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Thursday 9 March 2017
Postal Supervisor Charged with Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Delran, New Jersey, man will appear in federal court today to face charges that he abused his position as a U.S. Postal Service supervisor to steal cash deposits, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Amar D. Patel, 35, is charged by complaint with knowingly embezzling, stealing, purloining, and converting to his use U.S. Postal Service funds exceeding $1,000. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court.
According to the complaint:
In July 2016, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General started investigating shortages in cash deposits reported by the Riverside, New Jersey, Delanco, New Jersey, and Delran post offices. Patel – who was a supervisor at those three offices – had access to deposit bags containing cash acquired during retail operations.
As part of the investigation, agents installed covert surveillance cameras inside the Riverside post office. On Jan. 14, 2017, one of the surveillance cameras captured images of Patel tearing open a sealed deposit bag, removing cash deposits, and placing the funds into his pocket. According to U.S. Postal Service financial records and bank deposit records, the Riverside office’s deposit was short $1,650 on Jan. 14, 2017.
Based on this and other information, Patel is accused of stealing $15,700 in U.S. Postal Service funds on 12 separate occasions from Feb. 20, 2016, through Jan. 14, 2017.
The embezzlement charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Monica Weyler, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Plummer Man Sentenced for Theft of Firearms and Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Kyle Eugene Goddard, 28, of Plummer, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court to 15 months in prison followed by three years supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Goddard to pay $900 in restitution. Goddard pleaded guilty to theft of firearms and possession of stolen firearms on November 16, 2016.
According to Goddard’s admissions at the plea hearing, on July 23, 2016, Goddard stole two firearms, a Taurus 709 Slim 9mm and a Springfield Armory XD 40, from Bargain Barn, a local business in Plummer, Idaho.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted as part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in Idaho.
Philadelphia Man Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Norman Ross, 68, of Philadelphia, PA was charged today by Indictment with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 17 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
The case was investigated by United States Secret Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ocean Springs Resident Pleads Guilty to Production, Transportation, Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Philip Joseph Spear, age 59, of Ocean Springs, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to a criminal information charging him with production, transportation, distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.
Spear was charged after a federal search warrant was executed at his residence in Ocean Springs and numerous electronic devices including computers, a camera and hard drives were seized. A forensic examination revealed numerous images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Today, Spear pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of production of child pornography by a person who has custody of a minor, one count of transportation of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He will be sentenced on June 7, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. The maximum penalties for the crimes charged are as follows:
Production of child pornography - 30 years and a $250,000 fine on each count;
Production of child pornography by a person who has custody of a minor – 30 years and a $250,000 fine;
Transportation of child pornography - 30 years and a $250,000 fine;
Distribution of child pornography 20 years and a $250,000 fine; and
Possession of child pornography- 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which is made up of agents from the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Oxford and Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case for the government.
Norwalk Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH BRICKHOUSE, also known as “K.E.,” 36, last residing in West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug and firearm offenses.
This matter stems from an investigation headed by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Stamford Police Department, Norwalk Police Department and Connecticut State Police. The investigation included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance.
According to court documents and statements made in court, BRICKHOUSE obtained cocaine and heroin from Bobby Gutierrez and other individuals and then sold the drugs to customers and other distributors. Between February and May 2016, BRICKHOUSE made multiple sales of heroin and cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement. During this time, investigators also intercepted hundreds of calls and text messages involving BRICKHOUSE that pertained to the distribution of narcotics.
BRICKHOUSE was arrested on May 26, 2016. On that date, a search of a Norwalk apartment that BRICKHOUSE used to store drugs, convert cocaine into crack cocaine and conduct drug sales, revealed approximately 500 bags of heroin, two baggies of cocaine, a loaded 9mm pistol, and ammunition. Investigators also seized a .357 revolver and ammunition from a vehicle that BRICKHOUSE used to in connection with his drug trafficking activities.
BRICKHOUSE has been detained since his arrest. On September 23, 2016, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
BRICKHOUSE’s criminal history includes state convictions for possessing crack with intent to sell, and federal convictions in 2001 for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. BRICKHOUSE served approximately 127 months in federal prison before his release in November 2011.
The DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force includes members from the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Norwalk, Milford and Trumbull Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Heather Cherry.
Norton Shores "Dark Web" Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Michael Carlton Paiva, 30, of Norton Shores, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker for his role in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
After an international law enforcement operation took down the dark web marketplace Silk Road 2.0, Paiva was identified as a purchaser of a significant quantity of various amphetamines and psychedelic compounds for distribution in the Western District of Michigan, including 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("MDMA"), 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl) ethanamine hydrochloride ("25i-NBOMe"), 4-methyl-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine ("DOM (STP)"), N,N-dimethyltryptamine ("DMT"), lysergic acid diethylamide ("LSD"), AL-LAD, mescaline, and liquid mushrooms. The subsequent investigation revealed Paiva was ordering and importing drugs from different sources from at least 2013 until 2016. He converted cash into bitcoin in order to make purchases on the dark web. Paiva also distributed more common controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
"Drug traffickers who believe that the dark web and cryptocurrency will provide anonymity and shield them from the rule of law are sorely mistaken," said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. "The federal government has the tools, resources, and commitment to identify and prosecute criminals on the dark web and will continue to do so."
"Homeland Security Investigations and our partners are at the tip of the spear in the effort against illicit activities and financial crimes associated with virtual currency systems," said Steve Francis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit. "Criminals have the false impression that their black markets activity using digital currency like Bitcoin are avoiding scrutiny. The reality is that these activities do not escape the reach of law enforcement."
"The West Michigan Enforcement Team, HSI Grand Rapids, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have a long history of collaboration and this case is another great example of that relationship," said Detective First Lieutenant Andy Fias, WEMET Section Commander. "We value this partnership and it was successful in this investigation and others in the past. The disruption of this drug trafficking organization will have a deep impact on several West Michigan communities."
HSI led the investigation in the district, in cooperation with WEMET. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant prosecuted the case.
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North Dakota Woman Charged with Obstruction of Justice and False StatementsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Bismarck, North Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Obstruction of Justice and False Statements.
Sherrae Two Hearts, a/k/a Sherrae Twohearts, age 38, was indicted on February 15, 2017. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on March 8, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 28, 2016, Two Hearts knowingly intimidated, corruptly persuaded, and engaged in misleading conduct toward her juvenile son, and attempted to do so by instructing him to falsely report to law enforcement authorities acts of child abuse and neglect. The Indictment also alleges that Two Hearts knowingly and willfully made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation and told agents with the Bureau of Indian Affairs that her children were being abused and neglected when she knew these statements were not true.
The charges are merely accusations and Two Hearts is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Two Hearts was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Nampa Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Bernandino Mercado, Jr., 50, of Nampa, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced.
According to statements made at the hearing, Mercado distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine out of his Nampa residence between June 2015 and September 2016. Mercado also admitted to trafficking firearms. Mercado was convicted of delivery of a controlled substance in 1997 and 2005.
Sentencing is set for May 25, 2017, before Senior U.S. District Edward J. Lodge. Mercado faces a sentence of not less than 20 years imprisonment and not more than life, a $20,000,000 fine and a term of supervised release of at least ten years and up to life. As part of his plea, Mercado also agreed to forfeit $100,000 in cash proceeds.
This case is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
More Than 65 Individuals Facing Federal or State Charges for Allegedly Selling Heroin, Cocaine and Fentanyl on Chicago’s West SideRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — More than 65 defendants are facing federal or state narcotics charges for their alleged roles in distributing heroin, cocaine and fentanyl on Chicago’s West Side.
The joint federal and state investigation, dubbed “Operation Sweet Dreams,” spanned more than a year and resulted in the seizures of more than a dozen firearms, including an assault rifle and semiautomatic pistol, more than three kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of cocaine, and more than $380,000 in cash. Authorities uncovered the alleged criminal activity through the use of wiretapped cellular phones, undercover narcotics purchases and extensive surveillance. The probe was conducted under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA).
Law enforcement officers began arresting several of the defendants this morning.
The charges describe an extensive network of drug distribution, based predominantly in the Garfield Park, Homan Square and North Lawndale neighborhoods on the city’s West Side. Two of the defendants were charged with federal firearm violations as part of criminal complaints filed earlier this week in U.S. District Court and unsealed after the arrests.
The federal defendants will begin making initial court appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman in Chicago. The state defendants were charged in separate complaints and will appear at a later time in Cook County Criminal Court.
The charges were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kimberly M. Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney; Dennis A. Wichern, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Eddie T. Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department; and James D. Robnett, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. The officials recognized the valuable assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Illinois State Police.
The investigation uncovered numerous drug deals, including one that occurred last October in an alley in the 1800 block of North Leavitt Street in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. A defendant purchased two kilograms of heroin in exchange for $132,800 in cash, the complaint states. The defendant was under law enforcement surveillance when he picked up the cash from a Near West Side house, the complaint states. The money was wrapped in a red and white Target shopping bag.
The investigation further revealed that one of the defendants agreed to sell his Chevrolet conversion van to a buyer he met in an online marketplace in exchange for a kilogram of cocaine. Unbeknownst to the defendant, the purported buyer was an undercover law enforcement officer. During an afternoon meeting last August at Diversey and Austin Avenues in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, the undercover officer gave the defendant a black bag containing a kilogram of sham cocaine in exchange for the van, according to the complaint. The deal was surreptitiously recorded by law enforcement.
The investigations were conducted under the umbrella of the OCDETF program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of OCDETF is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations.
The public is reminded that complaints contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Daniel and Jeannice Appenteng are representing the government in the federal cases. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is representing the government in the state cases.
Mission Woman Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assaulting, Opposing, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on February 27, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Abigail Marie Garneaux, a/k/a Abigail Marie Garcia, age 29, was sentenced to 6 months in custody, to be followed by 6 months of home confinement, 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Garneaux was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2016. She pled guilty on December 5, 2016.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on the evening of May 28, 2016. A Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officer observed a vehicle parked on the highway, with visible open alcohol containers inside. Garneaux was in the driver’s seat and officers asked her to exit the vehicle. Garneaux failed field sobriety tests and the officer informed her she was going to be arrested. Without provocation, Garneaux proceeded to pepper spray the officer directly in his face.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie G. Sanderson prosecuted the case.
Garneaux was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Stolen Firearm was sentenced on February 27, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Harold Fuller, Jr., age 38, was sentenced to 9 months in custody, followed by 18 months of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Fuller was also ordered to pay restitution to the owner of the firearm.
Fuller was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2016. He pled guilty on December 2, 2016.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on February 22, 2016. Fuller unlawfully took a duffle bag and tools from a vehicle. A firearm was in the duffle bag and Fuller later attempted to sell the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie G. Sanderson prosecuted the case.
Fuller was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Meth on Navajo ReservationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Rogelio Santiago Quiroa-Valdez, 25, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. Quiroa-Valdez will be deported after he completes his prison sentence.
Quiroa-Valdez and his co-defendants, Luis Rangel Arce, 45, and Miguel Rangel Arce, 36, also Mexican nationals, were amongst eight San Juan County residents charged with federal narcotics trafficking offenses as the result of a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force into methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northwestern New Mexico. The three men were arrested in May 2016 during a law enforcement operation that included the execution of two search warrants at residences in Shiprock and Kirtland, N.M.
The investigation leading to the federal charges was initiated in response to an increase in methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in the Shiprock area, and was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. This Department of Justice program combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. investigation identified eight defendants, who were charged in five indictments, through a series of methamphetamine purchases by undercover law enforcement officers. Law enforcement authorities seized more than two and a half pounds of methamphetamine, ten firearms, approximately $1,600 in cash, and a vehicle during the investigation.
Quiroa-Valdez, Miguel Rangel Arce and Luis Rangel Arce were charged with methamphetamine trafficking charges in a seven-count indictment filed in April 2016. The indictment charged the three men with participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy between Nov. 2015 and March 2016, and with distributing methamphetamine on six occasions between Jan. 2016 and March 2016. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in San Juan County, N.M.
Quiroa-Valdez pled guilty on Aug. 30, 2016, and admitted that on Feb. 24, 2016, he distributed 85.5 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer.
On Aug. 30, 2016, Miguel Rangel Arce pled guilty to participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, and admitted that from Nov. 24, 2015 through March 17, 2016, he conspired to distribute between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. Miguel Rangel Arce was sentenced on March 7, 2017 to 120 months in prison; he will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
Luis Rangel Arce pled guilty on Aug. 16, 2016, to distributing methamphetamine on Jan. 11 and 14, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Luis Rangel Arce admitted distributing 63.17 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 11, 2016, and distributing 55.3 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 14, 2016. Luis Rangel Arce was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2017, to 87 months in prison, and will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
These cases were investigated by HSI’s Albuquerque office and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Farmington office of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and BIA’s Division of Drug Enforcement, Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, New Mexico State Police, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Farmington Police Department, and New Mexico National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the cases.
The HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force is comprised of officers and investigators from the Farmington Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomfield Police Department, Aztec Police Department and HSI Albuquerque, and is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Mexican National Facing Federal Narcotics Charge Based on Eight-Pound Heroin Seizure in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Julia Perez-Vega, 48, a Mexican national from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, made her initial appearance this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on a heroin trafficking charge. Perez-Vega remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for March 10, 2017.
Perez-Vega is charged in a criminal complaint with possession of heroin with intent to distribute following her arrest yesterday at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque. The DEA arrested Perez-Vega after agents allegedly found approximately 3.6 kilograms (8.064 pounds) of heroin in her baggage during a consensual search.
If convicted on the charge in the criminal complaint, Perez-Vega faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years to a maximum of life in prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Han is prosecuting this case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which 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, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools 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. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Mason France Indicted for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced an indictment charging Mason France, 19, of Winona Lake, Indiana with one count of possession of stolen firearms, one count of possession of a firearm while under felony Information and one count of selling a firearm to a juvenile.
According to documents in this case, on December of 2016, France received one or more firearms while pending a felony Information, and in December of 2016 and January of 2017 he possessed stolen firearms. In January of 2017, France sold a handgun to a juvenile.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in coordination with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, the North Manchester Police Department and the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Molly E. Donnelly.
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Iranian Member of an International Cybercrime Conspiracy Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Stolen Credit Card Information OnlineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Iranian man was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for access device fraud and 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud, to be served concurrently, in connection with an international scheme to sell credit card information online. He was further ordered to pay $36.6 million in restitution.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, Louisiana, Field Office made the announcement.
Milad Kalantari, 32, an Iranian citizen, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of the Southern District of Mississippi. Kalantari was arrested in December 2015, when he entered the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. On Oct. 6, 2016, Kalantari pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud and one count of substantive access device fraud.
As part of the plea, Kalantari admitted that he was a member of a financial fraud conspiracy that owned and operated numerous websites, in Kalantari’s name, dedicated to the distribution and sale of stolen credit and debit card information belonging to victims all over the world – including citizens and banks located throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, Kalantari sold approximately 2.5 million stolen credit cards on his websites, with an intended loss amount valued at over $1.2 billion. More than $35 million in actual losses have been confirmed with U.S. companies including more than $26 million in losses to Discover Card and almost $5 million in losses to American Express.
Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Helen Wall of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case, which was investigated by HSI’s Gulfport Regional Office.
Iranian Member of International Cybercrime Conspiracy Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Stolen Credit Card Information OnlineRead the Press Release
An Iranian man was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for access device fraud and 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud, to be served concurrently, in connection with an international scheme to sell credit card information online. He was further ordered to pay $36.6 million in restitution.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, Louisiana, Field Office made the announcement.
Milad Kalantari, 32, an Iranian citizen, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of the Southern District of Mississippi. Kalantari was arrested in December 2015, when he entered the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. On Oct. 6, 2016, Kalantari pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud and one count of substantive access device fraud.
As part of the plea, Kalantari admitted that he was a member of a financial fraud conspiracy that owned and operated numerous websites, in Kalantari’s name, dedicated to the distribution and sale of stolen credit and debit card information belonging to victims all over the world – including citizens and banks located throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, Kalantari sold approximately 2.5 million stolen credit cards on his websites, with an intended loss amount valued at over $1.2 billion. More than $35 million in actual losses have been confirmed with U.S. companies including more than $26 million in losses to Discover Card and almost $5 million in losses to American Express.
Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Helen Wall of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case, which was investigated by HSI’s Gulfport Regional Office.
Internet Business Owner Indicted for Selling Non-FDA Approved and Misbranded Versions of Botox and Juvederm Related ProductsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The owner and operator of numerous beauty product websites was arrested and charged in a 25-count indictment for selling misbranded drugs and misbranded medical devices, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge William Conway for the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Chicago Field Office.
“The Nevada U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting consumers and ensuring that products being sold at stores and online in the United States are safe and in accordance with federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue to work with the FDA to ensure the publics’ health is not compromised.”
"U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that the medical products they use are safe and effective," said Special Agent in Charge Conway. "Our office will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who attempt to introduce illegal products into the U.S. marketplace."
Kelly Luanne Schaible, aka Kelly Reed, aka Heather Lane, 55, of Henderson, Nev., was charged with nine-counts of wire fraud, six-counts of mail fraud, four-counts of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, five-counts of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce, and one-count of destruction of evidence. Trial is scheduled for May 8, 2017.
According to the indictment, from 2009 to 2014, Schaible owned and operated AAE d/b/a Basics, Inc.; Basics, Inc.; and Basics Inc., Ltd. The companies’ websites sold various beauty products related to weight loss, hair loss, skin care, eyelashes, and wrinkle reduction.
The indictment alleges that Schaible knowingly marketed, sold, and distributed non-FDA approved prescription drugs containing Botulinum Toxin Type A, also known as Botox, and non-FDA approved prescription devices containing hyaluronic acid, also known as Juvederm related products. Schaible obtained these products from distributors in China and knew it was illegal to import such products into the United States. She made various representations that were intended to lead customers to believe that the products and devices she sold were equivalent to genuine Botox and Juvederm and that a customer could administer the products in a “do it yourself” fashion without a prescription. She mislabeled the products and shipped the misbranded drugs to customers throughout the United States and to other countries. Schaible sold approximately 9,500 units of misbranded prescription drugs containing Botulinum and received approximately $1.7 million in sales revenue. She also sold approximately 4,000 units of misbranded Juvederm products and received approximately $630,000 in sales revenue.
The indictment further alleges that after a search and seizure by FDA Special Agents, Schaible attempted to destroy a plastic bag containing vials of Botulinum for the purpose of preventing and impairing the investigation.
The maximum statutory penalty for wire fraud and mail fraud is up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the maximum statutory penalty for introducing misbranded drugs and misbranded devices into interstate commerce is three years in prison and a $10,000 fine; and the maximum statutory penalty for destruction of evidence is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla B. Higginbotham.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Inmate at Sandoval County Detention Center Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Heroin While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ismael Vargas, 29, of Belen, N.M., entered a guilty plea today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a heroin trafficking charge. At the time he committed the offense, Vargas was an inmate at the Sandoval County Detention Center. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Vargas faces up to 41 months in federal prison to be followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Former Corrections Officer at Sandoval County Detention Center Christopher Gonzales, 20, of Rio Rancho, N.M., and Fabrienne Rosalinda Morales, 39, of Peralta, N.M., were arrested in Jan. 2016, on a five-count indictment charging them with conspiracy. The indictment also charged Gonzales with possession of heroin and suboxone with intent to distribute, and Morales with distribution of heroin and suboxone. The indictment was superseded on Feb. 9, 2016, to add Vargas, who was charged with conspiracy. According to the superseding indictment, the three defendants committed the crimes charged on Aug. 2, 2015, in Sandoval County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Vargas pled guilty to Count 1 of the superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin. In entering the guilty plea, Vargas admitted that on Aug. 2, 2015, while he was an inmate at the Sandoval County Detention Center, he arranged for heroin to be delivered to the jail. Vargas further admitted that he facilitated the payment of money to a corrections officer to get the heroin into the jail. Vargas remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
On Feb. 28, 2017, Gonzales pled guilty to possessing heroin with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Gonzales admitted that on Aug. 2, 2015, while he was working as an officer at the Sandoval County Detention Center, he brought heroin to the Detention Center with the intention of delivering it to an inmate. A sentencing hearing for Gonzales is currently scheduled for May 31, 2017.
On Jan. 13, 2017, Morales pled guilty to distributing heroin. In entering the guilty plea, Morales admitted that on Aug. 2, 2015, she smuggled heroin into the Sandoval County Detention Center and gave it to a corrections officer. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Morales will be sentenced to not more than 24 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. A sentencing hearing for Morales is currently scheduled for April 17, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Han is prosecuting the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which 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, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools 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. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Inland Empire Man Arrested on Federal Charges of Producing Child Pornography after Allegedly Enticing Boy to Take Explicit PicturesRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A resident of the Inland Empire city of Eastvale was arrested this morning by federal authorities on charges of producing child pornography after allegedly using Snapchat to contact a 13-year-old boy in Illinois and enticing him to send a sexually explicit video.
Francisco Javier Soledad, 24, was arrested by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Soledad is expected to make his initial appearance later this afternoon in United States District Court.
According to a criminal complaint filed yesterday in United States District Court, Soledad assumed the persona of a young person – first a 13-year-old boy, and then an adult woman – to convince the victim to send an explicit video. When the victim then blocked Soledad on Snapchat, Soledad allegedly threatened to publish the video on a social media platform unless the victim sent additional videos.
After the victims’ parents contacted law enforcement, HSI special agents conducted a search of Soledad’s residence. During an interview with authorities, Soledad admitted sending threatening communications to the victim, and he admitted victimizing other children in a similar fashion, according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. After a review of Soledad’s digital devices, HSI agents uncovered evidence of five additional victims between the ages of 12 and 15 living in Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and California. In each instance, Soledad had coerced the children to produce sexually explicit images and videos.
“As this case dramatically demonstrates, child pornography is not a victimless crime,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “This crime has unimaginable and devastating impacts on young victims, and the market for these images only encourages additional exploitation.”
A search of Soledad’s digital devices revealed more than 5,000 images and videos of suspected child pornography. The majority of the child pornography images appear to have been self-produced by the depicted victims. Law enforcement has not yet identified all of the victimized children.
Anyone with information about Soledad – or his Snapchat handle, “linkinparkrocks” – is encouraged to call HSI’s toll-free tip line 1-866-2DHS-ICE or 1-866-234-7423
“Tragically, cases like this are part of a growing trend where children are being enticed, tricked, and coerced online by adults to produce sexually explicit material of themselves,” said Edward Owens, deputy special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. “The decision by the victim’s parents to quickly alert law enforcement may have saved an untold number of other children from falling prey, but the key to combatting online sexual predation is for children and adults alike to learn how to stay safe in cyberspace. As we tell participants in HSI’s Project iGuardian internet safety training, ‘we all need to think before we click.’”
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If he is convicted of the charge of producing child pornography, Soledad would face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and he could be sentenced to as much as 30 years.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Teresa K.B. Beecham.
Individual Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Malicious Use of ExplosivesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– Noel D. Cruz-Torres was sentenced before US District Court Judge Gustavo Gelpí to 60 months in prison, and three years of supervised release, for malicious use of explosive materials, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Cruz-Torres had plead guilty on November 16, 2016.
On June of 2016, Cruz-Torres was arrested after throwing Molotov cocktails at the DuPont Pioneer building in Salinas, PR, and at Puerto Rico Police Department officers who detained him. DuPont Pioneer is an agricultural business that conducts crop-genetic research and development. It imports seed from Iowa for research purposes.
According to the information contained in the plea agreement, on June 18, 2016, an individual called the 911 system to report an explosion near DuPont Pioneer. When police and firefighters arrived, they saw a vehicle burning nearby. PRPD officers reported that an individual was throwing Molotov cocktails at the building. The officers walked around the building and saw Cruz-Torres wearing a black t-shirt wrapped around his face and carrying a black backpack. While police pursued Cruz-Torres, he threw various Molotov cocktails at the officers. He also threw another lit Molotov at the fire truck.
Cruz-Torres had a flag with the words “LEVANTATE BORICUA Q HA LLEGADO EL MOMENTO DE DEFENDER NTRA PATRIA: VIVA P.R. Libre” (sic) (as translated in the criminal complaint, “Rise up Puerto Rican, the moment to defend our fatherland has arrived: long live free Puerto Rico.”)
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Alum. The FBI was in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.
INTERPOL Washington Attends INTERPOL Heads ConferenceRead the Press Release
Senior leaders from INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB), participated in the annual International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Heads of National Central Bureaus (NCB) conference this week. The gathering brought together 270 police officials from 149 countries. INTERPOL Washington representatives were Acting Director Wayne Salzgaber, Chief of Staff Bernard Graham, and Deputy Chief of Staff Joseph Ferrigno. The conference, held March 7-9 at INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon, France, highlighted the need for increased sharing of biometric data, such as fingerprints, DNA and facial recognition, and enhanced use of INTERPOL’s firearms tracing and ballistic data sharing capabilities, according to INTERPOL.
INTERPOL Washington serves as the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL on behalf of the Attorney General. While it is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), INTERPOL Washington is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
U.S. membership in INTERPOL is authorized by U.S. law. As a condition of membership, the United States maintains a National Central Bureau (NCB) in Washington, D.C., which liaises with INTERPOL’s General Secretariat and the National Central Bureaus of INTERPOL’s 189 other member countries. The United States also details law enforcement officials to serve at INTERPOL Headquarters.
INTERPOL Washington coordinates U.S. law enforcement actions and responses, ensuring that they are consistent with U.S. interests and law, as well as INTERPOL policies, procedures, and regulations. As the official U.S. point of contact in INTERPOL's worldwide, police-to-police communications and criminal intelligence network, INTERPOL Washington operates 24/7/365. It supports more than 18,000 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the United States as well as their foreign counterparts seeking assistance in transnational criminal investigations.
INTERPOL Washington criminal investigative data assists U.S. law enforcement officials in bringing many criminals to justice. To date in 2017, two major high profile cases benefited from INTERPOL Washington assistance. For example, INTERPOL Washington partnered with U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to bring down four multi-million dollar international fraud and money laundering schemes perpetrated by a transnational organized crime network. In another case, the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice, wanted for a July 10, 2016, murder in the Dominican Republic, was arrested Thursday, February 23, by U.S. Marshals and Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents with the New York/ New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force. INTERPOL Washington also provided critical assistance during that investigation. These are only two examples of the contributions INTERPOL Washington makes to domestic and international law enforcement.
Photograph courtesy INTERPOL INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock addresses the INTERPOL Heads conference.
Hartsville Man Sentenced to 95 Months in Prison on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Tavares Lamore Wingate, age 33, of Hartsville, SC, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Charleston sentenced Wingate to 95 months in federal prison.
Evidence presented at Wingate’s guilty plea hearing established that Wingate and others in the Florence County and Darlington County area were subjects in an ongoing drug distribution conspiracy investigation dating back to 2005 conducted by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in cooperation with the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force. As part of that investigation, in June 2015, agents arranged a controlled buy of a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base from Wingate and a coconspirator.
The case was investigated by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in cooperation with the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Georgia Gynecologist Indicted for Running Pill Mill and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: a federal grand jury sitting in Savannah returned a 176-count indictment yesterday against George Mack Bird, III, 58, a Georgia physician who operated a medical practice in Dodge County and a diet clinic in Laurens County.
According to the Indictment, Bird instructed certain of his employees to dispense and distribute various controlled substances and highly addictive opioids using prescription forms that he had pre-signed in violation of federal law. The Indictment further alleged that, because Bird rarely saw or examined his patients, he directed his employees to utilize pre-printed medical notes to give the appearance that patients had been thoroughly examined, when in fact, they had not. Bird’s unlawful dispensation scheme was remarkably lucrative, generating more than $4.5 million in proceeds, according to the grand jury. The Indictment alleged that Bird and others conspired to illegally launder those proceeds by using them to pay for the operating expenses of Bird’s clinics.
Bird, who is currently being held in state custody, faces up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Additionally, the Government is seeking the forfeiture of Bird’s offices, home, investment properties, and a money judgment of at least $4.5 million. Approximately $1 million in cash was seized from Bird at the time of his arrest, and federal agents have since seized or frozen an additional $3.9 million held in various bank and investment accounts.
U. S. Attorney Edward Tarver cautioned that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it is the Government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case with assistance from the Oconee Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia Green Rhodes and Theodore S. Hertzberg are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.
Former State Representative Indicted on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging former Florida House of Representatives member Dwayne L. Taylor (49, Daytona Beach) with nine counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Taylor that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $62,834, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, during Taylor’s 2012 and 2014 re-election campaigns, he falsely reported thousands of dollars of expenditures to the State of Florida in order to conceal a series of cash withdrawals, checks written to himself, and checks written to petty cash, in violation of Florida law. Taylor then used the misappropriated funds for personal expenditures unrelated to his re-election campaigns. As set forth in the indictment, in the State of Florida, neither a candidate nor the spouse of a candidate may use funds on deposit in a campaign account to defray normal living expenses for the candidate or the candidate’s family, other than expenses actually incurred for transportation, meals, and lodging during travel in the course of the campaign.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Embry J. Kidd and Roger B. Handberg.
Former Rhode House Finance Chairman Raymond Gallison Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Former Rhode Island House Finance Chairman Raymond E. Gallison, Jr., 64, of Bristol, R.I., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence to federal mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and tax charges, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Gallison admitted to orchestrating wide-ranging fraudulent and deceptive schemes to steal private money and hide his misuse of public money. Gallison admitted to the theft of funds from the estate of a deceased individual to which he was appointed executor; theft of funds from a Special Needs Trust established to protect the long-term welfare of a disabled individual to which he was appointed trustee; providing false information on tax documents, including vastly inflating the number of students assisted by a non-profit organization funded by public money while failing to disclose amounts paid by that organization to him; and failure to pay taxes on income derived from his criminal actions.
Gallison pleaded guilty to four (4) counts of mail fraud; one (1) count of wire fraud; one (1) count of aggravated identity theft; one (1) count of aiding the filing of a false tax document; and two (2) counts of filing a false tax return.
At the time of his guilty plea, Gallison admitted to the court that:
As executor of an estate of an individual from Barrington, R.I., who passed away in February 2012, he devised and executed various schemes to steal or transfer to his own name and bank accounts, cash, checks, stocks and real property belonging to the deceased person and/or his estate, valued at a total of $677,454,10. Gallison will admit that he fraudulently used the name and social security number of the deceased person to execute a scheme to cause the liquidation of certain stocks belonging to the deceased person;
He caused the filing of a false tax document on behalf of Alternative Education Programming (AEP), a non-profit organization which provided educational programs to students who may need assistance with course work, and/or minority and/or disadvantaged students who may need financial or other assistance to gain an education, and of which Gallison was listed as Assistant Director. The tax document listed that $77,957 in tuition and related fees and expenses were paid for 47 students from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013. In fact, on behalf of AEP, Gallison paid only $3,137.29 to assist 2 students during that year and paid approximately $64,575 to himself and another person in wages and consulting fees for no work undertaken on AEP’s behalf;
As trustee for a disabled person’s Special Needs Trust, he defrauded the Trust by writing a check from the Trust account for $8,900, which he deposited into an AEP account. Gallison then wrote a check for $8,800 from the AEP account to pay an outstanding bill at the Community College of Rhode Island; and
He failed to claim a total of $622,286.17 in income on joint IRS tax returns for tax years 2012 and 2013, and, as a result of his relevant conduct from 2012-2015, Gallison failed to pay a total of $226,332.31 in taxes.
Gallison is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2017. Based on statutory penalties, Gallison will serve, at a minimum, two years in federal prison.
During the course of the investigation law enforcement recovered more than $515,000 in assets stolen by the defendant from the estate for which he served as executor. Prior to the start of today’s change of plea hearing, the defendant provided to the court a check in the amount of $162,063.95, reflecting the balance of restitution due to the estate.
Restitution due to the IRS in the amount of $226,332.31 has not been paid.
Joining United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin in announcing Gallison’ s guilty plea is Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
The matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, and the Rhode Island State Police.
The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dulce Donovan and William J. Ferland, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Baum of the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Former Local Employee Sentenced to 15 Months for ExtortionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI –Carlos Ruiz-Rodriguez, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced to 15 months for extortion against a Cincinnati-based company.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence handed down yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
Ruiz-Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2016. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2016 to intruding computers, stealing proprietary information from his employer, and then extorting his employer.
He had been employed at the company for approximately two years as a call center employee. In his role, he had access to the company’s customer service portal and personally identifiable information for certain clients. He used credentials for another employee to obtain the proprietary company information.
Ruiz-Rodriguez sent multiple extortion emails to the company between November 2015 and January 2016 via the internet claiming that he had hacked the company. He also provided proof of compromise of the company’s data. He stated that if the company did not pay a Bitcoin ransom, then the company schematics and client data would be released to the public.
Ruiz-Rodriguez, through an intermediary, then posted the company’s data on an internet “dark web” forum and received two separate ransom payments from the employer totaling approximately $15,000. Ruiz-Rodriguez was also ordered to pay restitution of $277,278.98 to the employer and $259,212.74 to the employer’s insurer.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, and Assistant United States Attorney Tim Mangan, who is prosecuting the case.
Former Deportation Officer Convicted of Accepting Bribes, Harboring an Undocumented Immigrant and Lying to U.S. Immigration AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset, New Jersey, man was convicted by a federal jury today of accepting cash bribes and sex in exchange for providing employment authorization documents and concealing his employment of an undocumented immigrant at a hair salon he owned, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Arnaldo Echevarria, 39, a former deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was convicted of Counts 1-6 and Counts 8 and 9 of an indictment charging him with seven counts of accepting bribes, one count of harboring an undocumented immigrant and one count of making false statements to immigration authorities. He was acquitted on Count 7, one of the bribery counts. Echevarria was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated for one day before returning the guilty verdict.
According to statements made in court and evidence presented at trial:
As a deportation officer, Echevarria enforced immigration and customs laws by identifying, locating, arresting and removing undocumented immigrants from the United States and by supervising certain undocumented immigrants who had not yet been deported. Undocumented immigrants subject to a deportation order often were able to obtain employment authorization documents which allowed them to legally work in the United States for a one-year period and which could be renewed annually.
Between 2012 and 2014, Echevarria agreed to obtain employment authorization documents for undocumented immigrants who were not lawfully present in the country. In return, Echevarria demanded and received approximately $75,000 in cash bribes, and demanded and received sex from one individual. In order to conceal them from immigration authorities, Echevarria falsely stated that they had been granted temporary protected status, which allows nationals from certain countries experiencing environmental disaster, ongoing armed conflict, or other extraordinary conditions to lawfully remain in the United States. None of the individuals who bribed Echevarria had actually applied for, or received, temporary protected status.
In December 2012, Echevarria received permission from his superiors at ICE to open a hair salon in West Orange, New Jersey. Echevarria certified to ICE that the hair salon would not conflict with ICE matters and would not involve undocumented workers. However, Echevarria employed his girlfriend at the time, an undocumented immigrant, to manage the salon. Echevarria’s girlfriend had entered the United States illegally, using the name and identification of an individual in Puerto Rico to obtain a Pennsylvania identification card.
Echevarria knew his girlfriend resided in the United States illegally. Prior to opening the hair salon, Echevarria queried the name and date of birth of his girlfriend’s alias in various law enforcement databases. After opening the salon, Echevarria ensured that his girlfriend’s illegal status remained a secret by signing the lease for her apartment and by placing her cable and electric bills in his name. In addition to driving his girlfriend and other employees to and from the salon each day, Echevarria also paid the employees in cash and never asked them to fill out employment eligibility paperwork.
The six bribery counts on which Echevarria was convicted each carry a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, or three times the monetary equivalent of the things of value accepted by the defendant. The charges of harboring and making false statements are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss arising from the offense. Echevarria’s sentencing is scheduled for June 19, 2017.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of ICE, Office of Professional Responsibility, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Keith Barwick, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Agarwal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark, and Barbara Llanes, Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
Florence Man Sentenced to over 11 Years on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Cederic Sharnard Bruce, age 31, of Florence, SC, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Charleston sentenced Bruce to 140 months in federal prison.
Evidence presented at Bruce’s guilty plea hearing established that Bruce and others in the Florence County and Darlington County area were subjects in an ongoing drug distribution conspiracy investigation dating back to 2005 conducted by the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), the Florence Police Department (FPD), the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in cooperation with the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force. As part of that investigation, in July 2013, a Florence Police Department officer stopped a vehicle in which Bruce and others were traveling. Police officers ultimately searched the car, and found a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base hidden in the car.
The case was investigated by agents Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), Florence Police Department, the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in cooperation with the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Five Baltimore Men Indicted for the Armed Robbery of a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted five men on charges of conspiracy to possess, conceal and sell stolen firearms; conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to crime of violence, in connection with the armed robbery of a federally licensed firearms dealer. The indictment was returned on March 8, 2016.
The indictment charges the following defendants, who are all from Baltimore:
David Wise, a/k/a Rambo and Rampage, age 22;
Raymond McCullough, a/k/a Troop, age 33;
Reginald Smith, a/k/a Young Loc and Loc, age 24;
Tavon Hawkins, a/k/a G and Tay, age 34; and
Lerron Sheppard, a/k/a D-Loc, age 23.The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Keeping illegal firearms from hitting the streets of Baltimore is ATF’s number one priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board. The men and women of the ATF Baltimore Field Division will relentlessly pursue any criminals who attempt to acquire or distribute stolen weapons and we will utilize all of our resources to ensure that they are held accountable for their violent and dangerous actions.”
According to the seven-count indictment, from August 2016 through September 2016, the defendants conspired to rob a bait, tackle and gun store in Dundalk, Maryland, that was a federally licensed firearms dealer. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants planned to use firearms and a stolen vehicle to commit the robbery. The indictment alleges that on August 5, 2016, the defendants, brandishing firearms, robbed the store, stealing 36 firearms, including three assault rifles and silencers, cash, a computer and monitor, credit cards and a cellular phone. The defendants fled in the vehicle they had stolen to use during the robbery to an apartment in Baltimore, where they divided the cash and firearms among themselves. The indictment alleges that from time of the robbery until March 8, 2017, the defendants possessed, concealed, stored, sold and otherwise disposed of the stolen firearms.
Each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the firearms conspiracy; 20 years in prison for the commercial robbery conspiracy; 20 years in prison for the commercial robbery; and a mandatory minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison for using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Wise, McCullough and Smith also face 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, who is prosecuting the case.
Federal jury finds Opelousas man guilty of robbing three businesses at gunpointRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a federal jury found an Opelousas man guilty Tuesday of robbing three local businesses at gunpoint.
Carey Wardell Reed, 28, of Opelousas, La., was found guilty of three counts of interference with commerce by robbery; two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime; and one count of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. After the conclusion of the trial, the jury deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before delivering the guilty verdict. United States District Judge Rebecca F. Doherty presided over the trial.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Reed robbed three commercial establishments in Opelousas in 2014. On May 2, 2014, Reed robbed the Tiger Stop #7 gas station. He fired a shot, and told everyone inside to “get down.” He then had the employees empty the cash register of $704 and fled the scene. One May 10, 2014, Reed robbed the Chicken King restaurant. He entered the restaurant with a gun, which he pointed at the cashier. He demanded money and threatened to harm those present. The cashier turned over $985, and Reed fled. On September 22, 2014, Reed robbed a Family Dollar store. He entered the store with a handgun and demanded money. Before leaving, he also threatened the employees’ lives and took $1,400. The defendant was arrested on September 30, 2014 after police conducted a traffic stop. Extensive ballistic and digital forensic evidence were key in proving Reed to be the perpetrator in all three robberies.
Reed faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the robbery counts, seven years in prison on each of the brandishing offenses, and 10 years in prison for the discharging offense. Because the defendant has been convicted of multiple firearms offenses, two of the firearms convictions are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years of imprisonment for each count. Sentencing will be set at a later date.
The FBI and the Opelousas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Federal Court Orders Eastern Washington Dentist and Spouse to Shut Down Their Dental Care BusinessRead the Press Release
A federal court in Spokane, Washington has found Dr. James Hood, a dentist, and his wife, Karen Hood, in contempt for violating the Court’s previous permanent injunction requiring them to timely file payroll tax returns and pay payroll taxes, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. The Court ordered the Hoods to close their dental care businesses, cease operating as employers, and barred them from opening any new businesses where the Hoods would serve as employers.
On March 8, U.S. District Court Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson for the Eastern District of Washington found James Hood and Karen Hood in contempt after they demonstrated a consistent pattern of disregarding their tax obligations by making incomplete employment tax payments, making dishonored payments, and missing deadlines. The Court had previously entered a permanent injunction requiring James and Karen Hood, and their entities, to comply with the federal employment tax laws.
According to the United States’ supplemental filing in the case, the Hoods had failed to show full compliance with the tax laws and the Court’s injunction by Jan. 31, as the Court had ordered. The court found that, the Hoods had failed to pay their taxes for the Fourth Quarter 2016 by the end of January 2017. The court also found that the Hoods had attempted to make payroll tax payments that were dishonored due to insufficient funds in their accounts.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Hubbert thanked the revenue officer of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Field Collection for investigating the taxpayer’s tax compliance.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of employers that fail to meet their employment tax obligations. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website.
Federal Court Orders Eastern Washington Dentist and Spouse to Shut Down Their Dental Care BusinessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal court in Spokane, Washington has found Dr. James Hood, a dentist, and his wife, Karen Hood, in contempt for violating the Court’s previous permanent injunction requiring them to timely file payroll tax returns and pay payroll taxes, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. The Court ordered the Hoods to close their dental care businesses, cease operating as employers, and barred them from opening any new businesses where the Hoods would serve as employers.
On March 8, U.S. District Court Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson for the Eastern District of Washington found James Hood and Karen Hood in contempt after they demonstrated a consistent pattern of disregarding their tax obligations by making incomplete employment tax payments, making dishonored payments, and missing deadlines. The Court had previously entered a permanent injunction requiring James and Karen Hood, and their entities, to comply with the federal employment tax laws.
According to the United States’ supplemental filing in the case, the Hoods had failed to show full compliance with the tax laws and the Court’s injunction by Jan. 31, as the Court had ordered. The court found that, the Hoods had failed to pay their taxes for the Fourth Quarter 2016 by the end of January 2017. The court also found that the Hoods had attempted to make payroll tax payments that were dishonored due to insufficient funds in their accounts.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Hubbert thanked the revenue officer of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Field Collection for investigating the taxpayer’s tax compliance.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of employers that fail to meet their employment tax obligations. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website.
Ex Carnival Worker Sentenced to 120 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- United States Attorney David A. Capp announced today that Brendan Theodore Coetzee, 29, of Johannesburg, South Africa was sentenced before District Court Judge Rudy Lozano for using interstate communications to illicit sexual conduct from a minor.
Coetzee was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release.
According to documents filed in the case, Coetzee, a former carnival worker, met a female under the age of 14 at a carnival in Wisconsin over Memorial Day weekend 2015. Coetzee and the minor maintained some contact thereafter via social media. On June 22, 2015, Coetzee, who was then in Northwest Indiana, arranged for the minor to meet him at a motel in Lansing, Illinois, where he had sexual intercourse with the minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Lansing, Illinois and Munster, Indiana Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi D. Houston.
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Elyria man sentenced to seven years in prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
David H. Six, 57, of Elyria, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing child pornography, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Images of child pornography were found on a PNY thumb drive in Six’s possession on August 27, 2015, according to court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik. The case was investigated by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Cleveland Office.
Eight Members and Associates of Bronx Street Gang Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Racketeering, Narcotics, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), today announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging eight members of a Bronx-based street gang, the Beach Avenue Crew, with various racketeering, firearms, and narcotics offenses, including the attempted murders of a rival gang member and rival drug trafficker.
Five of the eight defendants, JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE, DAVID BUCKHANON, JAMMAL LINDO, JALEEL BARON, and KYLE MULLINGS, were taken into federal custody yesterday or this morning and will be presented and arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis today. ALI HAMILTON, is currently incarcerated in federal custody on related charges, and was arraigned today before Judge Ellis. NORMAN EDWARDS was taken into federal custody this morning in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and will be presented later today before a magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. MAURICE SIMMONS remains at large. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, through the sale of crack cocaine and their violent conflict with rival crews, the Beach Avenue Crew wreaked havoc on the streets of the Bronx. We and our law enforcement partners are determined to combat alleged gang and drug violence in the Bronx through charges like those brought today.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “The Beach Avenue Crew has allegedly tormented our city streets for nearly a decade. These arrests mean there are fewer alleged gang bangers wreaking havoc, dealing drugs and committing crimes in our communities. HSI is committed to working closely with its law enforcement partners to keep violent street gangs at bay and our neighborhoods safe.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt said: “Shootings, turf wars and murders are means to an end for drug crews controlling their distribution strongholds. Allegedly, the Beach Avenue Crew were the bullies of the neighborhood selling crack and imposing domineering threats on rival drug gangs and innocent neighbors in the Bronx. These arrests have taken more violent criminals off the streets in order to make our communities safe from drug and gun violence.”
Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “The defendants attempted to control their drug turf through gun violence allegedly carried out across the Bronx, endangering the lives of everyone around them, as alleged in the indictment. We will be relentless in pursuing those who carry out violence. I commend the detectives, agents and prosecutors whose work resulted in these arrests and the unsealing of this indictment.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
The Beach Avenue Crew was a criminal enterprise that operated principally in and around the Bronx, New York, from at least 2009 up to and including February 2017. One of the Beach Avenue Crew’s principal objectives was to sell cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” primarily in and around Beach Avenue in the Bronx. The Beach Avenue Crew controlled crack cocaine sales within this area by prohibiting and preventing non-members, outsiders, and rival narcotics dealers from distributing crack cocaine in the area controlled by the Enterprise.
Members and associates of the Beach Avenue Crew engaged in acts of violence against rival gang members from nearby crews, and rival drug dealers who encroached on the Beach Avenue Crew’s territory. These acts of violence included assaults and attempted murder, and were committed to protect the Beach Avenue Crew’s drug territory, to retaliate against members of rival gangs who had encroached on the territory controlled by the Beach Avenue Crew, and to otherwise promote the standing and reputation of the Beach Avenue Crew amongst rival gangs.
The violence perpetrated by the Beach Avenue Crew included at least two attempted murders. On or about August 2, 2016, JAMMAL LINDO, JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE, and JALEEL BARON shot at a rival drug trafficker and another individual (“Victim-1”), resulting in bodily injury to Victim-1. On or about May 5, 2015, ALI HAMILTON shot at a member of a rival crew on Leland Avenue in the Bronx, causing bodily injury to another individual standing nearby.
Count One of the Indictment charges ALI HAMILTON, JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE, DAVID BUCKHANON, JAMMAL LINDO, MAURICE SIMMONS, NORMAN EDWARDS, JALEEL BARON, and KYLE MULLINGS with participating in a racketeering conspiracy.
Counts Two charges HAMILTON with assault and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity in connection with the May 2015 shooting at a member of a rival crew.
Count Three charges LINDO, LESSAGE, and BARON with assault and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity in connection with the August 2016 shooting at a rival drug trafficker.
Count Four charges HAMILTON, LESSAGE, BUCKHANON, LINDO, SIMMONS, EDWARDS, BARON, and MULLINGS with participating in a narcotics conspiracy, in connection with their distribution of crack cocaine in and around Beach Avenue.
Count Five charges HAMILTON, LESSAGE, BUCKHANON, LINDO, SIMMONS, EDWARDS, BARON, and MULLINGS with a firearms offense in connection with the racketeering conspiracy charged in Count One and the narcotics conspiracy charged in Count Four.
Count Six charges HAMILTON with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
* * *
Charts containing the names, ages, residences, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, the DEA, and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Lonergan, Scott Hartman, and Jason Swergold are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Racketeering conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)
ALI HAMILTON
JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE
DAVID BUCKHANON
JAMMAL LINDO
MAURICE SIMMONS
NORMAN EDWARDS
JALEEL BARON
KYLE MULLINGS
20 years in prison
2
Assault and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 1959 (a)(5)
ALI HAMILTON
20 years in prison
3
Assault and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 1959 (a)(5)
JAMMAL LINDO
JEAN BPATISTE LESSAGE
JALEEL BARON
20 years in prison
4
Narcotics conspiracy
21 U.S.C. § 846
ALI HAMILTON
JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE
DAVID BUCKHANON
JAMMAL LINDO
MAURICE SIMMONS
NORMAN EDWARDS
JALEEL BARON
KYLE MULLINGS
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
5
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime
924(c)(1)(A)(iii)
ALI HAMILTON
JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE
DAVID BUCKHANON
JAMMAL LINDO
MAURICE SIMMONS
NORMAN EDWARDS
JALEEL BARON
KYLE MULLINGS
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
6
Felon in possession of a firearm
18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)
ALI HAMILTON
10 years in prison
DEFENDANT
AGE
RESIDENCE
ALI HAMILTON
a/k/a “Smiley”
24
Bronx, NY
JEAN BAPTISTE LESSAGE
a/k/a “Usher”
35
Bronx, NY
DAVID BUCKHANON
a/k/a “Mase”
30
Bronx, NY
JAMMAL LINDO
a/k/a “Poppy,” a/k/a “Ghost”
23
Bronx, NY
MAURICE SIMMONS
a/k/a “Momoneybagz”
24
Bronx, NY
NORMAN EDWARDS
a/k/a “Hollywood”
25
Lehigh County, PA
JALEEL BARON
a/k/a “Jah,” a/k/a “Youngin”
24
Westchester County, NY
KYLE MULLINGS
a/k/a “Kase”
22
Bronx, NY
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Edgemont Man Sentenced for Transfer of Obscene MatterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Edgemont, South Dakota, man convicted of Transfer of Obscene Matter to a Minor was sentenced on March 6, 2017, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Darren Scott Heller, age 49, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Heller was charged on March 22, 2016. The conviction stems from Heller sending obscene material to a minor female from his smartphone in May 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Heller was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for Forgery and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, woman convicted of Forgery and Failure to Appear was sentenced on February 28, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Daryl Eagle Horse, a/k/a Daryl Hawk Eagle, age 29, was sentenced to 2 years of probation on the Forgery charge, and 6 months in custody on the Failure to Appear charge. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500.00, as well as a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.00.
Eagle Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016 on the Forgery charge and on November 8, 2016 on the Failure to Appear charge. She pled guilty on December 12, 2016, to both charges.
Forgery conviction stems from an incident on May 29, 2016, when Eagle Horse, along with two other co-defendants forged 17 checks on the account of the Cheyenne River Management Corporation. Eagle Horse cashed two of those 17 fraudulent checks.
Eagle Horse made her initial appearance for the forgeries on October 14, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Moreno. She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond that same day. Eagle Horse’s arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. She failed to appear for said hearing. The hearing was re-scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. Eagle Horse failed to appear for that hearing as well.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Eagle Horse was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Charged with Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence, and Carrying a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence, and Carrying or Possessing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Kobe Houston, age 19, was indicted on February 15, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 27, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 2, 2016, Houston aided and abetted others in taking U.S. currency and cigarettes from a clerk at the Eagle Stop Gas Station in Eagle Butte, through the use of force by brandishing a firearm, thus unlawfully obstructing, delaying, and affecting commerce.
The charges are merely accusations and Houston is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Houston was released on bond pending trial which has been set for April 18, 2017.
Eagle Butte Man Charged with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Discharging a Firearm During a CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Kirk Johnson, age 47, was indicted on February 15, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 6, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on January 9, 2017, Johnson unlawfully assaulted an adult male with a firearm. The indictment also alleges that Johnson knowingly carried and used said firearm during a crime of violence.
The charges are merely accusations and Johnson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Johnson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Dunmore Woman Guilty of Providing Firearms to FelonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Angela Lucke, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 8, 2017, before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to unlawfully providing firearms to a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Lucke admitted to giving three guns to convicted heroin dealer, Ariel Varsanyi of New York. Lucke purchased the guns for Varsanyi because he was barred as a felon from buying guns himself.
Lucke previously pleaded guilty in Lackawanna County Court in July 2016, to a charge of falsely reporting the firearms as stolen from her residence, and was sentenced in October 2016, to two years’ probation.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dunmore Borough Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Deadwood Man Charged with Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Deadwood, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Distribution of a Controlled Substance.
Michael Mamola, age 36, was charged on January 24, 2017. Mamola appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on February 27, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The penalty upon conviction is a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years of imprisonment and/or a $5,000,000 fine, up to lifetime supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Mamola conspiring with another person to distribute and distributing methamphetamine near Deadwood. The charges are merely an accusation and Mamola is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Mamola was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Darlington Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Charge in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Justin Martin Jackson, age 29, of Darlington, South Carolina, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Florence to drug conspiracy and firearms charges. Specifically, Jackson pled guilty to three counts: conspiracy to violate the drug laws of the United States, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; using a communication device to facilitate the commission of a felony under the Controlled Substances Act, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b); and, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(ii)(A). United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Charleston, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed a presentence investigation report which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea established that, in 2005, the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in cooperation with the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force, began an investigation into cocaine and cocaine-base distribution activities in the Hartsville area. As part of that investigation, in February 2015, Jackson was found in possession of a quantity of ethylone (a drug also known as MDMA or “Molly”) during a traffic stop. In December 2015, Jackson was arrested at a home in Darlington on a federal arrest warrant. At that home, law enforcement found three firearms, over a kilogram of powder cocaine, and 54 grams of cocaine-base in the home. Officers also recovered two cellular telephones, which Jackson had used in December 2015 to transact illegal drug activity.
Ms. Drake stated that the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of life in prison.
The case was investigated by agents of the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pee Dee Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Taylor of the Florence office handled the case.
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Dallas County Twins Sentenced in Foreign Currency Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Dallas County twin brothers were sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Roger Harvey Wagner, of Grand Prairie, Texas and Rodney Lee Wagner, of Cedar Hill, Texas, each pleaded guilty on July 7, 2016, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and were sentenced to 48 months in federal prison on Mar. 8, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. The 52-year-old twins were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,895,318.62.
According to information presented in court, the Wagner brothers perpetrated what amounted to a Ponzi scheme that caused investors to lose over $2.1 million. From February through November 2010, the brothers solicited money from investors to be invested in foreign currency trading. The brothers promised investors they would be repaid their principal plus a fixed rate of return that would be paid out to them over a series of weeks. Very little of the invested money was used for foreign currency trading, and prosecutors contended the money received from the latest investors was used to repay earlier investors to keep them lulled.
"These scams, unfortunately, are in our midst,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Featherston. “I encourage all potential investors to fully investigate any investment opportunity before handing over hard earned money. If a deal sounds too good to be true, as the saying goes...it usually is! These two individuals may not wear a mask over their face and may not carry a gun, but they are as much a thief as those that do, and they deserve the just punishment handed down by the court."
This case was investigated by the Texas State Securities Board and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Williams and Tom Gibson.
Corporation and Three Individuals Charged with Environmental, Conspiracy, and Obstruction CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on March 7, 2017, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Grede, LLC, and Grede II, LLC (also known as Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries, LLC), the corporate owners and operators of the former Grede Foundry in Berlin, Wisconsin. Also charged were Peter J. Mark (age: 53) of Ixonia, Wisconsin, the corporate safety and environmental director; and Steven G. O’Connell (age: 51) and Christy L. McNamee (age: 40), both of Zanesville, Ohio, who were formerly employed at the now shuttered facility.
The seven-count indictment alleges charges of conspiracy, obstruction of a federal investigation, the making of false statements, violations of the federal Clean Air Act and negligent endangerment.
According to the indictment, in January of 2012, workers at the foundry were ordered to assist in the refurbishment of a heat-treat oven which contained dangerous amounts of chrysotile asbestos. Proper asbestos abatement procedures were not implemented by the corporation or its managers. Workers were provided with inadequate safety equipment and were not told that the material they were removing contained asbestos. This contaminated material was then hauled away to a landfill by unsuspecting trash collectors.
The indictment further alleges that Mark, O’Connell, McNamee, and the corporate defendants conspired to obstruct state and federal investigators during subsequent inquiries into the presence of asbestos during the refurbishment of the oven.
If convicted of these offenses, Mark, O’Connell, and McNamee face maximum penalties ranging from 11 to 41 years imprisonment and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The corporate defendants face millions of dollars in criminal penalties.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Warden’s Service.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Re-Enter the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sandor Lorant Felhazi, 32, of Hungary, pleaded guilty to attempting to re-enter the United States following a felony conviction, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is handling the case, stated that on February 7, 2017, Felhazi attempted to enter the United States at the Rainbow Bridge port of Entry. The defendant was previously convicted in Georgia and Texas of felony theft, manufacturing false identification documents and tampering with governmental records. As a result, Felhazi needed permission to reapply for admission into the United States.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Colombian Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Smuggling Cocaine Onboard Go Fast VesselsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. has sentenced Francisco Heleno Jaramillo (40, Colombia, South America) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He pleaded guilty on December 19, 2016.
According to court documents, Heleno Jaramillo was responsible for several marine smuggling ventures in international waters involving more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine. In July 2013 and January 2014, the United States Coast Guard interdicted over 1,000 kilogram loads of cocaine that were being smuggled aboard vessels (commonly referred to as “go-fast boats”) traveling from Venezuela to the Dominican Republic.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Castaneda.
Cheektowaga Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.—Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Thomas Cascio, 51, of Cheektowaga, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with bank robbery. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 6, 2017 at approximately 1:09 p.m., an individual entered the Key Bank at 5200 Main Street in Amherst, NY. The individual, wearing a hard hat, safety vest, and eye protection goggles, approached a teller and passed a bank robbery note. The teller only recalls reading the word “Robbery” at the top of the note before the individual took the note back and told her to “Hurry up!” and “Don’t give me funny money!” The teller gave money to the individual who then departed the bank. Witnesses described the individual as having a distinctive beak like nose and gray hair.The Amherst Police Department issued a high quality bank robbery surveillance photo to local media stations which aired the photo on the evening of March 6, 2017 asking for public assistance. On March 7, 2017, a total of eight people contacted either the Amherst Police Department or FBI identifying the robber as Thomas Cascio. In addition, there were numerous anonymous calls to the Amherst Police Department that identified Cascio as the bank robber.
In 2000, the defendant was convicted in federal court of four bank robberies and sentenced to 48 months in prison. In some of those robberies, Cascio’s movements were similar to his alleged movements on May 6, 2017, including taking the note back from the teller before leaving the bank.
In 2009, Cascio was convicted in state court of three bank robberies and served two years in prison.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and is being detained.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen; the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Askey; and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack.
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.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography pled guilty on March 8, 2017 in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Donald Etheredge, age 51, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Etheredge admitted that, between 2013 and 2015, he knowingly received child pornography. He also admitted that he was convicted of shipment and transportation of child pornography in the Northern District of Iowa in 2004.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Etheredge remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Etheredge faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 17-2.
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Cambria County Man Admits Stealing More than $200K in Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A Cambria County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conversion of government funds, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Bernard M. Dospoy, 66, of Northern Cambria, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in or around June 2005, to in or around October 2015, Dospoy did receive and convert falsely to his own use, a total of $207,592, which represents 176 separate Social Security Administration benefit payments made to him to which he was not entitled. He also agreed to pay restitution of $207,592 pursuant to a related Civil Settlement Agreement entered into by him and the United States.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin J. Callahan is litigating the case on behalf of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dospoy.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin Trafficking Charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lionel Gerardo Rojas, 72, of Lake Forest, Calif., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a narcotics trafficking charge arising out of a 4.6-pound heroin seizure on Aug. 31, 2016.
Rojas was arrested on Aug. 31, 2016 and charged by a criminal complaint with a heroin trafficking offense after the DEA seized approximately 2.1 kilograms (4.62 pounds) of heroin during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque. The heroin was concealed in three bundles inside Rojas’ backpack. Rojas subsequently was indicted on Sept. 27, 2016, and charged with possessing heroin with intent to distribute in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Rojas pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Rojas admitted that on Aug. 31, 2016, he transported three bundles of heroin in a backpack from Phoenix, Ariz., to New Mexico on a Greyhound bus. Rojas further admitted that he had intended to deliver the heroin to Columbus, Ohio, for further distribution.
Rojas remains in federal custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Rojas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which 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, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools 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. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.