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Wednesday 7 June 2017
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Guatemalan national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Manuel Castillo-Coroy, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Upon completion of this sentence, Castillo-Coroy will again be placed into removal proceedings and deported to Guatemala. Castillo-Coroy pleaded guilty in March 2017.
Federal authorities encountered Castillo-Coroy in September 2016, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S. Castillo-Coroy had previously been deported in July 2013, February 2012, and April 2011.
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 Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Fulton Man Pleads Guilty to $6.6 Million K2 ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Fulton, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than $6.6 million of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2, at Callaway County, Mo., businesses.
Jason Lee Houston, 37, of Fulton, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering; both conspiracies were related to the distribution of synthetic cannabinoids.
Houston, who operated First Stop Last Stop Pawn and Aromatherapy in Fulton, admitted that he contributed to the generation of approximately $4,544,700 of the total $6,656,843 in gross proceeds generated by the conspiracy from Dec. 18, 2012, to July 16, 2015.
Houston is among 10 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case. Shawn Michael Browning, 26, Timothy Christopher Sandfort, 31, Joshua Adam Sheets, 31, and Brandon Derek Rader, 33, all of Fulton, and Michael James Butler, 40, of Sacramento, Calif., also pleaded guilty to participating in the mail fraud and money laundering conspiracies. Sheila Marie Nawaz, 40, of Roseville, Calif., Dara Leanne Shirley, 31, of Fulton, pleaded guilty to participating in the money-laundering conspiracy. Casey Dewayne Miller, 32, of Columbia, and Billie L. Bruce, 36, of Jefferson City, each pleaded guilty to distributing synthetic cannabinoids.
According to court documents, the drug-trafficking conspiracy generated $6,656,843 in gross proceeds. Houston acknowledged that his conduct directly contributed to the generation of approximately $4,544,700 of that total, which is subject to forfeiture to the government in the form of a money judgment. Houston also must forfeit his residence, which was proceeds from the conspiracy, to the government.
Houston, Sandfort, Rader, Shirley, Miller and others operated First Stop Last Stop Pawn & Aromatherapy, Inscentives Resale and Inscentives Auto. First Stop Last Stop Pawn & Aromatherapy represented itself as a “pawn shop” and “potpourri store.” Inscentives Resale was represented to be a “buy, sell, and trade business.” Inscentives Auto held a Missouri motor vehicle dealer’s license. Browning, Sheets, Bruce and others operated Esscentials Resale and S&J Tobacco.
These businesses purchased synthetic cannabinoids from co-conspirators in California and Nevada. At least 251 shipments of synthetic cannabinoids were made via FedEx and UPS. Inscentives Resale sold synthetic cannabinoids from locations in Auxvasse, Mo., and Fulton. Esscentials Resale and S&J Tobacco sold synthetic cannabinoids from locations in Holts Summit, Mo.
The packages of synthetic cannabinoids bore misbranded labels that misidentified the contents as “incense,” “aroma therapy” or “potpourri” that were “not for human consumption.” In fact, these products were drugs intended for human consumption as a drug. Conspirators mislabeled packages of synthetic cannabinoids for the purpose of avoiding government regulation over these drugs, and to protect the continued sale of these drugs.
Under federal statutes, Houston is subject to a sentence of up to 40 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 Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the DEA Task Force – Jefferson City, DEA Sacramento, Calif., DEA Reno, Nev., IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department and the Holts Summit, Mo., Police Department.
Fruitland Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOISE – Cherie R. Dillon, 62, of Fruitland, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised released for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Dillon to pay restitution in the amount $549,605.19 and to forfeit $847,016 proceeds from the offenses, although those sums are preliminary pending a hearing on August 9, 2017.
Dillon pleaded guilty on January 27, 2017, to 24 counts of health care fraud and 24 corresponding counts of aggravated identity theft at the close of the government’s case after four days of trial in front of Judge Winmill. Evidence at trial demonstrated that between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, Dillon executed a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs, including Medicaid. Even though Dillon was only a dental hygienist, she performed and billed for dental treatments that may only be performed by a dentist. These treatments included fillings, extractions, and dentures. Dillon also billed for dental hygiene services performed without the supervision and direction of a dentist, contrary to state law and licensing requirements. Dillon received payment for those treatments from health care benefit programs while fraudulently misrepresenting that the treatments had been performed, and supervised, by a dentist, and while using the name and provider number of a particular dentist who was not in the office and who was unable to practice at the time due to disability. During the scheme, Dillon was a licensed dental hygienist, not a dentist, and practicing in Payette, Idaho.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and state law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously pursuing health care benefit fraud,” said Gonzalez. “I commend the excellent work of the agencies involved in bringing Ms. Dillon to justice.”
"Fraudulent billings to Medicaid by unqualified providers diverts funding from this vital health care program and the vulnerable individuals who rely on it," said Steven Ryan, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “This sentence should be a warning to criminals considering plunder of government health care programs.”
The case was investigated by Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Idaho Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Former Officer from Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Pleads Guilty to Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of A 4-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that Michael Eugene Williams (60, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to attempted commercial sex trafficking of a child. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the
plea agreement , between February 25 and September 28, 2016, Williams solicited an adult woman in Texas to sexually abuse her 4-year-old daughter, take photographs of the abuse, and then sell the photographs to him. The investigation of Williams began after an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force detective from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. JSO obtained a search warrant for Williams’s residence and found more than 450 images and videos of child pornography on his cellphone.In addition to his collection of child pornography, forensic analyses revealed text communications between Williams and an adult woman in Texas beginning in January 2016, and continuing until the date of the search warrant, on July 7, 2016. During this time, there were approximately 337 messages between Williams and the woman, mostly about her 4-year-old daughter. Williams repeatedly requested pornographic pictures and videos of the child and indicated that he was willing to pay for them. He urged the mother to film herself engaged in sexual acts with her child and to have the child perform sexual acts on others. Williams used income from his JSO retirement pension to send at least 19 Western Union wire transfers to the mother as payment.
Immediately after discovering the images and videos of the 4-year-old’s sexual abuse, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and officers from JSO contacted federal and local law enforcement in Texas and the child was removed from the abusive environment.
On October 21, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Williams’s home, and agents recovered Williams’s newly obtained cellphone containing sexually explicit videos of the 4-year-old girl in Texas and messages detailing his desire to perform sexual acts on the child.
The Texas woman has pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography in federal court in the Northern District of Texas. She faces up to 60 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
It is another case 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 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.justice.gov/psc.
Former ICE HSI Employee Ordered to Pay $36,000 for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Dwight Horton, 51, a former Mission Support Specialist (MSS) with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Dallas, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Court Judge Ed Kinkeade, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Horton, a resident of Grand Prairie, Texas, pleaded guilty in August 2016 to one count of theft of government property. Judge Kinkeade sentenced Horton to a three-year term of probation and ordered him to pay $36,000 in restitution to HSI.
According to documents filed in the case, the investigation began in September 2014 when ICE, Office of Professional Responsibility in Houston received a referral from HSI Dallas indicating that MSS Horton had used a government fleet charge card to purchase automotive supplies without authorization for personal gain.
The investigation revealed that on several occasions, Horton used his government fleet charge card to purchase a set of four tires from at least two tire stores in Dallas, and on each of those occasions, he took the tires with him rather than having them installed on a vehicle. The HSI Dallas facility does not have a maintenance area/shop for mechanics to install tires on fleet vehicles.
The investigation further revealed that Horton used his government fleet charge card to purchase window tint. He also used it to purchase gas at a Tom Thumb in Grand Prairie for his personally-owned vehicles.
Horton resigned from his position at HSI Dallas on October 14, 2014.
The case was investigated by agents with ICE, Office of Professional Responsibility in Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Pfeifle prosecuted.
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Former Federal Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - James P. Cheatham III, a former federal corrections officer, pled guilty on June 1, 2017, to accepting bribes to introduce contraband into the federal correctional facility in Yazoo County, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the DOJ OIG’s Miami Field Office.
Cheatham, age 24, of Brandon, Mississippi was charged in a one-count federal indictment with being a public official providing a prohibited object to an inmate.
"Greed and corruption have no place in our criminal justice system," stated Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the DOJ OIG’s Miami Field Office. "We want to thank our law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to ensure that individuals who abuse their position are vigorously investigated, prosecuted, and punished."
Cheatham is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III. on September 5, 2017, at 9:00am. He faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Former Bankruptcy Attorney Admits to Stealing Millions from ClientsRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PETER RESSLER, 70, of Woodbridge, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to embezzling millions of dollars from his bankruptcy clients, and to related fraud offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, RESSLER, an attorney with a bankruptcy practice based in New Haven, defrauded numerous clients in various ways. First, RESSLER took retainers from at least 30 clients for various legal matters on their behalf, including protection under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the bankruptcy code. Although RESSLER represented that he would hold the funds in trust until he provided legal services, he used the monies for other expenses.
In addition, RESSLER required certain clients who were seeking a Chapter 11 or Chapter 13 reorganization to deposit funds and represented that such monies would be held in trust for purposes of the anticipated reorganization. RESSLER obtained the funds after he had filed formal bankruptcy actions, which created relevant bankruptcy estates for which he had a continuing duty to maintain client assets under his control and to give appropriate accountings to the U.S. bankruptcy court. RESSLER was entrusted with hundreds of thousands of dollars from at least 10 businesses involved with Chapter 11 reorganizations. Instead of holding the funds in trust, he used the monies for other purposes.
As part of both Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 filings, RESSLER submitted multiple documents to the bankruptcy court that represented the status of a debtor’s assets and liquidity, including the debtor-in-possession monthly operating reports. In various instances, RESSLER had already improperly dissipated a portion of a client/debtor’s assets and knew that operating reports filed for certain clients contained false representations, which misled both the bankruptcy court and creditors as to a debtor’s true financial condition. When asked directly in hearings as to whether certain assets existed in certain accounts, RESSLER falsely represented that certain assets existed, when he knew that they did not.
RESSLER also engaged in “work outs” where he would attempt to settle a client’s debts with creditors without relying on the protections of bankruptcy. As part of this process, RESSLER requested that his clients deposit with him funds and represented that he would hold the funds in trust and then use them to settle disagreements with financial institutions or other creditors, such as the IRS, or for some other purpose on behalf of his clients. The investigation revealed that RESSLER took $64,000 from a client purportedly to purchase property; $180,000 from a client to hold money in escrow; $45,000 from another client purportedly to buy back a home in foreclosure; $100,000 from a client to hold money in escrow; $97,000 from a client to hold money in escrow; $102,000 and $50,000 from two other clients purportedly to settle tax obligations with the IRS; at least $199,000 from a client to negotiate a settlement with the IRS; $141,000 from a client to settle debts with IRS and a lender; and $165,000 from a client purportedly to negotiate a loan modification with a lender. In each instance, RESSLER used the monies for other purposes.
In the spring of 2016, the U.S. bankruptcy court identified criminal conduct by RESSLER in cases involving debtors that were his clients. In one case, the debtor entrusted RESSLER with $450,000, which were proceeds of a legal settlement, to be held by RESSLER’s firm for the benefit of the debtor and its creditors. In a second case, the debtor entrusted RESSLER’s firm with approximately $321,409. In both cases, most of the deposited funds were used by RESSLER for other purposes than on behalf of the relevant clients.
In total, RESSLER misappropriated at least $3.4 million in client funds and used the money for personal and family living expenses, to cover the expenses of his practice, and to fund payments relating to other clients and other bankruptcy estates from which he had previously improperly taken monies.
RESSLER pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, two counts of embezzlement from a bankruptcy estate, and one count of bankruptcy fraud. Judge Covello scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2017, at which time RESSLER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 35 years and a fine of up to approximately $6.8 million.
RESSLER has been released on a $100,000 bond since his arrest on April 25, 2016. He resigned from the Connecticut bar in March 2016.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Former A.B.I.A. Baggage Handler Pleads Guilty to Stealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A 26-year-old baggage handler at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) faces up to twenty years in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing items from checked baggage, including a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.
Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Mark Lane this afternoon, Ja’Quan Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of theft from an interstate shipment and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. By pleading guilty, Johnson admitted that between November 29, 2016, and February 2, 2017, he stole seven handguns from inside passenger bags at ABIA.
Johnson remains on bond pending sentencing. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Transportation Security Administration and the Austin Police Department’s Aviation Division conducted this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Gregg N. Sofer is prosecuting this case for the Government.
Fletcher, N.C. Attorney Indicted on Federal Charges for Bank Fraud and Making A False Statement to A BankRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A federal grand jury sitting in Asheville returned a criminal bill of indictment late yesterday against David R. Payne, 52, of Fletcher, N.C., charging him with multiple counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a bank, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney forr the Western District of North Carolina.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Jay N. Lerner, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) join U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the eight-count indictment, on multiple occasions throughout 2009, Payne executed a scheme to defraud three Western North Carolina financial institutions: Pisgah Community Bank (PCB), Mountain First Bank & Trust (MFBT), and Bank of Asheville (BOA), (collectively, “the Banks”). The indictment alleges that Payne defrauded the Banks for at least $1,607,000, by making false statements and material misrepresentations about his financial condition on a series of loan applications he submitted to the Banks. Payne applied for the fraudulent loans in his personal capacity and through other corporate entities he controlled, including Provision 08, LLC, and Shire Properties, LLC.
According to allegations in the indictment, in February 2007, Payne executed two promissory notes to NC Four C’s, LLC (NC4Cs), a North Carolina limited liability company, in exchange for NC4Cs’s disbursement of two loans totaling $800,000. In 2009, Payne ceased making payments to NC4Cs, when he allegedly began to have serious financial problems. The indictment further alleges that in December 2008, Payne, through Provision 08, LLC, entered into a transfer agreement with a victim identified in the indictment as “J.E.” Payne had previously acted as an attorney for J.E. and for J.E’s charitable and business enterprises. The indictment alleges that, according to the terms of the transfer agreement, Payne agreed to pay to J.E. and J.E.’s heirs $4.38 million in exchange for the transfer of four properties to Payne (collectively “the Properties). The indictment also alleges that J.E. never received a single payment from Payne or Provision 08, LLC.
According to allegations in the indictment, upon acquiring the Properties from J.E., Payne began using the Properties to obtain bank loans from PCB, MFBT, and BOA, to benefit himself and his corporate entities. To secure the bank loans, Payne allegedly made numerous misrepresentations, false statements, and omissions, all with intent to defraud the Banks. For example, in December 2008, Payne used the acquisition of the Properties to secure a $735,000 bank loan from PCB. During the loan application process, Payne lied to a PCB loan officer who inquired about Payne’s acquisition of the Properties, telling the loan officer that J.E. had gifted Payne the Properties in recognition of previous services provided to J.E. The indictment also alleges that Payne failed to disclose to PCB his personal liabilities, including the $800,000 personal debt to NC4Cs.
The indictment goes on to allege that Payne continued to use the Properties as collateral in subsequent loan applications throughout 2009, and was able secure loans from two additional banks, MFBT and BOA, based on similar misrepresentations and omissions. In at least one of those instances, the indictment alleges that Payne’s own law firm served as the closing attorney for the loans, and that Payne was able to hide information from the bank regarding existing encumbrances on the property, which he used as collateral for the loan. As a result of Payne’s conduct, MFBT and BOA disbursed to Payne two loans in the amount of $250,000 and $522,000, respectively.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Rose stated, “Payne allegedly went on a bank fraud spree, and, using his law license as a conduit to the fraud, he caused substantial financial harm to individuals and to financial institutions. I want to thank the FBI and the FDIC-OIG for leading this complex financial investigation that led to the federal charges,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.
Payne had his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell. The charges of bank fraud and making false statements on a loan and credit application each carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine per count.
All the charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was led by the FBI and FDIC-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Daniel Bradley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are in charge of the prosecution.
Five Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging ALEXIS AQUIRRE-VELASQUEZ, age 29, of Guatemala, FERNANDO CARILLO-VASQUEZ, age 27, of Mexico, NESTOR RAFAEL CHAVEZ-DAVID, age 36, of Honduras, JUAN EDGAR MARTINEZ-RUIZ, age 30, of Mexico, and ROSALIO QUINTERO-CASTILLO, age 40, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, AQUIRRE-VELASQUEZ, CHAVEZ-DAVID, MARTINEZ-RUIZ and QUINTERO-CASTILLO would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
CARILLO-VASQUEZ is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (trafficking cocaine). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal Judge Sentences 16 Methamphetamine Traffickers to PrisonRead the Press Release
STATESVILLE, N.C. – A total of 16 defendants were handed prison terms ranging from 21 months to 18 years for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Richard L. Voorhees presided over the court hearings, which began on Monday, June 5, 2017, and concluded today with the sentencing of the last defendant.
U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Nick Annan, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Atlanta and the Carolinas; Audria C. Bridges, Special Agent in Charge of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Western District Office; and Colonel Glenn McNiell of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol; Chief Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department; Sheriff Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Chris Bowman of the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office; Chief Damon D. Williams of the Mooresville Police Department; and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
The 16 defendants sentenced in U.S. District Court in Statesville are:
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Jerry Wayne Grant, 45, of Mooresville, was sentenced to 216 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-48)
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James Edward Russell, III, 38, of Hudson, was sentenced to 188 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-13)
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Teddy Dwane McGee, 41, of Hickory, was sentenced to 120 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-48)
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Larry Chad Roberts, 39, of Taylorsville, was sentenced to 120 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-47)
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Richard Lee Knight, 41, of China Grove, was sentenced to 120 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-42)
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Jason Mathew Beasley, 36, of North Wilkesboro, was sentenced to 120 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-39)
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Davey Yang, 35, of Conover, was sentenced to 110 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:15-cr-73)
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Troy Lynn Bell, 48, of Taylorsville, was sentenced to 108 months, followed by 4 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-66)
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Jamie Lee Grigg, 44, of Kings Mountain, was sentenced to 100 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-46)
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Steven Matthew Donaldson, 25, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 96 months, followed by 4 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-45)
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Josue Abraham Robles, 19, of Mexico, was sentenced to 86 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-62)
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Jesus Cristino-Perales, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced to 78 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:15-cr-73)
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Norberto Macedo, Jr., 23, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-55)
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Wendy Michelle Pennington, 39, of Hickory, was sentenced to 46 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-48)
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Ritchie Allen Shook, 38, of Granite Falls, was sentenced to 37 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release. (5:16-cr-58)
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Shana Elyse Teague, 28, of Taylorsville, was sentenced to 21 months, followed by 1 year of supervised release. (5:16-cr-13)
According to court records, the defendants were involved in drug trafficking organizations that have trafficked methamphetamine worth millions of dollars. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, $500,000 in U.S. currency and other assets, and dozens of firearms.
The defendants were charged as part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which, since 2015, has resulted in the prosecution of more than 165 individuals.
OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Rose thanked all the law enforcement agencies for their investigative efforts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
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Ex-Wife Arrested for Lying about Former Husband’s Whereabouts during Fugitive InvestigationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The ex-wife of a man who was a fugitive for 20 years until his arrest in April 2017, has been charged with lying about the whereabouts of her former spouse prior to his arrest.
Cecily Sturge, 69, of Delray Beach, Fla., has been charged with making a materially false statement to a federal agent about the whereabouts of her ex-husband, Scott J. Wolas, who had been a fugitive for 20 years in connection with a New York investment scheme until his arrest in April 2017. Wolas has also been charged in federal court in Boston with operating an unrelated fraudulent $1.5 million real estate investment scheme in Quincy, Mass. Sturge is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida today.
According to court documents, a federal investigation into Wolas began in early September 2016 when Wolas fled Massachusetts after defrauding at least 19 investors of about $1.5 million in connection with his purported efforts to develop two Quincy properties, including the site of the former Beachcomber Bar. Sturge was interviewed by law enforcement on Nov. 17, 2016, during which time she stated that her most recent contact with her ex-husband had been about 15 years prior. Sturge maintained her answer, despite evidence of contact between her cell phone and one known to belong to Wolas that demonstrated more recent communication between the two.
After further investigation, Wolas was arrested on April 7, 2017, in a condo he was renting in Delray Beach, Fla. Investigators learned that Wolas had first rented the condo from Nov. 12 through Nov. 21, 2016, through an online rental website in the name of Cecily Sturge. Messages exchanged between the condo owner and Sturge were also discovered, that depicted a photo of Sturge and messages indicating that Wolas (using the name Cameron Sturge) was Sturge’s brother and a retired paleontologist in need of a place to stay. The owner of the condo told authorities that Sturge and Wolas arrived at the condo together in the same car on Nov. 12, 2016, five days before Sturge’s interview with law enforcement.
Sturge was divorced from Wolas in 2001 by default judgment in Palm Beach County, Fla. In February 2017, Sturge filed a petition to modify the judgment in order to obtain the contents of Wolas’ retirement account, which had a balance of approximately $647,000, from the New York law firm where he worked prior to being indicted in 1997 by New York authorities. In pleadings filed in February and March 2017 in that matter, Sturge swore that Wolas’s whereabouts were unknown to her, despite telephone records showing frequent contact between the two. In addition, copies or drafts of documents filed in the Florida proceeding were also found in the room and on a thumb drive taken from the room where Wolas was arrested.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the US sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower of Weinreb’s Criminal Division and David G. Lazarus and Brendan Mockler of Weinreb’s Civil Division are prosecuting the case.
East Stroudsburg Man Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Paris Wilder, age 30, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on June 6, 2017, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Wilder conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine from January 2015 to January 13, 2017, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stroud Regional Police Department, and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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 under federal law for this offense is 20 years of 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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Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Joel Perez-Matos, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Perez-Matos, who pleaded guilty in March 2017, will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
Perez-Matos was deported from the United States in February 2016. Federal authorities encountered Perez-Matos in December 2016, 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 Kelly Begg Lawrence of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
District of Columbia man sentenced to federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A District of Columbia man was sentenced today to three years and one month in federal prison for a gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Nicholas Loukas, 31, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements on records kept by licensed firearms dealers.
Loukas admitted that in September 2015, he directed others to purchase firearms for him so that he would not be named in records required to be maintained by federally-licensed firearms dealers. When the purchases were made, the buyers listed their names on the forms required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, instead of Loukas’ name. Loukas further admitted that four handguns were purchased for him by others at Shooter’s Roost in Beckley. Loukas also admitted that another handgun was purchased for him by an individual at J & S Pawn in Beckley. As part of the investigation, law enforcement additionally recovered another handgun and a shotgun that Loukas unlawfully possessed. Loukas was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2002 robbery conviction in Maryland.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John File is responsible for the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.
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Defendants Charged with Posing as Federal Agents and Defrauding Immigrants Out of $6 MillionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Three individuals were arrested today in connection with a scheme to defraud victims seeking immigration status in the United States. As part of the fraud, two of defendants – Hardev Panesar and Rafael Hastie – posed as officers of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and promised that they could obtain immigration status for people in exchange for exorbitant fees. Gurdev Singh is also charged with assisting his conspirators in the fraudulent scheme.
According to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today, although Panesar and Hastie have never worked at DHS, since at least 2014 they falsely claimed to be DHS agents and falsely stated they had the authority to obtain lawful immigration documents and legal status for individuals who lacked such status in the United States. Panesar and Hastie also falsely claimed they had the power to stop deportation proceedings.
According to the Indictment, the defendants defrauded victims out of approximately $6,000,000 from the scheme. Panesar, Hastie and Singh collected fees from victims under the guise that they would be able to provide immigration documents, and concealed from victims the fact that they would never be able to obtain immigration documents or status in the United States. Instead, the defendants converted the proceeds from the scheme to their personal use and benefit. Panesar, Hastie, Singh and others have solicited and recruited victims across the United States, including California and Indiana, and Mexico.
Panesar and Hastie convinced victims that they were agents, in part, because they showed fake agency credentials when meeting with the victims. Panesar and Hastie also provided immigration applications to victims and took fingerprints supposedly for immigration forms. They often demanded more money to speed up the process or guarantee the immigration documents by a certain date. Panesar, Hastie, and Singh never delivered on their promise to provide immigration documents, despite collecting thousands of dollars from each of the more than 150 victims.
The investigation into this case continues. The San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking possible victims in this investigation from 2000 through 2017.
If you believe you are a potential victim of this crime, please fill out the questionnaire at https://forms.fbi.gov/SDImmigrationFraud or email the FBI at [email protected].DEFENDANTS Case Number: 17CR1371-GPC
Name
Age
City
Hardev PANESAR
69
El Cajon, California
Rafael HASTIE
47
Tijuana, Mexico
Gurdev SINGH
56
Bakersfield, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1: 18 U.S.C. § 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Maximum Penalty 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution. (All defendants)
Counts 2-4: 18 U.S.C. § 1343, Wire Fraud; Maximum Penalty 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution (All defendants)
Counts 5-10: 18 U.S.C. § 912, False Personation of an Officer or Employee of the United States; Maximum Penalty 3 years in prison, $250,000 fine (Panesar and Hastie)
Count 11: 31 U.S.C. § 5324(a)(3), Structuring Domestic Financial Institutions; Maximum Penalty 10 years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture (Panesar)
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Cuyahoga Falls man indicted for defrauding people out of nearly $1.3 millionRead the Press Release
A two-count indictment was filed charging a Cuyahoga Falls financial advisor with defrauding people out of nearly $1.3 million related to a fraudulent hotel project in Florida, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.
Gary J. Boecker, 63, was indicted on one count of wire fraud and one count of making false statements in a loan application.
Boecker worked as an attorney and a financial advisor. He devised a scheme to enrich himself and to fund the “Ocean Jade Health Retreat,” a business venture in Florida known as a water therapy hotel, according to the indictment.
Starting at early as 2014, Boecker pitched his Florida “water therapy hotel” to Victim 1, promising an annual return on investment of 15 percent. Boecker led Victim 1 to believe he owned the hotel involved in the project and told her he already had five investors in the project, both of which he knew were false, according to the indictment.
Victim 1 was a close personal friend of Boecker. Based on his false representations, she agreed to invest $300,000 in the Ocean Jade project. He also caused unauthorized withdrawals of $426,900 from her account in 2014 and 2015, according to the indictment.
Boecker was employed at Victim 2’s company for more than a decade, eventually becoming Chief Financial Officer. Boecker fraudulently obtained $536,300 from Victim 2’s company between 2014 and 2016. The money was for Boecker’s benefit and to further the Ocean Jade project, according to the indictment.
Boecker also used a corporate credit card from Victim 2’s company for $24,274 of personal expenses unrelated to Victim 2’s company, including airfare and rental cars in the Fort Lauderdale area related to the Ocean Jade project, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda H. Barr following an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Department of Labor.
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.
Cranston Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Gregory L. Garmon, 35, of Cranston, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Garmon was arrested by members of the Cranston Police Department on May 3, 2016, approximately 30 minutes after Providence Police reported shots fired in their city and provided a description to Cranston Police of a vehicle believed involved in the incident.
According to court documents, on May 3, 2016, at approximately 5:23 p m, Providence Police received reports of shots fired on Comstock Avenue. A description of a vehicle involved, including the vehicles license plate number, was provided to Providence Police. Within a few minutes, Cranston Police identified the owner of the vehicle as being Gregory Garmon, and established surveillance at his residence. Within 30 minutes, the vehicle, driven by Garmon arrived at the Cranston residence. Garmon was taken into custody. A loaded 9mm pistol was discovered under the passenger’s front seat.
Garmon’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael J. Winquist; Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr.; and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF.
Gorman is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2017.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Columbia Man Pleads to Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Melvin Cain Silas, Jr., age 27, of Columbia, plead guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, accepted the guilty plea and will impose a sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented in court during the guilty plea hearing established that at approximately 10:28am on November 10, 2016, a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department on patrol on Farrow Road encountered a Jeep bearing Colorado license plates and determined that it had previously been reported stolen from Georgia. Once the deputy activated his blue lights and siren, the Jeep failed to stop and ultimately crashed. The four occupants attempted to flee on foot, but deputies were able to apprehend Silas, the driver, and one of the passengers. The other two passengers were able to get away. A search incident to arrest revealed a loaded Taurus .380 handgun in Silas’ front pants pocket. A search of the Jeep revealed two additional firearms, one of which was linked to the passenger that was apprehended. That passenger has also been charged federally with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. After waiving his rights, Silas admitted to stealing the Jeep from the side of the road in Blythewood and using a screwdriver to start it. Silas also admitted to buying the Taurus handgun off the street.
Silas is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior state convictions, which includes assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature (two separate counts), grand larceny, and burglary 2nd degree (two separate counts). Silas was on state supervision when this incident occurred.
Silas faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
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Charleston methamphetamine dealer sentenced to federal prison for drug crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston drug dealer was sentenced today to three years and five months in federal prison for a methamphetamine crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Chelsea Fore, 25, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
On October 13, 2016, officers with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team used a confidential informant to meet with Fore to purchase methamphetamine. The drug deal took place in the area of the Kmart located at 4th Avenue in Charleston. Once the informant gave Fore the prerecorded buy money, Fore got into the passenger seat of a BMW in the Kmart parking lot. After retrieving the methamphetamine, Fore got out of the car and gave the informant the drugs. Fore also admitted that she was responsible for distributing approximately two-and-a-half ounces of methamphetamine during the course of her drug trafficking.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as 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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Chambersburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rebecca Cramer, age 57, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania pled guilty today before United States District Judge John E. Jones, III, to social security fraud and theft of public funds.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Cramer pled guilty to a felony information alleging she collected over $22,000 in social security funds which were to be used for the benefit of her sister. Cramer’s sister passed away in February of 2015, and Cramer continued to collect the funds and fraudulently completed two annual reports to the Social Security Administration regarding her sister’s status.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 25 years of 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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Canton Woman Sentenced for Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on June 6, 2017, United States District Court Judge Matthew Brann sentenced Lisa Belawske, age 53, of Canton, Pennsylvania, to a prison term of four months for misappropriation of postal funds by a postal employee. Belawske pleaded guilty to a criminal information on February 15, 2017.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Belawske acknowledged that she misappropriated over $12,000 in money orders and cash between October 2015 and June 2016, while employed at the Sylvania Post Office. In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge Brann ordered Belawske to pay full restitution.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni.
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Canadian National Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canadian man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for concealing $3–$4 million in his bankruptcy filings.
Cyril Gordon Lunn, 69, formerly of Pepperell, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 18 months in prison and restitution of $6,339. Upon the completion of his sentence, Lunn will face deportation hearings. In January 2017, Lunn pleaded guilty to concealing assets from his bankruptcy creditors and making a false statement under the penalty of perjury in one of his bankruptcy schedules.
From 1985 until 2001, Lunn was the owner of CY Realty Corporation, a construction and land development business in Pepperell. From 1998 to September 2001, Lunn transferred a variety of assets belonging to CY Realty and himself, including $3-$4 million in cash, from the United States to Canada, where he deposited some or all of the funds into safe deposit boxes. In the fall of 2001, Lunn filed for bankruptcy for CY Realty and himself; however, he failed to disclose in either bankruptcy case the asset transfers, including the millions in cash. In addition, Lunn made a false statement in one of his bankruptcy filings by stating that he had closed all safe deposit boxes by September 2001, when in fact, he had failed to disclose a safe deposit box that he had opened at the Granite Bank in New Hampshire, and which he continued to access after the bankruptcy filing.
Lunn’s actions were discovered after he testified about the asset transfers during a 2004 Canadian civil lawsuit. In March 2005, Lunn rented a snowmobile in Maine and fled across the border into Canada where he remained a fugitive until he was extradited from Canada in 2016.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office received assistance from the U.S. Trustee’s Office in Boston and Worcester. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit.
Bookkeeper charged with stealing $1.8 million from small businessRead the Press Release
Shelby County woman pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion charges
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh Minkler today announced that Julie Ann Ashman, 43, of Fairland, Indiana, has been charged federally in connection with a long-running scheme to defraud a small business where she served as bookkeeper. Ashman allegedly embezzled a total of over $1.8 million. Ashman has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and tax evasion.
“We count on the people we work with to be honest, especially people who occupy positions of trust,” said Minkler. “Exploiting that trust for purely personal gain can devastate an organization, especially a small business. Those who choose to commit fraud will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
Ashman served for years as bookkeeper of a southern Indiana small business specializing in repairing and refurbishing X-ray medical equipment, according to court documents. She was responsible for recording all deposits and payments in the company’s ledger, which she provided annually to the company’s accountant. She also had access to the company’s checkbook.
For over four and a half years, Ashman allegedly used her position and access to secretly siphon company funds to her own bank account. Ashman cut checks to herself for between $3,000 and $5,000 up to 15 times per month. To conceal the missing funds, she intentionally understated the company’s revenue on its ledgers, leaving the company’s owners and its accountant to believe the company was barely profitable. She also falsified the checks’ memo lines to make them appear to be for legitimate business expenses. In total, Ashman allegedly cut 436 company checks to herself for a total of $1,805,015.12.
Additionally, Ashman allegedly failed to report to the IRS or pay taxes on the money she stole. She omitted from the company’s books any reference to the payments to herself, which prevented the company from issuing her a W-2 or 1099. Further, none of her tax returns made any reference to the hundreds of thousands of dollars she spent on herself each year. In total, Ashman evaded paying taxes of $463,078.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Nick Linder, who is prosecuting the case for the government, said that Ashman has agreed to plead guilty to charges of wire fraud and tax evasion. She faces up to 20 years in prison on the fraud charge and up to 5 years in prison on the tax evasion charge.
Charges are not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions Ends Third Party Settlement PracticeRead the Press Release
Attorney General Sessions today issued the attached memo to all Department of Justice components and 94 United States Attorney’s Offices prohibiting them from entering into any agreement on behalf of the United States in settlement of federal claims or charges that directs or provides for a settlement payment to non-governmental, third parties that were not directly harmed by the conduct.
“When the federal government settles a case against a corporate wrongdoer, any settlement funds should go first to the victims and then to the American people— not to bankroll third-party special interest groups or the political friends of whoever is in power,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Unfortunately, in recent years the Department of Justice has sometimes required or encouraged defendants to make these payments to third parties as a condition of settlement. With this directive, we are ending this practice and ensuring that settlement funds are only used to compensate victims, redress harm, and punish and deter unlawful conduct.”
Under the last Administration, the Department repeatedly required settling parties to pay settlement funds to third party community organizations that were not directly involved in the litigation or harmed by the defendant’s conduct. Pursuant to the Attorney General’s memorandum, this practice will immediately stop.
Angleton Man Convicted on Multiple Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 44-year old resident of Angleton has entered a guilty plea to one count each of distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
John Kevin Waldrip came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation into persons using the Internet to traffic in child pornography via peer-to-peer software. A detective with Pearland Police Department (PPD) was able to locate and identify a computer as offering to participate in the receipt of child pornography videos through a peer-to-peer network on the Internet. Through the investigation, it was determined that the computer was located at a residence in Angleton.
On June 30, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Angleton residence, during which time they seized a computer. A forensic examination on the computer revealed 81 videos and 512 images of child pornography involving minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the videos are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
U.S. District Judge George c. Hanks Jr., accepted the guilty plea and set sentencing for Aug. 16, 2017. At that time, Waldrip faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the distribution and receipt charges as well as another possible 10-year-maximum sentence for the possession conviction. Each conviction also carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
PPD and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack, 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."
Akron man indicted for drugs, firearms and assaulting law enforcement officersRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted for illegally having drugs and firearms, and assaulting law enforcement officers, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.
Alphonse K. Colbert, 29, was indicted on two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of being a felon on possession of a firearm, one count of using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of assault on law enforcement officers.
Destiny R. Clay, 18, of Akron, was indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Colbert and Clay were found on March 9 to have approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine. Colbert also had heroin and a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite a prior conviction in Summit County Common Pleas Court for felonious assault, according to the indictment.
On April 19, Colbert was found to be in possession of 142 grams of methamphetamine, as well as two Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistols, a Smith and Wesson 9 mm handgun, a Romarm Cugir 7.62-caliber rifle, a Fabrique National 9 mm pistol and ammunition, according to the indictment.
Colbert also assaulted two Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers on April 19, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit the six firearms and ammunition, as well as $5,680 in cash seized during the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Akron Police Department and the Akron/Summit County HIDTA Initiative, which includes DEA, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the police departments of Akron, Copley, Springfield, Tallmadge, Stow, the University of Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Reminderville, Silver Lake, New Franklin and Barberton.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.
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.
Advertising Executive Pleads Guilty in Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that Gary Todd Smith (“Todd Smith”) (47, Fayetteville, North Carolina) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and to wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Smith ran Smith Advertising, which turned into a massive fraud scheme. Smith borrowed money from over 150 people, wherein each earlier loan was repaid from subsequent loans. Smith lied about the purpose of the loans and conspirators created fake documents to mask the scheme. The company’s real books showed that, as a result of the scheme and on the date the company ceased operations, the total assets and equity were valued at -$166,863,476.23.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
10,000 Students Participate in US Attorney's Opioid & Heroin Addiction Awareness ProgramRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – As the 2016-2017 school year nears its completion, today nearly 300 students in Winman Jr. High School in Warwick participated in the United States Attorney’s Office’s opioid and heroin addiction and overdose awareness program. Today’s presentation, the final in-school program of the current school year, marks the 28th presentation in more than two dozen schools in 13 communities across Rhode Island.
More than 10,000 junior and senior high school students in Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, Cumberland, Johnston, Newport, North Providence, Portsmouth, Providence, South Kingstown, Warwick, Westerly and Woonsocket participated in the United States Attorney’s Office’s program, which includes discussions about the importance of making good decisions and the consequences of making poor decisions, and how they impact every student’s future; screening of the powerful documentary Chasing the Dragon - an unscripted, real-life look at the devastation of opioid and heroin addiction; and the personal story of a parent, Deborah Parente, who lost her only child to opioid and heroin addiction.
Each presentation also included important information about in-school and community support for students if they have been or are being impacted because of a family member or friend’s use of opioids or heroin.
In addition to opioid and heroin awareness programs, the United States Attorney’s Office, working along-side community partners such as substance abuse prevention coalitions, student assistance counselors and law enforcement, visited numerous junior and senior high schools across the state to present programs to students, faculty, coaches, administrators and parents about the impact that marijuana, tobacco, and e-cigarettes may pose to young people.
“The devastation being left in the wake of the worsening epidemic of opioid and heroin addiction, and overdose deaths, is staggering to say the least,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch. “According to statistics released on Tuesday by the Department of Justice, in 2015, 1,000 people died every week of a drug overdose; 33,000 people died from heroin, fentanyl and other opioid drugs. In 2016, the number of deaths increased to nearly 60,000 people. These are not faceless, nameless individuals. They are our family members, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers. People impacted by this horrific epidemic live in every zip code, are of every ethnicity, and of every socioeconomic background. This epidemic does not discriminate.”
“If our outreach programs save one life, we have done our job. We hope we have made a significant difference in many young people’s lives,” added Mr. Dambruch. “I want to particularly thank former U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Deborah Parente for their significant contributions to the success of our opioid and heroin awareness outreach programs.”
Assistance and information about treatment options for opioid addiction is available from a licensed counselor 24-hours a day, 7 days a week by calling Prevent Overdose RI at 942-STOP (942-7867).
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Tuesday 6 June 2017
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl to Naugatuck Overdose VictimRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that AURELLE HUCKABEE, 22, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl to an overdose victim. This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning of July 7, 2016, Naugatuck Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a Naugatuck residence on a report of a suspected overdose. The victim, a 31-year-old male, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Investigators seized two bags of suspected heroin and/or fentanyl, as well as the victim’s cellphone, from the scene.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner subsequently determined that the victim died as a result of “acute fentanyl intoxication.”
The victim’s cellphone contained hundreds of text messages between the victim and HUCKABEE. The text messages revealed that HUCKABEE regularly supplied heroin to the victim in the weeks preceding the victim’s death.
HUCKABEE has been detained since his arrest on January 4, 2017. On March 9, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin.
This matter was investigated by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Naugatuck Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe and Fairfield Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso.
Vice-President of SK Labs Sentenced to Prison for Role in Manufacturing Synthetic SteroidsRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A California man, who was previously found guilty following a five-day jury trial on conspiracy and mail fraud charges in relation to his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States Food and Drug Administration by misbranding synthetic steroids was sentenced today in federal court, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Sitesh Bansi Patel, 33, of Irvine, Calif., was sentenced today to imprisonment for a term of eight months, ordered to forfeit $77,000, and fined $50,000. He was convicted following a five-day jury trial of one count of conspiracy to defraud the FDA, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and three counts of mail fraud.
Patel, who holds a Pharm.D degree and is a licensed pharmacist, is the vice president of SK Labs, a California-based supplement manufacturer. In 2008 and 2009, Patel used SK Labs to produce H-Drol and M-Drol. The products labeled M-Drol and H-Drol contained prohormones, a/k/a synthetic steroids. The products were misbranded because the labels identified them as “dietary supplements” when, in fact, they were drugs. The active ingredients in H-Drol and M-Drol are now classified by the DEA as anabolic steroids. In 2009, when it became widely known in the supplement industry that these types of products were being actively investigated by the FDA, SK Labs quit producing H-Drol and M-Drol. However, beginning in December 2010, Patel arranged for the manufacture of H-Drol and M-Drol by others at another facility in California. Patel, working as go-between, received, at his home, shipments of raw powder, labels, and money. Patel transported those items to a shopping mall parking lot. Patel then arranged for the finished product to be shipped to Virginia.
The raw powder used to manufacture these products was imported from Xinli “Eric” Li, a Chinese national, who pleaded guilty in federal court in Abingdon on December 4, 2015. Li forfeited $1.6 million and served five months in prison prior to being deported to China.
M-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 2a, 17a di methyl etiocholan 3-one, 17b-ol, a chemical nomenclature for methasterone, also known as “Superdrol.” The FDA has identified methasterone as a “designer steroid” or “designer drug”, a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. H-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1,4-diene-3-17b-diol, the nomenclature for a designer drug identified as halovar, a clone of halodrol. Both products were deemed to be misbranded drugs because the label was false, that is, the product was labeled as a “dietary supplement” but contained a “steroid” or drug. Therefore, neither product met the definition of a dietary supplement. Both products were popular among those seeking an increase in muscle mass and loss of body fat and were distributed widely in the U.S. and overseas, both at retail stores and via the internet. The use of anabolic steroids or dietary supplements that contain anabolic steroids or designer steroids may trigger numerous adverse health effects in the human body.
The investigation, known as Operation Grasshopper, has resulted in the forfeiture of over $3.5 million and felony convictions for seven different individuals from Virginia, California, Florida, New York and China.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations. The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the case. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
Upstate Woman Pleads Guilty to Hydrocodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Precias K. Freeman., age 35, of Lyman, South Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court in Anderson, to a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute hydrocodone, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he 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 beginning on October 2014 Freeman created fraudulent prescriptions and passed them in local pharmacies throughout the upstate of South Carolina. The investigation revealed that Freeman usually tried to fill three prescriptions per day. Freeman's prescriptions were almost exclusively for 120 tablets of 10mg hydrocodone per prescription and were sold for $4 per pill.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Freeman can receive is a fine of $1,000,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
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US Attorney Hosts Meeting with Mexico’s Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Today, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, met with Raúl Cervantes Andrade, Attorney General for Mexico, Alberto Elías Beltrán, Head of the Deputy Attorney General’s Office for Legal and International Affairs, and Beatriz Navarro Parada, Appointed Consul from the Mexican General Consulate in San Juan, US Attorney’s Office announced. The following joint statement was issued after the meeting:
We, the Attorney General of México and the United States Department of Justice, having gathered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this 6th of June 2017, intend to increase our efforts to combat jointly transnational organized crime through the strengthening of our justice institutions, including by:
• Recognizing that transnational criminal organizations and their illicit activities pose a common threat to the region;
• Implementing policies to increase the effectiveness and capacity of law enforcement, prosecuting agencies, and justice sector leadership, particularly as Mexico transitions to an accusatorial justice system; and
• Improving coordination and information sharing to more effectively dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Raúl Cervantes Andrade, Mexico’s Attorney General and Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Voluntary Compliance Agreement with Pinson to Improve Facilities and Program AccessRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City of Pinson have reached a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to city facilities and programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey.
- agreement, which went into effect Monday, resolves a number of complaints filed by a Pinson resident who claimed that various city facilities and programs were inaccessible to individuals with mobility impairments, in violation of the ADA.
“The City of Pinson cooperated with our office to work out a solution that resolves these alleged ADA violations,” Posey said. “With this agreement, Pinson commits to ensuring that individuals with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to access and participate in their city government’s programs.”
As a public entity subject to the requirements of Title II of the ADA, Pinson must ensure that its facilities and programs are readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes ensuring that all new construction and alterations to buildings or facilities meet the physical accessibility requirements of Title II. Title II also requires that a public entity make participation in it services, programs and activities available to any qualified individual, regardless of a disability.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the ADA may visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA website at www.ada.gov. To make complaints about potential civil-rights violations, including complaints about discrimination based on race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status, please call or e-mail the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Intake Specialist at (205) 244-2001 or [email protected].
To file a written complaint, mail the complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, ATTN: Civil Rights Intake Specialist, 1801 Fourth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.
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Two Men Plead Guilty in McDonald’s Restaurant RobberyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Hanselo Recio, 18, and Junior Feliz, 22, both of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty today in District Court on St. Thomas for their roles in the robbery of a McDonald’s restaurant on St. Thomas, Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced. Recio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and Feliz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Both defendants were remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing on October 5, 2017.
According to plea agreements filed with the court, on March 25, 2017, members of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) responded to reports of a robbery at the McDonald’s restaurant in the Lockhart Shopping Center. After an exchange of gunfire, Recio, who was armed and inside the McDonald’s restaurant, surrendered and was taken into custody. Feliz was the driver of the getaway car. Three other men also are charged in District Court in the robbery.
Recio faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and a mandatory 10-year consecutive sentence for discharge of a firearm during a federal crime of violence. Feliz faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the VIPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Tobacco Farmer Sentenced to 6 Months Imprisonment for Obstructing an On-Going Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, the Honorable James C. Dever III, Chief United States District Judge, sentenced KAY WEEKS FISHER, 67, of Whitakers, North Carolina, to six-months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine for making material false statements.
According to the Criminal Information and information in the public record, KAY WEEKS FISHER, being aware of an on-going federal grand jury investigation, took steps to help another farmer conceal the sales of hidden tobacco and encouraged the farmer to provide false testimony to federal agents. The farmer, who was also prosecuted by this office, eventually told the truth. FISHER’s criminal conduct, however, obstructed the investigation and ultimately judicial proceedings.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and Risk Management Agency - Special Investigations Branch. Assistant United States Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan represented the government.
Three U.S. Postal employees and fourth man indicted for stealing packages containing marijuana and selling the drugsRead the Press Release
Three U.S. Postal employees in Akron and a fourth man were indicted for a conspiracy in which they stole packages containing marijuana from the U.S. mail and then sold the drugs, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Named in the three-count indictment are: Rabih Kairouz, 29, of Akron; Anton D. Easter, Jr., 26, of Akron; Scott Gay, Jr., 33, of Canton, and Corey Turnbull, 26, of Ravenna.
Kairouz, Gay and Turnbull worked for the U.S. Postal Service. Kairouz and Turnbull worked as a supervisor at the Five Points station in Akron while Gay was a manager at the North Hill station, according to court documents.
Together, intercepted suspected drug parcels at U.S. Post Offices in Akron, opened the parcels, removed marijuana contained inside, sold the marijuana to Easter and shared the profits. This took place between February and May 2017, according to the indictment.
Kairouz also had a kilogram of methamphetamine that he stole from the mail, according to the indictment.
If convicted, a 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 U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Akron Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F. DeBaggis and Teresa L. Riley.
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.
Texas Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Identity Theft Related to Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dairon Julio Jimenez Roja, 26, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft in connection with a credit card fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Roja and others traveled from Austin, Texas to New Hampshire in late December 2015 and early January 2016. Once they arrived in New Hampshire, they began purchasing gift cards at various retail stores in the area, including the Sam’s Club store in Hudson, New Hampshire. The group obtained credit card information for various individuals, including numerous New Hampshire residents, by downloading the information from a skimmer that was hidden in a gas pump at a store in Londonderry, New Hampshire. After downloading the information, the group used it to make counterfeit credit cards that were used at the self-checkout counters at retail stores to purchase gift cards in the amount of $200. The total estimated loss is approximately $29,000.
On January 12, 2016, the Hudson Police Department were notified that the group was in the store purchasing gift cards. The police responded to the store and pursued the group into Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, where they were arrested by the Tyngsborough Police. Numerous cards and a skimming device were found in the vehicle.
The case was investigated by the Hudson Police Department, the Londonderry Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Tyngsborough Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory. Numerous other departments and the staffs at various Sam’s Club stores assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Feith.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that James Lee Hill, age 47, of Dayton, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The Honorable United States District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in August 2016, the mother of a seventeen (17) year old female reported that her daughter’s cellular phone and other personal property were stolen near Dayton, Tennessee. Thereafter, the minor’s contacts, including other minors, began receiving obscene images and videos along with requests to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement was ultimately able to trace the stolen cellular phone to Berryville, Arkansas. Carroll County Sherriff’s deputies ultimately arrested Hill, who was found in possession of the stolen phone. A federal grand jury indicted Hill in November 2016 for attempting to entice and coerce the 17 year old minor to produce sexually explicit images of herself in exchange for the return of her stolen property. Hill pleaded guilty in January 2017.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Collier County Florida Sherriff’s Department, and the Carroll County Sherriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts 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
Syracuse Man Charged with Credit-Card Cloning SchemeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Keith Delee, 24, of Syracuse, New York, was detained without bail following a hearing yesterday in federal court in connection with an indictment charging him with participating in a credit-card cloning scheme, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.
The Indictment charges Delee with one count of wire-fraud conspiracy, one count of wire-fraud, and one count of access-device fraud. The charges filed against Delee carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
A jury trial is scheduled for July 24, 2017 before Senior United States District Court Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
The Indictment alleges that Delee participated in a scheme that involved the purchase of stolen credit card numbers belonging to hundreds of victims and the fabrication of cloned credit cards. The Indictment also alleges that from 2014 to 2016 Delee and his co-conspirators used cloned credit cards to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise and prepaid gift cards, as well as United States Postal money orders, which they converted to cash in Syracuse, New York, Texas and Georgia
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspectors, the Syracuse Police Department – Gang Violence Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Town of Dewitt Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Commandeur.
Syracuse Man Charged with Credit-Card Cloning SchemeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Deonte Spencer, 35, of Syracuse, New York, was detained without bail following a hearing yesterday in federal court in connection with an indictment charging him with participating in a credit-card cloning scheme, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.
The Indictment charges Spencer with one count of wire-fraud conspiracy, one count of access-device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The charges filed against Spencer carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire-fraud charge, 15 years in prison for the access-device fraud charge, and, with respect to the aggravated identity theft charge, a two-year mandatory minimum sentence, which must run consecutive to the sentence imposed on the other charges. The charges also carry a maximum fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
A jury trial is scheduled for July 24, 2017 before Senior United States District Court Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
The Indictment alleges that Spencer participated in a scheme that involved the purchase of stolen credit card numbers belonging to numerous victims and the fabrication of cloned credit cards. The Indictment also alleges that Spencer and his co-conspirators used cloned credit cards to purchase tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise and prepaid gift cards from 2015 through 2016 in Syracuse, New York, and North Carolina.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Syracuse Police Department – Gang Violence Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Town of Dewitt Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Commandeur.
Switzerland Man Pleads Guilty to PerjuryRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Rudolf Suter, 66, formerly of Dallas, appeared in federal court this morning and pleaded guilty, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney, to one count of perjury in federal proceeding under oath. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
In March 2016, Suter failed to show up for a contempt hearing. Suter was then found guilty of civil contempt of court and a civil contempt warrant was issued for his arrest by United States District Judge David C. Godbey. Suter, a citizen of Switzerland, was arrested in December 2016 on Judge Godbey’s civil contempt warrant when he attempted to re-enter the United States. Suter has remained continuously in custody since his arrest. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for September 18, 2017 before United States District Judge David Godbey.
According to the plea documents, on January 17, 2014, Suter filed a voluntary bankruptcy petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Suter concealed his true financial condition when he filed several bankruptcy related documents. In his plea documents, Suter admitted to making a false statement under penalty of perjury in his filed Statement of Financial Affairs, in which Suter concealed several banks accounts which he recently closed. Some of the concealed bank accounts were closed in December 2013, the month before he filed for bankruptcy. After remaining a fugitive outside the United States for approximately nine months, on December 11, 2016, Suter was arrested as he attempted to re-enter the U.S. at JFK International Airport in New York City.
This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative in the Northern District of Texas. Suter is the 26th defendant to have been charged as part of that initiative; 18 have been convicted, 1 resulted in a mistrial, and 7 are pending trial.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation was in charge of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Shalom Lamm Pleads Guilty in White Plains Federal Court to Conspiracy to Corrupt the Electoral Process in BloomingburgRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced that SHALOM LAMM pled guilty to conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process, in connection with an election in Bloomingburg, New York. LAMM pled guilty earlier today before United States District Judge Vincent Briccetti in White Plains federal court.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As he has now admitted, Shalom Lamm conspired to advance his real estate development project by corrupting the democratic process, specifically by falsely registering voters. The integrity of our electoral process must be inviolate at every level; our democracy depends on it.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, as well as statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
Starting in 2006, SHALOM LAMM, a real estate developer, sought to build and sell real estate in Bloomingburg, New York. From these real estate development projects, LAMM and others hoped for and anticipated making hundreds of millions of dollars. But by late 2013, the first of their real estate developments had met local opposition, and still remained under construction and uninhabitable. When met with resistance, rather than seek to advance their real estate development project through legitimate means, LAMM and others instead decided to corrupt the democratic electoral process in Bloomingburg by falsely registering voters and paying bribes for voters who would help elect public officials favorable to their project.
Specifically, in advance of an election in March 2014 for Mayor of Bloomingburg and other local officials, LAMM and others, and people working on their behalf, developed and worked on a plan to falsely register numerous people who were not entitled to register and vote in Bloomingburg because they actually lived elsewhere. Those people included some who never intended to live in Bloomingburg, some who had never kept a home in Bloomingburg, and indeed, some who had never set foot in Bloomingburg in their lives. LAMM and others took steps to cover up their scheme to register voters who did not actually live in Bloomingburg by, among other things, creating and back-dating false leases and placing items like toothbrushes and toothpaste in unoccupied apartments to make it seem as if the falsely registered voters lived there.
LAMM and others also bribed potential voters by offering payments, subsidies, and other items of value to get non-residents of Bloomingburg to register unlawfully and vote there.
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LAMM, 57, of Bloomingburg, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
LAMM's sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.
Co-defendant Kenneth Nakdimen pled guilty on May 25, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process. His sentencing is scheduled for September 7, 2017, at 2:00 p.m.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, the Sullivan County Sherriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Kim also thanked the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, Election Crimes Branch, for its assistance in the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn Martin, Benjamin Allee, and Perry Carbone are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing from the Railroad Retirement BoardRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man, who worked while receiving disability benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board, pled guilty yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
James Sexton, 66, pled guilty yesterday to one count of theft of government money. At sentencing, Sexton faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.
According to evidence presented at yesterday’s guilty plea hearing, Sexton began receiving disability benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board in 1997 and acknowledged that he was required to report any work he performed or earnings to the government. However, he admitted yesterday that he failed to report $475,645 in income earned through employment with various financial companies.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Railroad Retirement Board, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.
Rensselaer Man Sentenced for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Justin Brooks, age 28, of Rensselaer, New York, was sentenced today to 3 years of probation, with 6 months of home detention, for conspiring to distribute oxycodone in Albany County.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Division, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also imposed a fine of $1,000 and ordered that Brooks forfeit $3,326 in drug proceeds.
As part of his December 13, 2016 guilty plea, Brooks admitted that he obtained oxycodone tablets from a co-conspirator for resale in Albany County.
This case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
Pembroke Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to File Fraudulent Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announces that today, in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced ROBBIE GLENN REVELS, 45, of Pembroke, North Carolina, to 54 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,806,734 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
On August 17, 2016, REVELS pled guilty to False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims for Refunds and Aggravated Identity Theft.
“Just as the filing season has ended, today’s sentencing of Robbie Revels, for filing false tax returns and identity theft, is a powerful reminder of what can happen when you decide to steal from honest taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman, III. “IRS - Criminal Investigation’s Special Agents will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who attempt to defraud the United States Treasury, erode taxpayer’s confidence in the tax system and show blatant disregard for the victims of their schemes.”
In 2013, agents with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) received information that REVELS was filing false income tax returns. As a result, IRS CI initiated an investigation into the activities of REVELS. The investigation established that between January 2011 and January 2013, REVELS engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States government of millions of dollars by filing false income tax returns.
In 2009, REVELS opened Fashion Icons, a retail-clothing store, in Pembroke, North Carolina. REVELS had multiple employees and regular customers who frequented his store. REVELS was known in the community to prepare or assist others in the preparation of tax returns. In 2011, REVELS began filing false income tax returns for the 2010 tax year. REVELS recruited several employees from his store as well as family members to participate in the scheme by using their bank accounts to receive deposits of fraudulent refunds. According to these individuals, REVELS did not pay them for their services directly, but he (REVELS) bought them clothes, food, and provided other benefits for their participation in the offense.
REVELS typically filed returns claiming $4,000 to $5,000 in refunds. These returns contained falsified W-2 wages and withholdings, medical expenses, charitable donations, and job expenses. By falsifying the reported earnings and withholdings, REVELS was typically able to take advantage of the earned income tax credit, resulting in substantial refunds.
Agents determined that over $1.5 million from these returns went directly into REVELS’s employees’bank accounts. While some of the “taxpayers” whose names were used to file the returns may have been aware of the fraudulent returns being filed in their names, most of them did not.
The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation led the investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney David Bragdon prosecuted the case and Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Kessler handled the sentencing for the government.
Paterson Doctor and Wife, Woodland Park Doctor, Charged in Test-Referral Bribe Scheme with New Jersey Clinical LabRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A cardiologist with a practice in Paterson, New Jersey, his wife, and a doctor with a practice in Woodland Park, New Jersey, were charged today with accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals as part of a long-running scheme involving Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC (BLS), of Parsippany, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
A federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment charging Aiman Hamdan, 50; his wife, Kristina Hamdan 39; and Yousef Zibdie, 53, all of Wayne, New Jersey, with conspiring to commit violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Federal Travel Act and wire fraud, and substantive violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Federal Travel Act, and wire fraud. The defendants will be arraigned before U.S. District Judge Stanley Chesler on a later date.
According to the indictment:
From September 2008 to April 2013, Aiman Hamdan, a cardiologist, received from BLS bribes and other items of value, including a $500,000 loan, and a trip to Florida on a private jet for the purpose of fishing and visiting strip clubs, in exchange for generating millions of dollars of patient referrals. Kristina Hamdan paid bribes to several doctors through a sham entity that also paid the Hamdans’ household and personal expenses. Zibdie, doctor of internal medicine with a practice in Woodland Park, was bribed by Kristina Hamdan in exchange for generating more than $900,000 in lab business for BLS.
Aiman Hamdan and Zibdie are the fifth and sixth doctors indicted in connection with the BLS bribery scheme. Brett Ostrager, Salvatore Conte, and Ahmed El Soury all pleaded guilty after being indicted. On June 8, 2016, Ostrager was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Judge Chesler is scheduled to sentence El Soury on July 20, 2017 and Conte on September 20, 2017. Bernard Greenspan was indicted in March 2016 and convicted after trial in March 2017. Greenspan is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls on June 20, 2017.
Aiman Hamdan, Kristina Hamdan and Zibdie face a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison on each of the Anti-Kickback and Federal Travel Act counts and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James V. Buthorn; IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The investigation has thus far resulted in 45 guilty pleas – 31 of them from doctors – in connection with the bribery scheme, which its organizers have admitted involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance companies. It is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case. The investigation has to date recovered more than $12 million through forfeiture. On June 28, 2016, BLS, which is no longer operational, pleaded guilty and was required to forfeit all of its assets.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph N. Minish, Danielle Alfonzo Walsman, and Jacob T. Elberg, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Acting Chief of the office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
The New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office reorganized its health care fraud practice in 2010 and created a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit to handle both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since that time, the office has recovered more than $1.32 billion in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.
Defense counsel:
Aiman Hamdan: Lee Vartan Esq., New York
Kristina Hamdan: Zahid Quraishi Esq., Morristown, New Jersey
Zibdie: Christopher Adams Esq., Holmdel, New Jersey
Oakland Man Sentenced to over 18 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
OAKLAND –D’mar Dwain Jennings Conway was sentenced today to 220 months in prison, and ordered to serve a lifetime on supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.
Conway, 29, of Oakland, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2017, to sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251(a) and (e). According to his plea agreement, Conway admitted to coercing a victim under the age of 12, for whom Conway was a caregiver, to engage in sex acts or sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. Conway admitted that numerous pictures of Conway engaging in sex acts with a child who was approximately three to six years old were taken inside Conway’s residence.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Conway’s residence in May of 2016. During the search of Conway’s residence, agents seized a digital video camera from Conway’s bedroom that contained a SanDisc SD card. Forensic software recovered numerous image files showing Conway sexually molesting a young child. The government’s sentencing memorandum explained that the number of images located on the SanDisc SD card taken from Conway’s bedroom was close to 25,000, which showed Conway’s molestation of a particular victim. The government’s sentencing memorandum also indicated that agents located over 460 images of child pornography using forensic software to analyze Conway’s smartphone.
A federal grand jury indicted Conway on June 16, 2016, charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251(a) and (e); and one count of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a) and (b). Pursuant to the plea agreement, Conway pleaded guilty to the first charge.
“The conduct for which Mr. Conway was sentenced today is reprehensible and Judge White’s decision to sentence the defendant to more than 18 years in prison reflects the seriousness of that conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Stretch. “We are thankful for the tireless efforts of our federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations whose hard work has removed this sexual predator from our streets.”
“Although justice was served today with this lengthy sentence, the damage this defendant inflicted on his innocent victims cannot truly be measured,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, HSI Special Agent in Charge. “Working with our partners, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents will continue to relentlessly pursue those who are involved in exploiting our society’s most vulnerable.”
During the sentencing hearing, Judge White described Conway’s conduct as “truly devastating,” noting that the young victims are sentenced to a life of damaged psyches. Judge White noted that this was an extremely difficult case for the Court and indicated that fortunately federal district courts do not have many of these cases, which involve such grave consequences to young victims.
In addition to the prison term and a lifetime of supervised release, Judge White ordered Conway to register as a sexual offender as required by state law and to have no contact with the victims or minors without the permission of his probation officer. Conway currently is in custody and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina McCall and Erin Cornell are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Vargas Quant and Trina Khadoo. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Child Exploitation Group.
Members of the public who have information regarding suspected child predators or suspicious activity should contact HSI through the toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may also be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
Northfield Man Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Carfentanil with the Intent to Distribute and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Justin Gauthier, 39, formerly of Northfield, New Hampshire, has been indicted on charges that he unlawfully possessed methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil with the intent to distribute those controlled substances and for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, on August 5, 2016, Gauthier unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The indictment also charges that on March 16, 2017, Gauthier possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil. Gauthier is further charged in the indictment with possession of seven firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Gauthier is scheduled for an arraignment in federal court at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.
Gauthier faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty years on the drug trafficking charges and a mandatory minimum five- year sentence for the firearms, which must be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for the drug charges.
“The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in drug trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Our state already has experienced far too many deaths as a result of drug overdoses. The recent presence of carfentanil - a drug that the DEA has stated is a hundred times more powerful than fentanyl - has the potential to result in an even greater number of overdose deaths here in New Hampshire. It presents an unprecedented public safety concern for law enforcement and first responders. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state.”
"ATF will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts, to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade", said Lawrence J. Panetta; Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.
This case is being investigated by the New Hampshire State Police, Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tilton and Northfield, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Navajo Woman from Shiprock Sentenced to Prison for Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Cornelia Tom Tapaha, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was sentenced today in Santa Fe, N.M., to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for her conviction on an assault charge.
Tapaha was arrested in June 2016, on an indictment charging her with assault with a dangerous weapon, a vehicle, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The indictment alleged that Tapaha committed the crimes on July 8, 2015, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
A federal jury returned a verdict finding Tapaha guilty of assault and assault resulting in serious bodily injury on Dec. 12, 2016, after a five day.
The evidence at trial established that on the evening of July 8, 2016, Tapaha, the victim and another individual consumed alcohol while driving on the Navajo Indian Reservation. While Tapaha was driving and the victim was in the front passenger seat, Tapaha and the victim began arguing. Eventually Tapaha pulled over, and the victim and the other individual got out of the vehicle and began walking away. Tapaha remained in the vehicle and proceeded to run over the victim. As a result of this assault, the victim’s ribs, collar bone and ankle were broken and required surgical repair. The victim also suffered multiple lacerations requiring stitches.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Spindle and Novaline D. Wilson prosecuted the case.