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17 May 2017
Overdose of Shelton Resident Leads to Heroin Distribution Charges against New Haven ManRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that COREY SENIOR, 26, of New Haven, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with heroin distribution offenses. The charges stem from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
SENIOR appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A.L. Merriam in New Haven and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing currently scheduled for May 19 at 9:30 a.m.
As alleged in court documents, on April 27, 2017, the Shelton Police Department and emergency medical services responded to a Shelton residence after a report of a suspected drug overdose of a 34-year-old female. The victim was pronounced deceased. At the scene, officers seized drug and non-drug evidence, including bags that appeared to have contained heroin and a hypodermic needle. Investigators also seized the victim’s cellphone.
It is further alleged that on April 28, 2017, the victim’s cellphone received a text from SENIOR and an officer posing as the victim arranged to purchase heroin from SENIOR. SENIOR was arrested by the Shelton Police later that day after he arrived at the victim’s residence in possession of suspected heroin. The investigation revealed that SENIOR had provided heroin to the victim shortly before the victim’s death.
The federal complaint charges SENIOR with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin, and conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Both offenses carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Shelton Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe, Fairfield and Manchester Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Norris Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Norris, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on May 15, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Arnold Eagle Bear, Jr., age 34, was sentenced to 15 months in custody, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Eagle Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 16, 2016. He pled guilty on March 13, 2017.
Eagle Bear was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in September 2014. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Eagle Bear was released from custody on June 10, 2016, and began supervised release. He initially registered as a sex offender, but then absconded from supervision and did not update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Eagle Bear was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ninth Ward Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY CELESTINE, age 33, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to participating in a heroin distribution conspiracy in the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. CELESTINE pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced CELESTINE to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, CELESTINE conspired with ULYESSE SANTIAGO, CLARENCE PETER SANTIAGO, DWAYNE SMOTHERS, and others to sell heroin near Bonart Park in New Orleans’ lower Ninth Ward. During the course of this investigation, agents performed several controlled purchases of heroin from CELESTINE, and he was subsequently arrested with $13,000 in cash. The investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, began in 2013 and resulted in the arrest of ten individuals in New Orleans, Terrebonne Parish, Jefferson Parish, and Texas.
ULYESSE SANTIAGO and CLARENCE PETER SANTIAGO each pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and were sentenced to 78 months and 51 months imprisonment, respectively. DWAYNE SMOTHERS pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and was sentenced to 54 months incarceration.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the DEA New Orleans Division Office, along with the assistance from the FBI New Orleans Field Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne was in charge of the prosecution.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
Contact: Benjamin M. Block
May 17, 2017 Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Xavier Watson, 24, of Brentwood, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release following convictions for robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Watson pleaded guilty to the charges on October 5, 2016.
According to court records, early on January 15, 2016, Watson and four other men drove from New Hampshire to Lyman, Maine, for the purpose of committing a home invasion robbery of a licensed medical marijuana caregiver. Watson and three of the men broke into the home, brandishing two firearms – a pistol and a shotgun. Watson possessed the pistol and co-defendant Vincent Casazza possessed the shotgun. Five victims were present in the residence. Watson physically assaulted a male victim. Records introduced by the government at sentencing indicate that Watson also sexually assaulted a 17-year-old female victim during the robbery. Watson and his co-conspirators stole three firearms from the residence, as well as U.S. currency, marijuana, various electronics, and other items of value.
Watson's co-defendants, Vincent Casazza, Reynan Mora, and Andre Thomas, have pleaded guilty in federal court to their involvement in the robbery but have not yet been sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police, with assistance from the Office of the Maine Attorney General and the York County District Attorney’s Office.
New Bethlehem Man Indicted on Charges Relating to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges relating to Social Security fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The three-count indictment named David Lee Claypool, 48, of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, between January 2012 and January 2015, Claypool, having filed an application for Social Security disability insurance benefits on behalf of a minor child, received and converted $16,474.00 in benefits to his own use. Additionally, on March 11, 2013, and again on March 15, 2014, Claypool falsely represented on Social Security Administration Representative Payee Reports that the benefits he received on behalf of the minor child were spent on behalf of the minor child, when in fact the benefits were converted to Claypool’s own use.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Murdo Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Murdo, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on May 8, 2017, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Tyree Yellow Elk, age 22, was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yellow Elk was charged on July 26, 2016, and pleaded guilty on January 13, 2017. The conviction stems from Yellow Elk knowingly distributing and receiving multiple images of child pornography between March 2014 and July 2016.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Yellow Elk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mullins SC Man Sentenced on Drug and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Peter Allen Murphy, age 33, from Mullins, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, for Possession With Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Murphy to 60 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised released.
Evidence presented at the change of plea on January 9, 2017, and at the sentencing hearing established that, beginning in 2015, the Marion County Drug Unit (MCDU) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were investigating illegal drug activity complaints concerning Murphy. As a result, agents made several controlled purchases of illegal drugs from Murphy. In March 2016, agents made a controlled purchase of heroin and as well as a firearm from Murphy at an apartment complex in Marion, South Carolina. Murphy was previously convicted of a felony offense and prohibited from possessing the firearm that he sold.
The case was investigated by agents from the Marion County Drug Unit (MCDU) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Morgan Hill Entrepreneur Sentenced to 56 Months in Prison for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO- Steve McVay was sentenced today to 56 months in prison for concealing assets in a bankruptcy proceeding, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, U.S. District Judge, following a guilty plea entered by McVay on January 25, 2017.
According to papers filed in connection with the case, McVay, 68, of Morgan Hill, Calif., bought and sold real estate and did “hard-money” lending, whereby he regularly acquired real estate in foreclosure actions. Between 2004 to 2009, McVay became involved in several business ventures that ultimately failed. McVay filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California on February 24, 2010. Through the petition, McVay sought relief for approximately $1.5 million in debts. McVay admitted that he signed documents knowingly and fraudulently concealing two bank accounts. One of the accounts McVay opened in his wife’s name and he used the account to receive and transmit funds under his exclusive control. The two bank accounts contained a total of more than $45,000. McVay acknowledged he signed the bankruptcy documents with the intent to hide assets from his creditors, the United States Trustee, the court, and other persons charged with control or custody of the bankruptcy estate.
A federal grand jury indicted McVay on April 28, 2016, charging him with two counts of concealing assets in bankruptcy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152(1), and one count of presenting false testimony in bankruptcy proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152(2). Pursuant to the plea agreement, McMay pleaded guilty to the first count of concealment; the remaining charges were dismissed at sentencing.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Koh sentenced McVay to three years of supervised release and scheduled a hearing for June 14, 2017, to determine the amount of restitution McVay must pay his victims. McVay will begin serving his prison sentence on June 28, 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Lucey is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Monmouth County, New Jersey, Woman Admits Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, woman today admitted her role in a scheme to defraud a bank and bank regulators, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Donna Conroy, 57, of Middletown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of conspiring to make false entries to deceive a bank and bank regulators, and to influence those regulators, and one count of making false entries.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The three-phase scheme took place from 2009 to 2010. The first phase was to fraudulently infuse $7 million of capital into FSB. In the second phase of the scheme, various conspirators caused FSB to make millions of dollars in loans based on material misrepresentations in order to cover up the fraudulent nature of the capital infusion and end inquiries from FSB’s auditors. The final phase involved lying to the FDIC and FSB, among others, about the fraudulent capital infusion and loans.
The conspiracy count to which Conroy pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense or twice the gross loss sustained by any victim. The count of making false entries carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense or twice the gross loss sustained by any victim. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 24, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FDIC, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patti Tarasca, New York Region; the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, Newark; and the Office of the Special Inspector General for Trouble Asset Relief Program, under the direction of Special Inspector General Christy Goldsmith Romero, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Andrew Leven of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Mitchell Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of two separate counts of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on May 15, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Corey Johnson, age 31, was sentenced to 33 months in custody on a 2015 case, and 96 months in custody on a separate 2016 case, to be served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 14, 2015, on his 2015 case, and on December 14, 2016, on his 2016 case. He pled guilty in both cases on February 21, 2017.
The conviction for his 2015 case stems from an incident on September 13, 2015, when Johnson’s mother called the Lower Brule dispatch because Johnson was talking about taking his own life. An officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs was given the information, and was also advised that Johnson had an active state warrant.
The officer went to Johnson’s girlfriend home in Lower Brule. After confirming Johnson’s identity, the officer told Johnson to turn around and put his hands behind his back as he was going to be detained for state authorities. Johnson did not comply and took off running. The officer gave chase and was able to get ahold of Johnson. The two fell to the ground and wrestled around with Johnson continuing to resist arrest. Johnson was able to get to his feet first and while attempting to flee dragged the officer, causing scrapes to the officer’s arms. Johnson then took off running again, and the officer gave chase but was unable to locate Johnson. An Indictment was obtained and a warrant for his arrest issued.
The conviction from his 2016 case stems from an incident when Johnson was located on November 2, 2016, by two deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service in Lower Brule. The deputies arrived at the home and saw Johnson’s girlfriend in the driver seat of a vehicle and Johnson outside at the back of the vehicle. The deputies exited their vehicle and announced “United States Marshal” and “Federal Warrant”. One of the deputies ordered Johnson to show his hands. Johnson turned, looked at the deputies, and then dove into the middle seat of a Jeep and locked the doors. Johnson was ordered to get out of the vehicle, that they had a warrant and that he was under arrest. Johnson did not comply.
Johnson’s girlfriend was in the driver’s seat and they could see an infant child in a car seat near Johnson. The deputies then saw Johnson clench his fists and hold a weapon to his girlfriend’s neck. Johnson was yelling that he had a knife, that he would harm or kill his girlfriend and for the officers to leave. His girlfriend was seen to be visibly upset, crying and holding her hands up. She was not allowed to leave the vehicle. Johnson was between the small child in the car seat and the driver’s seat.
The deputies continued to order Johnson to get out of the car, but he continued to ignore commands and say he had a knife and would harm his girlfriend. One of the deputies broke out two of the windows of the Jeep. Johnson finally dropped his hands and then opened the door and was taken into custody. A knife was recovered from inside the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Johnson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national was charged in federal court in Worcester yesterday with illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported.
Oscar Conrado Ureiro Romero, 23, a Mexican national residing in Worcester, was charged in a criminal complaint with illegal re-entry. At his initial appearance today, Ureiro Romero was ordered detained pending indictment.
According to court documents, on March 27, 2017, Ureiro Romero was arrested by the Massachusetts State Police in Holden and charged with operating under the influence. Upon his arrest, it was revealed that he had been previously deported.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Ureiro Romero will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb, Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston and Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Grady of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Selling Heroin and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on May 16, 2017, Childlove Gelin, 25, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to charges that he distributed heroin and cocaine base, and that he conspired to distribute heroin and 28 grams or more of cocaine base. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Gelin serve four years of supervised release after his prison term.
According to court records, between July of 2015 and April of 2016, Gelin and his associates sold heroin and cocaine to an informant on 10 separate occasions. When Gelin was arrested on April 18, 2016, 44.7 grams of cocaine base and $2,871 were located in his Brattleboro apartment. During the course of the offense, Gelin also possessed a handgun. Gelin has been in federal custody since the time of his arrest.
For his crimes, Gelin faced a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence and a statutory maximum term of 40 years in prison. The government and the defense agreed that a 66-month prison sentence was appropriate. In imposing that sentence, Judge Reiss considered the severity of the offense, the harm heroin has caused the Vermont community, and Gelin’s criminal record, among other factors.
Acting United States Attorney Eugenia Cowles commended the efforts of the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force and the Brattleboro Police Department for their work in this investigation. Acting United States Attorney Cowles noted that this case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative, which is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat heroin distribution in Vermont.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Nolan and Nate Burris. Gelin is represented by Brooks G. McArthur of the Burlington law firm Jarvis & McArthur.
Man Pleads Guilty to Coin and Jewelry Store Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today to robbing a coin and jewelry store while pointing a gun at the elderly store owner and a customer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Noah Patrick Fields, 22, pleaded guilty to one count each of interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. United States District Judge James C. Mahan accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Aug. 24, 2017.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea agreement, on Oct. 14, 2016, Fields and a co-conspirator robbed a coin and jewelry store at gunpoint. Fields admitted that he held a customer and the 90-year-old store owner at gunpoint while his co-conspirator stole $3,500 in cash and approximately $42,424 worth of valuable coins and silver and gold bullion from the front display case.
At the time of sentencing, Fields faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for interference with commerce by robbery and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine for use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kilby Macfadden.
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Major Illegal Narcotics Ring Dismantled in Elmira, Four Defendants ArrestedRead 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 four defendants were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with operating an illegal narcotics trafficking ring in the Elmira, NY area. Robert Ian Thatcher, 29, Maximillian Sams, 30, Dwayne Banks, 29, all of Elmira, NY, and Carlito Rios, Jr., 30, of Beaver Dams, NY, are each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, quantities of furanyl fentanyl and U-47700, Schedule I controlled substances. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine. In addition to the conspiracy charge, defendants Thatcher and Sams are also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive term of five years in prison up to life. Further, defendant Banks is charged with possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, furanyl fentanyl and U-47700, which also carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. stated, “Overdose deaths in the Western District of New York are soaring, and in many instances, toxicology reports are indicating that the killer is fentanyl. Under federal law, if it can be proven that the drugs someone distributed resulted in the death of another, then the distributor can be held criminally liable for the death of the user. Using all of the federal, state, and local resources available to us, we intend thoroughly to examine the evidence in this case to see whether we can establish such a link between the drugs these individuals distributed and any overdose deaths in the region.”
DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James Hunt stated, “The most dangerous drug facing the nation today is fentanyl. Its unregulated potency can kill, especially when it is clandestinely pressed into pill form and sold on the street for profit. This investigation successfully dismantled the largest fentanyl pill mill in New York which was responsible for supplying counties in Pennsylvania, New York and as far south as North Carolina with what they called ‘super pills’ leaving overdose victims in its wake.”
“These synthetic opioids have potentially deadly consequences for both users as well as law enforcement officials who come in to contact with them,” said ICE-HSI Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero. “Given the highly-toxic nature of these synthetic opioids, even a small seizure could potentially save a life. As today’s arrests clearly demonstrate, HSI and our partners are committed to protecting public safety, using our unique customs authorities to keep this dangerous substance out of our communities.”
ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict stated, “This investigation illustrates the dangerous intersection between narcotics and illegal firearms, and demonstrates the importance of law enforcement partnerships in addressing the trafficking of opioids and other dangerous drugs into our communities. I'd like to extend my gratitude to the men and women of ATF, DEA, HSI, NYSP, Elmira PD, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their outstanding work in ensuring the arrests of these individuals who will now face justice for their actions.”
New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, “We are proud to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to take down an operation that threatens our community. Fentanyl is dangerous and deadly. This arrest not only puts an operation out of business also seized dangerous weapons, taking them off our streets. I applaud the good police work that brought this case to a close and helped to make a community safer.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between November 29, 2016, and May 16, 2017, the defendants manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of tablets containing furanyl fentanyl to street-level customers in the greater Elmira, New York area. The drugs were stored at a residence in Sayre, PA. Five search warrants were executed on May 16, 2017, in connection with the operation at:
• 23 Somerset Drive, Elmira, NY; • 457 Livingston Street, Elmira, NY; • 2063 Chambers Road, Beaver Dams, NY; • 327 West Clinton Street, Elmira, NY; and
• 604 South Lehigh Avenue, Sayre, PA.During the search warrants, officers seized over 200 blue pills suspected to contain the substances described above; seven firearms and ammunition; a bulletproof vest; blue food coloring; and blue powder. In addition, officers seized multiple containers with false bottoms, which are used to conceal drugs.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rochester Resident Office and Scranton PA Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Richard Allen; the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Kane; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division; the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Commissioner Colonel Tyree C. Blocker; the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Christopher J. Moss; the Iredell, NC County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Darren E. Campbell, and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Unit, under the direction of Director Brian Manaher. Additional assistance was provided by the Northeast Regional Laboratory.
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.
Louisville Felon Charged with Possession of Two Pipe Bombs and Five Firearms Including A Sawed Off Shotgun and A Homemade 12 Gauge Pipe GunRead the Press Release
State charges dropped for federal case to proceed
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charges against Louisville felon Michael C. Beck, in Jefferson Circuit Court have been dropped so that the federal charges may proceed. Beck, 28,was charged by grand jury indictment on February 22, 2017, with illegal possession of explosive bombs and firearms including a sawed off shotgun and a homemade 12-gauge pipe gun, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
Beck, was charged by criminal complaint on January 19, 2017, and remains in federal custody with a June 12, 2017, trial scheduled in Louisville before Senior Judge Charles R. Simpson III.
According to the indictment and an affidavit attached to the criminal complaint, on January 13, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections Home Incarceration Program (HIP) received information that firearms and possible bombs were present at Beck’s residence on Homewood Drive. A resident living at the address was on HIP and Beck had been served that day by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department with an Emergency Protection Order (EPO).
Special Agents with ATF and Louisville Metro Police assisted the HIP officers with a home inspection. During that inspection, Beck allegedly gave permission for officers to retrieve a weapon known to be in his bedroom and to search the room.
Subsequently, Beck was charged with possession of an explosive bomb, consisting of galvanized steel pipe, approximately eight inches long by two inches in diameter, threaded on both ends to accept galvanized steel endcaps, containing suspected explosive powder with a wooden plug and a fuse.
Further, Beck was charged with possession of a second explosive bomb consisting of a copper pipe, approximately six inches in length and one and a half inches in diameter, crimped on one end containing suspected explosive powder and a wooden plug and fuse.
Also, Beck was charged with possession of a homemade 12-gauge pipe gun and four firearms including a Harrington and Richardson, Model Topper 88, 12-gauge shotgun, with a barrel length of less than 18 inches; a Mossberg Model 500, 12-gauge shotgun; a Ruger, Model P95DC, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol; and a Heritage Model Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver. Beck was previously convicted of a 2nd degree felony, on August 20, 2007, in Bastrop County, Texas.
If convicted at trial, Beck could be sentenced to no more than 50 years in prison, fined $1,250,000 and serve a three-year period of supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin McKenzie and is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from Louisville Metro Police.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty
beck_michael_indictment.pdfLeader of Mid-State Heroin and Meth Distribution Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Jorge Andres Lopez Montiel, aka “Jimmy,” 26, of Tepic Nayarit, Mexico, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court, to possession with intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the plea agreement, Montiel has agreed to a sentence of 210 months in prison. He will be sentenced on September 25, 2017.
Montiel was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2009 after being identified as the person in charge of heroin sales for the Nashville area for a major heroin supplier in Mexico. Before he was taken into federal custody, Montiel was deported to Mexico, where he continued to distribute heroin and later methamphetamine, through a network of distributors acting at his direction, who transferred the proceeds of the drug sales to Mexico, often through wire transfers.
Montiel was taken into federal custody when he illegally re-entered the United States in late 2016.
During one phase of this investigation, between July 2013-April 2015, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Special Investigation Division arrested 22 persons, seized 14 pounds of heroin and 1 ½ pounds of Methamphetamine. Of those persons arrested, in addition to Montiel, four others were charged with federal offenses; Matthew McKervey, 28; Brian Goforth, 44; Daniel Alcala, 29; and David Becerra-Ruiz, 42, all of Nashville.
On April 1, 2015, Metro Nashville officers executed a search warrant at the home of Matthew McKervey. As officers entered the home, McKervey fired three shots at the officers, who returned fire and wounded McKervey. He was subsequently charged with federal firearms and drug offenses and is currently awaiting trial. Brian Goforth has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The three remaining defendants are still pending before the Court. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the DEA. Asst. U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy is prosecuting the case.
Laplace Woman Charged with Embezzling over $940,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ANGIE CAMBRE, age 43, of Laplace, was charged today in a one-count Bill of Information with wire fraud.
According to the Bill of Information, CAMBRE was hired in August 2011 to be the accountant and bookkeeper for a New Orleans commercial printing company (“Company A”) that specializes in printing materials, such as flyers and manuals, geared toward the automotive industry. Between November 2011 and June 2016, CAMBRE embezzled approximately $940,336.24 from Company A in a series of approximately 3,300 individual transactions, without Company A’s knowledge or authorization. CAMBRE did so by causing payments to be sent from one of Company A’s bank accounts to accounts under her control and to repay debts due and owing related to her personal use.
If convicted, CAMBRE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release after any term of imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Lawsuit Against Pasco, Washington Fruit and Vegetable ProcessorRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with Washington Potato Company and Pasco Processing, LLC, which operate a fruit and vegetable processing facility located in Pasco, Washington. The agreement resolves a discrimination lawsuit the Justice Department filed against the companies on Nov. 14, 2016.
The department’s lawsuit alleged that from at least Nov. 1, 2013, until at least Oct. 16, 2016, the companies routinely requested that lawful permanent residents hired at Pasco Processing produce a specific document – a Permanent Resident Card – to prove their work authorization, while not requesting a specific document from U.S. citizens. The department’s complaint alleged that Washington Potato directed and controlled Pasco Processing’s hiring practices, including the discriminatory documentary practices at issue. The antidiscrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prohibits such unfair documentary requests when based on citizenship status or national origin.
Under the agreement, Washington Potato Company and Pasco Processing are required to pay civil penalties of $225,750, post notices informing workers about their rights under the INA’s antidiscrimination provision, train their human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
“The Justice Department is committed to removing illegal barriers to employment based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to working with Pasco Processing and Washington Potato Company to fulfill the terms of this agreement.”
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Justice Department Obtains $37,000 Verdict in Disability Discrimination Case Against Montana LandlordRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Butte, Montana today returned a $37,343 verdict against a Bozeman, Montana landlord for charging a tenant with physical and psychiatric disabilities $1,000 to have a service animal, the Justice Department announced today.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Butte, alleged that Jaclyn Katz, the owner and manager of rental properties in Bozeman, discriminated against Kristen Newman, a tenant with physical and psychiatric disabilities, by charging her a $1,000 deposit as a condition for allowing her to keep her service dog, Riley. At trial, Newman, her treating therapist and an independent expert testified that Riley assisted Newman in living with the symptoms of her disabilities, including providing emotional support, helping to predict migraines, and reducing suicidal thoughts. Newman also testified that she repeatedly informed Katz that charging a deposit for a service animal was illegal and that Newman understood that she would have to pay for any actual damage caused by her service dog. Nevertheless, Katz continued to levy this charge and, at one point, even threatened to terminate Newman’s tenancy. The case arose out of a complaint filed by Newman with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The verdict includes $11,043 in compensatory damages for Newman, $20,000 in punitive damages for Newman, and $6,300 for Montana Fair Housing, Inc., which assisted Newman with her fair housing complaint.
“Persons with disabilities have the right to live in and enjoy their communities, just as all families do throughout our nation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the jury for recognizing that the Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from discriminating against persons with disabilities, and we will continue to work to eliminate discriminatory barriers in housing for persons with disabilities.”
“Many people with disabilities require the assistance of an animal to carry out major daily activities,” said General Deputy Assistant Secretary Bryan Greene of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Complaints alleging disability discrimination now account for the majority of the complaints HUD receives. HUD will continue to enforce the law and educate the public on the rights of people with disabilities in housing.”
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Persons who believe that they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may contact the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Jury Convicts North Las Vegas Felon for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A North Las Vegas man was found guilty by a jury on Tuesday for a federal firearms violation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Tajh Dion Weatherspoon, 27, was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm and shortly thereafter pleaded guilty to a second count of felon in possession of a firearm. Weatherspoon had two prior felony convictions, including attempted burglary and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the superseding indictment, Weatherspoon was in possession of a Glock 19 handgun on June 15, 2016, and a Glock 21 handgun on Dec. 22, 2016. The Court severed the two counts and ordered that the trials proceed one after the other, beginning May 15, 2017. After the jury convicted Weatherspoon of possessing the Glock 19 handgun, he declined to proceed to trial on the count charging possession of the Glock 21 handgun and instead pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement.
United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben presided over the jury trial and scheduled sentencing for Sept. 19, 2017. At the time of sentencing, Weatherspoon faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Lopez and Patrick Burns.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide commitment by the Department of Justice to reduce gun and gang crime in America by networking local programs that target gun and gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Johnston Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Heroin, Possessing a Pill PressRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Jack A. Hoogasian, 44, of Johnston, RI, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence on Tuesday to possession with the intent to distribute heroin and possession of a pill press. A pill press is used to produce counterfeit narcotics, in this case, oxycodone.
Hoogasian’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith is announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
According to Rhode Island state court documents, in May 2016, the Rhode Island State Police Intelligence Unit developed information that Jack Hoogasian was trafficking counterfeit narcotics pills he produced with a pill press from his residence. On at least two occasions, the State Police Intelligence Unit arranged for the purchase of narcotics pills from Hoogasian. Each transaction consisted of the purchase of multiple blue pills stamped A 215. Blue pills stamped A 215 are how the prescription drug oxycodone hydrochloride (30 mg.) is labeled for sale.
According to court documents, field tests conducted by Rhode Island State Police of the first batch of pills purchased from Hoogasian tested positive for the presence of amphetamine. Subsequent testing by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations forensic specialist determined that the pills were counterfeit. Testing of the second batch of pills tested positive for the presence of heroin and amphetamine.
According to information presented to the court at the time of Hoogasian’s guilty plea in federal court, on May 17, 2016, Rhode Island State Police executed a court-authorized search of Hoogasian’s residence. In the basement of Hoogasian’s residence, 22 blue pills stamped A 215, three large bags of powder, and a pill press machine were seized. Forty-nine blue pills stamped A 215 were seized from a garage.
Hoogasian is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on August 11, 2017. Possession with the intent to distribute heroin is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and a term of supervised release of 3 years to life. Possession of a pill press is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 1 year in federal prison, a fine of up to $1,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 1 year.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, thank the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dennis K. Rawlins, 68, of Jackson, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 300 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexually exploiting a minor.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Reynoldsburg Police Chief Jim O’Neill, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to court documents, Rawlins was found in a motel room with a 15-year-old boy in January 2016. A search of digital media in the room revealed child pornography, messages between Rawlins and a co-defendant, Mark R. Heyd, and numerous photos of the boy victim in various stages of nudity. Rawlins admitted to taking the nude photos of the boy while in the hotel room and to engaging in sex acts with the boy while Heyd watched on webcam.
Rawlins pleaded guilty on August 24, 2016 to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, specifically, using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.
Heyd, 61, of Kailua, Hawaii, was sentenced on March 7 to 270 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography. His case was unsealed today.
Heyd arranged for Rawlins and the victim to rent hotel rooms where Rawlins would engage in sex acts with the boy and Heyd would watch via web cam.
Both defendants faced enhanced sentences because of prior convictions related to the molestation of minor boys.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch, Director of the Franklin County Special Victims Unit, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Hazardous Waste Company , Owner, and Employees Indicted for Illegally Abandoning Hazardous Waste in TrailersRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A hazardous waste company, its owner, and two employees were indicted today for illegally abandoning more than 10,000 gallons of liquid hazardous waste and more than five tons of solid hazardous waste in trailers on the company’s property in Charlotte, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Special Agent in Charge Andy Castro, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), Atlanta Area Office; Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI).
The criminal bill of indictment was returned by a the grand jury on May 17, 2017, charging Parts Cleaning Technology of North Carolina (“PCT”), its owner, David Russ Crandell, of 36, of Novi, Michigan, and two employees, Timothy Michael Connelly, 54, of Concord, N.C. and Vincent Edward Peters, Sr., 51, of York, S.C., with one count of conspiracy to illegally store hazardous waste, one count of illegal storage of hazardous waste without a permit, and one count of illegal storage of hazardous waste in violation of a permit. Connelly and Peters are also each charged with making false official statements to regulators.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, PCT, was a business engaged in the collection and transportation of hazardous waste in Charlotte, N.C. From at least as early as in or about 2011, the defendants allegedly stored hazardous waste on unpermitted trailers on PCT’s property at 3114 and 3124 Cullman Avenue, in Charlotte. The indictment alleges that the defendants had ongoing difficulty paying the disposal companies, which were refusing to accept hazardous waste from PCT. As alleged in the indictment, on July 7, 2014, PCT was evicted from the Cullman Avenue facilities, the defendants did not remove the hazardous waste and did not notify anyone that the waste had to be removed.
The indictment also alleges that on August 19, 2015, North Carolina State regulators executed a search warrant and located hazardous waste for which 43 customers had paid PCT for disposal. The indictment further alleges that regulators also located hazardous waste in the building located at 3124 Cullman Avenue, which was not permitted to store any hazardous waste. It is also alleged that over the course of the criminal conduct, defendants Connelly and Peters made false official statements to regulators about the contents of the trailers.
In 1976, in response to a growing number of hazardous waste sites resulting from unregulated waste disposal activities, Congress enacted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). RCRA established a strictly-regulated “cradle-to-grave” regulatory program, which governs and tracks hazardous waste from the point of generation until its final disposition.
The object of RCRA includes, among other things, protection of human health and the environment through stringent regulation of the generation, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The RCRA violations carry a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and a fine of $50,000 per day of violation. The false official statements charges carry a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The details contained in this indictment are allegations. The Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Rose thanked the EPA-CID and NC SBI for leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is in charge of the prosecution.
Harrison County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On May 17, 2017, Trudy E. Thomsenheather Jean Reekr, a 32 year-old resident of Missouri Valley, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 190 months in prison for transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, Kevin E. VanderSchel. Thomsen will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release following her imprisonment. Thomsen pleaded guilty to the charge on September 1, 2016.
The guilty plea and sentencing resulted from an investigation into the transport of minor females from Arkansas to Missouri Valley, Iowa, to engage the minors in sexual acts. According to the plea agreement, Thomsen met a 14-year-old female while working at a group home in Arkansas. After leaving her group home job, Thomsen and her co-defendant, John Thomsen, used social media to keep in contact with a minor female and convince her, and another female minor, to come live with them in Missouri Valley, Iowa. The Thomsens traveled to Arkansas and drove the females to Missouri Valley, Iowa, where the Thomsens engaged in various sexual acts with one of the girls.
Co-defendant John Thomsen was sentenced to 235 months in prison on January 25, 2017.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, Arkansas State Police, Missouri Valley Police Department, Council Bluffs Police Department, Omaha Police Department, La Vista Police Department, and the Harrison County Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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Learn more about this release by calling Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300, or by emailing her at [email protected].
Gardner Man Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit SteroidsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gardner, Mass., man was charged today in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit steroids.
Robert Medeiros, 32, was charged for his role in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit steroids marketed on social media to bodybuilders and sold around the country to customers.
According to court documents, from approximately March 2016 until April 12, 2017, Medeiros participated in an organization whose purpose was to manufacture steroid products, market them under the Onyx brand, and sell them to customers across the United States using email and social media platforms. Medeiros’ principal role in the conspiracy was to fulfill orders for anabolic steroids by obtaining the finished steroid products, branded with Onyx labeling and packaging, from other members of the conspiracy, prepare the steroids for shipment, and ship the steroids via the U.S. Postal Service to customers across the United States. Customers paid for the steroids through financial institutions like Western Union and MoneyGram. Members of the conspiracy used false identifications and multiple financial locations to pick up the proceeds. They purchased counterfeit Onyx labeling and packaging from overseas suppliers, as well as the raw materials to manufacture the steroids, either by using money remitters or by shipping U.S. currency to foreign suppliers. They allegedly manufactured the steroids in the residential home(s) of one or more members of the conspiracy.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jeffreys Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Department, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Department; Customs and Border Protection; and Lynn, Shrewsbury, Gloucester, Saugus, and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David J. D’Addio of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fort Thompson Woman Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on May 15, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Megan Azure, age 31, was sentenced to 4 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Azure was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016. She pled guilty on February 27, 2017.
The conviction stems from an incident on March 21, 2015, when Azure, who was in the Lower Brule jail on tribal charges, was being non-compliant. A correctional officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs was asked by another correctional officer to assist with Azure. The officers directed Azure to go back into the booking area for her housing assignment. Azure refused to go and began to argue with the officers. The correctional officer advised Azure to calm down and then took a small step back, at which time Azure said some profanity to the correctional officer and then tilted her head back and brought it forward with force striking the correctional officer in the face with her head. The correctional officer’s glasses went flying. As a result of the assault, the correctional officer suffered a swollen cheek, black eye and headaches and dizziness for a few days.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Azure was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Shelby County Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Accessing Women’s Computers for Personal Data and Explicit PhotographsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A former Shelby County resident will spend six months in federal prison for illegally accessing email and cloud storage accounts of more than 50 women to obtain personal data, including explicit photographs, announced acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.
U.S. District Court Judge Abdul K. Kallon today sentenced KEVIN M. MALDONADO, 35, now living in North Carolina, on one count of intentionally accessing the Gmail account of K.M., and the documents and images therein, without her permission in order to invade her privacy. Maldonado pleaded guilty to the charge in February. Judge Kallon ordered him to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Maldonado must report to prison July 17.
Maldonado “repeatedly and indiscriminately gained access to multiple women’s computers for a period of at least two years using a number of methods, in essence, to stalk them,” according to the government’s sentencing memorandum.
“[T]he defendant spent countless hours creating numerous fictitious email accounts impersonating email administrators from multiple email providers; sending numerous emails from these accounts demanding login and password information; and then frequently checking the fictitious email accounts for response emails from victims,” the memorandum said.
“The defendant also spent untold hours trolling the accounts he accessed via phishing for additional password information and conducting extensive open source research, for example on websites such as spokeo.com, on potential victims and making note of information about them including birthdates, places of employment, collegiate affiliations, etc. He then used this information to try to guess victims’ passwords, or answer the security questions necessary to re-set them,” the memorandum said.
Once the defendant accessed the victims’ accounts, he downloaded their data, including personal identifying information and personal photographs and videos, including images of them nude, partially nude, or engaged in sexual activity.
Maldonado knew some, but not all of the women he victimized and seemed motivated by more than a desire to see pornographic images, according to the government’s memorandum. His actions “appear to be based on an intentional need to violate others privacy – as many others as he could,” it says.
Much of the information Maldonado obtained illegally he catalogued by victim or group and saved to an external computer hard drive for easy access.
“In this age of digital living, passwords and security questions serve the same function as the lock on the front door once did,” the memorandum said. “Computer intrusions are the new ‘break ins’ and must be punished as such. Actions like the defendant’s compromise emails systems, decrease trust in technology, increase the security burdens imposed on everyone, and make it more difficult for people to access their accounts and their information, and quite simply live their lives.”
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Barnes is prosecuting.
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Former Orleans Parish Bail Bondswoman Sentenced for ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TYNEKIA BUCKLEY, age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information charging her with conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud.
U.S. District Judge Marlin L.C. Feldman sentenced BUCKLEY to four years of probation, with the first six months to be served on home detention.
According to court documents, BUCKLEY worked as a licensed bail bondswoman in New Orleans from 2004 through 2012, at 538 S. Broad Street in New Orleans. In that capacity, BUCKLEY was employed by RUFUS JOHNSON, who operated as a bail bondsman without having the required license. As such, JOHSON could not legally run a bail bonds business. During the course of her employment, BUCKLEY gave cash and things of value to employees of the Clerk’s Office in exchange for employees permitting JOHNSON to use BUCKLEY’S name and bonding license and to sign BUCKLEY’S name on official court documents.
According to additional court documents, BUCKLEY also conspired with JOHNSON to give cash and things of value to a former assistant bond clerk and a former part-time employee of the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office, in exchange for that person’s illegal and unauthorized release of criminal defendants from the Orleans Parish Prison.
JOHNSON pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, honest services mail fraud and honest services wire fraud; conspiracy to use interstate transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise; conspiracy to commit unauthorized access to a protected computer; conspiracy to obstruct justice; and, making material false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of a department or agency of the United States. U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set JOHNSON’s sentencing on July 19, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Harry W. McSherry, and Brittany Reed were in charge of the prosecution.
Former NC Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones, II Sentenced for Felony Payment of Gratuity to a Public Official ChargeRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, former North Carolina Superior Court Judge ARNOLD OGDEN JONES, II was sentenced to 2 years’ probation, fined $5,000.00, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. On March 16, 2017 JONES pled guilty to Promising and Paying Gratuities to a Public Official.
During the hearing on the defendant’s guilty plea, the Government summarized the evidence supporting the defendant’s guilty plea. The evidence established that between October 10, 2015 and November 3, 2015 JONES gave, offered, and promised cases of beer and $100 to a Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force Officer in contemplation of the Task Force Officer’s act of compelling Verizon to produce JONES’s wife’s text messages in order to disclose those messages to JONES, even though JONES was not permitted to receive them by law.
The evidence showed that, as a judge, JONES was familiar with the processes and procedures law enforcement must undertake to obtain private text message content, including the need for the FBI to have an ongoing investigation and a legitimate law enforcement need for such text content. The evidence established that JONES desired the text messages for use in a personal domestic dispute. Multiple recorded conversations established JONES’s desire to conceal the FBI Task Force Officer’s involvement in obtaining the texts. JONES agreed to destroy evidence of the crime, including a disk that purported to contain the text messages and text messages coordinating the exchange of cash and a disk. The evidence also included a video of JONES exchanging the cash and disk on the steps of the Wayne County Courthouse in his judicial robe. No text messages were obtained or delivered to JONES.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Former CEO of Essex Holdings Inc. Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in Connection with $33 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
The former Chief Executive Officer of Essex Holdings, Inc., was sentenced to 15 years in prison by United States District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Miami, in connection with two separate fraud schemes totaling more than $33 million in fraudulently obtained funds. The first scheme involved nearly 100 investors who purchased $30 million of promissory notes purported secured by interests in iron ore mining in Chile. The second scheme involved unlawfully obtaining $1.2 million in economic development funds as well as valuable industrial property from the State of South Carolina.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Navin Shankar Subramaniam Xavier, a/k/a "Navin Xavier," a/k/a "Dr. Navin Xavier" (Xavier), 44, of Miramar, was convicted by guilty plea on January 13, 2017 of two counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. One wire fraud count pertained to the investment fraud scheme and the other count pertained to the South Carolina economic development scheme. A restitution hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2017 before Judge Gayles.
According to documents filed in court, from September 2010 through May 2014, Xavier operated Essex Holdings, Inc. (“Essex Holdings”) from an office in Miami Gardens, and raised more than $30 million from nearly 100 investors for supposed investments in sugar transportation and shipping, as well as iron ore mining in Chile. Xavier used a false financial statement, forged documents, and false promises of fixed rates of return, to induce investors to invest with Essex Holdings. Most of the money was used for purposes other than what was promised, including to support lavish spending by Xavier and his wife for expensive jewelry, luxury vehicles, wedding expenses, and cosmetic surgery. Eventually, Xavier used new investor money to pay old investors in a Ponzi-like fashion before the scheme collapsed. Evidence filed in court showed that actual investor losses from the scheme exceeded $29 million.
The second scheme involved Xavier using Essex Holdings to obtain $1.2 million in payments and approximately $1.5 million worth of commercial real estate from the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development (“SCCCED”), a division of the South Carolina state government, that was supposed to be used to develop a dilapidated industrial property into a diaper plant and rice packaging facility. According to documents filed in court, Xavier provided false financial documentation to SCCCED in order to obtain the contract, and later provided fake contractor invoices and fake bank statements in order to get paid under the contract. As with the investment fraud scheme, Xavier spent a significant portion of the development money for his personal living expenses, and wired some of it to the same overseas accounts used in the investment fraud.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Miami Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the South Carolina Office of Inspector General, for assisting with this matter. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerrob Duffy and Alison Lehr.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Florida Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Transporting CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Juan Soliz (24, Pomona Park) and Kayla Soto (23, Pomona Park) for transporting two kilograms of cocaine from Texas to Florida. Soliz was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and Soto was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison. Pursuant to their plea agreements, they have agreed to forfeit a Chevrolet Traverse and a Mercedes Benz E350 that were used to transport the cocaine. In addition, they will forfeit $5,335, which are traceable proceeds of the offense. Soliz and Soto pleaded guilty on October 20, 2016.
According to court documents, on June 25, 2016, the couple drove the Mercedes Benz from Palatka, Florida to Waycross, Georgia, where they received instructions from a co-defendant regarding the pickup location for a shipment of cocaine. Soliz and Soto then drove to Houston, Texas, stopped briefly to pick up two kilograms of cocaine, and then immediately started their return trip to Florida.
Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol, working with DEA, stopped Soliz and Soto as they entered Putnam County on June 28, 2016. The two kilograms of cocaine were located inside a hidden compartment in the trunk of the car.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
Firearms Dealer, Store and Employees Indicted for Violations of Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Dawn Anderson, a/k/a Prestige, Ashlie Onyedika, Shawn Lewis, and Distincvision, LLC, d/b/a Liquidation Outlet Center, have been arraigned on violations of federal firearms laws. Anderson and Distincvision, LLC, d/b/a Liquidation Outlet Center (“LOC”) have been charged with the failure of a federally licensed firearms dealer to keep proper records. Onyedika, Lewis, and LOC have been charged with selling firearms to a convicted felon.
“Anderson is charged with failing to keep proper records of firearm sales while clerks in her store sold guns to a convicted felon,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “Firearms dealers who disregard laws governing the sale of firearms violate their obligation to keep guns out of the hands of felons and present a threat to the safety of the community.”
“ATF’s mission and priority is to deny criminals access to firearms and protect the rights of law abiding citizens. Several employees of the Liquidation Outlet Center violated federal law by selling firearms to a convicted felon. ATF takes this crime very seriously, and the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Wayne Dixie, Special Agent in Charge Atlanta Field Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: The indictment alleges that on June 30, 2016 and August 4, 2016, LOC clerks Ashlie Onyedika and Shawn Lewis knowingly sold two firearms to a convicted felon while they were working at LOC. On December 2, 2016, Dawn Anderson, the owner of LOC, allegedly sold a pistol to an individual without recording the actual buyer's name, age, and residence, as required by law.
Dawn Anderson, a/k/a Prestige, 50, Ashlie Onyedika, 25, Shawn Lewis, 45, and Distincvision, LLC, d/b/a Liquidation Outlet Center, all of Atlanta, Georgia, were arraigned by U.S. Magistrate Judges Linda T. Walker and Catherine M. Salinas. Anderson, Onyedika, Lewis, and LOC were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 9, 2017.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Hoffer and Jolee Porter are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Fifteen Men Indicted on Federal Conspiracy Charges for Distributing DrugsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Fifteen men (12 from St. Louis and 3 from Arizona) were indicted in St. Louis on charges of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base (“crack” cocaine).
Indicted were the following individuals:
Kevin Simmons, 45, St. Louis, MO;
Johnnie King, 39, St. Louis, MO;
Randy Johnson, a/k/a “Big Randy”, 33, St. Louis, MO;
Farid Annoor, a/k/a “Rumble”, a/k/a “Rambo”, 26, St. Louis, MO;
Ricardo Ramos-Estrada, 31, Phoenix, AZ;
Armando Ramos-Estrada, 34, Phoenix, AZ;
Christian Nunez, 20, Phoenix, AZ;
Darryl Black, 26, St. Louis, MO;
Arieawn Richaud Dillon, 22, St. Louis, MO;
Daviyon Thomas, a/k/a “Big Boy”, 27, St. Louis, MO;
Gregory Hampton, a/k/a “Greasy”, 32, St. Louis, MO;
Travis Roberts, 28, St. Louis, MO;
Jerome Thomas, 45, St. Louis, MO;
Troy Parker, 47, St. Louis, MO; and
Jermaine Johnson, 45, St. Louis, MO.
Defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 19, 2017. Simmons, King, Randy Johnson and Annoor were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”). The other defendants were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
If convicted of the heroin conspiracy charge, this carries a penalty of 10 years to life. If convicted of the cocaine base (“crack” cocaine) conspiracy charge, this carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and/or fines up to $1,000,000. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and St. Charles City Police Department.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
indictments_1.pdfFederal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that, a Federal Grand Jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Varnville Woman Charged with Embezzlement of Postal Funds. Cherrie Moore, age 40, of Varnville, SC, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Misappropriation of Funds by a Postal Employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1711. The maximum penalty that Moore could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by agents of the Postal Inspection Service, and it is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.
Summerville Woman Charged with Embezzlement of Postal Funds. Brittany Rollison, age 26, of Summerville, SC, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Misappropriation of Funds by a Postal Employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1711. The maximum penalty that Rollison could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by agents of the Postal Inspection Service, and it is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.
Eutawville Woman Charged with Theft of Mail by a Postal Employee. Michelle Craven, age 34, of Eutawville, SC, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Theft of Mail by a Postal Employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1709. The maximum penalty that Craven could receive is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by agents of the Postal Inspection Service, and it is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.
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Elkhart Man Sentenced to 117 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Acting United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced that Lamont Hawkins, 21, of Elkhart, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for bank robbery.
Hawkins was sentenced to 117 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on November 16, 2016, Hawkins and two accomplices robbed a bank in Mishawaka. Wearing masks and gloves, they used a rifle and a handgun to threaten the victims while they stuffed cash into backpacks. Police caught them at a house in Elkhart a short time later. The two accomplices, Jeffery Wilson, 29, and David Woods, 30, both of Elkhart have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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East St. Louis Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Michael Davis, 32, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment in the United States District Court, Benton, for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. The Court also ordered Davis to pay a $100 special assessment and to serve a term of three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Davis has been in custody since his arrest on August 17, 2016.
Court documents establish that, on August 17, 2016, Fairview Heights police received a report of shots fired at a residence within Fairview Heights city limits. Officers responded to the residence, and upon their arrival, spoke to a neighbor who stated he had heard several shots. As officers approached the residence at issue, they heard the sound of a weapon being "racked." Officers then heard three rapid shots coming from the rear of the residence. Three individuals, including Davis, were present at the residence and taken into custody by Fairview Heights police. Later, officers recovered a cellular telephone video that depicts Davis firing an LAR-15 semiautomatic rifle three times in the back yard of the residence at issue. Information from the video establishes someone took the video on the same date and at the same time as officers’ response to the residence. Court documents further establish that, prior to August 17, 2016, Davis was convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year.
The Fairview Heights Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation of this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Biersbach prosecuted this case.
Dover Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition UnlawfullyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Isaiah Johnson, 37, of Dover, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 20, 2016, Dover Police pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation. Johnson was a passenger in the vehicle. During the traffic stop, Johnson was found to have a loaded ammunition clip in his pocket. As a previously-convicted felon, Johnson is prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to combat gun-related violence. Keeping firearms and ammunition out of the hands of convicted criminals helps to keep our communities safe. I commend the work of law enforcement officers in this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.
This matter was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dover Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
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District Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Series of Thefts from Retail Establishments, Robbery, Other CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Edward Lee Staton, Jr., 53, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 137 months in prison for a series of crimes he committed over a 19-month period, including the robbery at knifepoint of an elderly tourist and numerous thefts from retail establishments, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today. In three of the incidents, Staton brandished a knife in the direction of store employees who tried to stop him.
Staton pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to 12 offenses committed on different dates, including charges of robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, second-degree burglary, simple assault, second-degree theft, possession of a prohibited weapon, and failing to appear for a court hearing. He was sentenced on May 10, 2017 by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Following completion of his prison term, Staton will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between February 2015 and September 2016, Staton was responsible for more than 35 incidents, ranging from shoplifting to robbery. The crimes led to more than $30,000 in reported losses. Most of Staton’s crimes involved entering Washington, D.C. retail establishments and using a large trash or laundry bag to steal a significant volume of retail items, such as clothing, medication, and toiletries. In his guilty plea, Staton admitted to 11 incidents, as well as failing to appear for a court hearing last summer. In some instances, Staton targeted the same store on more than one occasion.
In his plea, Staton admitted to committing crimes on these dates and at these locations:
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Dec, 30, 2015, about 2:40 p.m.: Gap store, 600 block of 11th Street NW.
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Jan. 11, 2016, about 5:25 p.m.: CVS, 3200 block of Connecticut Avenue NW.
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Jan. 30, 2016: about 3:10 p.m.: CVS, 400 block of 8th Street NW.
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June 17, 2016, about 1:30 p.m.: CVS, 500 block of 12th Street SE.
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June 20, 2016, about 3 p.m.: District Taco, 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. In this incident, Staton took a woman’s wallet.
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July 2, 2016, about 9:45 p.m. CVS, 400 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW.
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July 10, 2016, about 8:50 p.m.: Staton took the wallet of an elderly tourist who was walking down 900 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW. He also brandished a knife at the tourist and two people who tried to intervene.
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July 21, 2016, about 7 p.m.: Banana Republic, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Aug. 8, 2016, about 2:30 p.m.: Banana Republic, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Aug. 9, 2016, about 4:25 p.m.: TJ Maxx, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Sept. 13, 2016, about 2:35 p.m.: CVS, 500 block of 12th Street SE.
Staton was arrested on Sept. 13, 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, especially the detectives of the First Police District. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the CVS Organized Retail Crime Unit as well as the Mid-Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacie Weston, Veronica Sanchez, and Douglas Klein; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenna Bush; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Lynda Randolph, and Legal Intern Devin Barrett. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Floyd, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty in Case Involving BitcoinsRead the Press Release
Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Sal Mansy, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, and TV TOYZ, LLC, a Michigan corporation, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to operating an unlicensed money service business.
According to court documents, Mansy bought and sold approximately $2,400,000 worth of the virtual currency “Bitcoin” for profit online between August 2013 and June 2015. Mansy would funnel proceeds from his Bitcoin sales through the business bank account of TV TOYZ, a limited liability corporation he owned and operated.
A year-long investigation into Mansy’s activities culminated in June 2015 with a search of his Detroit residence and the seizure of three of his bank accounts, containing a combined total of $118,134.57.
Mansy engaged in the buying and selling of Bitcoin for profit without ever registering his money service business with federal authorities. Through this failure to register, Mansy violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960, which makes it a crime to transfer money for others as a business without obtaining appropriate licenses.
Mansy faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland, Maine and Detroit, Michigan offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the Saco Police Department.
DEA Launches “360 Strategy” in Albuquerque to Address Heroin and Prescription Opioid Epidemic and Related CrimeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today announced that Albuquerque, N.M., has been selected as the seventh pilot city to be part of the DEA’s comprehensive law enforcement and prevention “360 Strategy” to help cities dealing with the heroin and prescription opioid abuse epidemic and crime associated with drug trafficking and abuse. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean R. Waite of the DEA Albuquerque District Office made the announcement during a press conference at the Boys and Girls Club of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Larson of the UNM Health Sciences Center, partners in the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, City Councilor Diane Gibson, Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Burke of Healing Addiction in our Community, and representatives of other community stakeholders joined Assistant Special Agent in Charge Waite in launching the DEA 360 Strategy in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
“This comprehensive strategy leverages and expands existing federal, state and local partnerships, including the HOPE Initiative, to address New Mexico’s opioid epidemic on several different fronts – law enforcement, prescription drug control, drug education, prevention and treatment,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Waite.
The DEA 360 Strategy responds to the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic with an innovative three-pronged approach to combating heroin and opioid use through: (1) coordinated law enforcement action targeting all levels of drug trafficking organizations; (2) engaging drug manufacturers, practitioners and pharmacists to increase awareness of the opioid epidemic and encourage responsible prescribing practices throughout the medical community; and (3) community outreach and partnerships to equip and empower communities to fight the opioid epidemic. DEA first rolled out the 360 Strategy in Nov. 2015 in Pittsburgh, Penn. Albuquerque is the seventh city selected to participate in the Strategy.
The first component of the DEA 360 Strategy is premised on DEA’s traditional enforcement model that targets cartels and drug distributors who fuel the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic in our communities. In Albuquerque, DEA will continue to execute the enforcement component by relying and expanding on its many law enforcement partnerships. While law enforcement plays a central role in the 360 Strategy, DEA recognizes that enforcement actions alone are not enough to make lasting changes in our communities.
The second component of the DEA 360 Strategy involves collaboration with healthcare providers and health organizations to facilitate discussions and develop solutions to prevent prescription opioid abuse, which continues to drive our devastating heroin epidemic. National studies reveal that 80% of all new heroin users started their addictions with prescription painkillers and national statistics show that more than 35,000 people die every year as the result of heroin or prescription opioid overdoses. The 360 Strategy focuses on preventing pharmaceutical drug diversion by providing education and training within the medical and pharmaceutical community.
The third component of the Strategy seeks to enable communities to find long-term solutions to their drug problems by expanding and leveraging partnerships, both nationally and locally, in drug education, drug prevention and drug treatment. Drug education and prevention efforts are supremely important because they give us the tools and knowledge to remain drug free. DEA and its community partners will form a community alliance comprised of leaders from law enforcement, prevention and treatment advocates, the judicial system, education, business, government, civic organizations, faith communities, media, social services and others, will help carry the important prevention and treatment messages to the Albuquerque and Bernalillo County community.
DEA and the HOPE Initiative partners will work with the Justice Department’s Violence Reduction Network, U.S. Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), Boys and Girls Club of New Mexico, the National Guard, the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Albuquerque Public Schools, the Elks Club and many other community stakeholders under the DEA 360 Strategy to turn the tide on the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic and the tragedy it brings to Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
The DEA 360 Strategy augments DEA’s active and continuing participation in the HOPE Initiative, which was launched in Jan. 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic that has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque, Healing Addiction in our Community and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning.
Learn more about the 360 Strategy at https://www.dea.gov/prevention/360-strategy/360-strategy.shtml. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Columbia County Man Indicted for Forced Labor and Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Guarino Edwards Broccoli, a/k/a Gary Broccoli, a/k/a Gary Edwards (53, Fort White), with forced labor and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Broccoli that the United States intends to forfeit his residence, including all manufactured homes, located at 439 SW Tara Court in Fort White.
According to the
indictment , Broccoli obtained the labor and services of a female using force and threats of force, causing her to believe that if she did not perform such labor and services she would suffer serious harm. It is also alleged that this offense included aggravated sexual abuse.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This investigation is ongoing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is seeking other potential victims related to this individual and/or the location listed in this indictment. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the FBI -Jacksonville Field Office at 904-248-7000.
Cleveland man sentenced to nearly six years in prison for carjcackingRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for his role in a carjacking, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office.
Calvin Rembert, 23, was sentenced to 70 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to robbing a restaurant worker in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood on July 25, 2015.
D’wan Dillard, Jr., 21, was sentenced last week to more than 16 years in federal prison for his role in two carjackings during the summer of 2015.
Dillard, Rembert, Tervon’tae Taylor, Kenneth Jackson and Antowine Palmer were all convicted of crimes related to a series of carjackings in Cleveland. Taylor, Jackson and Palmer await sentencing.
“This defendant used robbed someone working hard to provide for himself,” Sierleja said. “We will continue to use every statute available to lock up violent predators.”
“These defendants terrorized victims and the city with their dangerous, gun-wielding car thefts,” Anthony said. “The Violent Crime Task Force and our local partners are committed to aggressively investigate predators who choose to engage in heinous acts of violence against our citizens.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Galvin and Robert Patton following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cleveland Division of Police.
Cleveland Heights woman sentenced to 10 years in prison, son to seven years for $8 million home healthcare fraudRead the Press Release
A Cleveland Heights woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading a $8 million healthcare fraud conspiracy in which participants provided forged documents and fraudulent forms to bill for services that were not provided, law enforcement officials said.
Delores L. Knight, 71, was sentenced to a decade in prison and ordered to pay $8.1 million in restitution. She was one of four people sentenced Wednesday for their roles in a health care fraud conspiracy involving the company Just Like Familiee.
Her son, Isaac R. Knight, 30, of Macedonia, was sentenced to more than seven years in prison and also ordered to pay $8.1 million in restitution.
Sonja N. Ferrrell, 45, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution.
Juliet L. Bonner, 62, of Cleveland, was sentenced to eight months of home confinement, three years of probation and $381,000 in restitution.
All four worked in some capacity for Just Like Familee II, Inc., and Just Like Familee III, Inc., which the defendants incorporated in 2005 and 2006, respectively, to provide home health services for elderly and disabled clients. The companies had locations at various times in Cleveland Heights, Twinsburg and Mentor, according to court documents.
Together they defrauded Medicaid, Medicare and the Department of Veteran Affairs out of more than $8 million as a result of the conspiracy in which they prepared and submitted forged or false records in support of previously submitted and reimbursed billings for patients they did not actually provide face-to-face services, according to court documents.
Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit homes at 1048 Morning Glory Drive in Macedonia and 7915 Ridgetop Drive in Twinsburg that were purchased with the proceeds of the fraud. They have a combined appraised value of nearly $800,000, according to court documents.
“Instead of using guns to rob banks, these defendants used fake and forged documents to rob the public,” Sierleja said. “Instead of helping the sick, the stole millions of dollars from taxpayers.”
“In order to enrich themselves, the defendants submitted forged documents and fraudulent forms as part of an extensive conspiracy to bill Federal health care programs for services never rendered.”, said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “The OIG will continue to identify, investigate, and hold those accountable who seek to fraudulently obtain taxpayer dollars vital to the support of our most vulnerable citizens.”
"Delores Knight can now spend time behind bars for stealing millions of dollars," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony. "We are all impacted by healthcare fraud and the FBI will continue working with our partners to ensure financial criminals like Ms. Knight are held accountable."
“When you collect millions of dollars for services that were never provided, you expose yourself as nothing more than a thief,” said Frank S. Turner II, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office. “The health care fraud detailed in this case is egregious and had such a negative impact on our community. Patients that have a legitimate need for these services now may face rising costs for such services.”
“Stealing from the taxpayers and undermining our healthcare system is particularly egregious when it's done at the expense of our nation's heroes,” said Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, Cleveland, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Bennett and James L. Morford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Maritsa Flaherty following an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI, the IRS, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Clayton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that IVAN ALEXANDER WILLIAMSON, age 26, of Clayton, Oklahoma, pled guilty to FELON IN POSSESSION OF FIREARM, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by no more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about February 9, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Clayton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Check Cashing Conspirators SentencedRead the Press Release
G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that on May 16 and May 17, 2017, Senior United States District Court Judge Hugh Lawson sentenced Caseita Jenkins, age 39 of Fort Valley, Georgia, Jennifer Wilson, age 38 of Moultrie, Georgia, Tonyal Loud, age 38 of Moultrie, Georgia, and Oceana Pace, age 26 of Moultrie, Georgia, for their participation in a conspiracy to cash fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury Checks.
Defendants engaged in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Government that stretched from December 2011 through April 2012. During that time, Oceana Pace was a cashier and Tonyal Loud was a Customer Service Manager at the Wal-Mart located in Moultrie, Georgia. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Caseita Jenkins and Jennifer Wilson would procure fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury Checks containing tax refunds and bring these checks to be cashed by Pace and Loud at Wal-Mart.
For their conduct, Caseita Jenkins was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, Jennifer Wilson was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, and Tonyal Loud was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Pace was sentenced to 36 months of probation. Each defendant was ordered to repay the loss from their conspiracy, a total of $206,108.86.
“These defendants stole from the Treasury of the United States, from the citizens whose payments were diverted, and from the defendants’ own employers. I commend the deputies of the Lowndes and Colquitt County Sheriff’s Offices and the Special Agents of the Secret Service for their teamwork in bringing these thieves to justice,” said United States Attorney Peterman.
“The Secret Service remains committed to aggressively investigate those responsible for committing fraud for the purpose of defrauding the nation’s financial system. Along with our law enforcement partners we will continue to pursue those committing these crimes,” said Clint A. Bush , Resident Agent in Charge, Albany, Georgia Resident Office, United States Secret Service.
The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sherriff’s Office, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Julia C. Bowen prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Cape Cod Woman Pleads Guilty to Her Role in Drug and Money Laundering RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a drug and money laundering ring.
Diane Johnson, 50, of Mashpee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one count of money laundering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2017.
From 2010 to 2015, Johnson and her son David Landry conspired to launder drug proceeds in order to disguise the nature of the funds and continue their drug trafficking activity. From May 2014 to January 2015, two of Johnson’s co-defendants, Landry and Justin Groom, conspired to manufacture and distribute marijuana and possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it. Landry, a convicted felon, was also found in possession of a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He continued participating in the criminal offense while in jail on state charges. Groom was also charged with eight counts of money laundering in connection with using the proceeds of the illegal activities to pay the rent of the home where he grew marijuana, at Landry’s direction. A third co-defendant, Evan Lopes, aided by Landry, possessed methylone.
David Landry and Justin Groom were sentenced in March 2017 to 78 months in prison and two years of probation, respectively. Evan Lopes is scheduled to plead guilty on May 23, 2017.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald; Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Cambodian National Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHHAY LIM, age 47, a citizen of Cambodia, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to possession of firearms by an alien present illegally and unlawfully in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt sentenced LIM to serve ten months imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release. LIM is subject to deportation following his release from prison.
According to court documents, on or about March 2, 2015, LIM, an alien present illegally in the United States, was found in possession of a TriStar 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a Marlin Model 6082, .22 caliber rifle.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Sean Toomey were in charge of the prosecution.
California Woman Pleads Guilty in International Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – A California woman pled guilty this week in an international fraud case that started in 2014 when sixteen individuals were arrested in South Africa, Canada, California, Wisconsin, New York and Indiana, pursuant to an eight-count federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and Raymond Parmer, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.
Susan Ann Villeneuve, 61, of Escalon, California, entered guilty pleas on May 15, 2017 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. This case involved a West African transnational organized crime enterprise involved in numerous complex financial fraud schemes over the internet. The mass marketing fraud included romance scams, re-shipping scams, fraudulent check scams and work-at-home scams, along with bank, financial and credit card account take-overs.
The investigation was initiated in October 2011 by HSI agents in Gulfport after U.S. law enforcement officers were contacted by a female victim in Mississippi who was the victim of a sweetheart scam. The victim received a package in the mail requesting that she reship the merchandise to an address in Pretoria, South Africa. The investigation later revealed that the merchandise was purchased using stolen personal identity information and fraudulent credit card information of persons in the United States. Investigators have identified hundreds of victims of this scam in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of U.S. dollars. Villeneuve was responsible for sending out over $26,000,000 in counterfeit checks to victims across the country by USPS, UPS and FedEx. She will be sentenced on August 22, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden in Gulfport, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and an additional two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge.
The investigation was led by the HSI Gulfport office in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South African Police Service, Toronto Police, HSI Cyber Crimes Center,
Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture, HSI Ontario, HSI Charleston, Interpol South Africa, HSI Pretoria and HSI Atlanta.
The case in Mississippi is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams, Conor Mulroe, Trial Attorney of the Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gang Section and Peter Roman, Senior Counsel of the Computer Crimes Intellectual Property Section.
If you believe you were the victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, you may contact the government at the email address [email protected].
California Man Sentenced for Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Paramount, California, man convicted of Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on May 15, 2017, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Daniel Hess, a/k/a Jason Hess, age 44, was sentenced to 20 years in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund as to the charge of Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder. Hess was sentenced to 10 years in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund as to the charge of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively.
The conviction stems from Hess, Phyllis Lucero, and Seth Hernandez, driving to a 73-year-old woman’s home on the evening of October 17, 2015, and breaking into the home with the intent to assault the woman and her adult son and steal their belongings, mainly cash. The three defendants wore masks covering their faces in order to disguise their appearances. Once the three masked individuals gained entrance to the home, the two male defendants assaulted the adult male. Hess strangled the male victim, rendering him unconscious. Hess assaulted the 73-year-old female victim by kicking her as she laid in a pool of her own blood. The defendants went in and out of the home removing the victims’ personal property and loaded it into the female victim’s truck. Hess drove Lucero and Hernandez to separate locations within the Pine Ridge Reservation before returning to the victims’ home. When Hess returned a second time, he removed additional personal property and bound the male victim’s ankles with an electrical cord and his hands with duct tape. Hess bound the elderly woman’s hands and ankles with duct tape.
Upon being transported to the Rapid City Regional Hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, both victims were found to have extensive bruising and lacerations to their heads, bleeding on their brains, and rib fractures. The elderly woman had several lacerations to her face and head, which required 17 staples to secure.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Ben Patterson prosecuted the case.
Hess was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Three Kilograms of Heroin to Delaware in Gas TankRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – David C. Weiss, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Uriel Erendira Nava, age 42, pled guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
According to the indictment and statements made in open court, Nava and co-conspirator Ana Sanchez were part of a larger criminal organization based out of California and Mexico trafficking in multiple drugs, including heroin. In August 2016, Nava and Sanchez drove from California in order to deliver three kilograms of heroin to a Delaware buyer in a prearranged sale. The three kilograms of heroin, hidden in the gas tank of the vehicle driven by Nava and discovered by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in the course of its investigation, represents one of the largest single seizures of heroin in Delaware to date.
“As heroin infiltrates our community, we will fight back,” said Acting United States Attorney David C. Weiss. “With the dedicated work of the DEA’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HITDA”) Group, we continue to make the investigation and prosecution of heroin traffickers a top priority.”
Nava’s plea is the first conviction resulting from a DEA Group 41 HIDTA investigation that included collaboration with DEA Philadelphia and DEA Sacramento. The New Castle County HIDTA, part of the Philadelphia-Camden HIDTA, is a collaborative effort established in January 2015 among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Delaware. The DEA HIDTA Group 41 includes members from the following agencies: DEA, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Newark Police Department, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Delaware Department of Corrections – Probation and Parole, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Whitney Cloud and Jennifer K. Welsh are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.