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25 May 2017
South Florida Resident Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Committing Armed Robbery of Jewelry Store in Downtown MiamiRead the Press Release
A South Florida resident was sentenced today, by U.S. District Court Donald L. Graham, to 12 years in prison for committing an armed robbery of a jewelry store in the Seybold Building in downtown Miami.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade State Attorney; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge (FBI), Miami Field Division; and Rodolfo Llanes, Chief, City of Miami Police Department (MPD), made the announcement.
Jessie Wooden, 29, of Miami, pled guilty in May of 2017 to conspiring to commit an armed robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Judge Graham sentenced Wooden to 154 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to the court record, including the agreed upon factual proffer, on October 29, 2016, Wooden and his co-conspirator robbed a jewelry store located in the Seybold Building in downtown Miami. Once inside the jewelry store, Wooden brandished a firearm while the co-conspirator bound the victim’s hands and feet. The defendant and his co-conspirator stole approximately 35 watches and over $250,000 in U.S. currency.
On January 11, 2017, law enforcement officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Wooden was driving. Wooden refused to stop and sideswiped an officer’s vehicle in an attempt to evade capture. Ultimately, Wooden crashed his vehicle and was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm. An additional search of Wooden’s residence revealed over 100 rounds of ammunition.
Mr. Greenberg commends the FBI and MPD for their collaborative work as part of the South Florida Violent Crime Task Force. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with this matter. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Curtis from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Shelby County Woman Indicted for Raising Money on False Cancer ClaimRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Shelby County woman on multiple fraud charges for falsely claiming she had terminal cancer in order to get money from family and friends and to solicit donations through an online fund-raising site, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Posey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger Stanton and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
A 15-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JENNIFER FLYNN CATALDO, 37, of Sterrett, with eight counts of wire fraud and seven counts of bank fraud.
“This type of deception potentially impacts fund-raising efforts of websites and organizations that exist to raise money for families with true medical needs,” Posey said. “I applaud the cooperative efforts of the FBI and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in investigating this crime and bringing it forward for prosecution.”
“Sadly, crimes like this make good people think twice before they are willing to be charitable,” Stanton said. “It is hard to comprehend how anyone could sink so low as to claim to have cancer just to fuel their greed.”
“I appreciate the prompt work of Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Posey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger Stanton in securing a federal indictment in this case in which state charges have also been brought by warrant,” Marshall said. “We stand together to fight this kind of alleged fraud in which many Good Samaritans from Alabama and other states were victimized. I look forward to working closely with our federal partners in obtaining a conviction and sending a message to would-be criminals that such fraud will be aggressively prosecuted.”
From 2014 to about May 2017, Cataldo misrepresented to friends and family that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to the indictment. In person, online and via text messages, she solicited contributions from friends and family and received more than $100,000 in donations for living and medical expenses, the indictment charges. In January 2016, Cataldo also created an account on the GoFundMe website titled, “Mom has Terminal Cancer Disney Trip,” with the stated goal of raising $4,000 to take her child to visit Disney before she died, according to the indictment. That account raised more than $10,000.
In September 2016, a friend who believed Cataldo was suffering from terminal cancer created a second GoFundMe account titled, “Jenny Flynn Cataldo Medical Care,” with a $20,000 fund-raising goal, according to the indictment. That account raised more than $25,000 by May 17.
Cataldo transferred money from both GoFundMe accounts into her personal bank account, according to the charges.
The maximum penalty for each count of wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The FBI and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Beardsley Mark is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Sentencings for May 24 - May 25, 2017Read the Press Release
Christopher Buchholz, 31, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 25, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and for use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Buchholz was arrested in Sheridan, Wyoming. He received 72 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and $250.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Sheridan Police Department, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Richard John Anderson, 52, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 25, 2017, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Anderson was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received 30 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Melissa Millard, 35, of Billings, Montana, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 25, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Millard was arrested in Sheridan, Wyoming. She received 57 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $600.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Sheridan Police Department, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Jose Del Carmen Olivares-Silva, 42, of Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on May 24, 2017, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Olivares-Silva was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received time served, plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Vidal Jimenez-Herrera, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on May 24, 2017, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Jimenez-Herrera was arrested in Torrington, Wyoming. He received time served, plus ten days,
was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Neil George Downard, Jr., 31, of Custer, Washington, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 24, 2017, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Downard, Jr., was arrested in Gillette, Wyoming. He received 120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and $400.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Austin Burroughs, 25, of Auburn, New York, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 24, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and for use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Burroughs was arrested in Sheridan, Wyoming. He received 60 months and 191 days of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and $400.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Sheridan Police Department, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Enrique Rodriguez-Cabrera, 33, of Mexico, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 24, 2017, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Rodriguez-Cabrera was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received time served, plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Stefano Martin Bowling, 41, of Arvada, Colorado, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on May 24, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Bowling was arrested in Denver, Colorado. He received 58 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $250.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Patrick Gene Patterson, 37, of Grants, New Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on May 23, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Patterson was arrested in Gillette, Wyoming. He received 135 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $500.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Travis Aaron Benson, 41, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 24, 2017, for possession of child pornography. Benson was arrested in Laramie, Wyoming. He received 37 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $14,000.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Sentencing Set for Orem Man who Pleaded Guilty to Possession of Firearm Following Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Deny De La Cruz Rodriguez, age 23, of Orem, who pleaded guilty Thursday to possession of a firearm and ammunition following a felony conviction, will be sentenced July 27, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. by U.S. District Chief Judge David Nuffer.
In a statement filed in court as a part of his plea agreement, De La Cruz Rodriguez admitted that because of a previous felony conviction for attempted robbery in California, he was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.
On Oct. 25, 2016, law enforcement officers in Orem obtained a warrant to search a house where a gun, used in an Oct. 20, 2016 confrontation between two rival gangs at Orem High School, was believed to have been taken. During the confrontation, an individual pulled out a pistol and fired it in the direction of a rival before all parties left the scene, according to a document filed in state court in Utah County. No one was injured. Another individual has been charged in state court in connection with the firing of the gun during the incident.
When officers executed the warrant on the residence, they encountered De La Cruz Rodriguez and another family member. In the bedroom, where De La Cruz Rodriguez was located, officers recovered a loaded pistol between the bed mattress and the box spring. The pistol had been reported as stolen in Millard County. Law enforcement officers also noted several places in the bedroom where Florencia 13 was tagged, along with the defendant’s gang moniker, “Dreamer.” Florencia 13 was one of the gangs involved in the confrontation at Orem High, along with members of Norteños 13.
“No good will come from an armed gang member who is prohibited from lawfully possessing a firearm,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today. “We are seeing increases in the violent crime rate in our state and in other places around the country. Targeting gang members with firearms is an important way to fight back against violent crime and ensure Utah communities remain safe for all of us.”
De La Cruz Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the firearms conviction.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Isaac C. Workman and Deputy Utah County Attorney Lance E. Bastian, who is designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. The Orem Police Department, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations have been involved in investigating the case.
Savannah Resident Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA – Barbara Wallace, 52, of Savannah, Georgia, was sentenced by Senior United States District William T. Moore, Jr. yesterday to 41 months in prison for her role in a scheme to defraud Medicaid. Judge Moore also ordered Wallace to serve 3 years of supervised release upon her release from prison, and to pay $948,361 in restitution and forfeiture.
Wallace, the former manager of MBA Diabetic Footwear Solutions, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on September 13, 2016. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Wallace caused bogus claims to be submitted to Medicaid for medical equipment that was not medically necessary, not prescribed by a physician, and, on many occasions, never provided to a patient. Wallace then used the moneys defrauded from Medicaid for her own personal benefit. Wallace has prior federal convictions for bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and social security fraud.
Acting United States Attorney James D. Durham stated, “The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute healthcare fraud in its many different forms. This defendant is no stranger to fraud schemes, having now racked up another federal conviction. Those who attempt to steal the taxpayer’s money through healthcare fraud and other scams can expect to join this defendant in a federal prison cell.”
“The Office of the Attorney General will not stand by and allow those who commit fraud to take advantage of programs that are intended to support our state's most vulnerable citizens,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Our Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit will continue to provide vital investigative and prosecutorial support to our partners at the federal and local levels, so that we can guarantee those who seek to undermine the integrity of the Medicaid system are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Medicaid fraud is a selfish, greed driven act that takes public funds away from those who truly need them. The sentencing of Ms. Wallace to federal prison will provide much time and opportunity for her to reflect on her self-centered and, more importantly, criminal conduct. The FBI will continue to work with its law enforcement partners in identifying, investigating, and presenting for prosecution those individuals engaged in such healthcare based fraudulent schemes.”
“The Court’s substantial sentence demonstrates that those who commit health care fraud and use the funds gained from that fraud for their own personal benefit will ultimately pay a very high price,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for the Atlanta region. “The Office of Inspector General, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue all such cases.”
This case was investigated by the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the FBI, and HHS-OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Scarlett S. Nokes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Love prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Edward Shia was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Special Agent in Charge Ryan Spradlin. The sentence was handed down yesterday by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.
According to papers filed with the court, Shia, 32, of San Francisco, admitted that he searched for and downloaded child pornography online. A search of Shia’s San Francisco residence resulted in the discovery of more than 12,400 images and 150 videos of child pornography. The majority of the videos depicted children between the ages of three and ten years of age. Shia admitted in an interview that he used the term PTHC (“pre-teen hard core”) to search for and download images of child pornography. He further admitted that he viewed downloading these images as a “release” and that he continued to battle with his sexual desires for children. On May 7, 2015, a federal grand jury indicted Shia, charging him with possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). Judge Chhabria found Shia guilty of the charge, following a bench trial based on stipulated facts agreed upon by the parties, on December 6, 2016.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Shia to serve a five-year period of supervised release. Shia has been free on bond; Judge Chhabria ordered him to surrender on or before July 21, 2017, to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita Lin is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the HSI, the San Jose Police Department, and the San Francisco Police Department.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.
Sacramento Man Charged with Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against Mark Corum, 60, of Sacramento, adding four counts of production of child pornography to the original indictment brought in December 2016, which charged him with one count of distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Corum engaged in conversations with various Skype users in the Philippines in which he instructed the other parties to perform sexual acts on children while he watched on live webcam. Corum sent the persons located in the Philippines payments via money transmittal services in exchange for them performing the sexual acts he requested on the children and transmitting the images to him via webcam. In addition, on June 23, 2016, Corum transmitted images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to another person via the internet.
This case was investigated by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Corum faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on the distribution of child pornography count and maximum statutory penalties of 30 years in prison on each of the four production of child pornography counts, as well as a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty in White Plains Federal Court to Conspiracy to Corrupt the Electoral Process in BloomingburgRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced that KENNETH NAKDIMEN pled guilty to conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process, in connection with an election in Bloomingburg, New York. NAKDIMEN pled guilty earlier today before United States District Judge Vincent Briccetti in White Plains federal court.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “Fair elections are the bedrock of democracy. As he has now admitted, Kenneth Nakdimen devised a scheme to advance his real estate project by falsely registering voters and corrupting this sacred process. We will not allow greed to influence elections at any level.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, as well as statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
Starting in 2006, KENNETH NAKDIMEN, a real estate developer, sought to build and sell real estate in Bloomingburg, New York. From these real estate development projects, NAKDIMEN and others hoped for and anticipated making hundreds of millions of dollars. But by late 2013, the first of their real estate developments had met local opposition, and still remained under construction and uninhabitable. When met with resistance, rather than seek to advance their real estate development project through legitimate means, NAKDIMEN and others instead decided to corrupt the democratic electoral process in Bloomingburg by falsely registering voters and paying bribes for voters who would help elect public officials favorable to their project.
Specifically, in advance of an election in March 2014 for Mayor of Bloomingburg and other local officials, NAKDIMEN and others, and people working on their behalf, developed and worked on a plan to falsely register numerous people who were not entitled to register and vote in Bloomingburg because they actually lived elsewhere. Those people included some who never intended to live in Bloomingburg, some who had never kept a home in Bloomingburg, and indeed, some who had never set foot in Bloomingburg in their lives. NAKDIMEN and others took steps to cover up their scheme to register voters who did not actually live in Bloomingburg by, among other things, creating and back-dating false leases and placing items like toothbrushes and toothpaste in unoccupied apartments to make it seem as if the falsely registered voters lived there.
NAKDIMEN and others also bribed potential voters by offering payments, subsidies, and other items of value to get non-residents of Bloomingburg to register unlawfully and vote there.
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NAKDIMEN, 64, of Monsey, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
NAKDIMEN’s sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2017.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, the Sullivan County Sherriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Kim also thanked the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, Election Crimes Branch, for its assistance in the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn Martin, Benjamin Allee, and Perry Carbone are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining charged defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Quad Cities Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Scheme that Resulted in $1.7 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Ill., businessman, Todd B. Raufeisen, waived indictment and pled guilty to an information that charged him with defrauding investors in his land development and management projects of approximately $1.7 million. Raufeisen, 56, entered his guilty pleas to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering today before U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow. Sentencing is scheduled on Sept. 14, 2017.
In court documents and statements, Raufeisen admitted that from 2010 to August 2016, he engaged in a scheme that defrauded approximately 22 investors in his development projects and resulted in a loss of approximately $1.7 million. Raufeisen engaged in business under various business names, including RDC Hotel Solutions.
As part of the scheme, Raufeisen promised prospective investors a higher rate of interest than conventional, insured investments and short turnarounds on return of the principle and interest. In exchange for the money invested, Raufeisen promised certain investors that the money would be placed in escrow until needed, would only be used for specific development or management projects, and, if unused, the money would be returned to the investor. In fact, Raufeisen used the investors’ money for personal expenses and to pay previous investors to whom he was indebted.
Further, Raufeisen provided certain investors with promissory notes that promised repayment of invested principle and interest. The notes were purportedly signed and guaranteed by persons who knew nothing of the promissory notes and had not guaranteed repayment to the investors. In fact, Raufeisen admitted that he forged the signatures on the promissory notes.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and, the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Allegro is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The maximum statutory penalties for the offenses - 20 years in prison for wire fraud; 10 years for money laundering - are provided here for informational purposes, as final sentencing is determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court may also order the defendant to pay restitution to victims of the offenses.
Pratt Company Pleads Guilty in Oil and Gas Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Pratt company pleaded guilty Thursday in an oil and gas fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Sonstone Trading LLC pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In the plea, the company admitted it agreed to sell 3,000 barrels per month of crude oil to Parnon Industries. In fact, what Sonstone provided to Parnon was not crude oil. It was raw gas oil (RGO), which is a by-product obtained from recycling used motor oil. At sentencing, the court will determine the amount of loss. The government maintains the loss is more than $994,000. Sentencing is set for Aug. 10.
Charges against Sonstone executive David Lawson were dismissed.
For more information on oil and gas fraud from the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, see www.stopfraud.gov/oil-gas-fwg.html .
Beall commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 30 months’ imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Ronald Broadus, 43, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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 received authorization to intercept wire and electronic communications over Broadus’s phone for a period of thirty days. During that timeframe, Broadus was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute crack cocaine.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to fulfill the goals of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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, Pennsylvania State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Broadus.
Philadelphia Man Charged with Sextraffcking a Minor via Force, Fraud and CoercionRead the Press Release
Tyquil Clayron Norris III, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Indictment with sex trafficking via force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
The Indictment alleges that Norris engaged in sex trafficking via force, fraud and coercion, and in the sex trafficking of a minor, between April 2, 2017 and April 4, 2017.
If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment, supervised release for a minimum term of five years and a lifetime maximum term, a $500,000 dollar fine, mandatory restitution, and a $200 special assessment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Schlessinger.
Pakastani Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Making False Statements Regarding Assault Rifle AccessoriesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.–Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Agha Muhammad Khan Durrani, 28, of Pakistan, pleaded guilty to making a false statement before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Judge Geraci then sentenced the defendant to six months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that on July 19, 2016, Durrani was interviewed by Special Agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security at the Rainbow Bridge port of entry regarding an investigation into the export of firearm components to Canada. The defendant falsely stated that he did not buy and sell firearms and accessories for business purposes. Subsequently during the interview, Durrani admitted that he did buy firearms and accessories to sell in a business he operated in Pakistan.
The plea and sentencing are the culmination of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that on May 24, 2017, Carl Anthony Mangiameli, 52, of Omaha, was sentenced to 18 years and four months (220 months) in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following the prison term, Mangiameli will serve five years on supervised release.
On August 28, 2015, Mangiameli was contacted by Lincoln Narcotics officers at a Lincoln truck stop. He was found to be in possession of 53 grams of pure methamphetamine and over $2000 in cash. Mangiameli admitted selling methamphetamine since 1999 and said he had gone to the truck stop to collect money from one of his methamphetamine customers and possibly sell additional methamphetamine to that person. Under the federal sentencing guidelines, Mangiameli was determined to be a career offender as a result of two prior Pottawattamie County, Iowa felony drug convictions and a 2005 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Nebraska. This resulted in a substantial enhancement to his sentencing range.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Ohio Man Who Enticed a Colorado Minor Victim in an Attempt to Produce Child Pornography Sentenced to Lengthy Prison TermRead the Press Release
DENVER – Rande Brian Isabella, age 60, of Hubbard, Ohio, was sentenced late yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 216 months (18 years) in federal prison, followed by 20 years on supervised release for one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of attempted production of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge John Eisert announced. The defendant who appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.
Isabella was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2014. On October 7, 2016 the defendant was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of attempted production of child pornography following a 11 day jury trial. The jury acquitted the defendant on two other charges. He was sentenced on May 24, 2017.
According to the facts presented at trial, between September and December 2013, Isabella communicated via phone and online with a 14 year-old girl in Colorado. Through these communications, he misrepresented his age to her and repeatedly asked for pictures of her as their conversations became increasingly sexual in nature. Ultimately, he was able to persuade her to send him a naked photograph of herself. Isabella told the minor girl that he was her boyfriend and asked her to stay with him if he traveled to Colorado. He sent her a photograph of his own genitalia, encouraging her to respond in kind. She did send him more pictures of herself, some sexual in nature, before she lost her phone. The minor girl’s mother found her phone and discovered these conversations with Isabella. She sought the help of law enforcement, and HSI began investigating the defendant’s online activities.
During the course of the investigation, federal agents determined Isabella’s identity and address. A search warrant was then obtained and executed at his home in Ohio. Agents seized his phone and two of his computers. On his phone, they found the communications with the minor girl and photographs of her that he had saved. On his computer, a forensic analyst found that Isabella had Googled the minor girl shortly after they began communicating and that he had visited her Facebook profile, looking at her friends and photos. He also visited three different website pages which showed that the minor girl had competed in 2012 in middle school track races. After viewing those pages, Isabella continued to communicate with the minor girl and saved to his phone the nude image she sent him. Evidence was also introduced at the trial and at the sentencing hearing that Isabella had communicated with three additional minor females and was in possession of nude images of those minors.
“These folks are the worst kind of predators,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “But thanks to HSI and our elite prosecutors, they learn as Mr. Isabella did that there are another class of predators above them in the food chain.”
“The prison sentences for those who produce child pornography are appropriately lengthy, such as this 18-year federal prison sentence for Rande Isabella,” said John Eisert, acting special agent in charge of HSI Denver. “HSI has a very active Operation Predator program to identify and investigate those who sexually exploit children, and to rescue the victims of these predators.”
This case was investigated by HSI. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alecia Riewerts and Celeste Rangel.
Nottingham, PA Man Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
Luis Enrique Rueda-Barcenas, a/k/a “Luis Rueda,” of Nottingham, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment alleges that on or about April 3, 2017, Rueda-Barcenas, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about April 6, 2004 and March 24, 2005.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of twenty years.
The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Murfreesboro Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Melissa Sue Baker, 39, of Murfreesboro Tenn., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, to two counts of tax evasion, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Baker owned and operated Ascendant, a payroll processing and employee-leasing company in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. According to the plea agreement, Baker admitted that from January 2011 through December 2012, she collected but failed to pay over employment taxes on behalf of her clients and Ascendant’s employees. Baker also admitted that, while she provided her clients at times, with accurate employment tax returns, she deliberately chose not to file the accurate tax returns with the IRS. Instead, Baker filed false forms with the IRS that underreported wages, withholdings, and Social Security and Medicare taxes. Baker further admitted that she diverted employment taxes for her own personal use.
Baker faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each tax evasion conviction, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties, when she is sentenced on August 30, 2017.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan R. Raybould is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Mountain View Resident Charged with Production of Child Pornography and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Grant Ridder was arraigned yesterday on federal charges of production of child pornography, distribution and possession of child pornography, cyberstalking, and coercion and enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and United States Secret Service Assistant Special Agent in Charge Philip A. Pesavento. The arraignment follows an indictment handed down by a federal grand jury on May 18, 2017.
Ridder, 26, is a resident of Mountain View. According to a search warrant filed publicly in the case, law enforcement agents began investigating Ridder after a minor victim, 16, reported that her Facebook account had been accessed without her consent and sexually explicit photographs of her had been posted on her Facebook page. An investigation determined that Ridder owned the IP address that accessed the victim’s account when the photographs were being posted. The minor victim had recently ended a relationship with Ridder.
The search warrant also identifies a second minor victim. The second victim, 13, reported that Ridder requested that she send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. When she refused, Ridder told her that he would show her mother other photographs the victim had previously sent to him depicting the victim in a state of undress. According to the search warrant, the victim reported that she “became scared” and took several sexually explicit photographs and sent them to Ridder. According to the warrant, Ridder admitted in an interview with law enforcement that he distributed the sexually explicit photographs to others.
In the indictment, Ridder is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); three counts of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2); one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B); three counts of cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A; and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a), the defendant faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years, a maximum sentence of 30 years, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution, if appropriate. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2), the defendant faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5 years, a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution, if appropriate. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B), the defendant faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, if appropriate. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2), the defendant faces a maximum prison sentence of 5 years and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution, if appropriate. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), the defendant faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, a maximum sentence of life, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution, if appropriate. Additional fines and a term of supervised release also may be imposed, however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Ridder was arrested and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal on May 24, 2017. His next court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on May 31, 2017, before United States Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins for a hearing to determine whether he should be released or remain in custody pending trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maia Perez is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, and the Martinez Police Department.
Mother and Daughter Tax Return Preparers Indicted in Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a mother and daughter who ran a tax-preparation business in Sumter County for a conspiracy to defraud the IRS, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey.
A 20-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges KATIE TOMEKO GREEN-HORN, 38, owner of Katie’s Tax Service in York, and her mother, SANDRA LENORA GREEN, 60, who worked at the tax business, with conspiring to defraud the United States between January 2011 and April 2014 by obstructing the IRS in its collection of income taxes.
The defendants repeatedly prepared fraudulent tax returns for clients by claiming false education and residential energy credits, false business losses and inflated business expenses, according to the indictment. The fraudulent deductions boosted refund amounts, thereby increasing KTS’s clients and preparation fees, the indictment says.
It also charges Green-Horn with three counts of making a false return on her own tax forms for the calendar years 2011 through 2013 by not disclosing income from her tax business, which she was legally required to do as its sole proprietor. The indictment charges that Green-Horn knowingly omitted nearly $700,000 in personal income from KTS over those three years.
The indictment further charges Green-Horn with seven counts of assisting in preparing and presenting false returns for clients by including fraudulent credits and deductions on their tax forms.
The indictment charges Green with nine counts of assisting in preparing and presenting false returns for including the fraudulent credits and deductions.
The maximum penalty for the conspiracy charge is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for submitting false returns and for assisting in preparing and presenting false returns is three years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
IRS-CI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Atwood is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MOISES ESQUIVEL-RIOS, age 34, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment charging him with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced ESQUIVEL-RIOS to time served. ESQUIVEL-RIOS will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to the court documents, ESQUIVEL-RIOS reentered the United States on or about March 16, 2017, after having been previously removed on December 24, 2011.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Admits Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Otoniel Perez-Gonzalez, age 29, and a citizen of Mexico, 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.
Perez-Gonzalez was removed from the United States to Mexico on three prior occasions, the most recent removal occurring on March 8, 2009. On April 27, 2017, he was a passenger in a minivan that was stopped by Border Patrol in Ellenburg, New York. A fingerprint check of Perez-Gonzalez resulted in the discovery of the prior removals.
Aa result of his conviction, Perez-Gonzalez faces up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. McAvoy on August 16, 2017. 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 and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Merrillville Man Sentenced to 27 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Acting United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced that Terry Kilburn, 34, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Kilburn was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on the morning of February 22, 2015 Merrillville Police responded to a dispatch regarding a male shooting a shotgun in the yard of a residence in Merrillville, Indiana. Police responded to the residence of Kilburn and recovered a sawed off shotgun -- measuring approximately 14.5 inches. Twenty four (24) shotgun shells and a few spent shells were recovered. When interviewed by law enforcement, Kilburn stated that he had purchased the firearm a week before the incident in the sawed off condition. Kilburn has a prior felony conviction for theft through Lake County, Indiana in 2013.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Merrillville Police Department. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Dean R. Lanter.
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Meriden Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JULIUS NELSON, 32, of Meriden, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from joint law enforcement investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department that targeted a drug trafficking organization operating in Hartford’s North End that was distributing crack and powder cocaine. The investigation revealed that David Gil-Grande, of Manchester, received shipments of cocaine, secreted in sealed coffee cans, from Puerto Rico. He then supplied the cocaine to Anthony Shelton, also known as “Pretty,” and others, who converted much of the cocaine into crack and distributed both forms of the drug in the area of Barbour Street in Hartford. Shelton supplied crack to NELSON who then sold the drug to his own customers.
Twenty individuals were charged as a result of the investigation.
NELSON was arrested on February 2, 2016. On February 7, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
NELSON’s criminal history includes convictions for felony assault, conspiracy to commit robbery, and multiple convictions for selling drugs.
Gil-Grande and Shelton have pleaded guilty to related charges. On January 31, 2017, Gil-Grande was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment. Shelton awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Operator of Online Retailer for Running Fraudulent Eyewear WebsiteRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced the arrest of VITALY BORKER, the operator of “OpticsFast.com,” an online retailer of purported designer eyewear. BORKER was arrested pursuant to a complaint charging him with mail and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud unsuspecting customers by misrepresenting the authenticity and condition of eyeglasses sold through the website, and to harass customers who complained or attempted to return their purchases. BORKER was arrested this morning and will be presented later today before the Honorable Ronald L. Ellis.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Vitaly Borker ran his eyewear business, OpticsFast.com, as an online platform for fraud, selling defective and counterfeit merchandise. And as alleged, when his customers rightfully complained or tried to get their money back, Borker harassed and abused them. Borker’s shameless brand of alleged abuse cannot be tolerated, and we are committed to protecting consumers from becoming victims of such criminal behavior. We thank our partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their shared commitment to this mission.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “As the adage goes, what goes around comes around - Mr. Borker took this to the extreme when he allegedly devised his fraud scheme to cheat consumers attempting to purchase eyewear. His cool shades couldn’t shield him from the bright light of law enforcement who illuminated his alleged illicit scheme. He should have realized he could never outwit Postal Inspectors.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:[1]
BORKER operates the eyewear website “OpticsFast.com” that purported to sell “brand new and 100% authentic” luxury eyewear, and that advertised itself as “the planet’s biggest online website for designer discount sunglasses and eyeglasses.” But customers of OpticsFast.com frequently received damaged and counterfeit items, were refused refunds, charged unauthorized restocking fees, or never sent eyewear for which they had been charged. When those customers tried to return merchandise, BORKER, using an alias, subjected them to a campaign of abusive emails and text messages. BORKER also insulted customers, called them names, and threatened to refer disputed sales to debt collectors.
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BORKER, 41, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with mail fraud and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kim praised the efforts of the USPIS in this case. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Landsman-Roos and Danielle R. Sassoon are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Drugging and Prostituting a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for drugging and prostituting a 14-year-old girl.
Joshua Manuel Treat, 20, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of children on February 24. According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, from September 26 to Oct. 12, 2016, Treat posted Jane Doe, a 14-year-old girl, on an Internet website and advertised her for prostitution. In order to make Jane Doe more amenable to prostitution, Treat would inject Jane Doe with heroin prior to her appointments with customers. When Treat was arrested, he was found with a handgun and a syringe containing heroin residue.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case is 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 and click on the tab “resources” for more information about Internet safety education.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-172.
Man Sentenced for Recruiting Homeless to Cash Counterfeit ChecksRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – An Atlanta man who recruited individuals from local homeless shelters to cash counterfeit business checks was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in prison.
Yumahnn Quashawn Brown, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft on February 23. According to the statement of facts, Brown traveled from Georgia to Virginia and other states several times between August 2015 and August 2016. The purpose of those trips was to steal mail, including business checks, from industrial parks and to cash counterfeit checks that were made using the stolen checks as templates. During these trips, Brown traveled to homeless shelters, where he solicited individuals to perform construction and other day jobs. Brown and the conspirators he was traveling with then provided the individuals with clothing, food, cigarettes, and alcohol while transporting them to the other areas, often more than an hour away from their respective shelters. During these trips, Brown sent information about the recruited individuals to conspirators traveling in other cars for use in the creation of counterfeit checks. Upon arrival in the targeted areas, Brown presented the homeless recruits with the counterfeit checks and directed them to cash those checks at nearby banks. In Virginia alone, Brown caused 30 homeless people to cash 70 counterfeit checks drawn on accounts belonging to 29 businesses. The total value of these counterfeit checks was nearly $160,000.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin C. Gratton prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:16-cr-75.
Local Man Pleads Guilty to Posing as a Purple Heart AwardeeRead the Press Release
Mark Chartrand, 46, of St. Louis pleaded guilty to one count of violation of the Stolen Valor Act for posing as a purple heart awardee. Chartrand pleaded guilty before Judge Henry E. Autrey who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for August 22, 2017. Chartrand will remain in custody until sentencing.
According to the plea agreement, Chartrand traveled from Missouri to California and, while there, convinced his AirBNB hosts to extend him credit and lend him money based in part of his distinguished military service and numerous awards and medals including a Purple Heart. Chartrand traveled under the false name “Mark Rhodes.”
Chartrand is a prior federal offender, having sustained a conviction for impersonating a federal officer in 2012 and convincing his then girlfriend to lend him money based on his status as an American intelligence officer. Chartrand faces up to one-year imprisonment, a fine of $100,000 or both. Restitution to the victims is also mandatory.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Defense – Office of the Inspector General – Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Leominster Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leominster man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Felix Melendez, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 15, 2017. Melendez is the final of five co-defendants to plead guilty this month to conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine in Worcester County.
Osvaldo Vasquez, 49, of Worcester; Jose Federico Vasquez, 55, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I.; Elvis Genao, 27, of Fitchburg; and Hugo Santana-Dones, a/k/a Raphael Ventura, 43, a Dominican national residing in Leominster, all recently pleaded guilty to their involvement in the conspiracy and will be sentenced in August and September 2017.
In the late summer of 2014, federal agents began investigating narcotics trafficking activities by Osvaldo Vasquez and his associates, Federico Vasquez, Melendez, Genao, and Santana-Dones. Between November 2014 and July 2015, with the help of a cooperating witness, agents made numerous recorded purchases of heroin - sometimes laced with fentanyl - from members of the conspiracy, seizing over 400 grams of heroin as a result.
During a court-authorized wiretap, Vasquez and his co-defendants were heard discussing the purchase and sale of multiple kilograms of narcotics and demonstrated an awareness of the potential deadly consequences of the narcotics they were distributing. On May 7, 2016, Osvaldo Vasquez, Melendez, and Federico Vasquez were intercepted discussing how the high number of heroin overdose deaths occurring at the time were cutting into their sales.
In August 2015, federal agents executed a search warrant at the conspirators’ homes. At Osvaldo Vasquez’s home in Worcester, agents found 679 grams of heroin and 723 grams of cocaine, as well as a Taurus PT .380 semi-automatic handgun. The telephone that was the subject of the wiretap, cutting tools, and over $7,000 in cash was also recovered in the home. At the residence of Santana-Dones in Leominster, agents found 224 grams of heroin, 110 grams of cocaine, and 8.9 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine), along with cutting tools, a hydraulic kilogram press, over $1,300 in cash, and two phones that had been intercepted on the wiretap. At the residence of Melendez, who was on parole for state firearm and narcotics charges at the time, 3.1 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, over $1,000 in cash, and a phone that had been intercepted on the wiretap was recovered. At the residence of Jose Federico Vasquez in Providence, agents found 3.4 grams of cocaine.
Felix Melendez, Jose Federico Vasquez, and Hugo Santana-Dones each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. Santana-Dones and Federico Vasquez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of their sentences. Osvaldo Vasquez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a lifetime in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. Elvis Genao faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest F. Martineau; and Leominster Interim Police Chief Michael Goldman, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Grady of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to heroin trafficking.
Jose Antonio Rosario, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 17, 2017.
From about April 2015 to March 2016, federal law enforcement investigated the drug distribution activities of Ramon Baez, a Dominican national based in Lawrence, and his associates. Rosario supplied Baez with kilograms of heroin, which Baez then repackaged for distribution. Baez pleaded guilty in March 2017 and is scheduled for sentencing on June 16, 2017. Baez is subject to deportation following the completion of his sentence.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Lancaster County Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Straw Purchase a FirearmRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Adam Tyler Shrader, age 22, of Lancaster, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Columbia to conspiracy to straw purchase a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, sentenced Shrader to 21 months in federal prison followed by 2 years of supervised probation.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on October 21, 2014, a Lancaster County deputy met with Lillie Mae Govea about her pistol being stolen. According to Govea, someone had stolen her pistol out of the trunk of her car. She indicated that the only person who had been in the trunk of the car was her boyfriend, Adam Tyler Shrader.
The officer then contacted Shrader who told the officer that a friend of his named "Nick" had asked Govea to purchase a pistol for him. Nick gave Govea and Shrader the money and told them to make the purchase at a named local gun store. Govea and Shrader agreed.
Govea indicated that during the entire drive to the gun store, Shrader was on the telephone asking for directions. When they got to the store, Shrader showed her a picture of a specific pistol that had been previously advertised by the store. However, the store did not have the pistol in stock so they purchased a different pistol and ammunition instead.
On the way back home, Shrader was talking to someone on the telephone and told him they would be returning shortly. When they returned, a male that Govea did not know approached them, gave her additional money for the pistol and took the pistol out of the car. Shrader told Govea to wait three (3) days to report the pistol stolen in case Nick did something "bad" with it. Govea waited less than one (1) day to report the pistol stolen. The pistol was later found in the possession of a convicted felon during a search by another police jurisdiction. Govea previously had pled guilty and was sentenced on the same charge.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases.
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Lakewood Tax Return Preparer Sentenced for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DENVER – Hieu Mattison, age 53, of Lakewood, Colorado was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger to serve 21 months in prison for preparing and filing false federal income tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Bob Troyer and IRS – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne announced. Following his prison sentence, Mattison was ordered to serve 1 year on supervised release. Judge Krieger also ordered Mattison to pay $133,544 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. As a special condition of supervised release, Chief Judge Krieger ordered that the defendant cannot be involved in the tax preparation business.
According to the indictment and plea agreement, Mattison was the owner and primary tax return preparer of AAAE Financial, Inc. (AAAE) in Lakewood, Colorado. Between 2008 and 2012, Mattison prepared federal income tax returns in which he added false income items, such as W-2 wages, household help (HSH) income, and/or false Schedule C business income to his mostly low-income clients’ tax returns. The false items increased various tax credits and resulted in false refunds. On occasion, Mattison added false education credits instead of false income. While he had four employees at AAAE, Mattison reviewed all tax returns before they were transmitted to the IRS.
Most of the generated refunds were direct deposited into a business bank account controlled by Mattison. After the refund was deposited into the account, the client would usually pick up the refund in cash, less Mattison’s preparation fee. When an undercover agent posed as a client at AAAE, Mattison added $6,002 in false HSH income, as well as educational expenses that Mattison and the undercover agent had not discussed. Mattison filed 34 false tax returns for 16 individuals for the tax years 2008 through 2012 for a total tax loss amount of $133,544.
“Prison is the fitting end for a tax preparer in a position of trust who preyed on the poor to steal money from the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer.
"Return Preparer fraud is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation and we have committed many resources to investigating and prosecuting cases just like these," said Steven Osborne, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office. "It is our hope that today's sentence sends the strong message that tampering with the integrity of our nation's tax system will result in jail time."
This case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Chief of the Economic Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Paluch.
Knoxville Woman Pleads Guilty in Food Program FraudRead the Press Release
Tammy Young, 47, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for her role with All About Giving, Inc., a sponsor organization in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), announced Jack Smith, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is intended to reimburse child care providers for meals served to low-income children and other qualifying individuals. The program is funded by the USDA and administered in Tennessee by the Tennessee Department of Human Services. Program sponsor organizations are responsible for enlisting child care providers into the program, communicating the total amount of reimbursement funds the providers were entitled to receive each month to the Tennessee Department of Human Services and distributing reimbursement funds to providers.
According to the plea agreement and documents filed with the Court, Young’s cousin and co-conspirator, LaShane Hayes, started All About Giving, Inc. in 2014. Thereafter, between March 2015 and July 2016, Hayes made fraudulent reimbursement requests to the Tennessee Department of Human Services which caused the State of Tennessee to deposit more money into All About Giving’s bank accounts than it was entitled to receive. Hayes and her co-conspirators, including Young, defrauded CACFP of more than $1.5 million during this period.
Young and other co-conspirators participated in the fraud by falsifying documents to support the fraudulent reimbursement requests. These included provider records, which overstated the number of meals served to children and listed fictitious children’s names and provider lists, which included individuals who were not providing any child care. Furthermore, Young enrolled individuals in the Knoxville area as All About Giving childcare providers who she knew were not providing childcare or serving meals to children. Young also traveled from Knoxville to Nashville on numerous occasions to pick up checks from All About Giving and distribute them to alleged providers in and around Knoxville. During the course of the conspiracy, Young received over $54,000 from All About Giving.
Young faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger on August 30, 2017. Her sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal statutes.
LaShane Hayes pleaded guilty in January 2017 to conspiracy and wire fraud and on April 12, 2017, she was sentenced to three months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Jury Convicts Russian National of Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A jury voted today to convict Nikolay Souslov, a/k/a Nikolay Glukhov, a/k/a Nikolai Kuznetsov, a/k/a Nikolai Burov, age 70, and a citizen of Russia, of alien smuggling, following a four-day trial.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Souslov faces up to 10 years in prison, as well as post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years, when he is sentenced on October 4, 2017 by Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. 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. Souslov has been in custody since his arrest.
The evidence at trial showed that between 2013 and October 19, 2016, Souslov smuggled people into the United States by walking them through the woods from Canada at nighttime. Souslov, who is experienced in orienteering, used only a compass to guide the illegal entrants through the woods to a pickup spot, from which they were transported to New Jersey. On October 19, 2016, Border Patrol arrested Souslov as he was leading someone into the United States. While convicting Souslov of alien smuggling, the jury acquitted him of smuggling for financial gain.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas G. Collyer.
Jason Anthony Knight Sentenced to Serve Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On May 25, 2017, Jason Anthony Knight, 45, of Telford, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Leon Jordan, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 84 months in federal prison. Knight pleaded guilty on June 21, 2016, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In his guilty plea on file with U.S. District Court, Knight admitted that in May 2016, he inspected two firearms and purchased one of them, while possessing and controlling both. Authorities later found and seized a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm in the ceiling above Knight’s bed. Knight also admitted that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the charges, guilty plea and today’s sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen C.T. Smith represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.
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Jamaican Citizen Admits to Participating in Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daron Murray, age 22, and a citizen of Jamaica, pled guilty yesterday to mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, for his role in a Jamaica-based lottery scam that targeted elderly victims.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian; Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his plea, Murray admitted that, between December 2012 and October 2014, he and others carried out an advance-fee scheme by falsely informing elderly victims in the United States that they had won the lottery and that, to claim their winnings, they first needed to pay taxes and fees. For instance, while in Jamaica, Murray repeatedly called a 92-year-old blind victim from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and instructed the victim to make advance payments to process paperwork and claim millions of dollars in purported winnings from the New York Lottery. The victim sent $20,000 to one of Murray’s conspirators who lived in Albany, New York.
Murray faces up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on October 3, 2017. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean O’Dowd.
Investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization Results in Seven Arrests on Federal Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK — An investigation into a large scale drug trafficking organization in Hockley and Cochran County, Texas has resulted in federal drug distribution conspiracy charges against seven defendants who are charged in two federal indictments that were returned last week by a grand jury in Lubbock, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Six of the seven charged defendants were arrested early Tuesday morning in an operation led by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Levelland, Texas Police Department, the Cochran County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as the New Mexico State Police Tactical Team, Roosevelt County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office, and the Region V Metro Drug Task Force, based in New Mexico. Most of the defendants were arrested in the Northern District of Texas and have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant, Jr. Each was detained pending hearings set in the following weeks. Leopoldo Herrera-Gandara was arrested in the District of New Mexico where he has made his initial appearance and awaits transfer to the Northern District of Texas. Johnathan Navarrette Garza remains in custody in Cochran County on unrelated State charges.
The defendants charged in the two indictments unsealed today include:
Leopoldo Herrera-Gandara, aka “Polo,” 33, of Arch, New Mexico
Raul Jose Hernandez, aka “RJ,” 35, of Morton, Texas
Johnathan Navarrette Garza, aka “Johnny,” 27, of Morton, Texas
Elias Avitia, aka “Mole,” 20, of Morton, Texas
Arcadio Ornelas, Jr., aka “Junior,” 36, of Morton, Texas
Each of these defendants is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Hernandez, Avitia, and Ornelas are also charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. Garza is charged in two additional counts, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gandara is also charged with three counts of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.Jorge Andres Nunez-Saenz, aka “Tucan,” 51, of Levelland, Texas
Nancy Cecilia Martinez, 37, of Levelland, Texas
Nunez-Saenz and Martinez are each charged in a four-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts each of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. The conspiracy charges contained in both indictments carry different penalties based on the amount of controlled substance attributable to each defendant, with the greater amounts carrying a maximum statutory penalty of life in federal prison and a $10 million fine, upon conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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International Cyber Fraudsters Sentenced to 115, 95 and 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Three Nigerian nationals, who were extradited from South Africa to the Southern District of Mississippi in July 2015, were sentenced to prison this week for their roles in a large-scale international fraud network.
Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans made the announcement.
Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was sentenced to 95 years in prison; Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31, was sentenced to 115 years in prison; and Femi Alexander Mewase, 45, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After a three-week trial in early 2017, a federal jury found each defendant guilty of offenses involving mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud and theft of government property. Ayelotan and Raheem were also found guilty of conspiracies to commit bank fraud and money laundering.
A total of 21 defendants were charged in this case, 12 of whom have pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy, and 11 of whom have been sentenced to date. One of the leaders of the conspiracy, Teslim Olarewaju Kiriji, 30, of Nigeria, was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison. Six other defendants were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison each for their roles in this conspiracy: Adekunle Adefila, 41, of Nigeria; Anuoluwapo Segun Adegbemigun, 40, of Nigeria; Gabriel Oludare Adeniran, 30, of Nigeria; Olufemi Obaro Omoraka, 27, of Nigeria; Taofeeq Olamilekan Oyelade, 32, of Nigeria; and Olusegun Seyi Shonekan, 34, of Nigeria.
Genoveva Farfan, 45, of California, was sentenced to 9 years in prison, and Rhulane Fionah Hlungwane, 26, of South Africa, was sentenced to five years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy. Olutoyin Ogunlade, 41, of New York, was sentenced to four years in prison. Dennis Brian Ladden, 75, of Wisconsin, was sentenced to time served and six months’ home confinement. Susan Anne Villeneuve, 61, of California, pleaded guilty earlier this month and is awaiting sentencing.
According to the plea agreements and evidence at trial, the defendants and their co-conspirators carried out numerous internet-based fraud schemes dating back at least to 2001. These schemes involved using unsuspecting victims to cash counterfeit checks and money orders, using stolen credit card numbers to purchase electronics and other merchandise and using stolen personal identification information to take over victims’ bank accounts. As a whole, the conspiracy involved tens of millions of dollars in intended losses.
To accomplish their fraud schemes, the conspirators recruited the assistance of U.S. citizens via "romance scams," in which the perpetrator would typically use a false identity on a dating website to establish a romantic relationship with an unsuspecting victim. According to trial evidence and plea documents, once the perpetrator gained the victim’s trust and affection, the perpetrator would convince the victim to either send money or to help carry out fraud schemes. For example, the defendants admitted that they used romance victims to launder money via Western Union and MoneyGram, to re-package and re-ship fraudulently obtained merchandise and to cash counterfeit checks.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal, the U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi District Office, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams of the Southern District of Mississippi, Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section tried the case.
If you believe that you may have been a victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, please go to http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scams and complete the questionnaire. Defendants allegedly used the following email addresses and names to perpetuate the scheme:
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Stacy Adams Marlon Chase Regina Darwin Folly Edwards
Kimberly Faye Lorene M. Garrett Mark Gentile John Gervino
Dickson Jones Anita Lauren Samuel Maxwell Mark Miller
Adeline Piper Sarah Powell Karen Robinson Glenn Sattelberg
Kevin Smith Mark Smith Richard Wasser Justin Worsham
Any information that you provide through the questionnaire may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of this case. A federal investigator may contact you with additional questions or to request documents you may have. Please note that submitting the questionnaire is not a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil litigation. If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed at the above websites, you may contact federal law enforcement authorities at [email protected].
Idaho Man Serving Sentence in Terrorism Case Indicted on Attempted Murder Charges Stemming from Attack on Federal Prison WardenRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A man who was convicted and sentenced to a quarter century in prison for providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization has been indicted on attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to kill the warden of the federal prison where he was serving his sentence.
Fazliddin Kurbanov, 34, was named in a three-count indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury. The indictment that charges Kurbanov with attempted murder of a federal officer, assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and possession by an inmate of a prohibited object intended to be used as a weapon.
The indictment alleges that Kurbanov used a prison-made knife to attack Warden Calvin Johnson at the Federal Correctional Institute at Victorville on May 31, 2016. Warden Johnson, who is now serving at another facility operated by the United States Bureau of Prisons, was seriously injured in the attack, but he has recovered.
Kurbanov currently is serving a 25-year sentence imposed last year by a federal judge in Idaho after being found guilty of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and possessing an unregistered destructive device.
In relation to the new indictment filed yesterday in Riverside, Kurbanov will be brought into United States District Court for an arraignment in the coming weeks.
If he is convicted of all three charges in the indictment, Kurbanov would face a statutory maximum sentence of 45 years in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation into the attack on the warden is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay H. Robinson of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section.
Huntsville Man Indicted for ID Theft, Counterfeiting and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Huntsville man on identity theft, access device fraud and illegal gun possession charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Michael Williams.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges DAMARREYA BARROW, 39, with using counterfeit bank or credit cards to make purchases in Madison County and elsewhere, ranging from Prattville, Ala., to Fayetteville, Tenn., between February and May this year, and with possessing more than 15 of the counterfeit devices on June 2016 in Madison County. The indictment also charges Barrow with aggravated identity theft for using credit and debit card account numbers belonging to other people, and with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, Barrow was convicted of fraudulent use of a debit or credit card in Madison County Circuit Court in October 2015, and on June 22, 2016, possessed a Smith & Wesson Model 669 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Barrow’s indictment is one of several involving illegal gun possession returned by the grand jury today. Others are as follows:
MAXIMILIANO CINTO, 33, a native of Guatemala living in Albertville, indicted as an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, a Jennings Model J-22 .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, on Oct. 14, 2016, in Marshall County.
SIDONTE TOMAR HARRIS, 19, of Birmingham, indicted for stealing guns from Alabama Guns and Outdoors in Pelham on Jan. 13, and for possessing and receiving stolen guns in Jefferson County on Jan. 14.
Harris’ indictment charges that he stole 17 guns from the Pelham store and that he possessed three of the stolen guns on Jan. 14 – a Colt .38-caliber revolver, a Colt 32-20-caliber revolver and a Beretta .40-caliber pistol.
MARTIN SHELTON, 36, of Bessemer, indicted for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, a FNH .45-caliber pistol and a Steyr .40-caliber pistol, on Oct. 24, 2016, in Jefferson County. The indictment lists Shelton with prior convictions of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, March 2001, Jefferson County District Court; robbery, third degree, September 2002, Jefferson County District Court; unlawful possession of marijuana, first degree, January 2003, Jefferson County Circuit Court; and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, April 2009, Jefferson County Circuit Court.
BRUCE DANIEL WARD JR., 23, of Anniston, indicted for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms – a Harrington & Richardson 20-gauge shotgun, a Mossberg .22-caliber rifle and a Noble Manufacturing Company 16-gauge shotgun – on Feb. 1 in Calhoun County. Ward’s indictment lists him with prior convictions in Calhoun County Circuit Court of burglary, third degree, in April 2003, and receiving stolen property, first degree, in August 2012.
Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum two-year prison sentence and a maximum $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for all other crimes charged in these cases is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Various agencies, including the Secret Service, Jefferson County Regional Fraud Task Force, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigated the cases, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Houma Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVID KLIMENKO, age 29, of Houma, was charged today in a Bill of Information with Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender and Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to court records, KLIMENKO was previously convicted of Sex Offense in the Third Degree (engaging in vaginal intercourse with another if the victim is 14 or 15 years old, and the person performing the act is at least 21 years old), in violation of CR 3-307(a)(5) of the Annotated Code of Maryland, in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland under Case No. 02-CR-15-547. KLIMENKO's Maryland conviction required him to register as a sex offender and complete Sex Offender Registration Forms (“Registration Form”). The terms of KLIMENKO’s sex offender registration and reporting requirements require that if he elected to move from Maryland, he was required to notify Maryland law enforcement, to register with law enforcement in his new state, and complete a Registration Form within 3 days. According to law enforcement officers, KLIMENKO moved from Maryland to Louisiana in 2016 and failed to notify law enforcement authorities of his move to Louisiana. Additionally, KLIMENKO used his Facebook account to distribute child pornography on the Internet.
Acting U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Due to his prior conviction, if convicted, KLIMENKO faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years imprisonment up to 40 years, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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."
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Hoover Man Indicted for Three 2017 Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Hoover man for three bank robberies between January and April, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges DAVID ALAN LAWLEY, 34, with the Jan. 30 bank robbery at the Chelsea branch of APCO Employees Credit Union in Shelby County, the March 31 robbery at the Leeds branch of Covenant Bank in Jefferson County, and the April 13 robbery of the Northport branch of BB&T in Tuscaloosa County.
The maximum penalty for bank robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Simpson is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that WILSON MAURICIO OSORTO-ESTRADA, age 35, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & (b)(2).
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced OSCORTO-ESTRADA to 6 months imprisonment. Following completion of his sentenced, OSCORTO-ESTRADA will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to the court documents, OSOTRO-ESTRADA reentered the United States after he was previously deported on January 17, 2013.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis was in charge of the prosecution.
Haverhill Man Arrested for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man was arrested and charged today with robbing a branch of Santander Bank in Boston.
Gregory Carter, 58, was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston at 3:15 p.m.
According to court documents, on the morning of March 25, 2017, an individual entered a branch of the Santander Bank on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston and handed a teller a note indicating a robbery. The robber stated that he had a gun and repeatedly gestured to his pocket. During the robbery, the robber pulled down a facemask he was wearing and exposed his skin and a thin moustache. The teller handed the robber cash, which was later determined to be $6,129. The robber then exited the bank walking toward Beacon Street.
Following the robbery, the teller described the robber to law enforcement officers as a 5’10” light-skinned black male wearing a dark hat, black ski mask, sunglasses, a black puffy jacket and blue latex gloves. Law enforcement officers reviewed images from exterior surveillance cameras and determined that the robber drove through the area in a black Ford Fusion sedan and parked on Beacon Street. Following the robbery, surveillance images also recorded the robber returning to the sedan and driving away. The description of the robber and the vehicle were disseminated to law enforcement.
On March 28, 2017, a law enforcement officer who was aware of the recent bank robbery observed a black Ford Fusion on Dudley Street in Boston. The driver, who matched the description of the robber, exited the vehicle and began to approach a Bank of America branch. When a Boston Police cruiser stopped in front of the bank, the individual turned around and returned to the vehicle. The officer queried the vehicle’s registration number and learned that it belonged to Carter. A criminal record check revealed that Carter is currently on probation for a prior bank robbery conviction in federal court.
Officers began conducting an investigation and surveillance of Carter, who they later determined matched the description of the individual who robbed the Santander Bank on March 25th.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge bases upon the US Sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Somerville Police Chief David Fallon; Haverhill Police Chief Alan DeNaro; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted with the assistance of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Hanson Man Sentenced for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hanson man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sending sexually explicit messages to two pre-teen girls.
Mark L. Leach, 49, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Upon completion of his sentence, Leach is required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any community where he resides. On March 1, 2017, Leach pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.
In 2016, law enforcement officers learned that Leach, using the Skype screen name “funtimehockey,” had sent sexually explicit messages via text, live video and audio to two pre-teen girls. One of the girls occasionally babysat for Leach’s daughter. The victims told law enforcement officers that Leach asked them to send him naked and sexually explicit pictures of themselves. Leach also sent naked and sexually explicit pictures of himself to the victims.
During an interview with law enforcement following his arrest, Leach admitted that he set up the Skype account to communicate with these minor victims and others, and that he frequently requested that they expose themselves to him during the conversations. Leach also admitted that when the minor victim babysat for his daughter, he would expose himself and masturbate in front of her.
Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Richard D. McKeon Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch; and Whitman Police Chief Scott D. Benton, made the announcement today. The Waltham Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Greenville Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Jimmy Brown, Jr., age 39, of Greenville, South Carolina, entered a guilty plea before United States District Court Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, this week, in Greenville, SC. Mr. Brown pled to counts for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in a violation of 18 U.S.C. § U.S.C. 922(g)(1); Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine Base, in violation of 21 U.S.C § U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(C); and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C § U.S.C. 924(c)(1)(A). Judge Hendricks accepted the guilty plea and will impose a sentence after review of the presentence report, as will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Mr. Brown was approached by Greenville County Sheriff’s Office deputies around 12:39 a.m., September 3, 2015, at a commercial venue off White Horse Road. Mr. Brown resisted efforts by law enforcement to investigate the circumstances of his presence there, and a subsequent and significant physical altercation ensued. During that altercation, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol fell from Mr. Brown’s possession. In addition to the firearm, Mr. Brown was found in possession of 3.3 grams of crack cocaine and approximately $1,767.00 in cash. He had previously served 15 years for a state voluntary manslaughter conviction.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition is imprisonment for 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000; the maximum penalty for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base is imprisonment for up to 20 years and/or a fine of $1,000,000; and the maximum penalty for Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime is imprisonment for life and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Joe Brewer of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.
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Georgia Man Sentenced for Auto Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A man who executed an elaborate auto loan fraud scheme was sentenced today to two years in prison for bank fraud.
Sheldon Franklin, 31, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty on February 28. According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Franklin organized and engineered an automobile loan fraud scheme resulting in a loss of $167,528 to Langley Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, and NSWC Federal Credit Union. Between October 2012 and August 2014, Franklin recruited several other individuals to provide their personal information, which he used to apply for car loans. Franklin filled out the loan documents and created associated fake documents, such as pay statements, to submit to the credit unions. Once the loans were approved, the recruits would pick up the checks and provide them to Franklin. He cashed the checks at a check cashing business or deposited them into business bank accounts that he had established. These business accounts were set up using fake IRS documents and under names that purported to be automobile dealerships.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Stoker prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-80.
Four Individuals Arrested in Niagara County Cocaine BustRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Ramone Westbrook, 27, Rico Freeman, 33, Corey Bradberry, 34, all of Niagara Falls, NY, and Darius Dix, aka Darius Jenkins, 27, of Lockport, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that between April 2016, and May 2017, the defendants are accused of operating a wide-scale cocaine distribution network in Niagara Falls and Lockport. According to the complaint, the investigation utilized court ordered wiretaps as well as a dozen undercover purchases.
Law enforcement officers executed seven search warrant on houses and vehicles utilized by the defendants. During the search warrants, officers recovered a quantity of cocaine, marijuana, $75,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia.
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and being held pending detention hearings on June 2, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
“By following the destructive trail of these violent traffickers, law enforcement uncovered and shut down a regional drug source of supply,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt. “I commend our law enforcement partners on their diligent efforts in this investigation.”
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James D. Robnett, New York Field Office; the Niagara County Drug Task Force and Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour; the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Niethe; the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Bryan DalPorto; and the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Caroline A. Wojtaszek.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Four Federal Inmates Charged with Possession of WeaponsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that four inmates at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Allenwood) were indicted separately by a federal grand jury for possessing contraband within a federal prison.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the following defendants, all inmates at FCC Allenwood at the time of the alleged incidents, were charged:
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Craig Pipps, age 43, charged with possession of a weapon (a 7.5 inch improvised knife) allegedly found in his boot on December 12, 2016, at the United States Penitentiary Allenwood (U.S.P. Allenwood);
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Zarqurous Sanders, age 32, charged with possession of a weapon (an 8 inch improvised knife) allegedly found on his person on December 11, 2016, at U.S.P. Allenwood;
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Ruben Esparza, age 37, charged with possession of heroin on June 27, 2015, at U.S.P. Allenwood; and
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Jeremy Harwell, age 30, charged with possession of a weapon (a 7 inch improvised knife) found on his person on December 18, 2016, at the Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood.
The investigations were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Figgsganter and Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur are prosecuting the cases.
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 statues and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty for each offense is five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000. 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 necessarily an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Four Charged with Brutal Kidnapping of Georgia VictimRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Timothy Gallagher, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Newark Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced charges against four defendants for their participation in a brutal kidnapping conspiracy, in which a victim was forcibly abducted at gunpoint in Georgia, stabbed, shot at, held hostage, and then driven north from Georgia toward the Bronx, New York. The victim was finally rescued by law enforcement authorities at the New York/New Jersey border.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “The defendants allegedly committed a brutal kidnapping – seizing their victim at gunpoint, shooting at him, stabbing him, and then driving him from Georgia, headed for the Bronx. Thankfully, the victim was rescued, and the defendants apprehended. I want to thank our partners at the FBI for their tremendous work in this investigation and commitment to confronting violent crime.”
FBI SAC Timothy Gallagher said: “Combating violent crime is, and will always remain, a priority of the FBI. These charges reinforce that commitment, and send a message to individuals who engage in violent acts, that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue them with the full force of the law.”
The Indictment[1], which was filed yesterday, charges ISMAEL CASTREJON-GUIZAR, a/k/a “Guero,” EDGARDO NAVAREZ, a/k/a “Edgar,” DULCE SANTOS-VALENZUELA, and RICARDO OCASIO-REYES, a/k/a “Ricky,” in two counts, with participating in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim in or about December 2016, and with the use and possession of firearms, which were brandished and discharged, during and in relation to that kidnapping conspiracy. se charges carry maximum statutory penalties of life in prison.
The defendants were all previously arrested by state authorities, and have been detained. They will each be brought into federal custody on writs. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
Mr. Kim thanked the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, and also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Chamblee Police Department for their excellent work in apprehending the defendants.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justina L. Geraci is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former State Trooper Indicted for Alleged Cyberstalking, Deprivation of Rights under Color of LawRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged William P. Elschlager, 48, of Marietta, Ohio, with cyberstalking and deprivation of rights under color of law in an indictment returned here today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks, Sr. announced the indictment.
According to the indictment, between November 2015 and January 2016, Elschlager allegedly placed a victim under surveillance with a GPS device on the victim’s vehicle and with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim.
It is also alleged that Elschlager, while acting under color of law, unlawfully conducted a traffic stop of the victim after tracking her location with the GPS devise, thus depriving the victim of her Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Elschlager was arrested on May 17 by Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies and released on his own recognizance. Elschlager will no longer appear for the preliminary hearing that was scheduled for June 8 but will instead appear for an arraignment on the indictment, which has yet to be scheduled.
Cyberstalking is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Deprivation of rights under color of law carries a potential maximum sentence of one year in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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