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Wednesday 7 June 2017
Two Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that two previously deported aliens were indicted separately by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Carlos Emmanuel Bran-Enriquez, age 30, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in May 2014. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after May 2014, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Under federal law, Bran-Enriquez faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Carlos Bautista-Cruz, age 30, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in October 2012 and April 2010. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after October 2012, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers. In October 2012, he was convicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania of illegal re-entry, an offense which subjects him to enhanced penalties in the current case.
Because of Bautista-Cruz’s previous conviction, under federal law he faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Town of Monroe Justice Arrested for False Statements and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that LURLYN A. WINCHESTER, a Justice for the Town Court of Monroe, was charged with making false statements in connection with an application for a loan to purchase a residence in Monroe which satisfied the residency requirement of her position as Town Justice. She was also charged with obstruction of justice for providing law enforcement officers, who questioned her about her mortgage loan, with false documents, including fabricated rent payment receipts. WINCHESTER was arrested this morning at her home in New City, New York, and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith in White Plains federal court this morning.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Lurlyn Winchester, a municipal court judge for the Town of Monroe, lied and provided fake documents to secure a mortgage on a Monroe condominium in an attempt to falsely satisfy the judicial residency requirement. We should expect and demand integrity in our government. This Office is committed to pursuing corruption in all forms and in all three branches of government, including the judiciary. I thank our partners at the FBI for their work in exposing this fraud and holding accountable our public officials.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. stated: “As alleged, Lurlyn Winchester falsely represented her primary residence in order to fulfill requirements for her position as justice for the Town of Monroe. Winchester, who claimed she had relocated her primary residence from New City to Monroe, allegedly remained in her New City home, despite representations to the contrary. She allegedly provided false information to her mortgage company, claiming her New City property was being rented to a prospective tenant, and later lied to federal agents who interviewed her about her claims. If anyone should have respect for the rule of law, it should most certainly be those entrusted to uphold it. Many thanks to our partners in this investigation as we continue to reinforce our commitment to uncover illegal activity on behalf of public officials at every level.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1] unsealed today:
In or about 1997, LURLYN A. WINCHESTER, the defendant, and her husband purchased a home in New City, New York (the “New City Home”), which they continue to own. On or about October 6, 2013, WINCHESTER, an attorney practicing in New City, was nominated to be the democratic candidate for Town of Monroe Justice. At that time, she provided an address in Monroe, New York (“Monroe Residence-1”), as her residence, and on or about October 7, 2013, she registered to vote in Monroe, New York. WINCHESTER was then elected Town of Monroe Justice on or about November 5, 2013.
On or about October 14, 2014, Hudson United Mortgage, LLC (“Hudson United”), a mortgage broker located in New City, New York, received a letter from WINCHESTER indicating that she had been elected Town Justice for the Town of Monroe and that she was relocating to Monroe in order to comply with a residency requirement attached to that position. In or about December 2014, the defendant and her husband submitted an application for a residential loan to Hudson United, and indicated that the loan was to be used to purchase a condominium located in Monroe, New York (“Monroe Residence-2”). On both the loan application and a disclosure notice, signed by the defendant and her husband, they asserted that Monroe Residence-2 would be their primary residence.
WINCHESTER also represented to Hudson United that she and her husband were going to rent out their New City Home to a tenant. Specifically, on or about February 6, 2015, Hudson United received a letter from the defendant in which she identified the New City Home as her “current primary residence” and she stated that she and her husband intended to rent the New City Home and they “already had a prospective tenant” who was “anxiously awaiting to take occupancy of the residence.”
In or about March 2015, WINCHESTER learned that the ultimate loan issuer, Plaza Home Mortgage Inc. (“Plaza”), was going to decline to issue the loan due to insufficient income. In response, WINCHESTER again represented that she and her husband were going to rent out the New City Home and indicated they would have rental income of $4,500 a month. Plaza requested copies of a fully executed 12-month lease and a canceled check for a security deposit. WINCHESTER provided a copy of a lease agreement, signed by the defendant, her husband, and a tenant (the “Tenant”). She also submitted a copy of two $4,500 checks for the security deposit and one month’s rent, made out to the defendant, and drawn on the Tenant’s bank account, as well as other documents reflecting that the checks were deposited into WINCHESTER’s bank account. In or about April 2015, Plaza issued the loan.
Contrary to the defendant’s representations, WINCHESTER did not intend to and did not lease the New City Home to Tenant in 2015; instead she fabricated a 2015 lease and caused checks to be issued and deposited to make it falsely appear that Tenant had paid rent and a security deposit. Tenant did not sign a lease in March 2015, never moved in to the New City Home, and WINCHESTER provided the $9,000 that covered the two $4,500 checks purportedly provided by Tenant.
Further, Monroe Residence-2 was not intended to be, and has not been, the primary residence of the defendant and her husband. Interviews with neighbors, cellphone records, and credit card records indicate that WINCHESTER did not move to Monroe. Finally, in a statement to agents, WINCHESTER admitted that: she resided at the New City Home, she had informed Hudson United that she would be renting the New City Home, she submitted rental checks and other documents relating to renting the New City Home, and the Tenant never moved into the New City Home.
With respect to the obstruction charge, during an interview with members of the FBI Task Force relating to WINCHESTER’s statements and submissions in connection with her loan, she provided them with, among other things, purported receipts for rent payments she claimed to have received from the Tenant for rent of the New City Home. The Tenant, however, indicated that he did not know anything about the receipts and never gave WINCHESTER the cash payments supposedly memorialized in them.
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WINCHESTER, 58, of New City, New York, is charged with one count of making false statements to a mortgage lending business, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, as well as falsifying records in a federal investigation, with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of a federal department or agency, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margery B. Feinzig is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Three Illegal Aliens Arrested in Ocala for Conspiracy to Distribute over Two Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces a federal criminal complaint charging Simon Rodriguez-Flores (48), Tirso Rodriguez-Astudillo (35), and Gilberto Astudillo-Carbajal (34), all of Ocala, with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, each faces a 10-year mandatory minimum, up to life, in federal prison; up to a $10 million fine; and a minimum term of 5 years, up to life, of supervised release. In addition, each faces potential deportation from the United States because they are citizens of Mexico and currently in the United States illegally. All three individuals made their initial appearances in federal court on June 5, 2017, and were ordered detained pending the resolution of their cases.
According to the criminal complaint, in or around April 2017, Rodriguez-Flores, Rodriguez-Astudillo, and Astudillo-Carbajal agreed to sell illegal drugs. On May 24, 2017, in a restaurant parking lot in Ocala, Rodriguez-Flores sold approximately 140 grams of crystal methamphetamine to a confidential source working at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration. On June 2, 2017, Rodriguez-Flores and Rodriguez-Astudillo arrived at a prearranged meeting in Ocala to sell an additional two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to the same confidential source, but they were arrested by law enforcement. The two kilograms were recovered as evidence. Simultaneously, a federal search warrant was executed at a residence in the northwest section of Ocala. At the residence, the DEA took Astudillo-Carbajal into custody. The complaint further alleges that Astudillo-Carbajal was involved in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine at the residence.
A 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 the Gainesville Resident Office of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as task force officers assigned to the DEA from the Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police Department, Levy County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team assisted in the execution of the search warrant as well as the arrests. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale R. Campion.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty Locally as Result of National Child Exploitation InvestigationRead the Press Release
DAYTON – As the result of a national FBI investigation, Andrew Demma, 38, of Dayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
Two other defendants have also pleaded guilty after the national investigation. James Gaver, 71, of Kettering, Ohio, and Robert Phelps, 49, of Jackson Center, Ohio each pleaded guilty in April in separate cases to the same charge of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Office, announced the pleas entered into before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to the Statement of Facts that Demma agreed to, investigators discovered more than 600 images and videos of child pornography while executing a search warrant on August 11, 2015 at Demma’s residence.
Possession of child pornography carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt who is representing the United States in this case.
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Ten Indicted for Violating Federal Drug and Gun LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - On June 6, 2017, after a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10 Allegheny County residents were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
“This case, compelled by the threat of gang activity in the Hill District, illustrates the effective partnership among local, state and federal law enforcement in Western Pennsylvania,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Song. “We are allied in the effort to disrupt drug trafficking organizations, stem the flow of heroin and opioids and reduce violence in our communities. Cooperation with the offices of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala made these charges possible.”
THE INDICTMENTS
The first indictment, containing six counts, named:
- Angelo Massie, 39, formerly of Penn Hills, PA;
- Raheem Buchanan, 32, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA, currently incarcerated;
- Lamont Butler, 45, formerly of Munhall, PA, currently incarcerated;
- Mark Watson, 43, of Pittsburgh, PA;
- Russell Johnson, 41, of Braddock, PA;
- Thomas Grace, 33, of McKees Rocks, PA;
- Jason Green, 35, of Wilkinsburg, PA; and
- Jermaine Thompson, 31, of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to the indictment, from in and around November 2015, and continuing thereafter to in and around September 2016, the defendants conspired with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Mark Watson is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. Lamont Butler is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The law provides for maximum total sentences ranging from up to 20 years in prison up to life in prison, as well as mandatory minimum sentences starting at five years in prison. Fines ranging from $250,000 to up to $20,000,000 may be imposed. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
A second related indictment, containing one count, named:
- Robert Fields, Jr., 23, of Pittsburgh, PA; and
- Norman Blackwell, 42, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA, currently incarcerated.
According to the indictment, from in and around November 2015, and continuing thereafter to in and around January 2016, the defendants conspired with one another to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
The law provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $8,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan P. Fodi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team – Narcotics, Firearms, & Violent Crime Task Force, as well as the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General – Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Organized Crime Section – Western Regional Office led the investigation, which resulted in the June 6, 2017 federal indictments.
These June indictments grew out of a federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)s investigation that resulted in several federal indictments in August of 2016. The OCDETF task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Street Task Force including the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the Allegheny County Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by FBI San Juan, Puerto Rico (St. Thomas Resident Agency, U.S. Virgin Islands) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Numerous other FBI field offices, including Detroit, Cleveland, New York, and Atlanta, in addition to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, also assisted with this investigation. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
The indictments from August 2016 were the result of an investigation, which utilized Title III wiretap intercepts and other investigative techniques to establish the existence of several overlapping and interrelated drug distribution networks with tentacles in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern District of Michigan and the District of the Virgin Islands. The FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force’s focus began in early 2015 on a drug trafficking organization operating on Pittsburgh’s North Side and thereafter they were able to track drug suppliers beyond the borders of the Western District of Pennsylvania and across the Caribbean Sea.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tampa Area Resident Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Prison for Threatening a Sandy Hook ParentRead the Press Release
A Tampa resident pled guilty today before United States District Judge James I. Cohn and was sentenced to prison for threatening a Sandy Hook parent residing in the Southern District of Florida.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Lucy Richards, 57, of Tampa, pled guilty in the Southern District of Florida (Case No. 16-CR-80206) to one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). Judge Cohn sentenced Richards to 5 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 5 months’ home confinement. In addition, Richards will be placed on 3 years of supervised release.
On December 14, 2012, the Sandy Hook School shooting occurred in Newtown, Connecticut, and resulted in the death of 20 children and 6 adults. According to the court record in this case, on or about January 10, 2016, Richards made a series of death threats to a parent of a child killed in the Sandy Hook School shooting. The parent resides in South Florida. Richards’ belief that the school shooting was a hoax and never happened motivated her to make the threats.
Mr. Greenberg commended the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI. This case was prosecuted in the Southern District of Florida by Assistant United States Attorney Karen E. Gilbert.
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.
Statements by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand on the Nomination of Chris Wray to be FBI DirectorRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand today issued the following statements on the nomination of Chris Wray to be FBI Director:
“Chris Wray is widely respected for professionalism, independence, integrity and patriotism,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “He served with great distinction in several important positions in the United States Department of Justice, and he helped manage the Department during a very challenging period. He is well qualified for the job and will be a superb Director of the FBI.”
"Chris Wray will be an outstanding Director of the FBI,” said Associate Attorney General Brand. “His deep law enforcement and national security experience speaks for itself. Having worked with Chris during his previous tenure in the Department of Justice, I know that he will lead the Bureau with integrity, sound judgment, and a steady hand.”
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the Nomination of Chris Wray to FBI DirectorRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement on the nomination of Chris Wray to be FBI Director:
Chris Wray is an extraordinary person, possessing all the gifts necessary to be a great Director of the FBI. I congratulate President Trump for choosing a leader of proven skill, independence, and integrity, a man in whom all Americans can have confidence.
Chris combines a brilliant legal mind, outstanding accomplishments, and a proven record of public service. We are fortunate that he is willing to make this personal commitment to serve his country at this important time. He prosecuted many cases with FBI agents when he served as an assistant United States Attorney for four years. His exceptional abilities were recognized, and he was brought to Department of Justice headquarters to serve as Associate Deputy Attorney General and, later, in the key role of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General under Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, where he performed superbly during the incredibly intense period after 9/11.
President Bush then asked Chris to take on the enormous responsibility of heading the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in 2003, and the United States Senate voted unanimously to confirm him to that position. At that time, he supervised both the general crimes and anti-terrorism roles of the Department, and worked closely with the FBI as the Bureau shifted to a much larger counterterrorism role. He has tremendous respect for the FBI’s agents, analysts, and professional staff, and the agents he worked with enthusiastically affirm his leadership and integrity.
The President asked us to look for an FBI Director who has integrity, who understands and is committed to the rule of law, and who is dedicated to protecting the American people from crime, gangs, and terrorists. We have found our man in Chris Wray.
St. Albans man sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to four years in federal prison for a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Harold Lee Parsons III, 40, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On February 5, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parsons’ residence on 2nd Avenue in St. Albans. Parsons was present in his residence during the search and he opened a safe for law enforcement. Inside the safe were 12 baggies containing approximately 330 grams of methamphetamine. Parsons further admitted that he received the drugs from Joseph Cooper, a codefendant, and that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
As the result of a comprehensive drug investigation conducted by agents from the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, and Homeland Security Investigations, several defendants have been sentenced to federal prison. Cooper was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Benjamin Childers, another individual involved with the transport of methamphetamine in this drug trafficking organization, was sentenced to 10 years and a month in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mark Cobb was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Shayne Shamblen was also sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mark Bays was sentenced to five years in prison for maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine.
Several other individuals involved in the drug trafficking organization have entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing. Morgan Light previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced tomorrow. Jon Bowman previously pleaded guilty to using the mail to facilitate a drug crime and faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on June 14, 2017. David Huffman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and faces at least five and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 21, 2017.
Gregory Crum and Diana Salazar Gamboa both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Crum faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. Gamboa faces at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison. Beth Hammonds pleaded guilty to using the mail to facilitate a drug crime and faces up to five years in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. Crum, Gamboa, and Hammonds are all scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is responsible for these prosecutions. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., is presiding over these cases.
These prosecutions are part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Southern California Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Pension Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Alan Weissman was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for bank fraud, embezzlement from an employee pension benefit plan, and making false statements in documents required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge, following a guilty plea in which Weissman admitted he stole assets from ERISA plans for which he was supposed to be acting as a trustee.
Weissman, 72, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., pleaded guilty on March 1, 2017, to the fraud scheme. According to the plea agreement, Weissman served as a professional trustee and fiduciary of pension plans covered by ERISA. Weissman admitted that he embezzled money from two of the pension plans for which he was a trustee. Specifically, Weissman admitted he moved money from plan bank accounts to bank accounts under his control, and then used the money for his own purposes. The defendant admitted he did so without the authorization or knowledge of the pension plan owners, their plan sponsors, or their participants. Further, Weissman admitted that he attempted to hide the illegal transactions by falsely recording payments to himself in such a way as to make the payments look like legitimate plan expenses. Weissman also admitted he altered account statements to conceal missing funds. In sum, Weissman admitted embezzling $787,762 in plan funds.
A grand jury indicted Weissman on February 11, 2016, charging him with five counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344; six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; two counts of theft or embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 664; and one count of making false statements and concealment of facts in relation to documents required by ERISA, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1027. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Weissman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, the two embezzlement counts, and the false statements and concealment count.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced Weissman to serve 3 years of supervised release. Judge Breyer scheduled a hearing on August 23, 2017, to determine the amount of restitution. Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to begin serving his sentence on or before September 6, 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kingsley is prosecuting the case with assistance from Bridget Kilkenny and Beth Margen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the San Francisco Field Office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor.
South Jersey Man Admits Role in Crack Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - A Camden man today admitted his role in a crack cocaine distribution conspiracy operating in Camden, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Julian Dickerson, a/k/a “Juelz,” 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Dickerson admitted that he was a member of an organization that controlled the distribution of drugs, including crack cocaine, in and around the 1100 block of Lansdowne Avenue in Camden. Dickerson admitted that he was supplied crack cocaine by other members of the conspiracy, which he sold to customers in the area and to an undercover officer on several occasions.
Dickerson – along with Joseph Boyd, Jason Boyd, Tony Wilson, Preston Thomas, Derek Stallworth, Jeffrey Whitaker, and Nafeez Griffin – was originally charged Sept. 9, 2016 following an investigation by the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force. Law enforcement officers seized drugs and recovered two handguns that were kept by members of the conspiracy in connection with the organization’s drug trafficking activities.
The drug distribution conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Dickerson’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2017.
Jason Boyd, Stallworth, and Wilson have all pleaded guilty to drug distribution conspiracy and firearms possession and await sentencing. Joseph Boyd pleaded guilty to drug distribution conspiracy and awaits sentencing. The charges against Thomas, Whitaker, and Griffin are still pending, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief J. Scott Thomson; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Rick Fuentes, with the investigation.
He also thanked the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, the Cherry Hill Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Michael Riley Esq.
Shelter Worker Charged with Attempting to Coerce and Entice an Unaccompanied Alien MinorRead the Press Release
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the Indictment of Merice Perez Colon.
The Indictment charges Perez Colon, 35, of Homestead, Florida with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and attempted production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2422(b) and 2251(a) (Case No. 17-CR-20375). A criminal complaint was also filed against the defendant. At the time the charged offenses were allegedly committed, Perez Colon was employed as a youth care worker at an emergency influx shelter in Homestead that provides services to unaccompanied alien children present in the United States.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg said, “All shelters, including those that take in unaccompanied minors who arrive in the United States without adult supervision, should be safe havens. Youth workers have a duty to protect and serve the minors who reside at these shelters and are under their care. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners stand united against child exploitation and abuse that is carried out against minor residents, citizens, or refugees. Any individual who victimizes these children will face severe consequences within the federal criminal justice system. We implore anyone with information regarding these offenses to contact the police.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Shimon R. Richmond stated, “Our society expects youth workers and other caretakers to protect all children, including those under the U.S. government’s care,” said Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our agents, working closely with our partners, will continue to investigate those who violate their position of trust by sexually exploiting and abusing minors. Those who commit such horrible crimes will be brought to justice.”
“Children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society and there is no bigger betrayal than when those entrusted with their protection abuse that trust,” said Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, ICE-HSI. “The men and women of HSI are committed to bringing anyone who preys on our children to justice. We encourage anyone who may have additional information regarding this case to contact us by calling 866-DHS-2ICE (866-347-2423).”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum term of life imprisonment.
A criminal complaint and Indictment merely contain accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mr. Greenberg commends HHS-OIG and ICE-HSI for the investigative assistance provided in support of this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Kobrinski.
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.
Serial Fraudster Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Investment Scam and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker announced the sentencing of RANDY MILAND, 63, to 90 months in federal prison for operating a Ponzi scheme through which he stole or attempted to steal more than $500,000 from purported investors. MILAND was indicted on June 7, 2016, and pleaded guilty on September 9, 2016. MILAND was sentenced on June 6, 2017, before United States District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn.
“Randy Miland is a serial scam artist whose trail of swindles has now led him straight to a lengthy prison sentence,” said Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, whose agency regulates investment securities at the state level. “Over and over again, he stole people’s life savings with his fraudulent schemes. By stopping these scams, we are protecting Minnesotans in the financial marketplace.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to uncovering investment fraud schemes and bringing to justice those who prey on investors for their personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Shea Jones of St. Paul Field Office IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s 90 month sentencing of Randy Miland shows that committing investment fraud will result in severe consequences.”
“Randy Miland is a conman and serial fraudster who lied to and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from his friends and chiropractic patients,” said Assistant United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Thanks to the collaborative work of the Minnesota Department of Commerce and Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, Mr. Miland will now pay for his many years of criminal conduct.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, MILAND, who was a licensed chiropractor in the state of Minnesota, had prior convictions in state and federal court for various financial fraud schemes. In 1999, MILAND was convicted in state court of theft by swindle, sentenced to 55 months in prison, and ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution to the victims. As of May 2016, MILAND still owed those victims nearly the entire amount of restitution ordered. In 2006, MILAND was convicted in federal court of fraud, sentenced to 41 months in prison, and ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution to the victims. MILAND currently still owes approximately $124,000 in restitution to the victims of his 2006 federal case.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from 2010 through 2014, MILAND fraudulently solicited more than $500,000 from ten investors, telling them that he would use their money to invest in futures and other legitimate investments. In reality, he used their money to pay personal expenses, including court-ordered restitution payments to victims of his prior scams, and to make Ponzi-type payments of purported investment returns to other investors.
MILAND concealed material facts from his new victims, including the fact that he had been twice convicted of fraudulent conduct, that the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners suspended his license, that he was forbidden by the Minnesota Department of Commerce from offering or selling securities, and that he still owed more than $1.5 million in restitution to victims of prior schemes.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS and the Minnesota Department of Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Defendant Information:
RANDY MILAND, 63
White Bear Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
- Mail fraud, 1 count
- Money laundering, 1 count
Sentenced:
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90 months in prison
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$214,517 in restitution
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Three years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Security Guard to Face Federal Charges for Making Threatening Communications to Miami Gardens MosqueRead the Press Release
On June 6, 2017, a security guard at a local grocery store had his initial appearance on a federal indictment in Miami that charges him with making threatening communications to The Islamic Center of Greater Miami-Masjid Miami Gardens.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting Unites States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Gerald Sloane Wallace, 35, of Miami, Florida, is charged by indictment with the interstate transmission of a threatening communication, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c) (Case No. 17-CR-20354). If convicted, Wallace faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. Wallace’s arraignment on the indictment and a hearing on the government’s motion for pretrial detention has been set for June 9, 2017 at 10 a.m.
According to the court record, including the allegations contained in the indictment, on February 19, 2017, a threatening message had been left on the mosque’s voicemail system. The voicemail stated, “F… you Muslims, f… Mohammed, f… the Koran and f… Islam. I hate you Muslims, you Muslims are terrible. I hate you people. I’m gonna go down to your center, I’m gonna shoot all ya’ll. F… you, I hate your Allah, I hate your Koran, I hate everything about Islam. You people are worthless s…. Go to hell. F… you.”
Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the Miami Gardens Police Department. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
An indictment merely contains accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
School Counselor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Joseph Frank Korzelius, owner of Western Carolina Counseling Services and a school counselor in the Polk County school system, admitted today to defrauding the North Carolina Medicaid Program of over $400,000, by submitting false and fraudulent reimbursement claims. Korzelius, 46, of Tryon, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis L. Howell and pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.
U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.
“The defendant abused his position as an employee of the Polk County school system to access and misuse children’s identities to enrich himself, with funds stolen from a government-funded program. His actions are reprehensible and he will be punished for them,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.
“Using children’s personal information to defraud taxpayers is unconscionable,” said Attorney General Stein. "I will not tolerate Medicaid fraud, and my office will continue to work with the federal government to bring to justice anyone who is stealing from taxpayers.”
According to court documents and today’s plea hearing, from October 2013 to November 2016, Korzelius, a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Medicaid-approved provider of mental and behavioral health services, owned and operated Western Carolina Counseling Services in Tryon, NC. Korzelius was also employed as a school guidance counselor at Tryon Elementary School in Polk County. According to court records, Korzelius identified students and their siblings from his work at Tryon Elementary and used those potential beneficiaries’ information to access these individuals’ personal information. The defendant then used that information to create and submit billings for individual psychotherapy services when, in fact, no such services were provided.
Court documents show that Korzelius had minimal documentation to support his billings for services he fraudulently represented that he provided. Further, many recipients who Korzelius billed for indicated they never sought or received services from either Korzelius or Western Carolina Counseling Services. Filed court documents show that Korzelius controlled the bank accounts where the Medicaid approved reimbursements were deposited. During the course of his scheme, Korzelius submitted over $450,000 in false claims and received $436,229.08 in reimbursements for those fraudulent claims.
Korzelius was released on bond following his plea hearing. The health care fraud charge carries a maximum prison term of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date for the defendant has not been set.
The investigation was handled by the North Carolina Department of Justice, Medicaid Investigations Division (MID), and was prosecuted in the Western District of North Carolina through the MID’s participation in the Western District’s joint Health Care Task Force. The Task Force is a multi-agency team of federal and state investigators, working in conjunction with Civil and Criminal Assistant United States Attorneys, dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those who defraud the health care system and reducing the potential for health care fraud in the future. The Task Force builds upon existing partnerships between agencies and its work reflects a heightened effort to reduce fraud and recover taxpayer dollars.
If you suspect Medicare fraud, please report it by phone at 1-800-447-8477 (1-800-HHS-TIPS), or email [email protected]. To report Medicaid Fraud in North Carolina, please call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320.
Santa Clara Insurance Broker Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud in Theft from Widow’s Insurance PolicyRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Gary Thornhill pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with a scheme to steal more than a million dollars from a client’s trust account, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The plea was accepted by the Honorable Lucy M. Koh, U.S. District Judge.
On March 24, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Thornhill, 64, of Santa Clara, on charges that he used his position in a boutique insurance brokerage to withdraw funds from a widow’s client trust account. During today’s plea proceedings, Thornhill admitted he is a licensed insurance broker who owned and operated a boutique insurance brokerage in Santa Clara. In 1998, he sold an insurance policy to a married couple and, after the husband passed away in 2005, the widow became the sole insured of the plan. In or about February 2008, Thornhill became the trustee of the entity that was the legal owner of the policy. Thornhill acknowledged that he owed a fiduciary duty to the widow both as his client and as the trustee for the entity that managed the insurance policy. Thornhill admitted that instead of acting in his client’s best interest, he transmitted written requests for funds to be drawn against the cash value of the widow’s insurance policy—he did so without the widow’s prior knowledge, consent, or authorization.
Specifically, on October 27, 2011, Thornhill faxed a request for disbursement from the existing cash value of the policy in the net amount of $800,000. After receiving the check in the mail, Thornhill deposited it into a bank account of which he was the only authorized signatory; he thereafter transferred all of the funds into a personal bank account that he controlled. Further, Thornhill admitted he spent all of the funds he had obtained from the policy on personal expenses that were unrelated to his client. In sum, as a result of his scheme, the defendant obtained nearly $1.5 million in unauthorized funds from his client’s policy that he used for his own personal benefit and purposes.
The grand jury charged Thornhill with one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341. Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Thornhill pleaded guilty to both counts without a written agreement. Judge Koh has set sentencing for September 14, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The defendant remains free on bond.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, plus restitution for each of the two counts with which he was charged. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Timothy J. Lucey is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation the by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Ronald Ramirez-Escoto, 42, a Salvadoran national residing in Everett, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathan M. Gorton to time served and one year of supervised release. Ramirez-Escoto will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
Ramirez-Escoto was previously removed from the United States in April 2012 and December 2012. Most recently, federal authorities encountered Ramirez-Escoto in April 2017, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Roswell Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Isaac Joshua Salas, 25, of Roswell, N.M., was sentenced yesterday afternoon in Las Cruces, N.M., to 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws.
Salas was arrested on Nov. 13, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of a firearm silencer not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) on Nov. 12, 2015, in Chaves County, N.M. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers found several firearms, ammunition, silencers, pre-cursors for homemade explosives, chemicals and books on how to make bombs while executing a search warrant at Salas’ residence. A subsequent search of the NFRTR determined that Salas did not have any weapons registered to him in the NFRTR.
On April 20, 2016, Salas pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of an unregistered firearm or destructive device without the benefit of a plea agreement. In entering the guilty plea, Salas admitted possessing an unregistered pipe bomb. Court documents indicate that several firearms, ammunition, magazines, pressure cookers, detonation cord, ammonium nitrate and numerous items that could be used to make explosive devices were found in Salas’ bedroom together with books on how to make weapons.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roswell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Rogers Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Oscar Ceballos, age 31, of Rogers, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $2,400 fine on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in early 2016, investigators with the Springdale Police Department received information from a confidential source concerning Ceballos distributing methamphetamine. According the source, Ceballos facilitated his distribution by moving between high end hotels in the area. In February of 2016, officers observed Ceballos loadings items into a UHAUL truck. After making contact officers detected the smell of marijuana. A subsequent search revealed drug paraphernalia, a firearm, $4,950.00, and 96.9 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Ceballos was indicted by a federal grand jury in November, 2016 and pleaded guilty in January, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Springdale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Rogers Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Edward Garcia, age 23, of Rogers, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $2,400 fine on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on October 30, 2016, Springdale police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Garcia. After Garcia was arrested for an outstanding warrant officers conducted a vehicle search. A search of the vehicle resulted in officers locating a flashlight and inside the battery compartment of the flashlight officers located a plastic bag containing methamphetamine. The drugs seized were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab where they were confirmed to contain 9.5 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Garcia was indicted by a federal grand jury in November, 2016 and pleaded guilty in February 2017.
This case was investigated by the Springdale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Richland County man indicted for three bank robberiesRead the Press Release
A Richland County man was indicted for three bank robberies, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Christopher E. McCarthy, 29, of Ontario, Ohio, is accused of robbing the Richland Bank in Mansfield on April 26; the Farmers and Savings Bank in Loudonville on May 3 and the Farmers National Bank in Wooster on May 4.
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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI-Mansfield Resident Office; Mansfield Police Dept.; Loudonville Police Dept.; Wooster Police Dept.; Ohio BCI; Millersburg Police Dept.; Holmes County Sheriff’s Office; and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force for Richland County. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.
An indictment 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.
Red Bluff Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Identity Theft and Possession of Stolen U.S. MailRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Crystal Candiece Cooper, 35, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to executing a bank fraud scheme with contents of stolen U.S. Mail, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen U.S. Mail, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 19, 2015 and March 27, 2017, Cooper and others operated an identity theft scheme. Cooper obtained financial and identity information, checks, credit cards and bank cards from stolen U.S. mail and used them to get cash, goods, and services. Cooper targeted postal customers in Red Bluff.
One victim had applied for federal social security benefits and expected to receive a debit card in the mail to access the money. Instead, Cooper obtained the mail stolen from the victim and found the victim’s debit card and other identifying information. Cooper was able to activate the card and set a PIN to give her access to the funds. She made four separate cash withdrawals using the bank card.
When Cooper was arrested by federal agents on March 27, 2017, Cooper possessed more stolen mail and identity information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver’s license numbers for residents of Tehama and Shasta Counties.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department and the Red Bluff Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Cooper is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2017, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Cooper faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the bank fraud conviction, a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other term and a $250,000 fine for the aggravated identity theft, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen mail. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Raleigh Investment Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Orchestrating Ponzi Scheme on ClientsRead the Press Release
Raleigh - United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that yesterday afternoon in federal court Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced HUGH MONROE DYSON, 67, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, to serve 48 months in federal prison, for committing Mail Fraud. DYSON was also ordered to forfeit the proceeds of the offense, to make restitution, and to serve three years of supervised release.
Between 1993 and 2012, DYSON was a registered representative and financial advisor who was employed at two financial services firms in Raleigh, where he provided financial advice to various investor clients. During that same time period, DYSON created a fictitious entity, known as “Keyport Oil,” which purported to be an oil and gas limited partnership. DYSON actively marketed Keyport Oil to his clients and represented that it was a real company that was engaged in petroleum drilling operations in another state.
Over 19 years, investors gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to DYSON who, in turn, fabricated stock certificates for investors using scissors, tape, and a copy machine. DYSON did not invest his clients’ money in Keyport Oil. Instead, he used the money on personal expenses and to pay other investors. Periodically, DYSON issued checks to the investors which purported to be a portion of Keyport Oil’s sales revenue. In fact, these funds generally came from the investment funds of other victims. Ultimately, DYSON’s scheme collapsed, and investors lost their entire principal investment.
At the sentencing DYSON argued that he should be sentenced to probation to permit him an opportunity to make restitution to his defrauded clients. The court heard argument, however, that since the scheme unraveled in 2012, DYSON had made no effort to repay the investors the money he stole. In fact, the investors had previously sued DYSON in state court and obtained a judgment against him for the same fraud, but DYSON had paid nothing on the judgment. The Court rejected DYSON’s request, and sentenced him to prison for four years.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.
Philadelphia Man Charged SNAP Benefit Fraud and Theft of Government FundRead the Press Release
Matthew Philip, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by Information with one count of SNAP benefit fraud and one count of theft of government funds, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the Information, from January 2013 through December 2016, the defendant unlawfully exchanged cash for SNAP benefits. The defendant’s alleged actions resulted in a loss to the government of more than $3,500,000.
If convicted, the defendant faces a term of imprisonment, a period of supervised release, restitution to the government, a $260,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi.
An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Northern California Man Sentenced to Prison for Rigging Bids at Public Foreclosure AuctionsRead the Press Release
After being convicted at trial, a Lafayette, California, man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.
Thomas Joyce was charged on Dec. 3, 2014, in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of California. Joyce was convicted on Feb. 6, 2017, of conspiring to rig bids at real-estate foreclosure auctions in Contra Costa County. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Joyce was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.
Between June 2008 and January 2011, Joyce and other bidders at the auctions conspired not to bid against one another for selected properties, instead designating a winning bidder to win the property at the auction. The members of the conspiracy then held second, private auctions, known as “rounds,” to award the properties to members of the conspiracy and determine payoffs for other conspirators who had agreed not to bid against each other at the public auctions. The private auctions often took place at or near the courthouse steps where the public auctions were held. When real estate properties are sold at public auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with the remaining proceeds, if any, paid to the homeowner.
The sentence is a result of the division’s ongoing investigation into bid rigging at public real estate foreclosure auctions in California’s San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. These investigations are being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s San Francisco Office.
Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office at 415-934-5300 or call the FBI tip line at 415-553-7400.
North Royalton man charged with claiming $133,000 in false tax refundsRead the Press Release
A North Royalton man was charged in federal court with fraudulently claiming more than $133,000 in tax refunds to which he was not entitled, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation.
Amin Mohammad, 45, was charged via criminal information with two counts of theft of public funds.
Mohammad operated a gas station and other energy-related businesses in the Cleveland area. He incorporated Goojee, Inc. in 2007 and Mejri Oil, Inc. in 2010. Neither company had a specific business purpose and bank accounts for the companies had minimal activity, according to the information.
Mohammad falsely reported the companies sold a combined 833,495 gallons of kerosene in tax year 2010. He falsely claimed fuel tax credits to which he was not entitled, seeking a $68,240 tax refund on behalf of Goojee and a $65,174 tax refund on behalf of Mejri, according to the information.
Assistant U.S Attorney Robert J. Patton is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the IRS-CI.
If convicted, the court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a 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. In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An charge 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.
Navajo Man from Red Mesa, Utah, Pleads Guilty to Federal Involuntary Manslaughter Charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lelander Mays, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Red Mesa, Utah, pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an involuntary manslaughter charge.
Mays was arrested in Dec. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with involuntary manslaughter. According to the complaint, Mays killed a man when Mays crashed his vehicle on Dec. 6, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M. At the time of the crash, Mays was driving under the influence of alcohol and the victim, who was a passenger in Mays’ vehicle, was thrown from the vehicle.
Mays was subsequently indicted on Dec. 20, 2016, and charged with involuntary manslaughter.
During today’s proceedings, Mays pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Mays faces a maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI, the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Mooresboro, North Carolina, Woman Guilty of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina –------- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Kelly Sue Reynolds, age 51, of Mooresboro, North Carolina, pled guilty as charged in federal court this morning to five counts of income tax evasion. The plea was accepted by United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain. Reynolds faces a possible sentence of up to 25 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000.00. Judge Cain will sentence Reynolds after the preparation of a Presentence Report.
Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Reynolds was the bookkeeper for a firm located in Cherokee County, South Carolina. As part of her duties, Reynolds paid bills for the firm, including the payment of various federal taxes. In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) conducted an audit of the firm Reynolds worked for due to the fact that certain taxes had not been paid. During the course of that audit, Reynolds admitted that over a five-year period she had embezzled $439,459.97 from her employer.
Reynolds further stated that she had covered up the embezzlement by falsifying the books, showing that she had paid bills which she in fact had not paid. Included in the unpaid bills were the missing taxes, which started the investigation. It was further determined that Reynolds had not filed personal tax returns during those years that she was embezzling funds and that based upon her salary and the money she stole, she owed the IRS $117,300.06 in personal income taxes. U.S. Attorney Drake explained that income taxes are due both on illegally obtained funds as well as those legitimately earned. Reynolds has agreed to make restitution in full to both her employer and the IRS as well as agreeing to forfeit to the United States an amount equal to that which she stole from her employer.
U.S. Attorney Drake commended the IRS agents who investigated the case for their dedicated work in this and all of the cases they handle in South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville office prosecuted the case
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Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Trafficking Drugs and Guns to HawaiiRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Algernon Tamasoa, 28, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to eight years in prison for his participation in a methamphetamine trafficking organization and for selling dangerous assault rifles, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On January 11, 2017, Tamasoa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and dealing firearms without a license.
According to court documents, Tamasoa conspired with co-defendant Epati Malauulu, 42, of Suisun City, and others to purchase high quality methamphetamine in California and ship it into Hawaii where it sold at a large profit on Oahu, an area hit particularly hard by the crystal methamphetamine epidemic.
Co-defendants John Ortiz, 44, of Vallejo; and Francisco Poloai, 45, of Dixon, were also charged in the drug conspiracy in the Eastern District of California. Ultimately, the drug investigation led to 44 defendants being charged in the District of Hawaii and four being charged in the Northern District of California (San Francisco).
According to court documents, between February 6, 2015, and May 27, 2015, Tamasoa sold 11 assault rifles to an undercover agent. Several of the rifles had high-capacity magazines. Tamasoa provided ammunition in addition to the firearm in the first four firearm sales. These assault weapons shoot high-velocity bullets that go through the bulletproof vests that most law enforcement officers wear. They also can go through walls and doors in an urban setting. Two of the assault rifles were manufactured by unlicensed gun makers and lacked serial numbers, making them untraceable.
On April 26, 2017, Malauulu was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and on May 17, 2017, Ortiz was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the methamphetamine trafficking activity. Poloai, the sole remaining defendant in the drug trafficking case, is scheduled for trial on September 25, 2017. The charges against Poloai are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Solano County Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, the Honolulu Police Department, and others. Assistant United States Attorney Richard Bender is prosecuting the Sacramento case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Members and Associates of Russian Crime Syndicate Arrested for Racketeering, Extortion, Robbery, Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy, Fraud, Narcotics, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Leon Hayward, Acting Director of the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of three Indictments and one Complaint charging 33 defendants with a variety of racketeering, fraud, narcotics, firearms, and stolen property offenses.
Of the charged defendants, 27 are associated with a nationwide racketeering enterprise led by RAZHDEN SHULAYA and ZURAB DZHANASHVILI and are charged in United States v. Razhden Shulaya, et al. (the “Shulaya Indictment”) and an accompanying superseding indictment, which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest. Of those defendants, 23 were taken into federal custody. 18 will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein today. One defendant will be presented in the District of Nevada. Three defendants will be presented in the Southern District of Florida. DENIS SAVGIR, EREKLE KERESELIDZE, GIORGI LOMISHVILI, MAMUKA CHAGANAVA, and SEMYON SARAIDAROV remain at large. One defendant, TIMUR SUYUNOV, is currently detained in federal custody and will be brought to Manhattan federal court on a writ.
Two additional defendants are charged in United States v. Nikoloz Jikia, et al. (the “Marat-Uulu Complaint”), with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and with additional firearms offenses. Of those defendants, one of whom is also charged in the Shulaya Indictment, both were taken into federal custody last evening and will be presented before Judge Gorenstein today.
Three additional defendants are charged in United States v. Alex Fishman, et al. (the “Fishman Indictment”), which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan. Each of those three defendants was taken into federal custody today and will be presented before Judge Gorenstein this afternoon.
Finally, one additional defendant was charged in United States v. Sergey Gindinov (the “Gindinov Indictment”), which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan. GINDINOV was taken into federal custody today and will be presented this afternoon before Judge Gorenstein.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Today, we have charged 33 members and associates of a Russian organized crime syndicate allegedly engaging a panoply of crimes around the country. The indictments include charges against the alleged head of this national criminal enterprise, one of the first federal racketeering charges ever brought against a Russian ‘vor.’ The dizzying array of criminal schemes committed by this organized crime syndicate allegedly include a murder-for-hire conspiracy, a plot to rob victims by seducing and drugging them with chloroform, the theft of cargo shipments containing over 10,000 pounds of chocolate, and a fraud on casino slot machines using electronic hacking devices. Thanks to the remarkable interagency partnership of FBI, CBP, and NYPD, we have charged and arrested 33 defendants allegedly involved in this criminal enterprise.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The suspects in this case cast a wide net of criminal activity, aiming to make as much money as possible, all allegedly organized and run by a man who promised to protect them. But that protection didn't include escaping justice and being arrested by the agents and detectives on the FBI New York Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force. Our partnerships with other FBI field offices, the NYPD and CBP allows us to do everything we can to go after criminals who don't believe the law applies to them.”
Acting CBP New York Director Leon Hayward said: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is extremely proud to have assisted our federal partners in this operation. It is through our interagency partnerships, and collaborative approaches like the one leading to today’s arrests, that law enforcement successfully combats modern criminal organizations.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “The Thief-in-Law allegedly established an extensive cross country criminal enterprise from Brighton Beach to Las Vegas that engaged in bribes, gambling, and murder for hire. Thanks to all whose work resulted in the arrest and indictment of 33 today.”
According to the allegations in the Indictments and Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
The Shulaya Enterprise was an organized criminal group operating under the direction and protection of RAZHDEN SHULAYA a/k/a “Brother,” a/k/a “Roma,” a “vor v zakonei” or “vor,” which are Russian phrases translated roughly as “thief-in-law” or “thief,” and which refer to an order of elite criminals from the former Soviet Union who receive tribute from other criminals, offer protection, and use their recognized status as vor to adjudicate disputes among lower-level criminals. As a vor, SHULAYA had substantial influence in the criminal underworld and offered assistance to and protection of the members and associates of the Shulaya Enterprise. Those members and associates, and SHULAYA himself, engaged in widespread criminal activities, including acts of violence, extortion, the operation of illegal gambling businesses, fraud on various casinos, identity theft, credit card frauds, and trafficking of large quantities of stolen goods.
The Shulaya Enterprise comprised groups of individuals, often with overlapping members or associates, dedicated to particular criminal tasks. While many of these crews were based in New York City, the Shulaya Enterprise had operations in various locations throughout the United States (including in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Nevada) and abroad. Most members and associates of the Shulaya Enterprise were born in the former Soviet Union and many maintained substantial ties to Georgia, the Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, including regular travel to those countries, communication with associates in those countries, and the transfer of criminal proceeds to individuals in those countries.
The Shulaya Enterprise was led principally by SHULAYA and ZURAB DZHANASHVILI, a/k/a “Zura,” his lieutenant. Along with SHULAYA and DZHANASHVILI, AKAKI UBILAVA, a/k/a “Ako,” HAMLET UGLAVA, MAMUKA CHAGANAVA, MIKHEIL TORADZE, NAZO GAPRINDASHVILI, a/k/a “Anna,” ARTUR VINOKUROV, a/k/a “Rizhy,” EVGHENI MELMAN, TIMUR SUYUNOV, ZURAB BUZIASHVILI, GIORGI LOMISHVILI, AZER ARSLANOUK, IVAN AFANASYEV, a/k/a “Vanya,” DENIS SAVGIR, DIEGO GABISONIA, LEVAN MAKASHVILI, SEMYON SARAIDAROV, a/k/a “Sammy,” and VACHE HOVHANNISYAN are charged in Count One of the Shulaya Indictment with racketeering conspiracy.
The Enterprise’s criminal activities included:
- The operation of illicit poker businesses in Brighton Beach;
- The extortion of gamblers who became indebted to the Shulaya Enterprise;
- Attempts to extort local business owners;
- Efforts to defraud casinos in Atlantic City and Philadelphia by using electronic devices and computer servers to predict and exploit the behavior of electronic slot machines;
- The theft of cargo shipments, including a shipment containing approximately 10,000 pounds of chocolate confections;
- The use of a female member of the Shulaya Enterprise to seduce men, incapacitate them with gas, and then rob them;
- Attempts to create an after-hours nightclub that would host, among other things, the sale of narcotics;
- The transportation and sale of numerous cases of untaxed cigarettes;
- Plans to pay bribes to local law enforcement; and
- Creation and use of forged identification documents, checks, and invoices.
SHULAYA, DZHANASHVILI, UGLAVA, CHAGANAVA, TORADZE, VINOKUROV, SUYUNOV, BUZIASHVILI, LOMISHVILI, AFANASYEV, KANADASHVILI are charged in Count Two of the Shulaya Indictment with conspiring to sell and transport stolen goods in a scheme involving contraband cigarettes, falsified bills of lading, and assorted stolen merchandise.
SHULAYA, DZHANASHVILI, UGLAVA, CHAGANAVA, TORADZE, KANADASHVILI, and VINOKUROV are charged in Count Three of the Shulaya Indictment in connection with a multi-year conspiracy to transport and sell purportedly stolen contraband cigarettes.
SHULAYA, DZHANASHVILI, SUYUNOV, AFANASYEV, SAVGIR, HOVHANNISYAN, DAVYDOV, KERESELIDZE, and MITSELMAKHER are charged in Count Four of the Shulaya Indictment in connection with a conspiracy to create and use false identification documents.
SHULAYA, UBILAVA, UGLAVA, MELMAN, GABISONIA, and MAKASHVILI are also charged in Count Five with wire fraud in connection with their plot to defraud casinos through the use of electronic devices and software designed to predict the behavior of particular models of electronic “slot” machines, thereby removing the element of chance from play of those machines.
LOMISHVILI, MARAT-UULU, and PETRUSHYN are charged in Count Six of the Shulaya Indictment with narcotics conspiracy in connection with their efforts to sell cocaine and heroin.
LERNER is charged in Count Seven of the Shulaya Indictment with obstruction of justice for lying to the FBI about information LERNER provided the Shulaya Enterprise about the FBI’s investigation.
MARAT-UULU and JIKIA are charged in the Jikia Complaint with conspiring to commit a murder-for-hire, and with firearms offenses.
GINDINOV is charged in the Gindinov Indictment with conspiring to sell narcotics in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
ALEX FISHMAN, STEVEN FISHMAN, and MELNYK are charged in the Fishman Indictment with conspiring to transport and sell contraband cigarettes in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
A detailed chart with the defendants’ ages, residences, and maximum sentences are attached.
* * *
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the FBI, including the Atlantic City, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami offices, the CBP, the NYPD, and the St. Pierce, Florida, Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Adams and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the case.
The charges contained in the Indictments and Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States v. Shulaya, et al.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
RICO Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 846
RAZHDEN SHULAYA
ZURAB DZHANASHVILI
AKAKI UBILAVA
HAMLET UGLAVA
MAMUKA CHAGANAVA
MIKHEIL TORADZE
ATVANDIL KANADASHVILI
NAZO GAPRINDASHVILI
ARTUR VINOKUROV
EVGHENI MELMAN
TIMUR SUYUNOV
ZURAB BUZIASHVILI
GIORGI LOMISHVILI
AZER ARSLANOUK
IVAN AFANASYEV
DENIS SAVGIR
DIEGO GABISONIA
LEVAN MAKASHVILI
ANDRIY PETRUSHYN
SEMYON SARAIDAROV
VACHE HOVHANNISYAN BAKAI MARAT-UULU
AVTANDIL KHURTSIDZE
20 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
2
Conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods
18 U.S.C. § 371
RAZHDEN SHULAYA
ZURAB DZHANASHVILI
HAMLET UGLAVA
MAMUKA CHAGANAVA
MIKHEIL TORADZE
ATVANDIL KANADASHVILI
ARTUR VINOKUROV
TIMUR SUYUNOV
ZURAB BUZIASHVILI
GIORGI LOMISHVILI
IVAN AFANASYEV
5 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
3
Conspiracy to transport and sell contraband cigarettes
18 U.S.C. § 371
RAZHDEN SHULAYA
ZURAB DZHANASHVILI
HAMLET UGLAVA
MAMUKA CHAGANAVA
MIKHEIL TORADZE
AVTANDIL KANADASHVILI
ARTUR VINOKUROV
5 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
4
Conspiracy to commit identity fraud
18 U.S.C. § 1028(f)
RAZHDEN SHULAYA
ZURAB DZHANASHVILI
TIMUR SUYUNOV
IVAN AFANASYEV
DENIS SAVGIR
VACHE HOVHANNISYAN
DENYS DAVYDOV
EREKLE KERESELIDZE
ALEX MITSELMAKHER
15 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
5
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
18 U.S.C. 1349
RAZHDEN SHULAYA
AKAKI UBILAVA
HAMLET UGLAVA
EVGHENI MELMAN
DIEGO GABISONIA
LEVAN MAKASHVILI
AVTANDIL KHURTSIDZE
20 years in prison; 3 years’ supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
6
Narcotics conspiracy
21 U.S.C. § 846
GIORGI LOMISHVILI
BAKAI MARAT-UULU
ANDRIY PETRUSHYN
40 years in prison; mandatory 5 five years in prison; mandatory 4 years supervised release; the greater of $5,000,000 or twice the gross loss/gain
7
Obstruction of justice
18 U.S.C. § 1001
YURIY LERNER
5 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine
DEFENDANT
AGE
RESIDENCE
Razhden Shulaya
a/k/a “Brother”
a/k/a “Roma”
40
Edgewater, NJ
Zurab Dzhanashvili
a/k/a “Zura”
37
Brooklyn, NY
Avtandil Khurtsidze,
a/k/a “the Kickboxer”
33
Brooklyn, NY
Akaki Ubilava
a/k/a “Ako”
32
Brooklyn, NY
Hamlet Uglava
39
Brooklyn, NY
Mamuka Chaganava
38
Brooklyn, NY
Mikheil Toradze
36
Brooklyn, NY
Avtandil Kanadashvili
36
Brooklyn, NY
Nazo Gaprindashvili
a/k/a “Anna”
33
Brooklyn, NY
Artur Vinokurov
a/k/a “Rizhy”
37
Brooklyn, NY
Evgheni Melman
22
Brooklyn, NY
Timur Suyunov
28
Brooklyn, NY
Zurab Buziashvili
37
Manhattan, NY
Giorgi Lomishvili
29
Brooklyn, NY
Azer Arslanouk
27
Brooklyn, NY
Ivan Afanasyev
a/k/a “Vanya”
59
Brooklyn, NY
Denis Savgir
34
Brooklyn, NY
Bakai Marat-Uulu
25
Brooklyn, NY
Andriy Petrushyn
24
Brooklyn, NY
Diego Gabisonia
28
Brooklyn, NY
Levan Makashvili
28
Brooklyn, NY
Semyon Saraidarov
a/k/a “Sammy”
50
Rego Park, NY
Vache Hovhannisyan
30
Brooklyn, NY
Denys Davydov
32
Brooklyn, NY
Erekle Kereselidze
23
Brooklyn, NY
Alex Mitselmakher
a/k/a “Globus”
44
Brooklyn, NY
Yuriy Lerner
a/k/a “Yuri”
44
Brooklyn, NY
United States v. Fishman, et al.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Conspiracy to transport, receive, and sell contraband cigarettes
18 U.S.C. § 371
ALEX FISHMAN
KOSTYANTYN MELNYK
STEVEN FISHMAN
5 years in prison; 3 years supervised release; $250,000 fine, or twice gross pecuniary gain/loss
DEFENDANT
AGE
RESIDENCE
ALEX FISHMAN
51
Brooklyn, NY
KOSTYANTYN MELNYK
54
Brooklyn, NY
STEVEN FISHMAN
23
Brooklyn, NY
United States v. Jikia, et al.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Murder for hire conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1958
NIKOLOZ JIKIA
BAKAI MARAT-UULU
10 years in prison
2
Possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence
18 U.S.C. § 924
Life in prison
3
Conspiracy to sell firearms to a felon
18 U.S.C. § 371
5 years in prison
DEFENDANT
AGE
RESIDENCE
NIKOLOZ JIKIA
26
Brooklyn, NY
BAKAI MARAT-UULU
25
Brooklyn, NY
United States v. Gindinov
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Narcotics conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 846
SERGEY GINDINOV
40 years in prison; mandatory 5 five years in prison; mandatory 4 years supervised release; the greater of $5,000,000 or twice the gross loss/gain
DEFENDANT
AGE
RESIDENCE
SERGEY GINDINOV
48
Brooklyn, NY
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and Complaint, and the description of the Indictments and Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Breaking and Entering into U.S. Postal Service Vehicle and Theft of MailRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones to 18 months in prison for breaking and entering into a U.S. Postal Service vehicle and stealing mail from the vehicle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Javier Encinas, 30, pleaded guilty on March 1, 2017, to one count of breaking or entering carrier facilities and one count of theft or receipt of stolen mail.
According to the plea agreement, on April 19, 2016, Encinas used a crow bar to break and enter into a locked U.S. Postal Service vehicle and steal trays of mail and 23 parcels. On April 20, 2016, Encinas was stopped by law enforcement in a stolen car. Inside that car law enforcement officers found approximately 471 items of stolen mail. During an interview with law enforcement, Encinas admitted to breaking into the back of the postal vehicle using a crow bar and stealing the mail.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Michael.
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Man Arraigned on Charges of Commercial Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Culpeper man entered a plea of not guilty today to criminal charges that he had sex with a minor on multiple occasions.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Fielding Smith Daniel, 53, met a young girl on a sugar daddy website in August 2016. Such websites are set up to facilitate interactions between wealthy older men and younger women who provide companionship in exchange for financial support. Daniel allegedly arranged to meet the girl for sex for money. The girl, who was 14 years old, was staying with her grandmother in Stafford. Shortly after midnight on Aug. 11, 2016, Daniel picked her up from her grandmother’s house and brought her to a motel, where they engaged in sex. Although they had negotiated a rate of $200, Daniel provided the girl with $100 after she wanted to leave early. A few weeks later, on Aug. 23, 2016, Daniel again arranged to have sex with the girl for money. On this occasion, the girl was with her 14-year-old friend. Daniel attempted to persuade the girl to have her friend watch them have sex, offering to pay her $300 if the friend watched. Daniel picked up the girl and her friend and brought them to a local hotel. The friend declined multiple offers to watch but the girl again had sex with Daniel for $140, while the friend stayed in the car. Afterwards Daniel dropped both girls off at a local Wal-Mart.
Daniel is charged with two counts of commercial sex with a minor and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Trial is scheduled for August 14, and Daniel will remain in custody pending the outcome. Daniel faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison, if convicted on any count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is 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 and click on the tab “resources” for more information about Internet safety education.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after arraignment by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay V. Prabhu and Whitney Dougherty Russell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-110 and 1:17-mj-145.
MA Resident Pleads Guilty to Illicit Sexual Conduct ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Rafael P. Leal, 39, of Boston, Mass., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., today to charges that he traveled to Rhode Island to entice a minor child to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Leal admitted to the court that on at least four occasions during 2016 he traveled into Rhode Island to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Leal admitted to the court that he enticed the minor through messages he sent via the Internet and text messages.
Leal was arrested by FBI agents at his Massachusetts residence on November 22, 2016.
Leal’s guilty plea to one count each of using means of interstate commerce (Internet) to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and interstate travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor is announced by acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; and Bristol Police Chief Josue D. Canario.
Leal, who has been detained since his arrest, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2017.
Using means of interstate commerce to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity is punishable by a statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment; interstate travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 30 years imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
###
Louisville Man Guilty of Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
27 year-old man used 14-year-old girl for commercial sex acts
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Keith L. Napier, Jr. of Louisville pleaded guilty in United States District Court yesterday, before Senior Judge Charles R. Simpson III, to a charge of sex trafficking of a minor, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
“Sex trafficking minors is a monstrous crime that preys upon vulnerable teenagers and children,” stated United States Attorney John Kuhn. “I commend the Louisville Metro Police Department and the FBI for their tremendous investigative work in this case. Together, the federal, state and local authorities will do everything in our power to bring sex traffickers to justice in hopes that we will deter and prevent victimization of other children.”
Napier, 27, admitted that beginning in March of 2016, in Jefferson County, Kentucky, he asked Jane Doe, a 14-year-old female, if she could help him earn money to pay off debts by performing commercial sex acts. Napier had a reasonable opportunity to observe Jane Doe, and also knew her real age. From March 2016 to May 2016, Napier transported Jane Doe to and from appointments with clients for commercial sex. The commercial sex acts frequently took place at hotels and were advertised on the internet website, Backpage.com.
The investigation was opened during a prostitution sting coinciding with the Kentucky Derby when Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers found a listing on Backpage.com advertising prostitution. A LMPD Detective arranged a meeting and encountered a 14-year-old female. Napier had transported the minor to the Jefferson County hotel to perform a commercial sex act.
If convicted at trial, Napier could have been sentenced to no less than ten years in prison and up to life, followed by at least a five-year period of supervised release, and fined up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda E. Gregory of the Western District of Kentucky. The case is being investigated by LMPD and the FBI’s Louisville Division.
Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joshua Nestle, 26, of Las Cruces, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to methamphetamine trafficking charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Nestle will be sentenced to 140 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Nestle and co-defendant Joclyn Telles, 35, also of Las Cruces, were arrested in Feb. 2017, and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The complaint also charged Nestle with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The criminal complaint alleged that the defendants committed the crimes on June 29, 2016, in Dona Ana County, N.M. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers arrested Nestle and Telles on outstanding arrest warrants following a traffic stop. During a search incident to the arrests, the officers found approximately 2.6 ounces of methamphetamine and a firearm in Telles’ vehicle.
During today’s proceedings, Nestle pled guilty to a felony information charging him with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Nestle admitted that on June 29, 2016, he conspired with others to violate the federal drug trafficking laws. He also admitted possessing the 2.6 ounces of methamphetamine found in his vehicle and acknowledged that he intended to distribute the drugs to others. Nestle further admitted that on March 9, 2017, he possessed a controlled substance while he was incarcerated at the Dona Ana County Detention Center. Nestle remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
Telles remains in custody on the charges in the criminal complaint. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Arson, Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a $235,000 arson and insurance fraud conspiracy.
Joseph Levi Little, 43, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to participating in a conspiracy to commit arson and mail fraud.
Little is the third defendant to plead guilty to his role in the scheme. Tina L. Shonk, 36, of Independence, Mo., was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison without parole. Roy Thieman, 32, of Kansas City, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Shonk and Thieman to pay $242,717 in restitution to their victims and to forfeit to the government $62,364.
Shonk admitted that she led the arson and insurance fraud conspiracy in 2014. Shonk obtained renter’s insurance on a house she rented in the 3500 block of Garfield in Kansas City, Mo., then burned the house with the help of co-conspirators, and made false claims on the insured property. Conspirators also made plans to burn another house.
In January 2014 Shonk obtained renter’s insurance, claiming personal property valued at $82,000, much more than the value of her personal property. At the time, Shonk owed approximately $7,929 in back due rent and the gas had been shut off due to non-payment. On April 2 and 3, 2014, Shonk and her co-conspirators (including Little and Thieman) moved any personal property of value to a storage unit. They also moved damaged and broken electronic equipment and appliances into the house so that it would appear that valuable appliances were destroyed. By this time, Shonk owed $10,356 in back due rent and her landlord had begun eviction proceedings.
On April 4, 2014, Shonk, Little and Thieman set fire to the house by covering a space heater with a blanket and setting fire to the blanket, and then leaving the house. The Kansas City Fire Department extinguished the fire but the house was a total loss.
After the fire, Shonk submitted fraudulent personal property claims totaling $112,789, although several witnesses and Shonk’s landlord estimated Shonk’s property to be valued at only approximately $500. The insurance company paid Shonk $57,364; she paid Little $4,000 and Thieman $2,500.
The owner of the house had an insurance policy that paid out a total of $173,100.
In May 2014, Shonk and Thieman moved into a house in the 3800 block of Pittman Road in Kansas City, Mo., a property managed by a fourth co-conspirator. On Oct. 18, 2014, police arrested this co-conspirator and found a letter from Thieman to Shonk outlining a plan to repeat the arson insurance fraud scheme at the house on Pittman Road. Thieman wrote a letter to Shonk outlining plans to insure their personal property and then burn the house, stating in part, “there can be no evidence, nor signs of foul play, or accelerant.”
Under federal statutes, Little is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Jury Convicts Man of Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Today, Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, was convicted by a federal jury for providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict.
“Khweis is not a naïve kid who didn’t know what he was doing,” said Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He is a 27-year-old man who studied criminal justice in college. He strategically planned his travel to avoid law enforcement suspicion, encrypted his communications, and planned for possible alibis. Khweis knew exactly what he was doing, knew exactly who ISIS was, and was well aware of their thirst for extreme violence. Nonetheless, this did not deter him. Instead, Khweis voluntarily chose to join the ranks of a designated foreign terrorist organization, and that is a federal crime, even if you get scared and decide to leave. This office, along with the National Security Division and our investigative partners, are committed to tracking down anyone who provides or attempts to provide material support to a terrorist organization.”
“Mohamad Khweis purposefully traveled overseas with the intent to join ISIL in support of the terrorist group’s efforts to conduct operations and execute attacks to further their radical ideology,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Furthermore, when ISIL leaders questioned Khweis' commitment to serving as a suicide bomber to carry out acts of terrorism, Khweis stated that he agreed and recognized that ISIL uses violence in its expansion of its caliphate. Today’s verdict underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force in pursuing and disrupting anyone who poses a risk of harm to U.S. persons or interests or by providing material support to a terrorist group.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Khweis left the U.S. in mid-December 2015, and ultimately crossed into Syria through the Republic of Turkey in late December 2015. Before leaving, Khweis quit his job, sold his car, closed online accounts, and did not tell his family he was leaving to join ISIS. During his travel to the Islamic State, he used numerous encrypted devices to conceal his activity, and downloaded several applications on his phone that featured secure messaging or anonymous web browsing. Khweis used these applications to communicate with ISIS facilitators to coordinate and secure his passage to the Islamic State.
After arriving in Syria, Khweis stayed at a safe house with other ISIS recruits in Raqqa and filled out ISIS intake forms, which included his name, age, skills, specialty before jihad, and status as a fighter. When Khweis joined ISIS, he agreed to be a suicide bomber. In February 2017, the U.S. military recovered his intake form, along with an ISIS camp roster that included Khweis’ name with 19 other ISIS fighters.
During the trial, Khweis admitted to spending approximately 2.5 months as an ISIS member, traveling with ISIS fighters to multiple safe houses and participating in ISIS-directed religious training. Kurdish Peshmerga military forces detained Khweis in March 2016. A Kurdish Peshmerga official testified at trial that he captured Khweis on the battlefield after Khweis left an ISIS-controlled neighborhood in Tal Afar, Iraq.
On a cross examination, Khweis admitted he consistently lied to U.S. and Kurdish officials about his involvement with ISIS, and that he omitted telling U.S. officials about another American who had trained with ISIS to conduct an attack in the U.S.
The jury convicted Khweis, a U.S. citizen, on all three charged counts, including providing and conspiring to provide material support or resources to ISIS, and a related firearms count. Khweis faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on October 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force provided assistance in this case.
Jury Convicts Man of Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man today of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 27, left the United States in mid-December 2015, and ultimately crossed into Syria through the Republic of Turkey in late December 2015. Before leaving, Khweis quit his job, sold his car, closed online accounts, and did not tell his family he was leaving to join ISIS. During his travel to the Islamic State, he used numerous encrypted devices to conceal his activity, and downloaded several applications on his phone that featured secure messaging or anonymous web browsing. Khweis used these applications to communicate with ISIS facilitators to coordinate and secure his passage to the Islamic State.
“Khweis is not a naïve kid who didn’t know what he was doing,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who is also serving as the Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “He is a 27-year-old man who studied criminal justice in college. He strategically planned his travel to avoid law enforcement suspicion, encrypted his communications, and planned for possible alibis. Khweis knew exactly what he was doing, knew exactly who ISIS was, and was well aware of their thirst for extreme violence. Nonetheless, this did not deter him. Instead, Khweis voluntarily chose to join the ranks of a designated foreign terrorist organization, and that is a federal crime, even if you get scared and decide to leave. This office, along with the National Security Division and our investigative partners, are committed to tracking down anyone who provides or attempts to provide material support to a terrorist organization.”
After arriving in Syria, Khweis stayed at a safe house with other ISIS recruits in Raqqa and filled out ISIS intake forms, which included his name, age, skills, specialty before jihad, and status as a fighter. When Khweis joined ISIS, he agreed to be a suicide bomber. In February 2017, the United States military recovered his intake form, along with an ISIS camp roster that included Khweis’ name with 19 other ISIS fighters.
“Mohamad Khweis purposefully traveled overseas with the intent to join ISIL in support of the terrorist group’s efforts to conduct operations and execute attacks to further their radical ideology,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Furthermore, when ISIL leaders questioned Khweis' commitment to serving as a suicide bomber to carry out acts of terrorism, Khweis stated that he agreed and recognized that ISIL uses violence in its expansion of its caliphate. Today’s verdict underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force in pursuing and disrupting anyone who poses a risk of harm to U.S. persons or interests or by providing material support to a terrorist group.”
During the trial, Khweis admitted to spending approximately 2.5 months as an ISIS member, traveling with ISIS fighters to multiple safe houses and participating in ISIS-directed religious training. Kurdish Peshmerga military forces detained Khweis in March 2016. A Kurdish Peshmerga official testified at trial that he captured Khweis on the battlefield after Khweis left an ISIS-controlled neighborhood in Tal Afar, Iraq.
On a cross examination, Khweis admitted he consistently lied to United States and Kurdish officials about his involvement with ISIS, and that he omitted telling United States officials about another American who had trained with ISIS to conduct an attack in the United States.
The jury convicted Khweis on all three charged counts, including providing and conspiring to provide material support or resources to ISIS, and a related firearms count. Khweis faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on October 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force provided assistance in this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-143.
Jamaican National Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for “Outrageous Victimization of Elderly and Sick People”Read the Press Release
A Jamaican man was sentenced yesterday, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, to 41 months’ imprisonment for participating in a mail fraud scheme that defrauded an elderly and sick Illinois couple. Ricardo Fredrick Smith a/k/a “Rickey Ricardo Smith” a/k/a “Ricky” a/k/a “Stinger”, 39, from St. James Parish, Jamaica, received the prison term after his guilty plea in October 2016 to one count of Mail Fraud. Smith admitted he participated in the scheme beginning no later than September 2015, and continuing through at least December 2015. As a part of the scheme, an elderly Illinois woman was falsely told she had won a lottery and was entitled to large sums of money. She was also told the winnings or funds could be claimed only if she first mailed money for purported taxes or fees. In truth, no such winnings existed and the calls were designed only to steal from the victim and her husband, a U.S. Navy veteran who was the resident of a long-term care facility and suffering from dementia. Like many senior citizens in the United States, the couple received unsolicited telephone calls; they even changed their telephone number to avoid unsolicited calls, but such calls nonetheless resumed after they changed their phone number.
Smith lived in the United States during the growing seasons of 2015 and 2016 under an H2B visa, which allowed him to work at two Cedar Rapids area lawn-care companies. At his plea hearing and the sentencing hearing, Smith admitted that he recruited his girlfriend, Tea Ware, into the scheme in 2015 and instructed Ware to communicate with him by means of a popular encrypted instant messaging application to evade detection by law enforcement. Before leaving the United States in 2015, Smith opened a second, “shadow” banking account at a local financial institution at which he was a patron and added Ware as a joint account owner to the “shadow” account to facilitate the fraud. Then, while in Jamaica in December 2015, defendant used the encrypted messaging system to instruct Ware how to structure withdrawals of the victims’ funds from the “shadow” account in a way that would evade law enforcement scrutiny. Smith was arrested in 2016 just before leaving the United States for a second time.
The prosecution is part of the Elder Justice Initiative of the Department of Justice. In June 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Judge Reade found Smith crime an “outrageous victimization of elderly and sick people”, noting that the elderly Illinois couple consisted of a woman with memory problems and a U.S. Navy veteran suffering from dementia who lives in a long-term care facility. When Smith asked for leniency because he was likely to be deported to Jamaica following his prison term and would live a life of poverty there, Judge Reade responded, “so be it.” Judge Reade sentenced Smith to 41 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and he was ordered to make $108,100 in restitution his elderly victims. Smith must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry stated, “Protecting the elderly and sick from financial abuse is a priority of this Office. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these predators accountable. I thank the diligent agents of the FBI and USPIS for their hard work on this case.” FBI SAC Randall Thysse praised the cooperative efforts of the FBI, the US Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring the perpetrator of this crime against a vulnerable victim to justice. “The US Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring that these types of predatory schemes are investigated aggressively,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Craig Goldberg of the Denver Division, which covers multiple states including Iowa. “The stiff sentence issued in this case highlights the efforts of Postal Inspectors who ensure those who conduct these schemes are brought to justice, especially when foreign nationals bring their schemes to U.S. soil.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-92-LRR.
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Jackson Resident Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Courtney Lamar Forbes, age 27, of Jackson, was sentenced on May 23, 2017, by U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr., to a term of 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain. Forbes was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
The investigation revealed that on or about December 1, 2016, Courtney Forbes was in the Jasco Gas Station, creating a disturbance while carrying a firearm. Upon arrival of Jackson Police Department officers, the weapon was recovered from a cardboard box where Forbes attempted to hide it. Forbes was taken into custody and subsequently pled guilty to the charge.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
Irmo Man Shot by Police Pleads Guilty to Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Michael Jones, age 58, formerly of Irmo, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis 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 on July 8, 2015 at approximately 1:00 am in the morning, the Irmo Police Department responded to a domestic dispute in Irmo, South Carolina. Upon arriving at the scene, a woman informed the officers that her husband, Michael Jones, the defendant, was trying to cut her grandson. The younger male, who was standing on the front stoop of the house, informed the officers that his grandfather was trying to cut him with a piece of glass. They told the officers the defendant was in the back bedroom. Through the open front door, the officers repeatedly asked Jones to come outside, to which there was no response. The officers entered the home through a side door. They saw a closed doorway at the end of the hallway. Again, the officers repeatedly asked Jones to come out of the room, which Jones refused.
Other officers arrived and Jones partially opened the door with the left side of his body still concealed by the door. From his position, one officer was able to see that Jones had a rifle with a brown stock and a black barrel in his hand, with his finger on the trigger guard. The officer deployed his Taser hitting Jones who fell to the floor, but was able to stand up and pointed the gun at the officers. The officers fired their weapons and Jones was struck multiple times.
Upon entering the room, the officers located a .22 caliber Remington rifle loaded with .22 caliber ammunition lying next to Jones. At the time of this incident, Jones had been previously convicted of 2 counts of common law robbery, which prevented him from possessing a firearm.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty for this offense is imprisonment for 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Irmo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases.
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Iowa City Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Manufacture MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On June 6, 2017, Nicholas William Rotter, 33, of Iowa City, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Rotter was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Rotter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine on January 3, 2017. Between July 2015 and May 2016, Rotter used the “one-pot” method to manufacture methamphetamine on hundreds of occasions in and around the Iowa City area. Rotter would manufacture methamphetamine on bike trials, near railroad tracks, in alleyways, and in vehicles. Rotter carried the ingredients and supplies needed to manufacture methamphetamine with him in a backpack.
Rotter had numerous people purchase pseudoephedrine pills, a common ingredient in methamphetamine, for him. In exchange, Rotter would give them methamphetamine. Rotter also sold methamphetamine on over 100 occasions to numerous individuals in the Iowa City area. During the aforementioned time period, was observed brandishing a firearm.
The Johnson County Drug Task Force, Iowa City Police Department, North Liberty Police Department, and Division of Narcotics Enforcement conducted the investigation. The Iowa State Patrol and Johnson County Ambulance assisted in executing the search warrants. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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Learn more about this release by calling Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300, or by emailing her at [email protected].
Interior Design Firm Owner Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Connie L. Christy, 62, of New Albany, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to four months in prison, four months community confinement, three months home confinement and three years of supervised release for attempting to evade the IRS of more than $124,000.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Frank S. Turner II, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents, Christy solely owned and operated Christy Collections, Inc., a custom interior design firm. In 2011, Christy received nearly $1.6 million from two clients for design services. Of that, approximately $637,000 was taxable income, yet Christy only reported $205,771.
Christy failed to report all of her income to her tax return preparer – instead claiming that some of the income she received had been business expenses – and thus, she attempted to evade an additional tax due and owing of $124,864.
The Sentencing Memorandum in this case details that Christy earned the income while working on a design project for a couple who suffered from medical and physical conditions. Their conditions required specific types of materials used in furnishing their home, which Christy told her clients she could purchase at discounted rates.
The clients grew suspicious when Christy began to bill at a higher rate, claiming that contractors had forgotten to include items in their quotes or that retailers had gone out of business after Christy had paid them but before supplying the materials.
After the couple confronted Christy, she tried to cover up her activity by attempting to convince retailers to provide her with fake invoices for services. Additionally, Christy submitted documentation of personal expenditures on her beach home and business expenses from a fictitious vendor to try to justify the overpayment she had requested from her clients.
During the time of the project (and since June 2008), Christy was also receiving government benefits monthly after falsely claiming on her application that she did not receive child support, was not self-employed, did not have a vehicle, checking account, credit union account or stocks/bonds and did not file a tax return in the previous five years.
Christy was charged by indictment in March 2015. She pleaded guilty in June 2016 to one count of tax evasion.
“Christy’s scheme to defraud and obtain additional money from her clients ultimately culminated in her failure to report a portion of those proceeds as income to the IRS, causing a tax loss of more than $100,000,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said.
“Christy's attempt to evade tax was a theft from the American public," said Ryan L. Korner, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “Tax evasion and tax fraud of this magnitude and with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, deserves to be punished. The IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office remain determined and vigilant in ferreting out such schemes to cheat the honest taxpayers."
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Jessica H. Kim, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Independence Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and possessing child pornography.
Darren S. O’Dell, 47, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to seven years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered O’Dell to pay $18,000 in restitution to 17 children identified as victims of his crime.
On Jan. 19, 2017, O’Dell pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, a state trooper was monitoring online activity over a peer-to-peer file-sharing network in September 2015 when O’Dell made images of child pornography available. Investigators executed a search warrant at O’Dell’s residence and seized two desktop computers, a laptop computer and an external hard drive.
Investigators discovered more than 27,000 images of child pornography and more than 350 videos of child pornography on O’Dell’s devices. The majority of child pornography depicted children under the age of 12, including adult/toddle rape scenes and prepubescent children in bondage. The recurring theme in O’Dell’s voluminous collection centers around the violent and overwhelming application of sexual force by an adult on a restrained prepubescent child. O’Dell admitted that he had been downloading child pornography for several years.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Husband and Wife Convicted for Roles in Alien Harboring Scheme Involving Labor Exploitation of Domestic ServantRead the Press Release
On June 6, 2017, a federal jury in Camden, New Jersey, convicted defendants Michael Wood, 53, and Mary Wood, 45, of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, on charges arising from a scheme to smuggle a young Kenyan woman into the United States and harbor and exploit her for domestic labor in their New Jersey home. Both defendants were convicted of alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy. Mary Wood was also convicted of fraudulently obtaining naturalization as a United States citizen by falsely denying involvement in the criminal scheme, and was acquitted on one count of making false statements in connection with the investigation. Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Marlon V. Miller of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, announced the convictions.
According to evidence presented in court and other documents filed in connection with this case, the defendants traveled to Kenya and recruited a young woman, identified as P.I. in court documents, to care for their four minor children in New Jersey. In August 2005, Michael Wood provided P.I. with his adult daughter’s British Passport and directed her to memorize the information and pretend to be the daughter. Upon entering the United States, Michael Wood presented the British Passport to immigration authorities and represented P.I. as his daughter.
Once in New Jersey, the defendants required P.I. to clean the house, do the laundry, cook, and care for the four minor children. She was responsible for being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for which the defendants paid her a mere $200 a month. Evidence at trial revealed that the defendants would have been required to pay her approximately $5,200 a month pursuant to applicable U.S. labor laws. As demonstrated at trial, in order to conceal P.I. from authorities, the defendants did not permit her to leave the house except to walk the children to school and instructed her not to talk to anyone outside of the house or family. In June 2006, Mary Wood’s sister and other family members moved P.I. to their homes, where they continued to harbor her and exploit her domestic labor, until P.I. managed to leave in 2011, prompting the subsequent federal investigation.
“The defendants acted out of greed and circumvented immigration law to exploit the domestic labor of a young Kenyan woman, for minimal pay,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wheeler. “Today’s verdict sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will continue to seek justice on behalf of vulnerable individuals and will hold defendants who violate our laws accountable for their crimes.”
“HSI special agents will continue to vigorously pursue those who think the law does not apply to their criminal acts,” said Special Agent in Charge Miller. “We are resolute in our efforts to hold accountable the perpetrators who attempt to circumvent United States law by participating in alien harboring and domestic labor exploitation schemes. This verdict underscores the necessity of the public's awareness of these schemes and importance to bring justice to the victims."
The defendants face a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment for alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy, and Mary Wood faces ten years’ imprisonment for naturalization fraud. Sentencing has been scheduled for September 7, 2017.
Six additional defendants, including members of Mary Wood’s family, who continued to harbor P.I. from 2006 to 2011 previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to charges related to their roles in the continuing scheme.
The case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, and prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Anita Channapati and Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Houston Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison for His Role in Tilak Jewelers RobberyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Joshua Deunte Caldwell, 26, of Houston, Texas was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve a total of 108 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in July 2016 to his role in the conspiracy to rob Tilak Jewelers in Irving, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Caldwell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. Caldwell has been in custody since his arrest in September 2015.
Caldwell was charged along with eleven other individuals in an indictment in February 2016. Afraybeom Traverom Jackson, 27, Dominique Pearson, 25, Hilton Murdock Aitch, 56, Irving Tyrone Flanagan, 47, Larry Solomon, 42, Terrence Lynn Thompson, 53, Anthony Ray Turner, Jr, 25, Treveon Dominique Anderson, 26, Michael Cornelious, 27, Xavier Rashad Ross, 25, and Vanlisa Scott, 47, were each charged with one count of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. Out of the twelve, ten have pleaded guilty, one is set for trial in January 2018, and one has not made an appearance in the Northern District of Texas.
According to plea documents filed in the case, in the early morning hours on November 17, 2013, Aitch, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Flanagan, Solomon, Aitch, Thompson, Turner, Anderson, Cornelious, and Ross, traveled from Houston, Texas, to the Dallas, Texas, area with the specific intent to rob the Tilak Jewelers store located at 8300 North MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 100, Irving, Texas. They stole a cargo van and a minivan after they arrived in the Dallas, Texas, area in order to avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement.
Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross drove together in the stolen cargo van to the Tilak Jewelers store, with the specific intent to commit the robbery. Aitch, Flanagan, and Thompson participated in planning the robbery and positioned themselves outside the Tilak Jewelers store, but maintained communications with Jackson for the purpose of monitoring the robbery and alerting the participants of the presence of law enforcement.
Prior to entering the Tilak Jewelers store, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross disguised their identities by wearing longsleeved clothing, long pants, gloves, and items covering their faces. Jackson and the others entered the jewelry store by smashing the locked glass door with a hammer. After gaining entry into the store, they restrained the owners of the jewelry store with zip-ties, smashed jewelry display cases, and took jewelry from the owners and employees of Tilak Jewelers.
After securing the jewelry, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross fled from the robbery using the stolen cargo van. They abandoned the cargo van at a predetermined location, where Solomon was waiting in the stolen minivan. Solomon then drove them to a second predetermined location, where Cornelious was waiting in a switch vehicle. Cornelious then used the switch vehicle to further facilitate their flight from the robbery and avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement. Scott, who had traveled from Houston, met Pearson and the other coconspirators at a different location and took possession of the stolen jewelry for the purpose of safely transporting it to Houston, Texas.
The Irving Police Department, Houston Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson was in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EFRAIN ISABEL RUIZ-GARCIA age 35, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced RUIZ-GARCIA to time served, 1 year of supervised release, $1000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. RUIZ-GARCIA will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on or about January 26, 2017, RUIZ-GARCIA was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about December 22, 2010.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González was in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CARLOS ALBERTO PINEDA-CANTOR age 40, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty today to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents, on or about December 31, 2016, PINEDA-CANTOR was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about December 26, 2007.
PINEDA-CANTOR faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine of $250,000, one year supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100.00 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk set sentencing for July 27, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
Head of Marijuana Trafficking Cell ConvictedRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – The head of a marijuana trafficking cell has pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to traffic drugs from Laredo to the Dallas area via the use of tractor trailers, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Mexican National Armando Javier Picazo Jimenez, 42, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute in excess of 1000 kilograms of marijuana.
In August 2013, authorities identified a drug trafficking organization responsible for the transportation and distribution of kilogram quantities of marijuana from Laredo to the Dallas area. Picazo Jimenez was identified as the head of the organization.
His contacts with Mexican sources of supply arranged for the marijuana to be smuggled from Mexico to Laredo. The organization leased Laredo warehouses to stash and prepare the marijuana bundles for further transportation. Picazo Jimenez directed the operation and had other co-conspirators coordinate for cover loads and commercial truck drivers to pick up the marijuana for transportation to the Dallas area.
Three other members of the Picazo Jimenez drug trafficking organization - Armando Eloy Gutierrez, 38, Javier Mota Villanueva, 33 and Leopoldo Rodriguez III, 25, all of Laredo - previously entered pleas of guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. All three are awaiting sentencing.
Gutierrez was in charge of finding warehouses for the organization to use and then soliciting shipping companies to transport trailers with marijuana and cover with loads of merchandise. He would also act as a scout by following the drivers through checkpoint. Once through, he would then drive with others to the Dallas or Fort Worth area to assist in receiving and unloading the drugs.
Mota-Villanueva worked at the warehouses. He wrapped the marijuana, moved pallets and loaded the drugs onto trailers. He would also travel to Dallas along with Gutierrez.
Rodriguez was tasked with wrapping marijuana and assisting with loading of narcotics onto trailers at a warehouse.
The investigation revealed three warehouse in Laredo that the organization used at different periods from on or about September 2013 to on or about July 31, 2014. They were located on the 1800 block of Aduanales, 200 block of Corpus Christi Street and the 1600 block of West Calton. Three separate marijuana loads were seized that originated from each one of the three warehouses, totaling more than 1600 kilograms.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker accepted the plea today. Sentencing will be before U.S. District Judge George P. Kazen at a date to be determined. Due to the amounts for which they are held accountable, Picazo Jimenez, Gutierrez and Villanueva face a minimum 10 years and up to life in federal prison. Rodriguez faces a minimum of five and up to 40 years imprisonment.
Picazo Jimenez, Gutierrez and Mota will remain in custody, while Rodriguez was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation known as “Weed Wacker.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Lou Castillo is prosecuting the case.
Harrisburg Man Indicted for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Harrisburg – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Doncarlos Urrutia, age 32, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that a .380 caliber Taurus handgun was found in Urrutia’s home on May 12, 2017. The indictment also alleges that Urrutia is a convicted felon, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
The matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, the Harrisburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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