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29 March 2017
Arnaudville man pleads guilty to theft of mail on Opelousas routeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that an Opelousas mail carrier pleaded guilty to stealing cell phones from mail.
Tremayne Cluse, 24, of Arnaudville, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of theft of mail by a postal service employee. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, the Opelousas postmaster reported to law enforcement agents that there was information linking Cluse to missing packages. Agents conducted an investigation, and they found packages in Cluse’s post office locker that had been opened and not delivered. Agents interviewed Cluse on December 24, 2015. He initially lied about taking the packages, but later admitted that he had started opening packages in November of 2015. Cluse stole four cell phones and one cell phone case from mail.
Cluse faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of July 17, 2017 was set.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting the case.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Carlos Matta Heredia, 32, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced today in Las Cruces, N.M., to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his federal methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Heredia was arrested in May 2016, on a criminal complaint after law enforcement officers located approximately 2,721.7 grams (six pounds) of methamphetamine in Heredia’s vehicle during a routine traffic stop. According to the complaint, the offense took place on May 26, 2016, on Interstate 10 in Luna County, N.M.
On Sept. 13, 2016, Heredia pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Heredia admitted that on May 26, 2016, law enforcement officers recovered six pounds of methamphetamine from his vehicle during a traffic stop. Heredia further admitted that he was transporting the drugs with the intention of delivering them to another person.
This case was investigated by the HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force/Metro Narcotics Task Force and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces branch office.
The HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force/Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of officers from the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, HSI and the New Mexico State Police. 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.
Antitrust Division Issues 2017 Annual NewsletterRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today issued the 2017 edition of its annual newsletter on its website. The newsletter highlights the Antitrust Division’s recent activities and successes on civil and criminal enforcement, international cooperation and competition advocacy.
The newsletter includes a message from Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent Snyder as well as articles about the Antitrust Division’s enforcement actions in the criminal, merger and civil non-merger areas over the past year. The newsletter highlights the Division’s accomplishments during FY 2016, including charging 52 executives and 19 companies with price-fixing, bid-rigging, fraud, and obstruction of justice, resulting in fines and penalties of $399 million and significant prison sentences. Additional highlights include the Division’s success in preventing anticompetitive acquisitions in the health insurance industry and in preserving competition in a variety of important industries, including movie theaters, advertising, banking, cable, transportation and beer, in matters that were favorably resolved through settlement.
The newsletter also features articles about new leadership and staff within the Division, an update from the Diversity Committee, and a feature on how the Division’s Economic Analysis Group is shaping enforcement efforts.
The newsletter can be found at https://www.justice.gov/atr/division-operations/division-update-spring-2017. Each article provides hyperlinks so that the reader can easily access relevant documents such as press releases, court filings and speeches.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jose Martinez-Encinias, 44, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to drug trafficking and firearms charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Martinez-Encinias will be sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. The guilty plea was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEA’s El Paso Division.
Martinez-Encinias is one of 14 defendants charged with drug trafficking and firearms offenses as the result of an 18-month investigation by DEA and the HIDTA Region I Narcotics Task Force into a drug trafficking organization allegedly led by David Reynolds, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., that distributed large quantities of heroin in Bernalillo and Santa Fe Counties, N.M. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) program, a nationwide Department of Justice program that 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.
Martinez-Encinias was arrested in June 2013, on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The criminal complaint charged Martinez-Encinias with committing the crimes on June 4, 2013, in Bernalillo County, N.M. Martinez-Encinias was indicted on the same charges on June 26, 2013.
The indictment was superseded on Dec. 4, 2013, to add 13 co-defendants, including Reynolds, and additional charges. The 15-count superseding indictment charged the defendants with conspiring to distribute heroin in Bernalillo and Santa Fe Counties from Sept. 2012 through Dec. 2013. It also charged Gene Solis, 22, with distributing heroin on three occasions in fall 2012; Humberto Hernandez, Jr., 40, with distributing methamphetamine on seven occasions between Feb. and Aug. 2013; and Martinez-Encinias with possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute in June 2013, and with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Reynolds also was charged with money laundering. The superseding indictment included forfeiture provisions seeking a money judgment of at least $1.3 million and property and assets obtained directly or indirectly from the commission of the crimes alleged in the indictment. A second superseding indictment that added additional charges was filed on June 30, 2016.
During today’s proceedings, Martinez-Encinias pled guilty to possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Martinez-Encinias admitted that on June 14, 2013, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered approximately 2,032.8 grams of heroin, 1,090.6 grams of cocaine, numerous firearms and over $19,000 in cash. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
Six of Martinez-Encinias’ co-defendants previously entered guilty pleas and three have been sentenced. Teddy Archuleta, 35, of Albuquerque, pled guilty on Oct. 15, 2015, and was sentenced on Oct. 6, 2016, to time served followed by five years of supervised release. Miguel Baca, 41, of Albuquerque, pled guilty on June 6, 2016, and was sentenced on Nov. 15, 2016, to 37 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Daniel Jiron, 42, of Albuquerque, pled guilty on July 15, 2016, and was sentenced on Nov. 15, 2016, to 72 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Zebulun Smith, 35, of Albuquerque, pled guilty on Dec. 19, 2016, Hernandez pled guilty on Jan. 4, 2017, and Christopher Ortega, 44, of Albuquerque, pled guilty on Jan. 18, 2017. Smith, Hernandez and Ortega remain in custody pending sentencing hearings.
The remaining eight defendants have entered pleas of not guilty. If convicted on the drug trafficking charges in the superseding indictment, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of a mandatory minimum ten years to a maximum of life in prison. Reynolds faces up to ten years in prison if convicted on the money laundering charge. Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the HIDTA Region I Narcotics Task Force, with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Vasquez and Joel R. Meyers pursuant to 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.
The HIDTA Region I Narcotics Task Force is comprised of the Albuquerque Police Department, Albuquerque office of the DEA, Pojoaque Tribal Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office and the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Albuquerque Man Facing Federal Armed Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – This morning a U.S. Magistrate Judge sitting in Albuquerque, N.M., found probable cause to support a criminal complaint charging Paul Salas, 46, of Albuquerque, with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing the Verizon store located at 8060 Academy Rd NE in Albuquerque. The Magistrate Judge also entered an order requiring Salas to remain in custody pending trial based on findings that Salas poses a risk of flight and danger to the community.
Salas was arrested on March 28, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with violating the Hobbs Act on March 16, 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the complaint, Salas allegedly brandished a firearm as he entered the Verizon store located at 8060 Academy Rd NE in Albuquerque and demanded money from the store’s safe. The complaint further alleges that Salas ordered a store employee to empty a cash register and the store safe, which contained approximately 22 new cellphones into Salas’ bag. Salas fled the store and was apprehended a short time later.
If convicted of the Hobbs Act robbery charge, Salas faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department, with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers is prosecuting the case as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Albuquerque Couple Plead Guilty to Prescription Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Yvonne Garcia, 54, and Gerald Roberts, 49, a married couple from Albuquerque, N.M., entered guilty pleas today in federal court to drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Under the terms of the plea agreements, Garcia will be sentenced to 46 months in prison and Roberts will be sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by terms of supervised release to be determined by the court.
The plea agreements also require Garcia and Roberts to forfeit the proceeds of their criminal conduct, including more than $87,000 in cash seized from the couple’s bank accounts and safe deposit box, and a 2016 Toyota Camry, a 2016 Toyota Tacoma truck and a 2013 BMW motorcycle.
Garcia and Roberts were arrested in Sept. 2016, on an eight-count indictment charging them with trafficking controlled substances in Bernalillo County, N.M. Garcia and Roberts were charged with conspiring to distribute oxycodone, oxymorphone and alprazolam from May 2016 through Sept. 2016. The indictment also charged the couple with distributing oxycodone on three separate occasions in May, June and July 2016; distributing oxymorphone on four occasions in May, June, July and Sept. 2016; and distributing alprazolam in July 2016. The indictment included forfeiture provisions requiring Garcia and Roberts to forfeit proceeds of their drug trafficking activities, including $15,500 and three vehicles, to the United States.
During today’s proceedings, Garcia and Roberts each pled guilty to the conspiracy charged in the indictment and to felony informations charging them with conspiring to launder drug proceeds. According to the plea agreement, between May 2016 and Sept. 2016, Garcia and Roberts sold oxycodone, oxymorphone and alprazolam to an individual who unbeknownst to them was an undercover DEA agent. Garcia and Roberts deposited the proceeds of their illegal drug transactions into Wells Fargo checking and savings accounts in amounts that would not trigger currency-reporting requirements that could alert law enforcement authorities to their illegal activities. Garcia and Roberts used the drug proceeds in the bank accounts to make payments on their residential mortgage and vehicle loans.
Garcia and Roberts remain in custody pending sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shana B. Long and Peter J. Eicker are 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.
Akron man indicted for having methamphetamine and four firearmsRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted on federal drug and firearms charges, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.
Curtis Earl Tucker, Jr., aka Reginald T. Shannon, 36, was indicted on one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On March 9, 2017, Tucker possessed with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a Smith & Wesson SDVE, 9mm pistol, a Colt Trooper MK3, .357 magnum revolver, a Ruger, model P95, 9 mm pistol, and a Armi Tan Foglio .25 caliber pistol, and ammunition, despite a prior federal conviction for distribution of crack cocaine, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Akron Police Department, Narcotics Unit. matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additional Bank Robbery Charges for Two Scranton MenRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Christian Gonzalez, age 23, and Anthony Ocasio, age 21, both of Scranton, Pennsylvania, were charged on March 28, 2017, in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury for multiple counts of bank robbery.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the superseding indictment alleges that Gonzalez and Ocasio committed the following three bank robberies together:
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January 12, 2017, Citizens Savings Bank, Cedar Avenue, Scranton, approximately $2,000 stolen;
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December 27, 2016, NBT Bank, Wyoming Avenue, Kingston, approximately $2,550 stolen; and
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December 22, 2016, Fidelity Bank, Birney Avenue, Moosic (attempt).
Gonzalez alone is charged with the following bank robbery:
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December 5, 2016, NBT Bank, Keyser Avenue, Scranton, approximately $7,000 stolen.
This investigation is ongoing and being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offense is 80 years in prison for Gonzalez, 60 years in prison for Ocasio, 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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28 March 2017
Windsor Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN RHOADES, 32, formerly of Windsor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for distributing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2014, a member of the Connecticut State Police’s Computer Crimes squad, operating in an undercover capacity, accessed a peer-to-peer file sharing network and downloaded six videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct from an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was subsequently linked to RHOADES’s residence in Windsor.
On March 10, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant RHOADES’s residence and seized a desktop computer, laptop computer and other items. Forensic analysis of the seized computers revealed at least 1,533 images and 49 videos of child pornography, most of which featured children younger than the age of five.
RHOADES has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 18, 2015. On January 3, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
In 2005, RHOADES, who had been serving in the U.S. Navy in Jacksonville, Florida, was convicted through a Special Court Martial in connection with his receipt of 98 images of child pornography. He was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment and received a “bad conduct” discharge from the military.
This matter was investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for False Claims in Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Kenneth Knockum, 48, of Vallejo, today to three years and 10 months in prison for three counts of filing false claims against the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Knockum was scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2016. When he failed to appear, a no bail bench warrant was issued and he was arrested in Vallejo on March 14, 2017.
According to evidence presented at a three–day bench trial in January 2016, Knockum prepared and filed taxes on behalf of himself and others utilizing an OID tax fraud scheme. Knockum prepared and filed tax returns claiming massive amounts of a particular kind of investment interest income, known as Original Issue Discount income. He also claimed that large portions of such income were withheld by financial institutions and paid to the Internal Revenue Service. The returns sought large refunds of such income — one return requested a refund of over $1.4 million, and another made a claim for over $500,000. Through a complex process, Knockum generated false 1099-OIDs and other tax forms to support the claimed income and taxes and filed those documents utilizing an IRS electronic filing system that requires special software and is used primarily by financial institutions and brokerage firms. The IRS caught the majority of the false returns and declared the claims to be frivolous, though the agency did sustain losses of over $125,000 in fraudulent refunds that were actually issued.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Announces Release of “A Call to Action” A Report and Recommendations Concerning the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic in Metro LouisvilleRead the Press Release
Report draws from the Heroin and Opioid Response Summit held December 1, 2016
Recommendations include requiring an intensified commitment in the areas of treatment, prevention and law enforcement
final_a_call_to_action.pdfLOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. today announced the state-wide release of A Call to Action: Report and Recommendations from the Louisville Heroin and Opioid Response Summit.
The nearly 40 page report summarizes information shared during the December 1, 2016, Summit held at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. The one-day event, hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky in conjunction with the DEA/360 Strategy Program and the University of Louisville School of Medicine, was attended by more than 300 professionals working to combat heroin and opioid abuse, which is one of the most urgent and destructive threats to Metro Louisville’s health and safety. The Summit sought to enhance collaboration across public safety and public health domains and across the private and public sectors to improve the community’s response to the crisis.
The report includes detailed information about the heroin and opioid problem in Louisville, the responses of various agencies and professionals developed during panel-led discussions, and the evidence-based solutions presented by speakers and other sources.
“A Call to Action urges intensified efforts in the areas of treatment, prevention, and law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney John Kuhn. “We must improve access to treatment, broaden our support of people in recovery, intensify our drug-use prevention efforts with young people, and build a comprehensive data-sharing system from partnerships between public health and public safety.”
Recommendations include:
• Addiction treatment should be available for all persons seeking treatment.
• Prevention programs built upon evidence-based principles should be offered in all schools.
• Education outreach to the general public concerning opioid risks, addiction, and treatment should be expanded.
• Law enforcement should improve and intensify efforts to eliminate the supply of heroin, fentanyl, opioid analogues and diverted pharmaceuticals.
• All sectors working on and affected by the heroin and opioid problem should collaborate to share data and information even if not mandated to do so.
• Kentucky should establish a comprehensive, centralized drug data collection, analysis and sharing system.
• Recovery support programs and systems should be developed in schools and throughout the community.
U. S. Attorney Kuhn concluded, “Only two things can defeat us in our battle against this epidemic: a lack of commitment and a failure to collaborate. A serious and sustained commitment to resolve this crisis will bring us the resources we need, and our collaboration will broaden our impact immeasurably. Together, we can build a healthier community and bring this destructive chapter to an end.”
Union City Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —Erin Mal Killey, age 30, of Union City, Michigan, was sentenced today to thirty years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge. "It is crucial that we protect society’s most vulnerable members from sexual exploitation and ensure swift and certain punishment for those predators who would exploit children," Birge commented.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney commented on the victim impact statements received in the case, noting that they were "compelling and represent devastation" suffered by victims of child exploitation. Following his term of incarceration, Killey will serve ten years on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender.
Killey took sexually explicit photographs of a seven year-old girl he was babysitting and emailed them to an undercover law enforcement agent. He also sent the agent other images from a child pornography collection Killey had amassed. As a result of this conduct, Killey was charged with production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Killey pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in October of 2016. At sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that Killey had also admitted molesting the child he photographed.
"As demonstrated in this investigation, the sexual exploitation of children is sadly often perpetrated by those considered to be responsible adults in their lives. The FBI will continue to dedicate resources to the investigation and prosecution of sexual predators who commit crimes against children, the most vulnerable and innocent victims of crimes," said David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office; county prosecutor’s offices; and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, visit: http://www.justice.gov/usao/miw/programs/psc.html.
This particular case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and Union City Police Department. The Branch County Prosecutor’s Office referred the case for federal prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis M. Sanford prosecuted it.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has completed its review of the June 27, 2016, fatal shooting of Sherman Evans, Sr., by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers in the 100 block of Varnum Street NE. After a careful review of all of the evidence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Mr. Evans.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses, as well as a review of autopsy and toxicology reports; Mobile Crime and District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences reports, photographs, and diagrams; body worn camera footage; audio transmissions; and physical evidence collected on the scene, including a BB pistol that is virtually identical in appearance to a real firearm.
According to the evidence, on June 27, 2016, at approximately 10:22 p.m., Mr. Evans called 911 and told the dispatcher, “yes, miss, look, uh, uh, it's a man out in front of the building brandishing a gun” in front of 109 Varnum Street NE. When the dispatcher asked for additional information, Mr. Evans, whose cellphone was used to make the 911 call and whose voice on the 911 call was authenticated, repeated, “It’s a man out in front of the building brandishing a gun.” Mr. Evans then disconnected the call.
Several officers responded to the 100 block of Varnum Street NE, for the report of a “man with a gun.” When they arrived, Mr. Evans was standing outside on the sidewalk with a weapon, later identified as a Marksman Repeater .177 caliber BB gun, in his right hand. As shown on the body worn camera footage and as reported by witnesses, although Mr. Evans initially had the barrel of his weapon pointed towards the ground, on several occasions, he raised the barrel up, pointing the weapon in the officers’ direction. The officers did not initially fire their weapons. Rather, over a period of several minutes, they repeatedly ordered Mr. Evans to “drop the gun,” and “come on, sir, put it down. We’ll talk, we’ll talk.” Mr. Evans, however, did not comply. After several minutes, Mr. Evans again pointed his weapon at the officers, but this time he started to move in the officers’ direction. At that point, the officers started shooting.
An autopsy revealed that Mr. Evans, 63, was shot two to three times, including once in the right forearm, once in the right buttock, and once in the chest, which was possibly a reentry wound from the gunshot wound to the right forearm. The Toxicology Report further indicated the presence of narcotics in Mr. Evans’s blood and urine.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers used excessive force under the circumstances. To the contrary, there is sufficient evidence to corroborate the officers’ account that they were acting in self-defense at the time of the shooting.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. A conclusion that “there is insufficient evidence” is not meant to suggest anything further about what evidence, if any, exists.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
Two Georgia State Prisoners Sentenced for Committing Tax Fraud using Stolen Identities from PrisonRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Enrique Toribio has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for engaging in income tax fraud by providing names and Social Security numbers to a tax preparer, and instructing the tax preparer to file fraudulent income tax returns on his behalf using those stolen identities, all while serving his sentence as an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections.
“This case highlights the continuing problem of inmates in state prisons using contraband cellular phones to reach beyond the prison walls and continue to victimize our community,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “Identity theft is bad enough, but victims shouldn’t have to defend themselves against those who are already serving time for other serious crimes.”
“Identity theft schemes wreak havoc in the lives of victims, often causing extensive financial harm and hardship to countless Americans each year. In addition, the use of fraudulent identity documents can also poses significant national security risk,” said Nick S. Annan, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta. “We owe it to the victims of these schemes to pursue cases aggressively; as such, HSI actively partners with governments across the world to dismantle these transnational criminal organizations, bring perpetrators to justice and recoup victims’ losses wherever possible.”
“Sophisticated stolen identity refund fraud schemes have the potential to harm many taxpayers and put large amounts of public money at risk,” said James E. Dorsey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Enrique Toribio and his co-conspirators demonstrated a blatant disregard of the integrity of the United States tax system and caused immeasurable hardship to innocent victims. We, along with our law enforcement partners at Department of Homeland Security and the United States Attorney's Office, continue to do our part in protecting the sanctity and integrity of the tax system and those individuals whose identities were stolen, as well as recovering any monetary loss against the U.S. Treasury.”
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: Toribio provided 39 stolen identities to a tax preparer via a contraband cell phone while incarcerated at Hancock State Prison. At the time, Toribio was serving an 18-year sentence for aggravated assault. He enlisted his mother, Rosa Toribio-Gama, and sister, Lupita Rodriguez-Toribio, to meet with the tax preparer outside the prison to sign the fraudulent income tax returns.
Marcus Burke, also a prisoner within the Georgia Department of Corrections, provided 29 stolen identities to the same tax preparer by using a contraband cell phone from Hancock State Prison and through a SunTrust bank employee. At the time, Burke was serving a 20-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
Both Toribio and Burke were convicted of two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit tax fraud on August 30, 2016 after both pleaded guilty. All involved in these cases and their sentences are as follows:
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Enrique Toribio, 30, of Gainesville, Georgia, has been sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
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Marcus Burke, 35, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced on December 8, 2016, to three years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
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Rosa Toribio-Gama, 48, of Gainesville, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of probation with six months to be served on home confinement, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,650, to be paid jointly with Rodriguez-Toribio. She was charged for her role in the income tax fraud, after signing tax forms allowing the tax preparer to e-file. Toribio-Gama was convicted of conspiracy to commit income tax fraud after pleading guilty on October 28, 2016.
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Lupita Rodriguez-Toribio, 25, of Gainesville, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,650, to be paid jointly with Toribio-Gama. She also was charged for her role in the fraud, after she signed fraudulent income tax returns prepared by the tax preparer. Rodriguez-Toribio was convicted of conspiracy to commit income tax fraud after pleading guilty on December 7, 2016,
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys William L. McKinnon, Jr. and Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Turkish Banker Arrested for Conspiring to Evade U.S. Sanctions Against Iran and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging MEHMET HAKAN ATILLA with conspiring with others, including Reza Zarrab, a/k/a “Riza Sarraf,” to use the U.S. financial system to conduct transactions on behalf of the Government of Iran and other Iranian entities, which were barred by United States sanctions, and to defraud U.S. financial institutions by concealing the true nature of these transactions. ATILLA was arrested on March 27, 2017, and will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “As alleged, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker, participated in a years-long scheme to violate American sanctions laws by helping Reza Zarrab, a major gold trader, use U.S. financial institutions to engage in prohibited financial transactions that illegally funneled millions of dollars to Iran. As alleged in the criminal complaint unsealed today, Atilla worked with Zarrab to create and use fraudulent documents to try to disguise prohibited Iranian financial transactions as food that would qualify under the humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime. United States sanctions are not mere requests or suggestions; they are the law. And those who use the American financial system to violate the sanctions laws, as Atilla is alleged to have done, will be investigated and prosecuted aggressively. I thank the FBI and the career prosecutors in my Office for their tireless work and dedication in this and other important investigations of alleged sanctions violators.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Iran continues to illustrate it will use whatever means necessary to evade sanctions and violate U.S. law. Our work in this case shows the unscrupulous behavior by exposing how the men charged allegedly moved massive amounts of money through U.S. banks disguised as humanitarian efforts to feed people in need. In this instance, they allegedly utilized a Turkish national and a financial institution that knowingly shielded the true nature of the transactions. The FBI and the U.S. Intelligence Community have dedicated investigators and analysts who won’t stop weeding out every action Iran takes to continue its alleged illegal activity.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1]:
Beginning in or about 1979, the President has repeatedly found that the situation in Iran constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with the threat. Pursuant to these presidential declarations, the United States has instituted a host of economic sanctions against Iran and Iranian entities pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (the “IEEPA”). This sanctions regime prohibits, among other things, financial transactions involving the United States or United States persons that were intended for the Government or Iran or Iranian entities.
Specifically, ATILLA, Zarrab, and others protected and hid Zarrab’s ability to provide access to international financial networks, including U.S. financial institutions, to the Government of Iran, Iranian entities, and entities identified by the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control as Specially Designated Nationals (“SDNs“). They did so by, among other things, using the Turkish bank at which ATILLA acted as Deputy General Manager of International Banking (“Turkish Bank-1”) to engage in transactions that violated U.S. sanctions against Iran. In particular, they took steps to protect and hide Zarrab’s ability to supply currency and gold to the Government of Iran, Iranian entities, and SDNs using Turkish Bank-1 without subjecting Turkish Bank-1 to U.S. sanctions. As described in more detail in the Complaint, ATILLA, Zarrab, and others conspired to create and use false and fraudulent documents to disguise prohibited transactions for Iran and make those transactions falsely appear as transactions involving food and thus falling within humanitarian exceptions to the sanctions regime.
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MEHMET HAKAN ATILLA, 47, is a resident and citizen of Turkey. ATILLA is charged with conspiracies to violate the IEEPA and to commit bank fraud. The conspiracy to violate the IEEPA carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The bank fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and the Department of Justice, National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance in the arrest, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance on this case.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Sidhardha Kamaraju, and David W. Denton, Jr., and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dean Sovolos, are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney David Recker of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Toledo resident charged with theft of government fundsRead the Press Release
Marita Holland, 32, of Toledo, was charged via criminal information with theft of government funds, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney.
Holland, in 2012, illegally received two checks from the U.S. Treasury totaling approximately $16,793, according to the information.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tennessee General Sessions Judge Charged with Attempting to Obstruct Justice through Bribery and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
A general sessions judge was charged today in a federal criminal complaint with attempting to obstruct justice through bribery and witness tampering.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Espenshade of the FBI made the announcement.
Cason “Casey” Moreland, 59, of Nashville, was charged with obstruction of justice and witness tampering in a complaint filed in the Middle District of Tennessee. Moreland was arrested this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance later this afternoon.
“The court and criminal justice system function justly only if the public has confidence in their independence and impartiality. Abuses of power like the one charged in this case erode that confidence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners work diligently every day to root out corruption like that charged and to ensure the public can trust our public institutions.”
“The allegations set forth in the complaint are some of the most egregious abuses of power that I have ever seen,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Smith. “Such an abuse of power undermines the credibility of and destroys the public’s trust in the court system and strikes at the very essence of our judicial branch of government. Public corruption remains one of the highest priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI and officials who engage in such behavior will always be thoroughly investigated and vigorously prosecuted.”
“Public corruption of this nature threatens the public's confidence in our judicial system and the administration of justice,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Espenshade. “This is why public corruption is the FBI's top criminal investigative priority. The FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies will not allow these behaviors to shake the foundations of our society.”According to the complaint, Moreland served as a general sessions judge in Davidson County, Tennessee, and allegedly violated federal anti-corruption statutes by soliciting, accepting and extorting things of value in return for performing official acts that benefitted those persons and their associates.
The criminal complaint alleges that Moreland in fact became aware of the FBI’s investigation on Feb. 1, 2017, when agents attempted to interview him. The complaint alleges that Moreland knew that an individual was a material witness in this investigation and that the witness had made statements implicating his criminal conduct.
The complaint alleges that beginning in approximately March 1, 2017, Moreland took steps to obstruct and interfere with the federal investigation by attempting to have the witness sign an affidavit recanting prior statements about Moreland.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that Moreland devised a scheme to pay several thousand dollars to the witness in exchange for changing that witness’s statements about Moreland. Moreland also conveyed his desire to orchestrate a traffic stop where the witness would be arrested for drugs that had been previously planted on the witness. To conceal his involvement in the scheme, Moreland allegedly instructed another individual to use a burner phone purchased under a fictitious name and speak through an intermediary when corresponding with the witness.
The complaint also alleges that on March 11, 2017, Moreland gave the other individual an affidavit, written as though the witness had authored it and paid the other individual $5,100 cash to insure that his fingerprints would not be on the affidavit. During subsequent conversations, the other individual told Moreland that the witness had agreed to sign the affidavit for an additional $1,000, and Moreland allegedly provided an additional $1,000 cash to pay the witness.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Moreland Complaint
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Lauren Bell of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil Vandevender of the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.Ten Members and Associates of the Bonanno Crime Family Indicted for Racketeering and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a 37-count indictment was unsealed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging 10 members and associates of the Bonanno organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the “Bonanno family”) with racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of murder conspiracy, attempted murder, extortion, illegal gambling, robbery conspiracy, arson conspiracy, narcotics distribution conspiracy and obstruction of justice conspiracy. The indictment relates to the defendants’ alleged criminal activities in Howard Beach, Queens, and elsewhere between January 1998 and March 2017.
The defendants -- Ronald “Ronnie G.” Giallanzo, an acting captain in the Bonanno family, Michael Padavona, Michael Palmaccio and Nicholas “Pudgie” Festa, soldiers in the Bonanno family, and Christopher “Bald Chris” Boothby, Evan “The Jew” Greenberg, Richard Heck, Michael Hintze, Robert “Chippy” or “Chip” Tanico, and Robert Pisani, associates of the Bonanno family -- were arrested earlier today and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon in Brooklyn federal court. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry.
The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Division (FBI).
The indictment is the result of a long-term investigation, with evidence gathered through a variety of methods including wiretap recordings of the defendants, cooperating witnesses, government and public records, electronic evidence and visual surveillance, all of which revealed a pattern of violence and intimidation that the defendants employed to further their enterprise's economic interests.
“Today’s arrests reveal La Costra Nostra’s continued presence in the community. Through acts of violence, including murder conspiracy, loansharking, illegal gambling, robbery and other offenses, the defendants are alleged to have amassed a fortune in ill-gotten gains. With these arrests, the defendants will be held accountable for their wide-ranging and destructive conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Rohde. Ms. Rohde thanked the Queens District Attorney's Office, New York City Police Department, United States Probation Department of the Eastern District of New York and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, for their assistance on the investigation.
“The Mafia hasn’t stopped operating and the crimes these members are charged with today proves that. To put an end to their brand of violence and criminal behavior, the FBI/NYPD Joint Organized Crime Task Force will continue pursuing them with every tool we have. I’d like to commend the work of the agents and detectives who put much time and effort into this investigation,” said Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
Loansharking
As alleged in the indictment and detention memo, Giallanzo, an acting captain in the Bonanno family, conducted a lucrative loansharking operation in which he provided money to, among others, defendants Festa, Palmaccio, Padavona, Hintze and Heck to extend extortionate loans to, and collect from, numerous individuals. Even while incarcerated, Giallanzo kept watch over his illicit loansharking book, directing his associates to commit acts of violence to ensure that the customers paid the exorbitant weekly interest rate. At one point, Giallanzo had lent over $3 million in extortionate loans to customers. Padavona, a Bonanno soldier, also conducted his own loansharking business with defendants Greenberg and Tanico.
The indictment alleges multiple counts involving threats and acts of violence to collect debts owed to Giallanzo and his associates.
For instance, in May 2013, within one month of his release from prison, Giallanzo ordered an associate of the Bonanno family (“Associate-1”) to bring to him a loanshark customer who owed Giallanzo $250,000 but had not been making the required weekly interest payments. Giallanzo and Associate-1 placed the victim in Associate-1’s car and beat him until the customer soiled himself, while Giallanzo screamed, “Where’s the f-----g money?”
As another example, in June 2014, Greenberg described to a customer that he used acts of violence to collect payments. He said, “I get my s--t. I blow cars up. I f------g knock on people’s doors. I pull them out of their f------g house.” Greenberg went on to describe his assault of another victim who was late paying a debt. “I f-----g grabbed another kid walking out of his house. I was like, he was like, ‘What’s up?’ I say, ‘What’s up?’ I grabbed him by the ankles, I f------g went like this, his head hit the concrete.”
As a result of their illegal activities, including loansharking, illegal gambling, robbery, extortion and other offenses, the defendants earned over $26 million in illicit proceeds, which the indictment alleges will be subject to forfeiture if the defendants are convicted. In addition to the cash proceeds of the racketeering conduct, the indictment further alleges that the houses belonging to defendants Giallanzo, Padavona, Palmaccio and Festa, and one of Pisani’s businesses, are subject to forfeiture.
Murder Conspiracy/Attempted Murder
In addition to the extortion charges, the indictment charges Giallanzo and Padavona with participating in a plot to murder an individual in the summer of 2006. Giallanzo, who at the time was on pre-trial release for a previous case filed in this District, ordered the murder of the victim because, among other reasons, the victim had robbed members of Giallanzo’s crew. The dispute lasted several months, during which Giallanzo’s crew and the victim shot at each other on the streets of Howard Beach on several occasions.
Obstruction of Justice and Perjury
Padavona and Tanico are separately charged with conspiring and attempting to obstruct the federal grand jury proceeding into their criminal activities by coordinating false testimony by Tanico. According to wiretap evidence, in April 2014, after Tanico was subpoenaed, he contacted Bonanno soldier Padavona and solicited his help. Padavona then contacted Tanico’s attorney and arranged to meet to pay Tanico’s legal fees. The next day, Tanico lied in the grand jury, falsely claiming that he had not spoken with Padavona about the subpoena.
Possible Penalties
If convicted of the racketeering or loansharking offenses, the defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison. If convicted of the obstruction of justice offenses, Padavona and Tanico face a maximum of 20 years in prison. If convicted of operating an illegal gambling business, Giallanzo, Boothby and Pisani face a maximum of 5 years in prison. If convicted of perjury, Tanico faces a maximum of 5 years in prison.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Argentieri, Lindsay K. Gerdes, Keith D. Edelman and Alicyn L. Cooley are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Y. Hill of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.
The Defendants:
RONALD GIALLANZO
Age: 46Queens, NY
MICHAEL PADAVONA
Age: 48
Queens, NY
MICHAEL PALMACCIO
Age: 45
Queens, NY
NICHOLAS FESTA
Age: 36
Oceanside, NY
CHRISTOPHER BOOTHBY
Age: 37
Queens, NY
EVAN GREENBERG
Age: 45
Queens, NY
RICHARD HECK
Age: 45
Queens, NY
MICHAEL HINTZE
Age: 53
Queens, NY
ROBERT PISANI
Age: 44
Queens, NY
ROBERT TANICO
Age: 49
Queens, NY
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-155 (DLI
Tampa Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Identities from Medical PracticeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Anthony Michael Harris (26, Tampa) to six years in federal prison for conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty on November 29, 2016.
According to court documents, Harris worked as an administrative employee at a pediatric gastroenterology practice where he had access to patient medical records that contained the personally identifiable information (“PII”) of the practice’s patients, their parents, and their guardians. Harris conspired with his co-defendants, Larry Chance Cox and Maurice Rahmaan, to steal PII from his employer so that Cox, Rahmaan, and others could use that information to apply for credit cards online and file fraudulent federal income tax returns using the victims’ identities. The conspirators further agreed to share in the proceeds of the fraud.
Investigators recovered the PII of more than 13,000 individuals that had been stolen by Harris and used by the conspirators to apply for unauthorized credit cards. They also attempted to file approximately 180 fraudulent federal income tax returns.
On January 4, 2017, Cox pleaded guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2017. Rahmaan pleaded guilty to the same charges on January 24, 2017, and his sentencing hearing is set for April 10, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Suffolk Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Jamie Lee Sorrentino, 50, of Suffolk, pleaded guilty today to receipt of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, a computer user at Sorrentino’s residence was distributing images of child pornography via peer-to-peer file sharing technology. In June 2016, the Suffolk Police Department executed a search warrant a Sorrentino’s house and seized numerous items of electronic media. After examination, a forensic specialist found over 50,000 images and videos of child pornography and child erotica. That same day, Sorrentino confessed that he was responsible for the images and videos.
Sorrentino faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison when sentenced on September 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk; and Thomas E. Bennett, Chief of Police, Suffolk Police Department, made the announcement after Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-42.
Stroudsburg Man Guilty of Interstate Prostitution and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Thurman Stanley, age 40, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2017, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, to three counts of transporting women in interstate commerce for purposes of prostitution and one count of trafficking in heroin, “molly,” and crack cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Stanley admitted that between December 2013 and December 2015, he transported at least four women from Pennsylvania to New York, Iowa, and North Dakota for purposes of prostitution, and also provided illegal drugs to them.
Stanley faces up to 50 years in prison and nearly $2 million in fines. Judge Munley ordered a pre-sentence report to be completed. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2017.
Stanley was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2016, as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, Monroe County Detectives, and police in Bismarck, North Dakota. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each prostitution offense is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty under federal law for the drug offense is 20 years’ 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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Stringer Residents Sentenced in Health Care CaseRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Larry Carlton Jenkins, age 60, of Stringer, Mississippi, was sentenced on March 23, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 37 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for making a false statement relating to a health care matter, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson of the Health and Human Services Administration - Office of Inspector General.
Annie Elizabeth Jenkins, age 61, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for misprision of felony. Both defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $223,593.87 to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services,
From November, 2009, and continuing thereafter until August, 2010, Larry Jenkins and Annie Elizabeth Jenkins owned and operated Available Medical Supplies, Inc. ("AMS"), a business which purported to provide medical equipment and compounded inhalation drugs in and around Laurel, Mississippi. AMS, as a medical provider, submitted claims for reimbursement to the Medicare program. During the time period charged, AMS, through Larry Jenkins, represented on claims that the inhalation drugs reflected on such claims for reimbursement were non-compounded inhalation drugs.
As of July 1, 2007, the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services revised nationwide policy regarding compounded inhalation solutions. After July 1, 2007, all compounded inhalation solutions were denied as not medically necessary for dates of service on or after July 1, 2007. AMS, after July of 2007, at the direction of Larry Jenkins, continued to compound inhalation drugs but billed Medicare for reimbursement as if they were non-compounded drugs.
Annie Elizabeth Jenkins, the compliance officer, knew of the false statements being made, failed to notify the appropriate authorities, and took affirmative action to conceal the fraudulent billing.
This case was investigated by the Health and Human Services Administration-Office of the Inspector General-Office of Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Six Alleged MS-13 Members Indicted in Federal Court for Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging six men in connection with a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The indictment was returned on March 27, 2017 and charges the following defendants:
Jose Augustin Salmeron-Larios, a/k/a Joseph Morales-Martinez, Angel Salvador Gutierrez, Yankee, and Kean, age 24, of Severn, Maryland;
Noe Coreas-Mejia, a/k/a Tsunami, age 20, of Langley Park, Maryland; Oscar Ernesto Delgado-Perez, a/k/a Indio and Complicado, age 28, of Gaithersburg, Maryland; Juan Carlos Espinal-Rapalo, a/k/a Chiki, age 19, of Gaithersburg;
Daniel Adonai Ramos-Romero, a/k/a Taylor Romero and Binga, age 20, of Gaithersburg; and
Kevin Henriquez-Chavez, a/k/a Loco and Crazy, age 22, of Washington Grove, Maryland.
All of the defendants are in custody.
The second superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, Maryland. MS-13 cliques often work together cooperatively to engage in criminal activity and to assist one another in avoiding detection by law enforcement. In Maryland and the surrounding area, these cliques include Parkview Locos Salvatrucha (“PVLS”), Normandie Locos Salvatrucha (“NLS” or “Normandie”), Sailors Locos Salvatrucha Westside (“SLSW” or “Sailors”), Langley Park Salvatrucha (“LPS”), Weedoms Locos Salvatrucha (“Weedoms”), and Cabanas Locos Salvatruchas (“Cabanas”). To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members and associates are expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who show disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13’s creed is based on one of its mottos, “Mata, roba, viola, controlla,” which translates to, “kill, steal, rape, control.”
MS-13 members and associates meet in their clique on a regular basis to discuss gang affairs and report on acts of violence committed by their members, with the goal of inciting and encouraging further violence. Any perceived indiscretions by members and associates or violations of rules are talked about at clique meetings and punishments or “violations” are issued. Violations often take the form of beatings by fellow members. More serious violations result in the issuance of a “greenlight.” A greenlight is an order and/or approval to kill.
According to the indictment, Salmeron-Larios was a member of the PVLS clique and a leader within MS-13 in Maryland. Corea-Mejia was a member and associate of the PVLS clique; Delgado-Perez was a member of the SLSW clique; and Espinal-Rapalo, Ramos-Romero and Henriquez-Chavez were members and associates of the Cabanas clique
The 11-count indictment alleges that from before 2015 through 2017, the defendants were members and associates of MS-13 who planned and committed murders, attempted murders and extortion. The defendants and other MS-13 members and associates agreed to purchase, maintain, and circulate weapons and firearms for use in criminal activity by MS-13 members. In addition, the defendants and other MS-13 members and associates received income from sources including extorting business persons, and drug distribution. Funds obtained through criminal activities were used for gang purposes such as obtaining weapons and providing support for MS-13 gang members, including those in prison in the United States and in El Salvador.
According to the indictment, on November 1, 2015, Espinal-Rapalo, Ramos-Romero, Henriquez-Chavez and another member of the Cabanas clique planned to kill a person that Espinal-Rapalo and other MS-13 members had previously robbed, because they believed the victim was associated with a rival gang. That same day, Espinal-Rapalo and Ramos-Romero lured the victim to a wooded area behind a school in Montgomery Village, where they each shot the victim, killing him.
The indictment further alleges that in November 2015, Salmeron-Larios and other MS-13 members and associates planned to kill an individual and lured that person to a location in Prince George’s County, under the guise that a female would be meeting the victim at that location. An MS-13 associate who was with Salmeron-Larios at the location attempted to kill the victim and another person on November 7, 2015. According to the indictment, on December 6, 2015, Coreas-Mejia and other MS-13 members and associates assaulted a victim as part of a disciplinary proceeding, where the victim was beaten by MS-13 members and associates while Coreas-Mejia counted. The indictment alleges that after the victim reported the assault to police, Coreas-Mejia and other MS-13 members lured the victim to a secluded area beneath an Interstate 495 overpass in the Silver Spring area, where they killed the victim. In June 2016, the indictment alleges that Delgado-Perez directed a MS-13 associate to lure a person to a wooded area in the Gaithersburg, Maryland, area of Montgomery County, where Delgado-Perez and MS-13 members and associates murdered the victim.
The indictment alleges that between January and December 2015, Coreas-Mejia and others extorted money from two victims, and from 2015 through 2016, Salmeron-Larios collected “rent” or extortion money from illegal businesses operating throughout Prince George’s County. Finally, Henriquez-Chavez is alleged to have threatened to kill a victim, and the victim’s family, if that person did not prove that they were not cooperating with law enforcement.
The defendants all face a maximum sentence of life in prison for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise. Coreas-Mejia also faces life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering. All the defendants, except Delgado-Perez, also face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. Salmeron-Larios also faces: a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison each, for attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and for transfer of a firearm for use in a crime of violence; a mandatory 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in prison, for using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for drug distribution conspiracy. Espinal-Rapalo and Ramos Romero each also face a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during a crime of violence. Henriquez-Chavez also faces a sentence of 20 years in prison for witness tampering.
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 HSI Baltimore, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein also recognized the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Departments of Corrections, HSI Baltimore’s Operation Community Shield Task Force, and the Maryland Department of Corrections Intelligence Unit for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ray D. McKenzie, William D. Moomau and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Short Hills, New Jersey, Investment Manager Admits Using Ponzi Scheme to Steal More Than $675,000Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An investment manager with an office in Short Hills, New Jersey admitted today that he fraudulently induced investments, concealed investment losses, and diverted more than $675,000 in investor money for his own use, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Mark Moskowitz, 48, of Short Hills, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud.
In a separate legal proceeding, the N.J. Bureau of Securities today ordered Moskowitz and his trading company, Edge Trading LLC, to pay a $1 million civil penalty for selling unregistered fraudulent securities and misusing investors’ funds for personal expenses.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Moskowitz controlled an investment fund under the names Edge Trading Partners L.P. and Edge Trading LLC (Edge Trading). In addition to touting his investment skill and experience, Moskowitz concealed losses from investors and falsely told them that Edge Trading was growing year after year. Based on these misrepresentations, investors continued to entrust additional funds to Moskowitz and left previous investments under his control.
Edge Trading was an investment fund that Moskowitz created and operated, starting in or around 2012. Moskowitz told investors that Edge Trading was invested in U.S. and foreign equities, futures contracts, and option contracts and that the fund’s investments continued to show positive returns. In reality, Moskowitz redirected investor money to his personal use, which he concealed from the investors.
The count of wire fraud to which Moskowitz pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the N.J. Bureau of Securities in the State Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and Acting Bureau Chief Amy Kopleton, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: David Holman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defenders, Newark
Russian Citizen Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Global Botnet ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Russian citizen pleaded guilty today for his participation in a criminal enterprise that installed and exploited malicious computer software (malware) on tens of thousands of computer servers throughout the world to generate millions of dollars in fraudulent payments.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Brooker of the District of Minnesota and Assistant Director Scott Smith of the FBI’s Cyber Division made the announcement.
Maxim Senakh, 41, of Velikii Novgorod, Russia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schlitz of the District of Minnesota. Sentencing is set for Aug. 3, 2017. Senakh was indicted on Jan. 13, 2015, and was subsequently arrested by Finnish authorities, who extradited him to the United States.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, the malware, which is known as Ebury, harvested log-on credentials from infected computer servers, allowing Senakh and his co-conspirators to create and operate a botnet comprising tens of thousands of infected servers throughout the world, including thousands in the United States. Senakh and his co-conspirators used the Ebury botnet to generate and redirect internet traffic in furtherance of various click-fraud and spam e-mail schemes, which fraudulently generated millions of dollars in revenue. As part of the plea, Senakh admitted that he supported the criminal enterprise by creating accounts with domain registrars which helped build the Ebury botnet infrastructure and personally profited from traffic generated by the Ebury botnet.
The FBI Minneapolis Field Office is investigating the case. Senior Counsels Aaron Cooper and Benjamin Fitzpatrick of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Ueland of the District of Minnesota are prosecuting this case. The Department of Justice extends its thanks to the government of Finland, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), CERT-Bund and the cyber security firm ESET. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.
Russian Citizen Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Global Botnet ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Russian citizen pleaded guilty today for his participation in a criminal enterprise that installed and exploited malicious computer software (malware) on tens of thousands of computer servers throughout the world to generate millions of dollars in fraudulent payments.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Brooker of the District of Minnesota and Assistant Director Scott Smith of the FBI’s Cyber Division made the announcement.
MAXIM SENAKH, 41, of Velikii Novgorod, Russia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schlitz of the District of Minnesota. Sentencing is set for August 3, 2017. SENAKH was indicted on January 13, 2015, and was subsequently arrested by Finnish authorities, who extradited him to the United States.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, the malware, which is known as Ebury, harvested log-on credentials from infected computer servers, allowing SENAKH and his co-conspirators to create and operate a botnet comprising tens of thousands of infected servers throughout the world, including thousands in the United States. SENAKH and his co-conspirators used the Ebury botnet to generate and redirect internet traffic in furtherance of various click-fraud and spam e-mail schemes, which fraudulently generated millions of dollars in revenue. As part of the plea, SENAKH admitted that he supported the criminal enterprise by creating accounts with domain registrars which helped build the Ebury botnet infrastructure and personally profited from traffic generated by the Ebury botnet.
The FBI Minneapolis Field Office is investigating the case. Senior Counsels Aaron Cooper and Benjamin Fitzpatrick of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Ueland of the District of Minnesota are prosecuting this case. The Department of Justice extends its thanks to the government of Finland, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), CERT-Bund and the cyber security firm ESET. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.
Defendant Information:
Maxim Senakh, 41
Velikii Novgorod, Russia
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to Violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and to Commit Wire Fraud, 1 count
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Romanian Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in International Fraud Scheme Involving Online Marketplace WebsitesRead the Press Release
A Romanian man pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud for his participation in an international scheme involving fraudulent advertisements on online marketplaces that induced victims to send approximately $873,000 to conspirators for the purchase of various items that were not actually available for purchase, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Vlad Diaconu, 36, of Bucharest, Romania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen of the Northern District of Illinois, who sits by designation in the Middle District of Tennessee. Diaconu was indicted in the Middle District of Tennessee in June 2015 for conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud in connection with his participation in the online marketplace scheme. Diaconu was extradited from Romania to the Middle District of Tennessee in August 2016.
In connection with his guilty plea, Diaconu admitted that his co-conspirators fraudulently listed vehicles for sale at online marketplaces such as eBay. When victims expressed interest in purchasing the vehicles, the co-conspirators responded with emails directing the victims to wire payments to specified bank accounts. These bank accounts were opened by members of the conspiracy, including Diaconu, who used false identities and fraudulent documents, including counterfeit passports. Specifically, twelve victims sent a total of $184,900 to accounts that were opened by Diaconu under the belief that they were purchasing the advertised vehicles, and other victims sent additional funds to bank accounts opened by co-conspirators. Diaconu and his co-conspirators subsequently sent the bulk of the victims’ funds to co-conspirators located overseas.
The FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Senior Counsel Mysti Degani of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron M. Jones of the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.
Romanian Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in International Fraud Scheme Involving Online Marketplace WebsitesRead the Press Release
Vlad Diaconu, 36, of Bucharest, Romania, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Nashville, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee and Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Diaconu pleaded guilty for his participation in an international scheme involving fraudulent advertisments on online marketplaces that induced victims to send approximately $873,000 to conspirators for the purchase of various items that were not actually available for purchase.
Diaconu was indicted in the Middle District of Tennessee in June 2015 for conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud in connection with his participation in the online marketplace scheme. Diaconu was extradited from Romania to the Middle District of Tennessee in August 2016.
In connection with his guilty plea, Diaconu admitted that his co-conspirators fraudulently listed vehicles for sale at online marketplaces such as eBay. When victims expressed interest in purchasing the vehicles, the co-conspirators responded with emails directing the victims to wire payments to specified bank accounts. These bank accounts were opened by members of the conspiracy, including Diaconu, who used false identities and fraudulent documents, including counterfeit passports. Specifically, twelve victims sent a total of $184,900 to accounts that were opened by Diaconu under the belief that they were purchasing the advertised vehicles, and other victims sent additional funds to bank accounts opened by co-conspirators. Diaconu and his co-conspirators subsequently sent the bulk of the victims’ funds to co-conspirators located overseas.
The FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron M. Jones of the Middle District of Tennessee and Senior Counsel Mysti Degani of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Joshua Woodbury, 27, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who is handling the case, stated that on February 14, 2016, an FBI Agent, while working in an undercover capacity, downloaded two video files containing child pornography. Those videos included naked, prepubescent girls. The undercover agent also found several other video files utilizing the same IP address. Subsequent investigation traced the IP address to a residence at which the defendant was then living on Patrician Drive in Rochester.
On September 17, 2016, an FBI Task Force Officer (TFO), while working in an undercover capacity, also downloaded two video files containing child pornography. Those videos contained a naked, prepubescent girl and a naked, prepubescent boy engaged in sexual activity with adult men. The videos were traced to an IP address at an apartment on Spanish Trail in Rochester. When interviewed, the residents of the apartment denied any involvement with child pornography. An analysis of a tablet and laptop computer in the apartment found no indication of child pornography. Further investigation determined that the defendant, who was “pretty tech savvy,” also resided in the apartment complex on Spanish Trail.
Agents met with Woodbury who admitted that he utilized the internet at the Patrician Drive residence to download child pornography while living there in February of 2016. The defendant also admitted that he accessed his neighbor’s wireless internet to download child pornography at his current residence on Spanish Trail. An analysis of Woodbury’s cellular telephone revealed multiple videos containing prepubescent children involved in sexual activity.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2017, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
Riverside County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Leading Bank Heist Crew that Cut through Roofs to Penetrate VaultsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Banning man who led a group of burglars that conducted a 10-year-long series of heists targeting Southland banks by cutting through rooftops has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for participating in two burglaries.
Alceu Johnny Andreis, 48, of Banning, received the 240-month sentence yesterday afternoon from United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Fischer ordered Andreis to pay $12,082,403 in restitution to two financial institutions, their insurance carriers and numerous safe deposit box customers.
Following a jury trial in December, Andreis was convicted of two counts of bank burglary in relation to thefts from an East West Bank branch in Rowland Heights in 2011 and a BBCN Bank branch in Diamond Bar in 2012. Andreis was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years for each of the burglaries.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Andreis led a crew of rooftop bank burglars for at least a decade. Andreis and his crew burglarized the victim banks after detailed and thorough planning, which included “casing” the banks, learning about the bank’s security systems, and conducting numerous “dry runs” of the heists. Prior to the actual burglaries, they cut holes in the roofs of the banks and resealed them so as not to arouse suspicion.
During the burglaries, members of the team wiped down their equipment to ensure no DNA or fingerprints were left behind, communicated via walkie-talkies, disabled the banks’ security systems, re-opened the pre-cut rooftop holes, jackhammered holes into the banks’ thick concrete vaults and rappelled down into the vaults.
Once they had access to the vaults, the burglars opened dozens of safe deposit boxes to steal cash, jewelry, coins and other valuables inside, and they took the cash inside the vaults.
During the planning and actual burglaries, Andreis and his crew had a lookout person to warn of potential witnesses or law enforcement.
Andreis “ensured that his burglary crew worked out together, drug-tested, wore identical clothing and shoes, cleaned the tools, planned the burglaries together, and evenly split the burglary proceeds,” prosecutors noted in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court.
Andreis was one of four defendants convicted in relation to the bank burglaries. The other three defendants pleaded guilty, and two have been sentenced, receiving prison terms of up to 10 years. One more defendant is pending sentencing before Judge Fischer.
In 2014, in another case involving the attempted burglary of a Citibank branch in Diamond Bar, Judge Fischer sentenced Andreis to 51 months in prison for conspiracy and attempted burglary. The 20-year sentence issued yesterday will run consecutive to the 51-month sentence.
Andreis and his co-defendants were arrested while attempting to burglarize the Citibank branch.
Judge Fischer yesterday issued an order that forfeited from Andreis two Mercedes-Benz automobiles and four Ducati motorcycles that he had purchased with cash obtained during the two burglaries.
The case against Andreis and his crew was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which received substantial assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanna M. Curtis of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Christen A. Sproule of the Asset Forfeiture Section.
Pocasset Man Sentenced to Three Months for Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that NAAMAN JOE MCCOY, age 27, of Pocasset, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release for THEFT IN INDIAN COUNTRY, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1152.
The Indictment alleged that on or about September 13, 2016, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, within Indian country, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1151, the defendant, an Indian, did take and carry away, with the intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of a non-Indian, with a value exceeding $1,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Tribal police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the nonparoleable sentence will be served.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Shelly Harrison represented the United States.
Philadelphia Man Charged with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
James Horton, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was charged today in a three-count Indictment accessing or attempting to access depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors, and receiving and distributing or attempting to receive or distribute child pornography announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 50 years incarceration, 5 years to lifetime supervised release, and $1,000,000 in fines.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owner of Reseda Medical Clinic Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Healthcare Scam and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The office manager and part-owner of a Reseda medical clinic has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for his role in a healthcare fraud scheme that generated millions of dollars – money that was not reported on his federal income tax returns.
Michael Huynh, 67, of Northridge, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wright ordered Huynh to pay just over $1.9 million in restitution to the victim insurance companies and back taxes – estimated to be nearly $950,000 – to the Internal Revenue Service.
Following a seven-day trial in September 2016, Huynh was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and 11 counts of filing false tax returns.
The evidence introduced at trial showed that between January 2004 and November 2009 Huynh and a pharmacist participated in a healthcare fraud scheme that billed private insurance plans for prescription medication that was never dispensed to insured patients.
Huyhn provided co-conspirator Farhad N. Dany Sharim with bogus prescriptions purportedly for patients of the medial clinic who were insured by healthcare benefit programs. Sharim, a co-owner of Century Discount Pharmacy in Reseda, then submitted false and fraudulent bills for prescription drugs that had not been dispensed to the patients. As a result, Sharim’s pharmacy received substantial payments from various health care benefit programs to which it was not entitled, and Sharim paid Huyhn more than $1.1 million.
In addition to the healthcare fraud scheme, Huynh filed false federal tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2011 that underreported the medical clinic’s gross receipts and sales by more than $1.6 million.
Sharim, 57, of Sherman Oaks, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and will be sentenced by Judge Wright on May 1.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
The case was brought by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is supervised by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Arkow of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Alexis Gregorian of the Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Owner of Car Dealership Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Laundering Drug and Tax Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Raymond L. Rodriguez, Jr. (52, Tampa) to three years and one month in federal prison for money laundering. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $1,751,648, which are the proceeds traceable to the offense.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty on September 21, 2015.
According to court documents, Rodriguez owned and operated Rodriguez Auto Wholesale. Between 2009 and 2013, he sold 87 vehicles for a total of $1,751,648 to individuals who paid him with proceeds from the sale of illegal narcotics and/or stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) offenses. Rodriguez knew the funds had been illegally derived and agreed to disguise the large cash transactions from the government in a number of ways. First, he agreed to accept large cash payments for vehicles without filing Forms 8300 with the Internal Revenue Service, as required by law. He also agreed to place vehicles in the names of straw buyers so that law enforcement and other governmental entities would not be aware of the true owners of the cars or the illegal proceeds used to purchase them. Rodriguez further promised purchasers that he would keep a lien on certain vehicles, despite receiving payment in full, so that in the event those vehicles were seized by law enforcement authorities, Rodriguez could reclaim possession and return the seized cars to the purchasers or their family members.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Oakland Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Conspiracy to Manufacture Counterfeit DrugsRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Antoine King pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit Xanax pills and to launder the proceeds gained by the illegal scheme, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lisa L. Malinowski. The Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge, accepted the plea.
According to the guilty plea, King, 27, of Oakland, Calif., admitted that from October 6, 2014 through December 12, 2015, he was involved in a conspiracy with his co-defendant David Beckford and others to manufacture and distribute pills that were designed to resemble Xanax® pills as nearly as possible. King admitted that he knew his co-defendants and others obtained the components and equipment to manufacture the counterfeit Xanax pills from foreign sources. King further admitted that from October 6, 2014, through December 12, 2015, he sold counterfeit Xanax pills that were created as part of the operation.
On May 12, 2016, a federal grand jury returned a 33-count indictment charging King and four co-defendants, David Beckford, Stephan Florida, Isaiah Clayton, and Beau Sankene, with numerous crimes related to the conspiracy. For his role, King was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); four counts of international money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(A); and one count of trafficking in a counterfeit drug, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a)(4). Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, King pleaded guilty to violating one count each of 21 U.S.C. § 846, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), and 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a)(4). The maximum statutory sentence for a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 is 5 years, the maximum statutory sentence for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) is 20 years, and the maximum statutory sentence for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a)(4) is 10 years. However, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
On February 9, 2017, Judge White sentenced David Beckford, 28, of Oakland, Calif., to serve 123 months in prison to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release for his role in the scheme. Judge White also ordered forfeiture of currency, firearms, ammunition, and custom jewelry. Co-defendants Stephan Florida, 27, of San Francisco, Calif., and Isaiah Clayton, 24, of Oakland, Calif., were sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment and 36 months’ probation, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Beau Sankene of Oakland, Calif., has pleaded guilty to crimes related to her roles in the conspiracy. A date for Sankene’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheila Armbrust and Marc Wolf are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Ana Guerra and Yanira Osorio. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
North Country Felon Sentenced for Weapons PossessionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –James L. Archer, Sr., age 52, of Au Sable Forks, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian; United States Marshal David McNulty of the Northern District of New York; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Clinton County Sheriff David Favro.
On August 22, 2016, members of the United States Marshals Service, ATF, and Clinton County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Archer’s residence in Ausable Forks and found 8 firearms and approximately 1,757 rounds of ammunition hidden on the property. As a result of felony sex abuse convictions, Archer was prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue also ordered Archer to serve 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, ATF, and the Clinton County Sherriff’s Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
New York Man Sentenced for Making False Statements in Connection with A Federal Sex Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Michael Manswell (30, Bronx, NY) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for making a false statement. He pleaded guilty on December 9, 2016.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2016, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement interviewed Manswell as part of an investigation involving sex trafficking. During the interview, Manswell stated that he was friends with a particular minor, but falsely denied any type of relationship with that minor. He further stated that they had not had intimate sexual contact of any kind within the past two years. These statements were false, as Manswell and the minor had frequently engaged in sexual contact during that time, including intimate sexual relations while the minor was under the age of 18.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the FDLE. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington and former Deputy Chief Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener.
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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Nashville General Sessions Judge Charged with Attempting to Obstruct Justice Through Bribery and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Cason “Casey” Moreland, 59, of Nashville, Tenn., was charged today in a federal criminal complaint with attempting to obstruct justice through bribery and witness tampering, announced Jack Smith, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Michael Gavin, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the FBI. Moreland is a General Sessions Court Judge in Davidson County, Tennessee.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Matthew Espenshade, joined acting U.S. Attorney Smith in announcing the charges at a Noon news conference.
“The allegations set forth in the indictment set forth egregious abuses of power by a judge sitting here in Nashville,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Smith. “Such an abuse of power undermines the credibility of and destroys the public’s trust in the court system and strikes at the very essence of our judicial branch of government. Public corruption remains one of the highest priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI and officials who engage in such behavior will always be thoroughly investigated and vigorously prosecuted.”
According to the complaint, on January 25, 2017, the FBI opened a criminal investigation into whether Moreland and others violated federal anti-corruption statutes, by soliciting, accepting and extorting things of value, including sexual favors and other things, from persons with whom he had close personal relationships, in return for performing official acts that benefitted those persons and their associates
The criminal complaint alleges that Moreland in fact became aware of the FBI’s investigation on February 1, 2017, when agents attempted to interview him. By that time, local media outlets had reported alleged misconduct by Moreland, including having sexual relationships with individuals, in exchange for judicial favors. These reports continued to appear in the news on a regular basis, with new allegations reported in several subsequent news reports that outlined Moreland’s relationship with Person 1. The complaint alleges that Moreland knew that Person 1 was a material witness in this investigation and that Person 1 had made statements implicating Moreland’s criminal conduct.
The complaint further alleges that beginning on or about March 1, 2017, Moreland took steps to obstruct and interfere with the federal investigation by attempting to pay Person 1 to sign an affidavit recanting prior statements about Moreland. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Moreland met with a person identified as CS-1 and devised a scheme to pay several thousand dollars to Person 1 in exchange for changing her statements about Moreland. Moreland also told CS-1 of his desire to have drugs planted on Person 1 and then orchestrate a traffic stop where the drugs would be found and Person 1 would be arrested and her credibility destroyed. Moreland later provided CS-1 with a partial tag number for Person 1’s vehicle to further the scheme.
This scheme to obstruct the investigation continued and the complaint outlines actions Moreland took to conceal his involvement, including having CS-1 purchase a burner phone in a fictitious name, to be used by Moreland when contacting CS-1. The complaint also alleges that Moreland instructed CS-1 to use another person as an intermediary when dealing with Person 1.
The complaint also alleges that on March 11, 2017, Moreland gave CS-1 an affidavit, written as though Person 1 authored it. Moreland provided CS-1 with $5100 cash and took steps to insure that his fingerprints would not be on the affidavit. Moreland also told CS-1 to get Person 1 “liquored up real good” before mentioning the affidavit. During subsequent conversations with Moreland later in the evening, CS-1 told Moreland that he had met with Person 1 and that she had flagged various portions of the affidavit that were inaccurate, but that she would agree to sign it “as-is” for an additional $1,000. Moreland agreed, and provided CS-1 with an extra $1,000 in cash later that evening.
Finally, the complaint alleges subsequent meetings and conversations between Moreland and CS-1, where further discussion of the affidavit and planning of the scheme to plant drugs on Person 1 occurred.
“The court and criminal justice system function justly only if the public has confidence in their independence and impartiality. Abuses of power like the one charged in this case erode that confidence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners work diligently every day to root out corruption like that charged and to ensure the public can trust our public institutions.”
“Public corruption of this nature threatens the public's confidence in our judicial system and the administration of justice,” said Matthew Espenshade, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Nashville.” This is why public corruption is the FBI's top criminal investigative priority. The FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies will not allow these behaviors to shake the foundations of our society.”
Moreland was arrested this morning by FBI agents and is currently in custody. He is expected to make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate later this afternoon.
If convicted, Moreland faces up to 20 years’ in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender and Trial Attorney Lauren Bell, of the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Immigration ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A citizen of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment named Samuel Quib-Chub, age 28, of Mexico, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about January 24, 2017, Quib-Chub was found in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, after having unlawfully re-entered the United States following removal on four previous occasions.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of two (2) 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 United States Attorney Adam N. Hallowell is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Member of DeCavalcante Crime Family Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Use of Interstate Facility to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the DeCavalcante Family of La Cosa Nostra was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for using a telephone to plan the murder of an organized crime rival, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Charles Stango, 73, of Henderson, Nevada, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to an information charging him with one count of knowingly using an interstate facility – the telephone – with the intent to murder a rival. He also pleaded guilty to violating the terms of his supervised release, which he was serving following his imprisonment on racketeering charges in New York. Judge Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Stango was arrested on April 14, 2015, as part of a sweep of DeCavalcante crime family members that operated in New Jersey and elsewhere. The DeCavalcante crime family was part of a nationwide criminal organization known variously as the “Mafia” and “La Cosa Nostra,” which operated through entities called “families.” The DeCavalcante family engaged in numerous criminal activities, including conspiracy to commit murder, distribution of controlled substances, prostitution, extortion, and other crimes of violence.
Stango admitted today that he used the telephone to plan the murder of a crime family rival (identified in court papers as “Victim 1”). Based on tape-recorded evidence uncovered during the investigation, Stango believed that Victim 1 had falsely held himself out to be a “made man” within the family structure. Stango refused to recognize Victim 1’s alleged new status. Stango also believed that Victim 1 had intentionally insulted a high-ranking family member, which Stango felt deserved the ultimate punishment. He offered up to $50,000 to two assassins to carry out the order. The two assassins were, in fact, undercover FBI agents. Law enforcement officials closed down the investigation to ensure Victim 1’s safety, and he was never harmed.
Six of Stango’s co-defendants, including his son, Anthony Stango, have pleaded guilty to various crimes – including distribution of significant amounts of cocaine and attempting to set up a prostitution business – to enrich the crew members and the crime family.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Stango to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, under the direction of Executive Director Walter Arsenault; the Bayonne Police Department, under the direction of Chief Drew Niekrasz; and the N.J. State Commission of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Director Lee C. Seglem, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the FBI’s Las Vegas office and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office for their roles in the investigation.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
Defense counsel: Chester Keller Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Media Advisory: Press Conference in Orlando on WednesdayRead the Press Release
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ANNOUNCE PRISON SENTENCES IMPOSED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS
WHO: Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow
Orange County Sheriff Jerry L. Demings
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ronald Hopper, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chad Holth, Group Supervisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations
Director Ron Stucker, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation
WHAT: Press conference to announce the sentences imposed for individuals involved in
drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, March 29, 2017 at 10:30 A.M. EST
WHERE: Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Mel Martinez Auditorium
2500 West Colonial Drive
Orlando, Florida
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license).
Media may begin arriving at 10:00 A.M.
Please RSVP to [email protected] by 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
Maryland MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Conspiracy and Attempted Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Celvin Eulice Ramos-Meija, a/k/a “Cadejo,” age 21, of Columbia, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and attempted murder in aid of racketeering related to his membership in La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13.
The guilty plea announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Tom Kemp of the Greenbelt Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Frederick, Maryland. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to the plea agreement, from at least 2012 until at least 2016, Ramos-Mejia was a member and associate of the Sailors Locos Salvatrucha Westside (“SLSW,” or “Sailors”) clique of MS-13. In order to maintain and increase his position in MS-13, Ramos-Mejia admitted that he and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to murder a victim that Ramos-Mejia and his co-conspirators had identified as a “chavala.”
Specifically, on June 6, 2016, Ramos-Mejia and other members and associates of MS-13 approached the victim in Greenbelt, Maryland. Ramos-Mejia made an MS-13 sign in the face of the victim, and then he and his co-conspirators began to attack the victim. Ramos-Mejia was armed with a knife and stabbed the victim during the attack. The victim survived the attack but sustained multiple stab wounds and injuries including lacerations to his abdomen, liver, and diaphragm. The victim was hospitalized for ten days as a result of the attack.
Ramos-Mejia faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison each for the conspiracy, and for attempted murder in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2017, at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco commended HSI Baltimore, the Greenbelt and Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein and Mr. Blanco thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, and Trial Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the case.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
A Columbia, Maryland, man pleaded guilty today to his participation in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, including his participation in an attempted murder.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief James Tom Kemp of the Greenbelt Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
Celvin Eulice Ramos-Meija, aka Cadejo, 21, Ramos-Mejia pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte in the District of Maryland to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Ramos-Mejia had been detained on related Maryland state charges since June 2016. Sentencing is set for June 22, 2017.
MS-13 is a national and international gang that was formed and is headquartered in El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Frederick, Maryland. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, Ramos-Mejia admitted that for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in MS-13, he conspired with other MS-13 members to murder a victim that he and his co-conspirators had identified as a “chavala.”
Specifically, the Ramos-Mejia admitted that on June 6, 2016, he and other members and associates of MS-13 approached the victim in Greenbelt, Maryland. The defendant made an MS-13 sign in the face of the victim, and then he and his co-conspirators began to attack the victim. The victim survived the attack, but sustained multiple stab wounds and injuries, including lacerations to his abdomen, liver and diaphragm. The victim was hospitalized for 10 days as a result of the attack.
HSI Baltimore, the Greenbelt Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Lawrence, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Multiple Kilograms of HeroinRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Felix Portes, age 57, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced to serve 57 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Court documents and statements in court showed that after a lengthy investigation, law enforcement officers arrested Portes and Jonathan Cruz-Marte on March 12, 2015, after they arrived at the Rockingham Mall in Salem to sell approximately two kilograms of heroin to an individual assisting in the investigation. The investigation determined that Portes and Cruz Marte were part of a larger Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization that, over the course of several years, supplied Keene-based drug traffickers with large quantities of heroin for redistribution in and around the Keene area.
Portes previously pleaded guilty on January 15, 2016. Cruz Marte pleaded guilty on November 23, 2016, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the heroin and fentanyl epidemic in New Hampshire by continuing to target the drug trafficking organizations that are responsible for bringing large quantities of these deadly drugs into New Hampshire. I commend the cooperative efforts that led to this significant prosecution,” said Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
After serving his 57-month prison sentence, Portes will be on supervised release for a period of three years.
The investigation was conducted by the following agencies: (1) Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; (2) New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force; (3) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; (4) New Hampshire State Police; (5) Keene, New Hampshire Police Department; (6) Richmond, New Hampshire Police Department; and (7) Salem, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis prosecuted the case.
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Lafayette man sentenced to 41 months in prison for possessing a firearm after felony convictionRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Lafayette man was sentenced to 41 months in prison for possessing a pistol and ammunition after being convicted of a felony.
Damion Hamilton, 32, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Hamilton was found guilty after a three-day trial that ended on October 13, 2016. Evidence admitted at trial showed that on January 19, 2016 a traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle Hamilton was driving. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and a gun safe was found on the back seat. The safe contained an FNS-40 .40 caliber pistol and ammunition. Hamilton’s DNA and fingerprints were found on the loaded magazine.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm and to promote firearm safety.
The ATF and Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Carrollton Woman of $185,000 Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Carrollton, Mo., woman was convicted in federal court today of a $185,000 bank fraud scheme.
Carol Joyce Noble, 65, of Carrollton, was found guilty of two counts of bank fraud contained in an Aug. 27, 2014, federal indictment.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Noble defrauded Central Trust Bank in Jefferson City, Mo., in September 2011 as part of a scheme to obtain a fraudulent $185,000 loan in order to purchase a convenience store in Stover, Mo.
As part of the scheme, Noble caused the fraudulent appraisal of her Gravois Mills, Mo., residential property in order to obtain the loan. Noble changed the physical address of the residence to an adjacent residence by altering the last digit of the house number, unbeknownst to the neighbor. Noble met the appraiser at her neighbor’s home and misrepresented to the appraiser that it was her own. The appraiser then appraised the wrong home at a value $100,000 higher than the true value of Noble’s property. Noble was found guilty of two counts of bank fraud related to the fraudulent appraisal.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for about two hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, March 27, 2017.
Under federal statutes, Noble is subject to a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kummerer. It was investigated by the FBI.
Iraqi Refugees Arrested and Charged with Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Iraqi refugees living in Northern Virginia were arrested this morning and charged along with another individual with immigration fraud.
The defendants arrested this morning are Yousif Al Mashhandani (“Yousif”), 35, of Vienna, and Adil Hasan, 38, of Burke, who are full biological brothers. The third individual charged is Enas Ibrahim, 32, also of Burke, who is the wife of Hasan. Each are charged with attempting to obtain naturalization contrary to law. The defendants will have their initial appearance today in front of Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Alexandria.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on Nov. 1, 2004, a United States citizen, identified as R.H., was kidnapped in Iraq and held with other hostages for months in horrible conditions in an underground bunker. After a raid in 2005 freed the hostages, authorities detained Majid Al Mashhadani (“Majid”), who is a full biological brother of Yousif and Adil Hasan, and he admitted his complicity in the kidnapping of R.H.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Yousif was admitted into the United States as a refugee in 2008. In May 2013, Yousif resided in Vienna and applied for naturalization as a United States citizen. In connection with Yousif’s applications for citizenship, his fingerprints were taken. According to an FBI fingerprint specialist, analysis conducted in November 2013 determined that Yousif’s fingerprints match those found on a document at the underground bunker where forces rescued R.H. and others in Iraq in 2005.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Yousif, Hasan, and Ibrahim are lawful permanent residents and have applied to naturalize and become United States citizens. On various applications and forms throughout their respective immigration processes, each has provided and extensive list of family members and information of their respective family trees; however, none ever listed any reference to Majid.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on March 4, 2016, FBI agents interviewed Yousif, Hasan and Ibrahim. When FBI agents asked Yousif why he failed to include reference to Majid on the family tree form, Yousif said he omitted reference to Majid because, when he was a refugee, he was told by others applying for refugee status that he would not be allowed into the United States if any immediate family members had a criminal background. Hasan admitted to FBI agents that Majid was his brother, and Hasan and Ibrahim each admitted they discussed not including Majid’s name on their applications for refugee status because their connection to Majid might delay their ability to gain such status.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, to justify his application for refugee status, Yousif reported that in 2006, while working as an anti-corruption investigator for the Iraqi Commission on Public Integrity in Iraq, he started receiving threats from a Shiite militia known as the "Al Mahdi Militia," in order to coerce Yousif to drop a particular corruption investigation. Yousif said that in May 2006 Adil was kidnapped by the Al Mahdi Militia, and only released after Yousif arranged to drop the investigation in question and helped pay a large ransom. Yousif said that after Adil was released, he reopened the corruption investigation, only to flee to Jordon in October 2006 after his parents’ house was burned down.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, to justify his application for refugee status, Hasan provided sworn testimony that, in 2006, he had been kidnapped and tortured by members of the Al Mahdi Army and held for nearly a month. Hasan said he was released upon the payment of a ransom of $20,000. In an interview by FBI agents in April 2016, Hasan said he was threatened in Iraq on two occasions, but made no mention of being kidnapped, held hostage, and tortured for nearly a month. In a subsequent interview in October 2016, FBI agents confronted Hasan about the discrepancy in his stories and Hasan admitted to making false statements and creating his persecution story.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, Acting Deputy Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes ICE/HSI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and Colleen E. Garcia are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-mj-143.
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.
Iraqi Refugees Arrested and Charged with Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Yousif Al Mashhandani (“Yousif”), 35, of Vienna, Virginia, and Adil Hasan, 38, of Burke, Virginia, who are full biological brothers, were arrested this morning. The third individual charged is Enas Ibrahim, 32, also of Burke, who is the wife of Hasan. Each are charged with attempting to obtain naturalization contrary to law. The defendants will have their initial appearance today in front of Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia.
Acting Deputy Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dana J. Boente, Assistant Director in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on Nov. 1, 2004, a U.S. citizen, identified as R.H., was kidnapped and held with other hostages for months in horrible conditions in an underground bunker. After a raid in 2005 freed the hostages, Majid Al Mashhadani (“Majid”), who is a full biological brother of Yousif and Hasan, was detained and admitted his complicity in the kidnapping of R.H.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Yousif was admitted into the U.S. as a refugee in 2008. In May 2013, Yousif resided in Vienna and applied for naturalization as a U.S. citizen. In connection with Yousif’s applications for citizenship, his fingerprints were taken. According to an FBI fingerprint specialist, analysis conducted in November 2013 determined that Yousif’s fingerprints match those found on a document at the underground bunker where forces rescued R.H. and others in Iraq in 2005.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Yousif, Hasan and Ibrahim are lawful permanent residents and have applied to naturalize and become U.S. citizens. On various applications and forms throughout their respective immigration processes, each has provided an extensive list of family members and information of their respective family trees; however, none listed any reference to Majid.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on March 4, 2016, FBI agents interviewed Yousif, Hasan and Ibrahim. When FBI agents asked Yousif why he failed to include reference to Majid on the family tree form, Yousif said he omitted reference to Majid because, when he was a refugee, he was told by others applying for refugee status that he would not be allowed into the U.S. if any immediate family members had a criminal background. Hasan admitted to FBI agents that Majid was his brother. Hasan and Ibrahim each admitted they discussed not including Majid’s name on their applications for refugee status because their connection to Majid might delay their ability to gain such status.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, to justify his application for refugee status, Yousif reported that in 2006, while working as an anti-corruption investigator for the Iraqi Commission on Public Integrity in Iraq, he started receiving threats from a Shiite militia known as the "Al Mahdi Militia," in order to coerce Yousif to drop a particular corruption investigation. Yousif said that in May 2006, Hasan was kidnapped by the Al Mahdi Militia, and was released only after Yousif arranged to drop the investigation in question and helped pay a large ransom. Yousif said that after Hasan was released, he reopened the corruption investigation, only to flee to Jordon in October 2006 after his parents’ house was burned down.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, to justify his application for refugee status, Hasan provided sworn testimony that, in 2006, he had been kidnapped and tortured by members of the Al Mahdi Army and held for nearly a month. Hasan said he was released upon the payment of a ransom of $20,000. In an interview by FBI agents in April 2016, Hasan said he was threatened in Iraq on two occasions, but made no mention of being kidnapped, held hostage and tortured for nearly a month. In a subsequent interview in October 2016, FBI agents confronted Hasan about the discrepancy in his stories and Hasan admitted to making false statements and creating his persecution story.
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. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes ICE/HSI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon Kromberg and Collen Garcia for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
2017 03 28 Mashhadani AffidavitInmate at FCI-Berlin Sentenced for Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Jean Morales-Rivera was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a prohibited object while an inmate at FCI-Berlin. The object was a homemade weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank,” made out of plastic sharpened to a point at one end with gauze wrapped around one the other end to serve as a handle or grip.
According to the facts set forth in the plea agreement and statements made at the sentencing hearing, Morales-Rivera removed an article from his waist band and threw it in a trash receptacle at the prison. A correctional officer saw Morales-Rivera throw the object into the receptacle and retrieved the weapon.
Morales-Rivera is presently serving a 93-month sentence for carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentence imposed by the court today is consecutive to the sentence Morales-Rivera is now serving.
The case was investigated by the staff at the Federal Bureau of Prisons at FCI-Berlin. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Meth to Distribute in St. JosephRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to supplying at least five kilograms of methamphetamine to two co-conspirators to distribute in St. Joseph, Mo.
Gregory Scott Huggins, II, 31, of Independence, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1 to Sept. 10, 2015.
Co-defendants Russell Wayne Helton, 36, and Tisha Anne Woods, 32, both of St. Joseph, have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Woods was sentenced on Aug. 11, 2016, to four years and nine months in federal prison without parole. Helton, who also pleaded guilty to using firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, awaits sentencing.
By pleading guilty today, Huggins admitted that he supplied methamphetamine to Helton and Woods, who distributed in the St. Joseph area. Conspirators distributed a total of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
The investigation began on Sept. 10, 2015, when law enforcement officers took Helton into custody on a parole violation warrant. Helton was in possession of a Raven Arms .25-caliber handgun. Investigators searched his vehicle and found plastic baggies that contained methamphetamine. Another baggie, containing approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine, was taken from the passenger in Helton’s vehicle, who received it from Helton and was supposed to sell it for $1,400.
Helton told investigators he had been purchasing multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine every day for the past three weeks. Helton said he paid $800 per ounce for the methamphetamine and that he purchased $3,000-$7,000 worth of methamphetamine (approximately 3.5 kilograms) at a time.
Woods told officers she had been making trips to Independence with Helton at least three times a week to pick up methamphetamine from Huggins. Woods made at least 16 trips with Helton and picked up an estimated total of over five kilograms methamphetamine from Huggins. She admitted that the distribution of more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine could be associated with her.
Under federal statutes, Huggins is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Helton is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for the drug-trafficking conspiracy, plus a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole for the firearm, which must be served consecutively. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.