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Thursday 6 April 2017
Chalmette Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KERMERIC JOHNSON, age 33, of Chalmette, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in October 2015, JOHNSON received a jail phone call from a local heroin dealer and co-conspirator, KEITH FOSTER. FOSTER informed JOHNSON that a confidential informant had caused him and a second co-conspirator to be arrested. FOSTER then told JOHNSON where to locate a firearm and instructed JOHNSON to “take care” of the informant. JOHNSON agreed to do so and, in subsequent jail calls, stated that he was attempting to locate the informant.
On October 29, 2015, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies surveilled JOHNSON’s residence, and observed JOHNSON and an unknown male, exit the residence. Deputies observed JOHNSON carrying two items, one wrapped in a blue shirt, and the other in a red blanket. JOHNSON placed both items inside the trunk of a vehicle before he and the other male drove away. Deputies conducted a traffic stop and obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. In the trunk of the vehicle, deputies found a Smith and Wesson, 9mm caliber semi-automatic handgun wrapped in the shirt and a Marlin Model Glenfield 65, .22 caliber rifle, wrapped in the blanket.
JOHNSON faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty-five years imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk set sentencing for June 29, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the ATF New Orleans Division Office and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office for investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nolan D. Paige is in charge of the prosecution.
Centre Hall Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Manufacture and Sell ExplosivesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on April 5, 2017, United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Christina Woodring, age 35, of Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, to two years of probation, including an eight-month term of home confinement, for conspiring to manufacture and distribute explosives.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Christina Woodring pleaded guilty to conspiring with her husband, James Woodring, to purchase and transport commercial grade fireworks, to increase the fireworks’ power and volatility, and to sell them, all without a license to do so. The conspiracy lasted from May 1 through 18, 2016, when an explosion occurred at the couple’s Centre Hall residence.
James Woodring, who is awaiting sentencing, pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing explosives, and to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. James Woodring was charged with possessing a stolen semi-automatic pistol, a shotgun, a semiautomatic, large-capacity rifle and a rifle. As a previously convicted felon, Woodring is prohibited from possessing the firearms.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Centre Hall Police Department, and the Springettsbury Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth Trafficking Charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Fermin Artiaga, 36, of Perris, Calif., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a methamphetamine trafficking charge. The plea agreement includes a recommendation that Artiaga be sentenced to 114 months of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Artiaga was arrested in Aug. 2015, and was charged by a criminal complaint with a methamphetamine trafficking offense after the DEA seized approximately 1.95 kilograms (4.29 pounds) of methamphetamine during an interdiction investigation at the Amtrak Train Station in Albuquerque. The methamphetamine was concealed in four bundles inside Artiaga’s suitcase. Artiaga was indicted on Sept. 10, 2015, and was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
During today’s proceedings, Artiaga pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Artiaga admitted that on Aug. 22, 2015, he transported four bundles of methamphetamine weighing an aggregate of 1758 grams in a suitcase into New Mexico on an Amtrak train. Artiaga remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano Torrez.
Brothers Sentenced in Chinle-Area HomicideRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Mike Haudley, 65, of Logan, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 98 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Haudley had previously pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Haudley’s brother, Benjamin Haudley, 63, of Nazlini, Ariz., was previously sentenced by Judge Tuchi to 13 months of imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release, after he previously pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
On Oct. 9, 2015, Mike Haudley stabbed and killed the victim at the victim’s home on the Navajo Nation. Afterwards, Benjamin Haudley helped Mike Haudley conceal the victim’s body. Mike Haudley and Benjamin Haudley are both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, as was the victim.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-8067-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-028_Haudley
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Bronx, New York Man Charged with Supplying over 100 Grams of Heroin and 28 Grams of Crack Cocaine for Distribution in VermontRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that a federal grand jury returned a Second Superseding Indictment charging eight defendants with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including Andre Terrell, aka “Buzzo,” of Bronx, New York. The indictment alleges that Terrell conspired with Evan Harris, aka “Red,” William Harris, aka “G,” Troy Washington, Sara Munger, aka “Big Sara,” John Finn, aka “Pops,” Jeffrey Lacroix, and Gregory Wright to distribute cocaine base and heroin in Vermont from February of 2015 to August 25, 2016.
According to Court documents, the United States alleges that during the conspiracy, Evan Harris, Troy Washington, William Harris, and others distributed controlled substances in Chittenden County, Vermont. Evan Harris would provide the money obtained from these sales to Sara Munger, who would bring the money to Andre Terrell in the Bronx for additional quantities of heroin and cocaine base. Munger would then bring the controlled substances back to Vermont by automobile, and provide them to Evan Harris. Once the controlled substances were in Vermont, Evan Harris split the drugs with William Harris, and the drugs were stored and distributed from the residences of John Finn, Jeffrey Lacroix, and others in Chittenden County.
On July 7, 2016, law enforcement arrested Munger during a traffic stop on northbound Interstate 91, and found her to be in possession of approximately 127 grams of heroin and 24.8 grams of cocaine base. On August 23, 2016, a cooperating informant retrieved over $11,000 from Evan Harris at a residence in Burlington Vermont, which was intended for Andre Terrell. On August 24, 2016, the cooperating informant traveled to the Bronx, and delivered the $11,000 to Andre Terrell in exchange for over 100 grams of heroin.
On March 13, 2017, Terrell was charged by Criminal Complaint, and subsequently arrested in the Bronx. On March 17, 2017, Terrell appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses in the Southern District of New York, who ordered that Terrell remain detained pending his appearance in the District of Vermont. Terrell’s initial appearance in Vermont has not yet been scheduled. Evan Harris, William Harris, Troy Washington, Sara Munger, John Finn, Jeffrey Lacroix, and Gregory Wright have all previously appeared before United States Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy after the federal grand jury charged them in previous indictments.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges contained in the Second Superseding Indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty. If Terrell is convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, and a maximum possible term of imprisonment of forty years.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Terrell is represented by William Theodore Martin, Esq. of Somers, New York. Evan Harris is represented by Bradley Stetler, Esq. William Harris is represented by David Watts, Esq. Troy Washington is represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. Sara Munger is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels, Esq. John Finn is represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq. Jeffrey Lacroix is represented by David J. Williams, Esq. Gregory Wright is represented by Christopher L. Davis, Esq. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Brewer Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Walter Botelho, 52, of Brewer, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 2½ years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms. Botelho pleaded guilty on September 2, 2016.
According to court records, on May 2, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Brewer residence and recovered, among other things, two rifles and two shotguns. The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for first-degree manslaughter (New York), receiving stolen goods (Rhode Island), and assault and battery (Massachusetts).
In imposing a sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that Botelho had “a problem beating up women,” noted that some of Botelho’s prior criminal conduct was “chilling,” and warned that if he did not turn his life around, his dream of having a stable life in Maine would “turn into a nightmare for others.”
The investigation was conducted by the Brewer Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Attleboro, Mass., Resident Detained on Charges of Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – U.S. District Court Magistrate Patricia A. Sullivan today ordered Richard F. Woodhead, 54, of South Attleboro, Mass., detained in federal custody during an initial appearance on a criminal complaint charging him with attempted enticement of a minor, attempt to receive child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Woodhead was arrested earlier today by Homeland Security Investigation agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force following a court authorized search of his residence.
Woodward’s arrest and initial appearance are announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for New England.
This matter remains under investigation by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office.
The court scheduled a bail review in this matter to be heard on April 12, 2016.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
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Akron man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl that resulted in fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
An Akron man pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose last year, law enforcement officials said.
Steven D. Daniels, 32, is scheduled to be sentenced July 13. He pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death.
Daniels sold fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a person identified in the indictment as T.B on April 2, 2016 in Akron, according to court documents.
“We continue to seek long prison sentences for drug dealers who sell opioids that kill our children, friends and neighbors,” Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja said. “Aggressive prosecution, combined with increased treatment, prevention and changes in prescribing practices are key to turning the tide on the heroin and opioid epidemic.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Tim Plancon said: "The job of the DEA is to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that are distributing the dangerous and illegal fentanyl-based substances that have been responsible for countless deaths in the United States. When dealers provide illegal drugs to victims and the substances' use results in bodily harm or death, the DEA -- with the support from our law enforcement partners -- will continue to mobilize resources and personnel to investigate, arrest and successfully prosecute the people responsible."
"This case represents the tragic toll of addiction, and the efforts of the Akron Police Department to combat this health epidemic," Akron Police Chief James Nice said. "Law enforcement partners are hopeful that significant penalties for criminal participants will be part of a multifaceted approach that will save lives and reduce the suffering of survivors. We are proud of the investigative work that leads to accountability for drug dealers. We are also hopeful that our efforts help many that are coping with great loss."
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the Akron Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
Wednesday 5 April 2017
Wytheville Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A previously convicted sex offender pled guilty yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon to failing to fulfill his obligations under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [SORNA], Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Christopher Matthew Marsh, 40, most recently of Wytheville, Va., pled guilty yesterday to one count of failing to register as a previously convicted sex offender as required under SORNA.
According to evidence presented at yesterday by Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, Marsh was previously convicted of a sexual offense in Florida in 1997, which required him to register as a sex offender under SORNA.
Marsh complied, to some extent, with provisions of SORNA following his release from prison until June 2016 when probation officers in Florida received notification that his GPS monitor strap had been cut off. A warrant was then issued for his arrest. Marsh was subsequently located and arrested at a motel where he resided in August 2016. A review of the Virginia Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act revealed that Marsh had not registered as a sex offender in Virginia.
The United States Marshal’s Service conducted the investigation of the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
Worcester Nurse Sentenced for Drug TamperingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester nurse was sentenced today in connection with stealing painkillers from the nursing home where she worked, and then attempting to conceal her crime by replacing the medication with saline.
Lea Roberge, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2017, Roberge pleaded guilty to two counts of tampering with a consumer product, specifically the Schedule II controlled substance morphine, which is used for pain relief.
On two separate occasions in March 2015, while working as a registered nurse at Holy Trinity Eastern Orthodox Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Roberge tampered with morphine sulfate contained in emergency narcotic kits. The kits are available for use at the nursing home in case of an emergency when there is not enough time to obtain medication from the pharmacy. Roberge, who had access to these emergency narcotic kits, used a syringe to extract morphine from six vials and one bottle. In an attempt to avoid detection, she replaced the extracted medication with saline, thereby decreasing the potency of the drug.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Lauren Dineen Jerrett of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Winslow Sex Offender Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Charles Ray Smith, age 31, of Winslow, was sentenced late yesterday to 210 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release on one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on or about September 15, 2016, law enforcement arrested Charles Ray Smith at his residence on charges of sexual abuse. During a post-Miranda interview, Smith stated that he had been downloading child pornography on the cell phone in his possession and would then transfer it to his laptop computer. Smith subsequently consented to a search of his bedroom where officers located and seized two laptop computers. A subsequent forensic examination of the seized items revealed numerous images of child pornography.
Smith was named in a federal indictment in October of 2016 and pleaded guilty in December of 2016. At sentencing, the Government presented the Court with proof that Smith had a 2006 conviction for Sexual Assault 2nd Degree.
“Identifying and arresting sexual predators remains a top priority for HSI,” said Raymond R. Parmer, Jr. “HSI appreciates the teamwork of the Siloam Springs Police Department in ensuring this multiple offender was brought to justice.” Parmer is the Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans field office with responsibility for Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
This case was investigated by the Siloam Springs Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Wilmerding Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Sex Traffic a ChildRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 48 months imprisonment, followed by five years supervised release, on a charge of Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of Children, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Joseph T. Clemenic, Jr., age 45, of Wilmerding, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, in and around April of 2015, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Joseph T. Clemenic, Jr., and another person knowingly entered into an agreement to conspire to recruit for sex trafficking a female minor who had not attained the age of 18 years.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allegheny County Police Department and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for conducting the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Joseph T. Clemenic, Jr.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Wagoner Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Firearm Possession, Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that WILLIAM HENRY CRAIG, age 27, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for two counts of POSSESSION OF AN UNREGISTERED FIREARM, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d), 5841 and 5871; and for POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH AN OBLITERATED SERIAL NUMBER, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(k) and 924(a)(1)(B).
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 5, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant did knowingly possess a destructive device, which is a firearm, as defined in Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The Indictment further alleged that on or about April 5, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant did knowingly possess a CGC (Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos), Model 151, 20 gauge shotgun, with a barrel of less than 18 inches in length and an overall length of less than 26 inches, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The Indictment further alleged that on or about the April 5, 2016, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly received in interstate or foreign commerce a firearm, that is a CGC (Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos), Model 151, 20 gauge shotgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate or foreign commerce prior to April 5, 2016, from which the manufacturer's serial number had been removed, altered and obliterated.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the nonparoleable sentence will be served.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States.
Utah Federal, State and Local Government Officials Join Forces to Educate Investors on How to Avoid FraudRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY -- In a new, collaborative effort, Utah federal, state and local government officials established the Financial Fraud Institute and will hold two separate multi-agency seminars designed to educate Utah investors and consumers on how to recognize and avoid financial and consumer fraud, announced U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Regional Director Richard R. Best and U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah John W. Huber.
The free seminars are open to the public and will be held in Salt Lake City on April 26 and in Utah County on May 10. Follow us on Twitter at #StopFraudUtah.
Officials from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Utah Attorney General’s Office, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Utah Division of Securities, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Utah Division of Consumer Protection, FBI, IRS, the Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office, and the Utah County Attorney’s Office will participate in the seminars.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes will be the keynote speaker at the April seminar and Chief Magistrate Judge Paul M. Warner of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah will be the keynote speaker at the May seminar. These are the first in a series of seminars to be held by representatives of the Financial Fraud Institute.
The seminars will provide information on key questions to ask before making investment decisions; where to find free and unbiased information; how to spot financial scams; and how to report suspected fraud.
WHO: National and local experts from federal and state law enforcement and financial regulatory agencies
WHAT: Financial Fraud Institute Seminars to educate investors and consumers on how to recognize and avoid fraud
Salt Lake City
WHEN: April 26 in Salt Lake City
5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. See full agenda
WHERE: University of Utah
S.J. Quinney College of Law Auditorium
383 S. University St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Free parking at the University of Utah Stadium
Utah County
WHEN: May 10 in Utah County
5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. See full agenda
WHERE: Utah Valley University
Classroom Building Rooms 101B and 101C
800 W. University Parkway
Orem, UT 84058
Those interested in attending the seminars must register at: Salt Lake City and Utah County, or call 801-579-6191. For more information, visit www.utfraud.com.
The seminars are open to the press. Press interested in attending the events should contact Melodie Rydalch of the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office on 801-243-6475 or [email protected].
United States Attorney’s Office Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern Division of Alabama observes April 2 through 8, 2017, as National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. The office seeks to raise awareness of the citizens in our district who have been the victims of crime, including violent crime.
“Strength. Resilience. Justice.” This is the theme for the 2017 National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. Those words represent our mission to preserve and enforce victims’ rights. We seek to strengthen victims by responding to their needs, to acknowledge the resilient nature of our victim support organizations, and to pursue justice and healing for those most impacted by criminal behavior. We are committed to serving the community and ensuring that all victims receive the treatment guaranteed by the Victims’ Bill of Rights.
Various agencies have organized community events to acknowledge local crime victims and to increase awareness. For example, there will be two events on Thursday, April 6. The Mobile County District Attorney’s Office will hold its annual vigil from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile. The Baldwin County District Attorney’s office will host its annual “Candlelight on the Delta” vigil beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the 5 Rivers Delta Center in Spanish Fort.
Our office is grateful for the continued commitment of private and public organization, as well as all of the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in our district that protect and serve our citizens. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a crime, please visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at VictimsConnect.org or call 855-4-VICTIM to learn about your rights and available resources.U.S. Attorney’s Office to Commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
FARGO - U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced today that on April 7, 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota will host a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Awards Ceremony to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights and to recognize individuals throughout the state who provide outstanding services to crime victims. The awards ceremony will take place at the Quentin N. Burdick United States Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room, 655 First Avenue North, Fargo, at 10:30 a.m.
The U. S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of the national Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which is April 2-8, by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme – Strength. Resilience. Justice. – emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary responses and building the capacity of individuals, service providers, and communities to respond to crime and support the ongoing healing of victims and survivors. The theme also supports OVC’s Vision 21 Initiative, which encourages research, address emerging issues, and building the capacity of victim service organizations by increasing the use of technology and training.
Members of the media will be permitted to bring appropriate still photo, video, and audio equipment to the Jury Assembly Room for purposes of covering this event. The public is also invited to attend.
Two Orrville men indicted for selling fentanyl that resulted in fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
Two Orrville men were indicted for selling fentanyl that resulted in a fatal overdose, law enforcement officials said.
Kenneth L. Johnson, 44, and Joseph N. Carpenter, 33, were indicted on one count of distribution of fentanyl. That count carries a sentencing enhancement because the fentanyl they sold resulted in a death. Johnson faces an additional count of distribution of fentanyl.
Johnson and Carpenter on Dec. 2, 2016, met with Drew Eberly at 316 North Ella Street in Orrville and sold him fentanyl. Eberly subsequently overdosed and died from the fentanyl, according to court documents.
Carpenter told investigators that he set up the sale in which Eberly purchased $20 worth of drugs from Johnson, according to court documents.
Johnson also distributed fentanyl on Dec. 3, according to court documents.
“We continue to seek long prison sentences for drug dealers who sell opioids that kill our children, friends and neighbors,” Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja said. “Aggressive prosecution, combined with increased treatment, prevention and changes in prescribing practices are key to turning the tide on the heroin and opioid epidemic.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Tim Plancon said: "The job of the DEA is to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that are distributing the dangerous and illegal fentanyl-based substances that have been responsible for countless deaths in the United States. When dealers provide illegal drugs to victims and the substances' use results in bodily harm or death, the DEA -- with the support from our law enforcement partners -- will continue to mobilize resources and personnel to investigate, arrest and successfully prosecute the people responsible."
“The speed with which these arrests were made likely saved lives,” said Orrville Police Chief Matt Birkbeck. “This case sends a message to others engaged in this behavior that the time for warnings is over. These cases are being taken very seriously.”
“The MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency will continue to collaborate and work closely with our local and federal partners to hold people accountable for their actions who are involved in trafficking drugs in our communities and bring them to justice,” MEDWAY Director Donald J. Hall said. “A very strong message is being sent to those involved when they are indicted federally.”
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell following an investigation by the Orrville Police Department, the Medina/Wayne County Drug Task Force (MEDWAY) and the DEA, with assistance from the Wayne County Coroner’s Office.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two New Bedford Residents Plead Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two New Bedford residents pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy that distributed heroin throughout Bristol County, Mass., and Providence, Rhode Island.
Eric Desousa, 26, of New Bedford, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and three counts of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute. Tyson Depina, 40, of New Bedford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and three counts of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2017, for both Depina and Desousa.
According to court documents, Depina had been receiving heroin from Sharik Mendes, who was sentenced in federal court for heroin trafficking in January. In the spring of 2016, Depina began receiving heroin from Eric Desousa. On April 14, 2016, investigators watched Desousa distribute heroin to Depina. Depina was then arrested in possession of this heroin. During the arrest process, however, Depina fled and attempted to destroy the heroin. An officer in pursuit was covered in the heroin that Depina attempted to destroy. As a result, the officer had to be taken to the hospital. A subsequent lab test confirmed that the heroin seized from Depina was a mixture of heroin and the deadly drug fentanyl, which has been responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths in Massachusetts.
On June 6, 2016, investigators watched as Desousa attempted to deliver heroin to a customer in New Bedford. Desousa was arrested and law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Desousa’s residence in New Bedford, where they found nearly 300 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and more than $8,000 in cash.
The charges against Desousa for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of heroin with the intent to distribute provide 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 $1 million. The charges against Depina for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of heroin with the intent to distribute provide for a sentence of no less than five years and 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. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric S. Rosen of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Two Loiza Boys Gang Associates Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jorge Quinones, 39, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin, was sentenced to 151 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. In addition, Judge Skretny sentenced Jose Rivera, 35, also of Buffalo, to 120 months in prison for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin.Assistant U.S. Attorney Wei Xiang, who handled the sentencing, stated that the defendants were associates of a gang known as the Loiza Boys, which has been distributing heroin and cocaine on Buffalo’s West Side since at least 2006.
The defendants were charged in 2013 along with eight co-conspirators following a long-term investigation that involved the interception of telephone calls of various defendants and the use of undercover drug purchases from some of those charged. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized over 450 grams of heroin, three firearms, and over $70,000 in U.S. currency.
Nine of the 10 defendants have been convicted. Charges are pending against Josbel Garcia. 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.
The sentencings are the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
Toledo-area men sentenced to nine and seven years in prison for stealing more than $1.1 million through fraudulent loan-modification schemeRead the Press Release
Two Toledo-area men were sentenced to prison for stealing more than $1.1 million from hundreds of people through a fraudulent loan-modification scheme, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office.
Jason J. Keating, 38, of Toledo was sentenced to nine years in prison while and Christopher J. Howder, 40, of Perrysburg, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Keating was ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution while Howder was ordered to pay $561,000 in restitution.
Both pleaded guilty last year to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and multiple counts of mail fraud and wire fraud.
Keating and Howder worked at Making Home Affordable USA (MHAUSA) from 120 10th Street in Toledo, where Keating was self-described president and Howder was the self-described underwriting manager.
According to court documents filed in the case:
The company used various names but homeowners were told MHAUSA had a very high rate of success and that customers could achieve modified interest rates as low as 2 percent.
Prospective participants were told there was a flat fee for service, generally between $495 and $795. Participants were told to stop making monthly mortgage payments to their lenders and instead to pay a percentage of their mortgage to MHAUSA.
Participants were told MHAUSA would hold these payments in a “stimulus reserve” account to demonstrate the participants could reliably make payments, and that once the loans were modified, the money would be turned over to the lenders.
The money obtained through the fraud was spent on concessions at professional sports venues, restaurants, cash withdrawals, gentlemen’s clubs, a tanning salon, a Las Vegas hotel, a jewelry store and a lingerie store.
“These defendants took more than $1 million from people struggling to hold onto their homes,” Sierleja said.
“They used money obtained through fraud to pay for expensive restaurants and vacations,” Anthony said.
The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
Toledo men sentenced to prison for racially motivated attack on African-American strangerRead the Press Release
Two Toledo men were sentenced today to prison for beating an African-American stranger they saw on the street, announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division.
Robert Paschalis, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison while Charles Butler was sentenced to seven years in prison. Both men pleaded guilty in November to violating the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
According to documents filed in connection with the case, on May 18, 2016, Paschalis and Butler drove past the victim, A.W., on the street while A.W. was unloading items from his truck. The two men circled back, got out of their own truck and began attacking A.W. while yelling racial slurs. Butler grabbed a broom from the back of A.W.’s truck and struck A.W. with it multiple times. Paschalis later admitted that the beating occurred because A.W. is African American. Paschalis said that, unlike Butler, he had not “earned” his swastika tattoo yet.
The beating stopped only when two off-duty police officers happened on the scene and pulled Butler and Paschalis away. A.W. suffered an orbital fracture and damage to his right eye. Butler later posted on Facebook that the attack was “in the name of the White Race.”
“This sentence sends a stern message to those who practice and advocate racial violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wheeler. “Robust prosecution of hate crimes is a priority for the Justice Department, and we will continue to vigorously enforce these laws.”
“Attacks like these have no place in our society,” Acting U.S. Attorney Sierleja said. “The victim in this case was minding his own business when he was jumped by two racists. They deserve the prison sentences they received today.”
“These individuals engaged in a violent assault against another person based on his race and are now being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure hate crimes are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Toledo Resident Agency, in cooperation with the Toledo Police Department and the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman of the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Miller.
Ten Members of Westchester-Based Crew Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Robbery and Firearms Offenses, Among Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr., District Attorney for the County of Westchester, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ten individuals with participating in a conspiracy to commit robberies, including at least nine robberies and attempted robberies that occurred in Westchester County and the Bronx, New York. The indictment also charges certain defendants with carrying, brandishing, and discharging firearms in connection with the robbery conspiracy, as well as other theft-related offenses.
Seven of the defendants charged were taken into custody today. Three defendants, JASON AUZA, GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ and KASEAN GALLOWAY, were already in state custody on other charges. All of the defendants arrested today will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison in White Plains federal court this afternoon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, the ten defendants charged today went on a brazen crime spree across Westchester and the Bronx, robbing and attempting to rob at least nine businesses and drug dealers, often armed with guns. We are grateful to all of our law enforcement partners for their work in bringing the dangerous alleged crimes by this determined crew to an end.”
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, JR. said: “I applaud the outstanding police work that enabled us to apprehend these dangerous criminals. This inter-agency collaboration is critical to our efforts to bring down these gangs who have been terrorizing our citizens over the past two years.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. said: “As we allege, robberies and burglaries were the profit making ways of the 10 members of a loosely organized criminal charged group today. Sometimes armed, sometimes not, this crew varied their targets from commercial establishments to drug dealers. Getting criminal groups off our streets is the mission of the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and I’m proud to say today’s arrest meets that mission. I commend the FBI agents and the task force detectives and officers on their hard work and collaboration in bringing this investigation towards prosecution.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other publicly filed documents[1]:
From at least 2012 to in or about December 2016 ALEX AYALA, a/k/a “Al Bundy,” JASON AUZA, DENNIS BROWN, a/k/a “Bundles,” NELSON CARTAGENA, ANDRE EMILIEN, a/k/a “Dre,” ELBIO ESPAILLAT, a/k/a “LB,” GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Chino,” KESEAN GALLOWAY, a/k/a “K,” JOHN NASSAR, a/k/a “Mush,” a/k/a “Big Johnny,” and PAUL VALLARO, were members of a loosely organized criminal crew based primarily in Westchester County, New York (the “Crew”). Members of the Crew worked together to enrich themselves and their fellow Crew members through thefts, burglaries, and robberies, both armed and unarmed. From 2015 to December 2016, members of the Crew burglarized over 50 commercial establishments in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Fairfield (CT) Counties. With respect to robberies, members of the Crew targeted both commercial establishments and drug dealers. Additionally, members of the Crew worked together to sell drugs, including drugs stolen from drug dealers during robberies and other thefts, and shared in the profits from those sales.
* * *
Count One of the Indictment charges AYALA, AUZA, BROWN, CARTAGENA, EMILIEN, ESPAILLAT, FERNANDEZ, GALLOWAY, and VALLARO with conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robberies. Count Two charges FERNANDEZ and NASSAR with robbing a pizzeria employee at gunpoint in the vicinity of Morsmere Avenue in Yonkers on October 5, 2012. Count three charges AYALA, AUZA, CARTAGENA, FERNANDEZ, GALLOWAY, and VALLARO with using and carrying firearms, some of which were brandished and discharged, during and in relation to the robbery conspiracy charged in Count One. Court Four charges FERNANDEZ and NASSAR with using, carrying and brandishing firearms during and in relation to the robbery charged in Count Two. Count Five charges CARTAGENA with transporting over $25,000 in stolen goods across state lines in connection with a commercial burglary in Connecticut on December 2, 2016. Count Six charges GALLOWAY with committing a carjacking in Yonkers on February 21, 2016.
Charts containing the names, ages, residences, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of agents and investigators from the FBI, the United States Probation Office, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the New York City Police Department, the City of Yonkers Police Department, the City of Peekskill Police Department, and the Mount Vernon Police Department.
Mr. Kim also thanked the following law enforcement agencies for their assistance: the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the Bedford Police Department, the Irvington Police Department, the Greenburgh Police Department, the Yorktown Police Department, the Mount Pleasant Police Department, the Village of Pleasantville Police Department, the Clarkstown Police Department, Town of Kent Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police, the Ridgefield (CT) Police Department, and the Danbury (CT) Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Martin and Scott Hartman, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Abinanti, of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, are 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.
UNITED STATES v. AYALA, ET AL., 17 Cr. 202 (___)
DEFENDANT
AGE
CITY OF RESIDENCE
CHARGES
MAX SENT.
AYALA, ALEX
a/k/a “Al Bundy”
37
Bronx, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
20 Years
Life
AUZA, JASON
27
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
20 Years
Life
DENNIS BROWN
a/k/a “Bundles”
36
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
20 Years
NELSON CARTAGENA
30
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
18 U.S.C. § 2314
20 Years
Life
10 Years
ANDRE EMILIEN
a/k/a “Dre”
33
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
20 Years
ELBIO ESPAILLAT
a/k/a “LB”
42
Bronx, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
20 Years
GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ
a/k/a “Chino”
43
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Hobbs Act Robbery
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
20 Years
20 Years
Life
KASEAN GALLOWAY
a/k/a “K”
20
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
Carjacking
18 U.S.C. § 2119
20 Years
Life
15 Years
JOHN NASSAR
a/k/a “Mush”
a/k/a “Big Johnny”
42
Yonkers, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
20 Years
Life
PAUL VALLARO
39
Elmsford, NY
Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924
20 Years
Life
[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.
Ten Arrested for Defrauding Victims Out of More Than $9 Million in DiamondsRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Leon Hayward, Acting Director of the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrests of GODEL SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Gary,” MARK MULLAKANDOV, ALBERT FOOZAILOV, IMANIL MURATOV a/k/a “Eddy,” MANASHE SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Michael,” NATHAN ITZCHAKI, ARKADIY ISRAILOV, ALI JAVIDNEZHAD, MARK NATANZON, SHOLOM MURATOV, MENACHEM ABRAMOV, and NIZAMUDEN AKBARI for their role in fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in virtually untraceable diamonds from victim wholesalers. Ten of the defendants were arrested this morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck in Manhattan federal court. JAVIDNEZHAD and AKBARI remain at large.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “The twelve charged defendants allegedly participated in a global conspiracy to defraud diamond dealers out of more than $9 million. Centered in Manhattan’s diamond district, America’s busiest hub in the diamond trade, the defendants allegedly took advantage of an industrywide system of credit and trust to obtain largely untraceable diamonds, and then, using various allegedly illegal schemes, refused to pay. We commend our law enforcement partners for their work in shutting this alleged criminal scheme down for good.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Diamonds have value worldwide so it comes as no surprise that an alleged organized ring would target diamond wholesalers in Manhattan's diamond district in a worldwide scheme. Using everything from forged documents to bad checks and tall tales, the group allegedly swindled more than $9 million from victim wholesalers. The FBI-NYPD-CBP Joint Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force is committed to rooting out organized crime groups- big or small-wherever we find them operating I want to commend the FBI agents, NYPD detectives, and CBP officers on their hard work and collaboration in bringing this investigation towards prosecution.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “As alleged, these defendants bought nine million in untraceable diamonds with bad checks, forged documents, and long stories to perpetuate their scheme. I want to thank the NYPD detectives, the FBI, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District for their efforts to bring these defendants to justice.”
Acting CBP NY Field Office Director Leon Hayward said: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud of the expertise we bring to support and assist investigations that result in the takedown of criminal enterprises. It is through interagency partnerships and collaborative efforts, like the one leading to today’s arrests, that law enforcement successfully combats today’s criminal organizations.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Since in or about 2015, the FBI has been investigating a series of predatory frauds perpetrated by a group of diamond merchants in New York City. This group swindles diamond wholesalers in a variety of ways, and then resells the ill-gotten diamonds through Manhattan’s diamond district. In order to avoid detection, the group focuses on obtaining small round stones called melee diamonds, which are virtually untraceable, as they do not bear the unique numerical identifiers common on larger stones.
The group uses a variety of methods to defraud its victims, including bad checks, false references, forged documents, and tall tales—all to convince its victims to part with their diamonds before receiving payment. The group’s most common technique is the “bust out”: first the group builds up credit and trust with a victim by paying for goods on delivery, and then, at the moment of maximum credit, the group walks away with the millions of dollars in diamonds, leaving the victim high and dry.
Once victims begin to realize their predicament, and begin to insist on payment, members of the group refuse and, instead, inform the wholesalers that their diamonds have been lost, or that another customer took the victim’s diamonds and has refused to pay, or that a different member of the group will repay the victim at some point in the future. Members of the group have even conditioned payment on the victim’s willingness to assist the group in still another fraud.
Among the schemes described in the Complaint:
From at least January 2015 to November 2016, GODEL SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Gary”, ALBERT FOOZAILOV, IMANIL MURATOV a/k/a “Eddy,” MANASHE SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Michael,” and ALI JAVIDNEZHAD deployed an ad hoc strategy to obtain as much of the diamond inventory of a wholesaler (“Victim-1”) as possible without full payment. The defendants’ scheme caused Victim-1 in excess of $2.4 million in losses.
In or about May 2015, GODEL SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Gary,” ARKADIY ISRAILOV, and NIZAMUDEN AKBARI conspired to defraud a jewelry merchant at a Las Vegas trade show.
From in or about December 2015 to December 2016, ALBERT FOOZAILOV, NATHAN ITZCHAKI, MARK MULLAKANDOV, MARK NATANZON, MENCHAM ABRAMOV, and SHOLOM MURATOV induced numerous victims in Mumbai, India (“Victim-2,” “Victim-3,” “Victim-4,” and “Victim-5”) to send diamonds by interstate carrier by purporting to agree to payment terms that they had no intention to, and did not, honor. The defendants caused these victims losses in excess of $7.44 million.
* * *
GODEL SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Gary,” 40, ALBERT FOOZAILOV, 53, IMANIL MURATOV a/k/a “Eddy,” 60, MANASHE SEZANAYEV a/k/a “Michael,” 34, ALI JAVIDNEZHAD, 51, ARKADIY ISRAILOV, 38, and NIZAMUDEN AKBARI, 56, are each charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. FOOZAILOV, NATHAN ITZCHAKI, 58, MARK MULLAKANDOV, 41, MARK NATANZON, 68, MENCHAM ABRAMOV, 31, and SHOLOM MURATOV, 35, are charged with conspiring to commit mail fraud, which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the FBI, the CBP, and the NYPD for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Falk and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the case.
The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tallmadge man indicted on fentanyl chargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Oscar Curtis Robinson, 38, of Tallmadge, with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that on February 2, 2017, Robinson, possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Akron FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD – A Springfield man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Springfield for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
Radames Perez, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2017, Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
On January 29, 2014, Perez conspired to distribute cocaine with an individual cooperating with federal agents. The transaction was captured on video and audio recordings. Perez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of cocaine in connection with that transaction.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil L. Desroches and Deepika Bains Shukla of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
San Francisco Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Six Months in Halfway House for Concealing Facts About Employee WagesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ming Lian Zhou was sentenced today to six months in community confinement to be followed by another six months home detention, along with over $7,000 in fines and restitution, for concealing the underpayment of wages from the U.S. Department of Labor, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Abel Salinas. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Richard Seeborg, U.S. District Judge, following Zhou’s September 16, 2016, guilty plea.
According to the guilty plea, Zhou, 58, of San Francisco, admitted he covered up the fact that he had not paid proper overtime wages to employees at two San Francisco restaurants he formerly owned, Hong Kong Lounge and Hong Kong Lounge II. Zhou failed to pay his employees $92,966.51 in overtime wages. A Department of Labor investigation uncovered Zhou’s conduct and, on March 16, 2012, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division notified Zhou that he was required to repay these employees. Zhou admitted that, on or about March 27, 2012, he signed and submitted to the Wage and Hour Division two Forms WH-56, in which he represented and agreed that he would pay his employees the assessed amount and would mail proof of that payment to the Wage and Hour Division. In April 2012, he deliberately signed and submitted to the Wage and Hour Division 46 Forms WH-58, in which he reported that he had paid 46 employees their overtime back wages. In truth, he had not paid the employees their overtime back wages. He nevertheless signed the forms, and asked his employees to sign the forms, confirming that the employees had received their wages.
Zhou was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 17, 2015. He was charged with one count of concealing a material fact from a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(1), and three counts of interfering with commerce by threats of economic harm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. Zhou pleaded guilty to concealing a material fact from a government agency. The remaining charges were dismissed.
This case originated with an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division into whether restaurants in the Bay Area were in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
“The high cost of living in the Bay Area makes restaurant workers particularly vulnerable to being cheated out of their lawful wages,” said U.S. Attorney Stretch. “Restaurant workers often work long hours for low wages. As in this case, workers frequently are punished or retaliated against for seeking the wages they have earned. They cannot afford to lose their jobs, so they are forced to accept an illegal wage. They should not have to fight this fight alone. Restaurant owners who cheat their employees out of fairly earned wages will be prosecuted by the Department of Justice.”
“The Office of Inspector General will continue to investigate individuals like Zhou, who exploit vulnerable workers and then conceal their actions by obstructing compliance investigations conducted by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. We are committed to working with our partner agencies to preserve the integrity of all U.S. Department of Labor enforcement programs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Salinas.
Judge Seeborg sentenced the defendant to a three-year term of probation. For the first six months, the defendant will be required to reside in community confinement, otherwise known as a halfway house, where he will not be able to leave except for work and other limited activities. Following release from the halfway house, defendant will be required to serve a six-month period of home detention while wearing a location monitor to ensure his compliance. For the entire three years of his probation, the defendant’s home and businesses will be subject to searches by his probation officer to ensure that he is not involved in any other illegal activities. The Court ordered the defendant to pay a $5,000 fine, and restitution of $2,471.80 to three of the employees that the defendant forced to pay kickbacks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Lloyd-Lovett and John Hemann, with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Matthew Swartsfager. The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division.
Rochester Man Sentenced for Smuggling Contraband into JailRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Hoeub Chan, 35, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of smuggling narcotics into jail, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that Chan was sentenced to federal prison in January of 2016, following his conviction for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. After being taken into custody, law enforcement officers discovered that the defendant smuggled Oxycodone and Dextroamphetamine into his place of incarceration in the seams of his shirt, socks, and hidden in his shoes. Chan made multiple false statements in which he denied possessing any contraband to Deputy United States Marshals while being processed.
Chan was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud for engaging in a scheme with others to defraud Rochester Electric and Gas by re-routing closed account payments. As a result of that scheme, the defendant obtained over $72,000, which he was ordered to repay.
Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation conducted by the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.
Poteau Woman Sentenced to 9 Months for Stolen Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that LONETTA NICHOLE CROSS, age 44, of Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release for CONSPIRACY TO STEAL, POSSESS AND UTTER STOLEN UNITED STATES POSTAL MONEY ORDERS, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; for POSSESSION OF STOLEN POSTAL MONEY ORDERS, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500; and for multiples counts of PASSING AND UTTERING OF STOLEN POSTAL MONEY ORDERS, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500.
The Indictment alleged that on or about December 24, 2015, and continuing thereafter until on or about January 13, 2016, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly and willfully conspire, confederate and agree together, and with other persons both known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States; namely, did knowingly steal, receive, possess, pass and utter, and attempt to pass and utter stolen United States Postal Service Money Order Forms with the intent to convert them to her own use or gain, and the use or gain of another, knowing said United States Postal Service Money Order Forms to have been stolen and converted.
The Indictment further alleged that on or about December 24, 2015, and continuing thereafter until on or about January 13, 2016, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly receive and possess stolen and converted blank money order form provided by, and under the authority of, the United States Postal Service with the intent to convert it to her own use and gain and the use and gain of another.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pocola Police Department, the Shady Point Police Department, the Leflore County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Service.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the nonparoleable sentence will be served.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States.
Postal Employee Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Prison for Stealing over $3 Million in Social Security ChecksRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James Moody today sentenced Stacy Darnell Mitchell (48, Tampa) to nine years and one month in federal prison for theft of stolen government property and mail theft. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $2,085,649.50 and ordered him to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $720,881.60. A federal jury found Mitchell guilty on January 11, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mitchell was a mail handler who had worked for more than 15 years at the Processing and Distribution Center (PDC) in St. Petersburg, which processes mail for all of Pinellas County. From January to October 2012, Mitchell stole Social Security benefit checks totaling over $3 million from that facility. More than 3,000 checks were taken from the PDC in 2012, all of which were destined for disabled or retired beneficiaries living in Pinellas County. Mitchell sold the checks to an accomplice in Tampa, who then sold the checks to a network of individuals to be cashed at various convenience stores and check cashing businesses in Florida and elsewhere. Four of those accomplices have been convicted of federal charges related to the same theft scheme.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, the Social Security - Office of the Inspector General, the United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as various local enforcement agencies. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing MailRead 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 Richard D’Arcy, Jr., 37, of Lancaster, NY, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who is handling the case, stated that on August 2, 2016, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier discovered 52 pieces of mail, in delivery order, in a blue collection box on McKinley Parkway in Buffalo. It was determined that each of those pieces of mail were never delivered to Fisher Road (Route 53) in West Seneca, NY. Some of the mail was postmarked July 30, 2016, and was supposed to be delivered on August 1, 2016. The defendant delivered Route 53 on August 1, 2016. He also lived approximately a half of a mile from the blue mailbox in which the undelivered mail was discovered.
A review of the Global Positioning System (GPS) used to track the delivery of mail parcels showed that on August 1, 2016, D’Arcy drove through the portion of Route 53 on Fisher Road where the mail was supposed to be delivered. A comparison of the GPS data from the day before and the day after showed the postal carrier made many more stops and took much longer to deliver the same portion of Fisher Road.
A subsequent search of the defendant’s car uncovered multiple bundles of undelivered advertisements, placards, and First Class mail. D’Arcy opened some of the mail and took the contents, which included solicitations from various veterans groups, children's cancer foundations, and animal protection groups, which contained a $1 bill or other coin currency, seeking additional contributions from patrons.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Monica Weyler, Eastern Area Field Office, Philadelphia, PA.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
Philadelphia Man Indicted for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dehaven Pollard, age 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for robbing a local restaurant and using a firearm in furtherance of robbery.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Pollard and two unidentified accomplices drove from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to rob the Lancaster Brewing Company on November 12, 2016. The indictment also alleges that Pollard and his accomplices possessed a 32-caliber revolver and a Yugoslavian SKS rifle during, and in relation to, the robbery.
The case was investigated by the Swatara Township Police Department and the FBI Violent Crime Joint Taskforce. Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Schinnour is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is up to life of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Ohio Men Sentenced to Prison for Racially Motivated Attack on StrangerRead the Press Release
Two Toledo, Ohio men were sentenced today to prison for beating an African-American stranger they saw on the street, announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division.
Robert Paschalis, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison while Charles Butler was sentenced to seven years in prison. Both men pleaded guilty in November to violating the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
According to documents filed in connection with the case, on May 18, 2016, Paschalis and Butler drove past the victim, A.W., on the street while A.W. was unloading items from his truck. The two men circled back, got out of their own truck and began attacking A.W. while yelling racial slurs. Butler grabbed a broom from the back of A.W.’s truck and struck A.W. with it multiple times. Paschalis later admitted that the beating occurred because A.W. is African American. Paschalis said that, unlike Butler, he had not “earned” his swastika tattoo yet.
The beating stopped only when two off-duty police officers happened on the scene and pulled Butler and Paschalis away. A.W. suffered an orbital fracture and damage to his right eye. Butler later posted on Facebook that the attack was “in the name of the White Race.”
“This sentence sends a stern message to those who practice and advocate racial violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wheeler. “Robust prosecution of hate crimes is a priority for the Justice Department, and we will continue to vigorously enforce these laws.”
“Attacks like these have no place in our society,” Acting U.S. Attorney Sierleja said. “The victim in this case was minding his own business when he was jumped by two racists. They deserve the prison sentences they received today.”
“These individuals engaged in a violent assault against another person based on his race and are now being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure hate crimes are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Toledo Resident Agency, in cooperation with the Toledo Police Department and the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman of the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Miller.
Nine Aliens Indicted on Immigration and Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging VICTOR DIAZ-HERNANDEZ, age 46, of Mexico, OSMAN MAURICIO GOMEZ-MARTINEZ, age 19, of Honduras, JUAN CARLOS GUTIERREZ, age 51, of Honduras, JORGE ORLIN MAYORGA-RAMOS, age 33, of Honduras, JOSE LUIS MONTERO-GARCIA, age 28, of Mexico, JOSE GUADALUPE RAMIREZ-LOPEZ, age 28, of Mexico, GONZALO RUIZ-MARTINEZ, age 24, of Mexico, and RICARDO ADAN SANCHEZ-CAMPOS, age 36, of El Salvador, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien. Further, a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging ELIZABETH JOSE-MORALES, age 29, of Mexico, with False Representation of a Social Security Account Number and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and other Documents.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, DIAZ-HERNANDEZ, GUTIERREZ, MONTERO-GARCIA, RAMIREZ-LOPEZ, RUIZ-MARTINEZ, and SANCHEZ-CAMPOS would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
GOMEZ-MARTINEZ and MAYORGA-RAMOS are alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to aggravated felony convictions (larceny after breaking and entering, and common law robbery, respectively). Therefore, if convicted, they face a maximum imprisonment term of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of False Representation of a Social Security Account Number and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and other Documents, JOSE-MORALES faces a maximum imprisonment term of twenty-five years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Newport News Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. –A Newport News man pleaded guilty today to two counts of production of child pornography.
According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Ernesto Rodriguez Hernandez, 23, of Newport News, used two minor females to produce images of child pornography. Hernandez exchanged messages with Jane Doe 1 using the Facebook messenger application, and received images of child pornography of Jane Doe 1 through Facebook messenger. On Dec. 2, 2016, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Hernandez’s residence, and seized Hernandez’s computers and other media storage items. An examination revealed additional videos and images of child pornography. After forensic examination, law enforcement identified an additional minor victim, Jane Doe 2, who Hernandez used to produce additional images of child pornography.
Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each count when sentenced on July 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Cowles and Lisa R. McKeel are prosecuting the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.
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-94.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL BALDWIN, 19, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2016, Hamden Police arrested BALDWIN after he and other individuals fled from police in a stolen car. After a pursuit, the vehicle crashed into a pole and BALDWIN fled from officers on foot. He was subsequently taken into police custody. A search of BALDWIN’s person revealed a plastic bag containing crack cocaine and a makeshift firearm holster around his stomach. Officers also located and seized a Springfield Armory XD .40 caliber handgun that had been discarded next to the crashed vehicle.
The firearm had previously been reported stolen from a residence in Hamden.
BALDWIN is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on June 28, 2017, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is released on a $50,000 bond.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hamden Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Markle, Michael Runowicz, and Natasha Freismuth.
Nevada Tax Return Preparer Indicted for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas, Nevada return preparer was indicted today for filing false tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
According to the indictment, from 2010 through 2011, Ofelia Ronquillo prepared income tax returns through a business known as A.R. Financial LLC and later AJRC Tax Services, in Las Vegas. The indictment alleges that Ronquillo included false items on her clients’ tax returns to include bogus charitable contributions, education expenses and unreimbursed employee expenses – such as mileage, meals and other transportation expenses, as well as claimed inflated refunds to which they were not entitled.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Ronquillo faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Myhre commended special agents of Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Nevada Tax Return Preparer Indicted for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas, Nevada return preparer was indicted today for preparing false tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
According to the indictment, from 2010 through 2011, Ofelia Ronquillo prepared income tax returns through a business known as A.R. Financial LLC and later AJRC Tax Services, in Las Vegas. The indictment alleges that Ronquillo included false items on her clients’ tax returns to include charitable contributions, education expenses and unreimbursed employee expenses – such as mileage, meals and other transportation expenses, and claimed inflated refunds to which they were not entitled.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Ronquillo faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Myhre commended special agents of Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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Naturalized Citizen Sentenced for Running Fake Passport OperationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kristian G. Afana, also known as Leonard M. Ovono, 36, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison for running a fake passport scheme.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, announced the sentence handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
According to court documents, Afana would pay individuals to apply for false United States passports by using providing photographs of unknown individuals to be submitted with the passport application in the name of the applicant. Afana would drive the applicants to various post offices in Columbus in order to apply.
In total, Afana caused five fake passports to be issued after creating nine false applications.
Afana is a naturalized United States citizen from Gabon.
Afana pleaded guilty on August 31 to one count of conspiracy to make false statements on United States passport applications and one count of aiding and abetting in the making of a false statement on a United States passport application.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service, as well as Assistant United States Attorney David J. Bosley, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Mexican Man Sentenced for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JUAN SALAMANCA-CHAVEZ, age 32, a native of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced SALAMANCA-CHAVEZ to time served (5 months), followed by one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. SALAMANCA-CHAVEZ will be surrendered to the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on October 28, 2016, SALAMANCA-CHAVEZ was found in the United States after having been previously deported from the United States on February 9, 2016.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Federal Police Commander Charged with Leaking Confidential Law Enforcement Information to Drug CartelRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former high-ranking commander in the Mexican Federal Police has been charged in federal court in Chicago with conspiring with others to corruptly impede a U.S.-based narcotics investigation.
IVAN REYES ARZATE, also known as “La Reina,” conspired with others to warn members of a Mexican drug cartel that they were the targets of an investigation being carried out by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Reyes had acquired the information through his position as a commander in the Mexican Federal Police, which was working with the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to investigate an international drug trafficking and money laundering organization, the complaint states. Reyes and his co-conspirators tipped off cartel members when the DEA had obtained judicial authorization to intercept their phones, and leaked the identity of a cooperating source who was covertly working with the DEA to gather evidence against the cartel, the complaint states.
The complaint was filed Feb. 10, 2017, and ordered unsealed today. It charges Reyes, 45, of Mexico City, with conspiracy to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding. Reyes was ordered detained in U.S. custody after making an initial appearance last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan in Chicago. The case is next up before Judge Finnegan on April 13, 2017.
The complaint was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Dennis A. Wichern, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA.
The investigation is being conducted through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force. Valuable assistance has been provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, the Chicago Police Department, the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois State Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“The United States and Mexico have a long history of close cooperation in combatting transnational organized crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levin. “The criminal complaint announced today is the first step in holding Mr. Reyes accountable for attempting to impede that bilateral cooperation by allegedly obstructing a significant investigation for personal gain. We remain steadfast in the unwavering commitment to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and fight against corruption at all levels; our bilateral efforts will continue.”
According to the complaint, U.S. and Mexican authorities over the past year have been working together to investigate certain narcotics traffickers in Mexico. The investigation revealed that a network of high-level cartel members transported multiple tons of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico, and ultimately on to the United States.
Reyes was the principal point of contact for information being shared between U.S. law enforcement and the Mexican Federal Police. He first drew the attention of U.S. authorities in September 2016 while the investigation was active and ongoing, the complaint states. A member of the conspiracy sent a law enforcement surveillance photograph to an alleged Mexican drug trafficker and notified the man that he was a principal target of an investigation, the complaint states. In a conversation intercepted by law enforcement, a member of the conspiracy further informed the alleged trafficker that a confidential source cooperating with U.S. law enforcement was present at the meeting and “sitting with you the day of the picture,” according to the complaint.
Reyes’s name also surfaced the following month in additional intercepted conversations between members of the alleged Mexico-based transnational drug trafficking organization that was targeted in a joint investigation with U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Chicago and San Diego. The members of the organization discussed obtaining law enforcement information about the investigation, prompting one of the alleged Mexico City-based traffickers to identify the source of the information as “Ivan,” the complaint states. The alleged trafficker went on to say that “Ivan” previously leaked law enforcement information to a different Mexican cartel.
“Who is Ivan?” the alleged head of the transnational drug cartel asked in the intercepted conversations, according to the complaint. The alleged Mexico City trafficker responded, “The boss,” in an apparent reference to Reyes’ position as a high-ranking officer in the Mexican Federal Police. According to the complaint, in November 2016 Reyes met in person with the head of the cartel in Mexico City and discussed the leaked surveillance photograph.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Sawyer, Michael Ferrara and Devlin Su.
Metairie Doctor Pleads Guilty to Operating a Pill Mill, Threatening Federal Law Enforcement and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHANNON CHRISTOPHER CEASAR, M.D., age 44, a physician and former co-owner and operator of Gulf South Physician’s Group in Metairie, pled guilty today to Counts 1, 2 and 3 of a Superseding Bill of Information.
According to court documents, CEASAR pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and dispense, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, quantities of Oxycodone, a Schedule II drug controlled substance. CEASAR ran what was, in essence, a “pill mill,” i.e., an operation in which he prescribed controlled substances to drug seekers and drug abusers without a legitimate medical purpose and in exchange for a flat fee.
CEASAR also pled guilty to threatening to assault or murder federal law enforcement officers with the intent to impede, intimidate or interfere with such officers while they were engaged in the performance of their official duties, or with the intent to retaliate. On or about July 20, 2016, at a time when CEASAR suspected he was under investigation, he made repeated threats to kill federal law enforcement officers, in particular officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration
Lastly, CEASAR pled guilty to committing and attempting to commit health care fraud. In total, because of CEASAR’s knowing and fraudulent issuance of prescriptions for Schedule II, III, and IV narcotics that he knew were medically unnecessary, health care benefit programs lost approximately $150,000.
The maximum penalty CEASAR faces on the drug conspiracy charge is not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. On the threat and health care fraud charges, CEASAR faces a maximum of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and at least 3 years supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Martin L.C. Feldman on July 26, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OIG, and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Jefferson Parish Sherriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh, Jordan Ginsberg, and Myles Ranier are in charge of the prosecution.
Mercer County, New Jersey, Man Admits Enticing Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Lawrenceville, New Jersey, man today admitted paying a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and stream it online, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Curtis E. Thompson, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of production of child pornography. Thompson was charged by complaint on Nov. 10, 2015, and has been in custody since that date.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Thompson admitted that from May 2015 through September 2015, he used Facebook Messenger and FaceTime on his iPhone to communicate with an individual referred to in the information as “Victim 1” and Victim 1’s friends. Thompson also admitted that based on those communications, he learned that Victim 1 was less than 18 years old.
Thompson admitted using Facebook Messenger and FaceTime to encourage Victim 1 and Victim 1’s friends to engage in sexually explicit activity and either record the conduct or stream it online. Thompson also admitted that he offered and made payments to the victim for recording and streaming the sexually explicit conduct.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement – which has been accepted by the court – Thompson will be sentenced to 240 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is set for April 13, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited Special Agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Svetlana M. Eisenberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: David A. Holman, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Manhattan Man Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to Six Years in Prison for Impersonating Federal Immigration Official to Defraud VictimsRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Keith Barwick, the Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”) Northeast, and Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that JUAN ANTHONY NIEVES was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel to six years in prison for impersonating a federal immigration official to defraud victims in New York and Connecticut.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Juan Nieves exploited vulnerable immigrants working toward U.S. citizenship by posing as a federal immigration officer, charging his victims fraudulent fees while providing no assistance. Nieves not only defrauded his victims of money but also undermined their trust in the immigration system. Today’s significant sentence is a clear message that this outrageous behavior will not be tolerated.”
OPR Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Barwick said: “This case identified an illegal scheme to extort victims—impersonating a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official undermines the confidence people have in their government and in law enforcement. We are committed to aggressively pursue impersonation cases. Having people come forward to report such schemes is crucial to deterring this type of fraud and preventing others from becoming victims.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “This law enforcement impersonator demanded thousands of dollars in fees by preying on members of his own community. The imitation of officers is not only illegal, but it also perpetuates a fear and panic within our city. The sentencing of Nieves demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to locating and prosecuting these criminals so they can face the consequences of their actions.”
According to the Complaint and Information filed in White Plains federal court, as well as statements made in connection with the plea and sentencing proceedings:
NIEVES is not, and never has been, employed by the Department of Homeland Security. But in March 2015 and from November to December 2015, in Orange County, New York, and Hartford County, Connecticut, NIEVES posed as a federal immigration officer capable of providing assistance in the immigration matters of certain victims and their family members. NIEVES claimed that he was a “boss” or “chief” (“jefe” in Spanish) with United States Immigration; that he worked at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and had numerous employees working for him; and that he signed the final paperwork that permits an individual to enter the United States or orders an individual to be deported.
NIEVES offered to help the victims and their family members with their immigration paperwork and in return demanded and received thousands of dollars in so-called fees. In connection with this purported help, NIEVES received from the victims and their family members legitimate immigration paperwork that they had completed, and he also took photos or made copies of their identification documents. NIEVES also engaged in a charade of purporting to contact, in the victims’ presence, one or more individuals who worked for him at U.S. Customs and Immigration Services to do certain work related to the victims’ applications.
In addition to the prison sentence, NIEVES, 49, of Manhattan, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Judge Seibel also ordered NIEVES to forfeit $15,080 in ill-gotten gains and to pay $15,080 in restitution.
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Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of OPR and HSI. Mr. Kim also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and the Village of Monroe, New York, Police Department for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Won S. Shin is in charge of the prosecution.
Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI- Jashawn Bailey, 30, of St. Thomas pleaded guilty today in federal court to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced. District Judge Curtis V. Gomez remanded Bailey into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending his sentencing on August 8, 2017.
According to the plea agreement, on December 14, 2016, Virgin Islands Police Department officers (VIPD), while processing a crime scene, discovered a .45 Taurus firearm with an obliterated serial number wrapped in a T-shirt and hat. The investigation revealed that those items belonged to Bailey. Further, the firearm was determined to be operable and had traveled in interstate commerce. Bailey does not possess a license for the firearm in the Virgin Islands.
Bailey faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the VIPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Kalamazoo, Michigan, Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Sex Trafficking and Interstate Transportation for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – David Q. Givhan, aka “Premier,” 35, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to 235 months in prison by United States District Court Judge David J. Hale, after being convicted by jury of one count of sex trafficking and three counts of interstate transportation for prostitution announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
“Forcible sex trafficking is effectively a form of modern day slavery,” stated United States Attorney John Kuhn. “Givhan terrorized vulnerable women through violence, threats and other actions. My Office and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute these brutal crimes. And today's sentence should send a powerful message that sex trafficking will be severely punished.”
According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, Givhan prostituted three women for his profit at various times between October 2014 and April 2015 and transported them from Michigan to Kentucky and other states for the purpose of prostitution. He used force, fraud and coercion to compel one of the women to prostitute for him between October 2014 and March 2015. He initially recruited the woman – a single mother of three – using false promises of steady income and a better life. However, once she began earning money, he kept it all. Givhan required her to earn $1,000 a day and beat other women in front of her. Givhan also required her to tattoo his alias, “Premier,” on her neck and threatened to hurt or kill her or her family if she refused to continue prostituting for him. When she objected to his demand that she perform particular acts for customers, he sexually assaulted her. At one point, the woman tried to leave Givhan, but he found her and brought her back. On a trip to Florida, he compelled her to continue prostituting for his profit, even after she sought medical attention for severe pain and bleeding. Shortly thereafter, she managed to escape by enlisting the help of a hotel clerk and her mother.
After deliberating for under five hours, the jury found the defendant guilty on all four counts on December 13, 2016. A fifth count was dismissed during trial. Givhan remains in federal custody.
The investigation was opened when Louisville Metro Police Department officers encountered a woman Givhan had transported from Michigan to Louisville, Kentucky, during a prostitution sting coinciding with the Kentucky Derby.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Louisville Division and Louisville Metro Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda E. Gregory of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Jury Finds Sacramento Man Guilty of Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A jury found Omar Kabiljagic, 46, of Sacramento, guilty today of two counts of filing false claims with the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, in 2008 and 2009, Kabiljagic submitted a series of tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service which contained false information and fraudulently claimed millions of dollars in refunds. In each of these returns, Kabiljagic falsely claimed to have received large amounts of interest income, ranging from to $149,859 to $1,229,000, and then falsely claimed that all of the interest had been withheld by the payers. The returns requested refunds of the allegedly withheld tax. In reality, Kabiljagic had not received the interest and nothing had been withheld. Kabiljagic received repeated warnings from the IRS that his claims were frivolous, but continued to file false claims.
Kabiljagic also helped his co-defendant, Suvada Mahmutovic, 67, prepare and submit similar false claims. One of her false claims resulted in a fraudulent refund of more than $263,000, which the defendants deposited and cashed. At least some of the proceeds appear to have been wired overseas. Mamhutovic pleaded guilty to one count of filing false claims on March 3, 2017.
“Today’s guilty verdict of Mr. Kabiljagic once again shows the severe nature of fraudulent schemes perpetrated by those that wish to make a quick dollar from the U.S. government,” said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation. “With the upcoming filing deadline of April 18, 2017, I want to remind all taxpayers that filing fraudulent tax returns is a crime with serious consequences.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew G. Morris and Amy Schuller Hitchcock are prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. is scheduled to sentence Kabiljagic on June 23, 2017 and Mahmutovic on May 19, 2017. The defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison on each count, a $250,000 fine and restitution to the IRS. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Jury Convicts Felon of Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Daymont Underwood, 31, of Richmond, was pulled over by the Richmond Police on Oct. 20, 2015, for a traffic violation. Underwood attempted to flee on foot and engaged in a struggle with officers. During the struggle, a loaded .45 caliber handgun fell from Underwood’s waistband. A search of Underwood’s vehicle revealed 78 grams of high-grade marijuana, a digital scale, and sandwich baggies. Law enforcement later determined that Underwood was a convicted felon.
Underwood faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on July 14. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael B. Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:16-cr-18.
Individual Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Alejandro E. Mayendía-Blanco was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Francisco A. Besosa to serve 21 months of imprisonment for mortgage fraud, five years of supervised release, a fine of $50,000, and an order for restitution of $98,666, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. Mayendía-Blanco had plead guilty on August 12, 2016.
Alejandro E. Mayendía-Blanco was arrested on May 29, 2015, on charges of defrauding First Equity Mortgage Bankers, Inc. (FEBMI) in connection with a loan application. On October 3, 2008, the defendant participated in a real estate transaction as the seller of real property located in San Juan, PR. As part of the transaction, the defendant, along with co-defendant Orlando Mayendía represented that Orlando Mayendía was going to contribute $48,381.10 towards the purchase of the property. At the time that the defendant and Orlando Mayendía made this representation to FEBMI they knew it to be false, since the defendant had agreed to contribute the $48,381.10 to the purchaser, Orlando Mayendía, after the sale. Thus, the proceeds of the contribution from the borrower, Orlando Mayendía were the sales proceeds provided to Alejandro Mayendía.
“We are committed to bringing to justice those involved in federal financial crimes in Puerto Rico,” said United States Attorney, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “The US Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute financial crimes and ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate them, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Cannon and Mariana E. Bauzá prosecuted the case.
Indictment: Topeka Developer Lied Under OathRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A grand jury Wednesday returned a new indictment against Topeka developer Kent Douglas Lindemuth charging him with lying under oath in an effort to hide assets in a bankruptcy, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Lindemuth, 65, Topeka, Kan., was charged with one count of perjury. Wednesday’s indictment brings the number of federal criminal charges against Lindemuth to 114 counts, including bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, and possession of firearms and ammunition while under indictment. Lindemuth initially was charged in June 2016 in an indictment accusing him of hiding assets after he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2012.
The new count alleges Lindemuth committed perjury on Jan. 7, 2013, when he testified under oath at a hearing held by a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee. After being placed under oath by an attorney for the U.S. Trustee Program, Lindemuth stated he had reported all his assets as the law required. He also stated that he would notify his attorney of any changes.
The indictment alleges that at the time he made the statements he was concealing assets, including: An Envista Credit Union account, a US Bank account, a revenue stream of more than $1 million, and firearms with a value of more than $1 million.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Perjury: A maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Bankruptcy fraud: A maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Money laundering: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway is prosecuting is prosecuting.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 151 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Waldron, age 41, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 30, 2017, by United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, to 151 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Waldron distributed heroin, cocaine and marijuana on October 2, 2015, and possessed with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine since at least January 2015. Waldron was found to be responsible for possessing 143 grams of heroin for distribution. One hundred forty-three grams of heroin is the equivalent of approximately 6,000 individual doses of heroin.
The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Harrisburg Police Department, Dauphin County Drug Task Force and the Dauphin County Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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