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Monday 28 November 2016
Two indicted for defrauding investors out of nearly $600,000Read the Press Release
Two people were indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a nearly $600,000 financial fraud, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office
Andrea M. Trgovcich, 50, of Youngstown, and Bertrand J. Gray, aka Bert Gray, 52, of Cleveland, were indicted on charges of securities fraud and bank fraud.
Trgovcich is charged with inducing the investment of $578,859 in a business venture known as Wellness Integrated Network LLC (WIN). WIN was intended to develop and market a software application that would integrate diet, fitness, exercise routines, health monitoring, etc., to business employee wellness plans and insurance companies, according to the indictment.
Investors were promised that their money would be used to develop and market the software product. Trgovcich is alleged to have diverted much of the money to personal use. No software application was ever developed or marketed. Gray joined WIN as chief financial officer in 2012, and is alleged to have raised investor funds through the use of false documents and statements, according to the indictment.
Trgovcich is also charged with six counts of bank fraud for withdrawing investor funds from federally-insured banks under false pretenses, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Youngstown Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was presented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James V. Moroney and Carmen Henderson.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Men Given Multi-Year Prison Sentences for Scheme to Rob Drug Dealers at GunpointRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two New Jersey men were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a conspiracy to rob a drug stash house of multiple kilograms of cocaine that they believed would be stored at the location, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Robert Smith, a/k/a “Born,” 43, of Trenton, New Jersey, and Derrick Adams, a/k/a “Little D,” 30, of Florence and Willingboro, New Jersey, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to 360 and 120 months in prison, respectively.
Following a one-week jury trial in April 2016, Smith was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, possessing a firearm in connection with a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a previously-convicted felon. Adams pleaded guilty in November 2015 to conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence admitted at trial:
In January 2014, the conspirators planned a gunpoint robbery of a drug stash house in order to steal kilograms of cocaine from dealers at the location. During the investigation, Smith was recorded discussing his willingness, if necessary, to kill the occupants of the stash house. Smith and Adams, in text message conversations and recorded communications, discussed their plan to rob the stash house while posing as law enforcement.
Special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrested Smith, Adams, and four other conspirators when they arrived at a meeting location in Maple Shade, New Jersey, on Jan. 30, 2014. After searching the conspirators and their vehicles, the agents recovered five firearms – including a sawed-off shotgun and two stolen handguns – as well as numerous rounds of ammunition, a ballistics vest, masks, gloves, and zip ties.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Hillman also ordered Smith and Adams to each serve five years of supervised release.
Three other conspirators, Daquon Basnight, 25, Jamiil McFarlane, 24, and Morris Muse, 36, all of Trenton, New Jersey, were previously sentenced before Judge Hillman. A sixth conspirator, Sean Forman, 43, of Willingboro, New Jersey, awaits sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents with the ATF Camden Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George P. Belsky in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentences. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Maple Shade Field Office, as well as the Burlington City and Burlington Township police departments, for their assistance in this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin C. Danilewitz and Howard Wiener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Two Fresno Residents Sentenced for Manufacturing and Selling Fraudulent Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Javier Hidalgo-Flores, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to produce and sell false identification documents, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Co-defendant Lizet Amairani Ramirez-Zazueta, 26, also of Fresno, was sentenced to time served for selling false identification documents. Both defendants have been in custody since their arrest on June 16, 2016.
According to court documents, Hidalgo-Flores manufactured fraudulent identification documents, including social security cards and alien registration receipt cards, for customers who placed orders and paid as much as $150 for a set of the fraudulent documents. Hidalgo-Flores and Ramirez-Zazueta also delivered fraudulent identification documents to customers and other co-conspirators.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
“Counterfeit document traffickers will provide anyone with false documents for the right price,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI San Francisco. “This poses a potential national security threat and opens the door for imposters to steal identities and wreak havoc on innocent victims” lives.”
On June 16, 2016, Hidalgo-Flores and Ramirez-Zazueta were arrested along with four other co-defendants for the scheme. Co-defendant Veronica Rosales-Capitaine is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2016; charges are pending against the remaining co-defendants. The pending charges are only allegations; the remaining co‑defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Former L.A. Sheriff’s Deputies Sentenced to Federal Prison for Violating Civil Rights of Jail Inmate who was BeatenRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two former deputies with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department were ordered today to serve time in federal prison for violating the civil rights of a mentally ill jail inmate who was beaten, kicked and pepper sprayed after showing disrespect to a jail employee at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
Bryan Brunsting, 32, and Jason Branum (also known as Jason Johnson), 36, were sentenced this morning by United States District Judge George W. Wu. Brunsting received a 21-month prison term, while Branum was sentenced to five months in custody.
Brunsting and Branum each were found guilty in May of three felony counts related to the unprovoked attack on the inmate on March 22, 2010, and subsequent cover-up. Following the trial, federal prosecutors reached an agreement with Brunsting in which he admitted his role in another use-of-force incident on August 20, 2009 at Twin Towers.
Writing about Brunsting in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court, prosecutors said, “Both incidents show that defendant’s need for ‘respect’ from inmates was above anyone’s need for justice.”
The evidence presented during a one-week trial in United States District Court showed that Brunsting and Branum assaulted the victim in the 2010 incident after the inmate verbally showed disrespect to a civilian Sheriff’s Department employee. Brunsting, who was a training officer assigned to a rookie deputy who had just started working at the jail, told his trainee that they were going to “teach him a lesson.”
Brunsting, Branum and the rookie deputy brought the victim out of the visiting area and directed him to a locked hallway without any surveillance cameras. Once in the hallway, the inmate realized he was going to be assaulted and began to run. The victim was tackled. Brunsting and Branum then beat the victim with fists, kicked him in the genitals and sprayed him in the eyes with pepper spray. Once other deputies arrived, they instructed the rookie deputy to handcuff the victim before he was led away for medical treatment.
After the beating, Brunsting, Branum and the rookie deputy met to coordinate and falsify their stories. The rookie deputy testified that he was told what to say and how to write his report. As prosecutors argued at trial, the reports submitted by Brunsting and the rookie were strikingly similar, and were written to justify the use of force by falsely claiming that the victim had attempted to punch the rookie.
“Both defendants engaged in a vicious, premeditated assault on an inmate,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Deputy Brunsting’s conduct was even more egregious given that he was involved in the abuse of a second inmate, and he was training new deputies on how to violate inmates’ civil rights and get away with it. These defendants tarnished all law enforcement with their conduct, undermining the outstanding work by the vast majority of officers in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and the nation.”
Brunsting and Branum were found guilty of conspiracy to violate civil rights, deprivation of civil rights with bodily injury, and falsification of records for preparing reports that tried to justify their use of force against the victim.
The case against Brunsting and Branum is the result of an investigation by the FBI, and is one in a series of cases resulting from an investigation into corruption and civil rights abuses at county jail facilities in downtown Los Angeles. As a result of today’s guilty verdicts, 20 current or former members of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have now been convicted of federal charges.
The case against Brunsting and Branum was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon D. Fox and Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Three Mahoning County men face firearms chargesRead the Press Release
Three Mahoning County men face federal firearms charges, U.S Attorney Carole S. Rendon said.
Indicted are: James M. Simmons, 32, of Youngstown, Ricky Paige, 30, of Boardman, and Michael Williams, 32, of Youngstown. Their cases are not related.
Simmons possessed a Ruger, model P95, 9mm pistol, on Feb. 3, 2016, after having been previously convicted of burglary, possession of cocaine, and failure to comply with order or signal of police officer, all in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment
Paige possessed a Norinco, model SKS, 7.62mm rifle on Dec. 15, 2015 and a Ruger, model P95, 9mm pistol on March 24, 2016, despite previous convictions for robbery, aggravated robbery and burglary in Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment.
Williams is charged possessing with the intent to distribute narcotics and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Williams possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, tramadol, alprazolam and clonazepam on or about July 1, 2016, according to the indictment.
He also possessed a Norinco, model MAK 90 Sporter, 7.62mm rifle, on July 7, 2016, despite previous convictions for aggravated assault and cocaine trafficking in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment.
All three cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer following investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Additional Men Plead Guilty for Illegally Harvesting and Selling American EelsRead the Press Release
Today, three individuals pleaded guilty in federal district court in Charleston, South Carolina, to trafficking more than $740,000 worth of juvenile American eels aka “elvers” or “glass eels,” in violation of the Lacey Act. Harry Wertan, Jr., Mark Weihe and Jay James each pleaded guilty to selling or transporting elvers in interstate commerce, which they had harvested illegally, or knew had been harvested illegally, in South Carolina.
The pleas were the result of “Operation Broken Glass,” a multi-jurisdiction U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) investigation into the illegal trafficking of American eels. To date, the investigation has resulted in guilty pleas for ten individuals whose combined conduct resulted in the illegal trafficking of more than $2.6 million worth of elvers.
The guilty pleas were announced today by Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake for the District of South Carolina, and Director Dan Ashe of the USFWS.
“We will not allow the rivers of the United States to be the poaching grounds for international seafood markets,” said Assistant Attorney General Cruden. “The American eel is an important but limited natural and economic resource that must be protected. Trafficking only undercuts the toil and honest efforts of those who obey the law.”
“This case underscores the role U.S. citizens often play in wildlife trafficking and demonstrates that this deadly trade does not solely impact large, charismatic mammals in distant countries,” said Director Dan Ashe for USFWS. “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement agents work tirelessly to save wildlife from the threat traffickers pose here at home, and together with the Department of Justice, bring these individuals to justice for their illegal activities.”
Eels are highly valued in east Asia for human consumption. Historically, Japanese and European eels were harvested to meet this demand; however, overfishing has led to a decline in the population of these eels. As a result, harvesters have turned to the American eel to fill the void resulting from the decreased number of Japanese and European eels.
American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea, an area of the North Atlantic Ocean bounded on all sides by ocean currents. They then travel as larvae from the Sargasso to the coastal waters of the eastern United States, where they enter a juvenile or elver stage, swim upriver and grow to adulthood in fresh water. Elvers are exported for aquaculture in east Asia, where they are raised to adult size and sold for food. Harvesters and exporters of American eels in the United States can sell elvers to east Asia for more than $2000 per pound.
Because of the threat of overfishing, elver harvesting is prohibited in the United States in all but three states: Maine, South Carolina and Florida. Maine and South Carolina heavily regulate elver fisheries, requiring that individuals be licensed and report all quantities of harvested eels to state authorities. Although Florida does not have specific elver-related regulations, the limited population of elvers in Florida waters makes commercial eel fishing impossible.
“This investigation is an outstanding example of the dedication and ingenuity shown by multiple agencies working together to expose and curtail the illegal trade of American eels,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Luis Santiago Southeast Region for USFWS. “Today’s pleas are a success in our collective efforts to conserve and protect an important American fishery.”
“Today’s pleas in the illegal trade of American Eels are a tremendous step in preserving this important fishery,” said Colonel Chisolm Frampton for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division. “A multitude of state and federal agencies did outstanding work to bring this case to successful conclusion.”
The offenses in the case are felonies under the Lacey Act, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ incarceration, a fine of up to $250,000 or up to twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, or both.
Operation Broken Glass was conducted by the USFWS and the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section in collaboration with the Maine Marine Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Law Enforcement, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Conservation Police, Virginia Marine Resources Commission Police, USFWS Refuge Law Enforcement, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Law Enforcement, New York State Environmental Conservation Police, New Hampshire Fish and Game Division of Law Enforcement, Maryland Natural Resources Police, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission Division of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Yarmouth, Massachusetts Division of Natural Resources, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Police Department and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
The government is represented by Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorneys Cassandra Barnum and Shane Waller and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhett DeHart.
Tampa Bay Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Steven Headden Young (55, St. Petersburg) to 21 months in federal prison for tax evasion. He was also ordered to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $509,455, and to file his corrected tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2011.
According to court documents, Young evaded a substantial portion of his personal federal income taxes for the years 2007 through 2011 by falsifying expenses to negate his income. Young, who prepared and filed his own tax returns, created bogus business expenditures and deducted them from his Schedule C income. He provided the IRS with a false lease agreement and false invoices between his real estate company and a sham corporation, purportedly based in the Dominican Republic.
Young also falsely filed as head-of-household (HOH) to take advantage of the tax benefits of the HOH filing status when he was indeed married. HOH provides for less taxes and higher credits than when filing as single, married and filing jointly, or married and filing separately. Young made false statements to the IRS about his marital status, claiming he was single, when he was married and living with his wife.
Young also interfered with the IRS audit and tax assessment of his personal federal income taxes by attempting to intercept third-party records that had been subpoenaed by the IRS from Bank of America (BOA). Young fabricated a letter from the IRS to BOA in an attempt to redirect bank records that had been intended for the IRS to another address, which had been opened by Young in the name of an IRS employee.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Summit County man indicted for firearms, nearly 80 pounds of cocaineRead the Press Release
A five-count indictment was filed in federal court charging a Summit County man for illegally possessing firearms and nearly 80 pounds of cocaine, law enforcement officials said
Jerry J. Davis, Jr., 35, of New Franklin, was indicted on two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one count of being felon in possession of a firearm.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and officers from Akron Police Department executed a traffic stop of Davis in Akron on Nov. 1. Davis initially stopped but then drove away, leading the officers on a high-speed chase. Davis crashed his car into a light pole and then ran from officers. He was arrested after he jumped from a bridge, falling 30 feet to the ground, according to court documents.
Officers recovered nearly 11 kilograms of cocaine and a loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun from Davis’s vehicle, according to court documents.
Later that day, investigators from the Summit County Drug Unit, Akron Police Department, DEA and FBI executed a search warrant on Davis, Jr.’s house in New Franklin. They recovered approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine, a Glock .40 model 30 handgun, a Springfield .45-caliber handgun, ammunition and approximately $67,658 in cash, according to court documents.
Davis is forbidden by law from having a firearm because of numerous felony convictions, including for sexual battery, heroin possession and other crimes, according to court documents.
“This investigation is a great example of law enforcement working together to get drugs and guns off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.
“Our working relationships with our state, local and federal partners continue to benefit the City of Akron in successes such as this,” said Akron Police Chief James Nice.
“The seizure of 36 kilograms is significant and is an indication that cocaine abuse continues to plague society,” said Timothy Plancon, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Detroit Office, which oversees Ohio. “Halting the activities of a large-scale, gun-toting, cocaine trafficker is a victory for the citizens of Akron and the surrounding communities, and was achieved thanks to the significant communication and cooperation of all of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies involved.”
This investigation was conducted by the Akron Police Department Narcotics Unit and the DEA, along with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ roles in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Staging Car Accidents in a Scheme to Defraud Insurance CompaniesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Cristopher Santiago Sanchez-Becerra, 32, of Stockton, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison in connection with his role in a conspiracy to stage car accidents in order to defraud insurance companies, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from October 2011 until August 2014, Sanchez-Becerra conspired with at least six other individuals to stage dozens of car accidents and submit false claims seeking compensation for the damage caused by the staged accidents. As part of the scheme, the defendants would often offer to repair the recruited individual’s vehicle at automobile repair shops that Sanchez-Becerra or a co-defendant owned, usually with less-than-complete repair work, and for a fee that was less than the payment from the insurance company. In all, Sanchez-Becerra caused at least $210,000 in false insurance claims to be paid as a result of the conspiracy to defraud.
In each staged accident, Sanchez-Becerra and other defendants utilized two or three vehicles and caused about $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to each vehicle. After each staged collision, the defendants submitted cover stories to the insurer that concealed the true cause of the accident. The cover story would commonly use aliases, false identities, and false addresses when describing the defendants. The defendants also used different vehicles in the staged collisions. They were able to do this by obtaining many different vehicles and using false identities to both register the vehicles with the Department of Motor Vehicles and obtain insurance policies for the vehicles. The defendants did this to avoid scrutiny by the insurer that reviewed the false claims. The defendants repeated the scheme in dozens of crashes by recruiting other individuals to participate in the staged collisions. These individuals would allow their vehicles to be damaged and would submit their own claim for damages. In many instances, false claims were submitted to the recruited individual’s insurance company.
This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick R. Delahunty and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
Co-defendants Victor Hugo Soriano-Villafan, 26, of Modesto, and Alfonso Apu, 47, of Modesto, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Charges are pending against co‑defendants Juan Ortiz Rivas, 39, of Ceres; Oscar Diaz Landa, 46, of San Jose; Liobigildo Vargas, 46, of Turlock; and Juan Marquez Cadenas, 30, of Patterson. The charges against them are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
St. Albans man pleads guilty to conspiracy to obtain pain pills by fraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Kenneth Dale White, Jr., 31, entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge.
White admitted that prior to April 2015, he came into possession of a pre-printed prescription pad belonging to a local doctor. Between April 12, 2015, and May 7, 2015, White and a codefendant recruited other individuals to fraudulently obtain pain pills. The recruited individuals were directed by White or the codefendant to go to pharmacies in the Kanawha County area to obtain oxycodone and Xanax by presenting fraudulent and forged prescriptions to the pharmacies. The recruited individuals would be paid cash to fill the fraudulent prescription or be allowed to keep a small amount of the pain pills fraudulently obtained. The remaining pills were returned to White or the codefendant.
White faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on March 6, 2017.
The case against White was investigated by the Dunbar Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of 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.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 125 Months for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – John Coffin, aka “Body,” age 47, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 125 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his August 4 guilty plea, Coffin admitted that he possessed a loaded 9 millimeter rifle at his home in Schenectady, and that he used that firearm to protect the drugs and cash – which were drug proceeds – he kept at his home. In imposing sentence, Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe described Coffin’s criminal history as “absolutely abysmal” and noted his “absolute penchant for drugs and guns.”This case was investigated by the FBI, the New York State Police, and the Schenectady Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
San Jose Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking, and Use of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Jesus Armendariz was sentenced today to 15 years in prison based on his conviction on charges of racketeering conspiracy, distribution of crystal methamphetamine, and use of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge, and represents the twelfth conviction resulting from a proactive operation by the FBI’s Santa Clara County Violent Gang Task Force targeting gang members committing violent crimes and selling methamphetamine in San Jose.
The sentence follows a guilty plea entered July 28, 2016. According to the plea agreement, Armendariz admitted being a Sureño gang member from at least January of 2009 to at least January of 2014. Armendariz acknowledged performing the functions of a gang leader and liaison for the Mexican Mafia prison gang to Sureño gangs in San Jose, including the Sur Santos Pride (SSP) gang. The SSP gang committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery, for the benefit of the gang. Like other Sureño gangs in San Jose, SSP pledged their loyalty to the Mexican Mafia prison gang and followed its directives.
Armendariz admitted that he conspired with SSP members (as well as other Sureño gangs) to carry out the violent precepts of the Mexican Mafia through a pattern of criminal racketeering activity. Armendariz acknowledged that part of his role was to fuel the Sureño gang members with guns and crystal methamphetamine provided by the Mexican Mafia. The defendant also collected money from each Sureño gang in San Jose on behalf of the Mexican Mafia, sent that money on to the Mexican Mafia, and provided the Sureño gangs in San Jose with the directives of the Mexican Mafia relating to narcotics trafficking, gang operations, and other instructions to further the criminal goals of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Armendariz’s tattoo shop was raided by the FBI on January 30, 2014. At that time, the FBI recovered over 700 grams (net/actual weight) of crystal methamphetamine, three handguns, and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
Armendariz was among 27 Sureño gang members in San Jose indicted on March 18, 2014, with various charges, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) Murder Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5); VICAR Murder and Attempted Murder, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) and (a)(5); distribution of crystal methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841; and using and possessing firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922 and 924(c). Pursuant to his plea agreement, Armendariz pleaded guilty to one count each of racketeering conspiracy; use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence; and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also ordered defendant to serve 5 years of supervised release and pay a $300 special assessment. Defendant currently is in custody and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
The investigation leading to the indictment was part of the FBI’s crackdown on Sureño gangs in Santa Clara County. Eleven of the other charged defendants already have been sentenced as reflected in the chart below. Five other defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in the next two months. Six defendants are pending trial set for May 2017, and a status conference is scheduled for December 15, 2016.
Defendant
Charges
Sentence
JOSE DAVID SANCHEZ a/k/a “Joker”
Distribution of Methamphetamine
Sentenced on 10/21/14 to 77 months in prison
JUAN CHAVEZ
a/k/a “Dukester”
Distribution of Methamphetamine
Sentenced on 10/30/14 to 77 months in prison
ANDY LAMB LOPEZ a/k/a “Solo”
Felon in Possession of Firearm
Sentenced on 2/23/15 to 45 months in prison
MIGUEL MIRANDA
a/k/a “Payaso”
Distribution of Methamphetamine
Sentenced on 2/23/15 to 120 months in prison
MARIO GUERRERO
a/k/a “Lil Junior”
Distribution of Methamphetamine
Sentenced on 8/27/15 to 85 months in prison
FRANCISCO RAMIREZ a/k/a “Cisco”
Distribution of Methamphetamine
Sentenced on 11/2/15 to 46 months in prison
JORGE RODRIGUEZ a/k/a “Brownie”
RICO Conspiracy and VICAR Attempted Murder
Sentenced on 2/1/16 to 160 months in prison
RICARDO MONTOYA
a/k/a “Necio”
RICO Conspiracy and VICAR Attempted Murder
Sentenced on 5/16/16 to 108 months in prison
JOSE MORENO
a/k/a “Lil Chocolate”
RICO Conspiracy and Use of a Firearm
Sentenced on 8/4/16 to 160 months in prison
MARCOS LOMELI
a/k/a “Cookie”
RICO Conspiracy and Use of a Firearm
Sentenced on 9/26/16 to 127 months in prison
FERNANDO CRUZ
a/k/a “Nano”
RICO Conspiracy
Sentenced on 11/10/16 to 87 months in prison
FRANCISCO FONSECA
a/k/a “Griffo”
RICO Conspiracy, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Sentencing Scheduled for 12/12/16
DANIEL CORTEZ
a/k/a “Lil Temper”
RICO Conspiracy
Sentencing Scheduled for 12/18/16
FELIX HERNANDEZ CRISTOBAL a/k/a “Pato”
RICO Conspiracy
Sentencing Scheduled for 12/19/16
BENITO CANALES
a/k/a “Dopey”
RICO Conspiracy
Sentencing Scheduled for 12/20/16
DENNIS SANDOVAL
a/k/a “Criminal”
VICAR Attempted Murder
Sentencing Scheduled for 1/9/17
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Meyer, Cynthia Frey, and Amie Rooney are prosecuting the case. The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Sacramento Landlord Pays $75,000 to Settle “Section 8” False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today the resolution of federal False Claims Act allegations against Leatha Henderson for allegedly submitting false claims in connection with her participation as a landlord in the federal housing subsidy program.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program was enacted to assist low-income families in obtaining decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the program through annual contribution contracts with local public housing agencies such as the Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency (SHRA). This program is more commonly known as “Section 8.” Regulations implementing the Section 8 program provide that participating low-income tenants pay 30 to 40 percent of their adjusted monthly income toward their rent and utilities, and the federally funded program pays the balance.
Henderson contracted with SHRA in order to participate in the Section 8 program and receive government payments for her Sacramento rental property between June 2007 and May 2013. Under the terms of this Housing Assistance Payment Contract (HAP Contract), the United States paid between 62 and 68 percent of the rental rate stated in the HAP Contract (Federal Share), and the tenant paid the remaining 32 to 38 percent (Tenant Share). The HAP Contract restricted Henderson from charging rent to the tenant in excess of the Tenant Share as designated by SHRA based on the tenant’s income. Today’s settlement resolves allegations that Henderson falsely certified compliance with this rental payment restriction and fraudulently collected rental payments from both the United States and the tenant during the term of the tenancy.
“Charging in excess of the agreed tenant rate frustrates a primary goal of this important program: to provide affordable housing to low-income families,” said United States Attorney Talbert. “Landlords participating in the Section 8 program will be strictly held to their obligations under the governing regulations.”
“A landlord’s participation in the Section 8 program is voluntary,” said HUD Regional Administrator Jon Gresley. “When they choose to participate, they agree to fulfill certain responsibilities, including charging tenants no more than what they must pay in rent so that their homes remain affordable. HUD will continue upholding this standard, as it safeguards the program’s integrity and secures the public’s trust.”
The allegations resolved by the settlement were first raised in a lawsuit filed against Henderson under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by Sondra Madden, the tenant involved in the subject Section 8 tenancy. The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this matter will receive approximately $13,500 of the recovery.
This case was the product of an investigation by HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Catherine J. Swann handled the case with the assistance of Ji Yoo, an attorney with HUD’s Office of General Counsel. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Ryan Kyle Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Subway Platform AssaultRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today that a criminal Information has been filed in federal court in Pittsburgh charging Ryan Kyle with a hate crime based on the victim’s race. This is the first federal hate crime filed in Western Pennsylvania since the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
The one-count Information named Ryan Kyle, 22, formerly of Baldwin Borough, Pennsylvania, and presently incarcerated.
According to the Information filed with the court, on or about May 30, 2015, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ryan Kyle did willfully cause bodily injury to K.L. because of the actual and perceived race and color of K. L.
Evidence previously introduced in state court established that Kyle, who is white, assaulted Kevin Lockett, a then-53-year-old African-American man, at the Wood Street T Station in downtown Pittsburgh on May 30, 2015. The assault was captured on Port Authority video and occurred following a Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field.
U.S. Attorney Hickton stated, “The anticipated plea in this case ensures that Ryan Kyle is held fully accountable for a federal hate crime that carries a significant sentence, highlights the racial motivation for the offense, and demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting racially-motivated crimes.”
United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch certified the filing of the charge in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice. By law, federal prosecutors must obtain a written certification by the Attorney General or his designee before a hate crime prosecution may be undertaken.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Port Authority Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the filing of charges in this case.
A criminal Information is an accusation.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The filing of an Information generally indicates that the defendant intends to enter a guilty plea.
Pakistani Man Sentenced for Visa FraudRead 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 Naeem Maqbool, 46, a citizen of Pakistan and resident of Canada, who was convicted of visa fraud, was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who handled the case, stated that on September 6, 2016, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry, the defendant presented a Pakistani passport which contained a United States non-immigrant visitor visa that had been secured by fraud. Maqbool, a commercial air pilot who had previously been denied visas on multiple occasions, was granted the visa after providing false information on that visa application. The defendant wanted to work in the United States and lied so that United States authorities would not find out about his prior visa denials. Maqbool was also in possession of a counterfeit Pakistani passport that was a high quality copy of an expired passport that had been altered to conceal travel to the Middle East.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by United States Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Hilmey, Director of Field Operations.
Owner of Sham ‘Veteran-Owned’ Company Ordered to Forfeit $6.7 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted Chelmsford man has been ordered to forfeit more than $6.7 million in connection with his June 2016 conviction for recruiting veterans as figurehead owners of a construction company in order to receive specialized government contracts.
On Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, David Gorski, 51, was order by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor to forfeit $6,756,205 following a forfeiture trial. In June 2016 a federal jury convicted Gorski of conspiring to defraud the United States by impairing the lawful governmental function of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the General Services Administration, the Army, and the Navy in the implementation and administration of the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Program, and four counts of wire fraud. In September 2016, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $1 million fine.
Following Gorski’s conviction, the government sought forfeiture of $6.4 million, representing the gross proceeds Gorski received as a result of his fraud scheme, which Gorski contested. During the forfeiture trial, the government proved that it was entitled to the gross proceeds resulting from Gorski’s criminal conduct, including compensation he received from Legion Construction Inc., (“Legion”) from 2006 to 2015. The forfeiture included compensation Kimberly Gorski, Gorski’s wife, received from Legion from 2007 to 2009. The Court found that Kimberly Gorski did not work at Legion during that time period and the compensation she received was merely a mechanism Gorski used to increase his own income.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Donna Neves, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Luis A. Hernandez, Special Agent in Charge of the General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; Kevin Kupperbusch, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Investigations Division; Michael D. Conner, Regional Agent in Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; and Leo Lamont, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Bloomer of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit and Doreen M. Rachal, Chief of Ortiz’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.
Orono Woman Pleads Guilty to Maintaining a Drug-Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Amy Hakola, 42, of Orono, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to allowing her residence to be used as a place to use powder cocaine and to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between about January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant allowed her Orono residence to be used by Jermain Mitchell and others from New Haven, Connecticut to distribute crack. Although the drug deals did not occur in her residence, Hakola was aware that digital scales, packaging materials and drugs were stored in her residence. She was aware that men staying at her residence repeatedly left the residence to conduct transactions with people who pulled up outside the residence. On occasion, she drove the men from her residence to different locations in the Bangor area so that they could deliver drugs. She also knew that Mitchell did not have regular employment, yet regularly had large amounts of cash some of which he paid to her for rent and household expenses. Finally, Mitchell and the other men shared powder cocaine with her that was used in the residence.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven Office of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the New Haven Police Department.
Ohio man pleads guilty to federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pled guilty today in the United States District Court in Huntington to a federal firearm charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Stephen W. Whitt, age 30, of Scottown, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 21, 2014, Whitt pawned a Marlin Model 60, .22 caliber rifle at Tri-State Pawn and Jewelry, located on 29th Street in Huntington in exchange for 50.00. On June 22 and June 30, 2014, Whitt also pawned three other rifles at Tri-State Pawn and Jewelry – a Marlin Model .30-30 rifle, a Glenfield Model 60 .22 rifle, and an Old Colony single shot 12-gauge shotgun.
Prior to pawning the firearms, Whitt had been convicted of two counts of entering without breaking in the Circuit Court of Cabell County and was prohibited from possessing firearms. United States District Court Chief Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing. Whitt faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on March 13, 2017.
North Carolina Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Harvesting and Selling Atlantic Striped BassRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that today in federal court, James Ralph Craddock, 71, of Manns Harbor, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to federal charges regarding the illegal harvest and sale of Atlantic Striped Bass from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina in 2010.
According to information in the public record, in February 2010, a special agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received information that commercial trawlers were illegally fishing for Atlantic Striped Bass in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Since 1990, there has been a ban on harvesting Atlantic Striped Bass from the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which includes waters located three to 200 miles seaward of the U.S. coastline. Upon receiving the information, NOAA engaged the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard. A single patrol vessel in the area intercepted one of 17 commercial trawlers in the EEZ, the fishing vessel Lady Samaira, boarded the vessel and found 173 Atlantic Striped Bass. The captain later admitted to taking the fish from the EEZ.
Given the other commercial trawlers in the same area, NOAA conducted an analysis of electronic data and written reports from those vessels. Based on its review, NOAA determined that during the North Carolina 20-day ocean trawl season in January/February 2010, Craddock, then Captain of the 74-foot commercial fishing vessel Capt Ralph, harvested over 12,000 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass. Further analyses revealed that between Feb. 1, 2010, and Feb. 4, 2010, Craddock, harvested 1,750 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass from the EEZ, with an estimated fair-market retail price of approximately $14,000, which he sold to a dealer in Wanchese, North Carolina. Craddock sent an e-mail to another vessel through the Capt Ralph’s vessel monitoring system and admitted to catching the Atlantic Striped Bass south of Buoy No. 8. Bodie Island Lighted Buoy No. 8 is located 6.5 nautical miles from shore, in the EEZ. The vessel monitoring system data from the Capt Ralph further corroborated the illegal harvesting of the fish. Craddock then made false statements to NOAA, concealing the true location of the harvest in his federal vessel trip reports.
“Fishing for striped bass in federal waters in violation of this longstanding and well-known moratorium has the potential to seriously impact this iconic species, to the detriment of the many honest commercial and recreational anglers who depend upon this fishery,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s plea agreement demonstrates the department’s commitment to pursuing those who fail to respect laws enacted to protect and conserve important marine resources.”
“Our office is pleased to partner with the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice in these significant cases,” said U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “These prosecutions make clear that efforts to circumvent laws regulating commercial fishing will be enforced vigorously.”
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 27, 2017, term of court. Craddock faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The overall investigation was conducted by the Law Enforcement Offices of NOAA, with assistance of the Investigative Service from the U.S. Coast Guard, the North Carolina Marine Patrol and the Virginia Marine Police. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shennie Patel and Joel La Bissonniere of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Senior Litigation Counsel Banumathi Rangarajan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
North Carolina Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Harvesting and Selling Atlantic Striped BassRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court, JAMES RALPH CRADDOCK,71, of Manns Harbor, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to federal charges regarding the illegal harvest and sale of Atlantic Striped Bass from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina in 2010.
According to information in the public record, in February 2010, a Special Agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received information that commercial trawlers were illegally fishing for Atlantic Striped Bass in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Since 1990, there has been a ban on harvesting Atlantic Striped Bass from the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which includes waters located three to 200 miles seaward of the U.S. coastline. Upon receiving the information, NOAA engaged the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard. A single patrol vessel in the area intercepted one of 17 commercial trawlers in the EEZ, the fishing vessel Lady Samaira, boarded the vessel and found 173 Atlantic Striped Bass. The captain later admitted to taking the fish from the EEZ.
Given the other commercial trawlers in the same area, NOAA conducted an analysis of electronic data and written reports from those vessels. Based on its review, NOAA determined that during the North Carolina 20-day ocean trawl season in January/February 2010, CRADDOCK, then Captain of the 74-foot commercial fishing vessel Capt Ralph, harvested over 12,000 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass. Further analyses revealed that between February 1, 2010, and February 4, 2010, CRADDOCK, harvested 1,750 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass from the EEZ, with an estimated fair-market retail price of approximately $14,000, which he sold to a dealer in Wanchese, North Carolina. CRADDOCK sent an e-mail to another vessel through the Capt Ralph’s vessel monitoring system and admitted to catching the Atlantic Striped Bass south of Buoy No. 8. Bodie Island Lighted Buoy No. 8 is located 6.5 nautical miles from shore, in the EEZ. The vessel monitoring system data from the Capt Ralph further corroborated the illegal harvesting of the fish. CRADDOCK then made false statements to NOAA, concealing the true location of the harvest in his federal vessel trip reports.
“Fishing for striped bass in federal waters in violation of this longstanding and well-known moratorium has the potential to seriously impact this iconic species, to the detriment of the many honest commercial and recreational fishers who depend upon this fishery,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s plea agreement demonstrates the department’s commitment to pursuing those who fail to respect laws enacted to protect and conserve important marine resources.”
“Our office is pleased to partner with the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice in these significant cases,” said U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “These prosecutions make clear that efforts to circumvent laws regulating commercial fishing will be enforced vigorously.”
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 27, 2017, term of court. CRADDOCK faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The overall investigation was conducted by the Law Enforcement Offices of NOAA, with assistance of the Investigative Service from the U.S. Coast Guard, the North Carolina Marine Patrol and the Virginia Marine Police. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Banumathi Rangarajan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Shennie Patel and Joel La Bissonniere of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Niagara Falls Man Arrested, Charged with Cocaine and Gun ChargesRead 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 Julias Hall, 31, of Niagara Falls, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of life, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on November 10, 2016, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s house on 38th Street in Niagara Falls. Police officers recovered a loaded .22 caliber pistol, ammunition, and approximately 50 grams of suspected cocaine.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for December 1, 2016, at 11:00 a.m.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Ashan Benedict, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin and CrackRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PAUL COLON, also known as “Paul Kane,” 28, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, COLON and Shawn Miller operated a New Haven area narcotics distribution ring. The investigation revealed that members of the ring took orders over a cellphone from drug customers in several shoreline communities for quantities of heroin and crack cocaine, and then delivered the drugs by car.
On June 29, 2016, COLON pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”). He is detained.
Miller, of Hamden, pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on November 1, 2016, was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets Task Force in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Haven, West Haven, Milford, Hamden and other local police departments, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys H. Gordon Hall and Jennifer R. Laraia.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Role in Fraudulent Oxycodone Prescription SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAYMOND MORALES, also known as “Freddy,” 33, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a scheme to obtain oxycodone through fraudulent prescriptions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2012, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that manufactured fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and distributed the drug in the greater New Haven area. As part of the conspiracy, members of organization obtained the personal identifying information of medical practitioners and used the information to create fraudulent prescriptions. Conspiracy members also purchased legitimate prescriptions for oxycodone from individuals. The organization then used individuals, or “runners,” to fill the fraudulent prescriptions at pharmacies throughout Connecticut. Once a runner provided his or her personal information to a member of the organization, the runner’s information was kept on file and used to create other fraudulent prescriptions.
MORALES recruited runners to fill fraudulent prescriptions. The investigation also revealed that he had a close associate who was employed as a pharmacy technician at a pharmacy in New Haven and assisted MORALES in filling the fake prescriptions.
The investigation revealed that, between February 2013 and September 2015, the organization stole the personal identifying information of more than 50 doctors and medical professionals and fraudulently obtained more than 80,000 oxycodone pills. Investigators identified more than 800 fraudulent prescriptions passed by members of the organization using more than 270 different “patient” names.
Nearly all of the runners employed by the conspiracy held state-sponsored medical insurance, so the costs of the prescriptions were billed to Medicaid. Members of the drug trafficking organization then sold the oxycodone for $20 to $30 per 30 milligram pill.
On June 16, 2016, MORALES pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone.
Eleven individuals have been charged as a result of the investigation.
The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes members from the Bristol, Greenwich, Hamden, Milford, New Haven, Shelton, Vernon and Wilton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy C. Brown and Robert M. Spector.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Gun 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 Felix Wilson, 35, of Portsmouth, NH, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on August 22, 2013, while riding a bicycle on East Ferry Street in Buffalo, the defendant carried a .22 caliber revolver on his person. In May 2011, Wilson was convicted of Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree in Erie County Supreme Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Navajo Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Larry Lee Emerson, Jr., 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Toadlena, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to assaulting a federal officer.
Emerson was arrested in Aug. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a Navajo Nation police officer with a Special Law Enforcement Commission card on July 6, 2016, in San Juan County, N.M. According to the complaint, Emerson assaulted the officer while the officer was attempting to arrest him.
Emerson was indicted on Aug. 23, 2016, and charged with assaulting a federal officer who was engaged in the performance of his official duties. During today’s proceedings, Emerson pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Emerson has been in custody since his arrest, and remains detained pending a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Emerson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces the Appointment of Criminal Division ChiefRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced the appointment of Lisa Zornberg as Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division.
Ms. Zornberg returns to the Office from the law firm of Lankler, Siffert & Wohl LLP, where she was a partner representing individuals and entities in white collar criminal, complex civil, and regulatory matters. Ms. Zornberg was previously an Assistant United States Attorney in the Office for 14 years, from 1998 to 2012, serving in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions and rising to supervisory ranks in each division. From 2011 to 2012, Ms. Zornberg was chief of the Complex Frauds Unit in the Criminal Division, and from 2004 to 2005, she was Deputy Chief of Appeals in the Civil Division. Ms. Zornberg graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1991 and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1994. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Zornberg served as a law clerk to then United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York and now United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
In making the appointment, Manhattan U.S Attorney Preet Bharara said: “I am extremely pleased and excited that Lisa Zornberg will be returning to public service as Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division. Lisa was an outstanding AUSA during her prior tour in the Office and has since become an accomplished criminal defense lawyer. I am confident that with her intellect, energy and vision, Lisa will be a terrific Criminal Division Chief. I welcome Lisa’s return, and I thank Joan Loughnane, the Office’s Chief Counsel, who on top of her regular duties has served exceptionally as the Acting Chief of the Criminal Division over the past few weeks.”
Long Beach Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Misusing Bankruptcy Courts to Operate a Foreclosure Rescue SchemeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was sentenced today to four years in federal prison in relation to a mortgage rescue scheme that brought in nearly $3 million from fees from distressed homeowners.
Karl Robinson, 52, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Manuel L. Real, who also ordered the defendant to pay a $10,000 fine.
Robinson pleaded guilty in August to one count of bankruptcy fraud in connection with a five-year scheme he operated under his own name and companies with names such as “Stay In Your Home Today,” “21st Century Development” and “Genesis Ventures Corporation.”
Robinson solicited clients who were facing foreclosure with false promises that he could save their homes. Instead of providing legitimate services to his clients, Robinson filed hundreds of fraudulent bankruptcy petitions that delayed foreclosure and eviction proceedings.
As part of the scheme, Robinson filed falsified grant deeds with county recorders and other fake documents in state court eviction proceedings to make it appear that fictional debtors held interests in the distressed properties. In a plea agreement filed in federal court, Robinson admitted that he misused notary stamps of other individuals in order to fake signatures on legal documents and that he charged distressed homeowners additional fees if they wanted to unwind fake filings.
“This scheme was never about providing assistance to distressed homeowners,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “It was about lying to distressed homeowners and collecting fees based on false promises. This defendant abused the bankruptcy system and stole identities to perpetrate his fraudulent scheme.”
The criminal case against Robinson is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).
“Mr. Robinson lured homeowners with empty promises and used his ties to a church to gain their trust and steal their hard-earned money,” said Deirdre Fike, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners with the FHFA-OIG and the U.S Attorney's Office will continue to combat schemes that manipulate government rules and target victims faced with losing their homes.”
“Karl Robinson selfishly preyed on the misfortune of others and as a result has been sentenced to prison,” said Leslie P. DeMarco, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Western Region. “He now has ample time to reflect on his behavior. FHFA-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent more innocent victims from falling prey to similar schemes and to protect the housing market.”
The case against Robinson was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section.
Local Man Sentenced on Cocaine, Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man, who previously pled guilty to a federal drug and gun charges, was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced.
Michael Jamal Tucker pled guilty in August 2016 to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and one count of being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm. Today in District Court, Tucker was sentenced to 133 months in federal prison.
“We must continue to be vigilant in not only prosecuting those individuals who distribute illicit drugs but also by supporting proven and effective treatment and prevention programs,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and the Pulaski Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley B. Neese prosecuted the case for the United States.
Largo Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Rolando Oneal Thorpe, age 32, of Largo, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Danny L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Stanley Johnson, of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Prince George’s County Division; and Chief Antonio DeVaul of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division.
According to his plea agreement, between September and November 2013, during an investigation of narcotics trafficking, Thorpe was overheard by law enforcement discussing with Marvin Taaff the various types of marijuana that Thorpe was distributing in Maryland. On November 22, 2013, a search warrant was executed at Thorpe’s residence. Law enforcement recovered 12 large ziplock bags containing over five kilograms of marijuana; a scale with drug residue; drug packaging materials; approximately $6,413 in cash; a 10mm handgun, with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine; a 27 round capacity ammunition magazine, loaded with 23 rounds of 45 caliber ammunition; and a black laser site for a handgun. Thorpe was at home during the search and admitted that everything found in the apartment belonged to him.
Marvin Taaff, age 29, of Takoma Park, Maryland, was sentenced on June 9, 2016, to 140 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, cocaine base and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Maryland National Capital Park Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston, Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, and Menaka Kalaskar, who prosecuted the case.
Jamaican Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit FraudRead 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 Corey Buddle, 25, of Brooklyn, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that the defendant, along with co-conspirators from Jamaica, defrauded elderly individuals residing in the United States by leading the victims to believe they won cash prizes of more than $1,000,000 and, in at least one case, a Mercedes Benz automobile. The victims were told they must pay “taxes” and other administrative expenses in order to collect their “prizes.”
One victim, an elderly man from the Rochester, NY area, was told numerous times in phone calls to send packages of cash to the defendant’s address in Brooklyn, NY. As a result, between May 20 and July 18, 2011, he sent a total of $130,000 in 16 packages via UPS and the U.S. Mail to Buddle.Another victim, an elderly resident of Missouri, was directed to deposit money into Buddle’s accounts at Bank of America. As a result, she made 26 deposits adding up to approximately $140,000 into Buddle’s accounts from July 11, 2012, through April 4, 2013. After April 4, 2013, the victim from Missouri was directed to send cash to the defendant’s residence, which she did by sending more than $50,000 in 10 different packages sent via UPS and Federal Express. Some of the money deposited into Buddle’s Bank of America accounts was withdrawn in Jamaica.
A third elderly victim, who lives in Florida, lost $37,000 by wiring the money into Buddle’s bank accounts in nine separate transfers between August 2, 2012, and April 4, 2013. This victim received a letter in April 2012 purporting to be from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, telling him he was $25,000 in arrears on his taxes. None of the victims received anything as a result of their “winnings.”
The guilty plea is the result of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski of the Boston Division, and Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 17, 2017, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Iowa Cancer Clinic and Oncologist to Pay More Than $176,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations They Recklessly Billed for Cancer Drugs That Were Unapproved, Misbranded, or Counterfeit and Improperly Upcoded Office Visit ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Hematology and Oncology Center of Iowa, P.C., located in Clive, Iowa, and its only corporate officer, Dr. Magdy Elsawy, have agreed to pay $176,460 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false billings for cancer drugs that were not approved, misbranded, or counterfeit, and by submitting office visit claims for visits that were either medically unnecessary or were upcoded to reflect more complex encounters than what actually happened.
The allegations concerning the unapproved, misbranded, or counterfeit cancer drugs relate to drugs the clinic was alleged to have purchased from Medical Device King from February 1, 2012, through June 30, 2012. Earlier this year, on June 2, 2016, the president of Medical Device King, William Scully, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of 64 felonies for mail and wire fraud, violations of the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act, unlicensed wholesale distribution of prescription drugs, and multiple related conspiracy charges.
“The Northern District of Iowa United States Attorney office is committed to protecting the Medicare program and the taxpayers who help fund it. This settlement will help ensure that our federal health care programs are utilized properly so they continue to serve those who need them most,” said United States Attorney Kevin W. Techau. “Health care providers who cut corners will be held responsible.”
“U.S. consumers and patients rely on the FDA to ensure that the medicines they take are safe and effective; the public’s health is at risk when unapproved, misbranded or counterfeit drugs enter the marketplace,” said Spencer E. Morrison, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to direct our efforts to protecting the public’s health.”
This investigation was led by the Food and Drug Administration and conducted jointly with the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Greene County Woman Admits Stealing $3.1 Million from Cargill, Inc.Read the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A Greene County, New York, woman pled guilty today to stealing at least $3.1 million from Cargill, Inc. (“Cargill”) over 10 years and causing at least $25 million in losses. The woman was an accounting manager at Cargill, the country’s largest privately held corporation, based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian; Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Albany Division; and Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
Diane Backis, age 50, of Athens, New York, pled guilty to mail fraud and filing a false income tax return. Backis was responsible for accounting functions related to Cargill’s grain operations in Albany, including creating customer contracts, generating and mailing invoices, and receiving and processing customer payments. As part of her plea, Backis admitted that she defrauded Cargill while working in its Port of Albany facility, which receives, stores, and sells grain products.
U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian said, “Ms. Backis stole millions of dollars from her employer in a decade-long scheme to enrich herself so she could live beyond her means. She stole money by diverting customer payments to her personal bank accounts and sold grain products for millions less than her employer paid, causing enormous financial losses. Her guilty plea today sends a strong message that crime does not pay.”
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Andrew W. Vale said, “Ms. Backis repeatedly victimized her employer. This kind of fraud is a sinister act that involves not only criminality but a willingness to cause Cargill, Inc. millions in losses. The FBI will continue to work together with its law enforcement partners to ensure people like Ms. Backis are held accountable.”
IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen said, “This investigation demonstrates the resolve of the government to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. Ms. Backis stole millions of dollars from Cargill, Inc. for a 10-year period, while committing tax fraud in the process. Today, she is held accountable for the financial harm she inflicted on Cargill, Inc. and the law-abiding American taxpayer.”
As part of her plea, Backis admitted that she stole hundreds of customer payments sent to Cargill totaling at least $3,115,610 and deposited them into her personal bank accounts. Backis also regularly created fraudulent invoices and mailed them to Cargill’s customers. The fraudulent invoices charged Cargill’s customers prices substantially less than what Cargill paid to acquire the grain products, causing Cargill significant financial losses. The fraudulent invoices also directed Cargill’s customers to send payment directly to Backis, thereby bypassing Cargill’s corporate controls. To hide her activities, Backis made false entries into Cargill’s accounting software to make it appear that customers were paying prices higher than those in her fraudulent invoices, and that customers owed Cargill millions of dollars for delivered grain products, only to reverse those false entries. As a result, Cargill lost at least $25 million.
Backis also admitted that she filed a false 2015 individual income tax return because she declared only $61,208 in total income and omitted over $450,000 in additional taxable income she received by stealing customer payments intended for Cargill in 2015.
Backis faces up to 20 years in prison, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced on March 28, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. As part of her guilty plea, Backis has agreed to pay Cargill at least $3.5 million in restitution, and to forfeiture of her house in Athens, an investment brokerage account, and her Cargill pension benefits. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Frederick Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Jonathan Robert Blackman, age 32, of Frederick, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, powder and crack cocaine, and marijuana; and possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Judge Bennett also entered an order requiring Blackman to forfeit $63,571, and a 12 gauge shotgun with an obliterated serial number.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.
According to Blackman’s plea agreement, law enforcement began an investigation into a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of heroin and other drugs in Frederick County and the Baltimore Metropolitan area. The investigation revealed that Blackman was a member of the drug trafficking organization. Evidence revealed numerous calls and texts in which Blackman coordinated drug sales in and around the Frederick area. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Blackman’s residence and recovered: $63,571 in cash; 300.5 grams of heroin; 16.4 grams of cocaine; and 976 grams of marijuana.
Blackman admitted that the amount of heroin reasonably foreseeable to him in, and in furtherance of, this conspiracy amounts to between one and three kilograms of heroin.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI-Baltimore and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Medinger, who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Four more defendants plead guilty in multistate drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Four additional defendants who participated in a multistate drug ring pleaded guilty today to various federal drug charges, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Atari Seantay Brown, 39, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin. Sean Lee Braggs, 26, entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin. Deandra Sheen Jones, 41, entered her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack. Samuel E. Nelson, III, 37, entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
From the summer of 2014 to May 2016, Brown helped lead a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of drugs in the Huntington area, including heroin and crack. During the conspiracy, Brown arranged for the transportation of large quantities heroin and cocaine from Michigan to the Huntington area. Agents were able to make numerous controlled purchases of heroin from Brown and others during the investigation. Brown admitted at his hearing that, on September 2, 2016, a confidential informant working at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration contacted him to arrange for the purchase of heroin. Brown met with the informant at an apartment located at 333 14th Street in Huntington which the group used to store and distribute drugs. Inside the apartment, Brown sold approximately 10 grams of heroin to the informant in exchange for $1,200. Brown also admitted that he possessed firearms during the conspiracy, that he maintained the 14th Street apartment to distribute drugs, and that he served as a leader of the conspiracy.
Braggs admitted that he assisted Brown and others by conducting distributions of heroin in the Huntington area, by transporting drugs from Michigan to Huntington, and by transporting money from Huntington to Michigan. On April 18, 2016, Braggs was traveling from Huntington to Michigan when his vehicle broke down in Ohio. Brown arranged for a tow truck to tow the vehicle to Michigan. Agents surveilling Brown and Braggs contacted members of the Ohio Highway Patrol and a trooper subsequently conducted a traffic stop of the tow truck in northern Ohio. Agents discovered that Braggs’ vehicle contained a hidden compartment behind the rear seat which could be accessed through electronic controls. Agents discovered $181,490 in cash concealed in the hidden compartment which Braggs admitted constituted proceeds from drug sales in the Huntington area.
Jones admitted that she assisted Brown by transporting cocaine from Michigan concealed in a rental vehicle. Jones admitted that she also transported cash from Huntington to Michigan and helped Brown acquire additional quantities of heroin in Michigan. On March 26, 2016, Jones arranged for Brown to receive approximately 100 grams of heroin which Brown distributed to Nelson. On April 30, 2016, Jones transported approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine to Huntington at Brown’s direction. The cocaine was concealed in the spare tire of a rental vehicle Jones was driving and Jones was aware Brown intended to convert the cocaine to crack for distribution.
Nelson admitted that he acquired large quantities of heroin from Brown which Nelson transported to the Louisville, Kentucky area for distribution. On April 18, 2016, Nelson traveled from Louisville to acquire heroin from Brown at the 14th Street apartment. Agents observed Nelson meet with Brown and a trooper with the West Virginia State Police subsequently conducted a traffic stop of Nelson’s vehicle as he traveled on 16th Street Road toward Interstate 64 to return to Louisville. Agents searched Nelson’s vehicle and discovered approximately 130 grams of heroin concealed in the dashboard of the vehicle.
On May 18, 2016, after a federal grand jury returned an indictment, agents executed arrest warrants and search warrants at eight residences in Detroit, Michigan, Proctorville, Ohio, and Huntington. During the searches, agents seized large quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack, and marijuana, an additional $120,531 in cash, and a total of 41 firearms.
All four defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison and are each scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2017.
These prosecutions arose out of a long-term investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the West Virginia State Police, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, which resulted in charging 12 defendants for offenses related to the distribution of heroin, crack, marijuana and alprazolam in Huntington.
Six defendants have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this drug ring. Matthew Michael Meadows, Arthur James Canada, Tanisha Lynette Wooding, Parker Wyatt Mays, Corey Bruce Toney and Roy Bills have all pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and are awaiting sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is in charge of the prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
Former Rocky Hill Resident Admits Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARYANNE STEPHENS, 68, of Ireland, formerly of Rocky Hill, Conn., pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of theft of public money for stealing Social Security retirement benefits that had been deposited into her deceased mother-in-law’s bank account.
According to court documents and statements made in court, STEPHENS’ mother-in-law began receiving Social Security retirement benefits in 1971. Her mother-in-law died in October 1998. However, approximately $204,000 in Social Security retirement benefits were directly deposited into her mother-in-law’s bank account after her death.
In pleading guilty, STEPHENS admitted that, from approximately March 2004 to December 2010, she forged her mother-in-law’s signature on bank checks in order to fraudulently obtain approximately $126,000 in Social Security retirement benefits that were deposited into her mother-in-law’s bank account after her mother-in-law had died.
Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for February 28, 2017, at which time STEPHENS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution in the amount of $125,938.
STEPHENS surrendered her passport and has been released on a $200,000 bond since her arrest on April 20, 2016.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Former Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Crack ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Lamar Young, 29, formerly of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, in late 2012 and early 2013, Young and other conspirators acquired crack and cocaine powder from suppliers in Massachusetts, brought it to Maine, turned the powder into crack as necessary, packaged it for distribution, and sold it out of an apartment in Lewiston to customers in that area.
Young faces between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and at least four years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Former Healthcare Employee Sentenced to Prison for Role in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – A Montgomery woman was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for her involvement in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. of the Middle District of Alabama, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court documents, Alana Wells worked at a healthcare company where she had access to patient information protected from disclosure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Wells admitted that she stole the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of patients from her employer’s database and provided these identities to co-conspirator Fredrick Hill. Hill then provided the stolen personal identification information to another co-conspirator, Christopher Davis, who, along with others, used the information to file fraudulent federal tax returns seeking refunds with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Wells pleaded guilty in July 2016 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft and to one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to the term of prison imposed, Wells was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $225,081.
U.S. Attorney Beck and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Jason H. Poole and Kathryn A. Kimball of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross of the Middle District of Alabama, who are prosecuting this case.
Former Healthcare Employee Sentenced to Prison for Role in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Montgomery, Alabama woman was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for her involvement in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. of the Middle District of Alabama.
According to court documents, Alana Wells worked at a healthcare company where she had access to patient information protected from disclosure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Wells admitted that she stole the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of patients from her employer’s database and provided these identities to co-conspirator Fredrick Hill. Hill then provided the stolen personal identification information to another co-conspirator, Christopher Davis, who, along with others, used the information to file fraudulent federal tax returns seeking refunds with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Wells pleaded guilty in July 2016 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft and to one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to the term of prison imposed, Wells was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $225,081.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Beck commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Jason H. Poole and Kathryn A. Kimball of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross of the Middle District of Alabama, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Illegal Campaign Contributions for the 2012 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
A Windermere, Florida, man pleaded guilty today to illegally making political contributions in the names of others to a presidential candidate’s primary campaign committee, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II of the District of Maine.
Michael A. Liberty, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of making political contributions in the names of others before U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby of the District of Maine.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, between May and June 2011, Liberty made $22,500 in primary contributions through nine employees, associates and family members to the principal campaign committee of a candidate for President of the United States, when, in fact, Liberty paid for all of the contributions.
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ryan J. Ellersick of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark of the District of Maine are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Illegal Campaign Contributions for the 2012 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Ryan J. Ellersick, Trial Attorney
Public Integrity Section
Department of Justice
Tel: (202) 514-2007Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced that Michael A. Liberty, 56, of Windermere, Florida pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally making political contributions in the names of others to a presidential candidate’s primary campaign committee.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, between May and June 2011, Liberty made $22,500 in primary contributions through nine employees, associates and family members to the principal campaign committee of a candidate for President of the United States, when, in fact, Liberty paid for all of the contributions.
The defendant faces up to 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Felon in Possession of A Firearm Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Anthony Odell Lee, 33, of Millry, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court this morning for his illegal possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a prior felony offense. In September of 2016, Lee pled guilty to the charge.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed a sentence of 30 months’ imprisonment in Lee’s case, and ordered that he served a three-year term of supervised release when he is discharged from incarceration. As conditions of his supervision, Lee will be subject to testing and treatment for drug abuse. Judge Steele also ordered that Lee pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Pair of Armed Robberies in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamah Harris, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term on charges involving a pair of armed robberies that he committed the same night in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
Harris was found guilty in August 2016 by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Zoe Bush. After his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the robberies took place on Aug. 25, 2014. In the first incident, at approximately 8:10 p.m., the victim, a retired electrician who has lived his entire life in Washington D.C., was robbed at gunpoint outside his home on Bladensburg Road NE. Harris and an accomplice approached the man and demanded he empty his pockets. Scared for his life, he gave up his wallet and cash.
The second robbery took place less than 10 minutes later. This victim, a mechanic who runs a car repair shop, was robbed at gunpoint outside his business on Evarts Road NE. The victim reported that a 1997/1998 Mercedes Benz E32 had pulled up just past his shop. Harris and his accomplice got out of the Mercedes, pointed what appeared to be a shotgun and a small handgun at the victim’s face, and demanded his money. The victim gave Harris his money.
After Harris and his accomplice returned to their Mercedes, one of them dropped a wallet just before driving away. That wallet was later identified as the first victim’s wallet. Additionally, the entire second incident was captured on surveillance video, and evidence showed that the defendant’s 1997 Mercedes E32 was in the area of the robberies.
After the defendant was identified as the perpetrator, Metropolitan Police Department (MOD) detectives located Harris on Sept. 16, 2014, and attempted to stop him. Harris fled in his Mercedes and officers chased him to the Bladensburg, Md., Waterfront, where Prince George’s County, Md, police officers apprehended him after he jumped into the Anacostia River. A weapon similar to the description provided by the two victims was recovered from Harris’s house during the execution of a search warrant. Harris’s accomplice has not been apprehended.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Prince George’s County Police Department. He also commended the work of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff, Kimberley Nielsen, Jeffrey Nestler, and Stephen Rickard; Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division; Paralegal Specialists Zoe Antwi and Tiffany Fogle, and Litigation Technology Specialist Kimberly Smith. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Barker and J. Matt Williams, who prosecuted the case, and Nebiyu Feleke, who indicted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Azeik Keys, 39, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal narcotics offense stemming from a law enforcement search that uncovered drugs in a safe kept in his residence, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Michael Hughes, U.S. Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Keys pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Keys faces a likely range of 46 to 57 months in prison. The plea agreement calls for him to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $1,370. The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2017.
The federal case is related to another matter in which Keys was found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender and felony threats, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Keys was sentenced in September 2016 to a six-year prison term on those charges.
Keys was convicted in 2004 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of first-degree sex abuse, sentenced to a six-year prison term, and ordered to register as a sex offender. He was required to register quarterly for the rest of his life. In 2013, he was convicted in the District of Columbia of failing to register as a sex offender. He registered the following year, using his parents’ address in Northeast Washington. Despite moving from that residence, he continued to register that address between November 2014 and April 2015 as his own.
The U.S. Marshals Service began an investigation in January 2015, and Keys’s true residence was ultimately located in an apartment building in Southeast Washington. He was apprehended on April 17, 2015, in a bedroom of that residence. Inside the bedroom, Deputy U.S. Marshals observed in plain view a small amount of marijuana and packaging materials. They subsequently obtained a warrant to search the bedroom and a safe located on the dresser. They found a loaded handgun, cocaine, and approximately $1,370 inside the safe, and an additional loaded handgun inside of the bedroom.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Marshal Hughes commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Marshals Service, particularly Deputy Marshals William Straw, Justin Bankert, and Jesse Miller. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Catherine O’Neal and Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamila Hodge, who is prosecuting the federal case.
Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Support Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Reexamination of Market Power AnalysisRead the Press Release
Agencies Urge Consideration of Broad Range of Evidence When Assessing Potential for Exercise of Market Power
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission have submitted a comment in response to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERCs) Notice of Inquiry addressing how FERC assesses market power with respect to mergers and electricity sales at market-based rates.
Based on their experience analyzing market power, especially with respect to competition and mergers in electricity markets, the agencies encouraged FERC not to rely solely on structural indicators of market power, such as market share or concentration, when assessing market power under the Federal Power Act. Due to certain features specific to electricity markets, even firms with relatively small market shares may be able to exercise market power. Therefore, FERC should consider evidence such as whether a proposed combination of assets would enhance the ability and incentive of a firm to raise prices.
“We commend FERC for opening its inquiry,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Electricity is a cornerstone of modern life – lighting our homes, driving important industries and powering cutting-edge technologies. We endorse a more comprehensive approach that goes beyond market share percentages and concentration when assessing market power in this critical industry.”
The comment also addressed proper considerations when determining geographic markets and urged consideration of serial acquisitions in its merger analysis. The agencies also encouraged FERC to consider gathering more information from merger applicants to inform its market power analyses. The comment notes that electricity markets can involve annual sales of billions of dollars, so that even a small percentage increase in the price due to an exercise of market power can substantially harm electricity consumers.
Cumberland County Man Guilty of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gary Stinson Smith, age 60, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today before United States District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, to possession of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Smith admitted to possessing images depicting child pornography. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement officers searched the defendant’s computer in November 2015 and located images and movies containing child pornography.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl Bloom.
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."
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Court Orders Defendant to Repay $20,438.38 in FEMA Theft CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces that United States District Court Chief Judge William H. Steele sentenced Nicole Latasha Myatt on November 28, 2016 to serve a term of five (5) years on probation for committing Theft of Public Money on May 21, 2014 in violation of 18 USC § 641. Chief Judge Steele also ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount $20,438.38 as a condition of the defendant’s probation.
The investigation revealed that on May 2, 2014, the United States Government declared multiple counties in Alabama major disaster areas as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding which struck the area between April 28, 2014 through May 5, 2014. During the course of the investigation, the authorities discovered that the defendant submitted fraudulent documents on May 21, 2014 to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order to receive disaster assistance money unlawfully. The defendant previously pled guilty before the Court on August 22, 2016.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence J. Bullard for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Coeur d’Alene Man Sentenced for Federal Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Kody Ray Gibbs, 29, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was sentenced today in United States District Court to 78 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Gibbs pleaded guilty on June 22, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2016, a woman purchased an “open box” tablet-computer from a local Coeur d’Alene business. When she powered on the tablet, she found that it contained images of child pornography. The Coeur d’Alene Police were called. Detectives determined that Gibbs had purchased the computer previously and returned it for a refund. Gibbs was located, interviewed, and admitted to downloading child pornography.
As a result of his conviction, Gibbs will be required to register as a sex offender. Gibbs will also be required to complete sex offender treatment following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office. They participate in the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a statewide coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies, focused on apprehending and prosecuting individuals who use the Internet to criminally exploit children. For more information about the Idaho ICAC Task Force and a list of all the participating agencies, visit www.icactaskforce.org.
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.”
Clintwood Man Pleads Guilty to Cockfighting ChargeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – A Virginia man, who sponsored animals during cockfights at the Big Blue Sportsmen’s Club in McDowell, Kentucky, was the seventh person convicted of federal charges related to his criminal conduct as part of the larger cockfighting conspiracy, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced today.
Jimmy Crate Willis, 78, of Clintwood, Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to knowingly sponsor and exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture.
“The practice of cockfighting is not only illegally under federal law but it is a violent, heinous and brutal act of cruelty for these animals,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today. “We are proud those involved in this investigation have held responsible those who raised and fought these animals and shut down this venue for such brutal and barbaric acts.”
Five defendants who have already been sentenced for their roles at Big Blue were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 6 to 18 months. Another defendant, Russell Peaks, of Pound, pled guilty earlier this month and will be sentenced on January 30, 2017. Two remaining defendants are scheduled for trial in Big Stone Gap in April 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer and Special Assistant United States Attorney/Virginia Assistant Attorney General Michelle Welch are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the United States. The case is being investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, the following agencies assisted in the arrests or related proceedings: Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force; Virginia State Police Tactical Team; Southwest Virginia Regional Task Force; Botetourt County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office; Wise County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office; Virginia State Veterinarian’s Office; United States Homeland Security Investigations; Kentucky State Police; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Cleveland Police Crisis Intervention Team policies released for public commentRead the Press Release
Today, new Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) policies developed by the Cleveland Division of Police in cooperation with the Consent Decree Monitoring Team, the Department of Justice, the Mental Health Response Advisory Committee which work with the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County and the United States Attorney’s Office were released for public comment and feedback. Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Chief of Police Calvin D. Williams welcome and encourage the public to participate in this feedback process prior to submitting the policies to Judge Oliver Solomon for filing.
“The Crisis Intervention Team Policies are a major component for the City in implementing the Consent Decree,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “These new policies will continue to create the conditions that foster positive interactions between our police and the communities they serve.”
“These policies are the result of collaborative efforts and reflect national best practices,” said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon. “They will ensure that our most vulnerable citizens get the help they need. We welcome the public’s input as we continue our ongoing reform efforts.”
“The Cleveland Division of Police and the community led Mental Health Response Advisory Committee have produced a crisis intervention policy that will serve as a model for other cities,” said Monitoring Team member and crisis intervention expert Dr. Randolph Dupont. “Cleveland has a right to be proud of this work.”
“The Cleveland Division of Police is committed to ensuring that the policies set in place for our officers reflect best practice along with safe tactics.” said Chief Calvin D. Williams. “The revision of the Crisis Intervention Team order is yet another step toward making sure that we are providing optimum service to the citizens we are proud to serve each day.”
“These Crisis Intervention Team policies solidify our community’s goal of making Cleveland a city where everyone – including people living with mental illness and addiction - is treated safely with dignity and respect,” stated William M. Denihan, CEO of the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County.
“Today, another milestone in the Consent Decree compliance process has been reached,” said Consent Decree Implementation Coordinator, Gregory A. White. “This was another outstanding collaborative effort between the Cleveland Division of Police, the Mental Health Response Advisory Committee, the monitoring team, the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office. Special recognition should also go to the Policy Sub-Committee of the Mental Health Response Advisory Committee, chaired by Common Pleas Judge Hollie L. Gallagher and Gabriella Celeste, Director of Child Policy at Case Western Reserve University Center for Child Studies. Final public comment is now welcome prior to the policies being filed for approval under the Consent Decree.”
A public meeting to discuss the proposed policies will be held on December 13, 2016 at two locations and at separate times.
- The first public meeting is December 13th, 1:00 p.m. at the Murtis Taylor Human Services System, 13422 Kinsman Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44120
- The second public meeting is December 13th, 6:00 p.m. at the Urban Community School, 4909 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44102
View the proposed policies and provide feedback here: http://www.clevelandpolicemonitor.net/crisis-intervention
Branson Man Sentenced for Trading Meth for Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Branson, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for trading methamphetamine in exchange for stolen firearms.
Gerald E. Waters, 55, of Branson, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 21, 2016, Waters pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On May 14, 2015, a federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives contacted the Branson, Mo., Police Department regarding his investigation of a burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer in Carroll County, Arkansas. During an interview with suspects in the burglary, the agent learned that someone had traded firearms to Waters in exchange for drugs.
A Branson detective contacted Waters at the Shady Oak Motel. Law enforcement officers found two Cobra Enterprise .38-caliber derringers, a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a loaded Armscor of the Philippines 9mm semi-automatic pistol, all of which had been reported stolen from the firearms dealer in Arkansas, inside a safe in the motel room.
Officers searched the room and found 130.9 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a water bottle with $592 inside, all inside another safe in the motel room.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Branson, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.