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22 February 2017
Dallas County Man Sentenced for East Texas Bank Robberies & CarjackingRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 25-year-old Lancaster, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for violent crimes in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Britt Featherston today.
LaQuaylan Wesley Patterson pleaded guilty on Aug. 23, 2016 to committing two armed bank robberies and a related car-jacking. Patterson was sentenced to 171 months in federal prison on Feb. 21, 2017 by U.S. District Court Judge Ron Clark.
According to information presented in court, on Aug. 8, 2014, Patterson robbed the Cornerstone Credit Union in Lancaster, Texas, where he brandished a pistol, climbed behind the teller counter, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers removed $6,888.00 from cash drawers and put the money in a bag. Patterson then fled the bank, with the cash, and drove away in a stolen car. Patterson then drove the stolen vehicle to the 500 block of West Main Street, in Lancaster, where he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
On Mar. 13, 2015, Patterson and co-defendant, Chanel Collins, drove from Wood County, Texas, to an apartment complex in Tyler, Texas, with the intent commit an armed carjacking. Once they arrived at the complex, Patterson got out of Collins’ car, armed with a semiautomatic pistol, and told Collins to wait for his signal to her cell phone. Patterson then approach a woman, who was visiting her mother at the complex, brandished his pistol, and demanded the woman’s car keys. The woman surrendered the keys and Patterson got into her car and drove away. Patterson signaled Collins and she also departed the complex in her car. Collins and Patterson then drove the vehicles back to Wood County.
Later that day, Patterson used the stolen car to commit the second armed bank robbery. Collins drove her vehicle to a car wash in Big Sandy, Texas, and waited for Patterson as he robbed the 1st National Bank of Gilmer, located in Big Sandy. Patterson drove the stolen vehicle to the bank, brandished a pistol, climbed behind the teller counter, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers stood aside as Patterson removed $29,734.00 from two cash drawers and put the money in a bag. Patterson then fled the bank with the cash and drove away in the stolen vehicle to meet Collins at the carwash. Once there, Patterson abandoned the stolen vehicle and fled with Collins in her vehicle. Patterson was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 17, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Rangers, Tyler Police Department, Big Sandy Police Department, and Lancaster Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
D.C. Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Washington, D.C. return preparer pleaded guilty to preparing fraudulent tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, Joann Little, 60, of Suitland, Maryland, worked as a return preparer in Washington D.C., at a tax preparation business formerly known as Instant Tax Service and more recently named Speedy Tax Service. Little prepared federal income tax returns for tax years 2009 through 2014 that sought refunds to which her clients were not entitled by including inflated charitable deductions, fictitious unreimbursed employee expenses and false businesses. Little caused a tax loss of at least $262,714.
The court did not set a sentencing date. Little faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Jason Scheff and Karen Kelly of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Crockett County Deputy Indicted in West Tennessee on Federal Drug Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A former Crockett County Sheriff’s Deputy has been indicted on federal drug and gun charges. Edward L. Stanton III, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, and Michael T. Gavin, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the FBI, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Calvin Fields with federal drug trafficking and gun violations.
"Individuals who engage in criminal conduct and violate the public’s trust, including those who take an oath to protect and serve our community, will be held accountable for their actions," said U.S. Attorney Stanton. "No one is above the law."
According to the indictment, on February 13, 2017, Calvin Fields aided and abetted others in the distribution of a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Mr. Fields was in possession of a Glock .40 caliber pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
Federal agents arranged surveillance and saw Calvin Fields stationed in his patrol vehicle while on duty, providing security while cocaine was being delivered by an undercover cooperating source.
The suspect was arrested last Friday, February 17, 2017, on a federal complaint. The federal grand jury in Jackson returned the indictment on February 21, 2017.
"No one is above the law, especially those who have sworn an oath to uphold the law," said Michael T. Gavin, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "Public corruption is the number one criminal priority of the FBI and we will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who would seek to line their own pockets and in doing so jeopardize the safety of the public."
Charges in the indictment stem from the illegal activity of distributing powder cocaine and possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug-trafficking crime.
For the two counts, the penalty is not less than five years in prison and up to life imprisonment, a $1,250,000 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by members of the FBI Memphis Division’s Jackson Resident Agency, the Crockett County Sheriff’s Office and the 28th Judicial District Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. This investigation is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Wilson on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 40 Years for Sex Trafficking a 16-Year-Old Girl by ForceRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alessandra P. Serano (619) 546-8104 and Connie V. Wu (619) 546-8592
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 22, 2017
SAN DIEGO, CA – Luther Gene Ray, aka “Pumpkin,” was sentenced in federal court today to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking a 16-year-old minor female by force in 2014.
Ray was found guilty after jury trial in December 2015 for one count of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion and one count increased penalties for sex offenders.
The victim was a runaway girl. She met Ray at a local retail store within 30 days of his release from federal prison. Ray had previously been convicted of the same crime in Los Angeles back in 2007 and thus, was required to register as a sex offender. Ray served just 8 years on the prior offense and was on supervised release during the time. Ray lured the victim to work as a prostitute as a way to make money for herself.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that the victim received none of the money she earned through prostitution while Ray received thousands of dollars from the victim as well as at least three other women working as prostitutes for Ray. Ray used social media such as Facebook to brag about his lifestyle. The victim testified that Ray assaulted her - and other women in front of her - if they even looked at another man who might be a pimp. Law enforcement was alerted to Ray’s illicit activities after the victim called police while in juvenile hall.
As a result of Ray’s status as a sex offender, U.S. District Court Judge Roger T. Benitez was required to impose an additional 10 years in custody. In imposing the 40-year sentence, Judge Benitez said the sentence will send a message that sexually exploiting women and girls through violence will not be tolerated.
“This defendant terrorized and traumatized his 16-year-old victim, and now he will pay a very serious price for his crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to detect and prosecute persons who engage in sex trafficking, a form of modern day slavery”.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric S. Birnbaum stated: “The sentence imposed on this defendant is a genuine reflection of both the horrific victimization suffered by these young girls and the terrible impact that this type of criminal behavior has on the life and the well-being of our communities. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue the perpetrators of this type of heinous conduct with all of the resources available to us.”
DEFENDANT Criminal Case No. 15CR0498-BEN
Luther Gene Ray aka “Pumpkin” Age: 33 Hemet, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1: Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud or Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1591
Maximum Penalties: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 15 years per count
Count 2: Increased Penalties for Registered Sex Offenders, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2260A
Maximum Penalties: Ten years in prison consecutive
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
Charleston drug dealer pleads guilty to federal heroin crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Clarence Murray, 40, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.
Murray admitted that in February 2014, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on two different occasions. Following the second controlled purchase, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Murray’s residence and seized over $2,500 in cash and a stolen Hi-Point .40 caliber pistol. The currency found in the search included previously recorded buy money used in one of the controlled purchases. Murray further admitted that he obtained the gun to protect himself because he was selling drugs.
Murray also admitted that on March 9, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place in Dunbar. He additionally admitted that he sold heroin to this same confidential informant on four different occasions. Murray further admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential informant in January 2016, and that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in March 2016.
Murray faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 31, 2017.
The case against Murray was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Centralia Resident Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Terrell D. Cleggett, 35, of Centralia, Illinois, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison on February 21, 2017 for possession of a firearm by a felon and being in possession of stolen firearms, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. Cleggett was also ordered to pay a $200 mandatory special assessment, and to serve three years of supervised release after he is released from prison.
Cleggett was investigated following the November 29, 2014, burglary of Buchheit’s of Centralia. In that burglary, forty (40) firearms and more than a thousand rounds of ammunition were stolen. Two co-defendants previously pled guilty and were sentenced with one receiving 60 months’ and the other 248 months’ of imprisonment. A juvenile accomplice was prosecuted by state authorities. Two remaining co-defendants, Justin Gibson and Michael Rink, charged in connection with the Buchheit’s burglary have both pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Court records established that two of the guns stolen during the Buchheit’s burglary were eventually transferred from the juvenile accomplice to Terrell Cleggett, who knew or had reason to know that the firearms were stolen. Thirty-eight of the stolen firearms were eventually recovered by law enforcement officials, including the two firearms included in the prosecution of Cleggett.
The investigation is being conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Centralia Police Department, along with the Clinton County States Attorney’s office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
California Auctioneer Charged in Rhinoceros Horn Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacob Chait, 34, the head of acquisitions and auctioneer of a Beverley Hills, California gallery and auction house (“Auction House #1”), appeared yesterday in Manhattan federal court in New York to face charges of conspiring to smuggle rhinoceros horns, in violation of the Lacey Act. A one-count indictment charging Chait was returned by a federal grand jury on February 15.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeff Wood for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara for the Southern District of New York and Acting Director Jim Kurth for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the announcement.
“The defendant and his co-conspirators are alleged to have engaged in a scheme to illegally traffic in the horns of highly protected rhinoceros,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood. “Illegal wildlife trafficking is a serious crime under federal law and should be vigorously prosecuted.”
“As alleged, Jacob Chait trafficked in and smuggled rhinoceros horns, further threatening an already endangered species. Rhinoceros have no known predators other than humans, and yet, driven by the illegal trade in their horns, literally worth more than their weight in gold in the black market, rhinoceros are on their way to extinction. This Office, along with our partners at the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will continue to combat the illegal trade of rhinoceros horns fueling the senseless poaching of this critically endangered animal,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara.
“Illegal trafficking like that allegedly conducted by these defendants is fueling the unprecedented slaughter of wild rhinos,” said Acting Director Kurth. “In Africa, a rhino is currently poached every eight hours - a rate that threatens to make the rhino extinct in the wild in less than 15 years. Our Special Agents will continue to work with the Justice Department to aggressively investigate and secure the prosecutions of individuals and criminal organizations engaged in rhino horn trafficking to protect wild populations of this imperiled species.”
According to allegations contained in the indictment:
From approximately 2009 and 2012, Chait and his co-conspirators purchased rhinoceros horns and taxidermy mounts in the U.S. and sought to sell them to foreign buyers in private deals, including in at least eight separate deals or attempted deals involving 15 rhinoceros horns worth an estimated $2.4 million. This included one alleged incident in which Chait personally smuggled two endangered black rhino horns to China in his luggage. Rhinoceros horns are worth more per pound than gold due to the high demand in Asia and increasing scarcity of supply.
Rhinoceros are an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans. The trade in rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory have been restricted since 1976 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 180 countries around the world.
Chait is charged in one count of conspiring to smuggle rhinoceros horns and to violate the Lacey Act. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, whom Chait will appear before on Februar 27.
On June 22, 2016, Joey Chait, the Senior Auction Administrator of Auction House #1, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Paul Oetken to one year and one day for conspiring to smuggle wildlife products made from rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory and coral with a market value of at least $1 million, and to violate the Lacey Act.
This matter is part of Operation Crash, a continuing nation-wide crackdown by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice on illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns and other wildlife crimes. A “crash” is the term for a herd of rhinoceros. This indictment represents the sixth Operation Crash case to be brought in the Southern District of New York.
An indictment contains allegations that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Bharara and Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood thanked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its work in this investigation. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hanft and Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell with Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section in Washington, D.C. are in charge of the prosecution.
Bristol, Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Bristol woman, who along with her husband and another woman, was accused of healthcare fraud charges, has pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring and Nick DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Regional Office for U.S. Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General announced today.
Melissa Harr, 49, pled guilty last week in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Bryan Harr Sr., 40 and Deborah Branch, 64, both of Bristol, were also charged as part of the conspiracy.
Melissa Harr admitted last week that she and her husband, Bryan Harr Sr., hired Branch to work with one of their children, who suffers from intellectual and physical disabilities and who qualifies for services paid for by Virginia Medicaid, including personal assistance, respite and residential support services. These services are available to qualified individuals pursuant to Virginia Medicaid’s Intellectual Disability (ID) waiver program. The ID waiver program is designed to provide critical services that enable a recipient to remain at home instead of being placed in an institution. Recipients or their guardians are permitted to hire workers of their own choosing to provide these services which are paid for by Virginia Medicaid. Branch was paid through two different Virginia Medicaid contractors: Public Partnerships, LLC and ResCare (formerly known as Creative Family Solutions).
From January 2010 until September 2015, Branch, with the knowledge of Melissa Harr and Bryan Harr Sr., submitted time sheets claiming Branch was providing services for Harr’s disabled son when she was not. In exchange for assisting Branch in getting paid for work she did not do, Branch paid the Harrs approximately $200 every two weeks. Virginia Medicaid’s Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) paid out $350,641.02 to the contractors based on these time sheets, of which $207,854.43 was paid to Branch. More importantly, the Harr’s disabled son did not receive the services he legitimately needed pursuant to the ID waiver program.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Bristol Virginia Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General, is prosecuting the case for the United States.
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Beverly Hills Auctioneer Charged in Rhinoceros Horn Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jeffery Wood, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Jim Kurth, Acting Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced that JACOB CHAIT, the head of acquisitions and the auctioneer of a Beverly Hills, California gallery and auction house (“Auction House #1”), was presented yesterday in U.S. Magistrate’s Court in Manhattan on a one-count Indictment charging a conspiracy to smuggle rhinoceros horns and violate the Lacey Act. The Indictment was returned on February 15, 2017.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, Jacob Chait trafficked in and smuggled rhinoceros horns, further threatening an already endangered species. Rhinoceros have no known predators other than humans, and yet, driven by the illegal trade in their horns, literally worth more than their weight in gold in the black market, rhinoceros are on their way to extinction. This Office, along with our partners at the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will continue to combat the illegal trade of rhinoceros horns fueling the senseless poaching of this critically endangered animal.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood said, “The defendant and his co-conspirators are alleged to have engaged in a scheme to illegally traffic in the horns of highly protected rhinoceros. Illegal wildlife trafficking is a serious crime under federal law and should be vigorously prosecuted.”
Acting U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Jim Kurth said, “Illegal trafficking like that allegedly conducted by the defendant is fueling the unprecedented slaughter of wild rhinos. In Africa, a rhino is currently poached every eight hours - a rate that threatens to make the rhino extinct in the wild in less than 15 years. Our Special Agents will continue to work with the Justice Department to aggressively investigate and secure the prosecutions of individuals and criminal organizations engaged in rhino horn trafficking to protect wild populations of this imperiled species."
According to allegations contained in the indictment[1]:
From approximately 2009 to 2012, Chait and his co-conspirators purchased rhinoceros horns and taxidermy mounts in the U.S. and sought to sell them to foreign buyers in private deals, including in at least eight separate deals or attempted deals involving 15 rhinoceros horns worth an estimated $2.4 million. This included one alleged incident in which Chait personally smuggled two endangered black rhino horns to China in his luggage. Rhinoceros horn is worth more per pound than gold due to the high demand in Asia and increasing scarcity of supply.
Rhinoceros are an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans. The trade in rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory has been restricted since 1976 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 180 countries around the world.
* * *
Chait, 34, is charged in one count of conspiring to smuggle rhinoceros horns and to violate the Lacey Act. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, before whom Chait will appear on February 27, 2017.
On June 22, 2016, Joey Chait, the Senior Auction Administrator of Auction House #1, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Paul Oetken to one year and one day for conspiring to smuggle wildlife products made from rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory, and coral with a market value of at least $1 million, and to violate the Lacey Act.
This matter is part of Operation Crash, a continuing nation-wide crackdown by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice on illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns and other wildlife crimes. A “crash” is the term for a herd of rhinoceros. This indictment represents the sixth Operation Crash case to be brought in the Southern District of New York.
An indictment contains allegations that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Bharara and Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood thanked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its work in this investigation. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hanft and Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell with Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section in Washington, D.C. are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bank Employee Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jolene M. Edwards, age 38, of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, was charged on February 21, 2017, in a criminal information with interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that while she worked as a customer service representative and assistant branch manager at Jersey Shore State Bank (JSSB), Edwards embezzled and fraudulently converted $52,222 in funds from a customer’s certificate of deposit account. According to the information, instead of transferring the funds to a new certificate of deposit account at M&T bank, Edwards used the funds to pay her credit card bills, repay personal loans, and to make purchases for family members. The scheme to embezzle and fraudulently convert the customer’s funds started in June 2012 and continued through March 2015.
The government also filed a plea agreement, which is subject to the approval of the court.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Alton Man Sentenced for Cocaine OffensesRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Brian L. Redden, age 32, of Alton, Illinois, was sentenced on February 22, 2017 to 151 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. Redden has been continuously confined since his arrest in May, 2016.
Redden pled guilty to the federal charge on November 9, 2016. At his change of plea hearing, Redden admitted to possessing an ounce of cocaine; over $2,000 in cash; a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia on May 20, 2016 in Alton.
The investigation which resulted in Redden’s arrest and conviction was conducted by the Alton Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander Balding, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Balding was arrested on May 4, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with distributing and possessing child pornography in April 2016, in Bernalillo County. The investigation into Balding began on April 6, 2016, when the FBI received a report from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) identifying an IP address that was being used to share child pornography files. According to the criminal complaint, on April 27, 2016, investigators were able to download a number of child pornography files from the computer at the IP address.
Court filings reveal that the IP address was subscribed to a person residing in Balding’s home and the files containing child pornography were downloaded exclusively by Balding. On April 27, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Balding’s residence, and law enforcement officers seized a computer and external hard drive allegedly containing more than 100 files of child pornography. Balding was arrested that day on related state charges, which have since been dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
Balding was indicted on May 24, 2016, and charged with distributing child pornography in April 2016 and possessing child pornography for an unknown period of time that ended on April 27, 2016. Today, Balding entered a guilty plea to the possession of child pornography charge, and admitted possessing child pornography on an external hard drive from April 6, 2016 through April 27, 2016.
Balding remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Balding faces a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. He also will be required to register as a sex offender when he completes his prison sentence.
This case was investigated by the BCSO, the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Lab. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathon M. Gerson is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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/.
The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 82 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.
Albuquerque Felon Sentenced to 96 Months for Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Kristian Thomas, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court to 96 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm. Thomas will be on supervised release for three years after he completes his prison sentence.
Thomas was charged by criminal complaint on March 27, 2015, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the complaint, on March 26, 2015, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers arrested Thomas at a pawnshop on Bridge SW in Albuquerque on an outstanding warrant. The officers found a revolver in Thomas’ pants pocket during a search incident to arrest. Thomas was subsequently indicted on April 28, 2015, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 25, 2016, Thomas pled guilty to the indictment, and admitted that on March 26, 2015, he possessed a revolver, which he was not permitted to possess because of his status as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and APD and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Cairns.
Thomas, whose criminal record includes convictions for armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempted residential burglary, was prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Alamogordo Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Robert Alan Rutledge, 34, of Alamogordo, N.M., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 48 months in prison for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking charges. Rutledge will be on supervised release for three years following his prison sentence.
Rutledge was one of 34 individuals charged in December 2015, with federal and tribal drug offenses as the result of an 18-month multi-agency investigation led by the DEA and BIA into methamphetamine trafficking on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Eighteen defendants, including five members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and 13 non-Natives were charged in six federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint. Sixteen other members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe were charged in tribal criminal complaints approved by the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court.
The investigation leading to the federal and tribal charges was initiated in May 2014, in response to an increase in violent crime on the Mescalero Apache Reservation perpetrated by methamphetamine users. The investigation initially targeted a drug trafficking organization that was allegedly distributing methamphetamine within the Reservation, and later expanded to include two other drug trafficking organizations in southeastern New Mexico that allegedly served as sources of supply for the methamphetamine distributed within the Reservation. In Aug. 2014, the investigation was designated as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, which 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. The investigation is one of the first OCDETF investigations to utilize electronic surveillance (wiretaps) in Indian Country. More than ten kilograms of methamphetamine were seized during the course of the investigation.
Rutledge was arrested on an indictment charging him and seven co-conspirators with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Otero County, N.M., between April 9, 2015 and Oct. 16, 2015, and other drug trafficking offenses. On Sept. 6, 2016, Rutledge entered a guilty plea to participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Rutledge admitted that in Aug. and Sept. 2015, he obtained more than 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine from a co-defendant, which he sold to other individuals. Rutledge further admitted that on Aug. 29, 2015, he sold 18 grams of methamphetamine to another individual.
Seventeen of the 18 federal defendants have entered guilty pleas. One federal defendant has entered a not guilty plea. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The federal and tribal cases were investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, District IV of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services (Mescalero Agency), BIA’s Division of Drug Enforcement, Mescalero Tribal Police Department, Hatch Police Department, FBI and Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Terri J. Abernathy and Clara Cobos of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the federal cases, and Mescalero Tribal Prosecutor Melissa Chavez is prosecuting the tribal cases.
Accountant for Non-profit Government Contractor Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Prison for Theft and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal judge late Tuesday sentenced a former accountant with a Huntsville non-profit corporation that contracted with the government to place people with disabilities into government jobs to two and a half years in prison for defrauding the organization and the Internal Revenue Service, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.
U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced REGGIOUS SANCHESTER BELL, 30, of Madison, on one count of federal program theft for stealing more than $1 million from the Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation, which does business as Phoenix, and two counts of federal income tax evasion for underreporting his income and underpaying his taxes for 2011 and 2012. Bell pleaded guilty to the charges in October.
He must pay $1.1 million in restitution to Phoenix, and to its insurers, $71,947 to Indemnity Insurance Co. and $75,000 to Hartford Underwriters Insurance Co. Bell also must pay $81,768 to the IRS.
“This defendant stole more than $1 million of taxpayer funds from a non-profit company that contracts to provide jobs and counseling to people with disabilities,” Posey said. “He showed no regard for the harm he did the company he worked for or the people it served. He undercut a worthy mission so that he could spend money on personal indulgences, including gambling. I thank the IRS and the FBI for helping this office bring Mr. Bell to justice.”
“Reggious Bell’s actions can be described as greedy, callous, and shallow,” Hyman-Pillot said. “He exploited the community and the government with no regard as he enriched himself with taxpayer funds. With today’s sentence, Bell faces the consequences for his criminal behavior.”
“Stealing money intended to help the disabled is disgraceful and beyond comprehension,” Stanton said. “The FBI will continue to work side by side with our partners to bring individuals like Bell to justice.”
Phoenix provides counseling for and places people with disabilities in administrative, manufacturing and custodial jobs. It received more than $20 million a year from 2011 through 2013 under contracts to perform custodial work at Redstone Arsenal.
According to court documents, Bell went to work for Phoenix in 2008 in its accounting department. He worked in accounts payable, accounts receivable and fixed assets management. As it did with other staff members, Phoenix provided Bell a credit card to use for business expenses only. Bell, however, began using his Phoenix credit card for personal expenses in at least 2009, and continued to do so until he was caught in the summer of 2013, according to his plea.
Bell’s personal charges during that time including $95,228 to Best Buy, $21,969 to Louis Vuitton, $18,945 to American Airlines, $23,823 to Southwest Airlines, $46,345 to Marriott Hotels, $19,268 to Renaissance Hotels and $20,706 to Dillard’s Department Store. Bell also had Phoenix issue a credit card in a fictitious name with a fictitious Social Security number, which he also used for personal expenses.
Bell deleted unauthorized purchases from the credit card monthly statements and manipulated Phoenix’s account ledgers so that they would balance with the bank’s spreadsheet that showed what Phoenix owed for its staff credit cards, according to the plea.
Bell also established an accounting firm, called Bell-Pete Associates. Although Phoenix never did any business with the firm, Bell invoiced Phoenix for $58,133 in accounting services in 2011, and for $235,740 in 2012, according to his plea. Bell did not report the fraudulent income to the IRS, resulting in an underpayment of taxes of $15,132 in 2011, and $66,636 in 2012.
The IRS and FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell E. Penfield prosecuted.
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21 February 2017
“Redneck Chaos” Sentenced on Sexual Exploitation of a Child ChargeRead the Press Release
Gergory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 17, 2017, Timothy B. Brady II (age: 22) also known online as “Redneck Chaos,” of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced by Chief District Judge William C. Griesbach to 12 years in federal prison for attempted sexual exploitation of a child in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 2251(a). Upon his release the defendant will be on federal supervised release for 6 years and will have to register as a sex offender in the jurisdiction in which he resides.
Brady used his cellular telephone to exchange texts and instant messages with scores of underage girls across the country, including two minor girls located in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He convinced the girls to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos, often referring to the girls as “slaves” and himself as “master.” He would then threaten to send these photographs and videos to the girls’ school administrators, parents, friends, or threaten to release them on the internet if they did not send him additional content. In response, many of the teen girls sent Brady increasingly more graphic and sexually explicit photographs and videos.
In pronouncing sentence, Chief Judge Griesbach noted the reprehensible nature of Brady’s crime, as well as the serious psychological effects that his acts of exploitation will have on his victims. The court determined that his crime was deserving of a serious term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Seymour Police Department, the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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United States Prevails in Civil Suit Against For-Profit College Chain and its President for False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Court Awards Government Over $12 Million in damages and Imposes Additional $10 Million in Civil Penalties
On Feb. 15, U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke entered a Final Judgment of more than $20 million in favor of the United States in a civil suit against FastTrain II Corp. d/b/a FastTrain College (FastTrain) and its President and owner, Alejandro Amor (Amor), for having defrauded the U.S. Department of Education (ED) by submitting falsified documents to obtain federal student aid funds in connection with ineligible students, announced U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer for the Southern District of Florida.
At its peak, FastTrain operated seven Florida campuses in Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Duval counties. From at least January 2010 through June 2012, when FastTrain closed, FastTrain and Amor knowingly submitted fake high school diploma and GED information to receive improper federal Title IV funds – through the Federal Pell Grant Program, the Federal Direct Loan Program, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the Campus Based Programs that financially assist eligible students in obtaining a post-secondary education. Also, at Amor’s direction, FastTrain admissions employees instructed and counseled ineligible prospective students to lie on their federal student aid applications. As a result of Amor’s fraudulent scheme and false representations of eligibility, FastTrain received millions of dollars of unearned student financial aid.
The Court’s ruling was clear: “The student victims in this case were especially vulnerable. They were young people who, for whatever reasons, had not graduated high school. Realizing there are few jobs one can obtain without a high-school diploma or equivalent degree, they turned to FastTrain, hoping to learn marketable skills to improve their chances of making a decent living. FastTrain aggressively recruited these students, and then used fraud to make the Government think they were eligible for federal aid and loans. FastTrain bilked the Government out of millions of dollars, most of which ended up in Amor’s pockets. As for the student victims, many now carry debt that will be enormously difficult to pay off with what they can earn working the low-level jobs for which they are qualified. The effects of Amor’s fraudulent acts are thus abhorrent and far-reaching.”
The Court awarded damages in favor of the United States in excess of $12 million. In addition, the Court imposed over $10 million in civil penalties against the defendants.
“Alejandro Amor and his co-conspirators preyed on vulnerable men and women who sought educational assistance to improve their quality of life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferrer. “As a result, Fast Train defrauded the students out of a legitimate education and the U.S. government out of federal funds that were intended to help those in need of support. The multi-million dollar penalties and damages in this civil suit, in addition to the lengthy prison term imposed against Mr. Amor in the criminal proceedings should serve as a strong warning that fraud schemes do not pay. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to use both civil enforcement and criminal laws – to protect our taxpayer dollars and ensure that individuals who seek to enhance their lives through a quality education are able to do so without falling victim to devastating schemes.”
“Mr. Amor knowingly and willfully took advantage of innocent students and defrauded America’s taxpayers in a deliberate and methodical way. With his prison sentence and this judgment, he is being held accountable for his criminal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Yessyka Santana of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southeastern Regional Office. “I’m proud of the work of the Office of Inspector General and our law enforcement partners in this matter and continuing our work to protect Federal student aid from this type of calculated plunder.”
The United States pursued this civil case alongside criminal proceedings filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida against Amor and other defendants. In November 2015, after a 23-day trial in United States of America v. Alejandro Amor, Case No. 1:14-cr-20750-JAL(s)-1 (S.D. Fla.), a jury convicted Amor of one count of conspiracy to steal Government funds and 12 counts of theft of Government funds. On May 2, 2016, Amor was sentenced to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard.
The civil case is captioned United States of America, Plaintiff vs. FastTrain II Corp. d/b/a FastTrain College, and Alejandro Amor, Defendants, Case No.: 1:12-cv-21431-COOKE/TORRES, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. The criminal investigation was underway when a lawsuit was filed by a FastTrain admissions officer, under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The admissions officer was later convicted of offenses related to FastTrain’s misconduct and subsequently was dismissed from the civil suit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Weinkle litigated the civil case. U.S. Attorney Ferrer commended the contributions of U.S. Department of Education Office of General Counsel attorneys Russell Wolff and Christina Bixby and investigative efforts of Special Agent Jason Williams and former Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristen Frias, and Special Agent Joel Veiguela and Nicole Eisenzopf of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education and Special Agent Mary Wilson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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.
United States Prevails in Civil Suit Against For-Profit College Chain and its President for False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Court Awards Government Over $12 Million in damages and Imposes Additional $10 Million in Civil Penalties
On Feb. 15, U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke entered a Final Judgment of more than $20 million in favor of the United States in a civil suit against FastTrain II Corp. d/b/a FastTrain College (FastTrain) and its President and owner, Alejandro Amor (Amor), for having defrauded the U.S. Department of Education (ED) by submitting falsified documents to obtain federal student aid funds in connection with ineligible students, announced U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer for the Southern District of Florida.
At its peak, FastTrain operated seven Florida campuses in Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Duval counties. From at least January 2010 through June 2012, when FastTrain closed, FastTrain and Amor knowingly submitted fake high school diploma and GED information to receive improper federal Title IV funds – through the Federal Pell Grant Program, the Federal Direct Loan Program, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the Campus Based Programs that financially assist eligible students in obtaining a post-secondary education. Also, at Amor’s direction, FastTrain admissions employees instructed and counseled ineligible prospective students to lie on their federal student aid applications. As a result of Amor’s fraudulent scheme and false representations of eligibility, FastTrain received millions of dollars of unearned student financial aid.
The Court’s ruling was clear: “The student victims in this case were especially vulnerable. They were young people who, for whatever reasons, had not graduated high school. Realizing there are few jobs one can obtain without a high-school diploma or equivalent degree, they turned to FastTrain, hoping to learn marketable skills to improve their chances of making a decent living. FastTrain aggressively recruited these students, and then used fraud to make the Government think they were eligible for federal aid and loans. FastTrain bilked the Government out of millions of dollars, most of which ended up in Amor’s pockets. As for the student victims, many now carry debt that will be enormously difficult to pay off with what they can earn working the low-level jobs for which they are qualified. The effects of Amor’s fraudulent acts are thus abhorrent and far-reaching.”
The Court awarded damages in favor of the United States in excess of $12 million. In addition, the Court imposed over $10 million in civil penalties against the defendants.
“Alejandro Amor and his co-conspirators preyed on vulnerable men and women who sought educational assistance to improve their quality of life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferrer. “As a result, Fast Train defrauded the students out of a legitimate education and the U.S. government out of federal funds that were intended to help those in need of support. The multi-million dollar penalties and damages in this civil suit, in addition to the lengthy prison term imposed against Mr. Amor in the criminal proceedings should serve as a strong warning that fraud schemes do not pay. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to use both civil enforcement and criminal laws – to protect our taxpayer dollars and ensure that individuals who seek to enhance their lives through a quality education are able to do so without falling victim to devastating schemes.”
“Mr. Amor knowingly and willfully took advantage of innocent students and defrauded America’s taxpayers in a deliberate and methodical way. With his prison sentence and this judgment, he is being held accountable for his criminal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Yessyka Santana of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southeastern Regional Office. “I’m proud of the work of the Office of Inspector General and our law enforcement partners in this matter and continuing our work to protect Federal student aid from this type of calculated plunder.”
The United States pursued this civil case alongside criminal proceedings filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida against Amor and other defendants. In November 2015, after a 23-day trial in United States of America v. Alejandro Amor, Case No. 1:14-cr-20750-JAL(s)-1 (S.D. Fla.), a jury convicted Amor of one count of conspiracy to steal Government funds and 12 counts of theft of Government funds. On May 2, 2016, Amor was sentenced to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard.
The civil case is captioned United States of America, Plaintiff vs. FastTrain II Corp. d/b/a FastTrain College, and Alejandro Amor, Defendants, Case No.: 1:12-cv-21431-COOKE/TORRES, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. The criminal investigation was underway when a lawsuit was filed by a FastTrain admissions officer, under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The admissions officer was later convicted of offenses related to FastTrain’s misconduct and subsequently was dismissed from the civil suit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Weinkle litigated the civil case. U.S. Attorney Ferrer commended the contributions of U.S. Department of Education Office of General Counsel attorneys Russell Wolff and Christina Bixby and investigative efforts of Special Agent Jason Williams and former Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristen Frias, and Special Agent Joel Veiguela of Nicole Eisenzopf of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education and Special Agent Mary Wilson of the FBI.
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.
Two men sentenced to federal prison for heroin crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced to federal prison today for drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Antoine Garfield Rushin, 44, of Detroit, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin. In a separate prosecution, Bobby James Mitchell, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced to three years and a month for distribution of heroin.
On June 29, 2015, law enforcement executed a search warrant at 1751 Buffington Avenue in Huntington. Just prior to execution of the warrant, officers observed Rushin enter the residence. During the search, Rushin and other individuals in the residence were arrested and officers seized approximately 65 grams of heroin and digital scales. Rushin admitted that he frequently provided heroin to individuals staying at the residence for those individuals to distribute.
In a separate prosecution, on March 16, 2016, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Mitchell. Mitchell and a confidential informant working with law enforcement met at 1039 Rear Jefferson Avenue in Huntington to complete the drug deal. The confidential informant provided Mitchell with $500 in exchange for approximately 6.1 grams of heroin.
The investigation of Rushin was conducted by the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is responsible for the prosecution of Rushin. The Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force conducted the investigation of Mitchell. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory McVey is handling the Mitchell prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
These prosecutions were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two men plead guilty to federal heroin crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men pleaded guilty today to federal drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Earnest Moore, 40, of Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. In a separate prosecution, Robert Douglas Black, 52, of Huntington, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.
From early 2013 until his arrest on July 23, 2014, Moore admitted that he conspired with others to distribute heroin in the Point Pleasant area of Mason County. During the conspiracy, associates of Moore would frequently transport heroin from Detroit and Columbus to a residence in Gallipolis, where they would store and prepare the drugs for distribution. Members of the conspiracy would then distribute the heroin to customers in Gallipolis and to customers who traveled from Point Pleasant. Moore and others also frequently traveled to Point Pleasant where they used various residences to distribute the drugs. Moore faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 30, 2017.
In a separate prosecution, Black admitted that on May 4, 2016, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at his residence on 5th Avenue West in Huntington. On May 25, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Black’s residence and seized over $2,000 in cash, a set of digital scales, and additional heroin that Black admitted he intended to distribute. Black faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 30, 2017.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, which includes the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Gallia-Meigs County, Ohio, Major Crimes Task Force, conducted the investigation of Moore. The investigation of Black was conducted by the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is in charge of these prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
These cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
- Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
Two Men Sentenced for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Angel Nunez, age 28, of Brooklyn, New York, and Stanislav Petkevichus, age 28, of Slingerlands, New York, were each sentenced today for conspiring to distribute the controlled substance oxycodone in Albany County.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Division, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Nunez to 33 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and to forfeit $100,000. Judge D’Agostino sentenced Petkevichus to time served (96 days in jail), as well as 3 years of supervised release including 6 months of home detention, and to forfeit $4,435.
As part of their guilty pleas, the defendants admitted that Nunez obtained 30 mg tablets of oxycodone from sources in New York City, and acted with Petkevichus and others to sell those oxycodone tablets in Albany County and elsewhere.
These cases were investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
Texan Pleads Guilty in Large-Scale Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – The south Texas supplier of a Pittsburgh cocaine ring pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Dante Ivan Lozano, age 41, of Brownsville, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between 2011 and 2015, Lozano mailed 100 or more packages of cocaine to Jeffrey Turner and April Racan in Elizabeth and McKeesport, in Allegheny County. Approximately eight kilograms (about 18 pounds) of cocaine were sent in this fashion.
Turner and Racan then sold the cocaine to Brian Kettering and others. Although drug proceeds in the form of cash were generally sent back to Lozano, during a six-month period of time in 2012, postal money orders were purchased by Kettering and William Coulson, at the direction of Turner and Racan. The money orders totaled at least $116,700, and were purchased in 11 Mon Valley-area post offices. Turner and Racan sent the money orders back to Texas to a Dairy Queen managed by Daniel Cosme. Cosme turned the money orders over to Lozano, who used Hugo Balboa and other straw parties to launder the money orders by cashing some and depositing others into various bank accounts.
Joseph Borrelli, at that time Postmaster in West Newton, PA, aided the drug conspiracy by providing addresses for vacant homes where the cocaine packages could be sent. When they arrived at the post office, the packages would be diverted to Turner and Racan.
Turner, Racan, Borrelli and Kettering were convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Turner, Racan, Cosme, Balboa, Kettering and Coulson were convicted of money laundering conspiracy.
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 on the drug conspiracy count, and a sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both on the money laundering conspiracy count.
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 Gregory J. Nescott is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Service in Pittsburgh, the Drug Enforcement Administration in Brownsville, Texas, the Cameron County (TX) Sheriff’s Office, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Second Virginia Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Econo Lodge in ScrantonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Tracy Whiting, age 24, of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to serve seven years in prison for the armed robbery of the Econo Lodge in Scranton on February 13, 2016.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Whiting previously pleaded guilty to the charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Whiting was one of four individuals, including Kelvin Robinson, age 25, of Newport News, Virginia, Kwa’shon Roane, age 24, of Gloucester, Virginia, and Rodney Whiting, age 23, of Scranton, who were indicted by a grand jury in March 2016, for the armed robbery of the Econo Lodge.
Previously, in December 2016, Kelvin Robinson was sentenced by Judge Mannion to serve seven years in prison for charges related to the incident. Rodney Whiting and Kwa’shon Roane have also entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Scranton Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office and numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Taylor Borough and Moosic Borough Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
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Rio Arriba County Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempted Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ashley Herrera, 28, of Espanola, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to attempted bank robbery.
Herrera was arrested in July 2016, on a criminal complaint charging her with attempting to rob the Bank of America branch located at 4037 Rodeo Road in Santa Fe, N.M., on Aug. 12, 2015. Herrera subsequently was indicted on Aug. 23, 2016, and charged with attempted bank robbery.
During today’s proceedings, Herrera pled guilty to the indictment. and admitted that on Aug. 12, 2015, she attempted to rob the bank by handing a bank teller a note in which she threatened to shoot if the bank teller did not give her money. Herrera acknowledged leaving the bank without obtaining any money. She was later arrested after one of her fingerprints was found on the demand note she handed the bank teller.
At sentencing, Herrera faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shana B. Long and Peter J. Eicker are prosecuting the case.
Ridgeland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nick Bianchi (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Brandon James Williams, age 32, of Ridgeland, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Williams to six-years’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that the Ridgeland Police Department was called to the Econo Lodge on James Taylor Drive to conduct a welfare check. Upon arriving, officers made contact with Williams and another individual in one of the rooms and could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the room. Upon executing a search warrant for the room, officers found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun in a jacket belonging to Williams and a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun in a dresser drawer. Williams has multiple prior felony convictions.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Ridgeland Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - One resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment named Jason Porter, Jr., 21, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about October 20, 2016, Porter, Jr., being a convicted felon, did knowingly and unlawfully possess a Smith & Wesson, Model SD40VE, .40 caliber pistol and .40 caliber ammunition. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year to possess a firearm and ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $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 of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allegheny County Violent Crimes, Narcotics, and Firearms Task Force, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the City of Pittsburgh Police Department 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 an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pawtucket Resident Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Justice Reyes, 20, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Reyes was arrested outside his Pawtucket residence on April 1, 2016, moments after he sold the firearm to an undercover federal law enforcement agent.
Reyes was serving a state court imposed sentence of home confinement at the time he sold the firearm to an undercover ATF agent.
Reye’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF.
According to information presented to the court, on April 1, 2016, an undercover ATF agent bought a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle from Reyes for $350. Reyes specified that the serial number had been obliterated, and that he could get the undercover and the undercover’s associates additional guns with obliterated serial numbers.
According to Rhode Island state court records, Reyes was sentenced on March 17, 2016, to one year home confinement for violating a suspended sentence imposed on January 29, 2016, having pleaded nolo contendre to a charge of simple assault domestic. Reyes began serving his home confinement sentence two weeks prior to selling the firearm to the ATF agent.
Reyes, who has been detained since his arrest on April 1, 2016, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on June 5, 2017. Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number is punishable by a statutory sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by ATF and the Rhode Island AFT Task Force, with the assistance of the Pawtucket Police Department.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Pawtucket Drug Trafficker Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Jesus Garo, 28, of Pawtucket, today was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine and crack cocaine. According to information presented to the court, prior to this most recent drug trafficking conviction in federal court, Garo was previously convicted in Rhode Island state court on drug related charges on four occasions, including twice for drug trafficking, and had been shot and wounded at least twice.
Garo’s most recent arrest in December 2015, followed an investigation by Providence Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) into his continued drug trafficking activities.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Garo to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Garo pleaded guilty on December 16, 2016, to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to information presented to the court, during an investigation into Garo’s drug trafficking activities in November and December 2015, on at least two occasions, Garo sold crack cocaine to a person assisting law enforcement with their investigation. On December 16, 2015, Garo was approached outside of his residence by law enforcement, who seized 14 small bags of crack cocaine and three small bags of cocaine from Garo’s person. A court authorized search of Garo’s residence resulted in the seizure of additional quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. In total, law enforcement seized more than 15 grams of crack cocaine, 9 grams of cocaine, $1,571 in cash, and various items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs.
Garo has been detained since his arrest on December 16, 2015.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Oshkosh Woman Charged with EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 14, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Melisa A. Beyer (age: 37) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The first count charges that between January 2007 and May 2014, she embezzled funds from the Oshkosh Central Credit Union (OCCU), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 657. The second count charges Beyer with making a false statement in the reports of OCCU in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1006. More specifically, in March 2014, Beyer falsely reported on OCCU records that the vault money count was in excess of $2,000,000 when in truth, as Beyer well knew, this over-stated the amount of money located in the vault by approximately $1.6 million.
If convicted of the embezzlement charge, Beyer faces a maximum of 30 years’ in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three year’s supervised release. If convicted of the false statement charge, Beyer faces a maximum of 30 years’ in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Beyer appeared before the Honorable James Sickel, Magistrate Court Judge, on February 15th and was released pending her final pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 12th at 1:30 p.m. before Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach. A trial date has been set for April 24th.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Roach.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700
One Albuquerque Resident Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Albuquerque residents appeared in federal court today in connection with pending drug trafficking charges. Daniel Griego, 31, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his cocaine trafficking conviction. Robert Henry Lovato, 44, entered a guilty plea to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement stipulating to a 48-month term of imprisonment.
Griego and Lovato were arrested during an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Griego was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing a distribution quantity of cocaine on July 6, 2016, in Bernalillo County. According to the complaint, on that day, Griego sold approximately 507 grams of cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement. Griego was indicted on July 28, 2016, and charged with distributing cocaine on July 6, 2016. Griego entered a guilty plea to the indictment on Sept. 2, 2016.
Lovato was arrested on July 6, 2017, on an indictment charging him with distributing methamphetamine on April 19, 2016, in Bernalillo County. During today’s proceedings, Lovato entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with distributing methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
To date, 29 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas and three have been sentenced. The remaining defendants, have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh prosecuted the case against Griego, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley is prosecuting the case against Lovato.
Ohio Man Charged with Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Fairfield, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Richard Jay Sharp, 54.
According to the Indictment, on or about November 22, 2016, Sharp possessed child pornography on various electronic devices he owns, including laptop computers and thumb drives.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 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 any prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin A. Loughran is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Neenah, Wisconsin Woman Sentenced for Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 14, 2017, Cathy S. Konkol (age: 52) of Neenah, Wisconsin, was sentenced in Federal Court in Green Bay to 3 years’ prison to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release after her guilty plea to using an unauthorized access device (credit card) contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(1).
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between approximately January 2015 and April 2016, Konkol used fraudulently obtained credit cards in order to obtain cash advances and purchase electronics at various electronic stores in the Oshkosh and Appleton area. Konkol was known as the “MacBook Lady” by employees at one electronic store given the number of computers she purchased. The investigation revealed that she used fraudulently obtained credit cards to purchase approximately $208,000 in merchandise. Konkol reported she received the credit cards from an individual that she met on a dating website. Konkol was directed by that person to send the majority of cash and merchandise to addresses in Nigeria and Malaysia.
While handing down the sentence, Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the year-long time period over which the fraud scheme occurred, the large dollar amount of the fraud, and the repeated instances when Konkol was caught by law enforcement but nevertheless continued to commit further fraudulent acts.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Neenah Police Department, and Grand Chute Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Roach.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700
Navajo Man from Shiprock Sentenced for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Terrell Ray Antonio, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M. Antonio will serve a 46-month term of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on an assault charge.
Antonio was arrested on Jan. 22, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the complaint, on Jan. 17, 2016, struck the victim, a Navajo woman, with his car minutes after she got out the vehicle and started walking away from the vehicle following an argument between the two. The victim suffered a fractured hip, broken right upper arm and head trauma, and had to be airlifted to a hospital because of her injuries. committed the assault on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
Antonio was indicted on Feb. 24, 2016, and charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon, a vehicle.
On July 22, 2016, Antonio pled guilty to Count 1 of the indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily. In entering the guilty plea, Antonio admitted assaulting the victim by striking her with his vehicle, and acknowledged that she suffered serious bodily injury as a result of the assault.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito prosecuted the case as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Navajo Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Patrick Yazzie-Tso, 28, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Santa Fe, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 42 months in prison for his conviction on federal assault charges. Yazzie-Tso will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Yazzie-Tso was arrested in Jan. 2016, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with assault. According to the complaint, on Dec. 13, 2015, the Pojoaque Pueblo Tribal Police Department learned of the assault when they responded to a domestic violence call on Pojoaque Pueblo in Santa Fe County, N.M. The complaint alleged that Yazzie-Tso assaulted the victim, a non-Indian woman, by punching her repeatedly on the head and face, slamming a large painting canvas on her, and strangling her by wrapping his hands around her neck and throat.
Yazzie-Tso was subsequently indicted on Feb. 9, 2016, and charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and strangling an intimate partner. On June 1, 2016, Yazzie-Tso pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.
This case was investigated by Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Pojoaque Pueblo Tribal Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to Home Confinement and Probation for Selling ExplosivesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge Richard P. Conaboy sentenced Ronald J. Scheu, age 48, of Kunkletown, Pennsylvania, to three years of probation, including an eight-month term of home confinement, for distributing explosives without a license. Judge Conaboy also fined Scheu $1,000.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Scheu pleaded guilty to distributing 119 M-class devices, 26 class 1.3 mortars, and one aerial shell, without the appropriate license or permit. Scheu admitted to maintaining a storage locker filled with hundreds of pounds of explosives, and to selling professional grade explosives. He also admitted to manufacturing flash powder and explosives at his residence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and by the Carbon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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Missouri Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr., 25, of Columbia, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Hester was charged in federal court based on his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were associated with ISIS, who were actually undercover law enforcement personnel.
The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson for the Western District of Missouri and Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office.
“As alleged in the complaint, Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr. attempted to provide material support to ISIS by participating in what he believed would be a deadly attack committed in the name of the foreign terrorist organization,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord. “Countering terrorist threats remains the highest priority of the National Security Division, and we will continue our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who seek to commit acts of terrorism within our borders.”
“First on social media, then during face-to-face meetings with an undercover FBI employee, this defendant repeatedly expressed his intent to engage in acts of violent jihad against the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Dickson. “He believed he was part of an ISIS-sponsored terrorist attack that would result in the deaths and injuries of many innocent victims. He readily participated in the preparations for an attack, provided materials and resources for an attack and voiced his intent to carry out an attack. I commend the FBI for protecting the public from a security threat.”
“Terrorism knows no demographic boundaries and remains the FBI’s top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Jackson. “The arrest of Hester is the culmination of an extensive FBI investigation and demonstrates the challenges law enforcement faces in identifying individuals intent on causing harm.”
Hester, who remains in federal custody, was arrested on February 17, when he arrived at an arranged meeting with an undercover law enforcement employee. The criminal complaint was signed on Sunday and made public today, when Hester made his initial court appearance.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, throughout the investigation, Hester expressed his interest in and exhibited his willingness to commit violence in support of ISIS – and he attempted to provide material support to ISIS by assisting in what he believed would be a murderous terrorist bombing and gunfire attack committed in the name of the foreign terrorist organization.
Hester is a U.S. citizen who was born in Missouri. He was enlisted in the U.S. Army for less than a year, receiving a general discharge from service in mid-2013.
FBI agents undertook a review of Hester’s publicly available posts on multiple social media accounts in September 2016. On Oct. 3, 2016, Hester was arrested by the Columbia Police Department in an unrelated case and remained in state custody until he was released on bond on Oct. 13, 2016. His bond conditions included electronic monitoring. While Hester was being monitored, FBI undercover employees maintained regular contact with him via an encrypted messaging app and text messages, and met with him on several occasions.
On January 24, Hester pleaded guilty in state court to property damage and unlawful use of a weapon and was released on his own recognizance. Hester was no longer on electronic monitoring after that date. FBI undercover personnel continued to meet in person with Hester and communicate with him electronically.
Hester agreed to meet again with an FBI undercover employee on February 17. When Hester arrived for that meeting, he was arrested. Hester was the sole subject of this undercover investigation.
Undercover Investigation
According to the affidavit, the investigation began when the FBI became aware (through multiple confidential sources) of Hester’s social media posts, in which he expressed animus towards the U.S. and suggested an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence. Hester used several online aliases, including “Mohammed Junaid Al Amreeki,” “Junaid Muhammad,” “Rabbani Junaid Muhammad,” “Rami Talib” and “Ali Talib Muhammad.”
On Oct. 3, 2016, Hester was arrested by Columbia police officers after an incident in the parking lot of a grocery store. Hester, who appeared to be in an argument with his wife, threw a folded pocket knife through a plate-glass window near the entrance of the store. When store employees confronted Hester, he assumed an aggressive stance and forcefully placed his hand into the diaper bag he was carrying in a manner that appeared to be reaching for a weapon. Police officers later recovered a 9mm handgun from the diaper bag. Hester was in custody until Oct. 13, 2016, when he was released on bond and placed on electronic monitoring.
On Oct. 15, 2016, two days after Hester’s release on bond, an FBI employee using an undercover identity contacted Hester by private message. The FBI employee had accepted a friend request from Hester the day before Hester was arrested for the grocery store incident. They continued to communicate via social media, text and an encrypted messaging app, the affidavit says, during which Hester presented himself as a security threat, stating, for example, that the U.S. government should be “overthrown,” and suggesting “hitting” the government “hard,” while noting that it would not be “a one man job.” Hester identified categories of potential targets for attack and said he wanted a “global jihad.” Hester stated that he was trying to find like-minded people to help. When the undercover employee mentioned “brothers,” Hester said he wanted to meet them.
Hester then established that he would act on the statements he made online. In early November 2016, the affidavit says, Hester made arrangements with the undercover employee – whom he never met in person – to meet with “one of the brothers.” The undercover employee arranged this meeting with another undercover FBI employee.
During a January 31 meeting, the undercover employee provided Hester with a list of items to purchase, including 9-volt batteries, duct tape, copper wire and roofing nails. The undercover employee implied that these items would be used to make bombs, the affidavit says, stating that those materials are needed “to make … things … to bring some kind of destruction.” Hester allegedly responded by stating: “I’m just ready to help. I’m ready to help any way I can.” When the undercover employee stated that what they were planning was “going to bring them to their knees … and then they gonna know to fear Allah,” Hester expressed his anticipation by stating: “I can’t wait. I can’t wait.”
Hester and the undercover employee agreed to meet again at Hester’s residence the next day. When the undercover employee arrived, the affidavit says, Hester gave him the items he had purchased. The undercover employee told Hester they were planning something “10 times more” than the Boston Marathon bombing, and Hester expressed his approval. The undercover employee told Hester that they were planning on “killing a lot of people.” The undercover employee told Hester that he could “walk away,” the affidavit says, but Hester said, “I’m down.” The undercover employee told Hester they were going to “wage all kinda war,” and Hester again expressed his approval.
The undercover employee then pulled back blankets in the back of the SUV to show Hester three AK-47 style rifles and two .45-caliber handguns. The undercover employee told Hester that, while they had plenty of firearms, they needed more ammunition. Hester stated that he could not purchase ammunition because of his state charges, but that he had a friend that could get ammunition for him. Hester stated that he would have money to purchase ammunition after he received his tax refund and after he was paid in a couple of weeks.
The undercover employee also opened a backpack, which contained pieces of pipe with end caps attached in the manner of pipe bombs, along with cord-like safety fuse, stating, “these are bombs right here.” The undercover employee explained that the duct tape Hester provided would be used to tape the bombs together, which Hester acknowledged, and that the nails Hester provided would “cut peoples’ heads off.” Hester responded: “Oh yeah. I know,” indicating that he understood the nails were to be used as shrapnel for bombs.
The undercover employee stated that they had more backpacks that they were going to put in different locations. Hester acknowledged that he understood, and stated that they had to be smarter than the Boston Marathon bombers. Hester again confirmed that he was “down,” the affidavit says, and that he understood they had to “lay low” and act in a manner to avoid detection.
The undercover employee stated that they were going to “strike fear in all these infidel hearts,” and Hester responded that he agreed and that he was ready.
According to the affidavit, Hester contacted the first undercover employee via text message on February 2, and indicated he would “have some more stuff … in a couple of weeks when I get paid.” Hester asked the undercover employee, “When you talk to the brother again let him know I’ll have some more gifts in a couple of weeks.”
On February 4, 6, 7, 11 and 16 Hester communicated with an undercover employee via an encrypted messaging app. Hester said that he was excited, that he was “happy to be part” of it, and that it was “time they answer for their atrocities.” Hester predicted that it was “going to be a good day for Muslims worldwide.” Hester asked how the “party plan” was coming along and reiterated that he would get more “supplies.” The undercover employee told Hester that the “party” would take place on Presidents’ Day and that the targets of the operation would include busses, trains and a train station in Kansas City. Hester said, according to the affidavit, that it felt “good to help strike back at the true terrorist.”
On February 17, Hester met again with the second undercover employee and brought two additional boxes of roofing nails. Hester accompanied the undercover employee to a nearby storage facility, where the two examined the security cameras. Hester was arrested shortly thereafter.
The charge contained in this complaint and the assertions in the supporting affidavit are simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Casey and David Raskin, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Hester ComplaintMerced County Man Admits Smuggling Cash from Marijuana Proceeds into MexicoRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Friday, February 17, 2017, Arnulfo Huerta-Cornejo, 32, of Delhi, pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle bulk cash, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between March 2014 and August 2015, Huerta-Cornejo was involved with the cultivation of marijuana on federal lands. During that time, he accumulated approximately $16,000 cash from the sale of marijuana, hid that cash in a vehicle, and arranged to have the cash smuggled into Mexico. Applicable federal regulations require reporting when $10,000 or more cash is taken out the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Madera County Sheriff’s Department and the Merced County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rooney is prosecuting the case.
Huerta-Cornejo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on May 22, 2017. Huerta-Cornejo faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Marion County man sentenced for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael P. Lough, 28, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 37 months incarceration for possession of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Lough utilized an internet based website to access images of child pornography. In July 2015, using online surveillance and investigatory techniques, authorities discovered Lough to be in possession of various images of child pornography.
Lough pled guilty in March 2016 to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah W. Montoro prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.Man Sentenced for False Bomb ThreatsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Octavio Acosta De La Torre, 43, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bury to 33 months of imprisonment. De La Torre had previously pleaded guilty to false threats to persons and property using or affecting interstate commerce.
Between March 21, 2016 and April 1, 2016, De La Torre made approximately 20 false bomb threats to various businesses and government offices in Tucson and in the Phoenix area, including schools and military recruiting stations, resulting in many closures and evacuations.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tucson Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Beverly K. Anderson and Cory Picton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-0858-TUC-DCB (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-016_ De La Torre
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
MEDIA ADVISORY-- Federal and Local Authorities to Discuss Serious Threats Posed by Tax ScamsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez, Jr. of the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chief Gorden E. Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department, and Undersheriff Greg Rees of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department will hold a press conference at 1:00 P.M. on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017, to discuss how New Mexicans can avoid falling for phone and phishing scams and becoming victims of identity theft. Vigilance is important because tax scams surge during the tax filing season, and phone scams alone have defrauded more than 100,000 victims of more than $54 million since Oct. 2013.
WHO:
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr. of the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation
Chief Gorden E. Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department
Undersheriff Greg Rees of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department
WHEN:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017
1:00 p.m.
WHERE:
U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Mexico
201 Third Street NW
10th Floor Multi-Media Room (Reception on Ninth Floor)
Albuquerque, NM 87102
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials (which must be worn around the neck or pinned to clothing at all times). Media may begin to arrive at 10:15 a.m. MDT. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 or [email protected].
Louisiana Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana return preparer pleaded guilty today to her role in a scheme to file federal tax returns using stolen IDS, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the documents filed with the court, from 2008 through 2016, Alicia Washington aka Alicia Keith, 41, and others obtained electronic filing identification numbers (EFINs) in the names of several tax return preparation businesses and used them to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). To prepare these returns, Washington used stolen IDs belonging to individuals who had been arrested or jailed. Washington and others in the scheme directed the IRS to issue refunds in the form of checks and prepaid debit cards, which were then negotiated by co-conspirators working as check cashers.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 31 before U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan. Washington faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. Washington also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Polite commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden Brockett and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Louisiana Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana return preparer pleaded guilty today to her role in a scheme to file federal tax returns using stolen IDS, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the documents filed with the court, from 2008 through 2016, Alicia Washington aka Alicia Keith, 41, and others obtained electronic filing identification numbers (EFINs) in the names of several tax return preparation businesses and used them to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). To prepare these returns, Washington used stolen IDs belonging to individuals who had been arrested or jailed. Washington and others in the scheme directed the IRS to issue refunds in the form of checks and prepaid debit cards, which were then negotiated by co-conspirators working as check cashers.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 31 before U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan. Washington faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. Washington also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Polite commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden Brockett and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Local Man Sentenced for Robbing Walgreens of Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 25-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Mark Anthony Garcia pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2016, to robbery involving controlled substances.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John Rainey ordered Garcia to serve 57 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Garcia to pay $2,994.81 in restitution.
On Sept. 11, 2016, Garcia entered a Walgreens drug store and approached the pharmacy counter. He had what appeared to be a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded all of the Xanax and Codeine. He left with four bottles of Xanax and two bottles of Codeine and was positively identified a short time later via store surveillance cameras.
At the time of his arrest, officers recovered some of the controlled substances and a realistic black BB gun that fit the description of the gun used in the robbery.
Garcia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Laguna Pueblo Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Kyle L. Mansfield, 26, an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo who resides in Casa Blanca, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 37 months in prison for his conviction on an assault charge. Mansfield will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Mansfield was arrested on May 12, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, a firearm, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the complaint, Mansfield shot the victim in the leg while driving past the victim’s residence. Mansfield committed the crime on May 9, 2016, on the Laguna Indian Reservation in Cibola County, N.M.
On Aug. 26, 2016, Mansfield pled guilty to a felony information charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon. In entering the guilty plea, Mansfield admitted that on May 9, 2016, he fired six or more shots from a pistol toward the ground in the direction of the victim with the intention of injuring the victim.
This case was investigated by the Laguna Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Murphy.
Kentucky man sentenced to federal prison for gun and drug chargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man was sentenced today to two years and four months in federal prison for gun and drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Marques Dawson, 31, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute crack, cocaine, and marijuana. He was also sentenced to an additional six months in prison for violating his federal supervised release. The sentences will be served consecutively.
On August 30, 2016, deputies with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at 1030 21st Street in Huntington. Deputies previously utilized a confidential informant to make multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Dawson at the residence. During the search, deputies located Dawson inside the residence. Deputies also seized approximately 17 grams of crack, approximately 137 grams of cocaine, approximately 555 grams of marijuana, digital scales, $1,372 in cash, and a Raven Arms, MP-25, .25 caliber pistol. Dawson was arrested and admitted to selling drugs from the residence from at least May of 2016 because he “needed extra money.” Dawson was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2013 felony conviction in federal court in Kentucky for possession with intent to distribute crack.
The Cabell County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This prosecution was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime. This prosecution was also brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Kankakee Man Charged with Hobbs Act Robberies of Businesses in Champaign, KankakeeRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An April trial date has been set for a Kankakee, Ill., man charged with committing robberies of businesses in Champaign and Kankakee in July and August 2016. Thomas James, 33, of the 500 block of S. Indiana Ave., Kankakee, Ill., made his initial appearance in federal court on Feb. 16, on the charges. James has been ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Trial is scheduled on April 18.
The indictment alleges that James robbed the Sprint store at 2706 N. Prospect Ave., in Champaign, on July 28, 2016, and the Circle K at 581 S. Indiana Ave., in Kankakee, on Aug. 6, 2016. Both robberies have been charged under the federal statute known as the Hobbs Act, for interference with interstate commerce by threats or violence. The indictment alleges that threats of violence were used to take cell phones and electronic devices from the Sprint store and to take cigarettes and currency from the Circle K. In addition, the indictment alleges that James used a HiPoint 9mm handgun during the robbery of the Circle K, and that he was a felon at the time he possessed the handgun.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for each offense charged is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as sentencing is determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The maximum penalty for Hobbs Act robbery is 20 years in prison; for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, the penalty is a mandatory seven years to life in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence ordered for the underlying crime of violence. Possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The charges are the result of investigation by the FBI; U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Champaign Police Department; Kankakee Police Department; Illinois State Police; KAMEG; Alton Police Department; and, the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Freres is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Urbana Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Kankakee Latin King Sentenced to More than Eleven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing, Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce has sentenced Jesse Guardiola, 43, of Grant Park, Ill., to serve 140 months (11 years, 8 months) in federal prison for five counts of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. Guardiola has previously been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Latin Kings in Kankakee.
At sentencing, on Feb. 17, Judge Bruce ordered that Guardiola serve the statutory maximum sentence of 120 months for the five counts, to be served concurrently; however, for two counts, the court ordered that 20 months of the sentence be served consecutive to the other counts, for a total of 140 months in prison. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison. Guardiola has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in June 2016.
On Oct. 7, 2016, Guardiola pled guilty to all five counts in the indictment. Guardiola was charged and pled guilty to possession of firearms: on Aug. 18, 2014, a Llama .380 caliber handgun; on Feb. 11, 2015, a Norinco, Model SKS, 7.62 x 39 caliber firearm; on Feb. 24, 2015, a Hi Point, Model JHP, .45 caliber handgun; on April 16, 2015, a separate Norinco, Model SKS, 7.62 x 39 caliber firearm; and, on May 27, 2015, a Colt, Model MKIV Series 80, Officers ACP, .45 caliber handgun. At sentencing, the court found that Guardiola knowingly sold all of the weapons to a confidential informant. Guardiola had prior felony convictions in Will, Kendall and Kankakee counties at the time he possessed and sold the firearms.
The charges are the result of ongoing investigations related to gun violence in the Kankakee area by the Kankakee Area Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, which includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Kankakee Police Department; and the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted in the Urbana Division by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Freres.
Jicarilla Apache Man Sentenced for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Mylan Skye Velarde, 31, a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation who resides in Dulce, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his assault conviction. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Chief Sylvester Stanley of the Jicarilla Apache Tribal Police Department.
Velarde was arrested in Dec. 2015, on an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, a bat, with intent to do bodily harm. According to the indictment, Velarde committed the crime on March 18, 2015, in Indian Country in Rio Arriba County, N.M.
On June 24, 2016, Velarde pled guilty to the indictment. In entering the guilty plea, Velarde admitted that on March 18, 2015, he repeatedly struck the victim in the head and upper torso with a bat, causing the victim to suffer bodily injury.
This case was investigated by the Jicarilla Apache Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito.
Jefferson County woman pleads guilty to her role in a heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Amanda Marshall, 30, of Ranson, West Virginia, was convicted of heroin distribution, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Marshall admitted to possessing heroin in Berkeley County on June 29, 2016.
Marshall pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with the Intent to Distribute Heroin.” She faces up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Anna Z. Krasinski prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
ID Thieves Sentenced to Prison for Scheme Targeting Unemployment Benefits and Credit UnionsRead the Press Release
A pair of identity thieves who methodically stole and used victims’ personal information to steal more than $350,000 were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. RYDER COLIN GUTHRIE, 32, and MICHELLE NICOLE HUDSON, 33, were arrested in August 2016, following an investigation that revealed they had used stolen identities to claim more than $50,000 in unemployment benefits and had defrauded multiple credit unions of more than $300,000. GUTHRIE was sentenced to 52 months in prison and HUDSON was sentenced to 48 months in prison. Both are responsible for $363,101 in restitution. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “For four years these defendants lived the high life by using other people’s money… (They) attacked (the victims’) character, their reputation and their assets by a non-violent but equally destructive means.”
“By some estimates, 7% of all U.S. residents age 16 or older, experience at least one incident of identity theft a year,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Identity theft takes an emotional and financial toll, and all of us pay more because of these frauds. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, the thieves who engage in this crime face significant federal sentences.”
According to records filed in the case, working out of motels in western Washington, Oregon and northern California, the pair stole identity information of friends and relatives, former employees of a defunct business, and credit union employees. Using advanced data-mining techniques, the pair built detailed credit profiles of the victims which they used to submit fraudulent unemployment benefit claims, and to create and access new and existing accounts under the victims’ names at credit unions. The pair wrote fraudulent checks to inflate the balances in the credit union accounts, and then withdrew cash at ATMs before the checks bounced. The pair also accessed and drained legitimate accounts belonging to the victims. When the pair fled from a motel in Fife, Washington they left behind a laptop containing credit profiles and other evidence of their many frauds.
GUTHRIE and HUDSON each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in November 2016.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Washington State Employment Security, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Puyallup and Fife Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis Franze-Nakamura.