Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 27 April 2017
Ontario, NY Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Cortney Vogt, 37, of Ontario, NY, pleaded guilty to bank fraud before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that from September, 2013 to September, 2015, Vogt used her position at SalesSource International, a Rochester business, to forge and personally negotiate 132 business checks. The checks were drawn on an account at Canandaigua National Bank. In total, the defendant defrauded SalesSource and Canandaigua National Bank out of more than $134,000.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 8, 2017, at 9:00 a.m., before Judge Siragusa.
Oldham County, Kentucky, Resident Guilty of Possessing, Transporting and Advertising Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., announced today that an Oldham County, Kentucky resident pleaded guilty in United States District Court this week, before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell, to charges including the possession, transportation and advertising of images containing child pornography.
According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Richard Wayne Johnson, admitted to receiving and possessing thousands of images (still and video) of child pornography and further admitted to advertising those images over the Internet.
A Cybertip from AOL indicated that a user was transferring child pornography by e:mail. The e:mail traced back to Johnson. He transported child pornography via e:mail on January 19, 2012. A further review of Johnson’s e:mail account (which he later admitted was his), traced to an online group where Johnson was posting requests for the trading of child pornography. One of the advertisements occurred on September 13, 2013. In the posts, Johnson included “albums” (folders filled with images of child pornography). He provided descriptions of the contents in the message – but a password was required to open the albums. Individuals interested in trading child pornography with Johnson had to contact him directly to obtain the password for Johnson’s “album.”
Law enforcement officials executed a state search warrant at Johnson’s home on or about September 17, 2013 and a forensic examination of Johnson’s computers, and other digital devices, revealed thousands of images of child pornography that he had obtained from the Internet.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of sentencing, the United States will ask for a sentence of 30 years’ incarceration and an agreed upon life time period of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled before Senior Judge Russell, in Louisville, on July 17, 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting this case and Kentucky State Police is investigating.
johnson_richard_plea_agreement.pdfThis 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab resources.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Trafficking Cocaine and HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, pled guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 13 years’ imprisonment on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute heroin Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak took the guilty pleas and imposed the sentence on Lionel Cannon, 52, of Cleveland, OH.
According to information presented to the court, in 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking and violence in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. The government had wiretaps on three of Lionel Cannon’s phones, and Cannon was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine, which was shipped from California to the Western District of Pennsylvania through the United States Postal Service or commercial carrier. He also possessed with intent to distribute heroin, which he obtained in Ohio and transported to the Western District of Pennsylvania for further distribution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Caitlin Loughran prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Munhall Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Long Beach Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cannon.
Odenton, Maryland Man Exiled to 8 Years in Prison for Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On April 25, 2017, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Delray Jamare Randall, a/k/a “Black,” age 35, of Odenton, Maryland to eight years in prison followed by two years of supervised release for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms and conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Acting Chief, Major Scott Baker of the Annapolis Police Department; and Chief Tim Altomare of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
“Experience shows us that illegally trafficked firearms are destined to wind up in the hands of criminals and be used in acts of violence that devastate our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board. “ATF is the federal agency responsible for supporting and regulating the legal flow of firearms through commerce, but when we become aware of individuals who seek to illegally introduce firearms into our neighborhoods, which may eventually be used to perpetrate violence… make no mistake, we will take action.”
During his guilty plea, Randall admitted that from late 2014 and up to December 12, 2015, Randall and another person engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and that each participated in and assisted the other’s firearms activities. Randall also admitted that he agreed and conspired with other persons to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
In the days leading up to December 12, 2015, an undercover informant, acting on instruction from federal investigators, maintained communication with Randall. The informant communicated to Randall that he had firearms for sale and would be in the Baltimore area on December 12, 2015. Randall expressed an interest in meeting with the informant and made statements (in both text message format and during recorded phone voice calls) that Randall was lining up other persons who were either going to purchase firearms from Randall or whom Randall would introduce to the informant for the purpose of engaging in firearms purchases. Randall stated that he was lining people up for such transactions and inquired with the informant about the availability and price of firearms.
On December 12, 2015, Randall came to a hotel and met with the informant. Unknown to Randall, the room in which Randall and the informant met was under law enforcement surveillance, and Randall’s interactions and conversations were video and audio-recorded. During the meeting, Randall examined various firearms and purchased and made a down payment for four firearms. Randall was immediately arrested before he left the room.
While he was in the hotel room, Randall took photographs of the firearms with his cell phone, and sent photographs of those firearms to his customers. Randall engaged in text communications with his own customers in which he discussed possible prices for which the customers could purchase the firearms. Randall knowingly possessed the aforementioned firearms.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Hanlon and Philip Selden, who prosecuted the case.
North Port Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Cocaine, A Firearm, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Exodus Jerrod Strowbridge (42, North Port) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing cocaine and “crack” cocaine with the intent to distribute it, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Court also ordered him to forfeit a Smith & Wesson handgun and 12 rounds of ammunition.
Strowbridge pleaded guilty on January 23, 2017.
According to court documents, in April 2015, law enforcement officers conducted a year-long investigation into Strowbridge’s suspected illegal drug activity. In March 2016, officers from the North Port Police Department executed a state search warrant at his residence and recovered approximately 98 grams of cocaine and “crack” cocaine, as well as a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun that Strowbridge acknowledged owning. The officers also seized drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale, metal razor blades, and clear plastic baggies consistent with packaging cocaine for sale and distribution.
Strowbridge had numerous prior drug convictions and thus was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the North Port Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program – a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, along with Daryl R. McCray, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, are coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law-enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy on reducing violent crime in communities.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Michael Giles, 41, pleaded guilty today in the United States District Court to committing three bank robberies and attempting to rob a fourth bank. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 11, 2017. If the court accepts the terms of a plea agreement, Giles will be sentenced to ten years in federal prison.
According to documents filed with the court and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Giles robbed TD Bank branches located at 70 Bay Street and 1255 South Willow Street, both in Manchester, on November 23 and November 27, 2016. Giles was arrested by the Manchester Police shortly after the November 27, 2016 robbery was committed when Giles’ motor scooter failed to start. The police recovered the robbery proceeds from Giles.
Giles’ arrest led police to link him to the November 23, 2016 robbery of the TD Bank, the January 22, 2016 robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1283 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, and the January 22, 2016 attempted robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1550 Elm Street, Manchester, New Hampshire. Images captured by the bank’s surveillance system definitively identified Giles as the robber.
The Manchester Police Department and the Hooksett Police Department lead the investigations into the robberies in Manchester and Hooksett. The FBI assisted in the identification and prosecution of Giles. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.
###
Monroe Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Crack Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DWIGHT JARVIS, 28, of Monroe, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of distribution of cocaine base (“crack”)
This matter stems from an investigation by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Milford Police Department.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 27, 2016, a search of JARVIS’ Monroe residence revealed approximately 29 grams of cocaine, approximately 25 grams of crack cocaine, 70 dose bags of heroin, and other items used to process and package narcotics for street sale.
JARVIS was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 16, 2016. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not yet scheduled.
The offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force includes members from the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Norwalk and Milford Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police. The Monroe Police Department assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation and Its Principal Agree to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for More Than $150,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation and its principal, Dr. Alan Curtis, have agreed to a settlement worth more than $150,000 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims for payments of grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The settlement was announced today by Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Department of Justice.
The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs awarded federal grants to the Washington, D.C.-based foundation, a non-profit that specializes in issues involving inner cities and the disadvantaged. The settlement resolves disputed claims that the foundation and Dr. Curtis misused grant funds in violation of the federal False Claims Act.
Specifically, the foundation and Dr. Curtis are settling civil liabilities stemming from allegations that they improperly used grant funds to rent office space in Dr. Curtis’s own home; make sub-grants to organizations affiliated with the foundation’s trustees; engage in projects outside the scope of the foundation’s grant budgets; retain a lobbyist; and retain a foundation trustee to provide consulting services.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Justice jointly investigated this matter.
“This settlement reflects the United States’ commitment to ensure that its grant funds are being used as intended to further the important policy objectives of the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “The government expects that those receiving grant funds will adhere to the rules and requirements controlling their use and not knowingly expend such funds on clearly prohibited items.”
“Grantees should understand that the United States will vigorously investigate allegations that they have failed to adhere to applicable rules, regulations, or award conditions,” said Kenneth R. Dieffenbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General’s Fraud Detection Office. “It is imperative for the United States to protect taxpayers by seeking the recovery of grant funds, wherever and whenever it is appropriate.”
Recipients of grant funds are required to adhere to applicable rules and regulations, and the terms of the applicable agreements, regarding their use. These authorities generally prohibit recipients from engaging in self-dealing or activities giving rise to conflicts of interest without appropriate approvals. The United States also expressly prohibits recipients from using grant funds to lobby Congress. The settlement resolves claims that the foundation, at the direction of Curtis, knowingly violated these proscriptions.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combatting grant fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $31.3 billion through False Claims Act cases.
The settlement agreement is neither an admission of liability by the foundation or Dr. Curtis nor a concession by the United States that the claims are not well-founded. The parties agreed to resolve the matter without litigation.
In announcing the agreement, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Inspector General Horowitz commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Justice. They also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Hudak, who handled the matter.
Marshfield Man Sentenced for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Marshfield man was sentenced on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in federal court in Boston in connection with trafficking heroin and fentanyl in Marshfield, Taunton and surrounding communities.
John A. Gray, Jr., 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 77 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2017, Gray pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
In October 2015, Gray was arrested and charged along with 24 others in connection with a heroin trafficking ring operating in southeastern Massachusetts. One additional defendant was added in a superseding indictment filed on April 20, 2016. These charges are the result of a 15-month investigation into heroin and fentanyl trafficking in Marshfield, Fall River, Taunton, and surrounding communities, which have seen an increase in opioid overdoses and related deaths since 2013.
Of the 26 defendants charged in the superseding indictment, 18 have pleaded guilty and seven, including Gray, have been sentenced.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Kanwit, Katherine Ferguson and Ann Taylor of Weinreb’s narcotics and money laundering unit are prosecuting the case.
Macon Woman Charged in Connection with Bomb Threat to Local Daycare Center, Threatening Interstate Communications, and Perpetuating A HoaxRead the Press Release
United States Attorney G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III announces that Jasmine Jaquel Bradley, age 26, of Macon, Georgia, was arrested and charged with Interstate Bomb Threats, Threatening Interstate Communications and Conveying False Information and Perpetuating a Hoax against Child Care Network School, a daycare located at 3940 Northside Drive in Macon, Georgia.
This case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Macon Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement is also continuing to investigate similar recent activities in the Middle District of Georgia.
Copies of the criminal complaint and the affidavit on which it is based, both of which were filed with the court earlier today, are attached.
If convicted, Ms. Bradley faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment for making interstate bomb threats, five (5) years imprisonment for making threatening interstate communications, and five (5) years imprisonment for conveying false information and perpetuating a hoax. She could also be subject to a possible fine of at least $250,000 for each charge and a term of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence.
“This is the second matter in as many weeks in which my office has brought charges against individuals for threatening to harm children in this district, terrorizing not only the children but their families and their communities, as well,” said United States Attorney Peterman. “The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Macon office of the FBI are to be commended for their outstanding work in this investigation.”
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis stated, "The arrest of Jasmine Bradley is proof that bomb threats against our children or hoax threats against places of business will not be tolerated in Bibb County. I commend the immediate action of our deputies, including the bomb unit, and Macon-Bibb fire personnel at the time the threat in Macon-Bibb was originally called in. We can all be proud of the diligent work of Bibb investigators and FBI agents which resulted in an arrest in this case.”
David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “These crimes are not only disruptive to the community, but they pull emergency response resources from other matters and result in huge costs to the tax payers for the emergency responses they generate. The FBI is incredibly appreciative of the hard work of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the close relationship that exists between the agencies.”
A criminal complaint is an accusation only and the person charged is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter D. Leary and C. Shanelle Booker are prosecuting the case for the United States. Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 752-3511.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Rico Conspiracy Involving Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of MS-13’s Eastside Loco Salvatrucha (ESLS) clique in the metro Boston area, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Efrain Yanes-Vasquez, a/k/a “Caballo,” 35, an El Salvadorian national living in Chelsea and Pittsfield, Mass., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2017. Under the terms of the plea agreement, parties both recommend that Yanes-Vasquesz be sentenced to 87 months in prison. He will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
After a three-year investigation, Yanes-Vasquez was one of 61 defendants named in a superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. According to court documents, MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization whose branches or “cliques” operate throughout the United States, including Massachusetts. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence against rival gang members to gain promotions and to maintain membership and discipline within the group. Specifically, MS-13 members are required to attack and murder rival gang members whenever possible. During the investigation, Yanes-Vasquez was identified as a member of the ESLS clique in the metro Boston area. In furtherance of the MS-13 RICO conspiracy, Yanes-Vasquez and several other MS-13 members conspired to transport and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of cocaine in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. When Yanes-Vasquez was arrested in Pittsfield, Mass. on Sept. 15, 2016, federal agents seized a loaded firearm from his residence.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The conspiracy to distribute cocaine charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Yanes-Vasquez is the fifteenth defendant to plead guilty in this case.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Truco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisville Based Physician Settles Federal False Claims Act and State Civil ClaimsRead the Press Release
Pays $751,681.16 to settle allegations
LOUISVILLE, KY – Forrest S. Kuhn, Jr., M.D., a physician specializing in allergy, asthma and immunology with medical offices in Louisville, Danville, and Glasgow, Kentucky, has agreed to pay $751,681.16 to resolve allegations that he violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., who is no relation to the defendant.
“Unfortunately, the strength of our healthcare system is eroded by a minority of providers who, by carelessness or outright fraud, overcharge the government and other payors through improper billing, " stated U.S. Attorney Kuhn. "Losses due to false healthcare claims are staggering, amounting to billions of dollars annually. In an effort to control these losses and force accountability, my Office, the Department of Justice and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office vigorously pursue and recover false and fraudulent billings as one of their highest priorities.”
“The Attorney General’s office takes its role as Medicaid watchdog very seriously, and we are committed to protecting Kentucky families and seniors from anyone who would take advantage of such a critical program,” Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear said. “I want to thank my Office of Medicaid Fraud and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District for reaching this settlement agreement with Dr. Kuhn whose actions defrauded not only the government but the people government serves.”
"This doctor was billing Federal health care programs for services he never rendered," said Derrick L. Jackson, the Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. "Schemes such as this cost taxpayers huge amounts of money and deprive programs like Medicare and Medicaid of the ability to deliver health care to the elderly, indigent and disabled."
According to the settlement agreement, the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky contend that Dr. Kuhn submitted or caused to be submitted claims for payment to the Medicare Program; the Medicaid Program; the Tricare Program; and the FEHB (Federal Employee Health Benefit) plan; for allergy tests that were never performed.
Specifically, the United States and the Commonwealth contend that between January 2, 2006, and July 31, 2015, Dr. Kuhn billed Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and FEHB for intracutaneous tests that were never peformed.
According to the terms of the agreement, Dr. Kuhn shall pay $416,865.04 to the Federal Government and $334,816.12 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Schecter with assistance from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
kuhn_settlement_agreement.pdfLittle Rock "Pimp" Sentenced to More Than 15 Years Imprisonment for Sex Trafficking A MinorRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Patrick C. Harris, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today Dana “Big Face” Deffenbaugh, 36, of Little Rock, was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment for sex trafficking of a minor.
United States District Judge J. Leon Holmes also sentenced Deffenbaugh, who was known to prostitute multiple women, to 10 years of supervised release.
Deffenbaugh was indicted on two counts of sex trafficking on January 6, 2015. On September 19, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“Sex trafficking is a problem throughout the United States,” Harris said. “The exploitation of a minor causes irreparable harm that is lasting. Even though this sentence does not erase the pain that the defendant has caused, it does send a strong message. There is no hesitation on our part to prosecute Deffenbaugh and criminals like him as vigorously as we can.”
The investigation began in December 2014, when the North Little Rock Police Department received a tip that a minor was being held against her will at a hotel and forced to prostitute by someone known as “Big Face.” The 17-year-old had been introduced to Deffenbaugh, who immediately told her “you my ho” and “you work for me now.” He then supplied the minor with drugs, had sex with her, and told her things such as she “does not exist no more” and “you have no outside life.”
Further investigation revealed that the minor and other female victims who worked for Deffenbaugh were forced to have sex with men who located their services on the now-defunct website Backpage.com. Each female saw an average of 15 customers a day, sometimes as many as 25, often with little to no sleep. The women then had to turn their money over to Deffenbaugh or face beatings. Deffenbaugh referred to himself as “Big Face” in reference to “big face hundred dollar bills.”
“Today’s sentencing of Deffenbaugh should make it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that engaging in child prostitution and human trafficking of a minor is intolerable and unacceptable,” Upchurch said. “I appreciate the collaborative efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office and the North Little Rock Police Department.”
This investigation was conducted by the FBI and the North Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Allison W. Bragg and Kristin Bryant.
Jefferson County, Kentucky, Resident Guilty of Online EnticementRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., announced today that a Jefferson County, Kentucky, resident pled guilty in United States District Court this week, before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell, to attempted online enticement.
According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Timothy Wayne Tucker, admitted to using a cell phone to communicate with a person, whom Tucker believed to be a 15-year-old girl, for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity.
While authorized by the Attorney General to conduct undercover (UC) operations within the Commonwealth, on December 2, 2016, a law enforcement official created an ad on the Louisville Craigslist website under the personals tab titled “nothing serious”. The ad did not request any sexual contact from prospective responders. A person later identified as Tucker contacted the UC that same day through the Craigslist Email server system. The UC identified himself to Tucker as a 15-year-old female.
During the online communications, email and then texting, Tucker brought up the subject of sexual activity with the person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Specifically, he asked the UC to engage in sexual activity with himself and an adult female. The UC agreed to meet Tucker on December 6, 2016, at an address on Wilderness Trail in Eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky. Law enforcement officials watched Tucker drive to the agreed upon location and conducted a traffic stop and arrested Tucker. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm handgun as well as alcohol Tucker had promised to bring the UC. A search warrant on the phone confirmed that it was the device Tucker had used to communicate with the UC.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of sentencing, the United States will seek a ten year prison sentence and a twenty year term of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled before Senior Judge Russell, in Louisville, on July 17, 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting this case and Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations is investigating.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab resources.
Jacksonville Man Convicted of $5 Million Conspiracy and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that a federal jury has found Justin Pennington (30, St. Johns County) guilty of one count of conspiracy and nine counts of wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and mandatory restitution of approximately $5 million. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 2, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, while Pennington was employed as an Information Technology Director at The Wholesale House, an Ohio-based company with offices in Jacksonville, he and his co-conspirators created a fraudulent company (3 Kings, LLC). 3 Kings was incorporated in Delaware in an attempt to conceal the identity of the owners who purchased products from The Wholesale House at or near cost and then resold those products to consumers and retailers. Unbeknownst to the owners of The Wholesale House, 3 Kings illegally competed with The Wholesale House’s customers and thereby caused significant financial difficulties for the company’s legitimate customers. In all, 3 Kings purchased nearly $40 million of products from The Wholesale House and never paid the entirety of its bills owed to them. Instead, Pennington and his co-conspirators spent tens of thousands of dollars themselves, with Pennington incurring credit card balances of up to $100,000 per month, while owing his employer millions of dollars.
During the trial, Pennington’s co-conspirators testified that he was the mastermind of the scheme, created detailed proposals, named the corporation, incorporated the company, and controlled the corporation’s bank accounts. Further The Wholesale House owners testified that they had personally infused more than $7 million into the company to ensure its survival and to protect the jobs of the company’s more than 60 employees.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Devereaux and Jason Mehta.
Inmate at FCI-Berlin Pleads Guilty to Possessing Marijuana While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Jesus Silva-Cruz, 42, a citizen of Cuba and an inmate at the federal correctional institution FCI-Berlin, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to possessing marijuana and possessing a prohibited object while an inmate at a federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 3, 2017.
According to statements made at the change of plea hearing, on January 17, 2017, correctional staff at FCI-Berlin were conducting routine searches of cells. Silva-Cruz was the sole inmate assigned to cell 103. The staff found three vacuum sealed packages of green leafy material. Laboratory testing of the material proved it was marijuana. The total weight of the material was approximately three ounces.
The Bureau of Prisons was the lead investigative agency in this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.
###
Indictment Unsealed Against Michael ShirleyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced an indictment was unsealed against Michael Shirley, 55, of Doniphan, Nebraska. The Indictment charges Shirley with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine in September 2016.
Shirley faces a maximum possible penalty, if convicted, of 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4-year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment for each count.
Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force.
Indiana University Health and HealthNet to pay $18 million to resolve False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today an $18 million civil settlement with Indiana University Health, Inc., and HealthNet, Inc. The settlement will resolve allegations that IU Health and HealthNet violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to the Government in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Under the settlement agreement, IU Health and HealthNet each will pay approximately $5.1 million to the United States and $3.9 million to the State of Indiana.
“Helping to return millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to federal healthcare programs and the Indiana Medicaid Program is critically important to me and my office,” said U.S. Attorney Minkler. “Waste, fraud, and abuse can never be tolerated and tear at the fabric of first-class healthcare in this country.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the knowing and willful payment of any remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program, such as Medicaid. Claims submitted to federal health care programs in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute are also false claims under the False Claims Act.
The United States alleged that from May 1, 2013 through August 30, 2016, IU Health provided HealthNet with continuous and substantial financial support in the form of an interest-free line of credit, the balance of which consistently exceeded $10 million. HealthNet was allegedly not expected to substantially repay the outstanding balance of this loan. The Government alleged that this financial arrangement was intended to induce HealthNet to refer its OB/GYN patients to IU Health’s Methodist Hospital. IU Health then billed Medicaid for patient hospital stays, tests, and procedures. There is no evidence of physical injury or harm to patients as a result of the allegations.
The settlement resolves a federal lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, captioned United States of America and State of Indiana ex rel. Judith Robinson v. Indiana University Health, Inc. and HealthNet, Inc., Case No. 1:13-cv-2009-TWP-MJD (S.D. Ind.). The False Claims Act allows private individuals to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery.
“The payment of illegal remuneration to induce patient referrals interferes with health care providers’ independent judgment when they make referral decisions for their patients,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue health care providers that engage in such conduct, which undermines public confidence in our health care system.”
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) and the State of Indiana Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in coordination with the United States Attorney=s Office and the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Indiana University Health and HealthNet to Pay $18 Million to Resolve Allegations of False ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that Indiana University Health Inc. (IU Health) and HealthNet Inc., have agreed to pay a total of $18 million to resolve allegations that they violated federal and state false claims laws by engaging in an illegal kickback scheme related to the referral of HealthNet’s OB/GYN patients to IU Health’s Methodist Hospital. Under the settlement agreement, IU Health and HealthNet each will pay approximately $5.1 million to the United States and $3.9 million to the State of Indiana.
“The payment of illegal remuneration to induce patient referrals interferes with health care providers’ independent judgment when they make referral decisions for their patients,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue health care providers that engage in such conduct, which undermines public confidence in our health care system.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, the knowing and willful payment of any remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program, such as Medicaid. Claims submitted to federal health care programs in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute are also false claims under the False Claims Act.
The United States alleged that from May 1, 2013 through Aug. 30, 2016, IU Health provided HealthNet with an interest-free line of credit, the balance of which consistently exceeded $10 million. United States further alleged that HealthNet was not expected to repay a substantial portion of this loan and that this financial arrangement was intended to induce HealthNet to refer its OB/GYN patients to IU Health’s Methodist Hospital.
“Helping to return millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to federal healthcare programs and the Indiana Medicaid program is critically important to me and my office,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Minkler for the Southern District of Indiana. “Waste, fraud, and abuse can never be tolerated and tear at the fabric of first-class healthcare in this country.”
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery. The lawsuit was filed by Dr. Judith Robinson, who formerly held a number of positions at both Methodist Hospital and HealthNet. Under the settlement, Dr. Robinson will receive approximately $2.8 million out of the federal share of the recovery.
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Indiana Office of the Attorney General.
The lawsuit is captioned United States et al. ex rel. Robinson v. Indiana University Health, Inc. et al., Case No. 1:13-cv-2009-TWP-MJD (S.D. Ind.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Hamlet Severino De La Rosa, 41, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Utica, New York, was sentenced today to serve 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The sentence followed Severino De La Rosa’s December 20, 2016 guilty plea to possession.of a firearm by an illegal alien, possession of a false identification document, and falsely representing a social security number.
As part of his guilty plea, Severino De La Rosa admitted that at the time of his arrest in April of 2016, he possessed an unloaded 12-gauge shotgun under the mattress of his bed. Severino De La Rosa also admitted to possessing false identification documents, including a Puerto Rico birth certificate, a social security card, and New York State driver’s license, all in the name of another person. The defendant admitted he possessed these identification documents with the intent to deceive authorities and others into thinking that he was a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico, and not his true identity, Hamlet Severino De La Rosa, a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic, living in the United States illegally. Because he was in the United States as an illegal alien, De La Rosa could not legally possess a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the Oneida County Drug Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Central New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl G. Eurenius and Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Idaho Man Sentenced for Federal Hate Crime Based on Victim’s Sexual OrientationRead the Press Release
Kelly Schneider, 23, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 336 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release based on his guilty plea to violently assaulting Steven Nelson because he was a gay man, resulting in Nelson’s death, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., for the District of Idaho.
Schneider was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 10, 2017, with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act. He pleaded guilty to the charge on Feb. 7, 2017. He was sentenced today by Chief Judge B. Lynn Winmill for the U.S. Courts of the District of Idaho.
“This sentence makes it clear that we as a society cannot and will not tolerate violence – in this case escalating to a vicious murder – against persons based on their sexual orientation or any other characteristic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wheeler. “The Department of Justice is committed to using every tool at its disposal to combat such brutal violence.”
“Steven Nelson was assaulted and later died because he was gay,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez. “This is precisely the kind of bias motivated violence that the Shepard-Byrd Act was passed to address. The federal prosecution in this case makes clear that this office, the Civil Rights Division and its law enforcement partners will pursue justice when a person is violently attacked based on who he loves and how he loves.”
According to the plea agreement, on the evening of April 27, 2016, Schneider posted a solicitation for sex on backpage.com, an Internet website, which included a shirtless photo of himself. Nelson responded to that posting, and Schneider met with him the next evening. Schneider took Nelson’s money without engaging in any sexual act with Nelson. Before the encounter, Schneider told his friends that he was not gay and would not let anyone who was gay touch him.
In the early morning hours of April 29, Schneider resumed communication with Nelson. Schneider then conspired with other individuals to again rob Nelson. According to the plan, Schneider was to meet up with Nelson in a parking lot and ask Nelson to drive to Gott’s Point, an isolated wildlife area in the Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge near Lake Lowell, for a sexual encounter. At Gott’s Point, Schneider would rob Nelson, and two of Schneider’s cohorts would be lying in wait as “back up” to assist Schneider if Nelson resisted the robbery.
When Schneider and Nelson reached Gott’s Point, Schneider immediately began physically assaulting Nelson, kicking him 20-30 times with steel-toed boots and repeatedly using a homophobic slur. Nelson never resisted throughout the attack. He died of his injuries later that day. No one else participated in the assault.
Schneider was sentenced earlier this month in state court for first degree murder based on Nelson’s death. The state court sentenced him to a fixed 28-year term of imprisonment and life indeterminate. Schneider’s federal sentence will be served concurrently to the state sentence.
The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, conducted the murder investigation. The FBI conducted the federal hate crime investigation.
Honduran National Admits to Kidnapping Woman in Kansas City, Missouri and Raping Her as They Traveled to New JerseyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Honduran national today admitted to kidnapping his former girlfriend in Kansas City, Missouri, and raping her while they traveled to New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
José Amaya-Vasquez, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to Count One of an indictment, charging him with kidnapping, and Count Two, charging him with engaging in interstate domestic violence. Amaya-Vasquez previously pleaded guilty to Count Four which charged him with illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been deported.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Amaya-Vasquez is a citizen of Honduras. On Feb. 14, 2005, he attempted to enter the United States illegally in Texas, at which time the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested him, gave him a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court and released him from custody. On July 13, 2005, he failed to appear as ordered, at which time an Immigration Judge entered an Order of Removal.
On June 7, 2014, the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department arrested Amaya-Vasquez and charged him with domestic assault after he threw a comb at the Victim and pushed her into a table. The police turned the defendant over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which removed him from the United States on July 4, 2014.
On September 9, 2014, CBP officers arrested Amaya-Vasquez after he illegally entered the United States from Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas. On Sept. 16, 2014, the defendant pleaded guilty to a count of illegal entry before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Texas and was sentenced to 30 days’ incarceration. On Oct. 22, 2014, ICE again removed the defendant from the United States and he was barred from reentering the United States for 20 years. He admitted that he illegally re-entered the country in January 2015.
On May 23, 2015, Amaya-Vasquez met the victim in the parking lot of the Burlington Coat factory in Independence, Missouri. Amaya-Vasquez entered the victim’s vehicle, threatened her with a knife, duct-taped the victim and then took her and the victim’s 2-year old child to an abandoned house in Kansas City, where he sexually assaulted the victim at knifepoint.
From May 24, 2015, through May 25, 2015, Amaya-Vasquez took the victim and the child towards New York. He stopped at motels in Englewood, Ohio, and Bellmawr, New Jersey, and continued to rape the victim.
On May 26, 2015, officers from the Bellmawr Police Department, acting on information from the Kansas City Police Department, located the victim in the Bellmawr motel. Amaya-Vasquez escaped from the motel as the officers approached. Later that morning, officers from Bellmawr and Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey, arrested Amaya-Vasquez a short distance from the motel. Amaya-Vasquez has been in custody since his arrest.
The kidnapping count to which Amaya-Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The interstate domestic violence count to which Amaya-Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The illegal re-entry into the United States count to which Amaya-Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster in Philadelphia, special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), under Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, and investigators with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Kansas City Police Department and the Bellmawr Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Honduran Man Admits Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Martir Romano-Hernandes, age 45, and a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty yesterday to illegal re-entry into the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Romano-Hernandes was removed from the United States to Honduras on November 26, 1997. On March 14, 2017, he was found by Border Patrol near the Canadian border in Champlain, New York. Romano-Hernandes admitted that he returned to the United States without permission following the 1997 removal, and had been living in Salisbury, North Carolina.
As a result of his conviction, Romano-Hernandes faces up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, Champlain Station, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Hazleton Realtor Charged with ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Ignacio Beato, age 46, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was charged in a one count criminal information on April 26, 2017, with conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions through a financial institution, with funds that were the proceeds of wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that Beato, who was a licensed realtor, and his coconspirators, engaged in interstate wire communications and Beato falsely represented to potential purchasers that he was authorized to sell vacant conventional and Federal Housing Administration insured mortgaged properties in Hazleton, when in fact, he did not have such authority.
The information further alleges that Beato solicited and accepted money in the total amount of $751,082 from individuals who believed they were purchasing properties. Beato and his coconspirators fraudulently converted that money to their own personal use.
The United States also filed a plea agreement, which is subject to the approval of the Court, wherein it is indicated that Beato intends to plead guilty to the charges when he appears in federal court for his arraignment.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Harrisburg Man Indicted on Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Germaine D. Hill, age 39, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 5, 2017, by a federal grand jury on a firearms charge. The case was unsealed on April 26, 2017, following Hill’s arrest.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that on January 11, 2017, in Harrisburg, Hill unlawfully possessed a 9mm Tauris pistol and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Harrisburg City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Greenville, Texas, Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Bryan Wayne Edwards, 35, of Greenville, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 120 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in November 2016 to his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Edwards has been in custody since his arrest in July 2016. Eleven defendants, mostly from Hunt County, Texas, were charged in a federal indictment in July 2016 with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one substantive count of distribution of methamphetamine each.
Co-defendants Garry Wayne Pollard, aka “GW,” Maria Del-Consuelo Ulloa, aka “Shelley,” Felipe Antonio Bernal, aka “Flip,” Jody Lynn Brewer, Nichole Mechelle Manifold, Bryan Wayne Edwards, aka “Cowboy,” Michael Lee Shaw, Jayson Glenn Cooke, John Willis Smith, aka “Big J,” and Judith Ann Rutledge, have all pleaded guilty to their role in the conspiracy.
Bobby James Carroll, is awaiting trial.
According to plea documents in the case, on April 25, 2014 Edwards sold approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Greenville Police Department and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office investigated with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Plano and Denton Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wirmani is in charge of the prosecution.
# # #
Greenville Man Enters Guilty Plea in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Lewis Charles Landreth, age 32, of Greenville, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville, to felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g). United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Landreth faces up to ten years in federal prison.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that in December 2015, the United States Marshals Service Taskforce received a request to locate and arrest Landreth on outstanding warrants from North Carolina.On December 29, 2015, the USMS task force tracked Landreth to a motel in Anderson. A search warrant was obtained for the motel room and once law enforcement gained entry into the motel room, they found Landreth and his 6-year-old son along with a loaded, Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol on the nightstand in the room. Landreth was taken into custody and the weapon secured.
The case was investigated by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office handled the case.
#####
Gold River Immigration Services Business Owner Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for ID TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ilie Zdragat, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Zdragat was the founder and director of Immigration Visa Services Organization (IVSO) that helped clients with asylum and citizenship applications, deportation proceedings and other matters related to immigration. Between April 4, 2012, and September 28, 2012, Zdragat executed a fraud scheme by submitting fraudulent income tax returns through Turbo Tax to the IRS.
According to the plea agreement, on September 28, 2012, Zdragat and another individual electronically filed a false 2011 income tax return for an individual and two dependents using the names and personal information of three former IVSO clients. The victims did not give Zdragat permission to file a tax return on their behalf. The tax return sought a refund of $6,200. Zdragat used a physical address in San Francisco unconnected to him to disguise his involvement in the scheme. The IRS did not process the fraudulent tax return.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola prosecuted the case.
Getaway Driver Involved in North Jersey Bar Robbery Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Rockland County, New York, man today admitted his role in a conspiracy to rob a Hawthorne, New Jersey, bar, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Oscar Avalos-Cortez, 22, of New City, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 25, 2015, Avalos-Cortez drove at least six conspirators to a bar in Hawthorne, where they forcibly robbed the bar and subsequently fled with approximately $200 in cash in Avalos-Cortez’s car.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 2, 2017.
Avalos-Cortez was originally charged with Wilbur Jonathan Barahona, 21, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Guillermo Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern, New York, Balmore Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern, Juan Chiliseo-Vega, 20, of Suffern, and Jostin Reyes, 21, of Waldwick, New Jersey, in November 2016.
Chiliseo-Vega, Guillermo Carrillo-Iraheta, and Reyes previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to three-count informations in connection with their involvement in the conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, as well as a carjacking and kidnapping in which Avalos-Cortez was not involved. They await sentencing.
Balmore Carrillo-Iraheta was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2017, for his role in the conspiracy to rob the bar. The charges against Barahona for his role in the robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping are still pending. Both men are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, as well as the Ridgewood and Hawthorne Police Departments, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine K. Lou and Karen D. Stringer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Kevin Conway Esq., Spring Valley, New York
Georgia Gang Member Sentenced on Federal Escape ChargeRead the Press Release
Conact Person: Stacey D. Haynes (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Santonio Dwayne Ramsey, age 26, of Appling, Georgia was sentenced in federal court after earlier pleading guilty to escape, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 751(a). Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, of Columbia, sentenced Ramsey to 10 months imprisonment and a $100 special assessment fee.
Evidence presented in court during the earlier guilty plea hearing established that on the evening of July 19, 2016, the Alston Wilkes Society Residential Re-Entry Center, a contracted Federal Bureau of Prisons halfway house facility in Columbia, conducted a routine head count and found Ramsey absent. Ramsey, who had been transferred to the halfway house facility from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Williamsburg, South Carolina, was serving the remainder of a federal sentence stemming from a 2010 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Southern District of Georgia. After determining that Ramsey was not in a local hospital or detention center, the Federal Bureau of Prisons declared him to be in escape status, notified the United States Marshals Service, and a federal escape charge was obtained. Ramsey, an admitted gang member, was arrested on state charges stemming from a domestic issue on November 2, 2016, in Columbia County, Georgia. After initially providing deputies a fake name, deputies determined Ramsey’s true identity and the outstanding federal escape charge from South Carolina.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
#####
Fugitive Sought in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Houston-area contractor, set for sentencing in a $16 million loan fraud scheme, has now been charged with failing to appear, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Oscar Cantalicio Ortiz, who resided in Kingwood, pleaded guilty June 30, 2016, to conspiring to commit bank, mail and wire fraud. He was set for sentencing in that case Monday, April 24, 2017, but failed to appear at the hearing. Late yesterday, a federal grand jury returned a new indictment against him for failure to appear.
He is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
His codefendant – Houston realtor Seung Min Santillan, aka Suzy, 57, also of Houston – pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and making false statements on a loan application in September 2016. She was sentenced earlier this month to 168 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $5,299,500 in restitution.
Ortiz and Santillan operated a mortgage fraud scheme in which they recruited straw borrowers to purchase residential properties in the Houston area. Loans were obtained from lending institutions to purchase these properties in the names and using the credit of the straw borrowers. The lenders were provided materially false information to induce them to fund these residential loans. The loans were funded and ultimately fell into default when Ortiz and Santillan failed to make all the mortgage payments as promised.
Ortiz and Santillan utilized several business entities during the execution of the scheme to defraud including Uptown Builders LLC, Americorp Builders LLC, Luxury Quality Homes LLC and Santi Investments. In recruiting straw borrowers during the scheme, the borrowers were told the residential property would be in their name for a short period while Ortiz made modifications to the property prior to reselling the house. Ortiz and Santillan promised the straw borrowers that they would handle all the costs associated with purchasing and holding these properties.
Once the loans to purchase the residence funded, one or more of the business entities Ortiz utilized would receive a large portion of the loan proceeds. This occurred even when the same property was purchased for the second time in the name of a new straw borrower. The defendants were able to take a large portion of the loan proceeds since the value of the residence was inflated with fraudulent appraisal reports.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Annis is prosecuting the case.
Four Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that four previously deported aliens were indicted separately on April 26, 2017, by a federal grand jury on illegal re-entry charges.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Humberto Vasquez-Mejia, age 29, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in December 2010. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after December 2010, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania, after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers. In September 2010, he was convicted in the Adams County Court of Common Pleas of delivery or possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, an offense which subjects him to enhanced penalties in the current case.
Because of Vasquez-Mejia’s previous conviction, under federal law he faces a maximum penalty of twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Bedmar Osielito Gonzalez-Ramirez, age 24, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico on two occasions, March 2015 and September 2015. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after September 2015 and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Carmen Hernandez-Marquez, age 39, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in November 2010. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after November 2010, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Manuel Roblero-Ramirez, age 37, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico on two occasions in April 2013. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2013, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Gonzalez-Ramirez, Hernandez-Marquez, and Roblero-Ramirez face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Four Men Charged with the Illegal Trafficking of Threatened Alligator Snapping TurtlesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that four men have been charged for their involvement in the illegal trafficking of alligator snapping turtles.
Alligator snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in the world and can grow to weigh more than 200 pounds with a lifespan of more than 100 years. The turtles are designated as threatened with statewide extinction under Texas state law which strictly prohibits anyone from taking, capturing, transporting, or selling these turtles, or attempting to do so.
In one indictment, Travis Leger and Rickey Simon, both of Sulphur, Louisiana, and Jason Leckelt of Wilburton, Oklahoma, are charged with conspiracy and Lacey Act violations for illegally taking about 66 alligator snapping turtles in Texas and then transporting them back to their property in Sulphur, Louisiana, for sale in the Spring and Summer of 2016. In July 2016, federal agents seized 30 large alligator snapping turtles from ponds located at the defendants’ property in Sulphur, Louisiana, pursuant to a federal search warrant. The indictment also charges Leger with making a false statement to federal agents and charges Rickey Simon with destroying evidence during the execution of the federal warrant. In a separate indictment, Montaro Williams of Elton, Louisiana, is charged with a Lacey Act violation for illegally taking two alligator snapping turtles in Texas and then attempting to transport them to Louisiana for sale on Aug. 12, 2013.
Leger was arrested today in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and made his initial appearance in federal court there. Simon, Leckelt, and Williams were arrested earlier this month.
An indictment is an allegation based upon a finding of probable cause by a federal grand jury, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy, Lacey Act, and false statement charges and up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the destruction of evidence charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Batte of the Eastern District of Texas and Senior Trial Attorney David P. Kehoe of the Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section, prosecuted the case. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Former Val Verde County Commissioner Enters Guilty Plea to Federal Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
In Del Rio this afternoon, 64-year-old former Val Verde County Precinct 1 Commissioner Ramiro V. Ramon pleaded guilty to charges that he underreported his total income on three separate federal Income Tax Returns. That announcement was made today by United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Cotter.
Appearing before United States District Judge Alia Moses, Ramon pleaded guilty to three counts of false statements on Income Tax Returns. According to court records, since 2005, the defendant managed a Val Verde County real estate project called “the Ranch.” Between 2005 and 2012, Ramon accepted approximately $47,000 in payments from a San Antonio developer; approximately $10,500 from a group of New Braunfels business owners; and $5,000 from a California businessman, to manage the property. Ramon, admittedly, failed to report the total income he received from managing ‘The Ranch” on his electronically filed federal income tax returns for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Ramon faces up to three years in federal prison for each charge as well as a to-be-determined-amount of restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. , who served as Val Verde County Precinct 1 Commissioner from 2003 through January 2, 2017, remains on bond pending sentencing. No sentencing date has been set.
This indictment resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Hulings, William R. Harris and Goran Krnaich are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Former Service Member Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
A former member of the military pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to two counts related to sexual molestation of a young child on different military bases in Washington and Louisiana, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. KENNETH PAUL DESCOTEAUX, 41, was arrested in April 2016, after the minor victim disclosed to authorities that DESCOTEAUX had been sexually molesting the victim since 2011. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides will recommend a sentence of 23 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle scheduled sentencing for August 7, 2017.
According to records filed in the case, the victim disclosed the abuse while residing in Wyoming. The Cheyenne Police Department worked closely with the FBI and law enforcement at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) and the Fort Polk Military Installation to investigate the crimes that occurred when the victim and DESCOTEAUX resided on those military installations. DESCOTEAUX was indicted both in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana and in the Western District of Washington since both military bases are exclusive federal enclaves where criminal cases are prosecuted in federal court. The criminal conduct in Louisiana occurred between 2011 and 2014 when the victim was ages 7-10. The crimes on JBLM occurred between 2014 and 2015 when the victim was 11-years-old. In addition to the sexual abuse, the victim was also repeatedly struck in the head by DESCOTEAUX, at one point causing hearing loss. The minor victim’s mother was a deployed service member periodically serving overseas at the time of DESCOTEAUX’s crimes.
Despite the 23-year-sentence recommendation, Judge Settle can impose any sentence up to the maximum penalty of life in prison. DESCOTEAUX will be required to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and could face federal supervision for the rest of his life.
The case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department, the FBI, and JBLM- Criminal Investigation Division (CID). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana provided substantial assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Grady J. Leupold, who serves as the Military Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former Postmaster Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Postmaster of the U.S. Postal Service Post Offices in Blackstone and Jefferson, Mass., pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to stealing approximately $31,000 from the U.S. Postal Service.
Carlitos Molina, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriating postal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy H. Hillman scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2017.
While he served as Postmaster, Molina stole 65 Postal money orders and used them to obtain cash for personal use, to pay for personal services and to pay personal debts. Specifically, Molina used stolen money orders to pay his home mortgage, water, cable, and electricity bills, back taxes, a collections agency to which he owed money, and for car repairs. In total, Molina embezzled approximately $31,000. In addition, when confronted by Postal management, Molina lied and stated that he had used certain money orders to pay for repairs to the post office facility.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Former KC Postal Carrier Sentenced fro Conspiracy to Distribute PCP Through the MailRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Kansas City, Mo., postal carrier was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of PCP through the mail.
Carol Barfield, 65, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to three years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 14, 2016, Barfield pleaded guilty to her role in a conspiracy to distribute PCP from Nov. 2, 2015, to March 4, 2016. Co-defendant Michael Garrett, 57, of Victorville, Calif., formerly of the Kansas City area, was sentenced on Dec. 2, 2016, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Garrett also pleaded guilty to the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to using the mail to distribute PCP.
Garrett mailed bottles of PCP from California to separate addresses on Barfield’s Kansas City, Mo., postal route. Barfield, at Garrett’s instruction, would then deliver the packages to their intended recipients rather than to the false addresses provided on the labeling.
At the time of the offense, Garrett was on federal supervised release after being incarcerated for conspiracy to possess crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and attempted possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute in a 1991 conviction in the Western District of Missouri.
Garrett mailed a total of 15 parcels to separate addresses on Barfield’s carrier route from Nov. 2 to Dec. 16, 2015. Each of the parcels weighed in excess of 10 pounds. Barfield scanned all of the suspicious mailings as “delivered” on her route.
On March 1, 2016, surveillance video identified Garrett mailing four parcels at the Victorville post office. The four parcels, which listed a false name and address for the sender, were mailed to separate addresses on Barfield’s postal route, but were addressed to individuals who did not reside at those addresses. On March 4, 2016, federal agents set up surveillance on Barfield’s postal route. Barfield loaded the parcels into her postal vehicle. She scanned the first parcel as delivered, but she did not actually deliver the parcel.
Barfield became suspicious that she might be under surveillance, so she scanned another parcel as undeliverable. Barfield delivered one of the parcels as addressed and left it at the front steps of the residence. However, shortly after delivery, the actual homeowner arrived. Noticing he was not the listed recipient on the package, the homeowner picked up the package and, upon finding Barfield still in the neighborhood, returned it to her. For the last parcel, Barfield scanned the package as “no secure location” and left a delivery notice receipt at the listed address. Barfield subsequently rescanned the first parcel as “undeliverable as addressed,” returning all four packages to the post office.
Agents opened the suspicious parcels, which each contained two 64-ounce plastic Welch’s Grape Juice bottles of PCP. The total weight of the liquid from the eight bottles was approximately 13.45 kilograms.
Barfield told investigators that Garrett had mailed packages to her route five or six different times, and that it was usually three packages each time. Barfield stated that on some occasions Garrett would fly into Kansas City after mailing the packages and she would hand them directly to him. Other times, she would give them to an acquaintance of Garrett. If she did not give the packages to Garrett or his acquaintance, she would leave them at the address on the package, knowing Garrett or one of his people would come by and pick it up.
Barfield told investigators that, in exchange, Garrett bought her clothes, fixed her car, and provided her with spending money. She stated Garrett basically took care of her and gave her money to help out. Barfield said that the most money Garrett gave her at one time was $500, but she did not know how much total cash she had received from him.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Davids. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
Former Gainesville Pharmacy Technician Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Matthew Bryan Caniff (33, Gainesville) to 15 years in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a child to engage in sexual activity, online solicitation of child pornography, and attempted production of child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervision release and to register as sex offender after his release from prison. In January 2017, Caniff was convicted by a federal jury. Prior to his arrest, he worked as a pharmacy technician at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
According to testimony at trial, beginning on March 31, 2016, Caniff engaged in a series of online text conversations over the Internet with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old child. Unbeknownst to Caniff, this "child" was actually an undercover FBI agent. During the course of these online conversations, Caniff discussed in detail his desire to have sex with the “child” and sent the “child” several explicit photos of himself. He also made several requests for the “child” to send him images engaging in sexual conduct.
In the early morning hours of April 1, 2016, Caniff drove his vehicle from his residence in Gainesville to a home in St. Johns County to meet the “child” for sex. He was arrested at the meeting location by deputies from St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. A search of his person revealed that Caniff had brought a plastic bag containing several prescription pills that he had taken from UF Health Shands Hospital and had intended to share with the “child” during their planned sexual encounter.
“The FBI devotes extensive resources to fighting the horrific crime of child sexual exploitation," said Charles P. Spencer, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville division, "and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove predators from our communities, and bring justice upon those who seek to take advantage of vulnerable young people."
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Edmond Property Manager to Serve 18 Months in Prison for Defrauding Clients and Failing to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – On April 26, 2017, ANGELA RENEE RENEAU, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced by United States District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange to serve 18 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud and for failing to file an income tax return, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Reneau was ordered to pay restitution totaling $386,236.27 to five of her former clients. Reneau was also ordered to pay $137,352 in restitution to the IRS. She will serve three years of supervised release at the end of her prison term.
Reneau was charged by Information and pled guilty on November 22, 2016. She admitted that between 2010 and 2014, she provided real estate management services to owners of commercial office buildings in the Edmond, Oklahoma, area through her business, Reneau Properties, LLC. She further admitted that during this time she made unauthorized transfers of her clients’ rental income into her Reneau Properties bank account and used those funds for her personal expenses. Specifically, she admitted that she caused Citizens Bank of Edmond, Oklahoma, to use interstate wire communications with the bank’s processor, which is located out-of-state, to transfer $11,000 from the bank account of her client, 750 West Covell, LLC, into her Reneau Properties bank account. Reneau admitted that her client did not authorize this transfer and that she used the funds for her personal expenses. In addition, Reneau admitted that she knowingly and willfully failed to file a federal income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service for the 2014 tax year.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green.
First Annual Community Partners AwardsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Joe Brewer (864) 282-2121
Columbia, South Carolina------ The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of South Carolina works with numerous state, federal, not-for-profit, and private entities on crime prevention and reentry. These groups and agencies are using their expertise and energy to eradicate crime before it happens.
To coincide with National Reentry Week, the USAO announces its First Annual Community Partner Awards for excellence in crime prevention and reentry work. “Reentry” is the coordinated process by which previously incarcerated citizens return to their communities and families in a way that is healthy, sustainable, and least likely to result in further engagement with the justice system. The following individuals have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to programs designed to meet the 21st Century demands of post-incarceration law-abiding citizenship. Contribution include, but are not limited to, reentry job fairs and expos, civil rights forums, job placement, education, reentry and drug court, and personal identification:
Diana Goldwire - SC Works
Corrine Davis - SC Works
Johnny-Lynn Crosby - SC Works
Steve Hand - Greenville Tech
Caroline Caldwell-Richmond - New Mind Health and Care, Inc.
Bobby Hager - Bureau of Prisons - FCI Williamsburg
Edith Grice-Peay - Bureau of Prisons - FCI Edgefield
Richard Boone - SC Department of Motor Vehicles
Peggy Fouty - SC Department of Motor Vehicles
Jodi Gallman - SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon
Jim Batson - SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon
Ginny Barr - SC Department of Corrections
Rosie Banks - Greater Employment Advocacy Association
Greg Russ - U.S. Probation Office
Katrina Robinson Curtis - U.S. Probation Office
Amy Barch - Turning Leaf
Jerry Blassingame - Soteria
Beth Templeton - Our Eyes Were OpenedThese individuals demonstrated exceptional contributions above and beyond the call of duty and are emblematic of the many dedicated public and private servants in this state with whom this office has the honor to work towards safer communities. Crime prevention and reentry are interdisciplinary problems and can only be resolved through the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, including members of the community.
U.S. Attorney Drake noted, “Crime prevention is smart policing. When engineers and architects are designing and building auditoriums, they consider how to eliminate foreseeable problems on the front end and design structures around those challenges. 21st Century law enforcement can and is doing the same thing. Data confirms that when one of our citizens is released from a term in jail, whether that sentence derives from a DUI, drugs or a violent crime, the initial challenges of rejoining our communities pose real challenges that can undermine a law abiding life. Addressing the seemingly ordinary challenges like obtaining a license, which is a pathway to a job, can be insurmountable without support from a Probation Officer and the Department of Motor Vehicles. These awards recognize innovative, collaborative work by both government agencies and non-government agencies to address the obstacles that can impede the path to a law-abiding life. Those who received the awards have worked on issues including drivers’ licenses, jobs, drug treatment, education, medical treatment/counseling, housing and more. Many thanks to our award winners and to our partners who have joined together to forge a more perfect union.”
#####
Fifa Audit and Compliance Committee Member Pleads Guilty to Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Richard K. Lai, a United States citizen, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy in connection with his participation in multiple schemes to accept and pay bribes to soccer officials. Lai also pleaded guilty to one count of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts and agreed to pay more than $1.1 million in forfeiture and penalties. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen at federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.
The guilty plea was announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Special Agent-in-Charge R. Damon Rowe, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office (IRS).
“Today’s plea marks another important step in our ongoing effort to root out corruption in international soccer,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “The defendant abused the trust placed in him as a soccer official in order to line his own pockets, and now he will be held to account. The defendant’s breach of trust was particularly significant given his position as a member of the FIFA Audit and Compliance committee, which must play an important and independent role if corruption within FIFA is to be eliminated.”
“Years of this systemic culture of corruption and greed have tainted one of the world’s most popular sports,” stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Kickbacks and bribes became the norm for doing business with FIFA, but not anymore. The plea deal today and all the other cases tied to this investigation prove our work isn’t done, and we will continue to pursue anyone who had their hands in illegal activity.”
“Today’s guilty plea by Guam Football Association president Richard K. Lai, reaffirms the dedication of IRS Criminal Investigation to use our financial investigative expertise to uncover corrupt schemes and illicit payments involving FIFA officials,” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Rowe. “Co-conspirators may try to hide and launder the proceeds of their corrupt self-enrichment, but as mentioned in the legal documents filed today, IRS-CI Special Agents will trace and uncover those funds both through the U.S. financial system and beyond, to offshore jurisdictions in locations such as Asia, the Middle East, and around the globe.”
As alleged in the criminal information to which he pleaded guilty, Lai, a resident of the U.S. territory of Guam, has served as the president of the Guam Football Association (GFA) since 2001. In that capacity, Lai had a vote in FIFA presidential elections. Lai has also served at various times as a member and chair of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Finance Committee and a member of the AFC Executive Committee, and is currently a member of the AFC Marketing Committee and the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee.
As also set forth in the information, Lai pleaded guilty to a scheme in which he received $100,000 in bribes in 2011 from an official of the AFC who was then running for the FIFA presidency, in exchange for Lai’s vote and support in the then-upcoming FIFA presidential election.
As further described in the information, Lai also pleaded guilty to a scheme in which he received over $850,000 in bribes between 2009 and 2014 from a faction of soccer officials in the AFC region. Lai received those bribes in exchange for using his influence as a soccer official to advance the interests of the faction that bribed him, including by helping officials in that faction identify other officials in the AFC to whom they should offer bribes. The goal of this scheme was for the faction to gain control of the AFC and influence FIFA.
The guilty plea announced today is part of an investigation into corruption in international soccer being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the FBI New York Field Office, and the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office. The prosecutors in Brooklyn are receiving considerable assistance from attorneys in various parts of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in Washington, D.C., including the Office of International Affairs, the Organized Crime and Gang Section, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the Fraud Section, as well as from INTERPOL Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Tuchmann, Nadia Shihata, and Brian D. Morris of the Eastern District of New York are in charge of today’s prosecution.
The government’s investigation is ongoing.
The Defendant:
RICHARD K. LAI
Age: 55
Nationality: American
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17 CR 224 (PKC)
Federal Agents Arrests Man and Woman on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Andy Moorman (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina-------United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Theodore Vitaliy Khleborod, age 28, and Ana Milena Barrero, age 24, have been arrested on federal charges of possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of U47700, a Schedule I controlled substance, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute U47700, and using the U.S. Mail to facilitate a drug trafficking crime.
Khleborod and Barrero are scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Greenville this morning at 11:30 am. A detention hearing and a preliminary hearing have been scheduled for 10:00 am on Monday, May 1, 2017, at the federal courthouse in Greenville.
The case is being investigated by Special Agents with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville Police Department, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Moorman and Leesa Washington of the Greenville office are prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
#####
Elyria man sentenced to 12 years in prison for selling fentanyl that resulted in fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
An Elyria man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for selling fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a Lorain County man, law enforcement officials said.
David Andrew Hollis, 27, sold fentanyl on Feb. 21, 2016, to a man who fatally overdosed in Lorain County, according to court documents.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who profit from the sale of drugs that have caused so much death and pain in our community,” Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja said. “It will take vigorous law enforcement, combined with prevention efforts and making treatment available to those who want help, to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”
"We are committed to aggressively pursue heroin and fentanyl traffickers and organizations that are creating the drug epidemic that our communities face every day," Lorain County Sheriff Phil R. Stammitti said.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Darden and Robert Corts following an investigation by the Lorain County Drug Task Force.
El Salvadoran National Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry Following Deportation for Aggravated FelonyRead 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 Juan Ramon Montoya-Martinez, 35, of El Salvador, who was convicted of unlawful reentry following deportation for an aggravated felony, was sentenced to seven months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The Court also ordered that the defendant be turned over to the Department of Homeland Security upon his release to be deported back to El Salvador.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in September 2016, the United States Border Patrol encountered the defendant, a native and citizen of El Salvador illegally present in the United States, in Spencerport, NY. Records checks showed that the defendant was previously deported from the United States in 2003, following his conviction for Aggravated Sexual Abuse related to his rape of a 13 year-old child in Maryland.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Steven Oldman.
Eight Extradited from Jamaica to North Dakota to Face Lottery Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Eight Jamaicans charged in a transnational organized crime advance fee “lottery scam” fraud are now in federal custody in the United States, after the Jamaican government ordered them extradited last month. The eight were arrested in Jamaica over one year ago, shortly after the United States applied to the Jamaican government to arrest and extradite 14 defendants charged federally in a wire/mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy investigation dubbed “Operation Hard Copy.” The charges allege the scam bilked at least 90 mostly elderly U.S. residents out of over $5.7 million dollars, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers of the District of North Dakota.
The eight defendants extradited are Dahlia Elaine Hunter, Kimberly Carlo-Jean Hudson, Kazrae Gray, Dario Palmer aka “Innocent Palmer,” Jason Joseph Jahalal, O’Neil Brown, Alrick McLeod aka “Birdman” aka “Z-Bird,” and Xanu Ann Morgan.
“After years of hard work we are pleased and grateful the Jamaican government joins us in recognizing the terrible toll of the Jamaican lottery fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Untold numbers of Americans fall prey to scammers, losing millions upon millions of dollars, law-abiding Jamaicans suffer from the effects of increased lawlessness and violent crime associated with the fraud, and that negatively impacts citizens of both countries.”
“Cooperation between the United States and Jamaica was key in this extradition and remains integral to combating crime that crosses our borders,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Dan Orr of the District of North Dakota. “It sends a strong message that no matter the distance and location, the United States Marshals will work tirelessly to find offenders and bring them to justice.”
Another defendant, Lavrick Willocks, was arrested in Jamaica on Nov. 5, 2016, waived extradition and is in federal custody in North Dakota awaiting trial. Defendant Tristan Fisher was arrested on Dec. 2, 2016, in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, and is currently in custody. A third defendant, Melinda Claudina Bulgin, was arrested June 16, 2015, in Providence, Rhode Island, and is awaiting trial. Four individuals charged in the case remain fugitives: Mario Hines aka “Buju Ramos,” Gregory Gooden, Akil Gray and Gareth Billings.
Operation Hard Copy began in 2012 and is based in the District of North Dakota. The FBI’s Bismarck Resident Agency and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Florida lead the investigation, with substantial assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, many federal and state law enforcement agencies, and Jamaican authorities. The ongoing investigation has resulted in multiple federal indictments throughout the United States. One of Willocks’ former co-defendants, Sanjay Ashani Williams, was convicted after trial in North Dakota in 2015 and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for selling victim lead lists used in international cyber-fraud. More than 10 other defendants have entered guilty pleas in related cases in North Dakota.
“The apprehension and extradition of these suspects is possible because of the continuing efforts of the United States Marshals Service, the FBI, the Jamaican Fugitive Apprehension Team and all of our U.S. and Jamaican law enforcement colleagues,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “We look forward to continuing to fight this fraud targeting some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
“These extraditions highlight the parallel efforts of U.S. and Jamaican law enforcement to prosecute those who prey on our nation’s senior citizens,” said Inspector in Charge Antonio J. Gomez of the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service’s Miami Division. “The mission of the Postal Inspection Service is to protect consumers by ensuring the nation’s mail system is not used as a tool for fraud by international scammers.”
“Fraud schemes like this one have become all too common in the United States and take an exacting toll on their unwitting victims. Today’s success is the next step in stopping these crimes and bringing justice to criminals anywhere in the world,” Special Agent in Charge Richard T. Thornton of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division. “This effort was made possible by the hard work of our Bismarck Resident agents, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We are also grateful for the cooperation of the U.S. Marshals Service in bringing these defendants to the United States so that they may stand trial. The FBI and our partners look forward to presenting our case to the Court and are hopeful that justice will be served.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Hochhalter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Chase, Assistant U.S. Attorney James Patrick Thomas, and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an accusation and individuals charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Dubuque Gang Member Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana Near a School and PlaygroundRead the Press Release
A Dubuque gang member was sentenced on Wednesday to more than two years in federal prison.
Frank Dontrell Washington, Jr., age 22, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2016, jury verdict finding him guilty of possession with intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school and playground.
Evidence at trial showed that police searched Washington’s home in June 2016. During the search, the police found a distribution quantity of marijuana under Washington’s bed. During a recorded interview, Washington admitted he intended to sell the marijuana found in his residence. Evidence at the sentencing included hundreds of pages of Washington’s social media accounts depicting Washington and others with guns and drugs, and pictures of Washington making hand signals of the Mulla Mafia Gang, or MMG, a street gang in Dubuque.
Washington was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Washington was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Washington is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-01029-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dennis Alexio Sentenced for Tax Fraud, Money Laundering, and Commercial FraudRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Chief U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright today sentenced Dennis R. Alexio, 58, of Aiea, to a term of imprisonment of 15 years.
The sentencing follows Alexio’s convictions last year in two trials. First, on January 22, 2016, a federal jury found Alexio guilty on all 28 counts of defrauding the Internal Revenue Service of more than $700,000 in illegally obtained tax refunds. Second, on September 16, 2016, another federal jury found Alexio guilty on all 18 counts of an indictment charging him with using false and fictitious financial instruments to obtain property from multiple unsuspecting victims.
Elliot Enoki, Acting United States Attorney, said that, according to evidence produced during the first trial, Alexio stole more than $700,000 from the Internal Revenue Service by preparing and filing tax returns for others which falsely claimed tax refunds in those amounts. Alexio then used cashier’s checks to try and launder the money and hide it from the government. Nevertheless, through the use of search warrants and tax levies, the government was able to recover most of the money.
According to evidence produced during the second trial, Alexio obtained $185,000 of silver coins and gold bars by fraud and theft from APMEX, an internet metals company based in Oklahoma City. Information presented in court also included Alexio’s theft of approximately $16,000 in currency from Dartmouth Capital, an internet currency exchange company based in Boston.
The Internal Revenue Service led the investigation which resulted in both sets of convictions. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marshall Silverberg and Margaret Nammar.
Dallas Woman Sentenced to 210 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Violent Kidnapping AttemptRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Dallas, Texas, woman, Melissa Trevino, 23, was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 210 months in federal prison for her involvement in an attempted kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
In November 2016, Trevino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Trevino has been in custody since the time of her arrest in September 2016. Trevino was in the U.S. illegally at the time the offense was committed and will be deported after serving her sentence.
Earlier this month, co-defendant Javier Martinez was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison and Indolfo Martinez, who is Javier Martinez’s father, was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison. In March 2017, co-defendant Jose Cardenas Aguirre was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison and Maria Guadalupe Bello was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
One remaining defendant charged in the case, Jonathan Benitez, remains a fugitive.
According to documents filed in the case, on July 12, 2016, Trevino, along with Aguirre and Martinez, planned to kidnap another individual because of an unpaid drug debt involving cocaine. During the planned kidnapping, Martinez and Aguirre wore ballistic vests and black camouflage clothing. The kidnapping was unsuccessful, and as Martinez, Aguirre, and Trevino fled the scene, they were engaged in a high-speed chase with officers with the Ennis Police Department. During this pursuit, Martinez, using an AR-156 style rifle, fired numerous shots at a police officer.
According to the investigation, Trevino wiped fingerprints off the bullets before they were used and handed Martinez a magazine so that he could reload his weapon while firing at law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the Ennis Police Department and the FBI’s Violent Gang Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl prosecuted.
# # #
DEA and Partners Across Michigan Continue Drug Abuse Prevention Efforts wtih Prescription Drug Take Back Day on SaturdayRead the Press Release
Over 200 Take Back locations across Michigan
Disposing of unused medications prevents drug thefts, abuse, and overdoses
Detroit, MI - Addictive prescription drugs that are thrown away or left untended on shelves and in drawers at home are often stolen and either abused or sold by family members and visitors. That’s why the DEA and thousands of its state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners are holding another Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 29, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. local time, at over 5,000 sites around the country. The service is free of charge, no questions asked.
America is experiencing an epidemic of addiction, overdose, and death due to abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers. 6.4 million Americans age 12 and over—2.4 percent of the population—abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last fall, more than abuse cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine combined. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes or firearms. The majority of prescription drug abusers report that they obtain their drugs from friends and family, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Last October, Americans turned in 366 tons (over 730,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 12 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 7.1 million pounds—more than 3,500 tons—of pills.
The public can find a nearby collection site at DEA.GOV and click on the “Take Back Day” box on the home page. You can also fine nearby collections sites by calling 800-882-9529. Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought to the collection sites—liquids, needles, or other sharps will not be accepted. This event will go on even if the Federal Government shuts down this weekend.
END
DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is SaturdayRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Saturday is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 13th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey.
“Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs,” Posey said. “The easiest and most effective thing you can do to protect your loved ones from prescription drug abuse and possible addiction, and even potential progression to heroin use, is to clean out your medicine cabinets and drop those drugs off for proper disposal. The vast majority of new heroin users started with painkillers.”
On the most recent Take-Back Day, Oct. 22, 2016, the public turned in 731,269 pounds — almost 366 tons — of medication to DEA and its more than 4,000 community partners at more than 5,000 collection sites nationwide. Over the life of the program, people across the country have removed 7.1 million pounds (more than 3,500 tons) of prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, kitchen drawers and nightstands.
Unused medicines in the home are dangerous because the majority of the 6.4 million Americans who abused prescription drugs in 2015, including the almost 4 million who abused prescription painkillers, say they obtained those drugs from friends and family, including from a home medicine cabinet, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last month. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers. Almost 30,000 people — 78 a day — died from overdosing on these painkillers or heroin in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Drug Take-Back initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. At the same time, Americans now are advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards. The Take-Back Day provides an easy, anonymous, secure and environmentally safe way to dispose of unused prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
Collection sites will be set up throughout communities nationwide. To locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Office of Diversion Control web site at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback where you can search by zip code, city, or state. The service is free and anonymous.
If this weekend is not convenient, there also are permanent, secure prescription drop-off sites in the metro Birmingham area. Locations include 24-hour Walgreens Pharmacies in Hoover, Roebuck and Bessemer, and some police and fire departments. To find a location near you, follow this link: http://www.rxdropbox.com/.