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Wednesday 10 May 2017
Phenix City “Pill Mill” Doctor Receives a Ten-Year Sentence for Participating in a Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, Dr. Robert M. Ritchea, 54, of LaGrange, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for operating a “pill mill” through his medical practice and for money laundering, announced Acting United States Attorney A. Clark Morris. A “pill mill” is a medical clinic created to dispense controlled substances inappropriately, unlawfully, and for non-medical reasons.
According to court documents, Dr. Ritchea operated a family medical practice in Phenix City, Alabama. At that practice, Dr. Ritchea wrote prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, and hydromorphone, knowing that his patients did not actually need the drugs prescribed. Dr. Ritchea laundered the proceeds of his unlawful drug dealing by purchasing Schedule II pain medications—specifically, hydromorphone and hydrocodone—directly from a drug manufacturer. Dr. Ritchea then distributed the pills directly out of his medical practice. This was necessary to keep his “pill mill” operational since many pharmacists in and around Phenix City refused to fill the illegitimate and unlawful prescriptions Dr. Ritchea wrote.
At the sentencing hearing, the Government introduced evidence that, in at least one case, one of Dr. Ritchea’s patients died as a result of a methadone overdose just days after receiving a prescription for that drug from Dr. Ritchea.
The sentencing court also heard testimony from former patients of Dr. Ritchea’s who had maintained their addictions to prescription drugs by obtaining monthly prescriptions from him. These patients testified that they made cash payments to Dr. Ritchea of at least $150 each month in exchange for office visits and prescriptions. The patients described the horrible impact the addiction had on their lives and families.
Additionally, members of the medical community in the Phenix City-Columbus area testified. A pharmacist described the unusually large prescriptions Dr. Ritchea’s patients brought to his pharmacy. A physician who operated an addiction rehabilitation clinic told the court that he had given his patients an ultimatum—they could not remain in his rehabilitation program if they were simultaneously receiving prescription drugs from Dr. Ritchea.
When he imposed the sentence, Chief United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins told Dr. Ritchea that his conduct was not far removed from the conduct of a drug dealer operating on a street corner. The judge also stressed the need to deter other doctors from overprescribing prescription drugs. The 120-month sentence reflects one of the largest ever imposed by a federal judge in Alabama on a doctor for operating a pill mill.
“The abuse of opiates destroys careers, divides families, severs relationships, and, as we saw in this case, it takes lives,” said Acting United States Attorney Morris. “In exchange for monthly cash payments, Dr. Ritchea poured poison into his community. Society trusted Dr. Ritchea to care for the sick, not make people sick. Dr. Ritchea violated that trust and the harm he caused was immense. I believe the ten-year sentence was certainly justified.”
“IRS-CI, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Alabama, our local and federal partners, is dedicated to eradicating pill mill operations,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge, James E. Dorsey of IRS-Criminal Investigations. “The prescriptions obtained from pill mill clinics are most often sold or diverted on the streets feeding this epidemic and devastating communities. The laundering of these illegal profits enriches those who perpetuate the scheme. IRS-CI will remain committed to investigating those entrusted with patient well-being, who seek self-enrichment by promoting substance abuse through pill mills.”
“Opiate abuse is a major problem across the Nation, including throughout the Middle District of Alabama,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton. “The diversion of prescription pain medication contributes to the widespread abuse of opiates, is a gateway to heroin addiction, and is devastating our communities. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue anyone that illicitly distributes these drugs. And this sentencing is evidence to how egregious federal courts view these charges."
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tactical Diversion Squad and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division (IRS-CI), with assistance from the Opelika Police Department, the Chambers County Drug Task Force, the Auburn Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross and R. Rand Neeley prosecuted the case.
Osage Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Stolen Mail, Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an Osage Beach, Mo., woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to a scheme to use stolen mail and stolen identities to cash fraudulent checks at area banks.
Chrystal Lynn Bernstein, 27, of Osage Beach, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Bernstein admitted that she engaged in a scheme to obtain stolen mail (including checks), then use stolen identities to cash and deposit the checks at several banks in Boone and Camden Counties from December 2016 to Feb. 16, 2017.
Bernstein opened accounts at Central Bank of the Lake of the Ozarks and at Landmark Bank in the names of persons whose names and Social Security numbers she obtained without their permission or knowledge. Bernstein admitted she altered the payee on some of the stolen checks she obtained in order to cash them in the names of a mother and daughter in California whose identities she had stolen. She also admitted that she deposited a stolen check into a fraudulent bank account that was opened under another person’s name. Bernstein also passed a bad check for $826 at a Columbia, Mo., business using a stolen identity.
The victims of Bernstein scheme sustained a total loss to date of approximately $13,947.
Bernstein was arrested during a traffic stop on Feb. 1, 2017, in Lake Ozark. She was in possession of a driver’s license, Social Security card and credit card bearing another person’s name. Bernstein was able to bond out and was released.
On Feb. 16, 2017, Bernstein attempted to cash a check at Central Bank. Bernstein was arrested as she returned to her residence, driving a vehicle with a reported stolen license plate. Law enforcement officers searched the vehicle and found checks and money orders in the trunk that had been stolen from two additional victims.
Under federal statutes, Bernstein is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole for bank fraud, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison without parole for aggravated identity theft. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Lake Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Osage Beach, Mo., Police Department, the Camdenton, Mo., Police Department and the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Ontario, NY, Woman Re-Arrested on New Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Cortney Vogt, 37, of Ontario, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Vogt, who pleaded guilty to bank fraud on April 27, 2017, was re-arrested today on new charges of bank fraud for defrauding her most recent employer, ID SignSystems. According to the complaint, Vogt forged checks and caused inflated payroll deposits to be made to her account. The defendant attempted to conceal the fraud by altering accounting records to show that these payments were to a frequent vendor of ID SignSystems. Vogt’s current scheme was discovered by her employer shortly after her April 27, 2017, plea to defrauding a prior employer. The full extent of her fraud has not yet been determined.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Marian W. Payson. She also appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa, who revoked her terms of release and ordered her detained pending further proceedings. Vogt’s next appearance is scheduled for June 19, 2017, at 9:00 a.m., before Magistrate Judge Payson.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
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.
Ohio Woman Sentenced for Providing Inmate with DrugsRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – An Ohio woman, who conspired with an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Lee County, Virginia (USP-Lee) to smuggle methamphetamine into USP-Lee, was sentenced yesterday, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Nicole Diane Shroyer, 46, of Dayton, Ohio, previously pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide an inmate of a prison a prohibited object, in this case methamphetamine. Shroyer was sentenced yesterday to imprisonment for a term of 24 months.
According to evidence presented, Shroyer and others she conspired with, made several phone calls to arrange transport of the methamphetamine to the inmate, who was housed at USP Lee. On January 31, 2016, Shroyer secreted the methamphetamine inside her body to avoid detection, brought methamphetamine to USP-Lee, entered a restroom after entering USP-Lee, removed the methamphetamine from inside her body, and surreptitiously passed the methamphetamine to an inmate, Jermaine Jeffries. Jeffries was previously convicted for his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 60 months.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
Northern Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Providing False Documents to Farm Credit Services of AmericaRead the Press Release
A man who made false statements to Farm Credit Services of America (FCSA) pled guilty on May 9, 2017, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Royster, age 52, pled guilty to making False Statements to a Production Credit Association.
In a plea agreement, Royster admitted that, in an effort to obtain more than $3 million in credit 2015, he provided FCSA falsified contracts and documents purporting to show that local cooperatives or other purchasers were storing a greater quantity of corn and soybeans than what he and his son and their entities actually had in storage. He further admitted that he also provided fake documents to FCSA in 2012 and 2013 and to Heartland Bank in 2011. The amount of unpaid principal on the loans FCSA extended to defendant and his son exceeds $1 million.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Royster remains free on bond pending sentencing. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine equal to or greater than twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense or $1 million, $100 in special assessments, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-3018.
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Non-Indian Man from Taos County Pleads Guilty to Assault Charge on Taos PuebloRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Yvon Juteau, 32, a non-Indian man who resides in Rancho de Taos, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Juteau will be sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Juteau was arrested on Sept. 23, 2016, on an indictment charging him with assaulting an Indian man and woman resulting in serious bodily injury on July 10, 2013, on Taos Pueblo in Taos County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Juteau pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on July 10, 2013, he drove a motor vehicle recklessly, causing a crash that seriously injured an Indian woman. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Taos Pueblo Tribal Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle.
Newport News Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Hampton BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Newport News man with the armed robbery of a local business in July 2016.
According to the indictment, Brian Gale, 54, robbed the Ricco’s Pizza located on West Mercury Boulevard on July 3, 2016. Gale entered through the rear of the business wearing a mask and armed with a firearm. After pushing one employee to the floor, he moved to the front of the store, where he demanded money from the store’s owner at gunpoint. Gale fired his weapon inside the store before taking money from the register and fleeing the scene.
Gale faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted of the robbery and a mandatory minimum consecutive penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted of discharging a firearm during the robbery. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael B. Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after the indictment was returned. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin C. Gratton is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
New Mexico Man Charged in 13-Count Dog Fighting IndictmentRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Albuquerque, new Mexico returned an indictment yesterday charging Robert Arellano, 63, of Albuquerque, with 13 counts of violating the animal fighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney for the District of New Mexico, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Arellano had previously been arrested and indicted on additional charges in the District of New Jersey pertaining to his alleged involvement in a multi-state dog fighting network. Those charges alleged criminal acts related to transporting, delivering, buying, selling, and receiving pit bull-type dogs for dog fighting ventures and conspiring to commit these acts in New Jersey and elsewhere throughout the U.S.
The charges returned today in the District of New Mexico pertain to fighting dogs allegedly kept by Arellano at his residence in Albuquerque. Those dogs were seized by federal authorities when Arellano was arrested last June.
This case is part of Operation Grand Champion, a coordinated effort across numerous federal judicial districts to combat organized dog fighting. The phrase “Grand Champion” is used by dog fighters to refer to a dog with more than five dog-fighting “victories.” To date, 85 dogs have been rescued as part of Operation Grand Champion, and either surrendered or forfeited to the government.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Under federal law, an animal fighting venture means “any event, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, that involves a fight conducted or to be conducted between at least two animals for purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment.”
This part of Operation Grand Champion was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dax Roberson; and under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, in coordination with the Department of Justice.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Letitia Simms and Paul Mysliwiec of the District of New Mexico, and Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Humane Society of the U.S. assisted with the care of the dogs seized by federal law enforcement.
An indictment is an allegation based upon a finding of probable cause by a grand jury. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. The investigation is ongoing.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Trafficking Stolen Retail Debit CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking in more than $350,000 in stolen retail gift cards.
Khoa Doan, 34, of Manchester, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to 12 months and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay approximately $180,000 in restitution. Doan pleaded guilty to access device fraud conspiracy in December 2016.
Between May 2013 and October 2014, Doan was part of an international scheme to defraud online retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Apple, among others.
Doan’s Vietnam-based co-conspirators used stolen account credentials to gain unauthorized access to customers’ online accounts at the retailers’ websites. Once in the accounts, the co-conspirators either stole the customers’ online gift cards or used their stored payment card data to purchase gift cards and consumer goods. Doan recruited runners in the United States to take those e-gift cards and “clear” them by purchasing consumer goods that Doan would re-sell. The scheme made approximately $368,000 in fraudulent orders and netted approximately $180,000 in proceeds.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit prosecuted the case.
Nearly 18 percent increase in pills collected in Ohio for National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and more than 4,200 of its law enforcement and community partners collected more unused prescription drugs than at any of the 12 previous National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events.
On Saturday, April 29, the event brought in 900,386 pounds (450 tons) at close to 5,500 sites across the nation. Marking the 13th National Prescription Take Back Day since September 2010, these events have altogether collected 8,103,363 pounds (4,052 tons) of prescription drugs.
In Ohio, 33,261pounds of prescription drugs were turned in. That’s an increase of nearly 18 percent from the previous Take Back Day.
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.
"Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. That's dangerous and often tragic,” said Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg. “That's why it was great to see thousands of folks from across the country clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in - safely and anonymously - a record amount of prescription drugs."
In the more two years since new regulations made the disposal of controlled prescription drugs easier for patients and their caregivers, law enforcement agencies, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics have begun continuous collection of these medications. DEA’s next National Prescription Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28. To visit a collection site between Take Back Days, go here or to www.rxdrugdropbox.org.
Mount Pleasant, Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Use of Firearm During Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that BRIAN THOMAS GREEN, age 44, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, pled guilty to USE AND CARRY OF A FIREARM DURING AND IN RELATION TO A CRIME OF VIOLENCE, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A), 924(j)(1) and 2; punishable by any term of years up to life imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Information alleged that on or about the 13th day of July, 2011, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, BRIAN THOMAS GREEN a/k/a COUNTRY, did knowingly carry and use a firearm, that is, a small caliber revolver of unknown manufacture and serial number, during and in relation to a crime of violence for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering – Murder.
The charges arose from a joint investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations Operation Community Shield Gang Task Force, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Longview Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Carrollton Texas Police Department, McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, Panola County Texas Sheriff’s Office, United States Bureau of Prisons, and the Texas Rangers.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.
Morgantown CPA found guilty of tax fraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury found Certified Public Accountant Gregory N. Cason, 45, of Morgantown, West Virginia, guilty of tax fraud today, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Cason prepared tax returns for AKA Enterprises, Inc., a business entity operating several business in Morgantown, including a bar and restaurant facility. Cason knowingly underreported income, failed to report expenses paid in cash, and failed to report periodic cash payments to employees.
A federal jury found Cason guilty of two counts of "Aid and Assist in the Preparation and Filing of False Tax Form." He was acquitted of one count of "Conspiracy to Defraud the Internal Revenue Service and to Aid and Assist in the Preparation and Filing of False Tax Forms" He faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00 on each count. 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. Attorneys Robert McWilliams and Sarah W. Montoro prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Miguel Camacho Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Today, SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant MIGUEL CAMACHO, age 42, from Tumon, was sentenced in District Court on May 9, 2017, to a 63-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Court also ordered CAMACHO to pay a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On September 28, 2015, CAMACHO waived Indictment and entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a) and (b)(1)(C). The investigation revealed that CAMACHO, and other individuals, used FedEx to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine to Guam from the Philippines. Law enforcement seized over 964 grams of methamphetamine, with a 97.1 percent purity level.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Clyde Lemons, Jr., Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Miami-Based Violent Criminal Enterprise Members and Associates Indicted for Racketeering, Drug Distribution, Robbery, and Firearms Use in Furtherance of Violent Crimes and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Peter J. Forcelli for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; Chief Rodolfo Llanes of the City of Miami Police Department (MPD); and Director Juan J. Perez of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) announced the Indictment of fourteen members and associates of a violent criminal enterprise operating in Miami, Florida, as part of the Southern District of Florida Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) initiative.
The Indictment resulted from the Operation Northern Light Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force that began in May of 2015. The Operation Northern Light Task Force is jointly-led by the Miami United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, ATF, and DEA, with participation from MPD, MDPD, and other state and local law enforcement agencies, and focuses on the investigation and reduction of violent crime in the north end of Miami-Dade County.
The Indictment charges the below-named defendants, variously, with racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including crack cocaine; commercial robberies; and the use of firearms in furtherance of robberies and narcotics trafficking.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg said, “Violent enterprises that choose to operate in our South Florida communities are being called to answer for their crimes with federal racketeering charges and a united partnership of law enforcement. Members and associates of criminal organizations that exploit our youth and threaten our citizens are facing stiff penalties. There is no doubt that the lure of gang culture and criminality does not pay.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Peter J. Forcelli stated, “ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our federal, state and local partners in the fight against gun violence, which all too often plagues the communities of South Florida. This case is just one example of our collective efforts to take those neighborhoods back, block by block, and to make them safe places to live and raise a family.”
“As gangs have become more violent in our communities, the FBI and its partners will use every legal means available to include federal racketeering statutes to dismantle these criminal enterprises,” said Michael A. D’Alonzo, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Today, the FBI and our partners are serving notice to gang members everywhere, these statutes hold serious consequences to include life in prison.”
“The dismantlement of this violent organization has allowed for a major criminal element to be removed from the community of Allapattah,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Adolphus Wright. “The efforts from those involved illustrates the devotion and success of the Violence Reduction Partnership which has allowed law enforcement partners at the federal and local levels to work together to rid communities of the criminal afflictions which has plagued them for far too long, and to continue efforts to keep these communities as safe as possible.”
MPD Chief Rodolfo Llanes stated, “The Miami Police Department would like to thank its partners in the US Attorney’s Office, FBI, ATF, DEA, and the Miami-Dade Police Department for their outstanding assistance in making this operation a success. By working together, we send a clear message to those individuals who blight our neighborhoods with violence that they will be brought to justice.”
“These indictments are a clear indication of the collaboration between federal and local law enforcement who are committed to stopping the senseless violence in our community,” said Juan J. Perez, MDPD Director. “If you are a criminal committing acts of violence, heed the warning because you will no longer terrorize our neighborhoods. The Miami-Dade Police is committed to this collaborative endeavor and will not stop working toward our goal of establishing a safe and secure environment, free from crime and the fear of crime.”
The following individuals are charged in the Indictment: Antonio Glass, a/k/a [email protected], a/k/a “Tone Bleedin Red (Tone Gone Bag’em),” a/k/a “Money Man Future @S16_Future,” a/k/a “smackvilletone,” a/k/a “Tone Glass,” a/k/a “@tone.glass,” Jermaine Bryant, a/k/a “RNS DSBF Capo,” a/k/a “@d5bf_mc,” a/k/a “Blood @_McMaine06,” a/k/a “Maine,” Curtis Bryant, a/k/a “Snow Luther King Jr.,” a/k/a “Snow Bryant,” a/k/a “Big Momma,” Quincy Bryant, a/k/a “Q,” Levi Bryant, a/k/a “Fish,” Michael Walker, a/k/a “Laid Back ManMan,” a/k/a “Baba,” Reginald Graham, a/k/a “The Real Rico,”a/k/a “To Cool Rico” a/k/a “G’Rico LongLive KingSqueezer,” a/k/a “Reggie,” Daniel Jones, a/k/a “Dodo,” Samuel Hayes, a/k/a “DSBF Jit,” a/k/a “Nba Flame,” a/k/a “Looney Hoe,” a/k/a “Sammy,” Torivis Reginal Ingram, a/k/a “DSBF Mullet,” Mario Rodriguez, a/k/a “Blood,” a/k/a “str8_crackk,” a/k/a “Tuti,” Latitia Houser, a/k/a “Angel G Berry,” a/k/a “BG,” a/k/a “layedback.bg,” a/k/a “Angel Bernadette Wilson,” Donzell Jones a/k/a “Zell,” and Vencess Toby, a/k/a “Vancess O’brien,” a/k/a “Red,” a/k/a “Ruby.”
Since in or around 2000, the Indictment alleges that the defendants based their operations primarily, out of the South Gwen Cherry Housing Complex, in the Allapattah area of Miami. The Indictment further alleges that defendants Glass, J. Bryant, C. Bryant, Q. Bryant, L. Bryant, Walker, Graham, Daniel Jones, Hayes, Ingram and Rodriguez conspired with each other and others to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that involved murders, threats of murder, armed robberies, narcotics trafficking, and the use of firearms in furtherance of violent crimes and drug trafficking activity.
If convicted, the defendants may face mandatory statutory minimum terms from 10 years’ to life imprisonment, with statutory maximum terms of life imprisonment.
The investigation of this enterprise was jointly led by the ATF, FBI, DEA, MPD, and MDPD. Key participants in the investigation included the MPD’s Narcotics Unit, Gun Squad, Gang Intelligence Detail, Homicide Unit, and Robbery Unit; the MDPD’s Robbery Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, Homicide Bureau, and Street Violence Task Force. The investigation was also supported by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homestead Police Department the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department’s Security Threat Group Unit, and the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force to include the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area-Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Gang Strike Force.
The Indictment is only an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Through the collaborative Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks that plague communities throughout the Southern District of Florida. The charges announced today are the result of the VRP’s law enforcement initiatives. Additional information regarding the VRP initiatives is available at [email protected] (link sends e-mail) or by calling (305) 961-9134.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Possession of Counterfeit Alien Registration CardRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Jose Guzman-Lopez, 32, found in Ithaca, New York, was charged by complaint today with possession of a forged and counterfeit alien registration card. He made his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in Syracuse, New York and was ordered detained in U.S. Marshal’s Service custody pending further proceedings, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Acting Field Office Director, Thomas P. Brophy, for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO).
If convicted Guzman-Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The defendant may also face deportation or other immigration law consequences if he is found guilty. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Jose Guzman-Lopez was arrested on May 2, 2017 by ICE/ERO deportation officers in Ithaca, New York, and charged with administrative immigration violations. During the arrest, the officers discovered Guzman-Lopez possessed a fraudulent alien registration card in his wallet. Guzman-Lopez is a citizen of Mexico and appears to have no legal status in the United States.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, ICE/ERO, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric.
Maryland Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Theodore Gerald Reiss, age 81, of Halethorpe, Maryland today to 90 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on August 17, 2015, Reiss used a personal computer to distribute, in a peer-to-peer network, a file containing a video of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, during a search of Reiss’s home on September 9, 2015, investigators found Reiss in possession of various electronic devices and CDs that were later found to contain 291 videos and 29 still images of child pornography.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, HSI, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who prosecuted the case.
Mary Holden Ayala Charged with Theft of over $800,000 from Oregon Foster Care Agency Give Us This DayRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. –A federal grand jury in Portland has charged Mary Holden Ayala, 56, a longtime resident of Portland, with theft of over $800,000, money laundering and filing false personal tax returns. Ayala served as the President and Executive Director of Give Us This Day (GUTD), an Oregon state-licensed private foster care agency and residential program for hard-to-place foster youth, until its closing in September of 2015.
The indictment alleges that between 2009 and 2015, Ayala embezzled at least $800,000 in GUTD funds intended to support foster care services, children and families. In addition to other crimes, the indictment also alleges that Ayala filed false personal income tax returns in tax years 2009 through 2014, and failed to file a personal tax return in 2015.
FBI agents arrested Ayala on May 9, 2017 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She appeared before a Magistrate Judge in Oxford, Mississippi on May 10, 2017. A separate detention hearing will be held later this week. The government will seek to detain Ayala based on the risk she may fail to voluntarily appear in Oregon if released. Ayala will remain in federal custody pending the outcome of this hearing.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.
A copy of the indictment is included as an attachment to this release.
Martin Man Convicted of Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that Arrow Lynn Curry, age 24, of Martin, South Dakota, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance as a result of a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. Curry was found not guilty of Use of a Firearm during a Drug Trafficking Crime. The jury returned the verdict on April 20, 2017.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Curry was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 15, 2015.
In December of 2014, Curry conspired and agreed with other persons to intentionally distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Manhattan Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $26 Million Scheme to Defraud Medicare and MedicaidRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEKSANDR BURMAN, a/k/a “Alexander Burman,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe to 10 years in prison. BURMAN organized and managed a large health care fraud scheme through six medical clinics in Brooklyn, through which BURMAN and his co-conspirators defrauded the Medicare and New York State Medicaid (“Medicaid”) programs of more than $26 million. As part of the scheme, BURMAN and his co-conspirators paid cash kickbacks to elderly and financially disadvantaged patients insured by Medicare and/or Medicaid, to induce those patients to receive medically unnecessary medical services and equipment, and then to bill Medicare and Medicaid for those unnecessary services or for additional non-existent services and equipment. BURMAN pled guilty on March 18, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman to conspiring to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, health care fraud, and committing an offense while on pretrial release in an earlier criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Aleksandr Burman victimized both patients and taxpayers. He established and operated six fraudulent medical clinics, bilking Medicare and Medicaid out of more than $26 million. Medicare and Medicaid were established to assist the elderly and disadvantaged, not to enrich corrupt fraudsters.”
According to the Information to which BURMAN pled guilty, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and statements made in connection with BURMAN’s sentencing:
ALEKSANDR BURMAN established six clinics in Brooklyn (the “BURMAN Clinics”) that operated between 2007 and July 2013, which purported to offer medical services and diagnostic testing performed by or under the supervision of licensed medical doctors. Although BURMAN in fact owned and operated the Clinics, he caused them to employ three doctors (the “Clinic Doctors”) and arranged for these doctors to be listed as the respective nominal owners of the Clinics, since New York State law requires that such clinics be owned by health care professionals. Under BURMAN’s direction, employees of the Clinics paid cash kickbacks to elderly and disadvantaged people insured by Medicare and/or Medicaid to undergo unnecessary medical tests and procedures, and then fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for such visits. The bills submitted to Medicare and Medicaid were fraudulent because, among other things, (a) they were for medically unnecessary treatment; (b) patients were paid kickbacks for receiving treatment; and (c) the bills fraudulently claimed that the Clinic Doctors had treated the patients. In other cases, BURMAN and his co-conspirators billed Medicare and Medicaid for medical services and supplies that were not provided at all.
The fraud also extended to other companies. For example, prescriptions from the doctors at the BURMAN clinics were used by a supply company that BURMAN partly owned to bill Medicaid for more than $3.5 million in durable medical equipment such as adult diapers, many of which were never provided to patients. Similarly, referrals from these same doctors were used by transportation companies to bill Medicaid for millions of dollars for medically unnecessary ambulette services.
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In addition to his prison term, BURMAN, 55, a resident of Manhattan, was ordered to pay $16,686,811 in forfeiture, of which $1.8 million, plus 22 pieces of real estate, have already been forfeited. BURMAN was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and a restitution order of $18,683,691. BURMAN was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Nine former employees of the BURMAN clinics, as well an additional associate, are facing charges in a separate case for related conduct. Those defendants are awaiting trial before United States District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in United States v. Vaid.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (“OMIG”).
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney David Raymond Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Christian Cherry, 33, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, members of Manchester Police Department responded to a 911 call on August 13, 2016, regarding a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they encountered Cherry in his vehicle in the parking lot of the residence, and his then-girlfriend inside the apartment. Once in the apartment, officers observed visible signs of a struggle, and witnesses reported the presence of a firearm. Officers ultimately obtained a search warrant for the residence and recovered two Smith & Wesson handguns in a bedroom belonging to the defendant. One of the firearms had been reported stolen to Manchester Police in June 2016. Cherry was prohibited from possessing any firearm as a result of at least one prior felony conviction.
Cherry was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 19, 2016. He has been in custody since his arrest on November 17, 2016.
Cherry is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2017.
This matter was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Man and Woman Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man and a Crookston, Minnesota, woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
June Swalley, a/k/a June Einspahr, a/k/a June Dmytrask, age 31, and Jeremey White Horse, age 40, were indicted on February 15, 2017. White Horse appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 3, 2017, and Swalley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 9, 2017. They both pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine, 2 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 30, 2016, Swalley and White Horse knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Indictment also alleges that on July 21, 2016, White Horse again knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
The charges are merely accusations and Swalley and White Horse are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Swalley was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, and White Horse was released on bond. A trial date has been set for June 27, 2017.
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Man Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Melvin Petersen, 55, of St. Thomas, was sentenced today to 31 months in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced. District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez also sentenced Petersen to three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $6,726 to the United States.
On December 12, 2016, Petersen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to documents filed with the court, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant on Petersen’s residence on September 27, 2016, and found him in possession of approximately 280 grams of cocaine and $6,726 in cash. Petersen had no lawful employment.
This case was investigated by the ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
MS-13 Gang Members and Associate Charged with Attempted Murder in Queens ShootingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Jose Gonzalez, Kevin Paniagua and Francisco Ramos were arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, along with a related firearms charge by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The defendants’ initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.
The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD).
According to court filings, Gonzalez, also known as “Flaco,” and Paniagua, also known as “Stomper,” are members of the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and Ramos is an MS-13 associate. On October 23, 2016, Ramos drove Gonzalez, Paniagua and another gang member to Jamaica, Queens, in the vicinity of 179th St. and 90th Ave., allegedly to assault an individual targeted because they believed he was a member of one of MS-13’s chief rivals, the 18th Street gang. Gonzalez, Paniagua and another MS-13 member beat the victim viciously and then Paniagua pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the head. Paniagua attempted to shoot the victim a second time, but the gun apparently malfunctioned. The victim is now a paraplegic as a result of the shooting.
“As alleged in the complaint, the defendants were members and an associate of MS-13, an international gang known for its culture of murder,” said Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “They sought to spread fear throughout the community by attempting to kill an individual they suspected to be a rival gang member. We will work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer by holding accountable those who are responsible for such acts of violence.” Ms. Rohde thanked the Queens District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the investigation.
“MS-13 feeds on violence and chaos, and forces people to live in fear. As we arrest and charge more gang members, they’re seeing they can’t operate in the shadows and escape getting caught,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “The FBI New York Office is committed to disrupting violent gangs like MS-13 that operate in the New York metropolitan area. We and our law enforcement partners will not stop investigating and rounding up members who hope to rebuild their hierarchy after we make arrests.”
“Violence, of any kind, has no place in New York City,” said Police Commissioner O’Neill. “The defendants find themselves under arrest and facing serious charges for an attempted murder, as alleged in the complaint.”The charges announced today are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Rena Paul are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
Jose Gonzalez (“Flaco”)
Age: 18
Queens, New YorkKevin Paniagua (“Stomper”)
Age: 18
Queens, New YorkFrancisco Ramos
Age: 23
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-MJ-423
Lower Brule Man Charged with Robbery, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Robbery, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Kyle Flute, a/k/a Kyle Pretty Sounding Flute, age 28, was indicted on March 22, 2016. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 8, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on March 4, 2016, Flute took and attempted to take by force, violence, and intimidation, money and checks from the victim, who he assaulted in the process with a wood board, causing serious bodily injury.
The charges are merely accusations and Flute is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Flute was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
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Leader of A Multi-State Heroin Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the sentencing of OMAR SHARIF BEASLEY, 39, for leading a multi-state heroin trafficking conspiracy. BEASLEY, who was charged along with 40 other co-defendants on May 20, 2015, pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the indictment. The defendant was sentenced today before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in United States District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Omar Beasley led a drug trafficking organization that flooded the Red Lake and White Earth Indian Reservations with heroin and other deadly drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory Brooker. “I would like to thank the dedicated prosecutors and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to shut down this organization and bring this dangerous drug trafficker to justice.”
DEA Supervisory Special Agent Kent Bailey said: “This defendant is a career criminal who preyed on the citizens of Minnesota and the surrounding area with complete disregard for the community’s health and welfare. Our communities will be much safer with him behind bars for a long period of time.”
Red Lake Police Department’s Public Safety Director William Brunelle said: “The successful cooperation and outstanding partnership of both tribal and federal agencies has clearly demonstrated a precise and orchestrated strike against drug dealers in Indian Country. Today’s sentence sends a strong message that tribal lands are no place to sell your drugs.”
“Justice was served today,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge James Modzelewski. “Although we were able to remove one trafficker from the drug ring, we all need to remain vigilant. Others will likely follow. I am confident that with the strong partnerships we have built throughout this investigation anyone willing to put themselves in a similar position as Omar Beasley will see the same fate. I want to thank all of our partners for the tremendous job on this investigation. ATF is proud to be a part of this collective investigative effort.”
Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Minneapolis Division Richard Thornton said: “The sentence handed down today reflects the seriousness of the major drug trafficking crimes committed by the defendant. Our communities are much safer when drug traffickers such as this are held accountable for the havoc they have caused and lives they have ruined. This case sends a strong message that together with our law enforcement partners we will arrest those who sell drugs for a living and argue for substantial prison terms.”
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said: “Heroin and prescription opioids have a devastating effect on people in our communities and the loved ones of those afflicted with this addiction. Holding Mr. Beasley accountable for the harm he inflicted demonstrates that we will pursue anyone supplying these dangerous drugs in our state.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from April 2014 through April 2015, OMAR SHARIF BEASLEY led a drug trafficking conspiracy in which he recruited drug sources, managers, distributors, facilitators, couriers and drivers to bring heroin and other drugs to the Red Lake and White Earth Indian Reservations in Minnesota and Native American communities in North Dakota. BEASLEY would travel from Minneapolis, Minn. to Red Lake, Minn., White Earth, Minn., and to North Dakota to provide drugs to co-conspirators for distribution on the Indian Reservations. BEASLEY would then return to major cities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan to replenish the supply of drugs to bring into Indian Country. BEASLEY and his co-conspirators also maintained drug stash houses on the reservations and gave the proceeds of the drug sales to co-conspirators.
To date, 39 co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the conspiracy. One defendant remains at large:
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WILLIAM DAVID ALONZO, 25, was sentenced on March 2, 2017, to 120 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Counts 8 and 10 of the indictment.
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TRAVIS JAMES BAKER, 27, was sentenced on April 14, 2016, to time served and three years of supervised release on Count 2 of the indictment.
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ROSE LYNN BARRETT, 29, was sentenced on April 28, 2016, to 39 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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SONNIE MARIE BARRETT, 28, was sentenced on December 2, 2015, to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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CALVIN BEASLEY, 60, will be sentenced on June 29, 2017
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TIMOTHY JOSEPH BEAULIEU, JR., 35, was sentenced on January 18, 2017, to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 8 of the indictment.
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WILLIE BELLAMY, JR., 69, will be sentenced on May 18, 2017.
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LAMARCUS ANTONIO BROCK, 39, was sentenced on January 18, 2017, to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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MICHAEL TRAVELL COLLINS, 40, will be sentenced on August 24, 2017.
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MICHAEL JOSEPH DOMINGUEZ, 31, was sentenced on April 14, 2016, to 72 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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STACEY RAE DUCHAINE, 26, was sentenced on August 3, 2016, to time served and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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ERNESTINE DUKES, 46, was sentenced on May 10, 2016, to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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MICHAEL LENIOR DUKES, 49, was sentenced on February 24, 2017, to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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BRENDA ANN FAGAN, 69, will be sentenced on May 18, 2017.
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WILLIAM JAMES FASTHORSE, 27, was sentenced on May 8, 2017, to time served and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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APRIL MARIE GRAVES, 33, was sentenced on October 26, 2016, to 20 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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STEPHEN MARTIN HOLLIS, 39, was sentenced on April 19, 2016, to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release on Count 12 of the indictment.
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YALONZO RAMON HULL, 52, will be sentenced on June 29, 2017.
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DURIAL JOHN JACKSON, 31, was sentenced on December 16, 2016, to 12 months and 1 day in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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JUSTIN LEE JOHNSON, 26, was sentenced on December 14, 2016, to 65 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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VELVET ILENE JOHNSON, 46, was sentenced on August 23, 2016, to 22 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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GENE MICHAEL KEEZER, 39, was sentenced on January 25, 2017, to 96 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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NAKOYA HARRIS KEEZER, 39, was sentenced on February 16, 2017, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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RODNEY LEE KEEZER, 38, was sentenced on April 26, 2017, to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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JARVIS ALLEN KING, 25, was sentenced on December 16, 2016, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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JODI LYNN KJOLBERG, 46, was sentenced on September 23, 2016, to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 4 of the indictment.
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YVETTE KOUAYARA, 55, was sentenced on March 2, 2017, to time served and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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JENNIFER LYNN OPPEGARD, 29, was sentenced on April 14, 2016, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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JESSICA RAE OPPEGARD, 38, was sentenced on February 24, 2017, to a three year term of probation on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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LEE ALLEN OPPEGARD, 41, was sentenced on January 18, 2017, to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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BURNEY ABDULAH PEOPLES, 29, remains at large.
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CHRISTOPHER ERVING PEOPLES, 35, was sentenced on July 11, 2016, to 8 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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RAVONNA RAYE PEOPLES, 45, was sentenced on September 7, 2016, to time served and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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LUCAS JOHN PETERSON, 28, was sentenced on April 28, 2017, to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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DOERON EARL RAYFORD, 43, was sentenced on December 22, 2016, to 110 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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SHERRLENE ROSE ROBERTS, 69, was sentenced on January 19, 2017, to a two year term of probation on Count 1 of a felony Information.
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MAISIE ANN SARGENT, 27, was sentenced on August 26, 2016, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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DALE ANDREW SIGANA, 34, was sentenced on July 5, 2016, to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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SARAH ELIZABETH THOMPSON, 32, was sentenced on December 22, 2016, to 110 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Count 1 of the indictment.
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ROBYN JOANNE WIPF, 35, was sentenced on April 27, 2017, to a three year term of probation on Count 1 of the indictment.
This case is the result of a cooperative investigation conducted by the Red Lake Police Department, the White Earth Police Department, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, the FBI Safe Trails Task Force, the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, assisted by the following law enforcement agencies and task forces, Becker County Sheriff’s Office, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Bemidji Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, Customs and Border Protection, Detroit Lakes Police Department, Frazee Police Department, Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office, Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Department of Correction, Minnesota State Highway Patrol, Lakes to River Drug Task Force, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force, and Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deidre Y. Aanstad and Melinda A. Williams.
Defendant Information:
OMAR SHARIF BEASLEY, 39
Anoka County Jail
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Methamphetamine, Oxycodone, Hydromorphone, Hydrocodone, and Methadone, 1 count
Sentenced:
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300 months in prison
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10 years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
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Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Committing Two Armed Robberies in the Same WeekRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who committed two armed robberies in the Las Vegas Valley in the same week pleaded guilty today, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Walid H. Abdulla, 65, pleaded guilty to one count each of bank robbery and interference with commerce by robbery. United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Sept. 19, 2017.
According to admissions made in his plea agreement, on Jan. 30, 2017, Abdulla approached a clerk at a CVS Pharmacy with his gaming ticket from the pharmacy’s slot machine area and demanded the money from the cash register. He showed the clerk what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun in his waistband and told the clerk to put the money inside a bag, stating, “you won’t get hurt if you just hurry.” Abdulla fled with $1,210 in cash. Then, on February 6, Abdulla entered a Nevada State Bank and presented a robbery note demanding money from the vault. He showed the bank teller what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun and fled with $5,000 in cash. Abdulla was identified as the robber by the victims of his crimes, he was observed by video surveillance at each robbery, and a forensic examination identified his fingerprint on the slot machine he used at the CVS.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kilby Macfadden.
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Kellyville Woman Sentenced to 46 Months for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that BRENDA ALLEN AIRINGTON, age 55, of Kellyville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for DRUG CONSPIRACY, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
The Superseding Indictment alleged that beginning in or about the end of 2013, the exact date being unknown to the Grand Jury, and continuing until on or about January 27, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally conspire, confederate and agree with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, as follows: conspired to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from a joint investigation entitled “Home of the Brave”, coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led and coordinated by the Office of the United States Attorney. The agencies involved in the investigation were the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the McAlester Police Department, the Tahlequah Police Department, the Muskogee Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, Districts 13, 18, 25 and 27 District Attorney’s Drug Task Forces and Violent Crime Task Forces, the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the McAlester and Tulsa Offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the nonparoleable sentence will be served.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down South Florida Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
Three related return preparers in South Florida prepare false tax returns for their customers, according to a new civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department. The suit filed in the Southern District of Florida asks the court to permanently bar Fred Pickett Jr. and his children, Jalisa Steele and Fred Pickett III, from owning, operating, or franchising a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. According to the complaint, Pickett Jr., Steele, and Pickett III, all of Belle Glade, Florida, operate a tax return preparation business with several stores in South Florida under the names of Five Star Tax Services, Five Star Financial, and Millenium [sic] Tax Professionals. According to the complaint, the business has prepared over 8,000 returns since 2011 from the store locations in Belle Glade, Clewiston, Moore Haven, and La Belle, Florida.
The complaint alleges that by repeatedly underreporting tax liabilities and claiming bogus refunds on behalf of their customers, the defendants have caused the United States to lose substantial tax revenue. According to the complaint, the defendants misreport income, deductions, and credits on their customers’ tax returns by:
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Fabricating businesses and business-related profits or losses;
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Manipulating, maximizing, or falsely claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC);
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Claiming false education credits;
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Claiming spurious fuel tax credits;
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Fabricating retirement account contributions and deductions; and
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Failing to provide customers with complete copies of their tax returns.
One of the alleged examples of such conduct involves a married couple whose tax returns were prepared by Pickett Jr. According to the complaint, unbeknownst to the couple, Pickett Jr. reported a fake equipment business on their joint 2013 and 2014 tax returns, with combined losses that exceeded $90,000. These bogus losses, along with other retirement account-related fabrications, caused the couple to receive significantly inflated refunds each year, according to the complaint.
The complaint further alleges that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audited 55 tax returns prepared by the defendants. The IRS determined that each of these 55 tax returns resulted in a deficiency with an average tax deficiency of $5,891 per return and a total revenue loss of $323,986, according to the complaint.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS's Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2017 and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
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Joseph A. Jones Sentenced for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Today, SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant JOSEPH ANTHONY JONES, age 46, from Ordot, was sentenced in District Court to an eight-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and 50 hours of community service for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Court also ordered JONES to pay a mandatory $100 assessment fee.
On March 30, 2016, JONES was charged by Indictment with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and Drug User in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). On April 27, 2016, JONES entered a guilty plea to the Felon in Possession of a Firearm charge. During December 2015, GPD and ATF executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Ordot. Law enforcement seized a Ruger Mini-14, .223 caliber rifle, from inside the residence. Jones had previously been convicted of two felony drug charges in the Superior Court of Guam.
Acting U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “Armed felons and unlawful drug users pose a grave danger to our communities. Federal law prohibits the possession of firearms and ammunition by such individuals. The Department of Justice will continue to focus resources on these prosecutions in an effort to prevent violent crime.”
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Guam Police Department, Special Investigation Section. The case was prosecuted by Frederick A. Black, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Jerry Francisco Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Today, SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant JERRY FRANCISCO, age 42, from Tamuning, was sentenced in District Court to a six month term of imprisonment, to be followed by six months of home detention, two years of supervised release, and 50 hours of community service, for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Court also ordered FRANCISCO to pay a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On March 23, 2016, FRANCISCO was charged by Indictment with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). He entered a guilty plea to the charge on March 31, 2016. The investigation revealed that FRANCISCO, and other individuals, in July of 2012 agreed to use the mail system to distribute methamphetamine on Guam. Law enforcement seized over 6.76 grams of methamphetamine, with a 99 percent purity level.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Frederick A. Black, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Jacksonville Man Arrested and Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jason James Neiheisel (27, Jacksonville) with distributing child pornography over the Internet. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. He was arrested by FBI agents at his residence on May 4, 2017.
According to the
criminal complaint , during an online investigation of individuals using the Internet to trade child pornography, an FBI task force officerdownloaded several videos depicting children being sexually abused from a computer at Neiheisel’s residence. When agents made contact with him at his home, Neiheisel told them, among other things, that he had been downloading child pornography for “a while,” and that he enjoyed the “thrill of the hunt” to see what kind of child pornography files he could find.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Hulbert Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that NATHAN ROWDEN GREEN, age 29, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 100 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for DRUG CONSPIRACY, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Information alleged that on or about December 14, 2015, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally conspire, confederate and agree with others known and unknown to commit offenses against the United States in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, as follows: to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from a joint investigation entitled “Home of the Brave”, coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led and coordinated by the Office of the United States Attorney. The agencies involved in the investigation were the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the McAlester Police Department, the Tahlequah Police Department, the Muskogee Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, Districts 13, 18, 25 and 27 District Attorney’s Drug Task Forces and Violent Crime Task Forces, the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the McAlester and Tulsa Offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the nonparoleable sentence will be served.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Harrisburg Man Indicted for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Milton Mosley, age 45, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for possession with intent to distribute crack, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Mosley was arrested by Harrisburg Police Officers on January 4, 2017, in the Allison Hill section of Harrisburg. The officers found crack on Mosley’s person and also found a .380 caliber Taurus handgun in his possession. The indictment also alleges that Mosley is a convicted felon, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
The matter was investigated by the Harrisburg Police Department along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for this offense is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Guinea Man Indicted on Conspiracy to Use Fraudulent Credit Cards and Failure to Appear in CourtRead the Press Release
SCRANTON-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Elhadj Barry, age 32, a resident alien originally from Guinea, was indicted on May 9, 2017, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to use fraudulent credit cards and failure to appear in court.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that in or about September 2008, Barry conspired with other individuals to obtain stolen credit card numbers. Those credit card numbers were then electronically loaded onto gift cards and used to make purchases at Toys R Us in Wyomissing and multiple Walmart stores. Barry also failed to appear at a jury trial scheduled for August 31, 2009. Barry was a fugitive until he was arrested on December 1, 2016.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Four Texas Men Indicted on Federal Hate Crime and Conspiracy Charges for Assaults Based on Victims’ Sexual OrientationRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an eighteen-count superseding indictment against Anthony Shelton, 19; Nigel Garrett, 21; Chancler Encalade, 20; and Cameron Ajiduah, 18, charging them with conspiring to cause bodily injury to persons because of the sexual orientation of those persons, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Dallas Division announced.
According to the indictment, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 7, 2017, the defendants committed home invasions in Plano, Frisco, and Aubrey, Texas. For each of the four home invasions, the defendants used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to falsely identify as a gay man and arrange to meet the victim at the victim’s home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants assaulted the victim, restrained the victim with tape, and made derogatory statements about the victim being gay. The defendants possessed a firearm during each home invasion, and they stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.
For these crimes, the defendants have been charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of these crimes. The hate crime counts carry a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment merely establishes probable cause, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the ATF, the Plano Police Department and the Frisco Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.
Four Indicted in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury in Providence on Tuesday returned an indictment charging four individuals with participating in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than a kilogram of cocaine. It is alleged that the cocaine was shipped to Rhode Island from Puerto Rico via the U.S. Postal Service in small quantities in an effort to avoid detection by law enforcement.
It is alleged in court documents that a steady stream of U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail parcels containing small amounts of cocaine were shipped from San Juan, PR, to the defendants at various addresses and P.O. Boxes in several Rhode Island communities. An investigation by U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service determined that return addresses on most of the packages were actual addresses in San Juan, PR, but that the name of senders were not associated with the addresses.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announce the indictment of Maritza Torres, 40, Jose Martinez, 54, and Hector Martinez-Garcia, 55, all of Providence, and Jeanlee Figueroa-Hernandez 21, of Central Falls, on charges of conspiracy to possess more than one kilogram of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute more than one kilogram of cocaine.
The defendants, previously detained on federal criminal complaints brought as a result of the investigation of the alleged conspiracy, are currently released on $10,000 unsecured bond. Arraignment dates have not yet been scheduled by the court.
According to court documents, it is alleged that in August 2016, U.S. Postal Inspectors discovered a Priority Mail parcel at the Providence Post Office shipped from San Juan, PR, which was found to have many characteristics of a parcel containing narcotics that had been sealed and addressed in a way as to avoid detection by law enforcement. The investigation, including the use of a Cranston Police Department narcotics detection K-9, allegedly confirmed the presence of narcotics inside the package.
It is alleged in court documents that since August 2016, Postal Inspectors tracked dozens of similar packages, which arrived at the Providence Post Office, most originating from the same neighborhood in San Juan, PR, for delivery in Rhode Island. Some of the packages were addressed to PO Boxes and were claimed at the post office. Other packages were addressed for delivery at various addresses. It is alleged that most of the deliveries were retrieved or accepted by the defendants or others associated with them.
A search of Postal Service databases by Postal Service inspectors revealed that 195 Priority Mail envelopes weighing approximately one pound, shipped within a couple of weeks of each other, and shipped from the same return address in San Juan, PR, have arrived in Rhode Island.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch acknowledges and thanks the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the Newport and Cranston Police Departments, and the DEA for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 170 MonthsRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – The Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Clifford D. Johnson, announces that Freddie L. Church, 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before Chief District Court Judge Theresa Springmann for a Hobbs Act Robbery and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
Church was sentenced to a total of 170 months imprisonment and a term of supervised release of 2 years.
According to documents in this case, law enforcement officers learned of a plot to rob a bank and were able to prevent the armed robbery from occurring. Church was a leader of a robbery crew which included three other men and a woman. The group planned to rob the Marion credit union at gunpoint and restrain employees and customers in the process, but the suspects were instead arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The task force was also assisted by the Marion Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Former Pacifica Bookkeeper Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Krisinda Messer, aka Krisinda Garay, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco today to bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge Internal Revenue Service. The plea was accepted by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge, in San Francisco.
In pleading guilty, Messer, 37, of Pacifica, admitted she was employed as a bookkeeper by delicatessens in San Francisco from 2007 to 2011. Beginning in May 2008, and continuing through August 2011, Messer created 130 fraudulent checks totaling $436,396.52, all but two of which she made payable to her father’s company, American Backflow Company (“ABC”). Messer acknowledged ABC was not a creditor of the delicatessens and there was no business relationship between them. Messer also admitted she forged the signature of the delicatessens’ owner on most of the checks. Additionally, in order to conceal these checks from her employers, Messer created a fake company account on QuickBooks and used the fake company to produce checks written to ABC so that they would not appear in the books. Messer also admitted she did not report the income on her federal income tax returns for 2008 through 2011, inclusive.
A federal grand jury indicted Messer on May 12, 2015. She was charged with 12 counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2); four counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1); and three counts of subscribing to false tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). Under today’s plea agreement, Messer pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and the remaining counts will be dismissed.
Messer was released on a $50,000 bond. Judge Breyer scheduled Messer’s sentencing for October 17, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty for the bank fraud violation is 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Stier is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.
Former California Deputy Sheriff Convicted on Drug Trafficking and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Christopher Mark Heath, 38, a former deputy sheriff of the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, California, was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 100 kilograms of
marijuana, conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and an additional drug trafficking count after a two-day jury trial in Harrisburg before U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane. Heath engaged in a conspiracy that trafficked hundreds of pounds of marijuana between Northern California, Florida and York County, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the jury returned with a verdict of guilty after less than two hours of deliberation. Following the entry of the verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane remanded Heath to the custody of the U.S. Marshals, at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Heath and his co-defendants, who previously pleaded guilty, participated in a conspiracy that began in approximately September 2014 and continued to January 7, 2016. During this time, Heath was a deputy sheriff in Yuba County, California, assigned as a narcotics investigator but has since resigned. Heath and his co-defendants grew marijuana on property in Oroville, CA, and shipped it through the United States Postal Service to several locations, including post office boxes in York and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as well as to a home address in the Hanover area. Money to purchase additional marijuana was mailed from the York County, PA area to Bangor, California.
In December 2015, Heath and his co-conspirators traveled from California to York County in two vehicles, transporting 89.5 kilograms of marijuana worth just under half a million dollars. Heath’s truck contained the entire quantity of marijuana as well as a loaded Glock firearm and his deputy sheriff’s badge. When Heath and his co-conspirators arrived to deliver the marijuana in York County, they were arrested by the York County Drug Task Force and Penn Township Police Department.
Heath has additional firearms charges pending in Butte County, California.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the York County Drug Task Force, Penn Township Police Department, the Butte County Sheriff’s Department (California), the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Taylor and Joseph J. Terz are prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for the offense of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking is life imprisonment and includes a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute 100 kilograms and more of marijuana is 40 years’ imprisonment and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years’ imprisonment. The count of manufacture, distribution and possession with intent to manufacture and distribute marijuana carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicate of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Tax Offenses Stemming from Stock "Pump and Dump" SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM LIEBERMAN, 41, of Boca Raton, Florida, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to conspiracy and tax offenses stemming from his role in a securities fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2010 and July 2016, LIEBERMAN conspired with others, including Christian Meissenn of Connecticut, to defraud investors through a stock “pump and dump” scheme. LIEBERMAN and his co-conspirators induced investors to purchase securities by making false and misleading representations in calls, emails and press releases concerning the securities and the issuing companies, thereby causing the price of those securities to become falsely inflated. The issuing companies included Terra Energy Resources Ltd. (stock symbol “TRRE”); Mammoth Energy Group, Inc. (stock symbol “MMTE”), a company that later became Strategic Asset Leasing Inc. (stock symbol “LEAS”); Trilliant Exploration Corporation (stock symbol “TTXP”); Hermes Jets, Inc. (stock symbol “HRMJ”), which later became Continental Beverage Brands Corporation (stock symbol “CBBB”); Dolat Ventures, Inc. (stock symbol “DOLV”), and Fox Petroleum, Inc. (stock symbol “FXPT”).
At various times, LIEBERMAN served as the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, President, Secretary, and Treasurer of Mammoth Energy Group, Inc.; the President, Chief Executive officer, and Chairman of the Board of Strategic Asset Leasing Inc.; the President, Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, and Treasurer of Fox Petroleum, Inc.; and the Chief Executive Officer, President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer of Trilliant Exploration Corporation. In his capacity as an officer of certain of these issuing companies, LIEBERMAN, working with others, issued false and misleading press releases concerning the financial health and prospects of the companies. He also was aware that co-conspirators were making false and misleading statements to promote the sale of these securities.
As part of the scheme, LIEBERMAN arranged for attorneys, including Corey Brinson of Connecticut, to sign false and misleading opinion letters that were designed to provide assurances to securities transfer agents and prospective investors. At times, he affixed attorneys’ signatures to the opinion letters. The opinion letters falsely certified that the attorneys had adequately reviewed corporate records and filings for the issuing companies and were satisfied with the adequacy of the companies’ public disclosures.
LIEBERMAN and his co-conspirators also conducted matched or coordinated trades of securities amongst themselves or in large blocks at predetermined prices, in order to artificially boost the trading volume of the securities, create the appearance of liquidity, and falsely drive up the share price.
After selling their own shares at a profit, the conspirators allowed the price of the securities to fall, leaving investors with worthless and unsalable stock. As a result, victim investors lost at least $3.5 million.
Between 2011 and 2015, LIEBERMAN earned nearly $1.2 million through this scheme. He failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service, evading $436,235 in federal income taxes for the 2011 through 2015 tax years.
LIEBERMAN pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
At sentencing, LIEBERMAN will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims, as well as back taxes, interest and penalties to the Internal Revenue Service.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
On November 8, 2016, Meissenn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He awaits sentencing.
On January 20, 2017, Brinson pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. On April 13, 2017, he was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Banking and the Hartford and Stamford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi M. Perry and Peter S. Jongbloed.
Citizens with information that may be helpful to this ongoing investigation, or who believe they may have been victimized by this scheme, are encouraged to contact the FBI at (203) 777-6311.
Florence Man Sentenced for Defrauding Farm Assistance ProgramRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Tyrone Goodrum, age 45, of Florence, has been sentenced to 46 months imprisonment for Conspiracy, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. He also was ordered to pay over $146,000 in restitution to the federal government. Goodrum was convicted by a jury on November 8, 2016. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence presided over the case. Goodrum’s wife Roselyn was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment in February 2017.
Evidence presented at the trial established that Roselyn Goodrum was in charge of the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Florence office from 2006 through 2014. In February 2014, Winter Storm Pax caused extensive damage to farms in the Pee Dee. As a result, farmers could make claims to the FSA for financial assistance to clean up their land. Tyrone Goodrum conspired with his wife to file an application for payment, fraudulently representing that he was entitled to disaster benefits for a farm to which he had no connection. As a result, $18,500 in federal money was diverted to satisfy Tyrone Goodrum’s outstanding child support debt. Overall, Roselyn Goodrum filed multiple false applications and illegally obtained just over $146,000, an amount for which Tyrone Goodrum, as a co-conspirator, is also responsible.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Winston Holliday, of the Columbia Office, prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that, a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Greenville County Resident Indicted on Federal Gun Charges. Zee Zee Zelazurro, age 35, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and (g)(9). The maximum penalty Zelazurro could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Greenville Police Department Vice and Narcotics Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen of the Greenville office.
Pickens County Woman Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges. Jennifer Lynne Jackson, age 25, of Liberty, South Carolina, was charged in a two-count indictment with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Jackson could face is a fine of $1,000,000.00 and/or life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Anderson City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen of the Greenville office.
Boiling Springs Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Bryan Devonar Tate, age 30, of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Tate could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Spartanburg Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Simpsonville Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Herbert Daniel Fitch, age 48, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person previously charged with a criminal domestic violence conviction, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 922(g)(9). The maximum penalty Fitch could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Greenville Man and Woman Indicted on Federal Drug Charges. Theodore Vitaliy Khleborod, age 28, and Ana Milena Barrero, age 24, were charged in a three-count indictment. Count One charged the defendants with participating in a drug conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute U-47700, a schedule I substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and Barrero has been charged in Counts Two and Three with using the U.S. Mail on April 24 and 25, 2017, to facilitate a drug felony in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b). The maximum penalty Khleborod and Barrero could face is a fine of $1,000,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 20 years. This case is being investigated by Special Agents with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville Police Department, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Moorman of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.
Greenville Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Courtney Eugene Harris, age 38, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Harris could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department, and the United States Probation Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office.
Greenville Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Dustin Gregory Martin, age 46, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Martin could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office.
Walhalla Man Indicted on Illegal Re-Entry into the United States. Jose Rolando Vasquez-Serrano, age 40, is charged in a one count indictment with illegal re-entry to the United States, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty he could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 2 years. The case was investigated by agents with ICE- Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville Office.
Gaffney Man Indicted on Illegal Re-Entry into the United States. Homero Guerra-Jiminez, age 33, is charged in a one count indictment with illegal re-entry to the United States, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty he could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 2 years. The case was investigated by agents with ICE- Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville Office.
Greenville Man Indicted on Illegal Re-Entry into the United States. Roberto Arreola-Villa, age 49, is charged in a one count indictment with illegal re-entry to the United States by a convicted felon, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty he could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. The case was investigated by agents with ICE- Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville Office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Armed Bank Robbery Charge. John Paul Snelgrove, age 47, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with armed bank robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and 2113(d). The maximum penalty Snelgrove could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 25 years. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Greenville Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
Simpsonville Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Paul Glen Helsel, age 50, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Helsel could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Simpsonville Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
Anderson Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Andre Chanquil Mayfield, age 26, of Anderson, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Mayfield could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
Greenwood Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Colby Teon Brown, age 29, of Greenwood, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Brown could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Greenwood Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
Greenwood Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Marcus Fitzgerald Woods, JR., age 22, of Greenwood, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Woods could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Greenwood Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
Greenwood Man Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges. Zykius Maurice Frazier, age 29, of Greenwood, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1); possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The maximum penalty Frazier could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Greenwood Drug Enforcement Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Fairmont woman indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Fairmont, West Virginia woman was arraigned today in federal court following an indictment by a grand jury on May 2, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Heather N. Windsor, age 22, was indicted on one count of “False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July 2016 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Essex County, New Jersey, Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearm as A Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Brehon Widgeon, 29, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to Count One of an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In late June 2014 through July 10, 2014, Widgeon – who had been previously convicted of a felony in Monmouth County, New Jersey – sought to trade a handgun in his possession for either an AK-47 rifle or for a weapon that could be easily concealed on his person. On July 10, 2014, Widgeon was found in possession of a 9 mm handgun along with 18 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and five rounds of .380 caliber ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Widgeon to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Mahoney and Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Christopher Adams Esq., Holmdel, New Jersey
Elmira Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jerold “Rocco” Walker, 40, of Elmira, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory, who handled the case, stated that Walker was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Elmira Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms revealed that the defendant was involved in an ongoing drug trafficking ring. Members of the drug ring sold significant amounts of crack cocaine from various locations in Elmira. Walker utilized several residences, including locations on Columbia Street, Walnut Street and West Gray Street in connection with the drug offenses.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division, and the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Joseph Kane.
Eastern Connecticut Drug Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CARLOS ALBERTO LOPEZ-ZELADA, also known as “Willi Mexico,” 40, last residing in Willimantic, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2015, the DEA, Willimantic Police Department and Connecticut State Police initiated an investigation into a Willimantic-based narcotics trafficking ring after several overdoses in the region. The investigation, which included the use of confidential informants, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of drugs and court authorized wiretaps on five cellular telephones utilized by the co-conspirators, revealed that Jose Miranda, also known as “Omar,” of the Bronx, New York, was supplying large quantities of heroin and cocaine to LOPEZ-ZELADA and Persio Hernandez of North Windham. LOPEZ-ZELADA converted a portion of the cocaine he received into crack cocaine. LOPEZ-ZELADA and Hernandez, with the help of other co-conspirators, then distributed heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in the Willimantic area.
The investigation further revealed that LOPEZ-ZELADA utilized a garage unit located on Willimantic Road in Chaplin as a stash location and point of distribution for narcotics.
Miranda was arrested on June 23, 2016, after he was intercepted threatening to shoot a co-conspirator who refused to pay him for a quantity of heroin that Miranda had provided to the individual on consignment.
LOPEZ-ZELADA and Hernandez were arrested on July 6, 2016.
LOPEZ-ZELADA, a citizen of El Salvador, has been detained since his arrest. When he is sentenced, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He also faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.
Miranda and Hernandez have pleaded guilty, await sentencing and are detained.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Caruso and David Nelson.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance was sentenced on April 24, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Ebony Hope Justyne Cook, age 20, was sentenced to 8 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Cook was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016. She pled guilty on February 7, 2017.
On July 22, 2016, in Eagle Butte, Cook knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, to another person.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Cook was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Distribution of a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance was sentenced on April 24, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Whitney Vaughn Marrowbone, age 22, was sentenced to 7 months in custody and 3 years of supervised release on each count, to run concurrently, a fine of $500, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Marrowbone was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016. He pled guilty on February 6, 2017.
On July 8 and 11, 2016, Marrowbone, knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in Eagle Butte.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Marrowbone was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Eagle Butte Man Found Not Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child as a result of a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, beginning on May 3, 2017, and concluding on May 5, 2017.
Lawrence Oakie, age 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2016.
The charge stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred in August 2015, near Rosebud, South Dakota.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Dupree Woman Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Dupree, South Dakota, woman convicted of two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance was sentenced on April 24, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Skyla Rae Alyce Dupris a/k/a Skyla Dupree, age 25, was sentenced to 6 months in custody and 3 years of supervised release on each count, to run concurrently, a fine of $1,000, and a mandatory special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Dupris was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 14, 2016. She pled guilty on February 7, 2017.
On June 23, 2016 and July 21, 2016, in Eagle Butte, Dupris knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, to other persons.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Dupris was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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