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1 March 2017
Youngstown man pleads guilty to selling heroin that caused fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
A Youngstown man pleaded guilty to selling heroin that resulted in a fatal overdose, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.
Shayne Mascarella, 23, is scheduled to be sentenced June 21. He distributed heroin that directly resulted in the July 19, 2015 death in Youngstown of a person identified in the court documents as L.Z.
“Heroin has caused an unprecedented wave of death, pain and destruction in Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “No corner of the state is immune. Only though aggressive law enforcement -- combined with education and prevention efforts, changes in prescribing practices and making treatment available to those who want help -- can we turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason M. Katz and David M. Toepfer. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force, which includes representatives from the Boardman Police Department, the Youngstown Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and others.
Wichita Woman Gets 3 1/2 Year Sentence for Defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
WICHITA – A woman who continued to receive her grandmother’s Social Security payments after the grandmother died was sentenced Monday to 45 months in federal prison, U. S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Verlarina Ruth Collins, 49, Wichita, pleaded guilty to defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) between 2007 and 2013 of more than $40,000 and to aggravated identity theft in connection with the fraud. In addition, Collins was ordered to repay money she stole.
Collins was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren, who sentenced Collins to 21 months on the fraud charge and a statutorily required 24 months on the aggravated identity theft charge. By law, the terms must run consecutively.
Because the grandmother was receiving the benefits on her late husband’s Social Security account as his survivor, the SSA did not connect her death to her husband’s account and continued to make the payments, which Collins converted to her own use.
Beall praised the SSA’s Office of Inspector General for its investigation of the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for his prosecution.
Wheeling man indicted on possession of a firearm chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia man was arrested over the weekend for one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Christopher Louis Park, age 45, was charged by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2017 for allegedly possessing a .9mm caliber pistol illegally. The crime is alleged to have occurred in Wheeling in January 2017. Park had previously been convicted of possession and distribution of cocaine in federal court in April 1999.
Park faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Secret Service Officer Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a Minor and Attempting to Send Obscene Images to a MinorRead the Press Release
A Church Hill, Maryland resident pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to transfer obscene materials to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida and Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Lee Robert Moore, 38, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley of the Southern District of Florida. Moore was employed by the U.S. Secret Service-Uniformed Division and was assigned to the White House at the time of his arrest on Nov. 9, 2015, and has remained in custody since that time. Moore has since been terminated from his Secret Service position.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Moore maintained a profile on the social media application “Meet24,” which provides a mobile-based platform for exchanging digital images, as well as voice and text messages. Delaware State Police Detectives with the Delaware Child Predator Task Force created a profile on this site, posing as a 14-year-old girl, with whom Moore engaged in a number of online chat sessions, via the “Meet24” and “Kik” mobile apps over a two-month period, including while Moore was at work. A number of the online chats between Moore and the undercover officers posing as a female minor were sexual in nature and, on several occasions, Moore sent pictures of himself, including one sexually explicit image.
According to the plea documents, after his arrest, law enforcement discovered that Moore had communicated with a minor in Florida. Moore admitted that in those communications, he sent sexually explicit images of himself and enticed the minor to send sexually explicit photos of herself as well. Moore engaged in the same type of behavior with a 14-year-old girl in Texas and another 17-year-old girl in Missouri. Moore requested that his federal charges in Delaware be transferred to the Southern District of Florida so that he could plead guilty to both charges at one time.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware Child Predator Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Steinberg of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
U.S. Secret Service Officer Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a Minor and Attempting to Send Obscene Images to a MinorRead the Press Release
A Church Hill, Maryland resident pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to transfer obscene materials to a minor, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida.
Lee Robert Moore, 38, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley of the Southern District of Florida. Moore was employed by the U.S. Secret Service-Uniformed Division and was assigned to the White House at the time of his arrest on Nov. 9, 2015, and has remained in custody since that time. Moore has since been terminated from his Secret Service position.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Moore maintained a profile on the social media application “Meet24,” which provides a mobile-based platform for exchanging digital images, as well as voice and text messages. Delaware State Police Detectives with the Delaware Child Predator Task Force created a profile on this site, posing as a 14-year-old girl, with whom Moore engaged in a number of online chat sessions, via the “Meet24” and “Kik” mobile apps over a two-month period, including while Moore was at work. A number of the online chats between Moore and the undercover officers posing as a female minor were sexual in nature and, on several occasions, Moore sent pictures of himself, including one sexually explicit image.
According to the plea documents, after his arrest, law enforcement discovered that Moore had communicated with a minor in Florida. Moore admitted that in those communications, he sent sexually explicit images of himself and enticed the minor to send sexually explicit photos of herself as well. Moore engaged in the same type of behavior with a 14-year-old girl in Texas and another 17-year-old girl in Missouri. Moore requested that his federal charges in Delaware be transferred to the Southern District of Florida so that he could plead guilty to both charges at one time.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware Child Predator Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Steinberg of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Sues Developer, Builder, and Architect for Disability Discrimination in Design and Construction of Mount Kisco CondominiumRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has filed a lawsuit against BEDFORD DEVELOPMENT LLC (“BEDFORD”), CARNEGIE CONSTRUCTION CORP. (“CARNEGIE”), JOBCO INC. (“JOBCO”), ROBERT PASCUCCI (“PASCUCCI”), the sole shareholder of BEDFORD and CARNEGIE and the president of JOBCO, and WARSHAUER MELLUSI WARSHAUER ARCHITECTS, P.C. (“WMW ARCHITECTS”), for violating the Fair Housing Act. The Government alleges that these defendants discriminated against disabled residents of the Sutton Manor condominium in Mount Kisco, New York, by failing to design and construct Sutton Manor so as to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The Fair Housing Act mandates accessibility in design and construction. Through this lawsuit – like the many other similar suits brought by this Office – we intend to hold these defendants accountable for their failure to adhere to the laws that ensure equal access to housing for New Yorkers with disabilities.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court:
The Fair Housing Act’s accessible design and construction provisions require new multifamily housing complexes constructed after January 1993 to have basic features accessible to persons with disabilities.
Sutton Manor is a residential condominium building located in Mount Kisco, New York, that was built and advertised as a “55+ Adult Community” and as being “[Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant.” But the building, a three-story elevator building with 47 units, a community room, and underground and outdoor parking, was designed and constructed with numerous inaccessible features, including insufficient clear opening width at, and excessive force required to operate, the doors to the elevator lobbies, excessively high thresholds at the entrances to the patios or balconies from within individual units and from the community room, insufficient clear opening width of each panel of the double-leaf doors leading to the patio or balcony in individual units, excessively high thresholds at the entrances to showers, and insufficient clear floor space in the hallways and kitchens for maneuvering by persons who use wheelchairs.
Michael and Linda Tracey, Mark and Gloria Koller, and Ina Grober (“Complainants”) each purchased and moved into units at Sutton Manor in 2007. One of the reasons the Kollers, Traceys, and Ms. Grober purchased units at Sutton Manor was because the defendants advertised Sutton Manor as being accessible to persons with disabilities. Ms. Tracey, Ms. Koller, and Ms. Grober each has a disability that limits her mobility. Ms. Tracey uses an electric wheelchair and Ms. Koller and Ms. Grober each use a walker. Between August 2007 and April 2010, the Traceys, Kollers, and Ms. Grober, along with several other unit owners, repeatedly notified the defendants about numerous inaccessible features in the common areas and individual units at Sutton Manor and requested that the accessibility problems be remedied. Despite direct complaints from the residents, demands for a response to their complaints made by Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc., and a lawsuit filed against the defendants by the Westchester County Human Rights Commission, the defendants failed to adequately correct many of the inaccessible features.
The Traceys, Kollers, and Ms. Grober initially filed an administrative complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). Upon investigation, HUD determined that there was reasonable cause to believe that the Fair Housing Act had been violated by BEDFORD, CARNEGIE, and WMW ARCHITECTS. Thereafter, the Traceys, Kollers, and Ms. Grober elected, pursuant to the Fair Housing Act, to have HUD’s determination resolved in federal court.
In these circumstances, the Fair Housing Act authorizes the Department of Justice to commence an action in United States District Court on behalf Complainants. The United States may also assert other claims as warranted. The Complaint is brought on behalf of the Traceys, Kollers, and Ms. Grober against BEDFORD, CARNEGIE, and WMW ARCHITECTS, and on behalf of the United States against BEDFORD, CARNEGIE, WMW ARCHITECTS, JOBCO, and PASCUCCI, and seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and monetary damages for Complainants and other individuals injured by the defendants’ discriminatory conduct.
Mr. Bharara thanked HUD for its efforts in the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine S. Poscablo is in charge of the case.
U.S. Attorney Carol Casto announces forfeiture of over $1 million in structured funds from First National Bank of WilliamsonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Carol Casto announced the filing of a substantial forfeiture action yesterday involving First National Bank of Williamson for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
The Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions to maintain programs that detect and report suspicious activity to prevent money laundering. Under this law, banks must report all cash transactions over $10,000 in Currency Transaction Reports. The Bank Secrecy Act also helps prevent structuring, a federal crime that involves the breaking down of cash banking transactions in amounts of $10,000 or less to avoid triggering a bank’s reporting requirements. Whenever structuring is detected, banks are additionally required to file Suspicious Activity Reports.
Between April 2006 and November 2008, Arthur White, Jr., and other individuals, structured $1.36 million in withdrawals of exactly $10,000 cash from First National Bank of Williamson in order to avoid the mandatory reports. In March 2013, Arthur White pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia to tax evasion and structuring. White admitted that he cashed checks made payable to his companies that held accounts at First National Bank of Williamson. According to the complaint, First National Bank permitted White to pay cash for cashier's checks made payable to himself, without first depositing the money into any account.
White and other individuals would receive exactly $10,000 in cash each time they cashed a check. Then they would purchase a new cashier’s check without depositing any of the money, repeating the process until the entire check had been converted to cash. The cash obtained through this structuring was used to pay wages for some of White’s employees. White, and others at his direction, intentionally conducted these transactions to avoid the bank’s reporting requirements and to evade taxes.
This pattern of structuring should have triggered First National Bank’s reporting requirements. As set forth in the complaint, despite First National Bank's knowledge, it permitted this structuring and failed to report these transactions as required by law. As part of its settlement agreement, First National Bank has agreed not to contest the forfeiture of $1,360,000 to the United States.
The investigation of First National Bank of Williamson was conducted by special agents and law enforcement officers of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Eumi Choi and Eric Bacaj handled the forfeiture action. The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice also provided valuable assistance during the course of the investigation.
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Two Charged in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – One Pennsylvania resident and one New York resident have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of federal narcotics trafficking violations, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The two-count indictment, returned on February 28, named Raymontell Cooper, 42, of West Mifflin, Pa., and Derek Williams, 46, of the Bronx, NY, as the defendants.
According to the indictment, from in or around the beginning of February 2017, and continuing until February 16, 2017, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Raymontell Cooper and Derek Williams conspired to distribute and attempted to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rachael L. Dizard is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration 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.
Toledo man indicted for sex trafficking and exploitation of a minorRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was indicted on charges of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child after taking and advertising sexually explicit photos of a minor on the Internet and facilitating dozens of commercial sex acts, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Lawrence Jones, 29, met via social media a minor who had run away from home. Jones transported the girl to a home on Coventry Avenue in Toledo, where he took nude photographs of her and posted them online, offering commercial sex acts in the Toledo area in January, according to court documents.
The minor performed approximately 25 commercial sex acts, with all the money going to Jones. The minor told Jones several times that she was not yet 18 years old, according to court documents.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Toledo office and the Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Daniel R. Hurley.
An indictment 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.
Toledo man charged with trafficking heroin and cocaineRead the Press Release
A 45-count indictment was unsealed charging a Toledo man with conspiring to traffic heroin and cocaine, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Cornelius Henry, 43, conspired with others from 2011 through 2016 to possess with intent to distribute large amounts of heroin and cocaine.
Henry also possessed at least two firearms despite multiple felony convictions that made it illegal for him to have a firearm. He used the residence at 2214 Airport Highway in Toledo to store and distribute the drugs, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit two properties on Airport Highway, three firearms and ammunition, five automobiles, one motorcycle and $4,020 in cash seized as part of the investigation, as well as a money judgement of at least $182,000, according to the indictment.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Toledo office, the Internal Revenue Service and the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Michael J. Freeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Quad City Area Men Charged with Home Invasion Robbery and Related Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Patrick D. Hansen, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, announced today that three area men are scheduled for trial in April after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging them with a January 2017 home invasion robbery and related gun offenses. Those charged are: Deaunta Tyler, 29 of East Moline; Ledell Tyler, 35 of Silvis, and Dalvent Jackson, 24, of East Moline, Ill.
The indictment alleges that on Jan. 7, 2017, the three men robbed and attempted to take illegal drugs and U.S. currency from other persons in Rock Island County. The men are also charged with possession of firearms, a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun, a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition, which were allegedly discharged, in furtherance of the robbery, and with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Trial for the three men is scheduled on April 17, 2017. The men were previously arrested on state charges on Jan. 8, 2017, and have remained in law enforcement custody. During a court appearance yesterday, before U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow, Deaunta and Ledell Tyler were ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service; Jackson remains detained pending a detention hearing scheduled on March 2.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for the robbery offense is 20 years in prison. The statutory penalty for possessing firearms in furtherance of the robbery and discharging those firearms requires a sentence of at least 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence awarded in the case. The statutory maximum penalty for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon is 10 years in prison. Each offense is also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Allegro and Ryan Finlen. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges for Stealing from Dead Man’s Retirement FundRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A Texas man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to charges related to his scheme to steal more than $545,000 from a retirement account after the account owner and his designated beneficiary both died, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.
DWAYNE ELLIS BAPTISTE, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler to four counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Baptiste lived in Huntsville in 2011 and was acquainted with Ralph Swinehart, who along with his father, Ronald Swinehart, also lived in Huntsville. Ronald Swinehart was a retired employee of Lockheed Martin Corporation and had a retirement savings account through the company. The retirement account was held at ING Institutional Plan Services.
In September 2011, according to Baptiste’s indictment and plea agreement, Ronald Swinehart signed and executed a durable power of attorney naming his son, Ralph Swinehart, as his agent. Ronald Swinehart died on Oct. 11, 2011; his son died twelve days later, on Oct. 23, 2011.
According to the court documents, Baptiste’s fraud scheme proceeded as follows:
Baptiste filed a fraudulent power of attorney with the Madison County Probate Court in October appointing himself as Ronald Swinehart’s agent. He also fraudulently created a company, Swinehart Investment Solutions, in which he claimed Ronald and Ralph Swinehart — both deceased — were members.
Next, in December 2011, Baptiste opened two commercial accounts in the name of Swinehart Investment Solutions at BBVA Compass Bank. Baptiste also changed the beneficiary designation on Ronald Swinehart’s retirement account from Ralph Swinehart to himself, and the bank account information to one of the BBVA accounts he controlled. Baptiste then contacted ING, pretending to be Ronald Swinehart, and received instructions on how to withdraw money from Ronald Swinehart’s retirement account. Baptiste used Ronald Swinehart’s name, Social Security number, and address — committing mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Baptiste then committed wire fraud by directing four transfers, totaling $545,669, from the retirement account to his BBVA account. Subsequently, Baptiste moved the money through different accounts using withdrawals and cashier’s checks.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud and mail fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The penalty for aggravated identity theft is two years in prison, which must be served after completion of any other sentence imposed for an associated crime.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ward and Manu Balachandran are prosecuting.
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –Tomolah Foy, 23, of St. Thomas pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe.
According to the plea agreement, undercover agents purchased crack cocaine from Foy in December 2016 and on three separate occasions in November 2016. All purchases occurred in the Red Hook area of St. Thomas.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez remanded Foy into the custody of the United States Marshals Service. Sentencing is scheduled for July 6, 2017.
Foy faces a maximum sentence of no more than twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Burglarizing a Post OfficeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –Selmo Watts, 34, of St. Thomas pleaded guilty in federal court today to breaking into a Post Office, announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe.
According to the plea agreement, on November 27, 2016, Watts was seen on video surveillance entering the Arthuro A. Watlington, Sr. Post Office in French Town after he forced open a locked door. Watts was then seen carrying at least eight packages from the post office.
Sentencing for Watts is scheduled before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez on July 6, 2017. Watts faces a sentence of no more than five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Southern California Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Embezzlement, and Making False Statements in Connection with Position as Trustee for Pension PlansRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Alan Weissman pleaded guilty today to committing bank fraud, embezzlement from an employee pension benefit plan, and making false statements in documents required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor. The guilty plea follows charges filed by a federal grand jury in February of 2016, including that the defendant stole assets from ERISA plans for which he was supposed to be acting as a trustee.
According to the plea agreement, Weissman, 71, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., served as a professional trustee and fiduciary of pension plans. Weissman admitted that he embezzled money from bank accounts belonging to two of the pension plans for which he was a trustee. Specifically, Weissman admitted he moved money from plan bank accounts to bank accounts under his control, and then used the money for his own purposes. The defendant admitted he did so without the authorization or knowledge of the pension plan owners, their plan sponsors, or their participants. Further, Weissman admitted that he attempted to hide the illegal transactions by falsely recording payments to himself in such a way as to make the payments look like legitimate plan expenses. Weissman also admitted he altered account statements to conceal missing funds. In sum, Weissman admitted embezzling over $750,000 of plan funds.
A grand jury indicted Weissman on February 11, 2016, charging him with five counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344; six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; two counts of theft or embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 664; and one count of making false statements and concealment of facts in relation to documents required by ERISA, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1027. Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Weissman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, the two embezzlement counts, and the false statements and concealment count.
The guilty plea was accepted by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge. Weissman is scheduled to appear for sentencing on June 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty for bank fraud is 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. The maximum statutory penalty for each count in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 664 and 18 U.S.C. § 1027 is 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. Additional periods of supervised release and restitution also apply. 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kingsley is prosecuting the case with assistance from Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the San Francisco Field Office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor.
South Carolina Staffing Company Owner Sentenced for Temporary Worker FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a South Carolina temporary staffing company was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with a multi-year visa fraud conspiracy that placed unauthorized foreign workers at multiple Cape Cod businesses.
Mavadene Thomas, 42, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Sarris to three years of probation, the first year to be served in home confinement, forfeiture of $37,000 and a fine of $4,000. In June 2016, Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and one count of encouraging and inducing illegal immigration for private financial gain.
“By securing H-2B visas for foreign workers through fraud, Thomas created a permanent labor pool of unauthorized immigrants, who took jobs that should have gone to American citizens or authorized immigrants,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb.
“This joint investigation with our law enforcement partners uncovered a fraudulent scheme that manipulated the H2B visa process and took advantage of visa beneficiaries and U.S. businesses,” said David W. Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the visa process, the security of the homeland, and protecting the American work force.”
Thomas owned and operated Zippi Help LLC – a labor staffing company located in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Zippi Help had staffing contracts with businesses – primarily in the service and hospitality industry – for which it provided temporary and seasonal workers. From 2011 through 2014, secured H-2B visas for numerous foreign workers by submitting fraudulent visa petitions on behalf of several Cape Cod area businesses. The petitioning businesses often times were unaware that had applied for H-2B visas on their behalf. As part of the fraud, even created fake companies solely to be able to petition for the foreign worker visas.
Among the false statements Thomas included in her H-2B filings were misrepresentations about the details of the petitioning business, the efforts made by the business to recruit American workers, the number of employment vacancies available, and the type of work to be completed. Thomas also created and submitted false tax returns and other business documentation in support of the H-2B petitions.
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire foreign nationals to fill employee vacancies that the company is unable to fill with U.S. citizens or others legally authorized to work in the country. The visa program is not intended for permanent work, and is designed to help U.S. businesses that have temporary, seasonal, peak load, or intermittent needs. As part of the application process, petitioning businesses must demonstrate that (i) the need for the foreign worker’s services is only temporary, (ii) that there is not a sufficient number of U.S. citizen workers who are willing, able, and qualified to perform the temporary work, and (iii) that the employment of the foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages or working conditions of similarly situated U.S. citizen workers.
Through Thomas’s false filings, she represented to multiple federal agencies involved in the approval process that the foreign nationals were going to work temporarily at the Cape Cod area businesses. However, once the workers entered the U.S., they were sent to work for other businesses with which Thomas and Zippi Help had staffing contracts. After the H-2B workers’ authorized stay expired, Thomas frequently filed false documentation on their behalf to convert their immigration status to that of a visitor, which specifically forbade them from working. Thomas knew these workers were not allowed to work at her company, but nevertheless continued to employ them.
Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb and DSS SAC Hall made the announcement. Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation, New York Regional Office; and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service assisted with the investigation. Assistance was also provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, Vermont Service Center. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Six indicted for drug conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of 17 kilograms of cocaine and $511,000Read the Press Release
Six people were indicted in federal court for their roles in a drug conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of 17 kilograms of cocaine and more than $500,000 in cash, law enforcement officials said.
Named in the seven-count indictment are: Marty V. McCaulley, 42, of Lyndhurst; Carl D. Penny, 50, of Oldsmar, Florida; Adolfo Maya Magadan, 58, of Glenn Heights, Texas; Renee Ballin Serna, 24, of Chicago; Omar S. Williams, 41, of South Euclid, and Paul V. Cramer, 44, of Willowick.
All six are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. McCaulley and Williams are also charged with being felons in possession of firearms.
Magadan brought cocaine to Ohio and Serna sold it to McCaulley for further distribution. McCaulley met with Serna on Feb. 3 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Willoughby Hills and give him $110,000 in cash. Magadan then gave six kilograms of cocaine to Serna, who gave the drugs to McCaulley. McCaulley then distributed a kilogram of cocaine to Cramer, according to the indictment
McCaulley and Serna then met with Penny at an apartment in Willoughby Hills. Penny had digital scales, plastic bags, rubber bands and $103,100 in cash.
Williams had nearly eight kilograms of cocaine and $210,041 in cash at a residence in South Euclid on Feb. 4, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are seeking for forfeit $511,734 in cash, four firearms and a 2011 Jeep Wrangler seized during the investigation.
“The amount of cocaine, cash and guns taken off this group is remarkable,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “It demonstrates they were serious drug traffickers, but law enforcement from across Northeast Ohio was able to work together to stop them.”
Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “The seizure of 17 kilograms of cocaine and over half a million dollars from this group indicates that they were part of a large, multi-state conspiracy. Putting an end to their activities makes everyone in the region a little bit safer. The success of the investigation up to this point has been made possible thanks to the significant cooperation among all of our law enforcement partners.”
“The fact that several people from out of state are among those facing federal charges should send a strong message that Ohio is looking beyond the local drug dealers to identify suspects higher up in the supply chain,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “These defendants allegedly worked together to distribute drugs throughout northeast Ohio, and I commend everyone involved in this effort who worked to intercept these narcotics.”
“Through the combined efforts, hard work and dedication of agents from the Medina County Drug Task Force, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Cleveland DEA, what began as a 'community impact' investigation centered on Medina County evolved into an investigation of a much larger scale,” said Gary Hubbard, director of the Medina County Drug Task Force. “Each of the investigators involved worked countless hours to bring this investigation to a successful resolution. The impact on Medina County and all of northeastern Ohio will be significant.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Medina County Drug Task Force and the Ohio State Highway Patrol with assistance from members of the Lake County Narcotics Agency, Cuyahoga Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Cleveland Division of Police, Lorain County Drug Task Force, Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office and Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
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.
Six Defendants with Gang Ties Charged as Additional Members of an Interstate Gun Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
A third superseding indictment was unsealed today in United States District Court in Brooklyn charging Richard Almarez, also known as “Rated R,” Terrell Brown, also known as “Rellz,” Tislam Cato, also known as “Vietnam,” Shaheem Evans, also known as “Sha,” Joseph Isar Ras, also known as “Bada Boom,” and Elvin Sanabria, also known as “Rico,” as members of a conspiracy to deal in firearms, along with six other defendants who were previously charged. The indictment was returned under seal by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2017, and relates to the defendants’ alleged participation in a gun-trafficking operation that was responsible for transporting more than 70 firearms from Georgia to New York between October 2015 and June 2016. At least seven of the firearms that were illegally acquired and distributed by the operation have been recovered by law enforcement officers in the New York area.
The charges were announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and James O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
The gun-trafficking operation was run by members and associates of the Gangsta Killa Bloods (GKB), a set of the Bloods street gang, who relied on “straw buyers” (individuals who were lawfully able to purchase firearms) to purchase firearms in Georgia that were then transported to New York, where the newly charged defendants illegally sold them to criminal associates for profit.
Previously, on June 16, 2016, a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned an indictment in this case charging straw buyers Micah Isaiah Desuze, Dominique Chanel Fairnot, Jeremy Sanchez, Ashanti Sease-Matthews, and Omar Jermaine Walker with conspiracy to deal in firearms and to make false statements to acquire firearms, as well as substantive counts of making false statements to acquire firearms. The government’s investigation revealed that the straw buyers, several of whom were current or former members of the United States military, lied on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Forms 4473 by certifying that they were not purchasing the firearms on behalf of other people.
On June 22, 2016, a superseding indictment was filed charging the same straw purchasers and Marquez Bridges, also known as “Tega,” an Atlanta-based GKB member and gun-trafficking facilitator, with conspiracy to deal in firearms and to make false statements to acquire firearms. On November 22, 2016, a second superseding indictment was filed charging the previously-charged defendants (with the exception of Fairnot, who pled guilty before the second superseding indictment was filed) and Bonnay Benford, also known as “Popalot,” a New York-based GKB member and gun trafficking facilitator, with conspiracy to deal in firearms and to make false statements to acquire firearms.
For their role as gun distributors in the gun-trafficking operation, the six newly charged defendants face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment for conspiring to deal in firearms, the sole count with which they are charged in the third superseding indictment. The defendants who acted as straw buyers face maximum sentences of five years’ imprisonment on each of the two conspiracy counts, and maximum sentences of ten years’ imprisonment on each of the substantive counts of making a false statement to acquire firearms with which they are charged. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rena Paul and Margaret E. Gandy.
The Defendants:
RICHARD ALMAREZ
Age: 42
Westchester, New York
BONNAY BENFORD
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New York
MARQUEZ BRIDGES
Age: 26
Atlanta, Georgia
TERRELL BROWN
Age: 34
Miami, Florida
TISLAM CATO
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New York
MICAH ISAIAH DESUZE
Age: 25
Atlanta, Georgia
SHAHEEM EVANS
Age: 41
Bronx, New York
JOSEPH ISAR RAS
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New York
ELVIN SANABRIA
Age: 29
Englewood, New Jersey
JEREMY SANCHEZ
Age: 27
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
ASHANTI SEASE-MATTHEWS
Age: 23
Atlanta, Georgia
OMAR JERMAINE WALKER
Age: 29
Savannah, Georgia
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-326 (ARR)
Seven Baltimore City Police Officers Arrested for Abusing Power in Federal Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
“Criminals Who Work in Police Agencies Unfairly Tarnish Honorable Officers”
Baltimore, Maryland – Federal agents arrested seven Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) officers today for a racketeering conspiracy and racketeering offenses, including robbery, extortion, and overtime fraud. The indictment was returned on February 23, 2017, and unsealed today following the execution of arrest and search warrants. One of the officers also was charged in a separate drug conspiracy indictment, also unsealed today.
The indictments were announced by Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.
“This is not about aggressive policing, it is about a criminal conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Prosecuting criminals who work in police agencies is essential both to protect victims and to support the many honorable officers whose reputations they unfairly tarnish.”
“As evidenced by these indictments the FBI will continue to make rooting out corruption at all levels one of its top criminal priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson, FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Coupled with strong leadership by Commissioner Davis and his department, this investigation has dismantled a group of police officers who were besmirching the good name of the Baltimore City Police Department.”
“The police officers charged today with crimes that erode trust with our community have disgraced the Baltimore Police Department and our profession," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis. "We will not shy away from accountability, as our community and the men and women who serve our City every day with pride and integrity deserve nothing less. Our investigative partnership with the FBI will continue as we strive to improve. Reform isn't always a pretty thing to watch unfold, but it's necessary in our journey toward a police department our City deserves."
DEFENDANTS
The officers charged in the racketeering indictment are:
Detective Momodu Bondeva Kenton Gondo, a/k/a GMoney and Mike, age 34, of
Owings Mills, Maryland; Detective Evodio Calles Hendrix, age 32, of Randallstown, Maryland; Detective Daniel Thomas Hersl, age 47, of Joppa, Maryland; Sergeant Wayne Earl Jenkins, age 36, of Middle River, Maryland; Detective Jemell Lamar Rayam, age 36, of Owings Mills; Detective Marcus Roosevelt Taylor, age 30, of Glen Burnie; and
Detective Maurice Kilpatrick Ward, age 36, of Middle River.A separate indictment alleges that Detective Gondo joined a drug-dealing conspiracy. In addition to Gondo, the other indictment charges: Antonio Shropshire, a/k/a Brill, B, and Tony, age 31, of Baltimore; Omari Thomas, a/k/a Lil’ Bril, Lil B, and Chewy, age 25, of Middle River; Antoine Washington, a/k/a Twan, age 27, of Baltimore; Alexander Campbell, a/k/a Munch, age 28, of Baltimore; and
Glen Kyle Wells, a/k/a Lou, and Kyle, age 31, of Baltimore.RACKETEERING INDICTMENT
The racketeering indictment alleges that the police officers stole money, property and narcotics from victims, some of whom had not committed crimes; swore out false affidavits; submitted false official incident reports; and engaged in large-scale time and attendance fraud.
Count One, racketeering conspiracy, alleges robbery and extortion violations committed by the defendants in 2015 and 2016 when they were officers in the police department’s Gun Trace Task Force, a specialized unit created to investigate firearms crimes.
Count Two, a substantive racketeering charge, alleges those crimes as well as several incidents of robbery and extortion committed by five of the seven defendants beginning in 2015, before they joined the task force. Four of the defendants previously worked together in another police unit; a fifth defendant was working in a separate unit during the earlier incidents.
In some cases, there was no evidence of criminal conduct by the victims; the officers stole money that had been earned lawfully. In other instances, narcotics and firearms were recovered from arrestees. In several instances, the defendants did not file any police reports. The amounts stolen ranged from $200 to $200,000.
According to the indictment, the defendants schemed to steal money, property, and narcotics by detaining victims, entering residences, conducting traffic stops, and swearing out false search warrant affidavits. In addition, the defendants allegedly prepared and submitted false official incident and arrest reports, reports of property seized from arrestees, and charging documents. The false reports concealed the fact that the officers had stolen money, property and narcotics from individuals.
The indictment alleges that the defendants obstructed law enforcement by alerting each other about potential investigations of their criminal conduct, coaching one another to give false testimony to investigators from the Internal Investigations Division of the BPD, and turning off their body cameras to avoid recording encounters with civilians. Finally, the indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded the BPD and the State of Maryland by submitting false time and attendance records in order to obtain salary and overtime payments for times when the defendants did not work.
For example, according to the indictment, on July 8, 2016, Rayam submitted an affidavit for a search warrant which falsely stated that he, Jenkins and Gondo had conducted a full day of surveillance at the residence of two victims. Later that day, Rayam, Gondo and Hersl conducted a traffic stop of the victims during which Rayam allegedly stole $3,400 in cash. Rayam, Gondo and Hersl then transported the victims to a BPD off-site facility. In a telephone call, Jenkins told Gondo that he would meet them at the facility and that they should introduce Jenkins as the U.S. Attorney. When Jenkins arrived, he told one of the victims that he was a federal officer. Jenkins and Rayam asked the victim if he had any money in his residence, and the victim said he had $70,000 in cash. Jenkins, Rayam, Gondo and Hersl then transported the victims back to their home. In the master bedroom closet, the officers located two heat sealed bundles – one containing $50,000 and the other containing $20,000 in $100 bills. Jenkins, Rayam, Gondo and Hersl stole the $20,000 bundle. Gondo and Rayam later argued about how to divide the stolen money. On July 11, 2016, Gondo deposited $8,000 in cash into his checking account.
Three days after the robbery, on July 11, 2016, Jenkins went on vacation with his family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, staying until July 16, 2016. The indictment alleges that Jenkins falsely claimed he worked overtime on five of the six days he was on vacation. That same week, Gondo called Rayam and said that working for the BPD was “easy money” and that “one hour can be eight hours,” referring to working for one hour and then claiming eight hours on official time and attendance records.
In another episode alleged in the Indictment, on September 7, 2016, Rayam described to Gondo how he had told Jenkins that he only “taxed” a detainee a “little bit,” referring to stealing some but not all of the detainee’s drug proceeds. Rayam said that they had not arrested the victim, so he “won’t say nothing.” Rayam told Gondo that he had to give Wayne Jenkins $100 of the money stolen from the victim. The victim was not charged.
DRUG INDICTMENT
In a separate seven-count indictment, Gondo, Shropshire, Thomas, Washington, Campbell and Wells are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin as part of the Shropshire drug trafficking organization (DTO). Washington is charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin resulting in death; Shropshire, Gondo, and Campbell are charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin; and Shropshire is also charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. According to the indictment, the conspirators primarily distributed heroin near the Alameda Shopping Center in Baltimore.
In one telephone call, Detective Gondo allegedly said, “I sell drugs.” In addition to selling heroin, Gondo provided sensitive law enforcement information to other conspirators in order to help the DTO and protect his co-conspirators. For example, Gondo helped Shropshire get rid of a GPS tracking device that had been placed on his vehicle by DEA. Gondo also advised Wells about law enforcement operations in order to protect Wells from being arrested.
CONCLUSION
Anyone who believes they may have information about these cases is urged to call 1-800-CALL FBI (1-800-225-5324).
The seven defendants charged in the racketeering conspiracy each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy and for racketeering. The defendants are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore later today.
Shropshire, Washington, and Campbell each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for conspiracy to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin. Gondo, Wells and Thomas each face a mandatory five years and up to 40 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin. Washington faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for distribution of heroin resulting in death. Shropshire, Gondo, and Campbell also face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
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 FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in both investigations, and the DEA for its work in the drug investigation. U.S. Attorney Rosenstein also recognized the Baltimore County Police Department and Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the racketeering case. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Derek E. Hines, who are prosecuting these Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force cases.
Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a Rockford Bank and a Coin StoreRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man pleaded guilty today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to bank robbery, robbery affecting interstate commerce and a related firearm charge.
DAVID J. SANDERS, 33, pleaded guilty to the robbery of BMO Harris Bank, 1480 S. Alpine Rd., Rockford, on May 31, 2016, and the robbery of Rockford Coin and Stamps, 4402 Center Terr., Rockford, on June 11, 2016, and to using and carrying a Remington pistol-grip shotgun in furtherance of the coin store robbery.
Sanders, who has been in custody since his arrest on June 14, 2016, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., before Judge Kapala.
The guilty plea was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Dan O’Shea, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The investigation was conducted under the auspices of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which includes representatives from the FBI; U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Loves Park Police Department; Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department; and Rockford Police Department.
According to a written plea agreement, on May 31, 2016, Sanders attempted to rob a different BMO Harris Bank branch, located at 2510 South Alpine Rd. in Rockford. Sanders approached the branch manager and pulled a note out of his pocket that stated he had a gun and demanded money. However, when a bank employee came out of an employee door into the lobby, Sanders took the note and walked out of the bank. A short time later, Sanders entered the BMO Harris Bank at 1480 S. Alpine, approached the teller counter and was greeted by the bank manager. Sanders handed the bank manager a note that stated, “I have a gun give me 1000.” The bank manager said she could not give Sanders money, and when she attempted to keep the note, Sanders took it away from the manager and said, “I want $1,000.” The manager opened the teller drawer and gave Sanders $2,260. Sanders then left the bank.
Sanders further admitted in the plea agreement that on June 11, 2016, he entered the coin store, walked behind the display counter and obtained a Remington pistol-grip shotgun - with five live shells attached to the side of it - that belonged to the store. Sanders admitted that while holding the shotgun he demanded money from an employee. An employee gave Sanders approximately $500. Sanders then fled with the money and the shotgun.
Each count of bank robbery and robbery affecting interstate commerce carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from that offense, whichever is greater, plus full restitution.
The charge of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The sentence imposed for this charge must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.
Rochester Woman Sentenced on Sex Trafficking ChargeRead 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 Jodia Campbell, 35, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of transporting individuals across state lines with intent that the individuals engage in illegal sex acts, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany H. Lee and Melissa M. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that in April 2013, Campbell transported an adult from New York to the State of New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
Campbell was arrested in April 2014 along with Laree Greggs and Jennifer Miller. Greggs and Miller have been convicted and were sentenced to 80 months and 70 months in prison respectively.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
Postal Employee Charged with Stealing Rx Meds Meant for VeteransRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of Theft of Mail by Postal Employee, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on February 28, named Gregory M. Schur, 36, of Duquesne, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, Gregory M. Schur was an employee of the United States Postal Service. From in and around May 2016 to on or about August 15, 2016, Schur stole packages containing prescription medication addressed to customers of the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System and first-class mail containing U.S. currency.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 5 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 Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Postal Employee Charged with Stealing Cash from a Greeting CardRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of mail by a postal employee, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on February 28, named LoreLei Lantz, 51, of Elrama, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, LoreLei Lantz was an employee of the United States Postal Service at the time she stole $60.00 in U.S. currency from a greeting card that was to be conveyed by mail.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 5 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 Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
People, Technology and Processes, LLC and Its Principals Pay $320,000 to Resolve False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that People, Technology and Processes, LLC (“PTP”), Victor Buonamia, and Nicole Buonamia have paid the government $320,000 to resolve allegations that they submitted improper invoices for work allegedly performed for the United States in support of the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
PTP is an information technology and professional services company located in Lakeland, Florida. Victor Buonamia is the President and CEO of PTP, and Nicole Buonamia is the CFO. During 2011 and 2012, PTP was a subcontractor to the prime contractor on a government contract awarded by the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command through the Strategic Sources Services (“S3”) Program.
As a subcontractor, PTP submitted invoices for its services to the prime contractor, who then paid those invoices and, in turn, billed those costs to the United States, which paid them. PTP and its principals were aware that PTP was a subcontractor on a United States government contract and that PTP’s bills would ultimately be presented to and paid by the United States.
Between November 2011 and June 2012, PTP submitted invoices that were signed by Victor Buonamia and/or Nicole Buonamia for work allegedly done by PTP employees in Afghanistan under the S3 Contract; however, some of that work was not actually performed. Specifically, during that period, PTP submitted invoices for one employee while he was in another country on R&R for a month, billed for another employee for several weeks after PTP terminated him and flew him back to U.S., and billed one or more weeks for two other employees before they actually started working for PTP. In all, PTP improperly billed $127,990.90 for work never performed by those employees.
“While healthcare fraud recoveries are an important focus of this office, we pay equal attention to investigating fraud in government procurement, including defense spending,” stated U.S. Attorney Bentley. “No matter their size, government contractors and subcontractors who improperly seek or obtain payment from the United States will be investigated, prosecuted, and made to repay their ill-gotten gains.”
“This settlement demonstrates the continued commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our partners to enforce laws intended to protect the integrity of U.S. Department of Defense programs,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “All contractors and subcontractors, who are ultimately paid with American taxpayer dollars, will be held accountable for submitting fraudulent claims to the Government.”
This settlement resolves allegations in a lawsuit filed by relator Aidan Tamer Toprakci in February 2013. That suit was filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which authorizes private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Toprakci was employed by PTP in 2012 and disclosed certain of the conduct internally to PTP. The relator has received $64,000.00 from the proceeds of the settlement.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Harden. The case was investigated by the Tampa Resident Agency of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Commands Major Procurement Fraud Unit, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
The lawsuit was filed in the Middle District of Florida, and is captioned United States ex rel. Toprakci v. People Technology and Processes, LLC, Victor Buonamia, and Nicole Buonamia, Case No. 8:13-cv-432-T-33-MAP (M.D. Fla.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Palo Alto Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Murder-For-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ulices Cazarez was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for seeking to hire someone to murder his accuser in a sexual harassment case, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.
Cazarez, 39, of East Palo Alto, pleaded guilty on December 6, 2016. A civil sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against Cazarez in late May 2015. According to his plea agreement, Cazarez admitted that in June 2015 he was willing to pay thousands of dollars to have his accuser murdered. The plea agreement describes the process by which Cazarez discussed prices as high as $40,000 with certain individuals. Ultimately, Cazarez met with an undercover agent (UC) with the ATF. On June 12, 2015, the UC posed as a hitman and met with the defendant in the parking lot of the Stonestown Mall in San Francisco to discuss the killing. The two negotiated a price for the murder and Cazarez told the UC that he would obtain the address for the intended victim within days. Federal agents and task force officers arrested Cazarez on June 26, 2015. On July 9, 2015, a federal grand jury indicted Cazarez for use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958.
The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge, in San Francisco. In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott D. Joiner and William Frentzen prosecuted the case with the assistance of Christine Tian, Lance Libatique, and Yanira Osorio. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
Pair of USP Lee Inmates Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Possessing Illegal WeaponsRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A pair of inmates at United States Penitentiary Lee County in Jonesville were sentenced during separate hearings earlier this week for illegally possessing weapons inside the prison, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced today.
Thomas B. Lewis, 33, and Larry Brown, 22, both inmates at USP Lee, each previously pled guilty to possessing illegal weapons. They were sentenced earlier this week in separate hearings to additional time in federal prison after they were found in possession of homemade, illegal weapons, otherwise known as “shanks.”
Lewis was sentenced to an additional 27 months in federal prison. Brown was sentenced to an additional six months in prison and six months in a halfway house.
The investigation of the case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Oneida County BombingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Keith Seppi, age 58, of Conneaut, Ohio, pled guilty today to using a destructive device during and in relation to a crime of violence and possessing a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled in U.S. District Court on July 5, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. before United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Seppi will be sentenced to at least 30 years of imprisonment.
As part of his guilty plea, Seppi admitted that he built a bomb at his Ohio home that would be activated by motion and disguised it to look like a standard parcel package. He admitted that he brought the bomb from Ohio to Floyd, Oneida County, New York, where he put it in the victim’s driveway around midnight on May 28, 2016, intending that it would explode when it was moved. The next morning, the victim attempted to pick up the package and the bomb exploded, causing severe injuries and burns. The victim survived but was hospitalized for several weeks.
In his plea agreement, Seppi also admitted that in May 2016, and prior to the bombing, he had learned that the victim, Alan Dobransky, had accused Seppi’s sister-in-law of stealing money from Dobransky’s mother and had threatened to report the alleged thefts to law enforcement authorities in Ohio. Dobransky’s mother had been living with and cared for by that sister-in-law in her Conneaut, Ohio, residence. Shortly after learning of the theft accusations against his sister-in-law, and the threat to report the alleged thefts to local law enforcement authorities in Ohio, Seppi constructed the bomb and later planted it in Dobransky’s driveway in New York.
United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian stated: "The defendant’s building and use of a lethal bomb, as part of a plan to intimidate and prevent the victim from reporting a theft to the police, was a terrifying and despicable crime that requires the lengthy prison sentence that he will receive. I am grateful for the nearly miraculous survival of the victim, as well as the effective investigation by law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels, resulting in the quick identification and prosecution of the defendant."
ATF Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict stated: "Keith Seppi committed a targeted, cowardly attack against Mr. Dobransky with a destructive device disguised as a package, which was intended to inflict, at a minimum, severe injury. His motive was to prevent Mr. Dobransky from reporting crimes committed by Seppi's sister-in-law. Such acts of violence will not be tolerated. Thanks to the superb efforts of the ATF Special Agents, Sheriff's Deputies, and New York State Police Investigators involved in the investigation, Seppi was quickly apprehended. Today’s plea is a testament to the quality and comprehensiveness of their investigation. We extend our well wishes to Mr. Dobransky and his family, and our gratitude to the United States Attorney's Office and the Oneida County District Attorney's Office for their partnership and diligence in seeing that justice is done."
Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara stated: "I would first like to recognize the victim, Alan Dobransky, as we all continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery from the injuries sustained as a result of this bombing.
"I would like to thank all of the members of local, state and federal law enforcement who spent countless hours to identify the perpetrators of this heinous attack and bring them to justice. In particular, I would like to thank the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Special Investigations, City of Utica Police Department, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Ashtabula Sheriff and Prosecutor (OH), Conneaut Police (OH).
"I would also like to thank U.S. Attorney Rick Hartunian and his Office, particularly Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steve Green and Nico Commandeur, for taking the lead on the investigation of federal charges against Keith Seppi and sending the strong and clear message that persons involved in the production and deployment of improvised explosive devices will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws.
"I would also like to recognize First Assistant District Attorney Dawn Lupi and Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone for all of the hard work that went into securing convictions for Keith Seppi, Cindy Shields and Donna Seppi in Oneida County Court for violations of New York State law. The success of this investigation is the direct result of the cooperation that occurred between all of the law enforcement agencies involved."
Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol said stated: "Premeditated acts of violence such as this will not be tolerated in our community. I cannot thank those at the local, state, and federal levels enough who worked tirelessly, side by side with us from the day of the bombing right up until today, to insure that every possible resource was utilized to bring this complex case to a successful conclusion."
New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II stated: "This defendant knowingly plotted and planned to do serious harm to a New York State Corrections Officer and should be punished to the fullest extent for this heinous act. The New York State Police, along with our law enforcement partners at all levels, remain committed to ensuring the safety of all of our citizens and will work diligently to identify these types of threats and stop those who seek to cause to harm others. Such premeditated attacks will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
At sentencing, Seppi faces at least 30 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen C. Green and Nico Commandeur.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAQUILLE PEARSON, 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2016, officers from the New Haven Police Department executed a search and seizure warrant at PEARSON’s residence on Button Street in New Haven. In the residence, an officer encountered PEARSON who was holding a sneaker that contained a loaded 9mm pistol. A subsequent search of the residence also revealed a .380 handgun that was hidden in another sneaker.
Prior to June 2016, PEARSON was convicted of state felony offenses, including carrying a dangerous weapon and third degree burglary. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2017, at which time PEARSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. PEARSON has been detained since his arrest on June 30, 2016.
This matter is being investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Markle.
McDonald Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm and Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The three-count indictment named Mackenzie Cole Roberts, age 24, of McDonald, PA, as the sole defendant.
Federal law makes it illegal for a fugitive, or an unlawful user of a controlled substance, to possess a firearm or ammunition. The indictment alleges that Roberts was both on March 13, 2016, when he possessed a loaded derringer firearm. Specifically, the indictment alleges that he was wanted by Tennessee and North Carolina and was an unlawful user and/or addicted to heroin. The indictment further alleges that on March 13, 2016, Roberts possessed heroin.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 21 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000.00, and the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
During a detention hearing in this matter, evidence was presented that Roberts had his young child in the car along with heroin, a gun and ammunition on March 13, 2016. A DEA Task Force Officer explained in court that Roberts potentially faces additional drug charges for allegedly selling heroin that resulted in the death of the user. Roberts remains in federal custody pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Canonsburg Police Department, the McDonald Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime.
An Indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Marshall Belden, of Canton, indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
A Canton man was indicted on child pornography charges, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Marshall Belden, Jr., 69, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Belden on Oct. 24, 2016 knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and which files had been shipped and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. On Jan. 26, 2017, Belden possessed a computer and an external hard drive, each of which contained child pornography, 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 violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Canton office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department.
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.
Marion Fireworks Company Pleads Guilty to SmugglingRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Winston David Holliday, Jr. (803) 920-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Atlas Importers, Inc., a fireworks company based in Marion, pled guilty in federal court in Florence on Tuesday to Smuggling, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 545. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the company at a later date.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that between November 2013 and late 2016, Atlas Importers repeatedly imported unapproved fireworks for sale in the United States. These fireworks were omitted from invoices to conceal their presence in shipping containers. Many of the fireworks had been modified to change the powder ratios from what had been approved. Essentially, the effect powders were increased and the launch powders decreased.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and supervised release of five years.
The case was investigated by agents of the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Transportation. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr. of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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Manchester Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced today that Ryan Freeman, 27, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery. Freeman was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, which will begin when he is released from prison.
Information based on court filings and statements made at the change of plea hearing established that Freeman entered the TD Bank on South River Road in Bedford, New Hampshire on July 26, 2015. He approached a teller, demanded $10,000, and threatened to blow her brains out if she did not comply. The teller provided a sum of money to Freeman and he left the bank. Witnesses saw him leave the bank in a gold Volvo, which was later recovered after being abandoned near Exit 4 on Interstate 293. Images from the bank clearly established that Freeman committed the robbery.
The case was investigated by the Bedford Police Department with the assistance of the Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police Forensics Laboratory and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.
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Man pleads guilty to identity theftRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daniel Aaron Stone, 36, currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Beckley, was convicted for aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Stone admitted to having social security numbers of people for the intended use of filing false tax returns. Stone pled guilty today in federal court to two counts of “Aggravated Identity Theft.” He faces up to four years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service and the Special Investigative Services Unit of the Bureau of Prisons investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Man Arrested for Arson at the U.S. Navy and Marine Recruitment CenterRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Spencer Wayne Allen, 25, was arrested on February 28, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously damaging the U.S. Navy and Marine Recruitment Center by means of fire, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced today. The U.S. Navy and Marine Recruitment Center is located in the Nisky Shopping Center, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Allen made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller. Today, after a preliminary hearing, the court found that there was probable cause to believe that Allen committed the offense and ordered Allen detained pending trial.
According to the complaint, the Virgin Islands Territory Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) received a 911 call for a fire at the Nisky Shopping Center in the early morning hours of February 28, 2017. The Virgin Islands Police Department and Fire Service responded to the call to find the U.S. Navy and Marine Recruitment Center engulfed in flames. As a result, the U.S. Navy and Marine Recruitment Center was completely destroyed. The Police and Fire Departments also responded to two related fires: one at the Ron De Lugo Federal Courthouse and another at the U.S. Coast Guard Station.
Arson, or maliciously damaging federal property by means of fire, carries a sentence of not less than 5 years in prison and up to a maximum term of 20 years.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Department of Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Virgin Islands Territory Emergency Management Agency, Virgin Islands Police Department, and the Virgin Islands Fire Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tasheika Hinson.
United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Leader of Sunland Park Heroin Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Raymundo Munoz, 69, of Sunland Park, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to heroin trafficking charges resulting from a DEA-led investigation targeting a heroin trafficking ring operating out of Sunland Park, N.M. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Munoz will be sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
The investigation targeted a heroin trafficking organization led by Munoz that obtained its heroin from Juan Francisco Rivera, 60, of El Paso, Tex. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
Ten members of the heroin trafficking ring are charged in a 30-count indictment with participation in a heroin trafficking conspiracy and a series of substantive heroin trafficking offenses. The indictment charged all ten defendants with conspiring to distribute heroin in Doña Ana County and elsewhere between May 8, 2016 and July 12, 2016. It also included 23 counts charging certain defendants with distributing heroin or possessing heroin with intent to distribute and six counts charging certain defendants with using communications devices (telephones) to facilitate heroin trafficking crimes.
According to the indictment, Rivera routinely supplied Muñoz with heroin, in quantities ranging from two to nine ounces, which was smuggled by couriers into the United States across the international border in El Paso. Muñoz took the heroin to his Sunland Park residence where he distributed the drugs to others. Members of the conspiracy used telephones to negotiate their heroin deals, arrange for heroin deliveries, and pay for the heroin.
During today’s proceedings, Munoz pled guilty to conspiracy and distribution of heroin. In entering the guilty plea, Munoz admitted to conspiring with Rivera and others to distribute approximately 119 ounces of heroin between April and July 2016, using female body carriers who would cross heroin from Mexico into the United States to give to Rivera who would then give the heroin to Munoz. Munoz also admitted that on dates from April 10, 2016, through July 11, 2016, he facilitated the sale and delivery of more than 64 grams of heroin to other individuals. Munoz’s plea agreement indicated that on July 11, 2016, Blanca Elisa Tovar, 42, of El Paso, Texas, smuggled seven ounces of heroin to the United States, intending to deliver the heroin to Rivera. However, Tovar, Rivera and Munoz were arrested and agents subsequently seized approximately $52,304, several ounces of heroin and a firearm from Munoz’s vehicle and residence. Munoz remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
The following five defendants previously entered guilty pleas in the case:
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Alberto Lozano-Morales, 43, of Sunland Park, pled guilty on Dec. 6, 2016, and faces a sentence of a year and a day in prison under the terms of his plea agreement;
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Tovar, pled guilty on Dec. 13, 2016, and faces a sentence of 24 months in prison under the terms of her plea agreement;
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Carlos Diaz, 38, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty on Jan. 24, 2017, and faces a sentence of 18 months under the terms of his plea agreement;
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Juan Francisco Rivera pled guilty on Feb. 7, 2017, and faces a sentence of 108 months in prison under the terms of his plea agreement; and
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Armando Daniel Marquez, 54 of Sunland Park, N.M., pled guilty on Feb. 23, 2017, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years under the terms of his plea agreement.
Three of the four remaining co-defendants have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment; the fourth has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive. Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Las Cruces office of the DEA and Sunland Police Department investigated these cases with assistance from the El Paso office of the FBI, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Gang Unit of the El Paso Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin C. Segovia and Renee L. Camacho of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting these cases 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.
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Laurens Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Local StoreRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Iquill Wayne Morrison, age 22, of Laurens, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville to obstruction of commerce by robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951; and to use of a firearm during a crime of violence, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Morrison faces a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence in federal prison. Morrison was arrested on the federal charges on November 28, 2016, and has remained in jail since that time.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on August 25, 2016, Morrison entered the Drug-Lo Pharmacy in Laurens and robbed the employees of money while he was brandishing a firearm.
Agents from the Laurens City Police Department, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
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Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Narcotics and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Eric Steven Ontiveros, 33, of Las Cruces, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the federal narcotics and firearms laws. Ontiveros entered the guilty plea without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Ontiveros was arrested on April 6, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing distribution quantities of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm on Oct. 5, 2015, in Doña Ana County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers discovered approximately 112.19 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia in Ontiveros’ vehicle during a routine traffic stop.
Ontiveros was indicted on the same charges on July 20, 2016. According to the indictment, Ontiveros was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. During today’s proceedings, Ontiveros pled guilty to the indictment.
At sentencing, Ontiveros faces a statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison on the methamphetamine charge and a maximum statutory penalty of ten years on the firearms charge. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force/Metro Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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.
Ladson Man Arrested on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105
Columbia, South Carolina-------United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Robert Mansfield, 60, of Ladson, South Carolina, has been arrested on federal charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. Mansfield made an initial appearance in federal court this afternoon and a detention hearing and preliminary hearing have been scheduled for 11 a.m. on March 3, 2017.
The case is being investigated by Special Agents with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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KC Man Sentenced After Stealing Firearm from Vehicle at Liberty Community CenterRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm that he stole from a vehicle in the parking lot of the Liberty Community Center in Liberty, Mo.
Jeffrey L. Ducksworth, 36, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, to six years in federal prison without parole.
Ducksworth pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2016, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Ducksworth stole a Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol from a car parked at the Liberty Community Center on June 30, 2015.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. At the time of the theft, Ducksworth was on felony supervision through the state of Mississippi for burglary of an auto and fraudulent use of a credit card. Subsequent to this federal offense, Duckworth was convicted in state court of receiving stolen property in Clay County, Mo., and of stealing a credit card in Platte County, Mo.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph W. Vanover. It was investigated by the Liberty, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to Resolve Disability Discrimination ComplaintRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve a complaint that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) discriminated against a job applicant on the basis of his disability, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The department’s complaint alleges that WMATA extended a job offer as an elevator/escalator parts supervisor to an applicant but withdrew the offer upon learning that the applicant had epilepsy. The complaint further alleges that WMATA failed to discuss with the applicant how his disability might affect his ability to do the job or whether there were any available accommodations that would allow him to do the job.
As part of the consent decree, which is subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, WMATA will institute new policies to ensure that employees and job applicants with disabilities have the opportunity to confer with WMATA about their limitations as well as opportunities for reasonable accommodation in the workplace. WMATA will also ensure that supervisors are fully trained in those policies. In addition, WMATA has agreed to pay $175,000 in compensatory damages to the applicant. This matter was based on a referral from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Washington Field Office, which completed the initial investigation of the facts.
“The ADA mandates that job applicants with disabilities receive fair and equal consideration in the hiring process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement provides for new hiring policies that will protect against discriminatory practices and safeguard the rights of all individuals with disabilities who seek employment with WMATA. We commend WMATA for agreeing to revise its policies and offering to compensate the job applicant.”
“The discriminatory conduct in this case deprived a qualified candidate of a job opportunity and caused him economic and emotional stress,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “This case shows there will be consequences for employers who fail to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are pleased that WMATA recognizes the need for new policies and will compensate the job candidate.”
To read the consent decree, please visit http://www.ada.gov/wmata/wmata_cd.html. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
WMATA Consent DecreeJustice Department Reaches Agreement with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to Resolve Disability Discrimination ComplaintRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve a complaint that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) discriminated against a job applicant on the basis of his disability, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The department’s complaint alleges that WMATA extended a job offer as an elevator/escalator parts supervisor to an applicant but withdrew the offer upon learning that the applicant had epilepsy. The complaint further alleges that WMATA failed to discuss with the applicant how his disability might affect his ability to do the job or whether there were any available accommodations that would allow him to do the job.
As part of the consent decree, which is subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, WMATA will institute new policies to ensure that employees and job applicants with disabilities have the opportunity to confer with WMATA about their limitations as well as opportunities for reasonable accommodation in the workplace. WMATA will also ensure that supervisors are fully trained in those policies. In addition, WMATA has agreed to pay $175,000 in compensatory damages to the applicant. This matter was based on a referral from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Washington Field Office, which completed the initial investigation of the facts.
“The ADA mandates that job applicants with disabilities receive fair and equal consideration in the hiring process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement provides for new hiring policies that will protect against discriminatory practices and safeguard the rights of all individuals with disabilities who seek employment with WMATA. We commend WMATA for agreeing to revise its policies and offering to compensate the job applicant.”
“The discriminatory conduct in this case deprived a qualified candidate of a job opportunity and caused him economic and emotional stress,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “This case shows there will be consequences for employers who fail to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are pleased that WMATA recognizes the need for new policies and will compensate the job candidate.”
To read the consent decree and complaint, please visit http://www.ada.gov/wmata/wmata_cd.html. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
Jury Convicts Orlando Resident for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida– United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Shaka Smith (27, Orlando) guilty of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24, 2017, and he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Smith was indicted on September 28, 2016.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on June 28, 2016, Smith ran from Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies, through a residential neighborhood, with a backpack containing a .380 caliber semiautomatic firearm. The gun had an obliterated serial number and held an extended magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition. Deputies also recovered two small bags of drugs from the backpack. Prior to his arrest in 2016, Smith had been convicted (2010) in the Orange County, Florida Circuit Court for carrying a concealed firearm. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vincent S. Chiu and Sean P. Shecter.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Daryl R. McCrary, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Jackson County Men Sentenced for Digging up Native American Human RemainsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Brian K. Skeens, 49, and Toby Lee Thacker, 56, of Wellston, Ohio were sentenced in U.S. District Court for violating the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act by trafficking the human remains of Native Americans. The case is the first criminal enforcement of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act in the Southern District of Ohio.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division, Jackson County Sheriff Tedd E. Frazier and Rick Perkins, Chief Ranger, National Park Service at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, announced the sentences.
Skeens was sentenced to 90 days in prison and Thacker to 30 days in prison for engaging in the excavation and sale of the human remains of a Native American.
Mark M. Beatty, 57, purchased the human remains. He was sentenced in August to serve three years of probation including three months of home confinement, pay a $3,500 fine and pay $1,000 in restitution to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, to be used for re-burial of the Native American remains. The remains will be transferred to the federally recognized tribes who have assisted with this case, and re-buried in Ohio at an undisclosed location and in private once all the court proceedings are completed.
According to court documents, a witness saw people digging in a rock shelter on property on Sour Run Road in Jackson County, Ohio in November 2012 and chased them off. They left behind shovels, dirt sifters, buckets and trash. Sheriff Frazier’s investigators confirmed that three Wellston men – David E. Skeens, 40, Brian K. Skeens, and Thacker – had been digging on the property and had unburied human remains and artifacts. And subsequently, Beatty illegally bought those remains.
An anthropologist confirmed that the human remains were consistent with Native Americans, specifically identifiable by cradle boarding, a cultural activity used only by Native American Indians in North America. The identity of the remains was also confirmed by an archeologist, who verified that rock shelters were used extensively for burials in Southern Ohio and specifically in Jackson County. DNA testing confirmed a direct connection between tribes living thousands of years ago to present day Native Americans.
David Skeens was sentenced on July 21, 2016 to 30 days’ incarceration followed by a year of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to one count of illegal trafficking of Native American remains.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of the Interior, and the participation from an archeologist from Wayne National Forest and researchers from Ohio University, The Ohio State University, Washington State University and the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys J. Michael Marous and Brian Martinez, who are representing the United States in this case.
Individual Indicted and Arrested for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
San Juan, Puerto Rico – On February 22, 2017, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Gabriel A. Pena-Castillo with trafficking firearms, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. The United States Postal Inspector Service (USPIS) is in charge of the investigation in collaboration with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to the indictment, Pena-Castillo, violated federal law by mailing three firearms from the Continental United States to Puerto Rico. Specifically, Pena-Castillo mailed three Glock pistols. Pena-Castillo’s actions violated 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(e) and 1715.
“Our district has renewed its efforts to investigate and prosecute the trafficking of firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “Law enforcement relationships and alliances in the southeast United States allow us to identify those individuals sending and receiving weapons illegally. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals to the fullest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by the USPIS with the collaboration of ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández. Pena-Castillo faces a penalty of up to five years of imprisonment.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.
Indictment: Mail Theft Scheme Rested on Theft of Master KeyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A 61-count federal indictment returned Tuesday charged 11 defendants in a case involving the alleged theft of mail from Wichita mailboxes, identity theft and bank fraud.
The indictment alleges that on Dec. 8, 2012, Wichita police learned that a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was burglarized and a master key was stolen that could open mailboxes throughout the Wichita metro area. Copies of the stolen key were used to steal mail, including checks and money orders. Methods used to cash the checks and money orders include adding a person’s name to the payee line, removing the original payee and substituting another name, forging signatures of account holders, and making counterfeit checks using the stolen information
Defendants named in the indictment include:
Brandon L. Amend, 30, Wichita, Kan.
Bettye L. Amend, 26, Wichita, Kan.
Cory D. Blanchard, 33
Ashley M. Campbell, 30, Valley Center, Kan.
Jason A. Farner, 33, Leavenworth, Kan.
Keith P. Gipson, 30, Wichita, Kan.
Krista A. Goodwin, 27, Wichita, Kan.
Jason L. West, 31, Wichita, Kan.
Cole P. Kelly, 32, Wichita, Kan.
Shalan D. Hiatt, 37
Jera L. Hammond, 25, Wichita, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Receipt of stolen mail: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Theft of mail: Up to10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Bank fraud: Up to 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh are prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Danny Russell Thomas, 50, Augusta, Kan., is charged with one count of wire fraud, three counts of attempted wire fraud, seven counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of bankruptcy fraud. The indictment alleges he used stolen identities to apply for loans and to attempt to purchase autos.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the wire fraud charges, a mandatory two years (consecutive) on each identity theft charge and up to five years and a fine up $250,000 on each of the bankruptcy charges. The Secret Service and the U.S. Trustee investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Chanel K. Wiseman, 28, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two counts of receiving stolen mail, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of attempted wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, two counts of possessing fraudulent identification documents and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Receipt of stolen mail: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession of methamphetamine: Up to a year in prison and a fine of at least $1,000.
Wire fraud: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Possession of fraudulent identification documents: Up to five years and a fine up $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Adan Lucas Vail, 28, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 20, 2016, in Seward County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Gilberto Diaz-Castro, 55, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Feb. 9, 2017, in Finney County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
William Myron McGold, 42, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of making a false statement when purchasing a firearm and one count of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 10, 2016, at Goddard Gunnery in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm count, and a mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on the aggravated identity theft charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Michael Scott Ramsey, 32, is charged with escaping from custody at Mirror Incorporated, a halfway house in the 3800 block of North Toben in Wichita.
If convicted, he faces up to five years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Idaho Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Blackfoot, Idaho business owner pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. for the District of Idaho.
According to documents filed with the court, from approximately 2009 through 2012, Jonathan Peirsol, 42, of Pocatello, Idaho, prepared false individual income tax returns under the name JJ Accounting Inc. Peirsol falsified returns without his clients’ knowledge by adding items such as medical and education expenses. For some of the returns Peirsol also diverted a portion of the refund into a bank account he controlled without his clients’ knowledge. Peirsol failed to report on his own tax returns the fees he earned from his tax preparation businesss. Peirsol also owns and operates J&J Chemical Inc., a janitorial chemical supply company in Blackfoot.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 11. Peirsol faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Pursuant to his plea, Peirsol consented to the entry of a permanent injunction barring him from preparing income tax returns for any individual or entity other than himself.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez thanked special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Lori Hendrickson and Kathleen Barry of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
INTERPOL Washington Helps Take Down International Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
INTERPOL Washington partnered with U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to bring down four multi-million dollar international fraud and money laundering schemes perpetrated by a transnational organized crime network. In a March 1st news conference announcing the indictment of 19 individuals, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips lauded the contributions of and coordination between U.S. and international law enforcement partners.
Sixteen of the 19 defendants were arrested overnight and today in a law enforcement operation coordinated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Another was previously arrested, and two remain at large. The arrests took place in New York and Los Angeles, as well as Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, and Israel. The arrests were conducted by more than 50 law enforcement agents.
INTERPOL Washington began providing support for these cases in 2015. Information gleaned through various INTERPOL and other database queries, participation in operational case meetings and conference calls, as well as processing of multiple routine and urgent notices by INTERPOL Washington contributed to the successful investigations.
“These indictments and today’s arrests followed an international investigation into an interconnected web of money launderers, fraudsters and individuals that aided and abetted their criminal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “The defendants in the cases being unsealed today are accused of taking part in schemes in the United States and abroad, costing victims millions of dollars. The investigation demonstrates the importance of international cooperation amongst law enforcement in combatting fraud and money laundering on a global basis.”
Read the full news release from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
Hudson Man Sentenced for Stealing Deceased Mother’s Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Robert H. Duquette, 74, of Hudson, was sentenced today to one year of probation, and was ordered to pay $39,984 in restitution, including an immediate payment of $12,000, to the Social Security Administration, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Duquette’s mother was
receiving widow’s benefits from the Social Security Administration at the time of her death in October 2006. After her death, Social Security continued to deposit these monthly benefits into a bank account Duquette held jointly with his mother. However, neither Duquette nor any other individual was entitled to receive the benefits on his deceased mother’s behalf. Duquette failed to advise Social Security that it was making payments erroneously to his deceased mother. Instead, he used the funds deposited into the account for his own personal expenses for over seven years. Because the error was not reported to Social Security, Duquette was able to convert approximately $101,250 in Social Security benefits to his own use.
Duquette, who pleaded guilty to one count of Theft of Public Money on October 17, 2016, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joseph A. DiClerico, Jr.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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Hot Springs Man Enters Guilty Plea to Kidnapping and Aggravated Sexual Abuse by ForceRead the Press Release
Hot Springs, Arkansas – Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that on February 27, 2017, Lynn Terrance Breckenridge, II, age 26, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of Kidnapping in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(2) and one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a). According to the plea agreement, in the early morning hours of October 5, 2014, Breckenridge picked up the victim on Park Avenue in Hot Springs, claiming to offer a ride to the victim’s residence. Breckenridge then refused to take the victim to her residence and continued to drive around Hot Springs and the Hot Springs National Park, which is under exclusive federal jurisdiction. While driving in the Hot Springs National Park, Breckenridge used a handgun to force the victim to perform a sexual act. Breckenridge eventually released the victim, and she reported the assault to the Hot Springs Police Department. The change of plea was accepted by the Honorable Susan O. Hickey, in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
The offenses to which Breckenridge pled guilty carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing will occur at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Hot Springs Police Department and the National Park Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyra Jenner and Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Homeland Security Investigations Fugitive Apprehended in MexicoRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Cuidad de Tuxpan, Veracruz, was arrested on Monday, February 27, 2017, by Mexican and U.S. immigration officials in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, following an Indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of fraud conspiracy, mail fraud and access device fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The 37-count indictment, returned on August 2013, named Nicolas Frank Sucich, aka Francisco Javier Alavarez-Johnson, age 47, of Cuidad de Tuxpan, Veracruz, as a defendant.
According to the Indictment, between November 2007 and February 2011, Sucich conspired to defraud Liberty Travel and Scotiabank through the purchase of airline tickets and travel with an unauthorized Scotiabank MasterCard. The charged fraud counts in the Indictment total approximately $267,000 in loss.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 for each count of wire fraud, and five years in prison and $250,000 for each of the access device fraud counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Sucich was scheduled to make an initial appearance today in federal court in the Southern District of Florida.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, 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.