilion Parish Courthouse, the Lafayette Parish Courthouse, and U.S. Post Offices in New Iberia, Delcambre, Abbeville and Lake Charles.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Middletown Man Charged with $3MM in Wire and Bank Fraud, Money Laundering and Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that an Indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, charging Donald Rice, age 54, of Middletown, Delaware, with wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and tax offenses. The defendant faces up to 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charges, 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charges, up to 10 years on the money laundering charge, and three years on the filing a false tax return charge and up to one year on the failure to file a tax return offense.
The Indictment alleges that between 2013 and 2015, the defendant, who was at the time a certified public accountant, embezzled almost $3 million dollars from a trust created to pay the tax obligations of a dissolving company. While serving as the trustee, defendant used funds deposited into the trust account to finance his own business investments, including the purchase of multiple tax preparation franchises. The defendant also used trust account funds for his personal expenses, including the purchase of a luxury vehicle.
The Indictment further alleges that Rice had previously defrauded another client. In 2011, while purportedly providing estate-planning services for a client, Rice misappropriated $100,000, which the client provided to Rice to invest on her behalf. The defendant instead used this money to fund his own business ventures and pay personal expenses. Following that client’s death in 2012, Rice, who was also the executor of her estate, continued to collect her pension payments from a public employee retirement system, again using the funds for his personal benefit.
The Indictment also alleges that Rice was engaged in income tax fraud. The federal tax return Rice filed for 2013 did not include, as required by law, his illegal income from his fraud scheme and materially understated his income. After seeking an extension of time to file a tax return for 2014, defendant never filed a return for that tax year.
Acting U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “I want to thank both the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their efforts in building this case. The theft of millions of dollars by a trusted professional is a brazen crime. Defendant’s further actions, victimizing an elderly woman who had entrusted him with funds and failing to abide by his own tax obligations, similarly demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law. We are committed to the prosecution of these types of offenses.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Wolf.
The charges in the Indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Miami-Area Man Charged for Role in $63 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Miami-area man was charged in an indictment unsealed today for his alleged participation in a $63 million health care fraud scheme involving a now-defunct community mental health center located in Miami.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg of the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Shimon R. Richmond of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
Samuel Konell, 69, of Boca Raton, Florida, was charged in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive health care kickbacks, one count of receiving health care kickbacks and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Konell was arrested this morning and appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick A. White of the Southern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that from approximately January 2006 through June 2012, Konell accepted kickbacks in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries to Greater Miami Behavioral Healthcare Center, Inc. (Greater Miami) to serve as patients so that Greater Miami could bill Medicare for mental health treatment purportedly provided to those beneficiaries. The indictment further alleges that Konell knew that the beneficiaries he referred to Greater Miami did not need, qualify for nor receive such treatment. In addition, the indictment alleges that Konell and co-conspirators took steps to disguise the true nature of the bribes and kickbacks Greater Miami paid to Konell and other patient brokers.
According to the indictment and other court documents, Konell and his co-conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for mental health treatment purportedly provided by Greater Miami in an amount exceeding $63 million.
- date, 11 individuals have pleaded guilty for their role in the scheme, including the owner of Greater Miami, three administrators and seven patient brokers.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Young and Leslie Wright are prosecuting the case.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 2,300 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $7 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican Woman Sentenced for Importing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 24-year-old woman from Guadalajara, Mexico, has been ordered to prison following her conviction of the conspiracy to import methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Vanessa Hernandez pleaded guilty Sept. 6, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Senior Judge George P. Kazen ordered Hernandez to serve a 100-month term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face deportation proceedings following her release from prison.
On July 13, 2016, Hernandez applied for entry into the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge in Laredo as a passenger in a Mexican taxi cab. She was travelling with one piece of luggage which showed anomalies within the lining wall. Further inspection of the luggage revealed two clear bags containing 4.02 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Hernandez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher dos Santos is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MIGUEL TERRAZAS-ORDONEZ, age 40, was charged today in a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, TERRAZAS-ORDONEZ reentered the United States after he was previously deported on December 28, 2000. The Indictment contains a Notice of Sentencing Enhancement due to TERRAZAS-ORDONEZ having a prior conviction in the District Court of Iowa, Keokuk County, for Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana.
If convicted, TERRAZAS-ORDONEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
Acting U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Member of International Child Exploitation Conspiracy Sentenced to 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Weed, California man was sentenced to 218 months in prison for conspiracy to produce child pornography based on his participation in a website that was operated for the purpose of coercing and enticing minors as young as eight years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct on web camera.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia; and Section Chief John J. Brosnan of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Section (VCACS) made the announcement.
Jeffery Van Dyke, 46, was charged on April 4, 2016, and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia on March 10, 2017.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, members of the conspiracy created false profiles on social networking sites popular with children posing as young teenagers to lure children to two websites they controlled. Once on the conspirators’ websites, Van Dyke admitted that members of the conspiracy showed the children pre-recorded videos of prior minor victims, often engaging in sexually explicit conduct, to make the new victims think that they were chatting with another minor.
Van Dyke further admitted that conspirators used these videos to coerce and entice children to engage in sexually explicit activity on their own web cameras, which could be viewed live by other members without the victim’s knowledge and which the website automatically recorded and made available for download later. Van Dyke admitted that he linked minors to one of the websites and chatted with them there in furtherance of the conspiracy. The defendant also admitted that one of the websites ranked the efforts of the members to successfully coerce and entice children to engage in sexually explicit conduct on live web camera. Law enforcement agencies have disabled both websites.
Van Dyke’s sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised release and he was further ordered to pay $15, 215 in restitution.
VCACS special agents led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and the FBI’s Digital Analysis and Research Center and the Office of Victim Assistance. The South Africa Police Service, Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses, Gauteng; Royal Canadian Mounted Police, National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre; the Dutch Police Service Agency, KLPD; and the Australian Federal Police, Child Protection Operations, Sydney were active partners in Operation Subterfuge, a multinational investigation coordinated by members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children International Task Force. Trial Attorney Lauren Britsch of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in this matter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.