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27 January 2017
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Donald Fialdini, 51, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Thursday to failure to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in August 2015, Fialdini moved to Sacramento from the state of Nevada and intentionally did not register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) as was required as a result of multiple convictions in Nevada for open and gross lewdness. Among the convictions, in 2009, Fialdini was convicted of committing sexual battery upon a female victim and an intentional sex act in public.
On November 30, 2015, Fialdini indecently exposed himself to an adult female in Sacramento. On March 8, 2016, Fialdini was arrested in a Sacramento County park by U.S. Marshal deputies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sex Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team. The SAFE Team is multi-agency task force operating in Northern California that monitors sex offenders and conducts investigations regarding sex offender registration violations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Fialdini is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on April 27, 2017. Fialdini faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. 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.
Restaurant Manager Pleads Guilty to Hiring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jose Sanchez-Ocampo, 37, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty, before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., to conspiracy to unlawfully employ 10 illegal aliens in a 12-month period. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Counihan, who is handling the case, stated Sanchez-Ocampo was the manager of Don Tequila Restaurant on Allen Street in Buffalo. In that capacity, the defendant hired at least 10 illegal aliens to work at Don Tequila and other restaurants.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
Queens Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder-For-HireRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSE LUIS GRACESQUI was sentenced today to life in prison after having been convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, and murder in connection with a narcotics conspiracy for his role in the murder of a 28-year-old Manhattan man in 1999. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who presided over the three-week jury trial, imposed today’s sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Thanks to the efforts of the dedicated agents, detectives, and prosecutors who never gave up, this cold-case murder of an innocent 28-year-old man has been solved and the perpetrator brought to justice. The person responsible for that murder has been sentenced to life in prison, bringing to a close this tragic and senseless crime. We hope this brings some measure of peace to Richard Diaz’s family.”
According to the evidence introduced at trial, other proceedings in this case, and documents previously filed in Manhattan federal court:
JOSE LUIS GRACESQUI, a/k/a “Luis Perez,” a/k/a “Ramon Ortiz,” a/k/a “Onel Colon,” a/k/a “Muffler,” was a member of a crew that committed violent robberies, kidnappings, and beatings of drug dealers. In the summer of 1999, GRACESQUI was hired by a major drug dealer in Upper Manhattan to kill one of the drug dealer’s customers (“Intended Victim-1”) after Intended Victim-1 and a number of his associates stole heroin from the drug dealer.
On the night of July 19, 1999, GRACESQUI and a member of his crew saw Intended Victim-1 in a car with another person and began following Intended Victim-1 through Manhattan. When the car with Intended Vicitm-1 stopped at a red light, GRACESQUI got out of the car that he had been in, approached the car with Intended Victim-1, and began shooting. The shots hit both Intended Victim-1 and the driver of the car, Richard Diaz. Richard Diaz was able to drive a short distance to the Henry Hudson Parkway, until Diaz lost consciousness and died. Intended Victim-1 sustained injuries but did not die.
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GRACESQUI, 46, is from Queens, New York. Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the DEA and the NYPD.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Laurie A. Korenbaum, Brendan F. Quigley, and Rebekah Donaleski are in charge of the prosecution.
Philadelphia Man Recieves 192 Month Prison Sentence for Orchestrating String of Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – David Thomas, a/k/a “David Thompson”, 23, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 192 months in prison for his role orchestrating and executing four bank robberies over a two-month period from May through July 2015. The Court further ordered Thomas to pay restitution in the amount of $48,408, representing the aggregate of funds stolen during the robberies. On May 14, 2015, Thomas robbed Wells Fargo, located at 52 North Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA. On June 2, 2015, Thomas and others robbed this same Wells Fargo branch. On June 30, 2015, Thomas and others robbed TD Bank, located at 8600 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia. Finally, on July 15, 2015, Thomas, armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol and assisted by others, robbed TD Bank, located at 5501 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia and Lower Merion Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric A. Boden.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Multiple Federal Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Deangelo A. Rome, 26, of Pensacola, was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison, after pleading guilty on May 3, 2016, to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon on multiple dates. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
In February 2015, a law enforcement officer discovered a running vehicle with Rome unresponsive in the driver’s seat and located a loaded handgun in view under Rome’s seat.
Later, in December 2015, law enforcement officers responded to a “shots fired” disturbance call. A shooting victim was located, and the residence had bullet holes through a sliding glass door. Multiple shell casings and a loaded magazine were found on the scene. A fingerprint on the loaded magazine matched that of Rome. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard evidence regarding Rome as one of the shooters of the victim.
A few days after the shooting, law enforcement officers responded to a call of armed individuals, who, after fleeing, were tracked to a residence with a vehicle in the driveway. A deputy saw an assault rifle in the vehicle, and ammunition was also found on the premises. During a search of the premises, Rome was located hiding under a bed. The rifle inside the vehicle had both a palm print and DNA evidence belonging to Rome, and Rome’s fingerprint was also located on a separate box of ammunition.
The case resulted from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the ATF Gun Crime Response Team. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
For more information, contact: Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]Parker Business Woman Sentenced for Employee Benefit Plan EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
DENVER – Emily R. Strunk, age 45, of Parker, Colorado was recently sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 78 months in federal prison for wire fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, federal law enforcement authorities announced. Following her prison sentence, Strunk was ordered to spend three years on supervised release. Judge Martinez also ordered her to pay $2,590,608.35 in restitution to the victims of her crime. Strunk was indicted on April 7, 2016, and pled guilty on September 29, 2016.
According to the facts in the indictment and plea agreement, Strunk was a third-party administrator for employee pension and retirement plans, operating through various businesses including North American Employer Solutions, LLC; BAC Human Resources, LLC; Colorado Benefits Outsourcing, LLC; Benefits Team Administration, LLC; Benefits Administrators & Consultants LLC; and Columbine Employee Benefits Inc. Starting in 2005, and continuing through September 2015, Strunk devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from her clients’ employee pension or retirement funds. As the third party administrator, Strunk would gain access to her clients’ plan assets and either directly transfer those assets to her personal and business checking accounts or direct her clients to transfer funds to those bank accounts, which she falsely identified as “trust” accounts. She also directed her clients to send employee retirement contributions directly to her checking accounts, which again were falsely identified as “trust” accounts. Strunk comingled her clients’ funds in her checking accounts, failed to keep accurate records of her clients’ and their plan participants’ assets, and used her clients money for her own personal and business expenses. Most of Strunk’s clients were small businesses.
Strunk concealed her fraud by falsifying plan participants’ online account statements, making it appear that their money was invested in certain assets when, in fact, the funds were in Strunk’s checking account or she had spent them. Strunk also filed or caused to be filed false Forms 5500 with the Department of Labor (DOL) for client plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). On those forms, she falsely stated the total amount of plan assets and omitted that her fraud and dishonesty caused a loss to the plan, thereby lying to the DOL and her clients to conceal her fraud.
Ms. Strunk deliberately and systematically stole the hard-earned money of small business employees. We don’t do that,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and the IRS Criminal Investigations did an outstanding job investigating this matter, as did the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who ensured the defendant would receive the sentence she deserves.”
“This criminal action demonstrates the U.S. Department of Labor's resolve to vigorously enforce the law to ensure that those who defraud employee benefit plans are brought to justice. This case also exemplifies our commitment to protect employee benefits in coordination with fellow federal agencies,” said Mark Underwood, Acting Regional Director of the Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office.”
"The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that can take time to investigate," said Steven Osborne, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate this and other money laundering schemes in order to bring justice to the victims.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Edgar.
Owner and Finance Manager of Norman Used Car Lot to Serve 41 Months and 31 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – TIMOTHY JAY WILLIAMS, 54, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and STEPHEN L. BUTZ, 53, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, were both sentenced this week to serve 41 months and 31 months respectively for bank fraud that they committed against the Bank of Union and other financial institutions, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. The men were also ordered to pay restitution of $1,260,725.43 to their victims.
Williams was the owner of Lindsey Street Motors, a used car lot in Norman, Oklahoma, and Butz was his finance manager. According to court documents, Williams entered into a Commercial Security Agreement with The Bank of Union on behalf of Lindsey Street Motors that granted the bank a secured interest in all used motor vehicles, proceeds, and products of Lindsey Street Motors. In return, The Bank of Union extended to Williams and Butz a line of credit to purchase used vehicles and hold them as inventory until sold. After obtaining the loan proceeds, Williams and Butz sold collateralized vehicles out of trust, without the knowledge or permission of The Bank of Union, and did not use the sales proceeds to repay the Bank. In addition, after purchasing vehicles with The Bank of Union financing, Williams and Butz obtained duplicate vehicle titles from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, which they provided to buyers, without notifying the Bank of Union of the vehicle sales or repaying Lindsey Street Motors’ line of credit.
Both Williams and Butz pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Judge Miles La-Grange in August of 2016. Each admitted that their conduct caused a loss in an amount between $550,000.00 and $1,500,000.00.
At their sentencing hearings this week, Williams was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Butz was sentenced to serve 31 months in prison, also to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Miles-LaGrange ordered both men to pay $1,260,725.43 in restitution to the victims of their conduct, for which they are jointly and severally liable.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Zechariah Hazard, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 60 months in prison by Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for receipt of child pornography. After his release from prison, Hazard will also serve five years of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations in Omaha received information that an IP address belonging to Hazard, uploaded an image of child pornography. On July 30, 2015, a search warrant was obtained and served at Hazard’s residence in Omaha, Nebraska. After a forensic examination of Hazard’s computer, Investigators found over 9000 images and video files of child pornography. The files were received and distributed by Hazard from at least December 14, 2014 through July 30, 2015.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Ohio Man Admits Participating in Texas to Erie Cocaine Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
Erie, Pa. -A former resident of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Oscar Mata Garcia, 28, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from June 2013 through February 2015, Mata Garcia engaged in a conspiracy with eighteen co-defendants to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The Court was advised that Mata Garcia’s specific role in the conspiracy was to assist in driving vehicles to the Houston, Texas area to pick up loads of cocaine and then to transport the cocaine to Erie, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, with the cocaine concealed in hidden compartments. According to information provided to the Court, on November 1, 2014, Mata Garcia was in one of the load vehicles with another co-conspirator when they were stopped by the Arkansas State Police while traveling east near milepost 253 on Interstate 40. The Court was advised that Mata Garcia and his co-conspirator had just traveled to the Houston area to pick up a load of cocaine destined for delivery to Erie and elsewhere. The Court was further advised that a search warrant was executed on the vehicle and that individually wrapped packages of cocaine were located in a hidden compartment in the vehicle. The packages were discovered to contain more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2017. The law provides for a total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $4,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Organized Crime Section, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Arkansas State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mata Garcia.
North Charleston 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 Neko Andre Tisdale, age 33, of North Charleston, 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 Richard M. Gergel of Charleston sentenced Tisdale to ten years imprisonment, to be followed by two years’ supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that Tisdale was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by City of Charleston Police Department officers on June 12, 2014. After officers smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle, they search the vehicle and found a Bersa Firestorm pistol under a child seat. Tisdale admitted that the firearm belonged to him. Tisdale was later arrested by City of Charleston Police on January 31, 2015, with another firearm by City of Charleston Police on January 31, 2015, days after being released on bond from his June 12, 2014, arrest.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the City of Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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New York Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Dealing Heroin and Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on January 26, 2017, Shatu H. Gadson, 44, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to charges that he distributed heroin and cocaine base. U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha also ordered that Gadson serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
According to court records, in February and March of 2016, law enforcement in Burlington used an informant to make several purchases of cocaine base and heroin from Gadson. On April 1, 2016, agents arrested Gadson in New York City and he was brought to Vermont to face federal drug charges.
For his crimes, Gadson faced a statutory maximum term of 20 years in prison. The United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are advisory, recommended that Gadson receive a prison term between 21-27 months. Gadson and the government entered into a plea agreement in which the parties agreed that a 30-month prison sentence was appropriate. In determining that a sentence above the applicable Guideline range was correct, Judge Murtha considered, among other factors, Gadson’s serious criminal history which included felony convictions for drug dealing, assault, and manslaughter.
United States Attorney Eric Miller commended the efforts of the Burlington Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Vermont State Police, and the U.S. Marshals for their coordinated work in this investigation. United States Attorney Miller noted that this case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative, which is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat heroin distribution in Vermont. According to United States Attorney Miller, the United States Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners will continue to disrupt the flow of heroin into Vermont and hold drug dealers accountable for their serious crimes against the community.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. Gadson is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.
New Orleans Woman Indicted for Conspiracy to Receive and Pay Illegal Health Care KickbacksRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that SAQUENA GRIFFIN, a/k/a “QUEENIE,” age 34, of New Orleans was charged today with conspiracy to pay and receive illegal Medicare kickbacks which resulted in Medicare paying $378,274 to a local home health.
According to the Indictment, GRIFFIN was a recruiter and marketer for Comprehensive Nursing and Home Health Service, Inc. (Comprehensive) on Earhart Blvd., in New Orleans. GRIFFIN is charged with receiving illegal kickbacks to bring Medicare beneficiaries to Comprehensive.
If convicted, GRIFFIN, faces a possible maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrice Harris Sullivan is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that GRADY W. CLARK, III, age 38, of New Orleans, was indicted today for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on CLARK’s residence on January 20, 2017, during which time they seized numerous electronic items, including a laptop computer, thumb drives and cellular phones that contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children. CLARK was arrested and appeared in federal court where he was detained by a United States Magistrate Judge.
Court records also revealed that CLARK was previously convicted on October 30, 2012, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for pornography involving juveniles.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Due to his prior conviction, if convicted, CLARK faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years imprisonment up to twenty years, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Nebraska Upgrades Access to INTERPOL Investigative DataRead the Press Release
In January 2017, the State of Nebraska joined the small but growing number of U.S. states participating in a process called “federation.” Through federation, INTERPOL Washington provides U.S. law enforcement agencies the information technology support to enable queries in both domestic and INTERPOL criminal databases with a single real-time search transaction. Currently, most state law enforcement officers run inquiries through the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) database. The NCIC catalogs information that officers enter on sex offenders, immigration violators, suspected gang members, people with outstanding warrants and individuals reported missing, for example. Police use the system to locate fugitives, identify missing people, and determine if a subject is driving a stolen car or is wanted elsewhere.
However, between 80 and 90 percent of INTERPOL data, including information on INTERPOL notices, wanted persons, stolen and lost travel documents, and stolen motor vehicles, does not meet the criteria for inclusion in NCIC databases. To capture the INTERPOL data, officers must run a separate query, lengthening the time before an officer determines whether a subject poses a specific threat. Federation solves this problem by connecting the databases, allowing law enforcement a complete view of a subject’s criminal domestic and international profile. Federation reduces the time officers spend running background checks, enhancing officer safety and efficiency.
Photograph courtesy of the National Criminal Information Center A police officer uses a vehicle-mounted mobile platform.Nebraska’s adoption of the program brings the number of participating states to 13, plus Washington, D.C. Federated searches are processed through the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets). These combined searches can be conducted from both fixed and mobile platforms, including vehicle-mounted and hand-held devices. Depending upon an individual state’s existing information technology structure, there is minimal to no charge to participate in federation.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice, INTERPOL Washington is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As the designated representative to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) on behalf of the Attorney General, INTERPOL Washington serves as the national point of contact for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the United States.
Monett Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Monett, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today in two separate cases for illegally possessing firearms.
Shannon Lee Barlow, 42, of Monett, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to four years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 9, 2016, Barlow pleaded guilty to two separate indictments that each charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Dec. 30, 2015, law enforcement officers contacted Barlow at his residence in order to place him under arrest for felony warrants. According to court documents, Barlow came out of the back door of his house with a loaded Harrington & Richardson 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun. He was immediately confronted by law enforcement and refused numerous commands to drop the firearm. Barlow repeatedly told deputies that they would need to shoot him and he refused to disarm, even when confronted by three sheriff's deputies. Barlow's refusal to disarm continued on for approximately half an hour.
Barlow eventually dropped the shotgun and was arrested, at which time officers found several needles and two small plastic baggies with suspected methamphetamine in his pockets. Barlow told officers there was a meth lab in the garage that belonged to his friend. Deputies also arrested the person operating the meth lab.
After he was arrested, Barlow told officers that, had the deputy who originally confronted him been a man, he would have "blown the deputy away." Barlow admitted that he did not try to shoot and kill the deputy because he did not want to kill a woman, but he had no qualms about shooting a male police officer.
Approximately seven months later, after Barlow had been indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm, law enforcement officers came into contact with him again while investigating a suspicious vehicle parked in front of a residence. On July 8, 2016, officers entered a residence in Monett and found Barlow asleep in the living room. He had a loaded FED Hungary, 9x18mm handgun in a holster attached to his left hip. Barlow was awakened and arrested without incident.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Barlow has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Medical Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dispensing Schedule II and Schedule III Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that BARBARA A. BRUCE, M.D., age 43, pled guilty yesterday to a one count Bill of Information charging her with conspiring with others to dispense quantities of Schedule II and Schedule III drugs outside the scope of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purposes.
According to court documents, DR. BRUCE admitted in a factual basis that she owned and operated the medical office of Barbara A. Bruce, M.D. at 9954 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 10, in New Orleans, between August 2014 and April 2015. She acknowledged that during her medical practice she wrote prescriptions that were provided to patients without her conducting a medical examination of the patient, and at times, without even seeing the patient. DR. BRUCE admitted that she conspired with a member of her medical staff and with KENNETH KNIGHT, who split 50 percent of the profits received by DR. BRUCE through her medical practice. KNIGHT previously entered a plea of guilty to the same conspiracy and will be sentenced on April 20, 2017.
DR. BRUCE faces a maximum sentence of five years incarceration, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing for May 4, 2017.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Office and the Internal Revenue Service, Gulfport, Mississippi for investigating this matter. Assistant Attorney John F. Murphy is in charge of the prosecution.
McKean County Man Admits Possessing Unregistered MachinegunRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. – A former resident of Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
James William McMichael, 72, pleaded guilty on January 24, 2016, to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that McMichael possessed a machinegun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. According to information provided to the court, McMichael, who was a former federally licensed firearms dealer, ordered various firearm parts which were then fully assembled into a functioning machinegun. The machinegun was then hidden in the ceiling of McMichael’s Port Allegany home.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2017. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Allegany Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McMichael.
Marshall County man pleads guilty to unlawful possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Christopher L. Wright, 37, of Glen Easton, West Virginia, was convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.
Martin, who had previously been convicted of a felony offense in Marshall County, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. He admitted to possessing a 9mm pistol in July 2016.
Martin pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Moundsville Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Man from Mexico pleads guilty to reentering the U.S. twiceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a citizen of Mexico pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
Bertoldo Labra-Martinez, 33, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to the guilty plea, the defendant was found in the United States on November 3, 2016, while incarcerated at the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center. Records show that Labra-Martinez was previously removed from the United States in January of 2008 and March of 2015.
Labra-Martinez was previously convicted on October 23, 2014, in the U.S. District Court, Lake Charles Division, for the offense of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. As a result of that conviction, Labra-Martinez faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison, three year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for the offense of reentry of a removed alien. A sentencing date of March 12, 2017 was set.
United States Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.
Man Who Was Arrested During "Operation Protect the Powerless" Sentenced to 13 Years for Transporting Two Girls from Nevada to California to Work as ProstitutesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man arrested in 2014 as part of “Operation Protect the Powerless,” a joint law enforcement operation to catch child predators in southern Nevada, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 156 months in prison and lifetime supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The defendant and his co-defendant exploited two minor girls for their financial benefit by forcing the girls to travel from Nevada to California to work as child prostitutes,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “This case is a prime example of successful state and nationwide efforts by multi-agencies and our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute sexual predators. We remain committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse.”
Sha-Ron Haines, 20, was convicted by a jury on Aug. 25, 2015, of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, one count of sex trafficking of a child, one count of conspiracy to transport a minor for prostitution or other illegal sexual activity, and one count of transportation of a minor for prostitution. Haines and co-defendant Tyral Edward King, 21, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 6, 2014. King pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2015, to one count of transportation of an individual for the purpose of prostitution, and was sentenced on March 1, 2016, to 30 months in prison.
According to court records, the investigation commenced on June 24, 2014, when a Clark County probation officer notified a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer that a 15-year-old girl might be involved in prostitution. Further investigation revealed that in May 2014, Haines and King had driven the 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl, from Las Vegas to Pomona, Calif. and Los Angeles, Calif., with the intent that they engage in prostitution. King’s name and credit card were used to purchase online advertisements on an internet site commonly used by prostitutes and pimps called, “Backpage,” to set up prostitution dates for the minors in California. In May, the girls then engaged in prostitution acts in California, and all of the money they earned was turned over to Haines and King. On May 22, 2014, the 17-year-old girl was arrested by an undercover Los Angeles police officer who had responded to one of the advertisements on “Backpage,” and had met her at a hotel for sex. The 15-year-old girl later returned home to Las Vegas on a bus.
In a separate pending federal case, Haines is charged with assaulting a Southern Nevada federal detention center officer on Feb. 9, 2015, by using his fist to strike the officer in the face, jaw and ear four times. The case is currently scheduled for trial on May 9, 2017.
Operation Protect the Powerless was organized and led by the Project Safe Childhood (PSC) Task Force in southern Nevada, and targeted child traffickers, persons who were coercing and enticing minors for sex, child pornographers, child molesters and child rapists. Members of the PSC Task Force include the FBI, the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Henderson Police Department, Clark County D.A.’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Operation Protect the Powerless occurred from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2014, and resulted in the prosecution and conviction of 219 persons, the execution of 100 search warrants, and the recovery of over 500,000 images and 2,700 videos of child rape and pornography. The surge also resulted in prosecutions being handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Clark County District Attorney’s Office, and resulted in distinct charges in federal and state court.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa C. Cartier-Giroux and Susan Cushman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Lee's Summit Man Sentenced for $3.7 Million Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a more than $3.7 million mortgage fraud scheme.
Albert William Roberts III, 68, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Roberts to pay $1,992,221 in restitution.
On May 13, 2016, Roberts was found guilty at trial of four counts of wire fraud. Roberts, a retired Kansas City, Mo., school teacher, obtained a total of $3,758,420 from mortgage lenders and title companies from 2002 to 2007 for the purchase of a dozen properties from Penrod Homes, Inc. – three properties in Lee’s Summit, six properties in Peculiar, Mo., and three properties in Greenwood, Mo. Most of the homes were priced in the upper $100,000 or lower $200,000 range; the most expensive was a home on about two acres for $1.3 million.
Although Roberts was found guilty of wire fraud specifically in connection with two of those transactions, evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Roberts’ fraud extended to 10 additional properties. Roberts obtained all 12 mortgage loans by material false and fraudulent representations and omissions of facts. He structured the purchases of the homes in such a way that he received $807,203 in kickbacks that were not disclosed to the lenders.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Consultant Gregg R. Coonrod and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI.
Lebanon Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a prior sex offender in Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Christian Cannon, 44, of Lebanon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Cannon, who has six prior state convictions in Washington for possessing child pornography (all from the same criminal case), was sentenced as a prior sex offender.
On July 28, 2016, Cannon pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
On April 18, 2014, a law enforcement officer conducting an investigation into the distribution of child pornography by suspects using peer-to-peer file-sharing software identified Cannon’s computer as sharing images of child pornography over the Internet. Officers executed a search warrant at Cannon’s residence and seized his computer. A forensic examiner located three videos and two images of child pornography on the computer.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Leader of Illegal Online Pharmacy Sentenced to 8 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A former police officer who was the leader of an online pharmacy that illegally distributed hundreds of thousands of narcotic pills and other prescription drugs was sentenced to eight years in prison today, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. JUAN GALLINAL, 49, of Pembroke Pines, Florida is a former police officer from Virginia. GALLINAL was the organizer of the online pharmacy operation, turning a small brick and mortar drugstore into a massive online pill mill that spread addiction across the country. Highlighting the devastation of opioid abuse, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted that during his time as a police officer GALLINAL had “the opportunity to see the ravages and consequences of addiction to drugs.”
“This defendant is one of the ‘founding fathers’ of this internet pharmacy business that exploited the drug addiction of people across the country for his own gain,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Using a sham owner, shell corporations and databases hidden on a server in Switzerland, Mr. Gallinal tried to hide his business and his role from the law. I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration for their diligent work on this case that led to the shuttering of this criminal operation.”
Under the name ‘Discount Pharmacy’ and later ‘A-1 Pharmacy’, the internet operation distributed drugs to some 200 customers in Washington State between 2009 and 2012. The pharmacy shipped hundreds of thousands of pills of hydrocodone, phentermine, alprazolam (Xanax) and codeine (Tylenol 4) to thousands of people across the country who did not have valid prescriptions for the narcotics. The conspiracy brought in more than $9 million in revenue from the sale of pills during the three-year scheme. The pharmacy operated four internet sites through which the defendant and his co-conspirators solicited customers including those in Washington State. According to records in the case, the conspiracy filled prescriptions even if no valid prescription existed. At times the conspirators simply looked for a physician in the same geographic area as the customer, with a similar sounding name, and filled the prescription using the physician’s DEA number without the physician’s knowledge. The pharmacy charged as much as ten times the usual price for the medications.
In June 2012, the DEA seized the websites, computers, and drug inventory associated with the illegal pharmacy. In April 2015, GALLINAL pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances by means of the internet, conspiracy to introduce misbranded prescription drugs, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and destruction, alteration and concealment of records. He agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of more than $1.9 million.
GALLINAL is the final defendant to be sentenced. Judge Jones noted GALLINAL was the leader who drew his co-conspirators into his “web of deceit and greed…. You were the orchestrator, conductor, composer and chief engineer making this engine run.”
The other defendants include:
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Craig Greer, 43, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison;
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Kevin Kogan, 48, of Cedar Park, Texas, was sentenced to 30 months in prison;
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Jordan Truxell, 26, of Davie, Florida served as the registered agent for Discount Pharmacy dba frontierpharmacies.com. He was sentenced to a year in prison in June 2016;
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Thomas Brooke, 54, of Cooper City, Florida, the bookkeeper for Discount Pharmacy, was sentenced in March 2016 to 60 months in prison;
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Ali Lovins, 44, of Cooper City, Florida is a registered nurse and was the office manager for Discount Pharmacy. Lovins was sentenced in March 2016 to 36 months in prison.
This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. The case was investigated by the Portland Tactical Diversion Squad which is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Portland Police Bureau. Substantial investigative assistance was provided by the Food and Drug and Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office, and DEA Miami Field Division.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Lang, Francis Franze-Nakamura and Brian Werner.
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Leader of A Violent Brooklyn Robbery Crew and an Underling Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, Christian John, the leader of the “Hull Street Crew,” a violent criminal gang that operated in the Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and East New York areas of Brooklyn for more than a decade, was sentenced to life imprisonment, following his conviction after trial in December 2014 on charges of racketeering, murder, attempted murder, murder-for-hire, armed robbery, murder-for-hire, narcotics distribution and gambling on dog fighting. Marvin Johnson, a member of John’s crew, was also sentenced to life imprisonment, following his conviction after trial on murder, robbery and narcotics distribution charges.
The sentences were announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Capers stated, “Today’s sentence marks a day of closure for the six families whose loved ones were senselessly murdered and for the Brooklyn communities where John and his violent crew wreaked havoc from more than a decade. These life sentences also provide notice to gang members and violent offenders that this Office and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in our efforts to make communities safe for their residents.” Mr. Capers extended his grateful appreciation to the FBI and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding assistance in this case.
As proven at trial, Christian John was found guilty of the 2000 murder of Charlemagne Lormand, the 2008 murder of Barry Haynes, the 2008 murder of Daquane Shelton and the 2011 murders of Jason Bostic and Aaron Formey. Both defendants were found guilty of the 2006 murder of Earle Kevin Obermuller. During the Obermuller murder, the defendants lured the victim to an abandoned building where they duct taped his entire head and watched him suffocate to death. The defendants then set his body on fire. During the 2011 murders of Jason Bostic and Aaron Formey, John ordered his crew members to bind the victims with duct tape and to kill them. Among his many other crimes, John was also found guilty of assaulting a crew member by tying him up and pouring scalding water over his body as retaliation for the crew member being disloyal to John.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Soumya Dayananda and Robert T. Polemeni.
The sentencing proceeding took place before United States District Judge Frederic Block.
The Defendants:
CHRISTIAN KESTON JOHN
Age: 32
Brooklyn, N.Y.
MARVIN JOHNSON
Age: 32
Brooklyn, N.Y.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 11-CR-00405
Kenmore Man Sentenced on Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that John McNeill, 57, of Kenmore, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, was sentenced to 57 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Duskiewicz, who handled the case, stated that the defendant, the former owner of Mixology Bar on Forest Avenue in Buffalo, received large shipments of methamphetamine from a source of supply in San Diego, CA. A package was intercepted by law enforcement officers on September 5, 2014, and a controlled delivery was made to McNeill’s Kenmore residence. The package contained ¼ kilogram of methamphetamine with a street value of approximately $38,000.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack, and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, under the direction of Chief George Gast.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing child pornography.
Donovan K. Munter, 21, of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to a federal information that charges him with one count of possessing child pornography.
In February 2015, federal agents conducting an investigation of a peer-to-peer file-sharing network identified Munter’s computer as sharing images and videos of child pornography over the Internet. Agents executed a search warrant at Munter’s residence on June 4, 2015, and seized several computers and related items.
A forensic examiner located more than 1,200 images and more than 300 movies of child pornography on the computers and electronic media, including images of children as young as three years old.
Under federal statutes, Munter is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Jamaican National Indicted in Federal Drug Case for Allegedly Supplying Flight Attendant with nearly 60 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has named a Jamaican man in an indictment that accuses him of supplying a Jet Blue flight attendant with nearly 60 pounds of cocaine that she attempted to smuggle on to a plane at Los Angeles International Airport.
Gaston Brown, 39, of Jamaica, was charged yesterday with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Brown is currently serving a one-year-and-one-day federal prison sentence after being convicted in the Southern District of Florida of illegal re-entry after deportation. A federal judge yesterday issued a writ directing that Brown be brought to Los Angeles for an arraignment, which will likely be in mid-February.
Brown allegedly supplied the narcotics to Marsha Gay Reynolds, a former JetBlue flight attendant, who pleaded guilty last month to federal drug charges and admitted she attempted to bring the narcotics through a security checkpoint at LAX by using her “known crewmember” credentials.
“This case demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to disrupting dangerous drug trafficking networks,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “After making the large seizure of narcotics at LAX, investigators continued to look into this matter, which resulted in the indictment of a defendant who was trafficking a significant amount of cocaine.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If Brown is convicted of the drug trafficking charges, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum possible sentence of life.
This investigation is being conducted by the Los Angeles International Airport Criminal Enterprise Task Force (LAACETF), an inter-agency task force based at LAX. The Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, the DEA, United States Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, the Los Angeles International Airport Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The LAACETF provides a coordinated law enforcement effort to target airport/airline internal criminal enterprises that use the aviation system to transport large amounts of illicit drugs throughout the United States and various international destinations.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reema M. El-Amamy of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Indianapolis man sentenced to federal prison for local pharmacy robberiesRead the Press Release
Robbed or attempted to rob CVS and Walgreen’s stores
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that an Indianapolis man was sentenced to prison for his role in the robbery or attempted robbery of four Indianapolis pharmacies. Jensen Gayden, 20, was sentenced to 108 months (nine years) imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, following his guilty plea to four counts of interference with commerce by threats of violence and one count of possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“Pharmacy robberies are not only acts of violence that put our community in harm’s way, but they also contribute to the opioid abuse problem which has become such a scourge in Indiana and around the country,” said Minkler.
Gayden robbed the Walgreens pharmacy located at 3003 Kessler Boulevard North on June 22, 2015, and a CVS pharmacy located at 6290 North College Avenue on June 24, 2015. Also on June 24, 2015, Gayden attempted to rob a CVS pharmacy located at 3808 East Washington Street and the same Walgreens pharmacy located at 3003 Kessler Boulevard North that he had successfully robbed two days earlier. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Gayden after he attempted the Walgreens robbery on June 24, 2015.
According to United States Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and MaryAnn T. Mindrum who prosecuted this case for the government, Gayden must pay a $1,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release following his sentence.
Huntington woman pleads guilty to federal heroin chargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman found with heroin after police responded to a shooting call at her residence in 2015 pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Amanda Mae Smith, 33, entered her guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On August 20, 2015, officers with the Huntington Police Department responded to a call of a shooting at Smith’s residence located on the 800 block of 26th Street in Huntington. When officers arrived, they located Smith and an individual who had been shot in the leg during what was reported as an attempted robbery. Officers subsequently obtained search warrants for Smith’s residence and vehicle. When officers searched the vehicle, they located approximately 70 grams of heroin. Smith provided a statement in which she admitted that she had received the heroin from a source for distribution. She further admitted that she and others had been using her residence to distribute heroin.
Smith faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on May 1, 2017.
The Huntington Police Department, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department and the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is 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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Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that WILSON MAURICIO OSORTO-ESTRADA, age 35, was charged today in a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & (b)(2).
According to the Indictment, OSOTROS-ESTRADA, reentered the United States after he was previously deported on January 17, 2013.
If convicted, OSOTRO-ESTRADA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Heber Springs Man Sentenced to 180 Months' Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK-Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Raymond R. Parmer, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, announced today that Spencer Goudy, 23, of Heber Springs, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
Goudy was originally indicted on July 7, 2015, with the sexual exploitation of five minors ranging in ages between 13 and 16 at the time of victimization. Goudy was charged with 4 counts of enticement of a minor to engage in a sex act, 2 counts of production of child pornography, and 1 count of possession of child pornography.
The investigation began in May 2014, when a 13-year-old female disclosed to investigators at the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division that she was having a sexual relationship with Spencer Goudy. Goudy was arrested and subsequently charged in Cleburne County with Rape of a minor less than 14 years of age, a violation of Arkansas Code Annotated 5-14-103(a)(3)(A). Goudy was also charged in White County with Rape of a minor less than 14 years of age, a violation of Arkansas Code Annotated 5-14-103(a)(3)(A).
Upon Goudy’s arrest, a cellular telephone was seized and later searched pursuant to a federal search warrant. The search of Goudy’s cellular telephone revealed that Goudy used it to entice multiple minor females to engage in sex acts and contained images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“Forcing minors to engage in sex and sharing the assaults with others is an unconscionably heinous act,” said Raymond R. Parmer, Jr. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure people who prey on children are brought to justice.
On December 2, 2015, Goudy pled guilty to one count of production of pornography in exchange for the dismissal of the remaining counts of the Indictment, as well as dismissal of the state charges.
Today, Goudy was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Brian S. Miller to 180 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.
“A sentence of 15 years will never undo the irreparable harm caused to the victims of Goudy,” said Thyer. “However, this sentence will hopefully deter those individuals who seek to destroy the innocence of Arkansas’ children.”
This investigation was conducted by the Heber Springs Police Department, Arkansas State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
Gospel Singer Sentenced for $4 Million Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Jacqueline Green-Morris, 41, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for her role in a money laundering conspiracy which resulted in a loss of $4.1 million.
Green-Morris pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2016. According to court documents, Green-Morris was employed as a Quality Analyst/Training Manager for a federal government contractor based in Virginia. As part of her duties, Green-Morris paid invoices submitted by outside vendors for employee training and testing. In 2012, Green-Morris conspired with Amit Chaudhry, owner of an Ashburn based business, to submit inflated and fraudulent invoices for payment of information technology training and professional certification courses that were never provided. Green-Morris and the co-conspirator also created numerous “shell” companies and opened bank accounts in the names of the “shell” companies to facilitate the movement of the proceeds of the fraudulent payments through PayPal. Green-Morris used additional bank accounts held in the names of various entities she controlled, including Jacquie Green Music LLC and Sweet Lane Entertainment, companies used to facilitate her gospel singing career. The amount of loss in this case was at least $4.1 million and Green-Morris used the proceeds to purchase a home in Woodbridge, travel, gamble and purchase luxury items for herself and others.
Co-conspirator Amit Chaudhry pleaded guilty on Sept. 20, 2016, and is scheduled for sentencing on February 9.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; Thomas Holloman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington; Joseph W. Cronin, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Christian Schurman, Acting Director of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly R. Pedersen and Katherine L. Wong prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-190.
Fruitland Woman Pleads Guilty During Trial to Health Care Fraud and Aggravated IdentityRead the Press Release
BOISE – Cherie R. Dillon, 61, of Fruitland, Idaho, pleaded guilty today to 24 counts of health care fraud and 24 corresponding counts of aggravated identity theft for fraudulently billing dental services to health care benefit programs, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Dillon was indicted on February 9, 2016, by a federal grand jury in Boise. Dillon’s plea came at the close of the government’s case after four days of trial in front of Chief U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, Dillon executed a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs, including Medicaid. Even though Dillon was only a dental hygienist, she performed and billed for dental treatments that may only be performed by a dentist. These treatments included fillings, extractions, and dentures. Dillon received payment for those treatments from health care benefit programs while fraudulently misrepresenting that the treatments had been performed by a dentist, and while using the name and provider number of a particular dentist who was not in the office and who was unable to practice at the time. During the scheme, Dillon was a licensed dental hygienist, not a dentist, and practicing in Payette, Idaho.
“Our federal and state health benefits programs rely on providers to be honest about the services they provide, and to only bill for covered services,” said Olson. “Those who seek to deceive not only about the services provided but also about who provided them undermine that system and undermine public faith in federal programs. This office and its law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who perpetrate this kind of fraud.”
Sentencing is set for May 9, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
The maximum sentence for health care fraud is up to ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a two-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and up to a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Idaho Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Franklin Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Stealing over $100,000 from Elderly ClientRead the Press Release
Scott Rolin, 56, of Franklin, Tenn., and former insurance agent, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr., to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for stealing over $100,000 from his elderly client, announced United States Attorney David Rivera.
“Rolins used his position of trust to exploit a vulnerable woman and steal her life savings,” said United States Attorney Rivera. “It is my hope that the sentenced imposed today sends a clear message that victimization of elderly citizens will be thoroughly investigated, swiftly prosecuted and fairly punished.”
Evidence set forth during Rolin’s guilty plea and sentencing hearing established that he was a licensed insurance broker who owned and operated a Franklin, Tenn.-based insurance agency, Steele Rolin Co. In 2010, he sold two annuity policies worth over $175,000 to one of his existing clients, an elderly widow and former employee of the United States Postal Service.
The evidence also established that Rolin took numerous steps to engender the victim’s trust, including visiting her home, attending family events, referring to her as “mother” and sending her Mother’s Day cards.
Between 2011 and 2015, Rolin made numerous withdrawals from the victim’s accounts without her knowledge or authorization. In order to take the victim’s money, Rolin sent fraudulent disbursement requests to the company that issued the annuity policies, forged the victim’s signature on the resulting checks and deposited the money into his personal and business accounts. He used the embezzled funds to pay various personal expenses. In sum, Rolin stole over $100,000 of the victim’s money over a three-year period.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Former RMBS Trader Convicted of Securities Fraud after RetrialRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found JESSE C. LITVAK, 42, of Boca Raton, Fla., guilty of one count of securities fraud stemming from trading in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).
The jury returned a verdict of guilty on one count of securities fraud, and a verdict of not guilty on nine counts of security fraud. The trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall began on January 5 and the jury returned its verdict this morning.
“Once again, a jury of his peers has rejected Mr. Litvak’s claims that he engaged in acceptable sales practices, and determined that his lies were, in fact, criminal behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “I thank SIGTARP and the FBI for their outstanding work on this investigation and related cases. Our criminal investigation of individuals and institutions involved in fraudulent RMBS trading activities remains active and ongoing. We are confident that these prosecutions have acted as a forceful disincentive to market participants tempted to commit securities fraud.”
“The jury’s verdict confirms that Jeffries trader Jesse Litvak’s sales tactics are not merely distasteful negotiating practices but a crime,” said Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP). “SIGTARP is sworn to protect taxpayer dollars and the jury found today that Litvak defrauded a customer trading in a TARP program. SIGTARP, partnering with U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly and her dedicated team, uncovered that this Wall Street trader lied to customers, all to secretly profit at the expense of customers trading with taxpayer dollars. SIGTARP and U.S. Attorney Daly’s office uncovered the full extent of Litvak’s crime by looking deal by deal. In this mortgage backed securities market that has no transparency on current market prices, everyone should look at their own conduct and above all, be honest in their dealings. After Litvak’s indictment, some broker dealers changed practices to prevent this type of fraud. Those who did not should do so now. SIGTARP and U.S. Attorney Daly stand united in vigilance against crime in this market.”
“Mr. Litvak’s jury trial conviction today is yet again evidence that justice prevails over greed, deceit and criminal behavior,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Ferrick.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, in response to the 2008 financial collapse, the U.S. Department of Treasury introduced the Legacy Securities Public-Private Investment Program (PPIP), and used billions of dollars of bailout money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to restart the trading markets for many troubled securities, including certain kinds of RMBS. The program created nine PPIP funds, and more than 100 firms applied to manage the funds.
LITVAK was a senior trader and managing director at Jefferies & Co, Inc. (“Jefferies”), a global securities and investment banking firm headquartered in New York. Jefferies also had a trading floor in Stamford, Conn., where LITVAK and other members of its Mortgage and Asset-Backed Securities trading group worked.
The jury found that LITVAK engaged in a scheme to defraud. As a broker-dealer, only LITVAK – not the bond seller or buyer – knew the selling and asking prices of the parties. In the count of conviction, LITVAK exploited this information by misrepresenting to his PPIP fund victim the price Jefferies paid for a RMBS bond in order to increase Jefferies’ profit on the trade.
Securities fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2017, at which time LITVAK faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
LITVAK has been released on bond since his arrest on January 28, 2013.
On March 7, 2014, LITVAK was convicted after trial of 10 counts of securities fraud, one count of TARP fraud and three counts of making false statements to the government. LITVAK appealed his conviction and, on December 8, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the judgment of conviction as to the TARP fraud and making false statement charges, and remanded the matter for a new trial on the securities fraud charges.
The investigation of this matter revealed that members of Jefferies’ management in the fixed income division became aware that Jefferies employees were making misrepresentations to customers and did nothing to stop it. Jefferies has cooperated with the federal criminal investigation and paid a total penalty of $25 million as part of a non-prosecution agreement with the government. The penalty included up to $11 million in restitution to victims and up to a $4,200,402 penalty to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Jefferies also addressed deficiencies in the compliance and ethics practices and policies of its Mortgage and Asset-Backed Securities Trading group. These measures included Jefferies’ agreement to retain an Independent Compliance Consultant to conduct a review of Jefferies’ policies and procedures for detecting and preventing fraud in connection with the purchase or sale of RMBS.
This matter has been investigated by SIGTARP and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Francis, Heather Cherry and William Nardini.
Former College Professor Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Holt Parker, 59, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $40,000 fine for possession of child pornography, admitting that he attempted to destroy a thumb drive containing nearly 1,000 video files, the majority of which depicted child pornography that he had downloaded from the Internet.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division announced the sentence handed down yesterday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to court documents, FBI agents executed a search warrant at his home in the Clifton neighborhood on March 15, 2016. Agents seized a laptop computer and a damaged thumb drive. Parker told agents that when he realized law enforcement officers were searching his house, he attempted to destroy the thumb drive because he had recently downloaded hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Forensic analysis confirmed that the drive contained video files and images, including an image of an infant.
Parker pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in October.
“Child pornography is not a victimless crime,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “These are real children being abused and possessing such explicit material will have real consequences in the court of law.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Healey, who is representing the United States in this case.
Former Citibank Employee Pleads Guilty to Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Marquise Dahryan Newman (25, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to access device (credit card) fraud. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. As part of his plea agreement, Newman agreed to pay restitution to Citibank. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2014, Newman was an employee of Citibank. As part of his job, he had access to Citibank customers’ credit and debit card information. In late 2014, Newman improperly accessed the customer information for A.G. and obtained a debit card for the account. After successfully obtaining the debit card on that account, Newman then improperly accessed the credit and debit card information for 50 more customers. In an effort to cover his criminal conduct, Newman put false notes into customers’ accounts indicating that the customers had contacted Citibank and stated that they intended to make large purchases in the near future. Thereafter, Newman used the stolen information to make multiple online purchases of merchandise.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Former Bank Employees Ordered to PrisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two former employees of IBC Bank in Laredo have been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and ordered to pay more than $200,000 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Antonieta De La Cruz, 36, and Anaiza Morales, 38, both of Laredo, pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2015 and February 2016, respectfully.
Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña, who accepted the guilty pleas, handed both De La Cruz and Morales 27-month-terms of federal imprisonment. Both were further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $219,720.11 to IBC Bank. In handing down the sentences, the court noted that IBC Bank tries to promote from within and has an interest in their employees reaching their full potential which is why this (breach of trust) is such a shame.
From 2011 to July 2014, De La Cruz and Morales misused their positions as IBC Sales Associates to execute 31 unauthorized loans and loan advances by falsifying bank records, forging signatures and endorsements and pledging customers’ certificate of deposits as collateral without their knowledge or consent.
As a result of the scheme, IBC suffered a total loss of approximately $219,720.11.
Morales was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. De La Cruz has been and will remain in custody.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Coker is prosecuting the case.
Ferndale, Washington Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
A 40-year-old resident of Ferndale, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six and a half years in prison after he tried to secretly cross the Canadian border to have sex with someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. CHRISTOPHER DAVID JOHNSTON, was arrested in May 2016 when he tried to illegally cross the border into Canada near Sumas following a two-week period during which he communicated with an undercover agent posing as a 12-year-old child. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones imposed a ten-year term of supervised release and recommended both sex offender treatment and drug treatment. “What concerns me is that your drug addiction puts you in a position to think this (criminal conduct) is o.k.,” Judge Jones said. “Had this child been a real person… the damage would have been life-long and serious.”
According to records filed in the case, JOHNSTON posted an ad in the “casual encounters” section of the Craigslist personal ad site. The ad used phrases leading law enforcement to believe JOHNSTON was seeking sex with minors. An undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) responded to the ad posing as a 12-year-old girl. Over the next two weeks JOHNSTON sent increasingly sexualized communications and asked for explicit pictures of the “girl.” On May 20, 2016, JOHNSTON left his home and headed toward the Canadian border, intending to illegally cross the border and meet the “girl” for sex. He was under surveillance the entire time and was arrested before crossing into Canada.
At the time of his arrest JOHNSTON was facing various state charges in Whatcom County which would have prevented him from legally crossing the border. In asking for the prison sentence and 20-year term of supervised release, prosecutors noted that JOHNSTON was willing to go to great lengths to try to reach the fictional 12-year-old. “Even the fact that he had no means of legally crossing into Canada and his pending felony charges were not sufficient to deter him,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo. JOHNSTON is required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Federal Officials Destroy Drug Paraphernalia Valued at More than $220,000 with Assistance from the City of AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Federal and City officials gathered this afternoon at the City of Albuquerque’s Cerro Colorado Landfill to witness the destruction of drug paraphernalia valued at more than $220,000. The drug paraphernalia was seized and forfeited in connection with several federal investigations into synthetic cannabinoid trafficking occurring in “smoke shops” in New Mexico and west Texas.
The destruction of the drug paraphernalia was coordinated by U.S. Marshal Conrad E. Candelaria and the U.S. Marshals Service, which serves as the primary custodian of seized and forfeited property for the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program. “The federal asset forfeiture laws are used to remove financial incentives from crime by depriving criminals of the cash and other assets they rely upon to facilitate their illegal activity,” said Marshal Candelaria. “The money generated from the sale of forfeited assets is used to compensate victims, supplement funding for law enforcement crime fighting initiatives, and support community programs.”
Marshal Candelaria was joined by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, whose office prosecuted the criminal cases and litigated the civil forfeiture cases generated by the investigations, and Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry, who made the resources of the City’s Solid Waste Management Department available to destroy and bury the drug paraphernalia. Also participating were DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean R. Waite and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Derek A. Fuller, whose agencies conducted the investigations resulting in the seizure and forfeiture of the drug paraphernalia.
“When we forfeited the drug paraphernalia destroyed today, we took away the tools of the trade used by drug traffickers to perpetuate crime in our communities and we shut down businesses that served as fronts for drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Martinez. “The asset forfeiture laws enable us to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that would continue to function if we only focused our efforts on prosecuting those arrested during our investigations.”
“The City of Albuquerque has a history of working on joint partnerships with our federal partners to create a net of security across our city,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry. “I am proud to, again, collaborate on this latest project to deter and stop illegal activity happening in our community.”
The drug paraphernalia destroyed today was seized pursuant to federal search and seizure warrants from smoke shops that operated in Albuquerque, Hobbs, Ruidoso and west Texas. The paraphernalia included thousands of bongs, “crack” pipes, and other glassware used to ingest illegal narcotics as well as packaging material. In addition to the drug paraphernalia, proceeds from the illegal sale of synthetic cannabinoids and drug paraphernalia were seized and forfeited to the United States. The locations from which the drug paraphernalia was seized included:
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The Snack & Smoke Shop, formerly located at 2118 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque. Drug paraphernalia valued at more than $18,700 was seized during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in Sept. 2014.
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Just Smokes, formerly located at 216 University Blvd. in Lubbock, Texas. Drug paraphernalia valued at more than $37,500 was seized during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in June 2015.
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Just Smokes, formerly located at 2209 West 5th Street in Plainview, Texas. Drug paraphernalia valued at more than $33,800 was seized during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in June 2015.
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The Magic Mushroom, formerly located at 1407 Sudderth Drive in Ruidoso. Drug paraphernalia valued at more than $11,300 was seized during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in April 2015.
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Up in Smoke, formerly located at 220 East Marland Street in Hobbs. Drug paraphernalia valued at more than $53,800 was seized during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in June 2015.
The value of the drug paraphernalia destroyed today is exclusive of the value of other assets, currency and drugs seized and forfeited as a result of these investigations. For example, the investigation that targeted the smoke shops in Hobbs and west Texas resulted in the civil forfeiture of $2.8 million dollars in drug proceeds and assets in Nov. 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kotz is the Asset Forfeiture Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and was responsible for litigating the civil forfeiture cases and facilitating the administrative forfeiture processes resulting from these investigations. The criminal cases filed as a result of the investigations were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rozzoni.
Synthetic cannabinoids are commonly referred to as “spice.” According to the DEA, over the past several years, there has been a growing use of synthetic cannabinoids. Smoke-able herbal blends marketed as being “legal” have become increasingly popular because they are easily available and, in many cases, are more potent and dangerous than marijuana. These products consist of plant material that has been coated with dangerous psychoactive compounds that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. These substances, however, have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human consumption, and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process. Synthetic cannabinoids often are labeled as incense to mask their intended purpose.
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Federal Jury Convicts El Paso Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
In El Paso, an El Paso man faces between ten years and life in federal prison after a federal jury convicted him on multiple drug trafficking charges announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr. and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy, El Paso Division.
Following a week-long trial, the jury convicted 56–year-old David Lopez yesterday afternoon of one count of conspiracy to possess over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and one count of possession of over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Evidence presented at trial revealed that David Lopez had been transporting marijuana from El Paso, Texas to cities in the United States from August 2001 until August 2015. Lopez utilized commercial tractor trailers driven by himself and other hired drivers. In total, the DEA was able to historically connect significant marijuana seizures in Sierra Blanca (TX), Abilene (TX), Alamogordo (NM), and Pratt County (KS), totaling over 3,300 kilograms of marijuana. Additional evidence was presented that Lopez attempted to hire a confidential source and an undercover officer to transport marijuana for him.
Furthermore, in 2010, Lopez was stopped in Clark County, KS. After a K-9 alerted to his vehicle, officers found $130,000 in his suitcase. Lopez denied any knowledge of the cash, though the cash was packaged similar to the $53,000 cash found in his safe after a search of his residence in 2015.
In a separate forfeiture trial which followed the trial on drug charges, the government presented additional testimony and documents showing that Lopez had acquired and utilized tractor trailers, personal vehicles, and his residence to operate his drug transportation business. Those assets, and others obtained from the money acquired from his illegal transportation of marijuana, were ordered forfeited to the government.
Lopez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on June 3, 2016. He is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:00am on April 6, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Philip R. Martinez.
“With this conviction, DEA and our law enforcement partners are working together to have a positive impact at the local level. We are sending a strong and unified message that drug dealing, at all levels, will not be tolerated, and, in turn, we are making our communities safer,” said Will R. Glaspy, DEA Special Agent in Charge.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by DEA El Paso, DEA Kansas City, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, El Paso Police Department, Anthony Police Department, United States Border Patrol, Kansas Highway Patrol, Clark County Kansas Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of The Document and Media Exploitation (DOMEX) El Paso Branch.
Erie Woman Sentenced to Prison for Concealing Felon from ArrestRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. -A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday to serve 21 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release on her conviction of concealing a person from arrest, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Damonique Shakara Henderson, 24.
According to information presented to the court, between February 26, 2015 and May 20, 2015, Henderson harbored and concealed Ricky Rashad Pullium, fully knowing that he was wanted on a federal charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Henderson transported Pullium out of the Erie area and attempted to conceal him from arrest. The U.S. Marshals Service, Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force arrested Pullium and Henderson on May 20, 2015, in Erie, Pa., where they were found hiding in a crawl space in the attic.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the United States Marshals Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Henderson.
Erie Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Traffic CocaineRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to serve 12 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence Tuesday on Nathanael Ortiz Andino, 30, of Erie, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from June 2013 through February 2015, Andino engaged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine which he obtained from other co-conspirators. The court was advised that the cocaine was distributed in Erie as part of a large network transporting cocaine from Mexico into Texas, and from Texas to Erie, Pennsylvania concealed in hidden compartments in vehicles. Andino was responsible for conspiring to distribute multiple ounces of cocaine in the Erie area.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Organized Crime Section, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Andino.
E. Greenwich Resident Charged with Enticing a Minor for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Stephen Ferrante, 61, of East Greenwich, was ordered detained in federal custody following an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence on Thursday before Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on a federal criminal complaint charging him with attempting to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity.
It is alleged in court documents that Ferrante arranged to engage in sexual activity with an 8-year-old female during a series of emails, text messages and a telephone conversation with a person he believed to be the minor’s step-father. The person he was communicating with was a Rhode Island State Police detective assigned to the State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Ferrante’s arrest and the filing of a federal criminal complaint in this matter is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England.
According to court documents, it is alleged that on January 4, 2017, a State Police detective responded by email to a posting on Craigslist.com posted by Ferrante soliciting “open minded” parents of a daughter willing to allow their daughter to “be naked in a group setting.” Ferrante was led to believe that he was communicating with the step-father of an 8-year-old girl. Over the next 8 days, communications by email, text message and telephone became sexually explicit during which time Ferrante expressed a strong interest to engage in sexual activity with the 8-year-old female.
According to court documents, it is alleged that on January 12, 2017, Ferrante and the State Police detective agreed to meet in person in Warwick, at which time Ferrante believed the 8-year-old girl would be made available to him to engage in sexual activity. Upon meeting at an agreed upon location, Ferrante was arrested and charged with two counts of solicitation. He was released on bail following his arraignment in Rhode Island state court.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Attempting to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity in punishable by statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment followed by up to lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
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Duval County Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Jefferage Capice White (55, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in December 2015, White entered a Navy Federal Credit Union in Jacksonville and represented himself as J.F., an account holder at the credit union. He approached a teller, presented a counterfeit Florida driver license containing the personal identification information of J.F., and requested to make a cash withdrawal from J.F.’s account. Based on White’s suspicious behavior, the credit union employees notified the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). When approached by a JSO officer, White fled and was eventually apprehended after a physical struggle.
In a related case, Carlis Edward Williams (53, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft on December 1, 2016. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. His sentencing is set for March 8, 2017.
These prosecutions are part of a broader investigation by law enforcement involving the manufacturing of counterfeit identification documents and identity theft.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Shooting Man in Back on Northwest Washington StreetRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Gore, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for firing 11 gunshots at a group of people in Northwest Washington, hitting one victim in the back, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Gore pled guilty in September 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with intent to kill and carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced by the Honorable José M. Lopez. After his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 16, 2016, at approximately 2:40 p.m., Gore exited a car in the 3700 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW and began shooting at a group of people standing nearby. After he finished firing on the group, Gore returned to the vehicle and left the scene. One man, who tried to run away, was shot in the back. He was treated at a hospital for his wounds. Remarkably, no one else was hit. According to the government’s evidence, Gore launched the attack without any provocation. Gore was arrested June 10, 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Crime Scene Sciences Unit of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences as well as Sorensen Forensics. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator Nelson Rhone, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Roman and Josiah Bournes, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Slaying of Co-Worker in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Bilal, 41 of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 22 years in prison on charges stemming from the murder of a co-worker during a confrontation that took place in broad daylight in July 2014, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bilal was found guilty in November 2016, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed and carrying a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Upon completion of his prison term, Bilal will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 6, 2014, Bilal and the victim, Alonzo Gregory Beasley, 52, were assigned to a construction work crew in Northeast Washington. Throughout the day, the two men verbally argued over how to use the tools and the construction job itself. In mid-afternoon, Bilal got into his white pick-up truck and drove with two other workers to the work crew manager’s apartment complex at 22d and I Streets NE, while Mr. Beasley followed in another car. When they arrived, Bilal stayed in his truck while the rest of the crew sat across the street to wait for the manager.
At one point, according to the government’s evidence, Mr. Beasley walked over to Bilal’s truck to grab a beverage from the truck bed. Bilal got out and yelled at Mr. Beasley not to touch his truck. He then produced a knife and began stabbing Mr. Beasley, who was unarmed. Mr. Beasley tried to get away, repeatedly telling Bilal that he was sorry and “Don’t do this.” However, Bilal pursued Mr. Beasley and stabbed him multiple times before finally plunging the knife into Mr. Beasley’s neck. Bilal then walked back to his truck and drove away. Bystanders called 911 and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services immediately responded. Mr. Beasley was taken to a hospital, where he died soon afterward.
That evening, Bilal went to his neighborhood and parked his truck several blocks away from where he lived. Bilal shaved his head and beard, gathered a bag of clothes, and walked to his girlfriend’s house, where he spent the night. The next day, Bilal went back to his house to get more of his belongings and saw that his truck was gone. Bilal called 911 to report that his truck was stolen and that he last saw it on July 4th. However, seemingly unbeknownst to Bilal, MPD homicide detectives found the truck the night before, obtained a search warrant, and towed the truck to the District of Columbia Department of Forensics Sciences garage. Mr. Beasley’s DNA subsequently was found on the driver’s door armrest inside of the truck. The murder weapon was never found. Bilal was arrested on July 8, 2014, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Interim Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Forensic Science Laboratory and the Crime Scene Sciences Divisions of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, as well as Bode Cellmark Forensics and Signature Science, LLC. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney George A. Pace, who investigated the case; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Stephanie Gilbert; former Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Michael Hailey; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn Kirschner and Katherine Earnest, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Found Guity of Robbing, Assaulting Elderly Couple as They Were Walking in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Milton Hood, 51, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury on charges of robbing and assaulting a senior citizen couple in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today
Hood was found guilty on Jan. 25, 2017, of one count of robbery of a senior citizen, and one count of assault with intent to commit robbery of a senior citizen. The verdict followed a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Kimberley S. Knowles scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, at about 11:15 a.m. on May 29, 2015, a 75-year-old woman and her 81-year-old husband were walking south on 23rd Street NW, between Q and P Streets. Hood attacked the husband, knocking him to the ground, and forcibly removed his wallet from his back pocket. The female victim, afraid for her husband’s life, began striking Hood with her cane, hitting him repeatedly on the head and neck. Hood turned on her, striking back and knocking her head to the ground. Hood tried to grab her purse, but the female victim, bleeding from her head and her knees, did not let go. People in two cars driving by stopped to help the victims, and the defendant ran off. Based on descriptions provided by the victims and eyewitnesses, Hood was spotted by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) two hours later wearing the exact same clothing as he was at the time of the attack. The victim’s cane was swabbed for DNA, and subsequent testing revealed the presence of Hood’s DNA on it.
In announcing the guilty verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, Michael Spence, Chrisellen Kolb, and Stephen Rickard ; Paralegal Specialists Crystal Waddy, Stephanie Siegerist, Stephanie Gilbert, Donville Drummond, Lynda Randolph, Debra McPherson, and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Litigation Technology Specialists Claudia Gutierrez, Jeanie Latimore-Brown, and Paul Howell, and Jennifer Clark, Katina Adams-Washington and LaJune Thames, of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light, Michael Romano, and Allessandra Stewart, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Des Plaines Man Indicted, Charged with Possession of Heroin with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Des Plaines, Ill., man, Arriba W. Lewis, 43, was arraigned in federal court today, after a grand jury returned an indictment that charges him with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that Lewis possessed with intent to distribute approximately 200 grams of heroin on Jan. 12, 2017.
Lewis appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, who had previously ordered that Lewis remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. Lewis was previously charged in a criminal complaint filed on Jan. 13, 2017. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Illinois State Police stopped Lewis on Jan. 12, for a traffic violation on Interstate 55 in McLean County. Trial has been scheduled for April 3, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid.
The investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration in cooperation with the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Korn.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense of distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin is no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison. If a defendant has previously been convicted of a felony drug offense, the statutory penalty is no less than ten years and up to life in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Cranston Resident Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl Laced HeroinRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Michael Bermudez, a/k/a Michael J. Morales, 35, of Cranston, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to trafficking heroin laced with fentanyl and trafficking cocaine, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael J. Winquist, and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA.
Appearing before U.S. District Court John J. McConnell, Jr., Bermudez pleaded guilty as charged in a federal indictment to one count each of possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, on October 6, 2016, Cranston Police Department detectives, with the assistance of agents from the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force, executed a court authorized search of Bermudez’s residence. The search resulted in the seizure of nearly 140 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl packed into approximately 6,600 packets, and approximately 153 grams of cocaine. The search warrant was authorized by the court during an investigation into Bermudez’s drug trafficking activities, which included multiple controlled purchases of heroin from Bermudez.
United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha commented, “This criminal conduct of this defendant, and others like him, is what is causing our opioid public health crisis. Fentanyl is a killer, plain and simple. Every one of those 6,600 fentanyl laced heroin packets was a potential fatal dose. Fortunately, they were intercepted before they reached unsuspecting heroin users. Cases like this won’t end our opioid overdose crisis, because prevention and treatment are also critically necessary. But they are a vital part of the solution, and thus need to be among our highest law enforcement priorities.”
According to court records, Bermudez was convicted in U.S. District Court in 2009 on fraud charges. At the time of his arrest in this matter, Bermudez was on state probation, having been convicted in Rhode Island Superior Court in September 2015 on drug trafficking charges.
Bermudez, who has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on October 6, 2016, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on April 12, 2017.
Possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute is punishable by statutory penalties of 40 years imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 5 years imprisonment; a fine of up to $ 5,000,000; and a term of supervised release of up to life. Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment; a fine of $1,000,000; a term of supervised release of up to life, with a mandatory term of 3 years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.