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27 June 2017
Boise Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ronald Lallatin, 60, of Boise, was sentenced today in United States District Court to 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, and a $5,100 special assessment, for possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Lallatin pleaded guilty on March 1, 2017.
According to the plea agreement, in June of 2016, agents with the Department of Homeland Security served a search warrant on Lallatin’s residence in Boise, Idaho, based upon evidence that a computer at the residence had accessed and downloaded a video containing child pornography. Lallatin was present at the residence, and admitted to agents that they would find “child porn” on his computer, as he had viewed images of child pornography for at least the past five years. A laptop computer and nine electronic storage devices belonging to Lallatin were seized. When agents examined the devices, they discovered 6,484 still images and 937 videos containing child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors, images showing sadistic and masochistic conduct with minors, and images of the sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Lallatin to forfeit the computer and electronic storage devices used in the commission of the charged offense, and to pay a total of $6,000 in restitution to victims depicted in the images he possessed. As a result of his conviction, Lallatin will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by The Department of Homeland Security, and 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.”
Belgrade Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
HELENA – Michael Edward Copenhaver, 28, of Belgrade, Montana, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and three years supervised release for possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Sam E. Haddon presided over the sentencing.
In court documents, federal prosecutor Bryan Whittaker wrote that August 2016 Copenhaver burglarized Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply in Bozeman. Copenhaver broke into the store in the middle of the night wearing dark clothing, a ski-mask or hat, gloves, and carrying an orange backpack. Copenhaver forced his way into the store by breaking a door and the gun cabinets in order to gain access to the store’s firearms. He then stole 18 semi-automatic pistols and put them in his backpack. As he climbed over the security fence when he was leaving the store, one of the firearms fell out of his backpack. He later burned all of the clothing that he was wearing at the time of the burglary.
Several days later, Copenhaver burglarized a private residence in Montana City. The owners of the residence had recently posted their home for sale. The owners had been out of the house that morning. When they were out, Copenhaver broke into the home through a back patio door and stole 16 firearms and other items such as jewelry, a World War I and World War II knife collection, and binoculars.
Several days after the home burglary, the Blackfoot Idaho Police Department (“BPD”) officers were dispatched to the State of Idaho Probation Office in Blackfoot, Idaho for a report of a suspicious vehicle. It was reported that the male subject was asleep or unconscious inside the vehicle and was not responsive. Upon arrival, officers asked the individual to get out of the car. When Copenhaver exited the vehicle, he stated that he had been “wanting to talk to you guys.” Copenhaver told officers that he needed help and said that methamphetamine was taking over his life. He told officers that the guns inside his vehicle were stolen and he felt like a “dirt bag” for the things he had been doing lately. He further said that he had committed a burglary at a gun store in Bozeman, Montana and broke into a house near Helena, Montana and stole more firearms from a private residence.
Copenhaver further described for the officers a burglary he had committed in Idaho Falls the previous day where he had stolen some firearms and then traveled south to Blackfoot where he arrived sometime around midnight. After buying gas, he began to look for a place to “crash” in a nearby parking lot. Copenhaver said that he saw the probation and parole parking lot, but had no idea what the building was. He chose the building because it had other cars parked there and there were fewer lights. Copenhaver fell asleep in his car. He said that when he woke up the next morning there was someone wearing a parole agent shirt talking on the phone regarding “guns and a meth pipe” visible in the vehicle. Copenhaver said it was “just his luck” that he had fallen asleep in a probation and parole parking lot.
Copenhaver also told officers that he was on this way to Las Vegas and California where he was planning on trading the firearms for methamphetamine. He claimed that he could get over 20 pounds of methamphetamine. He also had methamphetamine on his person when he was arrested and he reported that he was using methamphetamine when he committed the burglaries.
“Investigating gun store thefts is a top priority for ATF, and we will not rest until we reverse the tide of stolen guns entering our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Debora Livingston. “These guns were destined for crime and violence, but they were intercepted by sharp officers who noticed something out of the ordinary. Thanks to Montana ATF agents, Blackfoot Police Department, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, communities around the country are safer.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan R. Whittaker and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Bozeman Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Blackfoot City Police Department and the State of Idaho Probation Office.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Participates in Quintet Meeting of Attorneys GeneralRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the annual Meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General and Five Country Ministerial of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The focus of the Quintet meeting was on matters of common concern, including cybercrime, encryption, and countering violent extremism.
“I am very excited by the spirit and determination of our allies to take aggressive action to confront the terrorist threats. Increased collaboration, cooperation, and communication is essential to the fight against terrorism and transnational criminal organizations,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “This meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General provides the setting for our closest allies with similar legal systems to discuss the steps we are taking to combat new avenues of radicalization, which is crucial to the safety and security of nations with shared values.”
Recent attacks in Europe emphasize the growing threat posed by ISIS’ radicalization of foreign terrorist fighters. It is essential that we use every lawful tool to prevent as many attacks as possible and to defeat these terrorist organizations. The Quintet ultimately seeks to improve methods to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from inspiring, radicalizing, financing, and recruiting individuals to commit acts of violence.
The Quintet also focused on the human trafficking crisis, a crime which the Department of Justice has increasingly encountered being committed by transnational criminal organizations. The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit within the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division works closely with our foreign partners to investigate and prosecute these organizations that are also involved in money laundering and visa fraud.
20 Gary Individuals Indicted on Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Acting United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced federal drug conspiracy charges against 20 individuals all residing in Gary, Indiana. Named in the indictment are:
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Antonio Walton, a/k/a “Buck”, age 40 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Yahtzee Harris, a/k/a “Black”, age 38 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of being a felon in possession of a firearm
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1 count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime
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5 counts of distribution of crack cocaine
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Claude Tate, age 49 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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2 counts of distribution of crack cocaine
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Dujuana Dubose, age 44 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of distribution of crack cocaine
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John Tyson, age 55 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of distribution of crack cocaine
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Kevin Hatter, age 28 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of distribution of crack cocaine
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Christopher Green, a/k/a “Unc”, age 43 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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2 counts of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of being a felon in possession of a firearm
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1 count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime
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Telisha French, a/k/a “TiTi”, age 43 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Keana Porter, age 33 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime
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Janice Walton, age 66 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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Ben Hickman, Jr, age 46 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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Charles Gould, a/k/a “Mooney”, age 34 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Courtney Crouch, age 23 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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David Mackey, age 43 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Emmanuel French, a/k/a “E”, age 30 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Leroy Elmore, age 64 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Richard Smith, age 45 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Robert Blue, age 51 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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Rosalind Cherry, age 62 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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1 count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine
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Termaine Ervin, age 33 was charged with:
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1 count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
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According to documents in this case, the above individuals were charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. In addition to the conspiracy charges, some were charged with a substantive charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and firearms violations. Four firearms were seized as a result of these arrests. This indictment is part of the ongoing effort by local and federal law enforcement to remove criminal organizations from the streets of northwest Indiana.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gang Response Investigative Team with the assistance of Gary and Hobart Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas R. Mahoney.
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26 June 2017
Yukon Woman Admits to Stealing $467,352 from Oklahoma Operating Engineers Welfare PlanRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – SUSAN MICHELLE TYSON, 50, of Yukon, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton to wire fraud relating to her theft of $467,352.43 from the Oklahoma Operating Engineers Welfare Plan ("the Plan"), announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On June 12, 2017, the United States Attorney filed an Information charging Tyson with devising a wire fraud scheme to steal from the Plan, which provides health and welfare benefits to eligible participants and their dependents pursuant to collective bargaining agreements with Local Union 627 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Tyson worked in Oklahoma City as a bookkeeper for Zenith American Solutions, Inc., which managed the Plan’s assets. Her responsibilities included receiving bills from vendors that provided services to the Plan and paying the bills by initiating cash transfers from the Plan’s accounts to the vendors’ accounts. According to the Information, between July 11, 2014, and January 20, 2017, Tyson transferred cash from the Plan’s operating account to her personal bank accounts approximately 33 times. She submitted duplicate invoices to the Plan to make it appear that the transfers were legitimate. She used the proceeds for her personal benefit, including attempting to make a down payment on a house.
At sentencing, Tyson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. As part of her plea agreement, she has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $467,352.43. Sentencing will be set by the Court at a future date.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and William Farrior prosecuted the case.
Wichita Man Used Stolen Identities to Take Out Car LoansRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of using stolen identities to obtain car loans, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Reu Charles Chamberlain, 30, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted he used a stolen identity at Eddy’s Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Wichita to qualify for a $48,902 loan to buy a 2016 Dodge Challenger. At Midway Motors in Wichita, he used a stolen identity to qualify for a $44,746 loan to buy a 2015 Dodge Challenger.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, a fine up to $250,000 and restitution. Beall commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
Warren Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Shooting a Protected SealRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Joseph A. Martin, 54, of Warren, Maine, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to three days imprisonment and a $1,000 fine for taking a federally-protected marine mammal.
According to court records, on October 10, 2016, the defendant was acting as captain of a fishing vessel. Off the coast of Acadia National Park, multiple protected seals began to approach the defendant’s fishing vessel. The defendant retrieved his rifle and began to shoot at the seals in the ocean. After the shooting, one seal could be seen floating in the water with a dark liquid surrounding its body. "Federal law provides great protection to the marine mammals that live in our waters," said James Landon, Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement (“OLE”). "OLE is dedicated to enforcing those laws and seeing that those who violate them are held accountable for their illegal actions."
The investigation was conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement.
Two Virginia residents indicted on identity theft chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Virginia residents are named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Elkins, West Virginia on June 20, 2017, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Ajarhi Roberts, also known as Wayne Roberts , age 24, of Stephens City, Virginia, and Angela Roberts, age 41, of Stephenson, Virginia, were named in a 36-count indictment, charging them with identity theft, aggravated identity theft, producing false identity documents, and bank fraud.
Angela Roberts was employed by WVU Medicine University Healthcare in Martinsburg, West Virginia. It is alleged in the indictment that Angela Roberts would access her employer’s patient database to obtain names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses, and driver’s license numbers. She then allegedly shared that information with Ajarhi Roberts, who is accused of opening credit card and other financial accounts in the patients’ names.
The crimes are alleged to have occurred from March 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 in Berkeley County, West Virginia and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Sentenced for Growing Marijuana at Prehistoric Site in the Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced two men today for conspiring to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana in connection with a large-scale cultivation operation that impacted a prehistoric site, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Juan Carlos Lopez, 32, of Flagstaff, Arizona was sentenced to five years in prison, and Javier Garcia-Castaneda (Garcia), 38, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Lopez was ordered to pay $5,930 in restitution, and Garcia was ordered to pay $5,233 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage to public land and natural resources caused by their cultivation activities.
The sentences were imposed following their guilty pleas in April. According to court documents, the men conspired with each other and Rafael Torres-Armenta (Torres), 30; and Carlos Piedra-Murillo (Piedra), 30, both of Michoacán, Mexico, to cultivate marijuana in the Domeland Wilderness. The Domeland Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area about 55 miles northeast of Bakersfield and is known for its many granite domes and unique geologic formations. Law enforcement officers seized over 8,000 marijuana plants, 17 pounds of processed marijuana, a .22‑caliber rifle, a pellet rifle, and hundreds of rounds of .22‑caliber ammunition.
Piedra previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and was sentenced earlier this month to serve two years and one month in prison. Torres previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on July 10, 2017.
The marijuana cultivation operation caused extensive environmental damage. It covered about 10 acres and was within the burned area of the 2000 Manter Fire. Some of the new vegetation and trees that sprouted after the fire had been cut and trimmed to make room for the marijuana plants. Water was diverted from a tributary stream of Trout Creek, a major tributary to the Kern River. Fertilizer and pesticides, including illegal carbofuran and zinc phosphide, highly toxic pesticides from Mexico, were found at the site. Large piles of trash were found near the campsite. The moving of soil to accommodate a basin around each marijuana plant caused extensive damage to a large prehistoric Tűbatulabal archaeological site. Holes were dug in the middle of the archaeological site and artifacts were found scattered on the surface among the marijuana plants.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
Two Ocean County, New Jersey, Couples Charged with Conspiring to Steal Government FundsRead the Press Release
Arrests Part of Joint State and Federal Effort to Prosecute Public Assistance Fraud
TRENTON, N.J. – Two couples from Lakewood, New Jersey, were arrested this morning on charges that they failed to report their sizable incomes in order to fraudulently collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in public assistance benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Rachel Sorotzkin, 32, and Mordechai Sorotzkin, 35, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to steal government funds. Yocheved Nussbaum, 40, and Shimon Nussbaum, 42, also of Lakewood, are charged in a separate complaint with one count of conspiring to steal government funds. The Sorotzkins and the Nussbaums, all of Lakewood, are expected to make their appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert in Trenton federal court.
According to the complaints:
From 2011 through 2014, Rachel and Mordechai Sorotzkin applied for and received Medicaid health insurance benefits for themselves and their children. After being approved for Medicaid benefits in August of 2011, the Sorotzkins received significant windfalls – including a lump sum payment of $1 million from Rachel Sorotzkin’s business in April of 2013 – which they failed to report to Medicaid officials. Despite earning in excess of $1 million in each of the 2012 and 2013 calendar years, the Sorotzkins continued to use their Medicaid cards, ultimately defrauding the government of approximately $96,000 in taxpayer-funded medical care.
In a separate scheme, Yocheved and Shimon Nussbaum applied for and received public benefits for themselves and their children from 2011 through 2014, despite their significant income. In the years prior to and during the conspiracy, the Nussbaums created a variety of companies that were nominally run by relatives but were actually controlled by the Nussbaums. They opened various bank accounts in the names of these companies and used funds from these accounts to cover personal expenses.
In applying for Medicaid, Section 8 housing, and SNAP food benefits, the Nussbaums grossly underreporting their true income by failing to include the income from these business accounts. Despite annual income of up to as high as approximately $1.8 million in 2013, the Nussbaums continued to receive taxpayer-funded health, housing and food benefits through August of 2014, ultimately defrauding the government of approximately $178,000.
The conspiracy counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
In related arrests also carried out this morning, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office is charging four additional people at the state level for allegedly defrauding public assistance programs. Mordechai Breskin, 37, and Jocheved Breskin, 35, of Lakewood, are charged with 2nd degree theft by deception for wrongfully collecting approximately $585,662 in Medicaid, SNAP, HUD and SSI benefits between January 2009 through December 2014. Zalmen Sorotzkin, 39, and Tzipporah Sorotzkin, 35, of Lakewood, are charged with 2nd degree theft by deception for wrongfully collecting approximately $338,642 in Medicaid, SNAP, HUD and SSI benefits between January 2009 and April 2014.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato; the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller, under the direction of State Comptroller Philip James Degnan; the New Jersey Department of the Treasury – Office of Criminal Investigation; under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charles Giblin; the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John Grasso; the Lakewood Police Department; and criminal investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the investigation leading to today’s arrests.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly S. Lorber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Two Members of the “Gangster Disciple” Gang Sentenced to a Total of More than 500 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Two members of the violent "Gangster Disciples" street gang were sentenced to federal prison. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The Gangster Disciples are a violent criminal gang which began in the Chicago, Illinois area. In the 1970’s, the leaders of two different Chicago-based gangs, the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters, aligned their respective groups and created the Gangster Disciples.
Once united, the Gangster Disciples began recruiting heavily in Chicago, within Illinois jails and prisons, and throughout the United States. By the mid-1980’s, the group had spread throughout the Midwestern and Eastern United States. The Gangster Disciples are active in approximately 35 states including Tennessee.
According to information presented at sentencing, on June 21, 2014, Florence Anthony, a member of the Gangster Disciples, got into an altercation with a group of individuals at the Hillview Apartments located in Memphis, Tennessee. Anthony reported the confrontation to her Gangster Disciples chain-of-command. Based on Anthony’s report, the Gangster Disciples chain-of-command issued orders to retaliate against those responsible for the attack on Anthony and her children.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Erik Reese and four other members of the Gangster Disciples returned to the Hillview Apartments to retaliate against what were identified as rival gang members. Each individual was armed with firearms and proceeded on foot through the apartments shooting four juveniles and one adult male. All five victims survived, but some sustained serious bodily injuries.
On March 8, 2017, seven members of the Gangster Disciples pled guilty to committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity.
On June 22, 2017, Senior District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Florence Anthony to 135 months in federal prison, along with 3 years’ supervised release. Erik Reese was sentenced to 382 months imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, Police Departments for Memphis, Bartlett and Germantown; Sheriff’s Offices for Tipton, Desoto and Shelby; and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen and,Michelle Kimbril-Parks, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow, prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Two Members of the “Gangster Disciple” Gang Sentenced to a Total of More than 500 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Two members of the violent "Gangster Disciples" street gang were sentenced to federal prison. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The Gangster Disciples are a violent criminal gang which began in the Chicago, Illinois area. In the 1970’s, the leaders of two different Chicago-based gangs, the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters, aligned their respective groups and created the Gangster Disciples.
Once united, the Gangster Disciples began recruiting heavily in Chicago, within Illinois jails and prisons, and throughout the United States. By the mid-1980’s, the group had spread throughout the Midwestern and Eastern United States. The Gangster Disciples are active in approximately 35 states including Tennessee.
According to information presented at sentencing, on June 21, 2014, Florence Anthony, a member of the Gangster Disciples, got into an altercation with a group of individuals at the Hillview Apartments located in Memphis, Tennessee. Anthony reported the confrontation to her Gangster Disciples chain-of-command. Based on Anthony’s report, the Gangster Disciples chain-of-command issued orders to retaliate against those responsible for the attack on Anthony and her children.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Erik Reese and four other members of the Gangster Disciples returned to the Hillview Apartments to retaliate against what were identified as rival gang members. Each individual was armed with firearms and proceeded on foot through the apartments shooting four juveniles and one adult male. All five victims survived, but some sustained serious bodily injuries.
On March 8, 2017, seven members of the Gangster Disciples pled guilty to committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity.
On June 22, 2017, Senior District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Florence Anthony to 135 months in federal prison, along with 3 years’ supervised release. Erik Reese was sentenced to 382 months imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, Police Departments for Memphis, Bartlett and Germantown; Sheriff’s Offices for Tipton, Desoto and Shelby; and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen and,Michelle Kimbril-Parks, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow, prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Two Marshall County residents and an Ohio man indicted on cocaine distribution chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Marshall County residents and an Ohio man are named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Wheeling, West Virginia on June 6, 2017, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Sodonna M. Nuce, age 39, of Moundsville, West Virginia was charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base” and three counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.”
Edward L. Haynes, age 44, of South Euclid, Ohio is charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base” and one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.”
Justin L. Nash, age 32, of Moundsville, West Virginia is charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base,” one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base,” and one count of “Possess With Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.”
The crimes are alleged to have occurred from October 2015 to June 2017 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, is investigating.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Illegal Aliens and One United States Citizen Plead Guilty to Selling Identification Documents and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Two illegal aliens and a United States citizen who sold real identification documents belonging to United States citizens pled guilty this week in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Ari Hernandez-Chacon, age 47, a native and citizen of Mexico illegally residing in Columbus Junction, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to transfer identification documents and one count of aggravated identity theft. In a plea agreement, Hernandez-Chacon admitted that on February 25, 2016, he sold three real Social Security cards and three real birth certificates to an undercover agent, knowing that the documents belonged to United States citizens. Hernandez-Chacon admitted that the identity documents he sold belonged to real people who had no arrest records to avoid problems for the person using the stolen identities.
Magali Marroquin-Garcia, age 37, a native and citizen of Mexico illegally residing in Columbus Junction, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to transfer identification documents and one count of aggravated identity theft. In a plea agreement, Marroquin-Garcia admitted that on May 12, 2016, she sold three real Social Security cards and three real birth certificates to an undercover agent, knowing that the documents belonged to United States citizens.
Elba Torres, age 56, a United States citizen from Bettendorf, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to transfer identification documents and one count of aggravated identity theft. In a plea agreement, Torres admitted that between June 2015 and March 2017, she conspired with Hernandez-Chacon and Marroquin-Garcia to unlawfully sell Social Security cards she knew belonged to United States citizens. Torres sold an undercover agent identification documents, including Social Security cards and birth certificates, on September 1, 2016, September 16, 2016, and November 29, 2016.
Sentencings before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after presentence reports are prepared. Hernandez-Chacon and Marroquin-Garcia remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Torres remains free on bond previously set. Hernandez-Chacon, Marroquin-Garcia, and Torres each face a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of identification documents count and a mandatory sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment to be served consecutively on the aggravated identity theft count. They each also face a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-10.
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Two Henry County Felons in Possession of Weapons Sentenced to 149 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jeffrey Whitehead and Keenan Kendall were sentenced to 149 months in federal prison for being felons in possession of firearms. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney, announced the sentences today.
According to information presented in court, on January 5, 2016, members of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the Springville, TN., home of Jeffrey Whitehead, 29, because of suspected marijuana distribution from the home. Upon execution of the warrant, Whitehead, who was present, told the officer that he had marijuana in the house and a few firearms. Whitehead told officers that he knew he was not allowed to be in possession of any firearms. A search of the home and Whitehead’s truck revealed 45.4 pounds of marijuana, $4,500 in cash, and digital scales, along with 6 firearms.
On January 27, 2017, officers with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the home of Keenan Kendall, 40, on suspicion of marijuana distribution. A search of the home in Paris, TN., revealed two sets of digital scales, marijuana and a loaded firearm.
On June 22, 2107, the Honorable J. Daniel Breen sentenced both Whitehead and Kendall. Whitehead received a sentence of more than 7 years in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Kendall was sentenced to nearly 5 years in federal prison and received a total of 3 years supervised release.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Henry County Sheriff’s Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who have all worked jointly to address gun-related crimes through aggressive investigation and prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Eskridge prosecuted these cases on the government’s behalf.
Two Doctors and Clinic Owners sentenced for operating Pill Mills in Metro AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - A pain clinic owner, an office manager who was also the wife of the owner, and two doctors have been sentenced for illegally prescribing painkillers to known addicts and drug dealers at three pain clinics in metropolitan Atlanta. Godfrey and Bona Ilonzo, as well as Dr. Nevorn Askari and Dr. William Richardson, were sentenced to terms in prison between four and 12 years for federal drug and money laundering charges for their respective roles in operating the AMARC “pill mills.”
“The roots of our current heroin and fentanyl crisis are found in the opiate abuse epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “Like many other states, Georgia continues to experience the devastating toll of this epidemic on its citizens. Yet, these defendants willingly exploited desperate drug addicts by feeding their addictions in order to turn a profit.”
“These drug traffickers, dressed in white lab coats, can no longer cause damage to those addicted to pain medicine. These rogue “medical field” employees will now have plenty of time to reflect on the damages they have caused while serving their sentences in federal prison. DEA and our state and local partners remain committed to keeping our communities safe,” said Dan Salter, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Field Division.
“The diversion of dangerous prescription drugs is a public health epidemic that is crippling communities throughout the country,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “It makes matters much worse when the individuals responsible for medical care are also illegally supplying lethal drugs. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with our partners to dismantle these deadly drug trafficking organizations and seek justice for the harm caused to the community”
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: In May 2009, agents of the Tactical Diversion Squad of the DEA learned that doctors at the AMARC clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, were prescribing pain pills outside the bounds of legitimate medical practice to drug addicts and drug dealers. Subsequently, DEA, working with IRS and officers from other state and local agencies, learned that Godfrey Ilonzo financed and operated at least eight clinics in the Atlanta area under the “AMARC” name, including the pain clinic in Atlanta and two other pain clinics under different names; one in Tyrone, Georgia, and one other in Atlanta.
Bona Ilonzo (Godfrey Ilonzo’s wife) served as the office manager at the main AMARC pain clinic. At various times, Askari and Richardson served as the primary doctors for the AMARC pain clinics. Law enforcement also learned that Rosemary Ofume and Donatus Iriele operated Medicine Center Pharmacy in Atlanta, and illegitimately dispensed pain pills to AMARC customers.
The Ilonzos asked Dr. Askari and Dr. Richardson to prescribe Oxycodone pills and other opiates to addicts and distributors. Many of those customers traveled to the AMARC clinics from counties throughout Georgia and from other states (including Alabama and Ohio). Customers waited for hours at one AMARC pain clinic and paid cash to receive prescriptions for Oxycodone/Hydrocodone, Xanax, and Soma (the “holy trinity”) for resale on the street. Askari and Richardson issued prescriptions for medically inappropriate and potentially lethal combinations of Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Hydrocodone, and other controlled substances without conducting adequate medical examinations. After seeing a patient once, Askari would repeatedly “pre-sign” prescriptions for the same amounts and types of controlled substances without ever seeing the patient again in-person, while falsely indicating in the patient’s file that she had conducted an in-person examination of the patient.
After customers received illegitimate prescriptions from AMARC, clinic staff told customers to fill their prescriptions across the street at a pharmacy operated by Ofume and Iriele. Employees at the AMARC clinics and pharmacy received discounts and special treatment, including free office visits and reduced prices for pills dispensed at the pharmacy.
During the course of the conspiracy, the AMARC clinics generated more than $3 million dollars from unlawful prescriptions. Godfrey and Bona Ilonzo used that money to recruit additional physicians and patients to the AMARC pain clinics, open additional clinics under the “AMARC” name, purchase property, and send their children to expensive private schools.
Godfrey and Bona Ilonzo, Drs. Askari and Richardson, Rosemary Ofume, and Donatus Iriele have all pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial. U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones imposed sentences on the four AMARC defendants as follows:
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Godfrey Ilonzo, 66, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was sentenced on June 14, 2017,
to 12 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Godfrey Ilonzo had pleaded guilty to charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy on February 16, 2017.
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Bona Ilonzo, 54, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was sentenced on June 14, 2017, to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Bona Ilonzo had pleaded guilty to charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy on February 16, 2017;
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Dr. Nevorn Askari, 61, of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced on June 13, 2017, to five years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Dr. Askari pleaded guilty on February 16, 2017, to her involvement in this drug trafficking conspiracy; and,
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Dr. William Richardson, 63, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced on June 13, 2017, to four years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Dr. Richardson pleaded guilty on February 1, 2017, for his involvement in this drug trafficking conspiracy.
Both Dr. Askari and Dr. Richardson voluntarily surrendered their medical licenses to the Georgia Composite Board of Medicine.
As part of their sentences, Judge Jones also ordered Godfrey and Bona Ilonzo to forfeit approximately $20,000 in seized funds, and he entered personal money judgements of $1.5 million against each of them.
On March 24, 2017, after a three-week jury trial, Rosemary Ofume and Donatus Iriele were convicted on federal drug and money laundering charges for illegally dispensing controlled narcotics to AMARC customers. Sentencing for Ofume and Iriele is scheduled for July 20, 2017, before Judge Jones.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel Boatright, Cassandra Schansman, and Michael Brown prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Two Corrections Officers Among Four Charged with Corruption at Jackson County Detention CenterRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two corrections officers at the Jackson County Detention Center are among four persons charged in a bribery scheme to smuggle contraband cell phones and other items to inmates.
Today’s announcement was made in conjunction with a law enforcement operation at the Jackson County Detention Center, 1300 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. Approximately 200 law enforcement officers and federal agents participated in the operation at the detention center and the arrests of the four defendants as part of an ongoing investigation.
Andre Lamonte Dickerson, 26, Carlos Laron Hughley, 32, and Janikkia Lashay Carter, 36, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Jalee Caprice Fuller, 29, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a federal criminal complaint that was filed under seal on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. That complaint was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of all four defendants. They remain in federal custody pending their initial court appearance this afternoon. The government will seek to have Dickerson and Hughley detained in federal custody without bond.
Dickerson and Fuller are corrections officers at the Jackson County Detention Center. Hughley is an inmate at the detention center awaiting trial on charges of domestic assault, armed criminal action, resisting arrest and multiple counts of distributing controlled substances. Hughley is purportedly the father of Fuller’s recently born child. Carter is an acquaintance of Fuller and Hughley.
The criminal complaint charges Dickerson, Fuller, Hughley and Carter for their roles in a bribery and contraband smuggling scheme from May 13 to June 3, 2017, in violation of the Travel Act.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, two confidential informants – an inmate at the detention center (identified in court documents as Confidential Informant 1, or C1) and a relative of that inmate (identified in court documents as Confidential Informant 2, or C2) – assisted in the investigation of corrupt corrections officers. The affidavit describes two undercover operations in which C2 paid bribes and provided cell phones and cigarettes, which were smuggled into the detention center by Dickerson and Fuller and delivered to C1.
In one undercover operation, C2 allegedly paid Dickerson $500 on June 2, 2017, to smuggle two packs of contraband cigarettes, a cell phone and a phone charger (with the items provided to Dickerson by C2) into the detention center. At approximately 1 a.m. the following morning, the affidavit says, Dickerson entered C1’s cell and placed the items on his bed. Dickerson allegedly asked C1 if he would be interested in paying him a monthly fee of $2,500 in exchange for being the only inmate on the fifth floor of the detention center to receive contraband cigarettes, narcotics and telephones. Other inmates would then shop through C1 for their contraband, either paying through food or by putting money on C1’s “books.” Dickerson allegedly told C1 to have C2 call him if he was interested.
Another undercover operation had been initiated in May 2017 when Hughley allegedly told C1 that he could get contraband into the detention center. C2 then coordinated with Carter and an unknown individual named “Cuddy,” the affidavit says. C2 allegedly paid Cuddy $300 on May 18, 2017, and provided a cell phone and charger that Fuller was to smuggle into the detention center. According to the affidavit, video footage obtained from the detention center shows Fuller delivering a paper bag through the cell block door hole to C1 on May 23, 2017. The paper bag delivered by Fuller contained the cell phone and 15 Xanax pills.
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter. It was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Missouri Department of Corrections, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Jackson County Detention Center.
The Travel Act
The Travel Act makes it a crime to use a facility of interstate commerce (such as telephone calls) with the intent to further unlawful activity. The Travel Act’s definition of “unlawful activity” includes bribery in violation of the laws of a state. Missouri state law makes it a crime for a public servant to solicit or accept a bribe in return for violating a known legal duty. This crime is known under Missouri state law as acceding to corruption, and it is a companion or sister statute to the Missouri state statute that makes it a crime for someone to bribe a public servant. These two Missouri state statutes criminalize bribery conduct involving a public servant, both for the person paying the bribe and for the public servant taking the bribe.
The federal criminal complaint charges each of the defendants with violating the Travel Act by using a facility of interstate commerce (a telephone) to facilitate the promotion of an unlawful activity, that is, acceding to corruption.
Two Bakersfield Men Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Carlos Gerardo Blanco, 27, and Henry Polin Morales III, 21, both of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2014 and December 2015, Blanco conspired with Morales and others to distribute methamphetamine to various drug dealers and users in Kern County and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Blanco and Morales admit they distributed between 1.5 kilograms and 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, on May 6, 2015, Blanco purchased approximately five pounds of crystal methamphetamine in the Los Angeles metropolitan area that he intended to distribute for profit with the help of Morales and other co-conspirators. Agents seized the crystal methamphetamine from Blanco, Morales, and another convicted co-conspirator, Justin Rivera, 22, of Bakersfield, as they attempted to transport the narcotics on a commercial bus bound for Las Cruces, New Mexico.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and task force officers from Kern County Probation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Salvador Morales was earlier convicted in this matter and was sentenced on September 26, 2016, to six years and three months in prison. Jose Alejandro Jacobo, 25, of Bakersfield, was convicted in this matter and sentenced on March 13, 2017, to seven years and eight months in prison. Two other defendants have pleaded guilty to this conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing — Justin Rivera and Carlos Blanco’s wife Josefina Blanco, 25, a Mexican national.
Blanco and Morales are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on October 16, 2017. Blanco faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Morales faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Two Afghan Men Plead Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Conspiring to Import Hundreds of Kilograms of Heroin into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LAJBAR LAJAWARD KHAN, a/k/a “Haji Lajaward,” and AMAL SAID SAID ALAM SHAH, a/k/a “Haji Zar Mohammad,” pled guilty to conspiring to import heroin into the United States, and to distributing heroin intending that the heroin would be imported into the United States. LAJAWARD and SAID pled guilty earlier today to a Superseding Indictment in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As these two defendants admitted today, they conspired and attempted to import heroin into the United States from Afghanistan. Indeed, as the investigation revealed, they intended to import so much heroin into the United States from Afghanistan that their ‘sample’ shipment, meant as a test run for future shipments to the U.S., was three kilograms of heroin. We will continue to work with the DEA to curb the importation of heroin, a lethal drug that plagues every community right now.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment to which LAJAWARD and SAID pled guilty, statements made during the plea and other court proceedings, and other documents in the public record:
LAJAWARD and SAID, two Afghan nationals, were part of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) based in Afghanistan that produced and distributed large quantities of heroin. Between approximately May 2014 and June 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID worked together in an effort to import large quantities of heroin – in the range of 1,000 kilograms – from Afghanistan into the United States.
In August 2014, LAJAWARD began communicating by telephone with an individual he understood to be a New York-based narcotics trafficker, who was in fact an undercover agent of the DEA (the “UC”). LAJAWARD, in sum and substance, told the UC that he was interested in supplying large quantities of high-quality heroin for importation into the United States, where it would be sold for millions of dollars. In the course of the calls between LAJAWARD and the UC, LAJAWARD introduced the UC to one of LAJAWARD’s heroin-trafficking associates, SAID.
On October 30, 2014, LAJAWARD and the UC met in person in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In the course of that recorded meeting, in sum and substance, LAJAWARD continued to express his interest in supplying large quantities of heroin to the UC for importation into the United States, and LAJAWARD offered to supply a sample of heroin to the UC, as a test shipment to be sold in the United States. In the months following that meeting in Dubai, in the course of recorded telephone calls with the UC, LAJAWARD and SAID arranged to supply a three-kilogram sample of heroin in Kabul, Afghanistan (the “Heroin Sample”).
During those recorded calls, LAJAWARD, SAID, and the UC agreed that the delivery of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample would occur in Kabul on or about January 15, 2015. On that day, an undercover Afghan law enforcement officer, acting at the direction of the DEA and posing as an associate of the UC, met with LAJAWARD and one of LAJAWARD’s associates in Kabul and received delivery of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample. In parallel, over 1,000 miles away in Dubai, the UC met with another associate of LAJAWARD to pay for the Heroin Sample, as had been arranged during recorded calls between the UC and LAJAWARD. At that meeting, which was recorded, the UC paid $10,500 to the associate for the Heroin Sample.
About two weeks later, on January 28, 2015, SAID met with the UC in Dubai. During that recorded meeting, in sum and substance, SAID discussed the Heroin Sample that the DTO had recently supplied for importation into the United States, stated that the DTO was prepared to supply 1,000 kilograms of heroin to the UC, and indicated that it would only take the DTO about 15 days to produce 100 kilograms of heroin for shipment to the United States.
On April 2, 2015, SAID met again with the UC in Dubai. During that recorded meeting, SAID and the UC negotiated additional details of the agreement for the DTO to supply massive quantities of heroin for importation into the United States, including that LAJAWARD and SAID would share in the profits generated from the sale of the heroin in the United States. SAID also agreed, in sum and substance, that he and LAJAWARD would meet the UC in Thailand, for purposes of finalizing the heroin deal, and for LAJAWARD and SAID to receive their share of the profits generated from the purported sale in the United States of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample previously supplied by the DTO.
In June 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to meet with the UC. On June 13, 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID were arrested in Bangkok by Thai authorities based on the charges in this case, at the request of U.S. authorities. LAJAWARD and SAID were later brought to the United States to face the charges against them.
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LAJAWARD, 52, of Afghanistan, and SAID, 46, also of Afghanistan, each pled guilty to one count of conspiring to import one kilogram and more of heroin into the United States, and to one count of distributing or attempting to distribute one kilogram and more of heroin, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States. LAJAWARD and SAID each face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Sentencing is scheduled for November 1, 2017, at 3:30 p.m., before Judge Wood.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division; the DEA’s Kabul, Dubai, Tokyo, and Bangkok Country Offices; the DEA’s New York Field Division; the CNP-A Sensitive Investigative Unit of the Afghan Ministry of the Interior; the Dubai Police Department and the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Emirati Ministry of Interior; Japan’s National Police Agency and the Saitama Prefectural Police; Thailand’s Sensitive Investigative Unit of the Royal Thai Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau; Thailand’s Attorney General’s Office; Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; INTERPOL; the U.S. Department of State; and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Donaleski and George D. Turner are in charge of the prosecution.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 21 Years Plus 10 Months for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Tulsa federal court sentenced Clint Tirone Barger of Tulsa, Oklahoma, to serve 21 years plus 10 months in federal prison for possession and distribution of child pornography followed by 8 years of supervised release, announced Acting United States Attorney Loretta Radford for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Barger plead guilty to a two-count Information on March 30, 2017.
According to court documents, from November 2016 to February 2, 2017, Barger knowingly possessed and distributed images of children under the age of 14 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Barger used social media and internet file sharing programs to entice minors to send him images of the sexually explicit conduct. Barger then distributed the images to others.
Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Clinton J. Johnson and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Topeka Man Was Wearing Monitoring Device While He Took Part in RobberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Topeka man admitted Monday that he took part in a robbery while he was wearing a monitoring device, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Christopher Allen Bush, 26, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a commercial robbery. In his plea, Bush admitted he picked up co-defendant Marsoleno Devon Ryland after Ryland robbed Casey’s General Store at 600 S.E. Rice Road.
At the time of the robbery, Bush was wearing a monitoring device because he was on post-release supervision in a criminal case in state district court. Data from the GPS device verified that Bush picked up Ryland just south of Casey’s General Store and drove him to the 2300 block S.E. Bellview, where police located the two men shortly after the robbery.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 25. Both parties have agreed to recommend Bush be sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Ryland is set for sentencing Sept. 18.
Beall commended the FBI, the Topeka Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office to Host A One Stop Reentry FairRead the Press Release
JUNE 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – The United States Attorney’s Office will host the first One-Stop Reentry Fair at the War Memorial in Baltimore City on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The fair will bring together non-profits, service providers and state and local government organizations from across Baltimore to assist returning citizens to connect with resources.
Returning citizens, individuals who have completed their sentences and have been released from prison, will have access to information on transitional housing, shelters, substance abuse and mental health programs, GED and college courses, job training and job placement programs, food, clothing and infant assistance, identification and legal support and information on Parole and Probation.
According to an Open Society Foundation study, every year, over 10, 000 people are released from state or federal prisons in Maryland and approximately sixty percvent of those individuals return to Baltimore City.
In coordination with federal, state and local agencies and community service providers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office supports reentry initiatives as means of reducing recidivism and keeping communities safe.
“The mission of the United States Attorney’s Office is public safety as well as preventing crime. We believe providing access to resources and services will aid in assisting those with a criminal records from reoffending,” noted Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning.
Additionally, as part of a federal reentry initiative, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has published a list of governmental and private-sector agencies throughout Maryland that are available to assist people recently released from state and federal jails and prisons, announced Mr. Schenning. The resource list can be accessed through a link on the U.S. Attorney’s Office home page, at www.justice.gov/usao/md.
Statement of Christopher A. WrayRead the Press Release
Christopher A. Wray delivers a statement on his nomination by President Donald J. Trump to lead the FBI:
“I am honored and humbled to be nominated by the President to lead the FBI, the premier law enforcement organization in the world. From my earliest days working with agents as a line prosecutor to my time working with them at the Department of Justice in the aftermath of 9/11, I have been inspired by the men and women of the FBI – inspired by their professionalism, integrity, courage, and sacrifice for the public. If confirmed, it will be a privilege and honor to once again work with them. America faces grave threats both here and abroad, and the FBI, in concert with its federal, state, and local partners continues to work steadfastly to prevent and hold accountable those responsible for these threats. I look forward to the confirmation process, and pledge my complete commitment to fairly and honorably protecting our country and upholding our Constitution and laws.”
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Unanimous Supreme Court DecisionRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement after the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to review the lower courts’ decisions on the President’s executive order:
“I am pleased that the Supreme Court has decided to hear this case and the Department of Justice looks forward to arguing on behalf of the President and his constitutional duty to protect the national security of the United States.
“We have seen far too often in recent months that the threat to our national security is real and becoming increasingly dangerous. Groups like ISIS and al Qaeda seek to sow chaos and destruction in our country, and often operate from war-torn and failed countries while leading their global terror network. It is crucial that we properly vet those seeking to come to America from these locations, and failing to do so puts us all in danger.
“Today’s order is also an important step towards restoring the separation of powers between the branches of the federal government. The Court’s decision recognizes that the Executive has the responsibility to protect the safety and security of the American people under the Constitution of the United States and its laws. The judiciary serves, pursuant to their oath, under the same Constitution and these same laws. This case raises profound questions about the proper balance of these constitutional powers, and we are eager to advance our views on these important issues.
“Through Article II of the Constitution, the founders of our country vested the Executive Branch with a great responsibility: to ensure the national security of our country. I am committed to defending the President's ability to exercise that responsibility and the Department of Justice is confident that the United States Supreme Court will uphold this constitutional and necessary executive order.”
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Using Fake Facebook Profiles to Meet and Coerce Six Colorado Teenagers into Taking and Sending Him Explicit PhotographsRead the Press Release
DENVER – Christopher George White, age 38, of McCormick, South Carolina, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson to serve 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for his conviction on six counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge John Eisert announced. White, who was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons following the hearing, used social media, text, and telephone calls to meet, entice, and then threaten minors into taking off clothing or committing sex acts for his own personal pleasure.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, between June 30, 2014 and August 4, 2014 White, targeted child victims ranging from 13 to 14 years of age by using Facebook profiles “Kent Noelle” and “Glenn Black.” White claimed to be a teenage boy while he was truly a 35-year-old man and previously convicted sex offender. He used those profiles to correspond with minor girls, including the six minor girls from Colorado. After first befriending them online, and then texting and even talking with the minors by phone, the defendant then began to use harassment, threats of physical harm, and threats to post sexually-explicit photographs of the children or their friends on social media, all in an effort to coerce the teenagers to produce and send him child pornography of themselves.
After pleading guilty to the six counts in this case, but before his sentence was announced, White continued to contact other minor girls from prison to harass them or engage in graphic phone sex with them. When White’s phone privileges were curtailed, he used another inmate’s access to continue contacting teenage girls from prison.
“HSI’s and our prosecutors’ forensic skill at catching these predators is second to none,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “But the absolute best way to protect your kids from being preyed upon like this is to keep an eye on their behavior and phone and computer use.”
“This child exploitation case is an example of HSI’s commitment, in partnership with the Department of Justice, to track, investigate and prosecute child predators to the fullest extent of the law,” said John Eisert, acting special agent in charge of HSI Denver. “HSI has an active and ongoing Operation Predator program to identify criminals who prey on children. Operation Predator helps make our communities safer by bringing criminals to justice for their despicable exploitation of our children.”
This case was investigated by HSI and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina.
White is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tonini and Gregory Holloway.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Six Defendants Charged in A Debt Collection SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that six defendants were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Named in the complaint are Joseph Ciffa, 49, Erica Lounsberry, 30, both of Grand Island, NY; Debbie Seright, 41, and Shauniqua Rodriguez, 38, both of Niagara Falls, NY; Damario Turpin, 36, of Buffalo, NY; and Carmelo Collana, 48, of Kenmore, NY. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Defendant Ciffa is also charged with health care fraud, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maura K. O’Donnell, who is handling the case, stated that defendant Ciffa has been involved in the debt collection business since at least 2013. Since approximately March 2015, the defendant has operated out of multiple locations including 1625 Buffalo Avenue, in Niagara Falls, NY; 870 Ontario Street in Kenmore, NY; 1567 Military Road in Kenmore; and out of his home office.
According to the complaint, the debt collection operation was not a legitimate operation, and employed fraudulent means to collect on debts, to recollect on debts already collected, and to process and transfer payments related to the collection of such debts. The operation allegedly used threatening statements to debtors all over the United States, made via telephone calls, in an effort to induce payment of debts.
Defendants Lounsberry and Seright were managers who oversaw other employees. Defendant Collana was an associate who established shell companies, payment processing accounts, and bank accounts, to facilitate the receipt of victim payments, and removed cash from these accounts for Ciffa. Defendant Turpin was also an associate who allowed Ciffa to process victim payments in his (Turpin's) MoneyGram and bank accounts. Defendant Rodriguez was an employee who threatened victims over the telephone, claiming that they were charged with complaints and/or under arrest.
On December 15, 2016, a search was executed at Ciffa's residence on Grand Island. Law enforcement officers recovered discovered a debit card bearing Damario Turpin's name linked to a bank account; business checks other bank accounts; and a bank signature stamp for Damario Turpin. Ciffa's cellular telephone was also seized. A forensic analysis revealed recorded phone conversations during which Ciffa described in detail the fraud scheme in which his debt collection organization was engaged. Other recorded phone conversations detail the money Ciffa was making as a result of his illegal activity. During one conversation, Ciffa stated: "We did 370 grand the month of March...We're on a $300,000 a month pace right now..."
In addition, between March 2015 and August 30, 2016, defendant Ciffa is accused of fraud involving Medicaid benefits meant for low-income individuals. In application to the Erie County Department of Social Services, Ciffa claimed that he and his wife earned a combined $610 in weekly income. As a result, the defendant, his wife and their two children received benefits. According to the complaint, Ciffa's total income for 2015 was $1,284,951.04.
The defendants made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were released.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James D. Robnett; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski; and the New York State, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 58 Months for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Lawrence Giggetts, age 37, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 58 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
In pleading guilty, Giggetts admitted to possessing an inoperable .25-caliber, semiautomatic pistol, after he had been convicted of attempted reckless endangerment, a felony. The pistol, which was inoperable because it did not have a firing pin, still qualified as a firearm under federal law, which prohibits felons even from having inoperable firearms so long as there is an interstate connection.
Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also sentenced Giggetts to 3 years of supervised release, to begin once Giggetts is released from prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Schenectady Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
Salvadoran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Domingo Contreras Flores, age 34, and a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced today to time served (about 69 days in jail) for illegally re-entering the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Thomas P. Brophy, Acting Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Flores had been removed from the United States in 2003, at Chandler, Arizona. He later re-entered the country without the permission of the Department of Homeland Security. Flores had been living in Hudson at the time of his arrest.
Flores will be transferred to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, which will place him into removal proceedings.
This case was investigated by ICE-ERO in Latham, New York, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Resident of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements on VISA ApplicationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Anna Delarosa, 57, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to making false statements in applications for family visas, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents, a limited number of family visas are issued by the United States State Department to citizens of foreign countries. To obtain a family visa, a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States (a “sponsor”) is required to submit an application for a family visa to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. A citizen of a foreign country is not eligible for a family visa if he or she is likely to become a public charge after they enter the United States. Therefore, under federal law, a sponsor is also required demonstrate his or her ability to provide financial support to the applicant by submitting a financial affidavit, copies of their recent federal tax returns, and other personal financial records to the USCIS. All applications for family visas are processed at the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
During the plea hearing today, Delarosa admitted that from August 2010 to April 2013, she knowingly caused ten financial affidavits that contained the forged signature of an alleged sponsor to be submitted to the National Visa Center in support of applications for family visas for citizens of the Dominican Republic.
Delarosa will be sentenced on October 11, 2017. The crime to which she pleaded guilty, making false statements to the federal government, is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by the United States States Department, Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Kinsella.
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Puerto Rican Man Plead Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Alberto Rosado-Leon, 36, of Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Felicetta, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant, along with co-defendants Wendell Delgado-Sanchez and Figuerora Suarez, conspired to distribute cocaine from an apartment located on Dearborn Street in Buffalo, New York. On March 5, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the apartment and recovered 1,368 grams of cocaine in a safe and a 9mm pistol.Officers also recovered a surveillance video system from inside the apartment that displayed the activities inside the apartment from February 27, 2015, through March 5, 2015. A review of the video demonstrates that during that time period, all three defendants were present weighing, mixing, and packaging cocaine for distribution. The video also depicts occasions when the defendants completed drug transactions with customers.
Wendell Delgado-Sanchez has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Figuerora Suarez was convicted and sentenced to 60 months in prison.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 18, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
Police and Prosecutors Join Students for a Day of LearningRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, together with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and Eastside High School, will present a BLAST Program event on Wednesday to approximately 50 students.
Event: BLAST Program
Host: United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
Location:
Eastside High School
1201 SE 43rd Street
Gainesville, FL 32641
Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Time: 8:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Press: Please RSVP to Amy Alexander at [email protected] if you plan to attend.
United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova said: “The BLAST initiative was created by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to provide a forum to exchange information about officer risks and citizen viewpoints. Sharing these perspectives encourages safe interactions between citizens and officers to improve our community.”
Sheriff Sadie Darnell said: “Working with the youth of our community is a great way to build trust between law enforcement and our young people so that everyone better understands issues facing each of us.”
The BLAST Program offers students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement, and interact with officers in a familiar setting. Officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.
The schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students will have a chance to participate in role play with law enforcement officers.
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Criminal Justice Overview: Students will learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
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Domestic Violence: Students will participate in a scenario in which police respond to a domestic disturbance. Discussion includes the challenges officers face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to the police.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
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Traffic Stop Simulation: Participants and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
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Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation.
This session is closed to the media and public. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.
Participating agencies include:
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United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
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Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
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Gainesville Police Department
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Eastside High School
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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
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Drug Enforcement Administration
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Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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Florida Highway Patrol
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FAMU Police Department
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
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Plattsmouth Man Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that Mark A. Tincher, age 59, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 26, 2017, by the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp to five years of supervised release, a fine of $50,000, and ordered to pay restitution of $833,404.65 to Plattsmouth State Bank. Tincher had previously pled guilty to one count of bank fraud.
From approximately April 1, 2010, to approximately June 2, 2010, Tincher maintained separate checking accounts at Plattsmouth State Bank, Arbor Bank, Murray State Bank and Glenwood State Bank. Tincher conducted a scheme, known as check kiting, whereby he manipulated checks between the four banks to create artificially inflated bank balances through the utilization of float, then used the inflated bank balances for business purposes. When a check is drawn upon an account in one bank, presented for deposit at a second bank, and then transmitted to the bank of origin for payment, there is often a delay of a day or more between the time it was deposited and the time the check was ultimately presented to the bank of origin to be paid from available funds. The bank of origin still shows the money in the account and the bank in which the funds were deposited shows the same amount. That scenario is a float.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Pekin Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years in Prison for Receiving, Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Darin E. Eldridge, 55, of Pekin, Ill., has been sentenced to 80 months (6 years, 8 months) in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm sentenced Eldridge on June 23. Judge Mihm also ordered that Eldridge remain on supervised release for 10 years following his release from incarceration. Eldridge will be required to register as a sex offender. Eldridge has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since he was arrested on the federal charges on Sept. 22, 2016.
On Feb. 2, 2017, Eldridge pled guilty to three counts of receiving and one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Eldridge was identified after law enforcement learned that a computer in his residence was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download and share files containing child pornography. Based on this information the U.S. Secret Service obtained and executed a search warrant for his residence on April 6, 2016. At the conclusion of the search, the Secret Service seized numerous items of computer equipment. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed the presence of images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges were the result of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, Springfield Electronic Crimes Unit, which includes the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Parents Plead Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter and Other Charges in Starvation Death of Infant DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Jay Crowder, 33, and Trishelle Jabore, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from the starvation-related death of their seven-week-old daughter, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Both defendants pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of voluntary manslaughter, first-degree cruelty to children, and welfare fraud-unlawful food stamp usage. Crowder also pled guilty to a charge of attempted distribution of a controlled substance (synthetic cannabinoid or K2). Crowder’s plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 10 to 12 years in prison. Under the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, Jabore could face a range of six to 15 years in prison. The Honorable José M. Lόpez scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2017.
According to a proffer of facts presented at the plea hearing, on Nov. 6, 2016, Jabore gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Trinity. The infant weighed 4 pounds, 14.5 ounces, but was considered at term and healthy. At the time of her birth, both the mother and child tested positive for THC, an active ingredient in marijuana. Both parents had prior experience parenting newborn children. They received approximately $995 in welfare funds, including food stamps. They paid $9.80 in rent and $50 for Internet service, and they spent money on cigarettes and marijuana; according to Jabore, she and Crowder smoked marijuana most days. Around Thanksgiving, they sold some of their food stamps to a family member for $150.
On the evening of Dec. 24, 2016, the baby was put to bed in her car seat with a bottle at 7 p.m. At approximately 9 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2016, Crowder entered his and Jabore’s bedroom, where the baby was still in her car seat. Crowder picked up the child and felt that her body was limp. Crowder attempted to feed her a bottle but she would not take it. The baby’s breathing appeared labored at that time, and Jabore said that her lips were yellow. Jabore and Crowder monitored the baby’s condition for about three hours. At noon, Jabore called 911 and stated that the baby was unconscious and not breathing. Jabore and Crowder reported that she had no signs of illness or any falls or trauma and had not been involved in any accidents.
The D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were dispatched to the defendants’ home in Southwest Washington. The baby was taken to the Emergency Department at Children’s National Medical Center. Hospital staff attempted advanced life-saving measures, but the child was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m. A doctor reported that she appeared cachectic and had what appeared to be blood in her diaper.
According to the evidence, the baby did not get adequate food or nutrition. She lost over 10 ounces in weight from the time she was born. Additionally, the infant suffered 13 rib fractures and clavicle fracture at various stages of healing and severe diaper rash. Neither parent had taken her for medical treatment or care. She was in the exclusive care of Jabore and Crowder.
Even though Jabore and Crowder had money and their home had plenty of food for older children and adults, their baby starved to death. The parents were providing a fraction of the recommended amount of formula in an effort to make it go further. Alternatively, when not giving formula, they were giving their newborn cow’s milk (powdered milk or evaporated milk), which is harmful to an infant’s digestive tract. Chemists with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested a bottle found on the scene. Their testing revealed the bottle contained mostly water and had very little nutritional value.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia determined that the baby’s death was caused by malnutrition and hyponatremia[1], that the fractured ribs and clavicle fracture were contributing factors, and that the manner of death was homicide.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, analysts from the Food and Drug Administration, and medical personnel from Children’s National Medical Center. He also expressed appreciation to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences for assistance in the investigation. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Stephanie Gilbert; Criminal Investigators Tommy Miller, Durand Odom, Nelson Rhone, Sharon Johnson, Shannon Alexis, and Chris Brophy; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kahn, and Intern Emily Yu. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
[1] Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Mayo Clinic Staff, Diseases and Conditions Hyponatremia, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445 (last updated May 28, 2014).
Owner of New England Compounding Center Sentenced for Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis OutbreakRead the Press Release
The owner and head pharmacist of New England Compounding Center (NECC) was sentenced today to nine years in prison in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak, the Department of Justice announced today.
Barry Cadden, 50, of Wrentham, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to serve 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined later. In March 2017, Cadden was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead.
“Barry Cadden put profits ahead of patients,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Under his direction, employees assured customers that they were getting safe drugs, while Cadden ignored grave environmental failures, used expired active ingredients, and took innumerable other production shortcuts that led to numerous, entirely preventable deaths. As Cadden’s sentence reflects, the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch is committed to prosecuting those who put the health of Americans at risk.”
“Barry Cadden put profits over patients,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb for the District of Massachusetts. “He used NECC to perpetrate a massive fraud that harmed hundreds of people. Mr. Cadden knew that he was running his business dishonestly, but he kept doing it anyway to make sure the payments kept rolling in. Now he will have to pay for his crimes.”
“Protecting Americans from unsafe and contaminated drugs is at the core of our mission,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “Patients should not have to worry about the safety and sterility of the drugs they are prescribed. Since this tragedy, Congress has given the FDA important new authorities, and the agency has implemented key policies, all to provide a greater assurance of safety over compounded medicines. As part of these efforts, we will continue to hold accountable those who violate the law and put patients at risk.”
“Today, Barry Cadden was held responsible for one of the worst public health crises in this country’s history, and the lives of those impacted because of his greed, will never be the same,” said Special Agent in Charge Harold H. Shaw of the FBI, Boston Field Division. “This deadly outbreak was truly a life-changing event for hundreds of victims, and the FBI is grateful to have played a role, alongside our law enforcement partners, in bringing this man to justice.”
In 2012, 753 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with a fungal infection after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 753 patients, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 64 patients in nine states died. The outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical product.
Specifically, Cadden directed and authorized the shipping of contaminated MPA to NECC customers nationwide. In addition, he authorized the shipping of drugs before test results confirming their sterility were returned, never notified customers of nonsterile results, and compounded drugs with expired ingredients. Furthermore, certain batches of drugs were manufactured, in part, by an unlicensed pharmacy technician at NECC. Cadden also repeatedly took steps to shield NECC’s operations from regulatory oversight by the FDA by claiming to be a pharmacy dispensing drugs pursuant to valid, patient-specific prescriptions. In fact, NECC routinely dispensed drugs in bulk without valid prescriptions. NECC even used fictional and celebrity names on fake prescriptions to dispense drugs, such as “Michael Jackson,” “Freddie Mae” and “Diana Ross.”
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the U.S. Defense Department's health care program,” stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey of DCIS, Northeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify and investigate individuals who disregard pharmaceutical and drug regulations and endanger the health and safety of U.S. military members and their families.”
“No veterans receiving VA care were harmed by the fungal meningitis outbreak,” said Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “The VA Office of Inspector General, together with its law enforcement partners, will persist in working drug adulteration cases to ensure veterans continue to receive safe and effective medications for the purpose of healing their ailments.”
“Today’s sentencing is an example of the dedicated work of law enforcement, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in their steadfast pursuit of justice in the largest public health crisis caused by a pharmaceutical product in this nation’s history,” said Inspector in Charge Shelly Binkowski of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to be vigilant in investigating cases where the U.S. mail is used to put our nation’s citizens at risk.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George P. Varghese and Amanda P.M. Strachan of Weinreb’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney John W.M. Claud of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma.
Owner of New England Compounding Center Sentenced for Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis OutbreakRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Barry Cadden, the owner and head pharmacist of New England Compounding Center (NECC), was sentenced today in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.
Cadden, 50, of Wrentham, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined later. In March 2017, Cadden was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead.
“Barry Cadden put profits over patients,” said Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. “He used NECC to perpetrate a massive fraud that harmed hundreds of people. Mr. Cadden knew that he was running his business dishonestly, but he kept doing it anyway to make sure the payments kept rolling in. Now he will have to pay for his crimes.”
“Barry Cadden put profits ahead of patients,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Under his direction, employees assured customers that they were getting safe drugs, while Cadden ignored grave environmental failures, used expired active ingredients, and took innumerable other production shortcuts that led to numerous, entirely preventable deaths. As Cadden’s sentence reflects, the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch is committed to prosecuting those who put the health of Americans at risk.”
“Protecting Americans from unsafe and contaminated drugs is at the core of our mission. Patients should not have to worry about the safety and sterility of the drugs they are prescribed,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “Since this tragedy, Congress has given the FDA important new authorities, and the agency has implemented key policies, all to provide a greater assurance of safety over compounded medicines. As part of these efforts, we will continue to hold accountable those who violate the law and put patients at risk.”
“Today, Barry Cadden was held responsible for one of the worst public health crises in this country’s history, and the lives of those impacted because of his greed, will never be the same,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “This deadly outbreak was truly a life-changing event for hundreds of victims, and the FBI is grateful to have played a role, alongside our law enforcement partners, in bringing this man to justice.”
In 2012, 753 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with a fungal infection after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 753 patients, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 64 patients in nine states died. The outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical product.
Specifically, Cadden directed and authorized the shipping of contaminated MPA to NECC customers nationwide. In addition, he authorized the shipping of drugs before test results confirming their sterility were returned, never notified customers of nonsterile results, and compounded drugs with expired ingredients. Furthermore, certain batches of drugs were manufactured, in part, by an unlicensed pharmacy technician at NECC. Cadden also repeatedly took steps to shield NECC’s operations from regulatory oversight by the FDA by claiming to be a pharmacy dispensing drugs pursuant to valid, patient-specific prescriptions. In fact, NECC routinely dispensed drugs in bulk without valid prescriptions. NECC even used fictional and celebrity names on fake prescriptions to dispense drugs, such as “Michael Jackson,” “Freddie Mae” and “Diana Ross.”
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the U.S. Defense Department's health care program,” stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey of DCIS, Northeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify and investigate individuals who disregard pharmaceutical and drug regulations and endanger the health and safety of U.S. military members and their families.”
“No veterans receiving VA care were harmed by the fungal meningitis outbreak,” said Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. “The VA Office of Inspector General, together with its law enforcement partners, will persist in working drug adulteration cases to ensure veterans continue to receive safe and effective medications for the purpose of healing their ailments.”
“Today's sentencing is an example of the dedicated work of law enforcement, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in their steadfast pursuit of justice in the largest public health crisis caused by a pharmaceutical product in this nation’s history,” said Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The United States Postal Inspection Service will continue to be vigilant in investigating cases where the US Mail is used to put our nation’s citizens at risk.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb; Acting Assistant Attorney General Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; FDA-OCI SAC Ebersole; FBI SAC Shaw; DCIS-OIG SAC Barzey; VA-OIG SAC Neves; and USPIS Inspector in Charge Binkowski, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George P. Varghese and Amanda P.M. Strachan of Weinreb’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney John W.M. Claud of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.
Orlando Doctor and Infusion Clinic Owner Sentenced to 64 Months and 90 Months in Prison for Role in Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
An Orlando medical doctor and an infusion clinic owner were sentenced to 64 months in prison and two years supervised release, and 90 months and two years supervised release, respectively, today for their roles in a $13.7 million Medicare fraud conspiracy that involved submitting claims for expensive infusion-therapy drugs that were never purchased, never provided and not medically necessary.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Muldrow of the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Shimon R. Richmond of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
Dr. Miguel Burgos, 60, of Gotha, Florida, and Yosbel Marimon, 40, of Winter Park, Florida, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. of the Middle District of Florida. Judge Dalton also ordered the defendants to pay $9.8 million in restitution and to forfeit the same amount. As part of his plea, Marimon also consented to the forfeiture of real property valued at approximately $1.7 million. Burgos and Marimon each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud: Burgos on February 9, Marimon on February 16.
As part of his guilty plea, Burgos admitted that between July 2008 and September 2011, he was the medical director of four Orlando-area infusion clinics that received Medicare funds. Marimon admitted that he was one of the owners of the four clinics. Burgos and Marimon further admitted that they billed Medicare and private insurance companies for, among other things, expensive infusion therapy medications, including anticancer chemotherapeutic medications, despite never administering the drugs. Burgos and Marimon also admitted to submitted false claims to Medicare and private insurance companies for physical therapy conducted at the clinics, even though there was no licensed physical therapist on staff at the clinics, they admitted. In connection with the scheme, the defendants admitted that they billed Medicare and private insurers approximately $13.7 million, of which approximately $9.8 million was paid on the fraudulent claims.
This case was investigated by HHS-OIG. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Timothy Loper prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Andrejko also provided assistance regarding asset forfeiture issues in this case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 3,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $12 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Ohio woman convicted of wire fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An East Liverpool, Ohio woman was convicted today of stealing from her employer, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Danielle Varrati, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Wire Fraud.” Varrati admitted to wiring approximately $176,000 from her place of employment to her personal bank account. The crime occurred in Hancock County.
Varrati faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae Demasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Norman Orthopedic Practice Pays $1,537,796 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Submitted to Federal and State Programs for Medical ServicesRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Orthopedic AND Sports Medicine Center-Norman, P.C., and its physician-owners, Dr. Mark Moses, Dr. David Bobb, Dr. William Harris, Dr. Vytautus Ringus, Dr. Steven Schultz, and Dr. Brad Vogel (collectively "OSC") have paid $1,537,796 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and TRICARE.
OSC is a medical practice that provides general orthopedic medical services in Norman, Oklahoma. Following an internal review and audit, OSC discovered irregularities in prior billing processes and practices. In August of 2016, OSC proactively contacted the United States to voluntarily disclose the billing irregularities and documentation deficiencies they had identified. Thereafter, the United States investigated the disclosures and issues raised by OSC. Throughout the investigation, and to its credit, OSC provided cooperation and access to both privileged and non-privileged internal documentation, audit, and medical records, as well as access to their consultant statistician.
The voluntary disclosure and investigation revealed that the United States and State of Oklahoma have certain civil claims against OSC for false claims arising under Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Veterans Health Administration. Specifically, from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2015, OSC improperly billed the health care programs for the following: (i) physician extenders without documentation in progress notes to support billing, evaluation, and management codes; (ii) durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies ("DMEPOS") where bills had incorrect CPT codes, where documentation did not support proof of delivery of the DMEPOS, and where documentation did not support that the DMEPOS was ordered or medically necessary for the patient; (iii) evaluation and management codes related to hospital consults that were not supported by documentation in progress notes; and (iv) physical therapy where the documentation did not support CPT codes billed and or the number of physical therapy units billed.
In reaching this settlement, OSC did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions regarding the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigations and Office of Audit Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services; the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Narcotics Dealer Indicted for Murder and Racketeering in Brooklyn Cold CaseRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging Tammeco Cargill, a member of the Nineties Crew, a Brooklyn-based street gang, with four counts, including murder in-aid-of-racketeering and the attempted murders of two bystanders who witnessed the murder, on July 30, 2007. As part of the same indictment, Cargill and his father, Winston Cargill, also known as “Pops,” are charged with racketeering and racketeering conspiracy relating to their involvement in narcotics trafficking and related crimes in Brooklyn between January 2003 and December 2014. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Brooklyn, New York, on June 21, 2017.
The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York.
According to court filings, on the evening of July 30, 2007, Tammeco Cargill shot Robert Dixon on a crowded street in Brooklyn, killing Dixon, and then attempted to kill two nearby witnesses, injuring both. As alleged in the indictment, Tammeco Cargill and Winston Cargill were members of the Nineties Crew, a Brooklyn-based street gang, between January 2003 and December 2014, and engaged in narcotics trafficking and other crimes as part of that gang.
“As alleged, Tammeco Cargill murdered Robert Dixon, and attempted to kill two witnesses to that crime, approximately 10 years ago,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “Today’s indictment makes clear that the passage of time will not stop this Office and our law enforcement partners from pursuing those responsible for such violence in our streets.” Ms. Rohde expressed her grateful appreciation to the NYPD’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, and the United States Marshal Service’s New York / New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
“In law enforcement, there is no rest until justice is served. And after ten years, a drug investigation paved a path that led to the arrest of Robert Dixon’s alleged murderer,” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Hunt. “I commend the agents, officers, marshals, and prosecutors who diligently investigated this cold case and put the person responsible for this heinous crime in jail.”
The defendant Tammeco Anthony Cargill is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. The defendant Winston Anthony Cargill, who is in custody on another matter, will be arraigned in the near future.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Tammeco Cargill faces a sentence of life imprisonment if convicted. Winston Cargill faces a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Reilly, Hiral Mehta, and Ryan Harris are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
TAMMECO ANTHONY CARGILL
Age: 34
Brooklyn, NY
WINSTON ANTHONY CARGILL
Age: 55
Brooklyn, NY
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-330 (ENV)
Nacogdoches County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LUFKIN, Texas – A 24-year-old Nacogdoches, Texas man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jon McNeely pleaded guilty on Mar. 23, 2017, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.
According to information presented in court, McNeely was a major methamphetamine trafficker in Nacogdoches and Angelina counties. His drug trafficking organization was responsible for distributing over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the area. McNeely was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 7, 2016, and charged with drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, Nacogdoches Police Department, Lufkin Police Department, Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hable.
Modesto Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Assaulting a Fresno Social Security GuardRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Matthew Faron Blair, 33, of Modesto, was sentenced today to eight years and nine months in prison for forcibly assaulting a federal government contract security guard assigned to protect the Social Security Administration office in downtown Fresno, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on October 14, 2014, Blair went to the Social Security Administration office in Fresno to attempt to collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. When advised that his benefits had stopped but could be renewed by completing additional paperwork, Blair became agitated and a security guard was called to escort him out of the office. As he was being escorted out of the office, Blair physically assaulted the guard. As a result of the assault, the guard suffered injury to the head and mouth, which required medical treatment.
In sentencing the defendant, Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill considered Blair’s lengthy criminal history.
This case was the product of an investigation by Federal Protective Services of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Parole Operations, and Stockton Police Department assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Arrested in New Mexico Following DEA Seizure of Nearly Five-Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ricardo Garcia-Solis, 29, a Mexican national illegally in the United States, made his initial appearance this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on a methamphetamine trafficking charge. Garcia-Solis remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for tomorrow.
Garcia-Solis is charged in a criminal complaint with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute following his arrest on June 24, 2017, at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque. The DEA arrested Garcia-Solis after agents allegedly found approximately 2.2 kilograms (4.85 pounds) of methamphetamine in his baggage during a consensual search.
If convicted on the charge in the criminal complaint, Garcia-Solis faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years to a maximum of life in prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard R. Thomas.
Methuen Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Juan Alexis Diaz Pena, 31, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone and unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Statements in earlier court proceedings showed that from approximately the spring of 2014 through January of 2016, Pena and Martin Gonzalez Diaz, conspired to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone in the Lawrence, Massachusetts area to individuals in Massachusetts, who in turn sold the drugs to individuals in New Hampshire who were further distributing the drugs to customers in Rochester, New Hampshire.
As part of the investigation, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) searched an apartment connected to Pena in January of 2016 and located quantities of cocaine and heroin, as well as items associated with drug trafficking. A loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun was recovered under a mattress in a bedroom in close proximity to where the drugs were located.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the significant presence of heroin and fentanyl in New Hampshire by continuing to target the drug trafficking organizations responsible for the importation of large quantities of these drugs into New Hampshire from source cities such as Lawrence, Massachusetts.” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said.
Diaz Pena, who previously pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 36 months in prison on the drug trafficking charge and received a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years on the firearms charge, which must be served consecutively to the sentence on the drug charge. Diaz Pena will likely be deported from the United States after completing his federal sentence.
Gonzalez Diaz, 34, formerly of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy charge on August 17, 2016 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2017.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Tactical Diversion Unit, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the Rochester, New Hampshire Police Department and the Haverhill, MA Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Cole Davis and Seth Aframe are prosecuting the case.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Illegal Attempt to Buy Guns in HooksettRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that today Michael Younge, 27, formerly of Framingham and Boston, Massachusetts was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for his role in an illegal effort to purchase two firearms.
According to court documents and statements made during the prosecution of the case, on July 15, 2015, Younge, and three friends, Rafael Soriano, Adrian Aleman and Tasha Gardner, visited a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Of the four, only Gardner was legally eligible to buy handguns. Younge and Soriano, with Aleman’s help, solicited Gardner to buy two hand guns on their behalf. Gardner agreed to assist and attempted to purchase the two guns for Younge and Soriano. In connection with that attempt, Gardner filled out a form legally required for all intrastate over-the-counter hand gun purchases on which she falsely certified that she was the “actual purchaser” of the two hand guns, when she was really attempting to buy them for Younge and Soriano. The store never transferred the firearms because its employees became suspicious and declined to complete the transaction.
Younge previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the making of a false statement in connection with the attempted acquisition of a firearm. After serving his sentence, he will be on supervised release for a period of three years.
Two of the other individuals involved in the scheme, Gardner and Aleman, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to terms of probation. A warrant for Soriano’s arrest is outstanding.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce gun crime in America through, among other things, community outreach and vigorous prosecution of firearms offenses.
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Maryland man pleads guilty to making an illegal gunRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ian Nigel Page, 44, of Crownsville, Maryland, pled guilty to making an unlawful firearm, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Page admitted to cutting the barrel of a Remmington 12-gauge shotgun to less than 18 inches in Preston County, West Virginia in May 2015.
Page pled guilty to one count of “Making an Unlawful Firearm.” He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Stealing Works of Art and Selling Them in Southern New JerseyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Rock Hall, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for stealing at least 40 pieces of art and bringing them to New Jersey to sell them, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
William C. Reed III, 42, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Starting in June 2013, Reed worked as a caretaker for an individual in Rock Hall. Reed’s client was an art collector and dealer, who collected and maintained an eclectic collection of fine art by American and European artists. The collection included paintings, sculptures and etchings.
Between June 2014 and November 2014, Reed took various works of art from his client’s Rock Hall property without his permission and sold the art at various locations, including a pawn shop in Salem, New Jersey, and to an individual in Chestertown, Maryland.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Reed to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $92,240.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Rock Hall Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven W. Moore, for its assistance in this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Lisa Lewis Esq., Camden
Marion County woman convicted of firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Fairmont, West Virginia woman was convicted today in federal court of a firearms charge, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Heather N. Windsor, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.” Windsor admitted to making a false statement during the purchase of a 5.56 mm caliber pistol in July 2016 in Monongalia County.
Windsor faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Marietta Man Sentenced to 25 years in Prison for Robbing Six area Banks at GunpointRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Kevin Ray Williamson has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for a string of six armed bank robberies that began on February 4, 2016, and continued until September 8, 2016.
“Williamson’s violent crime spree put citizens in our community on edge for months, especially bank employees just doing their jobs,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “Thankfully, an observant citizen brought his criminal conduct to an abrupt end.”
“The lengthy sentence handed down in federal court removes a violent serial offender from our streets. The details of the robberies committed by Mr. Williamson illustrate a total lack of regard for his victims, many of whom will, for many years, be dealing with the emotional trauma of having a gun pointed at them by an armed bank robber,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: On February 4, 2016, Williamson entered a Fifth Third Bank located in Marietta, Georgia. Williamson pointed a handgun at a bank teller and demanded money from her cash drawer. Bank surveillance video captured the robbery and showed Williamson carrying a messenger/computer type bag in which he demanded the money be placed. During this robbery, Williamson threatened to “empty the clip” of his gun if his demands were not met.
The defendant also committed the following robberies in the Metro-Atlanta area:
- On April 1, 2016, Williamson entered a Regions Bank in Marietta while armed with a handgun. Williamson approached the bank’s counter and pointed his handgun at the teller, opened his messenger bag and demanded cash. The teller complied with Williamson’s demands and handed cash to him. Williamson threatened to shoot the teller if he did not receive the money he demanded. The surveillance photographs from the bank security system show that the person who robbed the Regions Bank was the same person who robbed the Fifth Third Bank in February 2016.
- On May 25, 2016, Williamson entered a BB&T Bank in Marietta. Williamson approached a bank teller, displayed a black handgun, and demanded cash. The teller complied with the robber’s demands and gave cash to Williamson. This robbery was captured on surveillance video.
- On July 13, 2016, Williamson entered a PNC Bank in Marietta. Bank surveillance images show that as in the other robberies, Williamson was carrying a messenger/computer type bag and approached a bank teller, opened the bag and pointed a black handgun. The teller complied with Williamson’s demands and gave him cash.
- On August 22, 2016, Williamson entered Fidelity Bank located in Atlanta. Inside the bank, the robber pointed a gun at a teller, stated that he was robbing the bank and demanded money. The teller complied and gave Williamson cash.
- On September 8, 2016, Williamson entered Renasant Bank located in Johns Creek, Georgia. He displayed a handgun and demanded money from several drawers. Williamson told the teller that she would die if he did not receive more than $5,000.
Williamson wore mostly the same clothes and similar disguises at each bank - a beard, a khaki baseball cap, a dark colored suit, a dark green polo shirt, and sunglasses. His robbery spree ended when a witness at the September 2016 robbery saw him drive away in an Infiniti coupe that was traced back to him.
On February 10, 2017, Kevin Ray Williamson, 52, of Marietta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to six counts of armed bank robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Williamson has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, and ordered to pay $30,867 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzette A. Smikle prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Man Pleads Guilty to Nine Robberies in Louisiana, Mississippi, and AlabamaRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHRISTOPHER SIMMS, age 31, of New Orleans, pled guilty last week to a nine-count superseding Bill of Information for bank robbery and armed robbery, and a one-count Indictment for bank robbery.
According to the court documents, SIMMS robbed nine establishments between January 12, 2016 and February 8, 2016. SIMMS’S robberies included three McDonald’s Restaurant locations in New Orleans; a McDonald’s Restaurant in Kenner; a Dollar General store in Metairie; an Iberia Bank in Metairie; a Compass Bank in Mobile, Alabama; and a convenience store in Silver Creek Mississippi. SIMMS was charged with seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of bank robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
As to each robbery count, SIMMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of $250,000, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. As to the firearm count, SIMMS faces a consecutive minimum term of imprisonment of seven years up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of $250,000, five years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon set sentencing for September 21, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lawrence County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Office in investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.