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19 June 2017
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Boston for a federal immigration crime.
Maximino Cruz-Rivera, 37, a Mexican national residing in Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release. Cruz-Rivera will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In April 2017, Cruz-Rivera pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a deported alien.
On Nov. 30, 2016, law enforcement encountered Cruz-Rivera in Boston and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States. Cruz-Rivera had previously been deported in February 2013.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Fernando Cortez Cueves, 40, a Mexican national who was previously deported from the United States in 2007, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to illegal reentry into the United States.
According to information presented to the court and court records, Cueves was arrested by Rhode Island State Police on April 17, 2017, and ordered detained at the Adult Correctional Institution (ACI). On April 27, 2017, Cueves was released from the ACI to the custody to personnel from Immigration Customs Enforcement.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Cueves admitted to the court that he illegally reentered the United States after having been previously deported. Cueves was sentenced to time served and returned to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Fernando Cortez Cueves’ guilty plea and sentence are announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and C.M. Cronin, Field Office Director for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee, Border Security Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Member of Trenton Drug Trafficking Organization Admits Heroin Conspiracy, Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man today admitted possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and participating in a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed hundreds of grams of heroin in the Trenton area, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced today.
Christopher Proctor, a/k/a “Bris,” a/k/a “Bris Broctor,” 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In December 2016, Proctor and nine other members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Trenton were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin. The complaint referred to the drug trafficking organization as the “Abdullah DTO,” after its leader, Ishmael Abdullah. Proctor is the fifth of the 10 defendants to plead guilty.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2016 through December 2016 Proctor participated in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the area of Spring and Passaic Streets in Trenton.
Through the authorized interception of telephone calls and text messages, controlled purchases of heroin, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative means, law enforcement learned that Ishmael Abdullah was a leader of the Abdullah DTO, and was responsible for obtaining significant quantities of heroin from multiple suppliers, including Jose Joaquin Torres-Mezquita and Ileana Sanchez. Ishmael Abdullah and Keith Hunter coordinated the organization’s distribution of heroin through themselves and other conspirators, including Elijah Abdullah.
Members of the Abdullah DTO used temporary prepaid phones, stash houses and cars, and spoke in code to avoid detection by law enforcement. In connection with the narcotics conspiracy, Elijah Abdullah and other members of the Abdullah DTO maintained joint access to multiple firearms.
In addition to receiving, possessing, and selling heroin as part of the conspiracy, Proctor – a previously convicted felon – was arrested on Aug. 23, 2017 by Trenton police officers in possession of a loaded Glock 27 semiautomatic handgun and multiple rounds of ammunition.
The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The firearms possession charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited agents and officers with the Greater Trenton Safe Streets Task Force, including special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Newark Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Marcus S. Watson; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Director Ernest Parrey Jr.; officers of the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Nicholas Sutter; officers of the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John P. Stemler III; and detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, with the investigation.
He also thanked special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian A. Michael; officers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Joseph R. Fuentes; and officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John A. Kemler, for their assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Brendan Day of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and those defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Aidan P. O’Connor Esq, Hackensack, New Jersey
McKinney Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining and Cashing $16 Million in U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
DALLAS – A McKinney, Texas, man, Moiz Mumtaz Ali, 36, appeared last week before U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater and pleaded guilty to one count of failure to develop, implement, and maintain an anti-money laundering program, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Ali faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine. He will remain on bond pending sentencing, which is set for October 13, 2017.
According to plea documents filed in the case, Ali operated, and managed Gateway Newsstands (“Gateway”), located at 700 North Pearl Street, Dallas Texas. The business included a convenience and check-cashing store and was registered as a money service business, with the ability to cash checks for customers and members of the general public. Ali was responsible for Gateway’s check cashing operations and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the store, approved transactions, and maintained control of the business’ bank accounts.
Between December 2010 through June 2012, Ali negotiated and cashed approximately 3,423 United States Treasury checks totaling approximately $16,600,000.00. The vast majority of the checks were addressed to individuals with out-of-state addresses. Most of the checks had been obtained through fraud, either because the checks were based on fraudulent federal tax returns or because the checks had been stolen.
According to the factual resume, Ali failed to require and/or retain copies of any identification documents applicable to the party cashing the Treasury checks or to the payees whose names were on the Treasury checks he accepted and cashed. In those very limited instances in which Ali purportedly required identification and retained a copy of such identification, Ali failed to take any steps to verify whether the identification document was false, fictitious, or counterfeit.
Ali was required to develop, implement, and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program reasonably designed to prevent being used to facilitate money laundering. The program was required to have written policies, procedures, and controls governing the verification of customer identification, the filing of reports as required by law, the creation and retention of records, and responses to law enforcement requests. Ali failed to follow these requirements and took no steps to prevent his store from being used to facilitate criminal activity and launder money.
The case was investigated by Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting the case.
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Mass. Resident Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Francisco Fernandez, a/k/a Joel Antonio Santana Arias, 43, of Lawrence, MA, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., today to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The cocaine was discovered inside Fernandez’s vehicle by a Rhode Island State Police trooper during a routine traffic stop in February 2017.
According to information presented to the court, on February 11, 2017, during a routine traffic stop of Fernandez’s vehicle on Interstate 95 in West Greenwich by a Rhode Island State Police trooper, it was determined that Fernandez did not have a valid driver’s license. As forms of identification, Fernandez provided a Dominican Republic passport and a vehicle registration under the name of Joel Antonio Santana Arias. A further check determined that the name Joel Antonio Santana Arias was an alias for Francisco Fernandez, and revealed an active arrest warrant out of Massachusetts for Fernandez.
Mr. Fernandez was taken into custody. During an inventory of Mr. Fernandez’s vehicle prior to being towed, nearly two kilograms of cocaine was discovered inside a backpack located on the front passenger floorboard.
Francisco Fernandez’s guilty plea is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England.
Ferandez, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on September 1, 2017.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee.
Luke Martin, Jr., Sentenced to 12.5 Years on Drug Charges in Connection with 2016 String of Robberies of Git-N-Go, Kum & Go, Hy-Vee, and U.S. BankRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA - On June 19, 2017, Luke Martin, Jr., age 57, heather Jean Reekrof Des Moines, Iowa, appeared before Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey and was sentenced 151 months in prison for drug charges related to a string of armed robberies in 2016 of Git-N-Go, Kum & Go, Hy-Vee, and U.S. Bank, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Martin pleaded guilty in January of 2017, to conspiracy to distribute hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Martin was sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Martin distributed hydromorphone to co-defendant Alexander Hamilton, who distributed it to Sarah Coe, Shelly Avery, and Chris Avery. Dilaudid use was a contributing factor to the commission of 17 robberies in March and April of 2016. Sentencings of co-defendants Alexander Hamilton, Sarah Coe, Shelly Avery, and Chris Avery are pending.
The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, Ames Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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Learn more about this release by calling Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300, or by emailing her at [email protected].
Keene Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Manufacturing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jesse Dennis, 32, of Keene, New Hampshire was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of materials to manufacture methamphetamine and attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 13, 2016, the defendant was pulled over after committing various traffic infractions in Keene, New Hampshire. The defendant consented to a search of his vehicle where officers found various implements and ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine. The defendant admitted that he had attempted to manufacture methamphetamine on various occasions. After executing a search warrant for his vehicle, officers uncovered materials that a New Hampshire State police forensic laboratory chemist determined are collectively consistent with methamphetamine manufacturing via the one-pot method. The chemist also determined that samples taken from the vehicle indicated the presence of methamphetamine.
Dennis, who previously pleaded guilty, will be on supervised release for three years after he serves his prison sentence.
“Methamphetamine poses a serious threat to our community,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “While this drug is dangerous to those who ingest it, it can be particularly hazardous when it is manufactured in vehicles or homes. This unsafe practice can lead to fires and explosions and creates a frightening hazard to innocent individuals in the area. I commend the law enforcement officers in this case whose quick actions prevented a potential tragedy.”
“This sentence reflects DEA’s strong commitment to bring to justice those that manufacture methamphetamine,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “DEA and its local, state and federal law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to keep this highly addictive drug off the streets of New Hampshire. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue anyone who manufactures this poison.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Houston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Following $1.2 Million Dollar Cash SeizureRead the Press Release
A drug trafficker was sentenced to over 12 years in prison in federal court on Friday, June 16, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce announced the sentence for the Southern District of Illinois. Defendant Rodney Bernoid Smith, 43, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 147 months in prison, five years of supervised release, a $700 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Smith’s sentence came after the Court determined that he was involved in distributing approximately 120 kilograms of cocaine from Texas into the Midwest.
Smith was charged in an indictment on February 18, 2016, alleging that he and seven co-defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine into the Southern District of Illinois. In addition to the drug crimes, the indictment sought forfeiture of $1,212,934 in U.S. currency seized on December 2 and 3, 2015, along with jewelry appraised at $72,000.
Court records established that Smith and seven co-defendants conspired to traffic cocaine in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Evidence showed that in November 2015, Smith and others traveled to the St. Louis area to deliver cocaine and transport cash. Part of this shipment included instructions to meet with a co-defendant to supply him with three kilograms of cocaine destined for O’Fallon, Illinois. On December 2, 2015, several individuals met in the parking lot at the Galleria Mall in St. Louis, Missouri, and delivered three kilograms of cocaine. Those kilograms were sold on a "front," or consignment-type arrangement, where the buyer was not required to make payment at the time of delivery. The recipient took the three kilograms back to O’Fallon where two of the kilograms were promptly redistributed to St. Louis and East St. Louis.
The next day, December 3, one of the buyers contacted the supplier to complain that the third kilogram was of poor quality. The buyers asked to exchange it for a replacement kilogram. The parties agreed to meet again at the Galleria Mall in St. Louis to obtain the replacement kilogram. Police interrupted the planned exchange in the parking lot and arrested each of the participants who were present. Police recovered a drug log that referenced customer and payment records for 19 kilograms of cocaine that sold for $32,500 per kilogram. A search of the vehicles revealed the replacement kilogram along with a number of hotel room key cards and rental car keys. Agents traced the keys to a hotel in St. Louis and ultimately discovered a black suitcase containing $508,330 in U.S. currency, two more kilograms of cocaine, and a small black stolen .38 caliber revolver. In the parking garage of the hotel, agents found the rental cars driven by the defendants, which contained $339,380 and $319,920 in cash hidden in the spare tires.
Smith is the second of the eight defendants in this case to be sentenced. Co-defendant Sammy Monroe was sentenced last week to 168 months in prison. The other six co-defendants in this case, Astin Allison, Nahum Shibeshi, Terrance Miles, Victor Johnson, Jamie Green, and Dan E. Bell, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Evidence in support of this prosecution was obtained in an investigation conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and Assistant United States Attorney Derek Wiseman.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national pleaded guilty on Friday, June 16, 2017, in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Elpi Diaz-Ramos, 27, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV, who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2017.
On Aug. 5, 2016, law enforcement encountered Diaz-Ramos in Boston and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States. Diaz-Ramos had previously been deported in December 2008, April 2009 and September 2010.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Diaz-Ramos will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. 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 and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges in New Mexico Arising Out of Ten Pound Meth SeizureRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE –Timothy Wayne McGahee, 22, of Flowery Branch, Ga., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
McGahee was arrested on Oct. 23, 2016, on a criminal complaint alleging that he possessed approximately 10.4 pounds of methamphetamine. According to the complaint, McGahee was arrested, after U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint west of Alamogordo, N.M., seized the methamphetamine from McGahee’s vehicle.
McGahee was indicted on March 22, 2017, and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 23, 2016, in Otero County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, McGahee pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Oct. 23, 2016, U.S. Border Patrol Agents located methamphetamine concealed in a cooler in the trunk of McGahee’s vehicle at the Border Patrol checkpoint on High 54 in Otero County. McGahee further admitted that he intended to deliver the methamphetamine to other individuals within the United States in exchange for money.
At sentencing, McGahee faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Las Cruces office of the DEA. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara Cobos of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
French Citizen Pleads Guilty to Being in the United States IllegallyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Philippe Maurice, 50, a citizen of France, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being an alien who was found in the United States after having been removed and deported.
Court documents reveal that on May 17, 2017, at approximately 3:55 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents found the defendant riding a bike on a dirt logging road in Portage, Maine. The defendant claimed he was a U.S. citizen. When an agent asked the defendant for proof of citizenship, he produced a French driver’s license. The defendant then acknowledged that he was a French citizen, that friends had dropped him off in Canada near the border, and that he entered the United States illegally by riding a bike through the closed St. Pamphile Port of Entry. Immigration records showed that the defendant had been removed from the United States in 2015.
The defendant faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol.
Former Rochester Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Frank Wilson, 56, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to assisting in the preparation of false tax returns before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Wilson operated a tax preparation business in Rochester that was affiliated with a tax return preparation business in Georgia. From February 2011 to April 2011, the defendant prepared at least 18 false tax returns claiming fraudulent total refunds of at least $90,508. Among other things, the false tax returns included inaccurate Schedule C income, in an attempt artificially to inflate the amount of the Earned Income Tax Credit claimed by Wilson’s clients.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of James D. Robnett, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 21, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
Former Orange County School Bus Driver Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to Seven Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MATTHEW HAMILL was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to seven years in prison in connection with his distribution and possession of child pornography. HAMILL pled guilty in January 2017 to one count of transportation of child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Matthew Hamill, a school bus driver entrusted with the safety of children, admitted that he possessed and distributed child pornography. Protecting children from predators is one of our most important missions, and that becomes all the more important when the defendant is someone in regular contact with children. Hamill, having admitted his crime of distributing child pornography, now has received a significant prison sentence.”
According to the Complaint and Information filed in White Plains federal court, as well as materials submitted in connection with the plea and sentencing proceedings:
From March 2012 to March 2014, HAMILL traded images and videos of child pornography via email. HAMILL continued to possess child pornography on his computer through August 2015, by which time he had become a school bus driver for the Minisink Valley Central School District in Orange County, New York. After HAMILL became aware of the federal investigation in this case, he attempted to delete evidence of the child pornography. However, a forensic examination of HAMILL’s computer, which was seized during the execution of a search warrant at HAMILL’s residence, recovered 493 child pornography images; and a review of HAMILL’s emails obtained by search warrant showed that HAMILL sent 94 emails attaching a total of 135 images and 14 videos of child pornography.
In addition to the prison sentence, HAMILL, 26, of Wurtsboro, New York, and Garner, North Carolina, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Judge Karas also ordered HAMILL to pay $15,000 in restitution to victims of his crime.
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Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Won S. Shin is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Mohegan Sun Vice President Sentenced to Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a former Mohegan Sun Vice President for Player Development was sentenced June 16, 2017 in federal court in Wilkes-Barre by Senior Judge A. Richard Caputo, to serve 32 months in prison on the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Robert Pellegrini, age 51, of Mountain Top, pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy in December 2016. According to the Indictment previously returned in this case, Pellegrini conspired with Rochelle Poszeluznyj, age 39, of Kingston, and Mark Heltzel, age 52, of Dallas, to defraud the Mohegan Sun Casino by engaging in a money laundering scheme involving the use of stolen names and PINs (personal identification numbers) that were tied to players’ loyalty club cards. It is alleged that while employed as a cocktail waitress at the casino, Poszeluznyj had access to the names and PINs of casino players as she served them beverages. Poszeluznyj stole the names and PINs of those players and provided them to Pellegrini, who then used the stolen information to create duplicate player club cards. Pellegrini then loaded the duplicate cards with “free play” credits and provided them to Heltzel to gamble with, primarily at poker slot machines. The scheme began in May 2014 and continued to April 2015, netting the defendants winnings in the approximate amount of $422,147.55.
Sentencing dates for Pellegrini’s co-defendants, Heltzel and Poszeluznyj, are pending.
In addition to the prison term, Senior Judge Caputo also ordered that Pellegrini be supervised by a probation officer for one year following his release from prison. He was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $420,147.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, 24, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Court records show that between about November 2015 and June 2016, the defendant and others used stolen credit and debit card numbers to purchase merchandise. In June 2016, as part of the conspiracy, the defendant and others traveled to Maine. On June 14, 2016, the defendant purchased over $400 worth of merchandise at a Portland Walgreens using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from New Gloucester, Maine. The next day, after the defendant made another fraudulent purchase using a different card number at another Portland Walgreens, store personnel notified the police and provided a license plate number.
On June 18, 2016, a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle in which the defendant and three other men were traveling. The stop led to their arrest and the discovery of merchandise, numerous fraudulent credit cards, and a laptop computer. The laptop computer was later found to contain credit card numbers and related data, including the stolen card number the defendant used to make the fraudulent purchase on June 14, 2016.
The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. He faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Federal Jury Convicts Five Members of the Young Melph Mafia GangRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that a federal jury has convicted LIONEL ALLEN, age 24, JAWAN FORTIA, age 24, DEDRICK KEELEN, age 23, DELWIN McLAREN, age 24 and BRYAN SCOTT, age 23, all of New Orleans, following an eight-day trial.
LIONEL ALLEN was convicted of 21 of 24 counts, specifically: Conspiracy to Violate RICO; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms; Murder in the Aid of Racketeering (three counts – murders of Vennie Smith, Deshawn Hartford and Travis Thomas); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (six counts); Use, Carrying, and Discharge of a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence or a Drug Trafficking Crime (eight counts). LIONEL ALLEN faces life in prison.
JAWAN FORTIA was convicted of four of five counts, specifically: Conspiracy to Violate RICO; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms; Murder in the Aid of Racketeering (murder of Vennie Smith); and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (one count). JAWAN FORTIA faces life in prison.
DEDRICK KEELEN was convicted of all eight charged counts, specifically: Conspiracy to Violate RICO; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms; Murder in the Aid of Racketeering (two counts - murder of Lawrence Burt and Vivian Snyder); Causing Death through the Use of a Firearm; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering; and Use, Carrying, and Discharge of a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence or a Drug Trafficking Crime. DEDRICK KEELEN faces life plus ten years in prison.
DELWIN McLAREN was convicted of two charged counts, specifically: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Possess Firearms. DELWIN McLAREN faces ten years to life in prison.
BRYAN SCOTT was convicted of two charged counts, specifically: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Possess Firearms. BRYAN SCOTT faces not less than 20 years to life in prison.
U.S. Chief District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt will set sentencing for later this year.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of the metro area’s Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MAG) in investigating this matter. As an integral component of NOLA FOR LIFE’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, the MAG Unit consists of a partnership with New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (DA), Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP), Parole Board of the Louisiana Department of Corrections, United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the United States Probation & Parole Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Rivera, Nolan Paige, and Nicholas Moses were in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Cape Cod Gang Leader and Associate of Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – On Friday, June 16, 2017, following a nine-day trial in federal court in Boston, a jury convicted Denzel Chisholm, a leader of the Nauti-Block gang in Hyannis, and Molly London of numerous federal drug charges.
Denzel Chisholm, 26, of West Yarmouth, and Molly London, 33, of Hyannis, were convicted of various drug charges related to their roles in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation on Cape Cod. Chisholm was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, nine counts of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, and conspiracy to distribute suboxone into MCI-Norfolk prison. London was convicted of aiding and abetting Chisholm and maintaining a residence for drug purposes. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2017.
On April 5, 2016, following a nearly eight-month long investigation, 13 members of the Cape Cod-based Nauti-Block gang were arrested on federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. Two subsequent superseding indictments brought the total number of defendants charged in the case to 19.
Chisholm distributed massive quantities of heroin throughout lower Cape Cod. He used other individuals to store and deliver the heroin, then sold it to numerous co-conspirators.
Molly London allowed Chisholm to store and distribute heroin from her home. During a search of her home, 77 grams of heroin were found in a Starbucks cup and a 55-pound package of mannitol (a heroin cutting agent) was found by her bed. Previously intercepted text messages and phone calls indicated that London made her home available to Chisholm just before Chisholm engaged in heroin transactions.
In addition to Chisholm and London, 16 co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to various drug distribution and conspiracy charges.
Chisholm and co-defendant Tyrone Gomes also face state charges for the 2015 murder of Christine Ferreira at a rest stop on Route 6 on Cape Cod.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of 10 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, eight years to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $8 million. The charges of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute provide for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, a minimum of six years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million. The charge of aiding and abetting the possession of heroin with the intent to distribute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of maintaining a premises for drug purposes provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000. 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; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen and Miranda Hooker of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Federal Inmate Sentenced for Assault with A Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Judge Malachy Mannion sentenced Johnny Biggs, age 38, on June 15, 2017 to 57 months’ imprisonment for assault with a dangerous weapon. Biggs committed the assault while serving a term of 36 months for a violation of supervised release and drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Bruce Brandler, Biggs attacked another inmate on August 26, 2016, with a weapon fashioned from a padlock tied to a sock. The victim suffered multiple lacerations to his head, face, and back. The fight stemmed from a dispute between the two inmates’ prison gangs, rival sects of the Aryan Brotherhood. Judge Mannion ordered the latest prison term to run consecutive to Biggs’s current sentence.
The investigation was conducted by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers at USP Canaan. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean A. Camoni.
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Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes for Prison ContrabandRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A former correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution at Aliceville pleaded guilty today to accepting $5,695 in bribes to smuggle contraband into the prison and lying about it to investigators, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton, and Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Bourbon.
ERIC C. PENDLETON, 54, of Montgomery, entered his guilty pleas before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala to accepting a bribe in return for violating his official duty as a federal correctional officer, and to making false statements to agents of the FBI and the DOJ-OIG. Pendleton is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 18.
As a federal correctional officer, Pendleton was a public official. He worked at the women’s prison from about January 2014 to August 2015. Beginning about September 2014, Pendleton worked as a federal materials handler supervisor in the prison commissary and laundry, overseeing inmates assigned to work in those facilities, according to the charges and Pendleton’s plea.
During that time, Pendleton reached an agreement with an inmate to bring requested items, including prohibited items such as cigarettes, into the prison in return for payment. Pendleton arranged for payment by providing inmates with prepaid credit card numbers and instructing them to have friends or family members load money onto the cards, according to the court documents. Pendleton also told inmates they could pay him by having friends or family send money orders to a Tuscaloosa County address. Pendleton owned the home at that address, but relatives lived there.
Pendleton deposited many of the money orders into his bank account, some bearing the name of the inmate for whom the payment was made in the “memo” line, according to court documents.
When agents interviewed Pendleton in September 2015, he falsely denied smuggling contraband into the prison or providing credit card numbers or an address to inmates so they could have payments sent to him.
The FBI and DOJ-OIG investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier O. Carter Sr. is prosecuting.
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Farmerville man pleads guilty to possessing a sawed-off shotgunRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Farmerville man pleaded guilty last week to possessing a sawed-off shotgun in his car.
Juama Tremel Palmer, 33, of Farmerville, La., pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes to one count of possession of an unregistered shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, a Farmerville police officer conducted a traffic stop on Palmer’s vehicle on October 9, 2016 after receiving information that he was distributing narcotics. While searching the vehicle, the officer found a 12 gauge sawed-off shotgun and a loaded .22 caliber revolver with an obliterated serial number in the car. Additionally, the officer found $1,090, a pair of digital scales and a blue pill bottle containing several pills in Palmer’s pockets. Also found in the car were 13 grams of suspected marijuana and 11 small baggies containing more than 3 grams of crack cocaine.
Shotguns with an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel less than 18 inches in length must be registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Anderson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, forfeiture of the seized items and a $10,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of September 27, 2017.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Farmerville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Paul Gillespie and Earl M. Campbell are prosecuting the case.
Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with selling a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Brian Segura, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for May 2018.
As part of larger gang-related conspiracy, Segura conspired with an 18th Street Gang member to deal firearms to a cooperating witness (CW). On May 5, 2016, Segura and the 18th Street Gang member met the CW in a Revere parking lot and sold the CW a semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Segura is the 12th defendant to plead guilty of the 66 alleged gang members/associates from the Greater Boston area who were charged in June 2016 with federal firearm and drug offenses. According to court documents, the defendants, who are leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Gang, were responsible for fueling a gun and drug pipeline across a number of cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, the gangs created alliances in order to traffic weapons and drugs, including cocaine, crack, and heroin supplied through a Brockton-based drug network. During the course of the investigation, over 70 firearms were seized.
The charges provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. 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; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Maura Healey, Attorney General of Massachusetts; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley, made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the assistance of the Suffolk and Middlesex County Sheriff Departments and the Malden, Revere and Everett Police Departments. Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Easton Man Sentenced to 1½ Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Zane Wetzel, 31, of Easton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Wetzel pleaded guilty on December 28, 2016.
According to court records, on about May 14, 2015, Wetzel possessed image and video files depicting child pornography. Some of these files, which he had purposely sought out and downloaded from the internet, depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.
At sentencing, Judge Woodcock said of the minors depicted: “these young girls from around the world, who have been subjected to this abuse, are somebody’s daughters.” The judge went on to tell the defendant that his offense “is a serious crime that merits a significant penalty.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
East Windsor Woman Sentenced to 30 Months for Committing Crimes after Sentencing for Prior OffenseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALIYAH THERESA JULIATE DAVIS, also known as Theresa Juliate Sutherland, 36, of East Windsor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing multiple federal offenses while awaiting incarceration after a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 17, 2014, DAVIS, who was then known as Theresa Sutherland, was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for engaging in a fraud and identity theft scheme at an insurance company where she was employed. As part of her sentence, DAVIS was ordered to pay total restitution of $400,000 to the victim insurance company and three previous employers that she defrauded.
Beginning in January 2015, DAVIS, through her attorney, made five separate motions to postpone her prison report date based on her claims of a diagnosis of terminal cancer and heart conditions. In association with her court motions, DAVIS submitted letters from various medical professionals detailing her claimed medical conditions. DAVIS created the letters and forged the medical professionals’ signatures. DAVIS’s prison report dates were continued based on these fraudulent submissions.
In March 2015, DAVIS changed her name from Theresa Juliate Sutherland to ALIYAH THERESA JULIATE DAVIS. DAVIS subsequently received a new Social Security number and Connecticut driver’s license under her new identity.
On April 19, 2016, DAVIS submitted an application for a U.S. passport at the U.S. Postal Service facility on Weston Street in Hartford. On the application where it states “Have you ever applied for or been issued a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card?” DAVIS marked an “X” in the “No” box. In 2007, DAVIS applied for and received a U.S. passport when she was known as Theresa Juliate Sutherland.
At various times between December 2014 and September 2016, DAVIS was employed at a local insurance company and local hospitals. From May 28, 2016 to September 10, 2016, while she was employed at an insurance company and then a hospital under her new identity, DAVIS received $9,808 in unemployment compensation from the State of Connecticut under her previous identity.
On December 12, 2016, DAVIS pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of knowingly making a false statement on a passport application, one count of making a false statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Judge Arterton ordered DAVIS to begin serving her sentence after she completes her previous 51-month sentence.
DAVIS has been detained since September 17, 2016.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, Connecticut Department of Labor and East Windsor Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Drug Courier Sentenced After Arrest in Kansas with 117 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A drug courier from California who was stopped on the highway with 117 pounds of cocaine was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Marco Antonio Aispuro, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was arrested Oct. 21, 2016, after the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped him on eastbound I-70 in Wabaunsee County. A search of his vehicle turned up 117 pounds of cocaine hidden in a rear quarter panel and a spare tire.
Beall commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Highway Patrol and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs for their work on the case.
Detroit heroin dealer sentenced to federal prison for drug crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit drug dealer was sentenced today to a year and nine months in federal prison for a heroin crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Romeo Devon Marbury, 29, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
Marbury admitted that on February 4, 2016, members of the DEA Task Force used a confidential informant to make a controlled acquisition of a free sample of approximately five grams of heroin near the Family Dollar on 5th Avenue in Huntington. Marbury additionally admitted that he provided the free sample of drugs to secure future sales. Marbury further admitted that he participated in additional sales of heroin to the confidential informant on February 24, March 3, and March 16, 2016, either by personally distributing the heroin or arranging for another individual to distribute the heroin.
The DEA Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is in charge of the prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Detroit felon pleads guilty to federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today a federal gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Deandre Lamar Harris, 31, entered his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On January 18, 2014, members of the West Virginia State Police conducted a search at 345 Sixth Avenue in Huntington, a residence used by Harris. The search was conducted after law enforcement received information that a stolen firearm been taken there to pay a drug debt to another individual. Law enforcement located Harris in the residence, along with two other individuals, one of whom was alleged to have received the firearm. At the time of the search, Harris was in possession of several rounds of .25 caliber ammunition. Harris was prohibited from possessing ammunition under federal law because of felony convictions in 2007 in Cabell County Circuit Court for malicious wounding and for attempt to commit a felony.
Harris faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on October 2, 2017.
The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Northern District of Iowa ProsecutorRead the Press Release
Anthony Morfitt, Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Iowa, was one of 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 33rd Director’s Awards Ceremony on Friday, June 16, 2017, in Washington D.C.
The Northern District of Iowa was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees, “These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice . . . . Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved, and whose trust you have rewarded.”
Morfitt was recognized for his outstanding efforts in the prosecution of violent crime in Indian Country. In the past several years, Morfitt successfully prosecuted two cases arising out of three murders that happened within six weeks of each other in a tribal community of less than 2000 people. Morfitt ably and sensitively handled the presentation of medical and cultural evidence to rebut an insanity defense at the trial of one of those cases. Morfitt’s work has significantly increased the safety of the tribal community.
“Through his outstanding work, Assistant United States Attorney Morfitt helped secure justice following three tragic murders,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean Berry. “I am happy that Tony’s excellent work has been recognized through this well-deserved and prestigious award.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
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Department of Justice awards Lafayette assistant U.S. attorneys for work on Williamson bribery caseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C., – Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Robert C. Abendroth of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Louisiana were two of 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Director Monty Wilkinson at the 33rd Director’s Awards Ceremony last week in Washington, D.C.
The Western District of Louisiana was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony, which was held Friday in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
“These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice. Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues,” Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees in prepared remarks. “But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved and whose trust you have rewarded.”
“I want to congratulate Luke and Robert for their efforts in ending an illegal pay-for-plea program that circumvented, undermined and damaged the justice system in Lafayette Parish,” Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook stated. “It took years of work, collaboration with many agencies and great effort to bring this case to a conclusion.”
Walker and Abendroth were recognized for their prosecution of U.S. v. Robert Williams et al. Their efforts led to the conviction of six defendants who devised a scheme to enrich themselves by administering a court authorized Operating While Intoxicated program from March 2008 to February 2012 through the Lafayette District Attorney’s Office. In return for a fee, fake documentation would be submitted to the court showing they had completed the required programs when they had not. The fees would then be paid as kickbacks to those participating in the conspiracy. Local private investigator Robert Williamson, three Lafayette District Attorney’s Office employees and two community services program employees were convicted in the case.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 54 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Gilberto Gomez, 37, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey to 652 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Gomez was convicted in March 2017, following a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey, on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Gomez has been in custody since his arrest in March 2016.
Co-conspirator Felix Cantu, 30, pled guilty in March 2017 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sentencing is set for July 24, 2017.
“Prosecuting armed drug traffickers, like Gilberto Gomez, will continue to be a top priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Parker.
The government presented evidence at trial that beginning in November 17, 2015 until March 1, 2016 Gomez and Cantu operated a drug distribution enterprise from Gomez’s residence on Palacios Avenue in West Dallas. After a four-month long investigation, DEA and the Dallas Police Department executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered more than $37,000 in cash and over $40,000 worth of narcotics. To protect his drugs, Gomez installed three-inch steel coverings for the windows and a coded-entry metal gate in the hallway leading to the master bedroom. Gomez travelled to California every two weeks to purchase marijuana. He concealed the newly purchased marijuana in hidden compartments of vehicles and shipped them back to Texas on open-air tractor-trailers. In an effort to keep drugs off the streets in that neighborhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is seeking an order to forfeit the house since it was used for the criminal activity.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Dallas Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachael Jones and P.J. Meitl prosecuted.
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Convicted Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Andre T. Dupree, 26, of Warren, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Providence to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dupree was arrested by Newport Police in March 2017, after loaded semi-automatic firearm was seized from him during a routine motor vehicle traffic stop.
Dupree’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva.
According to information presented to the court, on March 24, 2017, a Newport police officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. Dupree was a front seat passenger in the vehicle. At the time of the traffic stop, Dupree was in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a bag containing 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
According to Rhode Island state court records, Andre Dupree was convicted in 2012 on two counts of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 4 months incarceration to be followed by 5 years and 8 months probation.
Dupree, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on August 31, 2017 .
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in the preparation of this matter for prosecution.
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Columbia Gang Member Sentenced on Federal Firearm and Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Aaryon Brian Dowdy, a/k/a “Trouble,” age 27, of Columbia, South Carolina was sentenced today after earlier pleading guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a), and 924(e). Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Dowdy to 75 months imprisonment with 3 years of federal supervised release to follow.
Evidence presented at the earlier change of plea hearing established that on January 3, 2014, Dowdy and another individual were involved in an altercation inside a convenience store on Farrow Road in Columbia. Evidence showed that during the altercation, Dowdy pulled a handgun and shot the other individual in the face. Dowdy then fled the scene. The incident was captured on videotape. The Columbia Police Department issued state warrants of attempted murder and possession of a firearm during a violent crime (those state charges remain pending and Mr. Dowdy is innocent until proven guilty).
Dowdy was apprehended in Orangeburg on January 14, 2014. At the time of his state arrest on January 14, 2014, Dowdy had a loaded .357 caliber handgun in his possession. The investigation revealed that the handgun was the same handgun used in the January 3, 2014, incident. Dowdy is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his prior state convictions for burglary 2nd degree (2 separate offenses) and attempted burglary 2nd degree.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Columbia Police Department, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
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Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Raul Guadalupe Monjardin-Iribe was sentenced today to 175 months (14 years, 7 months) in prison for his part in a conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Court Judge, following a guilty plea entered in December of last year.
Raul Monjardin-Iribe, 36, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on December 20, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The defendant entered a guilty plea without a written agreement. In pleading guilty, he admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine in the Northern District of California between January 2015 and September 2015. He further admitted that, on or about May 23, 2015, he distributed one kilogram of cocaine to a co-conspirator. Monjardin-Iribe, who was living in the San Jose area at the time of the offense, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 8, 2015. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A)(viii); and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Monjardin-Iribe pleaded guilty to both counts in the indictment.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila sentenced Monjardin-Iribe to a 5-year period of supervised release. The defendant has been in custody since his arrest on September 19, 2015, and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chinhayi Cadet is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney. This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Charleston felon sentenced to federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman was sentenced today to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay a fine of $2,500 for a gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Tiffany Shaffer, 28, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Shaffer admitted that on January 9, 2017, she sold crystal methamphetamine at her residence to a confidential informant working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Shaffer also admitted that during the controlled buy, she displayed a North American Arms .22 magnum pistol to the confidential informant. On January 16, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Shaffer’s house. During the search, officers found two additional firearms that had been in Shaffer’s possession. Shaffer was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2012 conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is responsible for the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime. This case is also being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Buffalo Business Owner Indicted on Tax Fraud Charges and for Harboring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 15 count indictment charging Todd Cameron, 46, of East Amherst, NY, with filing false tax returns and transporting and harboring illegal aliens. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trini E. Ross and Stephanie Lamarque, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between June 2012 and December 2015, Cameron operated the Buffalo Remodeling & Construction Co. of W.N.Y. and Buffalo Roofing Co. For the tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015, the defendant failed accurately to report income generated from his businesses to the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition, between July 2015 and December 2015, Cameron is accused of transporting and harboring six illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain. According to a previously filed complaint, the defendant paid for the illegal aliens to be transported from the State of Maryland here to the Western District of New York to work for his roofing business. Cameron then paid to house the illegal aliens, first at a local hotel and then in a house owned by a business of the defendant.
The defendant was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and released on bond.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of James D. Robnett, Special Agent- in-Charge, and Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero.The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Brighton Heights Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Brighton Heights resident has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 151 months to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on his conviction of Bank Robbery, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Boe Keenan, 34.
According to the information presented to the court, after an investigation, Keenan was arrested for robbing First National Bank in Wexford on June 30, 2015. The loss to the bank was $1,725.00.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Regional Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Keenan.
Bradford County Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Transporting 47 Stolen Firearms and Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Jared S. Miller, age 28, of Sayre, Pennsylvania, to 84 months of imprisonment, after he pleaded guilty to transporting 47 stolen firearms and to conspiring to distribute heroin.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Miller admitted to conspiring with Aaron Vanderpool to transport 47 firearms from Pennsylvania to New York, after Vanderpool burglarized Fulmer’s Sporting Goods, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Wysox, Pennsylvania, on May 24, 2015. Miller admitted that he and Vanderpool traded the firearms in New York for heroin and cash, and distributed the heroin in Pennsylvania. Only three of the 48 total firearms stolen from Fulmer’s Sporting Goods have been recovered by law enforcement.
Miller also admitted to trafficking heroin in Pennsylvania from June 2012 through June 2015. In his plea agreement, he stipulated to trafficking between 400 and 700 grams of heroin, which is the equivalent of 16,000 to 28,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin.
As part of his sentence, Miller was ordered to pay $27,383.75 to the victims of his crimes.
Miller’s co-conspirator, Vanderpool, previously was sentenced to 77 months of incarceration for his role in the offenses. Two other individuals have been charged in relation to the Fulmer’s Sporting Goods burglary. Luis Mercado was charged in April 2017 and has entered a plea agreement to firearms and heroin trafficking offenses. Jose Espinosa was charged in April 2017 with firearms and heroin trafficking offenses, and awaits arraignment.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and by the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
This case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Bernard J. Mendoza Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant BERNARD J. MENDOZA, age 33, from Yigo, was sentenced today in District Court to a 37-month term of imprisonment for attempted possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment, in addition to a mandatory $100 assessment fee. Federal law provides that defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On September 19, 2016, MENDOZA entered a guilty plea to an Indictment that charged Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The investigation revealed that MENDOZA had over 56 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of marijuana shipped by FedEx to his place of employment in Guam from the state of Colorado. Forensic examination revealed that the methamphetamine was 98% pure.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta San Nicolas, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Ardmore Man Convicted of Child Sex Trafficking for Role as CustomerRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – CURTIS ALLEN ANTHONY, 50, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was convicted today by a federal jury on one count of child sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking based on his role as a customer who used two children for commercial sex in October 2014, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. After the jury announced its verdict, Anthony was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending his sentencing.
In January 2016, a federal grand jury charged Anthony in a superseding indictment with child sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking. Anthony was charged for his role as a customer who obtained juvenile females for commercial sex in October 2014.
Today, after hearing three days of trial evidence, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Anthony on both counts. The jury heard that in October 2014, two juvenile females and an adult female were under the control of two adult male pimps, Maurice Johnson and Hiram Mitchell. The jury also heard that Tonya Gum, known as Carmen, operated at least twenty phone numbers listed in the escort section of the Oklahoma City Yellow Pages. The trial evidence showed that the pimps would drive the girls to the appointments, where sex acts would occur. The pimps and Gum split the money.
The jury heard that on October 24, 2014, Anthony called one of Gum’s phone lines and scheduled an appointment at an industrial building he owned in Edmond, Oklahoma. The evidence showed that the pimps delivered a 14-year-old victim to that building and left her alone with Anthony. When he could not locate his wallet to pay her, Anthony drove her to a convenience store to use an ATM but still could not get money, so the pimp drove away with the victim and a 15-year-old victim. The jury heard that Anthony then called one of the girls back directly, told her he found his money, and asked them to return. The jury heard that both victims went into Anthony’s building, where Anthony paid them to take off their clothes and have sex.
In December 2015, a defendant charged in the same original indictment, Russell D. Ehrens, was acquitted at trial of child sex trafficking. After that acquittal, the U.S. Attorney’s Office took Anthony’s case to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that mistake of age is no defense to child sex trafficking when the defendant is alleged to have encountered a child victim personally, as Anthony is alleged to have done. Based on that law, the jury was required to determine whether Anthony had a reasonable opportunity to observe the juvenile victims, not whether he knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that they were under the age of 18.
Maurice Johnson and Hiram Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking. Tonya Gum and Trung N. Duong, a customer co-defendant of Anthony, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking. Mitchell is currently serving a prison term of ten years. Johnson, Gum, and Duong await sentencing.
At sentencing, Anthony faces up to life imprisonment, including a mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine, in addition to paying restitution to the victims. His sentencing will be set by the court at a future date.
These convictions are the result of an investigation conducted by United States Department of Homeland Security and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys McKenzie Anderson and David Petermann.
Appointments of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein today announced that Robert K. Hur will serve as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and James A. Crowell IV will be the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General.
“Robert Hur and James Crowell have served with distinction in a variety of roles in the Department of Justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “Their experience and judgment will advance our efforts to deter crime, promote the rule of law, and ensure equal justice for everyone.”
ROBERT K. HUR
Hur previously was a law firm partner in Washington, D.C., where he represented clients in criminal and regulatory enforcement actions before the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and other federal agencies, as well as related civil litigation. Hur also served as Hiring Partner for the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. From 2003 to 2005, he served at Main Justice as Special Assistant and later Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division, where he handled counterterrorism, corporate fraud, and appellate matters.
Hur also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland from 2007 to 2014, where he prosecuted complex financial and regulatory offenses, including financial institutions fraud, criminal violations of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, mortgage fraud, tax offenses, and public corruption as well as intellectual property-related matters involving electronic surveillance, computer network intrusions, and theft of intellectual property. Hur received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for superior performance and excellence as a lawyer.
Hur began his legal career as a law clerk for the late William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States, and Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Hur received his A.B. from Harvard College and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.
JAMES A. CROWELL IV
Before joining the Deputy Attorney General's office, Crowell was the Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, where he oversaw the work of over 85 Assistant U.S. Attorneys involved in criminal prosecutions, including national security, violent crime, fraud and corruption, cybercrime, narcotics, asset forfeiture, and money laundering, as well as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, Project Safe Child, Project Safe Neighborhoods, and related anti-crime programs. Crowell also served as the Chief of the Southern Division. Crowell has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland since 2007, when he began as an Assistant United States Attorney.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, from 2003 to 2007, Crowell was a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, the office that oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the prosecution of officials and employees at all levels of government. Crowell is the recipient of numerous law enforcement awards, including all three of the Department of Defense’s highest civilian awards, recognizing his effort to combat contract fraud and corruption involving military contracts. For his prosecution of public corruption cases, Crowell received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for superior performance and excellence as a lawyer.
Crowell began his career with the Department through the Attorney General’s Honors program as a Trial Attorney in the Antitrust Division’s Criminal Section in 2001, following his clerkship with Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Crowell received his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Crowell has also served in the United States Army Reserve since 1994.
Andover Nanny Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $100,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Andover woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to stealing more than $100,000 from her employer.
Stacy Fortunato, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2017.
While employed as a nanny from November 2014 to February 2016, Fortunato’s employer provided her with a credit card to make purchases solely related to her work duties. Instead, Fortunato made unauthorized charges and cash withdrawals using the credit card on more than 800 occasions, totaling approximately $120,626. To conceal what she had done, Fortunato made unauthorized electronic payments from her employer’s bank account to her employer’s credit card account. Fortunato also wrote checks for her own personal benefit on her employer’s bank account, forging her employer’s signature to the checks before cashing them. In total, Fortunato defrauded her employer of about $134,000.
The bank fraud statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The wire fraud statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Kenneth Webb, 50, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an aggravated identity theft charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Webb and his codefendants Amelia Cordova, 34, and Bridget Jessica Sanchez, 35, both of Albuquerque were charged in a five-count indictment filed on Oct. 25, 2016, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and receipt of stolen mail. The indictment was superseded on April 26, 2017, and charged the three defendants with participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud from Jan. 2015 through Feb. 2016. The superseding indictment also charged each of the three defendants with committing aggravated identity theft on the following dates: Cordova on Feb. 13, 2016; Sanchez on Jan. 19, 2015; and Webb on June 2, 2015. It also charged Cordova and Sanchez with theft or receipt of stolen mail on July 20, 2015. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Webb pled guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge and admitted that he conspired with his codefendants to defraud financial institutions, including First Financial Credit Union, Kirtland Federal Credit Union, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, Bank of America and Bank of the West. He also admitted that in furtherance of that conspiracy, they possessed mail and other information, including bank account, debit card and credit card numbers belonging to others, that had been stolen from a post office, mail receptacle, or mail carrier. In entering the guilty plea, Webb further admitted that between June 2, 2015 and June 19, 2015, he possessed and used bank account information of other individuals. Webb also admitted that on July 20, 2015, he possessed counterfeit checks, counterfeit New Mexico state identification cards and other identification that belonged to other individuals.
On June 15, 2017, Cordova and Sanchez each pled guilty to similar charges. In their plea agreements, Cordova and Sanchez admitted to participating in the conspiracy along with Webb to defraud financial institutions, and using numbers for bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards found in stolen mail to make purchases, and forging signatures of others in making those purchases. Cordova and Sanchez also admitted using bank account numbers and bank routing numbers contained in stolen mail to make counterfeit personal checks, which they used to make purchases.
In entering her guilty plea, Cordova admitted that between Feb. 13 and 21, 2016, she used credit card number information from two different people to commit bank fraud.
In entering her guilty plea, Sanchez admitted that on Jan. 19, 2015 and between June 15 and 24, 2015, she used bank account information belonging to another person to commit bank fraud. Sanchez also admitted using credit card number information of another person on Feb. 10, 20, and 21, 2016.
At sentencing, Webb, Cordova and Sanchez each face a mandatory penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 each. Cordova and Sanchez are currently scheduled for sentencing hearings on Sept. 13, 2017. A sentencing hearing for Webb has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated the U.S. Postal Service and the Albuquerque Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe.
Abilene Men Receive Hefty Federal Prison Sentences for Sexual Exploiting a 12-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
ABILENE, Texas — Two Abilene, Texas, men, who each pleaded guilty in February 2017 to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, were sentenced today to hefty federal prison sentences, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Terrell Orlando Kinchen, 20, and Troy Lee Applin, Jr., 23, were both sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 240 months each in federal prison.
“What these men did to this 12-year old girl is shocking and despicable,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “The total depravity displayed by these defendants justifies these sentences.”
According to plea documents filed in the case, between January 1, 2016, and July 7, 2016, Kinchen knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced, a 12-year-old female, Jane Doe 1, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Kinchen did so for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct to mail, ship, or transport to others.
Kinchen and Applin met at Kinchen’s apartment. After arriving at the apartment, Applin used an Apple iPhone, to produce a video of “Jane Doe 1” engaging in sexual explicit conduct with Kinchen. Applin also used the cellular telephone to make a video recording of “Jane Doe 1” engaging in sexual explicit conduct with him in the bathroom of the apartment. After the videos were recorded, they were transmitted over the internet by Snapchat and Facebook. “Jane Doe 1” was twelve years of age at the time.
The cases were 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 U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Abilene Police Department and Traffick911 investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden was in charge of the prosecutions.
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17 June 2017
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Alexander Kudla (“Kudla”) was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard G. Andrews to a three-year term of probation after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud for his theft of over $22,000 from a disabled veteran.
Accordingly to publicly filed documents and statements made in court, Kudla, age 40, of Millville, New Jersey, was previously a licensed practical nurse at the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center (“VAMC”). A VAMC patient requested help withdrawing funds from an ATM due to the patient’s physical limitations. Kudla abused his position at the VAMC as well as the trust of the victim by withdrawing funds from the victim’s bank account for Kudla’s personal use on over 40 occasions between February 2015 and July 2015. As part of his sentence, the District Court ordered Kudla to pay full restitution of $22,320 to the victim, with $4,000 due immediately.
Kudla is no longer employed with the VAMC or with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “We take allegations of employee misconduct very seriously, especially when those allegations are related to the welfare of our Veterans. We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case and we will continue to be vigilant, ensuring Veterans receive care and treatment in a safe and caring environment,” said Vince Kane, director of the Wilmington VA Medical Center.
“It is particularly painful when an employee entrusted by VA to care for veterans abuses that trust for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. “It's why VA OIG pursues cases like this, so veterans can feel safe in all aspects of their care.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “I want to thank the Veterans Affairs Police Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General for their efforts throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case. The act of secretly withdrawing his patient’s funds for Defendant’s own personal use is completely at odds with the important position with which he was entrusted. Such crimes will be investigated by our partner agencies and prosecuted by our office.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Veterans Affairs Police Service. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Whitney Cloud.
16 June 2017
“Real Time”: Spartanburg Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Fred Deshawn Edwards, age 22, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison today by United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks. Edwards previously entered a guilty plea in federal court on February 6, 2017, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on November 1, 2016, during a search of his residence by law enforcement, officers recovered four firearms and ammunition. Due to his prior criminal history and record, Edwards is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Edwards was arrested federally as a part of “Operation Real-Time.” The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to possess firearms in the Upstate community.
In addition to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Real Time’s core partners include the Greenville Police Department, the Anderson Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, United States Probation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of some 115 defendants and seizure of over 130 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons.
U.S. Attorney Drake commended the partnership between the state and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case. “We work best when we work together. This ‘real time’ identification of high risk offenders is smart policing, and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs and sheriffs in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.”
The Spartanburg Police Department, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Webster Men Sentenced for Taking, Killing, and Possessing Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that two Webster, South Dakota, men charged with Taking, Killing, and Possessing Migratory Birds pled guilty to and were sentenced on May 31, 2017, by William D. Gerdes, U.S. Magistrate Judge.
Brant Nelson, age 66 and Kirk Nelson, age 63, were sentenced to 36 months of probation, $10,850.00 joint and several restitution, $500 fine, and the loss of hunting privileges for 3 years.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place in the spring of 2016, when the Nelsons shot and killed over 200 pelicans and double-crested cormorants. Both species are migratory birds that are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and cannot be lawfully hunted or killed under any circumstances. The Nelsons shot the birds from their property that borders a small lake in Day County.
The investigation was conducted by the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Clapper.
Virginia Resident Sentenced in West Palm Beach to Nine Years in Prison for Defrauding His Employer and the United States GovernmentRead the Press Release
Brian Charles Tolley, 32, of Bedford, Virginia, was sentenced today to 9 years in prison, after having been previously convicted at trial in West Palm Beach, Florida of wire fraud, identity theft, aggravated identity theft, possession of counterfeit government seals with the intent to defraud, money laundering, making and subscribing false federal income tax returns, and failing to file federal income tax returns.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office; Brian A. Hauck, Special Agent-in-Charge, North Central Fraud Field Office, United States Army Criminal Investigation Command; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Wendell W. Palmer, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Procurement Fraud Detachment Southeast, made the announcement.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced Tolley to 108 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered the defendant to pay $2,344,439 in restitution. In addition, Tolley was ordered to forfeit real estate in Bedford, Virginia, a 2011 Buick Enclave, and a 2011 Lincoln Navigator.
According to the evidence presented at trial, the forfeiture hearing, and sentencing, Tolley was employed by PartsBase, Inc., which is located in Boca Raton, Florida, as Vice President from 2001 through 2001, as Chief Information Officer from 2001 through January 2014, and President from 2010 until January 2014. Between June 2007 and September 2013, Tolley submitted to PartsBase forged documentation from various branches of the U.S. military and other government agencies. These documents purported to acknowledge Tolley’s orders of procurement data on PartsBase’s behalf, and purported to be signed by real federal employees. Tolley then requested reimbursement from PartsBase for charges he had purportedly incurred from the government agencies. In total, PartsBase paid Tolley approximately $1.7 million in reimbursements based on this fraudulent scheme. Tolley used the money he procured from the fraudulent scheme to purchase the 2011 Buick Enclave, the 2011 Lincoln Navigator, the real estate in Bedford, Virginia and other items. In addition, Tolley failed to report the proceeds of his fraud scheme as income on the federal income tax returns he filed for tax years 2007 through 2011. Tolley failed to file returns for tax years 2012 or 2013.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DCIS, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command Major Procurement Fraud Unit, IRS-CI, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Procurement Fraud Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Osborne and Mark Dispoto.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Van Nuys Man Named in Federal Fraud Indictment Alleging $7 Million Foreclosure-Delay Scam Targeting Struggling HomeownersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The alleged mastermind of a foreclosure-avoidance scam that targeted distressed homeowners has been arrested on federal charges that he orchestrated a bankruptcy fraud scheme that brought in more than $7 million from victims.
Michael “Mickey” Henschel, 68, of Van Nuys, was arrested Wednesday morning by federal agents with the FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG). Henschel was arrested pursuant to an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on June 8.
During a court hearing this afternoon, Henschel was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment unsealed after his arrest, Henschel owned a Van Nuys-based company he operated under several names, including Valueline. Henschel and several co-conspirators marketed illegal foreclosure- and eviction-delay services to homeowners who had defaulted on their mortgages and renters who were facing eviction. As part of the scheme, Henschel and the others allegedly convinced homeowners to sign fake grant deeds that purported to show the homeowners had conveyed an interest in their properties to fictional third parties.
Henschel and his co-conspirators allegedly filed bankruptcies in the names of fictional persons and entities to trigger the automatic stay provision of the Bankruptcy Code, which meant that foreclosure sales were stalled.
Henschel allegedly delayed evictions in a similar way, filing fraudulent documents in state eviction actions and sending similar documents to sheriff’s offices.
Henschel allegedly charged some homeowners large fees before agreeing to clear title to their properties, in addition to the monthly fees paid for the illegal services. During the course of the scheme, from October 2010 through July 2013, Henschel and his co-conspirators collected more than $7 million, according to the indictment.
The indictment charges Henschel with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of bankruptcy fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
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.
Following his arrest on Wednesday, Henschel was arraigned on the indictment. He entered a not guilty plea, and a trial was scheduled for August 8.
If he is convicted of the charges in the indictment, Henschel would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the conspiracy bankruptcy fraud counts. The two wire fraud counts carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years.
The case against Henschel is the result of an investigation by the FBI and FHFA-OIG, which received assistance from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Trustee’s Office for the Central District of California.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section.
U.S. Attorney Invited to Attend National Summit on Crime Reduction and Public SafetyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — The U.S. Department of Justice will hold the National Summit on Crime Reduction and Public Safety on June 20-21, 2017 in Bethesda, Maryland. The Summit will gather representatives from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, victim and community advocacy groups, and academia to discuss how to best support and replicate successful local violent crime reduction efforts. Speakers will include Vice President of the United States Michael Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
U.S. Attorney John Parker, Grand Prairie Police Chief Steve Dye, and Dallas Police Assistant Chief Paul Stokes will participate in discussions on a variety of topics related to violent crime reduction efforts.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to listen to our local law enforcement partners and explore how we in the federal sector can further enhance our existing collaboration to reduce crime,” said U.S. Attorney Parker.
In February, the Attorney General established the Department’s Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. This internal working group is identifying ways that the federal government can best support crime reduction work across the country.
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Two Assistant U.S. Attorneys Receive Director’s AwardsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051WASHINGTON – Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Joseph M. Tripi and Michael S. Cerrone of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York were two of 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 33rd Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
AUSA Tripi, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Organized Crime Section, was honored for leading a Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force comprised of federal, state, and local agencies to combat gang violence in Buffalo, NY, and its suburbs. During an investigation and prosecution that lasted six years, several RICO conspiracy/murder indictments were returned against 47 members and associates of the 10th Street Gang and 20 members and associates of the rival 7th Street Gang. All 67 charged gang members were convicted by plea or trial. These prosecutions solved 10 gang-related murders, dozens of additional shootings, and led to complete dismantling of the 10th and 7th Street gangs. AUSA Tripi also led an investigation that resulted in return of a RICO Conspiracy indictment charging and convicting four members of the Bloods Gang with kidnappings and robberies of rival drug dealers, and another RICO conspiracy/murder indictment charging 16 members of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club gang with acts of violence including murder.
AUSA Cerrone was honored for his outstanding work representing the Federal Government in civil litigation. In the last year, because of AUSA Cerrone’s aggressive and persuasive research and writing skills, he received nine favorable decisions from the District Court granting dispositive motions in FOIA, employment discrimination, and Bivens matters, and two favorable decisions from the Second Circuit in medical malpractice and Bivens matters. In addition, because of AUSA Cerrone’s aggressive and creative litigation skills, he settled four cases on very favorable terms in tort, medical, malpractice, employment discrimination, and ACE matters.
“The Western District of New York is fortunate and privileged to have more than 50 dedicated and outstanding Assistant United States Attorneys working on behalf of the American people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “Joseph Tripi and Michael Cerrone exemplify the commitment to excellence deeply rooted in this Office. Both Mr. Tripi and Mr. Cerrone are richly deserving of these honors and I know that each of them also recognize that a victory for one is a victory for our entire office. As the saying goes—‘the strength of the team is each individual member, and the strength of each member is the team.’”
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein stated, “These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice. Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved, and whose trust you have rewarded. ”
The Western District of New York was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony, which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
Twenty-Three Alleged Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal indictment was unsealed today charging 23 alleged members and associates of the Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG), including some of its most senior leaders, in a conspiracy involving racketeering, murder, robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault, among other charges.
While the indictment was returned by a grand jury in Las Vegas, earlier today, federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested individuals in Hawaii and across Southern California and Nevada, including in the Las Vegas metro area and in Reno.
Acting Assistant Attorney Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre of the District of Nevada; Acting Executive Associate Director Derek N. Benner for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); Special Agent in Charge Jill A. Snyder of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) San Francisco Field Division; Sheriff Joseph Lombardo for Clark County, Nevada; and District Attorney Christopher Hicks for Washoe County, Nevada, made the announcement.
“Today, the rule of law dealt a serious blow to the Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, a so-called ‘brotherhood’ responsible for drug addiction, death and mayhem in multiple locations, including California, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon and Nevada,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “Today’s coordinated takedown of this biker organization’s leadership is a victory for all of us who respect and love our country, and a testament to the bravery and dedication of federal, state and local law enforcement men and women who to keep our communities safe.”
“Today’s indictment charges members and associates of a violent outlaw motorcycle gang with committing racketeering, murder, robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and other violent crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Myhre. “These charges are the result of the outstanding work of multiple state, local and federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in our joint effort to combat crime and to address the dangerous threats facing our communities today.”
“These arrests and indictments are the culmination of a far-reaching, meticulous, long-term probe involving HSI and multiple other law enforcement agencies aimed at dealing a crippling blow to one of this country’s most ruthless and violent criminal gangs,” said Acting Executive Associate Director Benner. “Members of this organization wrongly believed themselves to be above the law and immune from justice, but as today’s enforcement actions make abundantly clear, they should not have underestimated our collective resolve.”
“The Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang is a criminal organization which engages in acts of violence. Those acts, which included kidnapping and murder, threaten the safety of the communities in which the Vagos operate,” said Special Agent in Charge Snyder. “At ATF, our mission is to reduce violent crime within our communities and as a result of today’s arrests our neighborhoods are a safer place.”
“My department remains steadfast in its commitment to work in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle violent crime and gang activities in Clark County, Nevada,” said Sheriff Lombardo. “This RICO indictment represents a critical step toward dismantling this violent organization and clearly signals that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and our law enforcement partners have an unwavering commitment to hold those individuals accountable who insist on creating an atmosphere of violence and fear in our communities.”
The 12-count superseding indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to participate in the affairs of the Vagos OMG, a transnational gang with approximately 87 or more chapters in at least seven countries, on four continents, and approximately 75 chapters in the U.S., including approximately 54 chapters in Nevada and California. The indictment alleges that the Vagos OMG is a highly organized criminal organization which adheres to a hierarchical chain of command, and whose members conspired to enrich the gang; to preserve, protect and enhance the power of the gang; and to keep victims in fear of the gang through acts and threats of violence. Among other crimes, the indictment charges eight Vagos OMG leaders and members, including Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, aka “Romeo,” for the September 23, 2011 murder of a member of the rival Hells Angels gang at the Nugget Hotel and Casino in Sparks, Nevada.
“The murder committed by Ernesto Gonzalez in the Nugget Casino was always a part of a larger criminal conspiracy, which has been made even more clear today,” said District Attorney Hicks. “Prosecuting Gonzalez for his actions has been a priority for my office. As such, we welcomed the opportunity to work closely with federal authorities in this RICO investigation that not only seeks to hold Gonzales accountable but the entire involved Vagos criminal enterprise.”
The superseding indictment also alleges that the Vagos OMG is a closed society whose members value allegiance to the gang and its fellow members above all else, do not fear authority, and exhibit a complete disdain for the rules of society. According to the allegations in the indictment, witnesses to the gang’s criminal acts are typically victims of acts of obstruction, intimidation and harassment who are too afraid to approach law enforcement or testify in court proceedings.
The 23 defendants charged for their alleged roles in the federal racketeering conspiracy and violent crimes in aid of racketeering offenses are Pastor Fausto Palafox, a/k/a “Ta Ta,” 53, of Beaumont, Calif.; Albert Lopez, a/k/a “Al,” 39, of Canyon Country, Calif.; Albert Benjamin Perez, a/k/a “Dragon Man,” 57, of Santa Barbara, Calif.; James Patrick Gillespie, a/k/a “Jimbo,” 68, of Granada Hills, Calif.; Andrew Eloy Lozano, a/k/a “Hulk,” 42, of Fontana, Calif.; Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, a/k/a “Romeo,” of San Francisco; Victor Adam Ramirez, a/k/a “Slick,” 35, of Las Vegas; James Walter Henderson, a/k/a “CJ,” 64, of Henderson, Nev.; Steven Earl Carr, a/k/a “Big Steve,” 43, of Las Vegas; Robert Allen Coleman, a/k/a “Mayhem,” 59, of Las Vegas; Jeremy John Halgat, a/k/a “Maniak,” 39, of North Las Vegas, Nev.; Paul Jeffrey Voll, a/k/a “Shyster,” 52, of Pasadena, Calif.; John Joseph Siemer, a/k/a “Rocky,” 60, of Baldwin Park, Calif.; Bradley Michael Campos, a/k/a “Candy Man,” 50, of Alhambra, Calif.; Cesar Vaquera Morales, a/k/a “C,” 49, of San Jose, Calif.; Diego Chavez Garcia, a/k/a “Boo,” 34, of San Jose, Calif.; Edward Claridan Chelby, a/k/a “Recon,” 57, of Kailua, Hawaii; Johnny Russell Neddenriep, a/k/a “Johnny Bolts,” 51, of Reno, Nev.; Darin Kieth Grieder, a/k/a “Midget,” 48, of Sparks, Nev.; Bert Wayne Davisson, a/k/a “Flash,” 45, of Sparks, Nev.; Mathew Keith Dunlap, a/k/a “Big Mat,” 46, of Sparks, Nev., and John Chrispin Juarez, a/k/a “Quicky,” 69, of Moreno Valley, Calif.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of ICE-HSI; ATF; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department; Washoe County District Attorney’s Office; San Bernardino Police Department; San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; Riverside County Sheriff’s Office; California Department of Justice; San Diego County Sheriff’s Department; Sparks Police Department; Washoe County Sheriff’s Department; Carson City Sheriff’s Department; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Reno Police Department; North Las Vegas Police Department; Long Beach Police Department; Montebello Police Department; Henderson Police Department; San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office; Orange County, California District Attorney’s Office; Carson City District Attorney’s Office; and Clark County District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney David Karpel of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Cristina D. Silva of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.