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Friday 5 May 2017
Three Former Arkansas Juvenile Detention Officers Indicted for Conspiracy to Assault Juvenile DetaineesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Patrick C. Harris, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today that three former White River Juvenile Detention Center officers, Will Ray, 26, Thomas Farris, 47, and Jason Benton, 42, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to assault juvenile inmates.
The White River Juvenile Detention Center is located in Batesville, Arkansas. The seven-count Indictment charges that Ray, Farris, and Benton conspired to and did assault juvenile detainees. The indictment charges that, in some instances the defendants used pepper spray on the juveniles and then, rather than decontaminating them, shut them in their cells to “let them cook.”
“As I have stated before, there is no excuse for correction officers to violate the law,” Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Harris said. “Correction officers who violate the civil rights of others can expect to, and will be, prosecuted.”
“We at the FBI continue to be appalled at what occurred to these minors,” stated Special Agent in Charge Diane Upchurch with the Little Rock FBI Field Office. “Along with our partners at the Justice Department, we are steadfast in our commitment to investigate and punish those responsible for these reprehensible actions.”
In addition to the conspiracy, Ray is charged in Count Two with participating in the November 6, 2013, assault of a fourteen-year-old boy who had been lying asleep on his bunk. According to the indictment, Ray grabbed the boy from his bunk and held him so that another officer could spray the boy in the face with pepper spray.
Farris, in addition to the conspiracy, is charged in Count Three with assaulting a seventeen-year-old juvenile on November 21, 2013, by pepper spraying him in the face.
Counts Four through Seven of the Indictment charge Benton with two assaults and with falsifying incident reports related to those assaults. According to the Indictment, on June 6, 2012, Benton assaulted a sixteen-year-old juvenile by grabbing, shoving, and choking him. The indictment also charges that, on May 19, 2013, Benton assaulted a fifteen-year-old juvenile by pepper spraying him in the face. According to the indictment, none of the juveniles posed a physical threat to anyone nor physically resisted in any way at the times they were assaulted by the officers.
Two former White River Juvenile Detention Center supervisors, Captain Peggy Kendrick, 43, and Lieutenant Dennis Fuller, 40, pleaded guilty on April 26, 2016, in federal court before U.S. District Judge James M. Moody Jr. to conspiring to assault juvenile inmates. Kendrick also pleaded guilty to assaulting a sixteen-year-old girl using pepper spray and to obstructing justice by falsifying an incident report about that assault. The court will set a sentencing hearing date for Kendrick and Fuller after Presentence Investigation Reports are completed.
The maximum potential penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights) is up to ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) is up to ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1519 (Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) is up to twenty years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. Accordingly, Kendrick faces a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and Fuller faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Little Rock Field Division and the investigation is ongoing. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Peters of the Eastern District of Arkansas and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.
An indictment contains only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Texas man sentenced to 160 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine in Louisiana, TexasRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Texas man was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison for possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Calcasieu Parish.
United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Adam Micah Baltutis, 31, of Beaumont, Texas, on one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. The judge also sentenced him to four years of supervised release. According to the January 24, 2017 guilty plea, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop January 5, 2016 on a rental car Baltutis was a passenger in on Interstate 10 that was traveling continually in the passing lane. While looking for registration and insurance papers, the officer found a lockbox containing approximately 418 grams of methamphetamine and two cell phones belonging to the defendant. The defendant told law enforcement agents that since December of 2015 he had been obtaining methamphetamine in Houston and selling it in the areas of Orange, Texas, and Lake Charles.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Team conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Stark County man indicted on methamphetamine and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment charting a Stark County man with firearms and narcotics violations, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Michael Lombardi, 39, of Waynesburg, Ohio, distributed methamphetamine on at least five occasions in January and February 2017, according to the indictment.
The indictment also alleges that Lombardi maintained a premises on Elson Street in Waynesburg for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine.
Lombardi possessed firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking in methamphetamine, according to the indictment.
Lombardi was prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction for domestic violence. On Feb. 10, he possessed ammunition and the following seven firearms: a Mossberg, model 432, .22 caliber rifle, serial number C27265; a Mossberg, model 640KS, .22 caliber rifle, unknown serial number; a Ruger, model LCR, .38 caliber revolver, serial number 54045017; a Western Field, model 47C, .22 caliber rifle, serial number N339; a Winchester, model 37A, .410 caliber shotgun, serial number C058084; a Glenfield, model 60, .22 caliber rifle, serial number 27155266 and an Armalite, model M15, 5.56 caliber rifle, serial number M006554, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson County Drug Task Force, the Carroll and Stark Counties Sheriff’s Offices and the Canton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that United States District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Dan Wayne Streetman, age 46, of Spokane, Washington, to a 60-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court supervision and required sex offender registration, for three charges of production of child pornography. Streetman had pled guilty to the offenses on December 13, 2016.
According to court records, Streetman relocated to Spokane from Missouri in 2006. While residing in Spokane, Streetman sexually abused three children in his care, and documented that abuse through photographs, which he maintained on his computer.
Streetman admitted that in total there were probably “hundreds” of sexual encounters between himself and the children. Additionally, Streetman admitted to photographing the children in other situations when they were undressed. Two of the children abused by Streetman were under age ten, the other was fourteen, but had the mental functioning of a nine year old.
The photography documenting the abuse was found by a relative when she was looking at Streetman’s phone. Streetman admitted the misconduct, and the relative called the police. A review of Streetman’s digital devices, pursuant to a court-authorized warrant, showed over a thousand child pornography images and videos saved and edited by Streetman. Streetman had explained he had found additional child pornography on the internet.
During the sentencing hearing, Streetman detailed the abuse he suffered as a child and explained how that abuse “haunts” him. Streetman indicated he had “been through hell.” Nevertheless, Streetman went on to abuse children and create new victims. Streetman acknowledged that he “made bad choices.”
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson told Streetman: “The nature of your offenses is horrific. The impact on these children is just mind-boggling.” The judge went on to say, “The most important factor in my mind is to make sure no other children are subject to your acting out from your past.”
Acting United States Attorney Harrington said, “Streetman exploited young and vulnerable children. This office prosecutes crimes against children with great fervour, because of the extreme vulnerability of the young victims.” Harrington went on to add, “This case is a superb example of the great work that can be done when state and federal law enforcement work together, even across state lines.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May, 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
• Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
• Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
• Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
• Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
• Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Cole County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri, Callaway County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri, and Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
San Angelo Man Sentenced to 148 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography and Cyberstalking ConvictionsRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas —Rodrigo Ramiro Menchaca, 27, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 148 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in January 2017 to one count of stalking and one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
“Victimizing someone, particularly a child, from one’s computer may seem easy and low-risk,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “But my office will do everything in our power to raise the cost to those who engage in such despicable behavior.”
According to documents filed in the case, between October 30, 2015 and November 7, 2015, Menchaca engaged in a series of communications with a minor female who resided in Virginia. Menchaca used a mobile application called Kik to communicate with the girl. During these Kik communications, Menchaca sent the girl various photographs that she had posted on other social networking accounts. The photographs were not sexual in nature, but were sent by Menchaca to the girl with the false representation that they had been shared with Menchaca by the girl’s father. Menchaca’s messages to the girl were sexually explicit.
In addition, between August 4, 2012 and October 28, 2016, Menchaca placed material on a thumb drive which he knew constituted images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and he kept that thumb drive in his possession.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the San Angelo Police Department and the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office in Fluvanna, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy was in charge of the prosecution.
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Robins Employee Sentenced to Twelve Years for Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and to Send Obscene Matter to A MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III announces that Steven Craig Deason, Jr., age 40 of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced today to serve 144 months in Federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervision, for attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. Mr. Deason will also be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Court Judge Marc Thomas Treadwell handed down the sentence.
A jury found Mr. Deason guilty on December 9, 2016, following a trial that lasted a week. The evidence presented at trial showed that between January 6, 2016, and February 4, 2016, Mr. Deason, using the alias “Cameron,” chatted online with a person who identified itself as a 14-year-old girl named Amber. In actuality, Amber was an undercover agent. During the course of the chats, Mr. Deason discussed meeting with Amber to engage in sexual activity, to include oral sex and sexual intercourse. Mr. Deason also sent Amber pornographic pictures and videos to get her used to the things they had been talking about and comfortable with sex. Mr. Deason told Amber that he chose pictures where the men appeared older and the females appeared younger to match their age difference. Mr. Deason also instructed Amber how to masturbate, telling her it would make their sexual encounter better.
This case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, with coordination from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Howard and Michael Solis prosecuted the case for the Government.
”The seduction of children is a vile crime and one that is growing in frequency throughout the country and in the Middle District of Georgia,” said United States Attorney G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III. “The predators who attempt to defile our youth in this fashion should take note that law enforcement officers and prosecutors are hunting them just as they are hunting their victims.”
David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Those who target and sexually exploit children will always be a priority for the FBI and its law enforcement partners. During this investigation, Mr. Deason revealed himself and his intentions to an undercover law enforcement officer and today’s sentencing to a lengthy stay in federal prison reflects the serious predatory nature of his crime.”
"By working with our law enforcement counterparts and prosecutors around the country, the men and women of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are committed to ensuring safe environments in our communities while bringing justice to young victims by quickly identifying online criminals who attempt to sexually exploit children," said Brig. Gen. Keith M. Givens, AFOSI Commander.
Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey at the United States Attorney’s Office at 478-621-2603.
Philadelphia Felon Charged with Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Omar Meares, 28, of Philadelphia was charged today by Indictment[1] with being a felon in possession of a firearm announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment charges that Meares possessed a Colt, Police Positive MK V, .38 Special caliber revolver, bearing serial number RD1155, which was loaded with six (6) live rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, on January 23, 2017, in Philadelphia, after having been convicted of a felony.
If convicted, Meares faces a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
This case has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
[1]An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography while Registered as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm sentenced Jordan D. Salem, 25, of Peoria, Ill., to serve 35 years in prison for producing child pornography while registered as a sex offender. Judge Mihm ordered that Salem remain on supervised release for a period of 15 years following the completion of his prison term. Salem pled guilty to the charges on June 28, 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna prosecuted the case. The charges were the result of a joint investigation by the United States Secret Service, the Peoria Police Department, and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department.
According to court documents, Salem pleaded guilty to the offense of statutory rape in Tennessee in 2012 which required him to register as a sex offender under Illinois law. Beginning in 2013, Salem created several false identities on Facebook using another male’s picture and solicited naked photographs and sexual acts from female victims, including minors. Acting under his false personas, Salem represented that he was employed as a performer by an internet pornography website that was seeking females to produce short pornographic videos. Salem promised that the girls would be paid thousands of dollars by the website and that their identities would not be revealed. When a girl inquired with Salem’s false persona on Facebook, he would provide additional details about the job and would direct them to send several naked images of themselves if they were interested. If a girl complied with his request for naked photographs, Salem would then direct her to his residence for the purpose of producing the pornographic film with him. In the course of his Facebook chats with females he knew to be minors, Salem would reassure them that he had produced pornography with minors in the past and he could either blur their face or keep their face out of the video to protect them from being discovered.
The investigation, including the results of search warrants executed on Salem’s Facebook accounts and e-mail accounts, revealed that Salem used the fictitious Facebook profiles to solicit sex and sexually explicit images from at least 28 females, including 10 minors. Salem utilized the scheme to persuade six of the minor females, including an 11 year-old, to produce sexually explicit images of themselves and send them to him on the internet. Over the course of the scheme, at least 22 females, 7seven of whom were minors, engaged in sexual intercourse with Salem with the expectation that they were going to be paid large sums of money by a pornographic film production company. Salem did not pay any of his victims the money they were promised for taking part in the production of sexually explicit images.
Salem has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since he was arrested on Oct. 30, 2015.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that Po Kwe, 31, formerly of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 3, 2017, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 15 months in prison by United States Senior District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm. In addition to serving his prison sentence, Kwe will also serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment.
On May 6, 2016, Nebraska Conversation Officers made contact with Kwe at a campsite on a Water Management Area in Pawnee County and observed various fishing violations. Officers made contact with Kwe at the campsite and the two conservation officers were given verbal consent to search a tent. Officers found a rifle and a silencer in the tent. The silencer had been removed from the rifle barrel. Kwe stated the tent and the rifle were his.
The rifle and the silencer were given to the DEA and sent to ATF for a determination that this was in fact a silencer and firearm under federal law. Kwe was not registered to have a silencer.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska Conservation Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives.
Oklahoma City Daughter and Mother Plead Guilty to Stolen Identity, Tax Fraud and Framing of Family Member for CrimeRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – KASHARA STEWART, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and her mother, WONICA STEWART POPE, also of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty today to federal crimes related to stolen identity tax refund fraud before the Honorable Joe Heaton, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On February 22, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment charging Kashara Stewart with seven counts of tax fraud and seven counts of aggravated identity theft. It alleges that from January 2012 through December 2012, Kashara Stewart filed false federal income tax returns in the names of individuals, without their knowledge or permission, attaching false W-2s for employers that did not employ the purported tax filers in the relevant tax years. Those false tax returns directed the IRS to deposit the claimed tax refunds into Kashara Stewart’s bank account.
The Superseding Indictment also charged Kashara Stewart’s mother, Pope, with one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. On August 29, 2013, during the investigation of Kashara Stewart’s stolen identity refund fraud, Pope left a voicemail for an IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in which she falsely confessed to the crime. Pope falsely stated she was her sister, Wenoca Stewart, to shift blame away from her daughter.
On November 1, 2016, based in part on Pope’s phone call to IRS Criminal Investigations, a federal grand jury charged Wenoca Stewart, along with Kashara Stewart, with conspiracy and tax fraud. After learning that Pope had framed Wenoca Stewart, the United States moved to dismiss the charges against Wenoca Stewart on February 28, 2017. Wenoca Stewart is no longer charged with any federal crime.
At the plea hearing today before Judge Heaton, Kashara Stewart admitted she filed a false tax return in October 2012, claiming a tax refund based on a false W-2, for someone who did not give her permission to file a false tax return in his name. She admitted that the false tax return directed the IRS to deposit a tax refund in her account, which it did, and that she kept that refund. Pope also entered a guilty plea. She admitted to leaving a voicemail message for an IRS Special Agent who she knew was investigating false tax returns filed by Kashara Stewart. Pope admitted she had claimed to be her sister, Wenoca Stewart, and had told the agent she was responsible for the conduct he was investigating. She admitted she said in the voicemail she had lost her husband and didn’t have anything else to lose, when in fact her sister Wenoca had recently lost her husband. Pope further admitted she left that voicemail because she was trying to protect her daughter, who she knew at that time was responsible for the stolen identity refund fraud.
At sentencing, Kashara Stewart faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and restitution to the IRS for all related fraudulent tax filings. Pope faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing for both will be set by the Court on a future date.
This case is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. McKenzie Anderson.
Ocean County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Point Pleasant, New Jersey, man will appear in federal court today to face allegations that he planned to construct and use a pressure cooker bomb in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick and Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana Boente announced.
Gregory Lepsky, 20, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically ISIS. Lepsky is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court.
According to the complaint:
On Feb. 21, 2017, Lepsky was arrested by the Point Pleasant Police Department in connection with an incident that occurred that day in his family’s home. Following the arrest, law enforcement officers searched the residence and found a new pressure cooker stored behind a roll of bubble wrap in Lepsky’s bedroom closet.
During searches of computers and other digital evidence linked to Lepsky, law enforcement found evidence of Lepsky’s plan to build and detonate a bomb as part of his support for ISIS. During several social media communications, Lepsky told others that he intended to fight on behalf of ISIS, and that he would, if necessary, become a martyr by driving a “bunch of explosives” to where the “enemies” could be found and blowing himself up.
Law enforcement also located a series of instructions that had been published online by another terrorist group that gave specific, step-by-step instructions on how to build a pressure cooker bomb, which coincided with the delivery of the pressure cooker to Lepsky a short time before his arrest. In addition, law enforcement recovered a message forwarded by Lepsky from another ISIS supporter stating that if a westerner could not travel to Syria to fight for ISIS, he could conduct a terrorist attack in his home country using improvised explosive devices.
The material support charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; the N.J. State Attorney General’s Office under the direction of Attorney General Christopher Porrino; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph Coronato; the Point Pleasant Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard P. Larsen; and the N.J. Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness under the direction of Director Chris Rodriguez, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Donnelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark and Justin Sher and B. Celeste Corlett, Trial Attorneys of the Department of Justice, National Security Division-Counterterrorism Section.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
O'Fallon Missouri Man Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Prison for Running Large Stolen Property Fraud Ring and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that yesterday, in federal court in Benton, Illinois, Jason J. Parmeley, 43, formerly of O’Fallon, MO, was sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison for crimes arising from a large stolen property fraud ring and a separate bank fraud. The stolen property ring operated in the Metro East and numerous other locations.
At his plea hearing on December 6, 2016, Parmeley admitted that he was the leader and organizer of a stolen property ring that victimized numerous retailers and equipment rental stores throughout the United States. Specifically, Parmeley admitted that he used the internet to obtain credit account numbers that individuals and businesses had with retail stores, such as Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, and rental stores, such as SunBelt Rentals. Using this information, Parmeley placed orders with the stores in the names, and under the credit accounts, of the individuals and businesses. The items Parmeley ordered frequently consisted of appliances, computers, expensive tools, and construction equipment. Parmeley further admitted that, after he placed the orders, he dispatched drivers to go to the stores and pick up the items. The items were then sold at prices
substantially below retail. The profits were wire transferred to Parmeley in Mexico. The losses caused by this stolen property ring exceeded $4,000,000.
Parmeley lived in Mexico and controlled the fraud ring from that country. In late August of 2015, Mexican Immigration Authorities deported Parmeley from Mexico. Parmeley has been held in federal custody since that time.
Parmeley also pled guilty to a second federal criminal indictment on December 6, 2016. The charges in that case were brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama. In that case, Parmeley was charged with defrauding Regions Bank by electronically re-depositing checks that he had previously deposited, and then withdrawing funds from those re-deposited checks. Parmeley engaged in this fraudulent scheme from November 20, 2009, through September 20, 2010. As a result of this fraud, Regions Bank sustained a loss of $174,451.80. Although the charges in the second indictment originated in Alabama, Parmeley’s guilty plea was made to the Court here in the Southern District of Illinois.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, United States District Judge Staci M. Yandle sentenced Parmeley to serve 140 months in prison on the convictions arising from the stolen property ring. Judge Yandle then ordered that Parmeley will serve a consecutive sentence of 28 months on his bank fraud conviction. The judge also ordered Parmeley to pay restitution of $456,882.37 to the victims of the stolen property ring for the specific losses that could be identified. She further directed Parmeley to pay $174,451.80 in restitution to Regions Bank.
To date, six defendants have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the stolen property conspiracy. On June 7, 2016, James D. Litchfield, 59, owner of Big Jim’s Autorama in Madison, IL, was sentenced to 3 years in prison, and his brother, Ryan P. Litchfield, 37, of O’Fallon, MO, was sentenced to 1 year in prison. Both of the brothers admitted to receiving large quantities of
the stolen property. On October 4, 2016, Shannan M. Flora, 42, of O’Fallon, MO, and Rigoberto Gutierrez, 28, of Compton, CA, were both sentenced to 15 months in prison. Flora performed a wide variety of tasks for the conspiracy, including arranging sales of stolen goods. Gutierrez coordinated shipments of stolen goods in California. On October 12, 2016, Russell J. Witt, 34, of Mount Clemens, MI, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Witt worked as a driver for the conspiracy for over a year. On December 13, 2016, Sean A. Shields, 48, of Ozark, MO, was also sentenced to 12 months in prison. Shields owned a store in Ozark, MO, and purchased large quantities of the stolen merchandise.
Six other defendants in the stolen property case were sentenced to terms of probation. They are: Nicholas A. Brockman, 20, of Wentzville, MO; Benedict G. Pellerito, 56, of Troy, MO; Bryce E. Atkinson, 22, of Lake Saint Louis, MO; Alice J. Hembree, 44, of Moscow Mills, MO; Tony G. Robertson, 45, of O’Fallon, MO; and Jessie S. Urias, 38, of Compton, CA. Brockman, Pellerito, Atkinson, Robertson, and Urias all worked as drivers for the conspiracy. Hembree performed administrative and bookkeeping functions for the fraud ring.
The two remaining defendants will be sentenced on the following dates: (1) June 6, 2017 – Steven J. Belcher, 45, of St. Charles, MO; and (2) June 22, 2017 – Angel Speed, 26.
The investigation of the stolen property ring is being conducted by agents from the St. Louis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"). The FBI has received substantial assistance from many state and local police departments in numerous jurisdictions, including the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force and the California Highway Patrol. The investigation of the bank fraud scheme involving Regions Bank was conducted by the FBI in Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.
New York Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Filing Thousands of Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Bronx, New York attorney, who ran a tax preparation business, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison today for filing thousands of fraudulent tax returns that claimed more than $6 million in bogus deductions, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim for the Southern District of New York.
“William Doonan used his status as an attorney to attract clients to his tax preparation business,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg. “But instead of performing honest and professional work, he routinely falsified their returns, adding more than $6 million in phony deductions and causing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to incur more than $1.8 million in lost taxes. Doonan’s prison sentence today makes clear that those who prepare and file fraudulent returns face significant penalties.”
William Doonan’s so-called ‘business’ didn’t prepare taxes, it manufactured lies and false tax returns that resulted in more than $1.8 million in lost revenue for the IRS,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kim. “In filing thousands of federal tax returns, Doonan used his legal knowledge to circumvent the law. Thanks to the dedicated investigators of the IRS, he will be held to account for his criminal misdeeds.”
“Doonan wreaked havoc on the taxpayers whose returns he prepared,” said Chief Richard Weber of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Return preparer fraud is a priority for IRS CI and we are committed to investigating and putting a stop to unscrupulous criminals who take advantage of their clients. But, taxpayers must be diligent too and be careful when choosing a return preparer. It is important to know that even if someone else prepares your return, you are ultimately responsible for all the information on the tax return.”
According to documents and allegations in the Information to which William Doonan, pleaded guilty, other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made in court proceedings:
Doonan, 69, a New York licensed attorney since 1982, ran a tax preparation business in the Bronx using the firm name, “William Doonan, Esq.” Every year from 2010 through 2013, Doonan prepared and filed between 3,000 and 5,000 federal tax returns with the IRS for taxpayer-clients in exchange for a fee. Several thousand of these returns were fraudulent and reported bogus “consulting” businesses and business losses, while others claimed fake deductions based on false medical and dental expenses, state and local taxes, home mortgage interest, charitable donations and job expenses. In total, Doonan included more than $6 milion in fabricated and inflated items on his clients’ federal tax returns and caused a tax loss of more than $1.8 million.
In addition to the term of prison imposed, U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick also ordered Doonan to serve one year of supervised release, to pay $65,820 in restitution to the IRS and to pay a fine of $10,000. Doonan previously pleaded guilty in November 2016 to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and obstructing and impeding the due administration of internal revenue laws.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Kim praised special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
New Jersey Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Gregory Lepsky, 20, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, will appear in federal court today to face allegations that he planned to construct and use a pressure cooker bomb in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Lepsky is charged by criminal complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS.
The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana Boente and Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick for the District of New Jersey. Lepsky is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark, New Jersey federal court.
According to the complaint:
On February 21, Lepsky was arrested by the Point Pleasant Police Department in connection with an incident that occurred that day in his family’s home. Following the arrest, law enforcement officers searched the residence and found a new pressure cooker stored behind a roll of bubble wrap in Lepsky’s bedroom closet.
During searches of computers and other digital evidence linked to Lepsky, law enforcement found evidence of Lepsky’s plan to build and detonate a bomb as part of his support for ISIS. During several social media communications, Lepsky told others that he intended to fight on behalf of ISIS, and that he would, if necessary, become a martyr by driving a “bunch of explosives” to where the “enemies” could be found and blowing himself up.
Law enforcement also located a series of instructions that had been published online by another terrorist group that gave specific, step-by-step instructions on how to build a pressure cooker bomb, which coincided with the delivery to Lepsky of the pressure cooker a short time before his arrest. In addition, law enforcement recovered a message forwarded by Lepsky from another ISIS supporter stating that if a westerner could not travel to Syria to fight for ISIS, he could conduct a terrorist attack in his home country using improvised explosive devices.
The material support charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents with the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office under the direction of Attorney General Christopher Porrino; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph Coronato; the Point Pleasant Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard P. Larsen; and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness under the direction of Director Chris Rodriguez, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Donnelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and B. Celeste Corlett of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
17 05 05 Lepsky ComplaintNew Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JUSTIN PARKER, also known as “Tre,” 30, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to a heroin distribution offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, PARKER was identified as a large-scale distributor of heroin in the greater New Haven area. On multiple occasions between January and March 2016, PARKER sold heroin to an ATF agent working in an undercover capacity. When investigators first attempted to arrest him on March 30, 2016, PARKER fled the scene and was observed discarding what appeared to be packets of heroin out of the window of his vehicle. He was apprehended the next day.
PARKER pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 100 grams or more of heroin, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2017.
PARKER has been detained since his arrest on March 31, 2016.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis and Peter D. Markle.
New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force and Give Way to Freedom End Their PartnershipRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - The New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force and Give Way to Freedom have ended their partnership. Give Way to Freedom had served as the Project Director for the Task Force. Going forward, the Task Force will adopt a new management structure and will seek to install a new Project Director.
The Task Force is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the United States Department of Justice. Its goals are to ensure that comprehensive and specialized services are made available to victims of human trafficking through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach and that perpetrators of sex trafficking and forced labor are investigated and prosecuted.
The Task Force appreciates the efforts of Give Way to Freedom in helping to secure the federal grant and its dedication to helping human trafficking victims.
The core team members of the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force are the Manchester Police Department, Child and Family Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
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Nashville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Anthony Laquesa Coleman a/k/a Scrappy, 30, of Nashville, Tenn., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, followed by six years of supervised release, by Senior U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen of the Northern District of Illinois (sitting by designation in the Middle District of Tennessee), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Coleman was indicted in July 2015 and pleaded guilty in November 2016 to possessing drugs with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Coleman had previously been convicted on state charges including, two drug felony convictions, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and reckless aggravated assault.
According to the facts presented at his plea hearing, Coleman regularly sold cocaine and crack cocaine in the area of 16th Avenue North and Buchanan Street in North Nashville. Area residents had previously asked him not to sell drugs in that area.
On March 23, 2015, Coleman was again selling drugs in that area when a woman and her children returned to their home, along with another woman. They again asked Coleman not to sell drugs near their home. Coleman refused to leave, obtained a loaded pistol from a friend, and threatened the women in the presence of the young children. As police were called, Coleman fled to a nearby rooming house, where officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department arrested him.
“All of our citizens, in every neighborhood, deserve to live without fear and without the invasive nature of drug dealers permeating their neighborhoods,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith. “Community involvement is a vital part of keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we encourage residents to continue to work with our local and federal law enforcement partners to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Ahmed Safeeullah.
Nashville Man Facing Federal Charges for Falsifying Aircraft Maintenance LogsRead the Press Release
James Leonard Brumit, 71, of Nashville, Tenn., was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of fraud involving aircraft; two counts of making false statements; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced Acting United States Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) regulates air travel and requires all U.S.-registered general aviation aircraft to undergo an annual inspection. The annual inspections are required to be performed by mechanics who are certified by the FAA as Inspection Authorization (“IA”) holders.
After an annual inspection is performed, the FAA requires the IA certificate holder to make an entry on the aircraft log book certifying that the annual inspection was made in accordance with FAA regulations, and that the information furnished therein is true and correct. An IA certificate holder receives a unique license number from the FAA to utilize when certifying annual inspections.
The indictment alleges that on July 3, 2014, and again on August 19, 2014, Brumit falsified the logbooks of two aircraft by forging the signature of an individual who held FAA inspection authority and falsely certified that the inspection was performed and reviewed by that person.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to ten years in prison for each aircraft inspection fraud count, as well as a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison for each false statement count. Both offenses also carry a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The aggravated identity theft charges carry mandatory two-year sentences.
Aircraft owners, who believe Brumit serviced their aircraft, are encouraged to contact the FAA’s local Flight District Standards Office. Local contact information can be found at https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Toussaint is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Motor Home Thief & Career Fraudster Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Savannah, GA – Timothy Bryce, 40, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 70 months in prison by Senior United States District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr., after pleading guilty to transporting a stolen motor vehicle across multiple state lines, from North Carolina, to South Carolina, to Georgia.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Bryce stole a luxury motor home worth nearly $600,000 from a dealership in Charlotte, North Carolina, and then fled with the vehicle to Guyton, Georgia. Bryce pretended to be interested in purchasing the motor home; swapped the real key with a fake one; then later returned to the dealership after closing time in order to steal it. In imposing the 70 month sentence, Judge Moore emphasized Bryce’s long criminal history. Bryce has three prior convictions for stealing motor vehicles as well as multiple convictions for impersonating law enforcement officers. After prison, Bryce will be on federal supervised release for three years. He was also ordered to pay $153,047.73 in restitution.
Acting United States James D. Durham stated, “No number of felony convictions has apparently kept this defendant from continuing a career in crime. With eight years under the watchful eyes of federal prison officials and United States Probation Officers, maybe he’ll finally learn the lesson that crime doesn’t pay.”
“Bryce made his biggest mistake when he crossed state lines during the commission of the crime,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge David J. LeValley. “Now, thanks to the efforts of FBI agents and the U. S. Attorney’s Office, he must face the impact of federal penalties that will keep him from continuing to prey on innocent victims for a very long time.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents with the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Scarlett S. Nokes and former Assistant United States Attorney Fred Kramer prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the U. S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.
Michigan man indicted on heroin trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Detroit, Michigan man had his initial appearance today following an indictment by a grand jury on May 2, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Julian Michael-Thomas “Cain” Johnson, age 22, was indicted on two counts of “Distribution of Heroin” and one count of “Distribution of Heroin within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.”
The crimes are alleged to have occurred between October and December 2016 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 51 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Clifford D. Johnson, announced that Booker T. Sanders, Jr, 25, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Sanders was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment and 1 year supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case, on July 11, 2016, Sanders possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Police discovered him with a handgun when responding to a reported domestic altercation in Michigan City.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Michigan City Police Department. This case was being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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McKeesport Drug Felon Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – On Thursday, May 4, 2017, a resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Edward Hicks, age 31, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around October 2012, and continuing thereafter to in and around November 2012, Hicks and others conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. In addition, on November 6, 2012, and again on November 15, 2012, Hicks sold multiple ounces of crack cocaine to a confidential informant who was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Hicks has a prior state court felony drug-trafficking conviction.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for August 21, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and not more than forty (40) years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Homestead Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hicks.
Man Sentenced for Smuggling Artifacts from Pakistan into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A man who smuggled ancient artifacts out of Pakistan and into the United States was sentenced today to three years in prison, ordered to forfeit over 1,300 artifacts, and pay a money judgment of over $115,000. The Court also entered an order revoking the man’s U.S. citizenship, which he obtained through fraud.
Ijaz Khan, 42, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was convicted by a federal jury on February 9. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Khan was part of a conspiracy that smuggled ancient artifacts including pottery and bronze weapons, which were stolen from burial sites, and ancient coins from a cave temple in Pakistan called the Kashmir Smast. Khan and Vera Lautt, 57, also of Santa Fe, New Mexico, used their business, Indus Valley, to sell the artifacts. One shipment of artifacts was seized at Dulles International Airport in October 2013. Ijaz and others then attempted to obtain the shipment by submitting various false and fraudulent documents to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, some of which purported to be from the Government of Pakistan.
Khan was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States, procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, smuggling goods into the United States, mail fraud, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding. Lautt was convicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Khan and Lautt submitted fraudulent documents to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which enabled Khan to immigrate to the United States in 2003 and later become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009. In order to further the conspiracy, Ijaz and Vera concealed Ijaz Khan’s wife and children in Pakistan. The conspiracy included eleven separate attempts to obtain immigration benefits by fraud, five of which were successful and another five of which were still pending as of the date of indictment. According to court records, Ijaz Khan used his fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship to cause the fraudulent immigration and naturalization of his four oldest children. Khan also filed petitions on behalf of his brother, mother, other wife in Pakistan, and two youngest children.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Steve A. Linick, Inspector General for the Department of State; and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine L. Wong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Harrison prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-130.
Man Indicted for Stealing Rifles from Chesapeake Sporting Goods StoreRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury in Norfolk returned an indictment yesterday charging a Chesapeake man with theft of firearms and possessing stolen firearms.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Sean Robert Elliott, 27, stole the firearms on Nov. 25, 2016, and on January 27. Elliott is also charged with two counts of possessing stolen firearms, stemming from a series of burglaries and burglary attempts at a Chesapeake sporting goods store that took place last winter.
Elliott faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison if convicted. 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 Col. K.L. Wright, Chesapeake Chief of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson 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 by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-75.
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.
Madisonville Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Madisonville man has been taken into custody as a result of a joint effort in ensuring the safety of local communities, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
A grand jury returned an indictment against Reginald Scott, 42, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was taken into custody today and is expected to make his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge at 10:00 a.m. in Houston.
Scott was previously convicted of a felony and is, therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm per federal law. The indictment alleges that on March 30, 2017, he was in possession of a Springfield XD, .45 caliber pistol.
He faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine, upon conviction.
The arrest is the result of an effort among local, state and federal agencies who are partnering together to combat violent crime and to ensure the safety of Madison County. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Madison County District Attorney’s Office and the Madisonville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Lubbock Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison on Firearm ConvictionRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK — Jose Augustine Hernandez, 32, of Lubbock, was sentenced this morning by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 71 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in January 2017, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Hernandez has been in custody since the time of his arrest in April 2016.
According to documents filed in the case, on April 5, 2016, an officer with the Lubbock County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle obstructing a roadway just outside the City of Lubbock. The driver and sole occupant was identified as Hernandez. Hernandez told officers he had run out of gas. While speaking with Hernandez, the officer noticed the butt of a shotgun between the console and front passenger seat of the vehicle. The officer asked Hernandez, who had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, to step out of the vehicle and the officer noticed the smell of marihuana coming from inside the car. Hernandez admitted to smoking marihuana inside the vehicle. Hernandez was found to have outstanding warrants and was placed under arrest. The officer then searched Hernandez and located several baggies containing methamphetamine in Hernandez’s pocket. Hernandez was also in possession of a cell phone that contained several text messages related to the purchase and sale of narcotics. The officer also located approximately twenty-two 20-gauge shotgun shells inside the vehicle.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and Lubbock Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long prosecuted.
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Supplying Pittsburgh-Area with CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 11 years’ imprisonment on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak took the guilty plea and imposed the sentence on 42-year-old Jason Hunter.
According to information presented to the court, in 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking and violence in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. Jason Hunter was the California-based source of supply for kilogram quantities of cocaine, which were shipped via the United States Postal Service from California to Pittsburgh. During the FBI’s wiretap investigation, Hunter was also being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Los Angeles. In that investigation, the DEA seized a substantial quantity of cocaine, heroin, cash, and jewelry from Hunter’s car and residence.
Hunter was the final defendant in this multi-defendant case to plead guilty. In total, 38 defendants were indicted and pleaded guilty in this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Caitlin Loughran prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Munhall Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Police Department and the Long Beach Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunter.
Local Man Guilty in $5 Million Investment ScamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 76-year-old Montgomery man has been convicted on two counts related to an investment fraud scheme involving more than 50 victims and more than $5 million, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Allan George Cooper was president of Effective Energy Alternatives dba A.G. Cooper Associates, managing member of AG Cooper LLC and registered agent for Effective Funding Network LLC. Cooper created AG Cooper & Associates and presented himself as an investment advisor, meeting investors through a church group and through referrals from other investors. He solicited and received more than $5 million from investors, many of whom believed he was making short-term loans to small companies who could not get bank financing. He used investor funds to pay earlier investors, pay himself and his employees, and fund his lifestyle.
Cooper presented investment programs that projected more than 12% returns in a short period of time and lulled investors with misleading statements he mailed to their homes on a quarterly basis. On occasion, he would make monthly payments to investors with funds provided by new investors. Deceived by these monthly payments and fraudulent quarterly statements, investors believed their money was being properly invested, and on some occasions, would re-invest more money with Cooper.
Cooper received investor funds via wire transfers or checks handed to him in person. An analysis of his bank accounts revealed the majority of the monies were used to pay back other investors, pay his credit cards, fund his other companies and to enrich his own lifestyle.
Cooper pleaded guilty to one count each of mail and wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon accepted the plea and set sentencing for Sept. 2, 2017. At that time, Cooper faces up to 20 years in prison on each count as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas State Securities Board. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case.
Lafayette man sentenced to 12 months in prison for defrauding illegal aliens in federal custodyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Lafayette man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for operating a scheme to take money from the families of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees on the false promise that he would provide the ICE detainees assistance in their immigration proceedings.
Edwin Zavala Jr., 24, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on one count of wire fraud. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $23,050 restitution. According to the May 25, 2016 guilty plea, from November 2014 to February 2016, Zavala owned and operated a company headquartered in Lafayette that claimed to assist individuals being held in ICE detention centers. Through this company, United Immigration Consulting, later known as National Immigration Services, Zavala would make mass mailings to ICE detention centers around the country advertising his services in representing illegal aliens and assisting them with their immigration problems. Those detainees would then contact family members who would pay Zavala in exchange for promises that Zavala would represent the ICE detainees at deportation hearings, assist them in obtaining work permits, assist them in “bonding out” of detention facilities, and otherwise provide services in immigration-related matters. However, after receiving payments, Zavala would cease communication with the ICE detainees and their family members and fail to render the promised immigration services. The ICE detainees would then generally be deported.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
Kittery Man Sentenced to over Three Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Zachary Spinney, 36, of Kittery, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm while being subject to a protection from abuse order. Spinney pleaded guilty to the charge on November 28, 2016.
According to court records and proceedings, in July 2016, Spinney and his girlfriend purchased a Ruger, model AR556, 5.56mm semi-automatic rifle and over 180 rounds of ammunition from a licensed firearms dealer. Security footage captured Spinney carrying the ammunition out of the store. Later that day, Spinney fired the rifle at a sand pit in Eliot. Spinney was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a March 2016 protection from abuse order issued in Maine.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen heard testimony describing the defendant’s significant history of domestic violence and varied his sentence up five months from the top of the guideline range in order to protect the public.
The investigation was conducted by the Kittery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with El Paso Business over Allegations of Violating the Employment Rights of a Texas Army National Guard MemberRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a Settlement Agreement with Superior Asphalt Enterprises, Inc., DBA Frontier Roofing Supply (“Frontier”), a business with its principal location in El Paso, Texas. The Settlement Agreement resolves allegations that Frontier violated the employment rights of Texas Army National Guard Member Alejandro S. Booth (“Booth”) under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA safeguards the rights of uniformed servicemembers to retain their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations. USERRA also protects servicemembers from discrimination on the basis of their military obligations. Booth is currently a Sergeant with the Texas Army National Guard where he has served since 2005.
According to the complaint Booth filed with the Department of Labor, Frontier fired Booth from his position as a Purchasing/Inventory Clerk due to his military service and subsequently denied Booth’s request for reemployment following his active military duty in August of 2015. Booth’s employment was terminated while he was attending his annual training requirements for the Texas Army National Guard. When Booth requested to return to work upon completion of his training, his request was denied based on his previous absence related to his military service. In exchange for a release of his claims under USERRA, Frontier has agreed to provide Mr. Booth with relief to include backpay, lost benefits and liquidated damages
“The United States has a solemn obligation to ensure that those selfless Americans who serve in the nation’s Armed Forces enjoy every opportunity to advance their civilian careers,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “The Department of Justice will be unwavering in protecting the rights of our nation’s service members and we will continue to hold accountable employers who violate those rights.”
“Mr. Booth was called away from his job in order to serve the country in the National Guard,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our nation’s security is dependent on the brave men and women of our National Guard, and the Department of Justice is here to ensure that all service members can complete their military obligations without fear that by doing so, they will lose their civilian jobs.”
“Members of our National Guard make many sacrifices, including spending months or years away from their jobs and families,” said U.S. Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., of the Western District of Texas. “When our service members are deployed in the service of our country, they are entitled to retain their civilian employment and to the protections of federal law that prevent them from being subject to discrimination based upon their military obligations. We sought this Settlement Agreement, on behalf of Sergeant Booth, a member of the Texas Army National Guard, to ensure that he does not lose his rights while he was protecting ours.”
Booth initially filed a complaint with the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), which investigated this matter and attempted to reach a resolution between the parties. After resolution efforts failed, VETS referred the complaint to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section. This Settlement Agreement, which is not an admission of liability by Frontier, followed as a collaborative initiative between the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
The Department of Justice gives high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp and www.servicemembers.gov, as well as on the Labor Department’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm.
Information: Federal Court ArraignmentsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Cavan in Billings on May 4, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
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THYANNA FAITH LITTLESUN, a 23-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared on charges of involuntary manslaughter, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, LITTLESUN faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. PACER Case Reference. 17-45
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LENRAY JESS TWO TWO, a 51-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared on charges of aggravated sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, TWO TWO faces life in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. PACER Case Reference. 17-51
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on May 2, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- ANDREW RUNNING CRANE, a 32-year-old resident of Heart Butte, appeared on charges of theft of federally provided welfare benefits by fraud, and federal welfare assistance fraud. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, RUNNING CRANE faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. PACER Case Reference. 17-19
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Iowa-Minnesota Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced May 5, 2017, to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Marcus Cervantes Martinez, 35, from Worthington, MN received the prison term after a guilty plea on February 2, 2017, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At his guilty plea hearing, Cervantes Martinez admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 50 grams of mixed methamphetamine which contained at least 5 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine from 2015 through September 2016 in Minnesota and Iowa. Cervantes Martinez also admitted to distributing ¼ pound of mixed methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in August 2016.
Cervantes-Martinez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cervantes Martinez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Cervantes Martinez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; Buffalo Ridge Task Force; and Internal Revenue Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4084. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal EntryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that FEDERICO LOPEZ-FIALLOS, age 35, a Honduran national, was charged in a one-count Indictment with illegally entering the United States after being previously removed, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
The Indictment alleges that LOPEZ-FIALLOS was previously removed from the United States on February 7, 2013, was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on April 27, 2017. LOPEZ-FIALLOS had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter.
If convicted, LOPEZ-FIALLOS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Dany Francisco Ruiz-Ardon, age 32, formerly of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced today to time served (33 days in jail) for illegally re-entering the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
As part of his guilty plea, Ruiz-Ardon admitted that he was a citizen of Honduras, and that he returned to the United States after he was removed to Honduras on June 3, 2011.
April 3, 2017, Ruiz-Ardon was arrested by Border Patrol Agents in Champlain, New York. Agents encountered Ruiz-Ardon in a taxi that was parked on the side of a road in Champlain just south of the border.
Following his sentencing, Ruiz-Ardon was remanded to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, which will place Ruiz-Ardon into removal proceedings.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Use of A Firearm During a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death to Another for MS-13 MurderRead the Press Release
A Honduran man pleaded guilty today to use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence resulting in the death of another for his participation in a murder committed as part of a gang initiation for two recruits of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Lee of the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia, Division, Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Police Chief Alfred Durham of the Richmond Police Department made the announcement.
Yerwin Ivan Hernandez-Ordonez, aka Probador, 31, a Honduran national, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate David J. Novak in the Eastern District of Virginia to use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing the death of another. In October 2016, Hernandez-Ordonez was arrested in Panama and extradited to the United States. Sentencing is set for Aug. 3, 2017, before the Honorable Robert E. Payne.
MS-13 is a national and international gang that was formed and is headquartered in El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., among other cities. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
In his plea agreement, Hernandez-Ordonez admitted that he aided two MS-13 recruits to murder a victim so the recruits could gain entrance into MS-13. Specifically, Hernandez-Ordonez admitted that on July 23, 2011, he and members of the Richmond Sailors clique of MS-13 decided the killing of the rival gang member would be the initiation rite for two MS-13 recruits. The leader chose Hernandez-Ordonez and a co-conspirator gang member to ensure the recruits carried out the murder. Later that night and into the early morning hours of July 24, 2011, the recruits drove the victim to an area near the 8200 block of Riverside Drive in Richmond. One of the recruits then attempted to shoot the victim, but the gun misfired. An MS-13 member then shot the victim with another gun, but did not kill him. When the victim attempted to flee, Hernandez-Ordonez chased the victim down and brought him back to the group, and thereafter, the two recruits shot the victim in the head and killed him. Later that same day, the two recruits were initiated into the gang.
Jose Armando Bran, aka Pantro, the leader of MS-13’s Sailors Locos Salvatrucha clique in Richmond, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, maiming and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in death on May 20, 2013. Bran was sentenced in Aug. 15, 2013, to serve two consecutive life sentences plus 120 months for his role in the same murder and a separate maiming that he ordered while he was an MS-13 gang leader in Richmond.
FBI Richmond, HSI Richmond and the Richmond Police Department investigated the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance with the extradition of Hernandez-Ordonez. Trial Attorneys Matthew K. Hoff and Andrew Creighton of the Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Glennville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Massive FireRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: Jonathan Shane Culbreth, 21, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U. S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to serve 5 years in federal prison for starting a fire last summer that destroyed a historic building in the heart of downtown Glennville. The fire, which Culbreth began before dawn on June 5, 2016 by igniting a junk pile in a back alley, required more than 13 hours to control. Firefighters from nearly a dozen agencies in four counties responded to extinguish the blaze.
Culbreth will serve his federal sentence without the possibility of parole. Following his release from prison, the United States Probation Office will supervise him for three years. Additionally, Culbreth will be required to make restitution of $892,410 to the businesses affected by his crime.
Acting U. S. Attorney James D. Durham stated, “With one foolish decision, this defendant not only endangered the lives of dozens of firefighters, but he also stole from Glennville a structure nearly as old as the town itself. This U. S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its federal and local partners to bring to justice arsonists and other violent offenders who threaten the safety and security of law-abiding citizens.”
The arson was investigated by the ATF, the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Tattnall County Fire Department, the Glennville Police Department, the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Long County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.
Fugitive and Alleged MS-13 Member Arrested on Illegal Re-Entry ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An alleged member of MS-13 who had been a fugitive was arrested today in East Boston and charged with illegal re-entry.
Elenilson Gustavo Gonzalez-Gonzalez, aka “Siniestro,” 31, was arrested on Paris Street in East Boston. Gonzalez-Gonzalez was detained following an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley during which he was identified as a member of MS-13 who had previously been deported to El Salvador in 2012.
After a three-year investigation, Gonzalez-Gonzalez was one of 61 persons named in a superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. Gonzalez-Gonzalez was charged in the indictment with unlawful re-entry of a deported alien, and the government alleges that he is a member of MS-13.
In documents previously filed with the Court, MS-13 was identified as a violent transnational criminal organization whose branches or “cliques” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline within the group. Specifically, MS-13 members are required to attack and murder gang rivals whenever possible.
The charge of illegal re-entry provides for a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon the completion of the sentence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Truco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon, made the announcement.
The details contained in the indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former National Institutes of Health Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Christopher Dame, age 50, of Gaithersburg, Maryland pleaded guilty on May 3, 2017, to theft of government property. Dame, a former Visual Information Specialist for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Medical Arts Division located in Bethesda, Maryland, admitted to stealing NIH property and selling it online without authorization.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Elton Malone of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General; and Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
According to his plea agreement, Dame was responsible for designing, printing, and displaying decorative and informational materials in NIH buildings, as well as directing his colleagues to place purchase orders of printing ink for the Medical Arts Division. At no point did Dame have authority to remove NIH property from the main campus or sell NIH property.
Dame admitted that from January 3, 2013, through January 12, 2017, he regularly stole medical research equipment, photography equipment, and printing supplies belonging to NIH, and sold such items through an e-commerce corporation, enriching himself. also deceived his colleagues into purchasing surplus ink for NIH, with the intent to ultimately steal the ink and sell it online. During the relevant time period, Dame stole over four hundred items belonging to NIH. As part of his plea agreement, Dame will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, which is $75,613.14.
Dame faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan has scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2017, at 2:30 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Packard, and Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo from the Department of Justice, Public Integrity Section, who are prosecuting the case.
Former Brownsburg man sentenced in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today a former Brownsburg man, now living in Florida, was sentenced following his plea of guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud and tax evasion charges. Stephen Scott, 56, Palm Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
“Mr. Scott’s actions, devastated his victims who placed absolute trust in his financial management,” said Minkler. “He will now have 30 months in the Bureau of Prisons to think about his crime.”
Scott served as the trustee for the victim’s family trust in Brownsburg, Indiana, from August 2007 to July 2011. During that time, he embezzled approximately $253,000 and failed to pay approximately $43,000 in taxes on his ill-gotten gains.
Scott secretly withdrew funds from the trust fund and provided false financial records to the victims and their accountants and attorneys to conceal his misdeeds. Scott used the stolen funds for his personal benefit.
This case was investigated by the Indiana State Police and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan said, "It is unfortunate to see someone abuse a position of trust for self-enrichment. This investigation shows no matter how hard criminals try to hide their ill-gotten gains, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our local partners will unravel the lies and bring them to justice.”
According to Senior Litigation Counsel Steven D. DeBrota who prosecuted this case for the government, Scott must repay $253,000 to the victim and $43,000 to the IRS, as well as serve five years of supervised release after his sentence.
Former Associate Clerk in Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office Indicted for Lying to Federal Grand Jury Investigating Possible Hiring Violations in the OfficeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former associate clerk in the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office lied under oath to a federal grand jury when she denied selling tickets for the Clerk’s campaign fundraisers to other employees in the office, according to a federal indictment announced today.
BEENA PATEL sold fundraiser tickets to colleagues in the Clerk’s office and knew that other employees did the same, the indictment states. The fundraisers were held several times each year by an entity that raises money for the Clerk’s campaign fund. When asked about it during testimony before a federal grand jury on or about Oct. 15, 2015, Patel said she never sold tickets to employees of the Clerk’s office, and that she knew of no other employees who collected money or handed out tickets to the fundraisers, according to the indictment. The indictment states that both statements were false.
The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges Patel, 55, of Chicago, with three counts of making false declarations before a grand jury. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The Court has not yet scheduled an arraignment hearing.
The indictment was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kimberly M. Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney; Patrick M. Blanchard, Cook County Inspector General; and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Perjury before a grand jury is a serious offense and fundamentally undermines the investigative process of the grand jury,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levin. “Witnesses who testify before federal grand juries must be held accountable if they violate the oath they take to tell the truth.”
According to the indictment, the grand jury was conducting an investigation of possible criminal violations in connection with the purchasing of jobs and promotions within the Clerk’s office. Patel testified before the grand jury on or about Oct. 15, 2015, and on or about July 14, 2016, and the indictment alleges that Patel lied during both sessions.
In addition to the false statements about the fundraiser tickets, the indictment also charges Patel with providing false statements to the grand jury about two other matters. Patel allegedly lied when she denied knowing that another employee in the Clerk’s office had spoken to law enforcement and testified in the grand jury. The indictment further alleges that she falsely denied having knowledge of efforts made to assist another Clerk’s office employee with a promotion and pay increase. The same employee had received two prior raises and promotions after the employee’s brother contributed approximately $10,000 to the entity that raises money for the Clerk’s campaign fund, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather McShain and Ankur Srivastava.
Florida Man Sentenced to 16 Years on Production of Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced a Tampa, Florida man to 192 months in prison on production of child pornography charges, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Cogburn also ordered Richard Spencer Flynn, 41, to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2016 to one count of production of child pornography.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Sheriff Van Duncan of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.
“Flynn was a predator lurking on the Internet who targeted a child for his deviant sexual purposes. His conduct was reprehensible and for that, he will deservedly serve time in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.
According to filed court documents and yesterday’s sentencing hearing, beginning in or about March 2015 and continuing through March 2016, Flynn traveled to North Carolina to meet with a 15-year-old female he met via the Internet and other electronic means to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Court documents also show that Flynn produced numerous images of child pornography of his victim.
In announcing today’s sentence Judge Cogburn said, “This is a serious crime with a serious punishment.”
Flynn has been in custody since September 29, 2016. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentencings are served without the possibility of parole.
The FBI and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Florida Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Clients Out of More Than One Million DollarsRead the Press Release
Sean Donald Premock, 44, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, entered pleas of guilty to nine counts of mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and one count of investment adviser fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
As part of his guilty plea, Premock, who was formerly a licensed stockbroker and investment adviser, got fired by his employer for selling investments that were not approved by his employer and then started his own investment companies that he used to defraud his existing and new clients, most of whom were elderly. Premock admitted that he obtained more than $1 million from his clients, who believed they were giving the money to Premock to invest for them, by lying to his clients and telling them he would put their money in stocks, bonds, and other “safe” investments, while in reality Premock spent most of their money on himself and used some of the money to pay other clients. Premock also admitted that he did not disclose to his clients that he had permanently lost his stockbroker and investment adviser licenses. Premock admitted that he fabricated false account statements that he mailed to his clients, and used other means to deceive his clients into believing their investments were safe and to stall their attempts to obtain the return of their funds, including blaming a “lack of liquidity” on the policies of then-President Obama.
Premock faces a maximum sentence of 385 years’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, a $9,510,000 fine, and a $2,000 special assessment, and a likely advisory sentencing guideline range of 87 – 108 months’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.
Federal Indictment Charges Founders of Defunct Hickory E-Waste Company with Defrauding Victims of at Least $25 MillionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, a criminal indictment was unsealed in federal court, charging Robert M. Boston, 53, and Robert S. LaBarge, 50, both of Hickory, N.C., with conspiracy relating to a fraud totaling at least $25 million, to include wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, Boston and LaBarge defrauded franchisees, investors, and lenders of their company, Zloop. The indictment alleges that, through their fraud, the defendants obtained millions of dollars, much of which was spent on expensive personal real estate, a private plane, and the racing career of Boston’s son.
The indictment alleges that Boston and LaBarge founded Zloop, an electronic waste recycling firm, in 2012 and began marketing Zloop franchises in or about July 2012. Federal law requires potential franchisors, like Zloop, to disclose certain litigation and bankruptcy matters in a franchise disclosure document. As alleged in the indictment, Zloop franchise disclosure documents omitted required information, including that Boston’s former company had filed bankruptcy, that Boston had filed personal bankruptcy, and that Boston had been held liable in an action alleging that he had knowingly submitted false financial documentation to obtain a $2.9 million line of credit.
The indictment further alleges that, beginning in or about December 2012, Boston and LaBarge caused Zloop to raise money through the sale of equity. To sell equity in the company, the indictment alleges that Boston and LaBarge caused a misleading private placement memo (“PPM”) to be sent to investors who ultimately invested approximately $2.5 million in Zloop. According to the indictment, the PPM contained material half-truths and omissions, including the omission of the litigation and bankruptcy history of Boston, and the fact that Boston and LaBarge had already caused Zloop to spend more than $1.5 million on their personal real estate.
When Zloop investors sought the return of their money in or about the middle of 2013, the indictment alleges that Zloop sought to repay them with a loan from an individual identified as Victim 1. In doing so, Boston allegedly induced Victim 1 to provide a $3 million loan by offering to file a lien on Zloop’s equipment for Victim 1’s benefit. Instead, after Victim 1 provided the loan used to repay Zloop’s other investors, LaBarge allegedly sent a fraudulent financing statement that purportedly was filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
The indictment also alleges that, after receiving the fraudulent UCC financing statement, Victim 1 agreed to secure a multi-million line of credit from Patriot Bank, a federally insured financial institution. After Boston and LaBarge caused Zloop to draw approximately $3.5 million from the Patriot Bank line of credit, the indictment alleges that they promptly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on, among other things, a private plane, a new Corvette, and a new Grand Cherokee. After Zloop subsequently drew an additional $1.3 million from the credit card line, the indictment alleges that more than $500,000 was spent on racing-related expenditures and approximately $79,808 on a suite at a professional football stadium.
The indictment charges Boston and LaBarge each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud; one count of wire fraud; one count of securities fraud; one count of bank fraud; and one count of money-laundering conspiracy. LaBarge is also charged with false writing in connection with an FBI investigation.
The defendants appeared today in the United States District Court in Charlotte. The conspiracy charge and bank fraud charge each carry a maximum prison term of 30 years. The wire fraud charge and the securities fraud charge each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years. The maximum penalty for the money-laundering conspiracy charge is 10 years in prison, and the maximum prison term for false writing is five years in years in prison.
All the charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor J. Phillips and Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Court Finds that Washington, D.C. Tax Return Preparer Violated Injunction and Orders Him to Pay Nearly $30,000 as Civil Contempt SanctionRead the Press Release
A federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland has found that Marvin L. Binion Sr. violated the Court’s previous permanent injunction barring him from preparing tax returns for others and from operating a tax preparation business, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. The Court ordered Binion Sr. to comply with the previously entered injunction and to pay the United States $29,914.38 for its costs incurred in investigating whether Binion Sr. had complied with the injunction.
U.S. District Court Judge Roger W. Titus of the District of Maryland entered the order, with Binion Sr.’s consent, finding that Binion Sr. violated the court’s May 8, 2013 permanent injunction. According to the United States’ supplemental filing in this case, despite the 2013 injunction, Binion, Sr. was preparing tax returns for others and running and/or profiting from a tax return preparation business called Universal Tax Services located at 717 Kennedy Street NW in Washington, DC. The United States also alleged that Binion Sr. had his customers mail in paper returns without identifying him as the paid tax return preparer. Before the government filed suit for an injunction against Binion Sr. in 2013, a federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland sentenced Binion Sr. in 2008, to prison for aiding and assisting in the filing of false income tax returns.
In addition to imposing a civil compensatory judgment for the government’s investigation costs, the court also ordered Binion Sr. to produce bank records and customer lists to the United States, and to send a letter to his customers informing them that he is barred from preparing federal tax returns for others.
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.
Etna Man Sentenced to 70 Months on Child Pornography ConvictionsRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Robert Snyder, age 68, of Etna, New York, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and 7 years of post-imprisonment supervision following convictions for receipt, possession and accessing with intent to view child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division.
Snyder was convicted in July 2016 following a 4-day trial. Snyder will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The evidence at trial showed that Snyder, from around November 2010 through about February 2011, in Tompkins County, New York, purchased, ordered and received 7 DVDs containing child pornography videos from a company in Toronto, Canada. A search warrant executed at the offices of the company in Toronto resulted in the seizure of records and documents demonstrating that Snyder and others purchased child pornography videos. Additionally, a search of Snyder’s residence in October 2014 resulted in the seizure of computers and other digital storage media that were found to contain numerous additional images of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Toronto Police Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. CitizensRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A document broker pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield in connection with his role in trafficking the identities of Puerto Rican citizens and corresponding identity documents.
Sandro Tavera Mora, aka Jose Laureano Ayala, 46, a Dominican national residing in Springfield, pleaded guilty to false personation of U.S. citizenship, fraud and misuse of visas and conspiracy to possess and transfer identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2017.
Beginning in 2011, identity document runners located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico, obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents. Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States, identified as identity document suppliers and brokers, solicited customers and sold social security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $400 to $1,200 per set.
Tavera Mora admitted that he operated as a document broker in Springfield, buying, possessing, transferring and selling personal identifying information contained in legitimate government documents belonging to residents of Puerto Rico. Tavera Mora further admitted that the customers who purchased these documents were illegal aliens who would use this information to assume the identity of United States citizens in order to apply for other identity documents. Tavera Mora knew that these customers would use these documents to violate federal law, including Social Security fraud and the impersonation of a United States citizen.
Additionally, Tavera Mora admitted that upon his arrest he identified himself as “Jose Laureano Ayala” a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico, and possessed a fraudulent Puerto Rico drivers license and a U.S. Social Security card in the same name. Tavera Mora further admitted that he possessed a fraudulent Dominican Republic passport that contained a non-immigration U.S. Visa with fraudulent admittance record and a Customs and Border Patrol admittance stamp.
Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb, Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Director Thomas D. Homan of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Chief Postal Inspector Guy J. Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan, Chief of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office, and Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at: www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation may contact the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) and its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline. Anyone who may have information about particular crimes in this case should also report it to the ICE tip line or website.
Dominican Citizen Sentenced on Gun, Drug and False Identity ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Johan Rijo-Richiez, age 30, and a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Utica, New York, was sentenced today to 35 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine, illegal firearm possession, and three identity theft-related convictions.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The sentence followed Rijo-Richiez’s December 20, 2016 guilty pleas to (1) conspiracy to distribute cocaine, (2) possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, (3) aggravated identity theft, (4) possession of a false identification document, and (5) falsely representing a Social Security Number to be one’s own when it was not.
As part of his guilty pleas, Rijo-Richiez admitted that: In early 2016, he conspired with codefendant Chanel Garcia-Enrique – sentenced on April 12, 2017 to 51 months’ imprisonment – and others to distribute between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine in the Utica area. At the time of his arrest on April 4, 2016, a 12-gauge shotgun was found in Rijo-Richiez’s residence. When questioned by law enforcement officers after his arrest, Rijo-Richiez falsely represented that his name was “Juan Ortiz Rodriguez,” provided a Social Security Number assigned to “Juan Ortiz Rodriguez,” and represented he was a United States citizen, born in Puerto Rico, when in fact he was a citizen of the Dominican Republic and was in the United States illegally.
Rijo-Richiez also possessed, at the time of his arrest, false identification documents, including a Puerto Rico driver’s license and birth certificate, all in the name of “Juan Ortiz Rodriguez” and bearing his photograph. In his guilty plea, Rijo-Richiez also acknowledged he knew the identity he stole was that of a real person.
Following his term of imprisonment, the Department of Homeland Security will place Rijo-Richiez into removal proceedings.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the Oneida County Drug Task Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Central New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl G. Eurenius and Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone, who also serves as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
District Man Charged with Federal Firearms Offenses Involving Illegal Purchase of Fully Automatic Assault RifleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Clark Calloway, 38, of Washington, D.C., has been arrested and charged with two federal firearms offenses after allegedly seeking and illegally purchasing a fully automatic AK-rifle 47 and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Calloway, who was arrested on May 4, 2017, in Washington, D.C., made his first appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is charged in a criminal complaint with possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon and transportation of a firearm with the intent to commit a felony, assault with a deadly weapon. The Honorable Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey ordered Calloway held pending a hearing set for May 10, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Calloway previously served in the United States Marine Corps, where he received infantry and explosives training. As described in the affidavit, Calloway agreed on April 1, 2017, to pay $250 for a fully-automatic AK-47 weapon; at the time, he was the subject of an undercover FBI investigation.
According to the affidavit, Calloway made statements to the purported weapons provider about carrying out violence against law enforcement officers and others in places including a police station in Washington, D.C. The affidavit states that Calloway paid a first installment of $60 for the weapon and ammunition on April 7, 2017 and the remaining $190 on April 28, 2017. Calloway was arrested by the FBI when he took delivery of the AK-47. Law enforcement had disabled the AK-47 prior to its delivery.
The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum penalty for possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon is 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty for transportation of a firearm with the intent to commit a felony is 10 years in prison.
The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal S. Chawla and Jeffrey Pearlman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Department of Justice Releases Report Detailing the Prosecutions of Transnational Criminal Organizations and their SubsidiariesRead the Press Release
Dismantling transnational criminal organizations is a priority of President Trump’s administration and the Department of Justice is committed to taking down these groups.
“Transnational criminal organizations represent one of the gravest threats to American public safety today,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The Justice Department has zero tolerance for these vicious organizations and our message to them is: We will find you. We will devastate your networks. We will starve your revenue sources, deplete your ranks and seize your profits. We will not concede a single block or street corner to your vicious tactics.”
As part of the commitment to dismantling these organizations, the president has issued an Executive Order on Enforcing Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking. Pursuant to the Executive Order, the Department of Justice is issuing a report detailing convictions in the United States relating to transnational criminal organizations and their subsidiaries.
The attached report, provided in accordance with Section 3 (g) of the Executive Order, provides information pertaining to the number of convictions in investigations involving transnational criminal organizations as reported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), for the period beginning Jan. 1, 2017, and ending March 31, 2017.
The report shows 421 convictions in cases targeting transnational criminal organizations, which is 42 percent of the total number of convictions reported during the quarter for the OCDETF Program.
Convictions of Members of Transnational Criminal Organizations and their Subsidiaries