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11 October 2016
Three Defendants Sentenced for Marijuana Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – On October 6, 2016, District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced three defendants on their convictions for conspiracy to distribute marijuana from Los Angeles, CA, to St. Thomas, VI, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced. Clarence Griffin, 44, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Robert Brown, 29, of St. Croix, was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Jamila Felix, 29, of St. Thomas, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. All three defendants were ordered to forfeit $351,000 to the United States, jointly and severally, which represents the proceeds from the sale of the marijuana.
On May 16, 2016, Griffin, Brown and Felix pleaded guilty in federal court to count one of the indictment which charged conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute up to 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. According to the plea agreements filed with the court, between July 2012 and December 2013, Griffin and Brown shipped barrels containing at least 700 kilograms but less than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana concealed in "Chow Mein" cans from Los Angeles to St. Thomas utilizing a trucking service. Felix later deposited the proceeds from the marijuana sales into her bank accounts in St. Thomas, and subsequently wired the proceeds electronically to Griffin and other members of the conspiracy in the mainland United States.
This case is the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia L. Smith.
Three Defendants Indicted for Their Involvement in Identity Theft RingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Three suspects have been indicted in federal court for their involvement in an identity theft ring where the personal identities of various victims were used to open fraudulent credit card accounts without their knowledge, announced George L. Beck Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
Patrick Rashaud Thomas (24), from Georgia, Patience Denise Minor (51), from Phenix City, Alabama, and Shameka Lashey Thomas (27), from Sylvester, Georgia, were all a part of this scheme. Patrick Thomas assisted his fellow conspirators while serving jail time with the Georgia Department of Corrections for unrelated convictions.
According to court documents, the identity theft scheme was carried out by obtaining stolen personal identifying information and then using that information to apply for Capitol One credit cards under false pretenses. They would then direct those credit cards to be sent to addresses used by other conspirators. The method used to obtain the personal information of their victims is still under investigation. The fraudulent credit cards were ultimately used for the personal benefit of the three. Patrick Thomas would sometimes have proceeds from the credit cards placed on his prison commissary account.
If convicted, each face up to thirty years in prison, as well as significant fines and restitution.
An indictment is merely a method of charging an individual and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial.
U.S. Attorney Beck would like to thank the following entities for their assistance with this case: the United States Postal Inspector’s Service, and the Capitol One Bank, N.A. Fraud Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bradley Bodiford.
Texas man pleads guilty to federal methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Mason Earl Gonzales, 27, of Pasadena, entered his guilty plea to attempting to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Gonzales admitted that on June 13, 2016, he traveled with a confidential source working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) to the Boone Motor Inn in Boone County and searched behind the motel for methamphetamine. Gonzales further admitted that he was unable to locate the methamphetamine and that he planned to return the next day to find the drugs. MDENT went to the same area the following day, located the methamphetamine buried under a rock, and replaced the drugs with a substance resembling methamphetamine. MDENT also set up a surveillance camera in the area. Gonzales admitted that he returned to the area of the motel later that evening and found the bag containing the substance resembling methamphetamine. MDENT then conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle and Gonzales admitted that he went to the area of the motel to get what he believed was methamphetamine and that he intended to distribute the drugs. Lab testing of the methamphetamine seized by MDENT confirmed a weight of over 270 grams and a purity level greater than 97%.
Gonzales faces at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 4, 2017.
MDENT conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including methamphetamine. 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 illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Taos County Man Arrested on Federal Carjacking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos County, N.M., man has been arrested on a federal indictment charging him with carjacking and firearms and carjacking offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and New Mexico State Police Chief Pete N. Kassetas.
Richard Howieson, 56, of Costilla, N.M., was arrested without incident yesterday evening in Taos, N.M., on a three-count indictment charging him with carjacking, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Howieson committed the three crimes on Feb. 19, 2013, in Taos County, N.M. At the time, Howieson was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his felony conviction for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and great bodily injury.
Howieson will make his initial appearance in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on Oct. 11, 2016. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
If convicted on the carjacking charge, Howieson faces a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Howieson also faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the other two charges. Charges in indictments are merely accusations, and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Santa Fe office of the FBI and the New Mexico State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Kraehe.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Attempted Sex Trafficking of A ChildRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Chief United States District Court judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced James Patrick Manning (25, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for the attempted sex trafficking of a child. Manning was indicted on March 29, 2016.
According to court documents, Manning responded to an advertisement that had been posted on Backpage.com by Homeland Security Investigations and sent several text messages to an undercover law enforcement officer stating that he wanted to have sex with a 14-year-old girl. After negotiating the price, Manning drove to the designated location, met with an undercover agent, and paid to have sex with the 14-year-old girl.
“This sentencing sets a new precedence aimed at the demand for child sex trafficking, or ‘johns,’” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “These criminals will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Stamford Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Sawed-Off Shotgun, CocaineRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID JEUNE, also known as “Junie” and “June Bug,” 30, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 40 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for selling a sawed-off shotgun and cocaine.
This matter stems from “Operation Samson,” an investigation headed by the ATF and the Bridgeport and New Haven Police Departments that targeted violent criminals, illegal firearm possession and firearm trafficking. In the spring of 2014, approximately 40 ATF special agents and personnel from Connecticut and across the country were deployed with New Haven and Bridgeport Police to conduct numerous covert operations.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2014, JEUNE sold a sawed-off Mossberg model Regal 500 shotgun to an undercover agent in exchange for $350. The following day, JEUNE and another individual sold approximately one ounce of cocaine to the undercover agent in exchange for $1,250.
Prior to March 2014, JEUNE had been convicted of felony robbery and larceny offenses.
JEUNE has been detained since his arrest on April 2, 2014. On March 12, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to Prison in Tax King ScamRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Mason Richmond, 31, of St. Louis, MO, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for defrauding the United States Treasury. Richmond’s conviction and sentence arise from his employment at a fraudulent tax return preparation business known as Tax King, LLC.
Tax King had several facilities located in St. Louis, MO, and one located at 212 Collinsville Avenue in East St. Louis. Richmond worked as a return preparer for three years at Tax King’s facility located at 900 N. Grand in St. Louis. On April 29, 2016, Richmond pled guilty in Federal Court in East St. Louis to a charge of conspiring to submit false claims for tax refunds. As part of his guilty plea, Richmond admitted that he routinely placed false information on his customers’ tax returns, including: (1) false Business Income and Schedules Cs which caused the clients to qualify for larger Earned Income Credits ("EICs"); (2) false wages, which again caused the clients to qualify for larger EICs; and (3) false education expenses which enabled the clients to qualify for American opportunity education credits.
Tax King profited from the scheme by charging the customers fees which ranged from approximately $400 to $650. Richmond admitted that he also profited from the scheme by requesting cash "tips" from his customers in return for increasing their refunds.
In addition to the 18 month prison sentence, Richmond was ordered to pay restitution to the United States Treasury of $126,015. After he completes his prison sentence, Richmond will also be required to serve a term of 3 years of supervised release.
The owner of Tax King, Eyob Tilahun, and two employees of the East St. Louis Tax King were previously sentenced on September 9, 2016. Tilahun, 30, of St. Louis, MO, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Tanesa L. Beverly, 32, of East St. Louis, IL, and Melissa L. Wiley, 35, of Granite City, IL, were both sentenced to two years of probation. Beverly and Wiley both worked as return preparers at the East St. Louis Tax King for a couple of months during 2013. In addition to Richmond, Tilahun, Beverly, and Wiley, three other defendants in the case have previously pled guilty. Those defendants are: Lakesha R. Wilson, 28, of East St. Louis, IL; Edric A. Russell, 35, of East St. Louis, IL, and Pierre J. Carter, 34, of East St. Louis, IL. Wilson, Russell, and Carter all worked as return preparers at the East St. Louis Tax King. Russell and Carter will be sentenced on January 27, 2017. Wilson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 3, 2017.
The investigation is being conducted by agents from both the Fairview Heights, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri Offices of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has also prosecuted several return preparers who worked at Tax King locations in St. Louis, MO.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Fernando A. Lugo, age 55, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to serve 33 months in prison for stealing another person’s identity and using it to apply for a U.S. passport and government-administered benefits.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian, Special Agent-in-Charge David Schnorbus of the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and John F. Grasso, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.
As part of his March 11 guilty plea, Lugo admitted that in April 2010, he submitted an application for a U.S. passport to the U.S. Post Office in Schenectady. In February 2015, he applied to receive Medicaid benefits with the Schenectady County Department of Social Services. On both applications, he used the name, Social Security Number and date of birth of a U.S. citizen whom he knew.
This case was investigated by Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and the Social Security Office of the Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. White.
Robbers of Brink's Truck, Armored Car and Circle K IndictedRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Two men have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly robbing a gas station and a Brink’s armored truck guard at gunpoint. A man who allegedly robbed an armored car guard has been charged in a separate indictment. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictments today.
According to the indictment, Cornelius Richmond, 48, and Roderick Herron, 50; both of Memphis, Tennessee; robbed a Circle K on North Germantown Parkway in Cordova on April 26, 2016.
Three days later, on April 29, 2016, Richmond and Herron robbed a Brink’s armored truck guard at gunpoint. At the time of the robbery, the victim was in the process of loading cash into the ATM machine at a Regions Bank on Austin Peay Highway.
Both defendants have been charged with two counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, and one count of brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence. Richmond was also charged with one count of felony possession of a firearm.
Additionally, James Edward Lacey Jr., 31, of Memphis, Tennessee, has been indicted federally for his involvement in a separate robbery.
According to his indictment, Lacey unlawfully possessed a firearm on August 13, 2016.
Five days later, on August 18, 2016, Lacey robbed a Dunbar Armored Service guard. The guard was performing services at the Memphis, Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) office on Summer Avenue at the time of the robbery.
Lacey has been charged with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of felony possession of a firearm.
If convicted, all three of the aforementioned defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison for their individual robbery counts. Richmond and Herron face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for the count of brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence. Lacey and Richmond also face up to 10 years for felony firearm possession. All charges carry individual fines of up to $250,000.
These cases are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s West Tennessee Violent Crime Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Whitmore is prosecuting these cases on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Richmond man admits to transporting a minor to engage in sexual activityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to transporting a minor from West Virginia to Virginia for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Ian Michael Cramer, 27, entered his guilty plea to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Cramer admitted that in September 2015, he used an app on his cell phone to persuade a 15-year-old from Cross Lanes to engage in sexual activity. During the evening hours of September 18, 2015, Cramer drove from Richmond to Cross Lanes and picked up the minor. He then drove the minor back to his apartment in Richmond, where the two of them engaged in sexual activity. Law enforcement arrived at Cramer’s apartment on September 20, 2015, and rescued the minor.
Cramer faces a federal prison sentence of 10 years to life, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Cramer will also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for January 11, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to keep children safe from dangerous predators like this defendant,” stated United States Attorney Carol Casto. “The consequences of these crimes should send a clear message - if you endanger the children of our community, we will use all of our resources to make sure that you face serious prison time.”
The FBI, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Virginia State Police, and the New York State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Parkersburg heroin dealers plead guilty to federal drug crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man and woman from Parkersburg who were caught transporting heroin pleaded guilty today, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. David J. Kerns, 27, and Katie M. Kerns, 26 (no relation), entered their guilty pleas to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On February 19, 2015, members of the West Virginia State Police stopped the vehicle in which David Kerns and Katie Kerns were driving in Parkersburg. Law enforcement had observed them cross into West Virginia from Ohio over the U.S. Route 50 Dupont Bridge. Troopers searched the vehicle and recovered approximately 10 ounces of heroin concealed in tubes of grease. At the plea hearing, the defendants admitted that David Kerns purchased the heroin for $20,000 from a source Katie Kerns introduced him to in Cincinnati.
The defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison. Katie Kerns is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2017. David Kerns is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2017.
This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of pills and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Nitro woman pleads guilty for failing to report to prisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nitro woman pleaded guilty today for failing to report to serve her prison sentence, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Kelli Engler, also known as Kelli Reed and Kelli Reed-Engler, 39, faces up to five years in federal prison when she is sentenced on December 14, 2016.
Engler admitted that she was ordered by the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia to serve 90 days of incarceration for a violation of her supervised release. Engler was ordered to report to prison by March 25, 2016, and was permitted by the Court to voluntarily self-report. She did not report to prison as required, and on June 28, 2016, law enforcement apprehended her in Tennessee.
Engler was on supervised release as part of her sentence for a 2011 federal conviction for access device fraud. The violations of her supervised release included not paying restitution and not reporting to the United States Probation Office as required.
The United States Marshals Service and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee conducted the apprehension and investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., conducted the plea hearing.
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New York Man Sentenced to 51 Months’ Imprisonment for Robbing Two BanksRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Robert Meader, age 31, of Liverpool, New York, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani in Scranton on October 7, 2016 to 51 months’ imprisonment for robbing two banks.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, on May 16, 2016, Meader pleaded guilty to the crimes before Judge Mariani. During the guilty plea hearing, Meader admitted to committing the following two bank robberies:
- the robbery of $14,147 from the NBT Bank, Great Bend, Pennsylvania, on October 13, 2015; and
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the robbery of $5,721 NBT Bank, Albany, New York, on January 6, 2016.
Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police arrested Meader without incident in Liverpool, New York, on January 12, 2016. Since his arrest, he has been held at the Lackawanna County Jail in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In addition to the 51 months’ imprisonment sentence, Judge Mariani ordered Meader to make full restitution to the banks in the amount of $19,988, and to serve a three year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, New York. Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.
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Navy Sailor Pleads Guilty in Murder-for-Hire Plot to Kill his WifeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Chadwick Stanley Ghesquiere, 38, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty today to charges related to his role in an attempted murder-for-hire plot to kill his wife.
According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, in August 2016, Ghesquiere hired an undercover federal special agent to murder his estranged wife. Ghesquiere provided the undercover with $1,000 in cash, 80 Adderall pills, and a firearm to commit the murder. Ghesquiere also promised to pay the undercover $50,000 of his $100,000 life insurance policy for conducting the murder.
After his arrest, Ghesquiere admitted that he tried to distance himself during the investigation by using a pre-paid burner phone to coordinate a meeting with the undercover agent. He also admitted to receiving Adderall from the military and then distributing the pills to another individual who resides in his neighborhood.
Ghesquiere will be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2017, and faces a maximum statutory penalty of 14 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Tim Quick, Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-128.
Moscow Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – James Dale Pressnall, 50, of Moscow, Idaho, was sentenced today for possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Pressnall to 63 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release. Pressnall pleaded guilty on June 21, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, between August and October 2015, a Department of Homeland Security agent downloaded child pornography image files from a computer using an online peer to peer network open to the general public. This agent later learned, by subpoena, that the computer possessing these files was within Pressnall’s Moscow home.
In November 2015, a federal search warrant was served at Pressnall’s residence. Although Pressnall was not there, agents were able to track him to another location and seize his computer. This computer was analyzed and found to contain numerous sexually explicit images of minors. Pressnall’s child pornography collection included images of minors from 24 states and 18 foreign countries.
As a result of his conviction, Pressnall will be required to register as a sex offender. Pressnall was also ordered to complete sex offender treatment following his prison sentence and will be restricted from access to minors.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Moscow Police Department. These are members of 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.”
Modesto Man Pleads Guilty to Staging Car Accidents in a Scheme to Defraud Insurance CompaniesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Victor Hugo Soriano-Villafan, 26, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in a scheme to defraud insurance companies, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from October 2011 until August 2014, Soriano-Villafan 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 Soriano-Villafan 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, Soriano-Villafan caused at least $750,000 in false insurance claims to be paid as a result of the conspiracy to defraud.
In each staged accident, Soriano-Villafan and other defendants used 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.
Soriano-Villafan is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on January 30, 2017. Soriano-Villafan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Charges are pending against co-defendants Juan Ortiz Rivas, 39, of Ceres; Liobigildo Vargas, 46, of Turlock; and, Juan Marquez Cadenas, 30, of Patterson. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Oscar Garcia, 46, a Mexican national illegally in the United States, pled guilty Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M. to methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering charges. At the time he committed the crimes to which he pleaded guilty, Oscar Garcia was in Oklahoma state custody serving a prison sentence on an unrelated-drug trafficking conviction. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Oscar Garcia will be sentenced to 180 months in prison. He will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
Oscar Garcia was charged together with co-defendants Leslie Frank Williams, 52, Andy Garcia, 43, and Domingo Rodriguez, 46, all of Deming, and Estella Aguilar, 44, of Tucson, Ariz., in a nine-count indictment filed in April 2016. The indictment alleged that the five co-defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine from July 2015 through April 2016. It also charged Williams with distributing methamphetamine on four occasions between Jan 2015 and Sept. 2015; Williams and Rodriguez with distributing methamphetamine in Nov. 2015; and Rodriguez, Oscar Garcia and Andy Garcia with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Jan. 2016. The indictment also charged Rodriguez, Oscar Garcia and Aguilar with conspiring to commit money laundering offenses in Feb. 10, 2016; and Aguilar with committing a money laundering offense on Feb. 10, 2016. According to the indictment, the crimes took place in Luna County, N.M. The indictment included forfeiture allegations seeking forfeiture of $1,000,000 in drug proceeds to the United States.
On Oct. 7, 2016, Oscar Garcia pled guilty to a felony information charging him with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and money laundering. In entering the guilty plea, Oscar Garcia admitted that from June 2015 through May 2016, he used a cell phone from his prison cell in Okla., to facilitate the distribution of approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Oscar Garcia further admitted that from Feb. 8, 2016 to Feb. 10, 2016, he arranged for a person to travel from Ariz., to Deming to pick up drug proceeds and to deliver the money to a co-conspirator. Oscar Garcia remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
To date, three other defendants have entered guilty pleas. Andy Garcia pled guilty on Oct. 5, 2016. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Andy Garcia will be sentenced to ten years in prison. Rodriguez entered a guilty plea on Sept. 13, 2016, and Williams entered a guilty plea on Sept. 20, 2016. Sentencing hearings for these three defendants have yet to be scheduled.
Aguilar has entered a plea of not guilty to the indictment. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Deming office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Luna County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Saltman and Dustin C. Segovia of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm Connected to HomicideRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Mexican woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful possession of a firearm connected to a homicide case in Salina, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
The woman, Azucena Garcia-Ferniza, 22, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States. In her plea, she admitted that on May 7, 2015, she unlawfully possessed a Glock model 30 .45 caliber pistol. Her visitor’s visa had expired in February 1998.
In July 2016, Garcia-Ferniza was sentenced in Saline County District Court to18 months on probation for attempting to hide the gun that killed 17-year-old Allie Saum. The gun belonged to her boyfriend, Macio D. Palicio, Jr. Saum was killed by gunfire when Palicio fired at a pickup he mistakenly believed was driven by rival gang members.
Palicio was convicted in Saline County District Court and sentenced to more than 50 years for the killing.
Garcia-Ferniza’s sentencing is set for Jan. 4. She has been in custody since August 2015.
Beall commended Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.
Member of North Idaho Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Sherlann Simon, 34, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to launder money, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Simon was indicted by a federal grand Jury in Coeur d'Alene on January 20, 2016.
Simon admitted that, since approximately 2010, she laundered $482,955.71 that had been obtained by a drug trafficking organization that was led by Simon’s mother, Loren Toelle. The organization sold drugs in Idaho, Washington, Nevada, Montana, and North Dakota. Simon participated in the conspiracy by depositing the organization’s drug profits into her personal bank accounts and business accounts belonging to Vegas Stylz House of Beauty, a hair salon in Las Vegas, Nevada owned by Simon and Toelle. Simon used a portion of the drug profits deposited into her bank accounts to pay expenses related to the organization, further promoting the drug trafficking organization.
Simon is the second individual to plead guilty out of an indictment which charges 11 individuals. In addition to pleading guilty, Simon agreed to forfeit any interest she has in real property, jewelry, and cash held by herself or co-conspirators, as outlined in the indictment.
The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is set for January 19, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene.
The case is the result of a joint investigation and cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), including the FBI North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), U.S. Marshal Service and Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Other agencies involved include the Williston, North Dakota Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and North Dakota, the FBI in North Dakota, Williams County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, Williston Police Department, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Northwest Narcotics Task Force, the Washington State Patrol, the U.S. Marshal Service in Las Vegas, IRS-CI in Las Vegas, and the DEA in Las Vegas.
The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
Maryland Man Sentenced to over 14 Years in Federal Prison for an Armed Robbery Conspiracy and Robberies of a St. Mary’s County Jewelry Store and PharmacyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Abdelrahim Ayyad, a/k/a Sahid, age 50, of White Plains, Maryland, today to 174 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for an armed robbery conspiracy; two armed commercial robberies; and to using and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Hazel also ordered Ayyad to forfeit $79,514.36.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron.
According to court documents, in June 2014, Ayyad conspired with Furman Troy, Darrell Lee and Michael Burgess, to rob commercial businesses in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. For example, on June 18, 2014, Ayyad admitted that he drove to Washington, D.C. and picked up Troy, Lee and Burgess and drove them to a jewelry store in Charlotte Hall, Maryland in order to commit a robbery. Ayyad handed Troy a bag containing a gun. Troy and Lee entered the store and Lee brandished a firearm at the owner of the store. Troy subsequently bound the victim with duct tape. The robbers then demanded the key to the jewelry counter from an employee of the store and stole jewelry worth more than $8,800, cash, a laptop computer and other items. On June 22, 2014, Ayyad and Burgess drove to a pharmacy in Mechanicsville, Maryland, with Troy and Lee following in another vehicle. Ayyad and Burgess waited in their vehicle while Troy and Lee robbed the pharmacy. During the robbery Lee again brandished a gun and Troy bound the pharmacy employee with duct tape. Troy and Lee stole cash and prescription bottles containing oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone and endocet, subsequently valued at $64,325.
Furman Troy, age 45, and Darrell Lee, age 48, both of Charlotte Hall, Maryland, and Michael Burgess, age 54, of Alexandria, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robberies. Lee and Troy were sentenced to 184 months and10 years in prison, respectively. Burgess is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and recognized the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the case. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Leah J. Bressack and Thomas P. Windom, who are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Four Men and Then Shooting at Responding Police OfficersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luvell Alverson, 22, of Suitland, Md., pled guilty today to robbing four people at gunpoint last summer in Southeast Washington and then firing a gun at police officers, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Alverson pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to four counts of armed robbery and three counts of assaulting a police officer while armed. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison sentence of 10 to 16 years. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, 2016.
According to the government’s evidence, during the evening of July 11, 2016, and into the early morning hours of July 12, 2016, Alverson was with five other individuals; all arrived in a Lincoln Navigator that was parked behind Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in the area of the 600 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. While behind the school, Alverson retrieved a semi-automatic handgun and went to a nearby basketball court, where four men were playing basketball. Alverson brandished the gun, ordered the men to the ground, and took their cell phones and keys. Before leaving, he fired multiple shots at the ground.
After the robberies, Alverson returned to his group and they all entered the Lincoln Navigator, with Alverson in the rear. As the vehicle attempted to leave the school, it was met by a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) vehicle containing three officers who were responding to a report of shots in the area. The Navigator’s path was blocked by the MPD vehicle, and the Navigator backed up and stopped. Alverson lowered the rear passenger window and fired multiple shots in the direction of the officers. Officers returned fire, and Alverson left the vehicle and fled. He was identified and arrested later on July 12 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Schurmann, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Local Man Indicted for Defrauding FedEx of Thousands in Shipping FeesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON ‐ A 31-year-old Pakistani national has been charged with multiple counts of mail and bank fraud for defrauding FedEx for shipping fees he incurred as part of his cell phone and electronics export business, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
The indictment alleges that Babar Butt, who resided in multiple locations in Houston and Spring, operated an electronics export business and routinely shipped items to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Butt was taken into custody this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson at 2:00 p.m. today.
The indictment alleges that from February 2015 through August 2016, Butt devised a scheme whereby he defrauded FedEx by opening various shipping accounts. He would allegedly ship one or more packages of cell phones and electronics to Dubai and elsewhere until the charges were declined and he could no longer ship on that account. According to the indictment, he would then open new accounts to continue his scheme and would again not pay his shipping invoices, causing significant losses to FedEx. He also cashed several checks drawn on a closed bank account which caused significant losses to Bank of Texas, according to the indictment.
Butt is charged with 14 counts of mail fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for a conviction of mail fraud. The bank fraud counts carry a maximum of 30 years imprisonment as well as a possible $1 million maximum fine. The indictment also seeks a money judgment equal to the total value of the property subject to forfeiture - estimated to be, but not limited to, approximately $287,679.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.
Last Defendant in Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — Oscar Melsan, 31, most recently of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to 240 months in federal prison, following his plea earlier this year to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
All 14 defendants in the conspiracy have been sentenced.
Three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and were sentenced to the following:
Miguel Antonio Martinez, 32, 232 months
Bobbie Frie, Jr., 31, 340 months
Marcus Caldwell, 32, 235 months
Six defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and were sentenced to the following:
David Sheppard, 40, 235 months
Kendra Ward, 28, 220 months
Eric Overstreet, 28, 240 months
Jonathan Morris, 31, 180 months
Robert Baggott, 45, 188 months
Cecil Hindman, 51, 150 months
Two defendants, Susan Williams, 29 and Raymondo Acuna, 32, each pleaded guilty to one substantive count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as charged in superseding informations and were each sentenced to 200 months.
Co-conspirator Hector Saldivar, 33, and lead defendant Cleto Tarin, 53 were convicted on two counts each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance at trial in April 2016. Saldivar was sentenced to 400 months and Tarin was sentenced to 420 months.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wichita Falls Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Junedale Woman Sentenced to 90 Months’ Imprisonment for Acting as Getaway Driver on Four Armed Bank Robberies and the Armed Robbery of A StoreRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Senior United States District Judge James M. Munley sentenced Crystal Serfass, age 32, of Junedale, Carbon County, Pennsylvania on October 7, 2016, to 90 months’ imprisonment for her role as getaway driver in the armed robberies of four banks and the armed robbery of a store.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, on May 4, 2016, Serfass pleaded guilty to the offenses in Federal Court in Scranton. During the guilty plea hearing, Serfass admitted to all charges contained in a five-count Criminal Information which alleges that she helped plan and acted as the getaway driver for David Weaver, age 42, in committing the following armed robberies:
- Jim Thorpe National Bank, Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 2013;
- National Penn Bank, Drums, Pennsylvania, on August 8, 2014;
- Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 2014;
- ESSA Bank and Trust, Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, on December 26, 2014;
- Dollar General, Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, on November 16, 2014.
During each of the robberies, codefendant Weaver brandished a firearm to intimidate the employees. Judge Munley sentenced Weaver to 121 months’ imprisonment on October 5, 2016.
Judge Munley ordered that Crystal Serfass and Weaver make full restitution of $22,046 which represented the amount of money taken during the robberies.
The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus.
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- Jim Thorpe National Bank, Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 2013;
Hogansburg Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing a Vessel BoardingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Abraham C. Lazore, age 37, of Hogansburg, New York, pled guilty on Friday to obstructing the boarding of his vessel on the St. Lawrence River.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer.
Lazore admitted that on September 3, 2016, as Border Patrol Marine Unit agents were attempting to board his vessel for an inspection, he engaged the throttle of his boat while a bowline from his boat became wrapped around an agent’s arm, which could have dragged that agent overboard. Another agent was able to stop Lazore from driving away, and no one was injured.
Agents stopped Lazore because they had observed him enter U.S. waters from Canada on the St. Lawrence River at approximately 12:25 a.m. without any navigation lights.
Lazore faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on February 3, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
Four Men Plead Guilty to Tidewater AT&T Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Kendrick Perry, 23, Brice Keeling, 24, Breon Berry, 25, and Corey Holmes, 27, all of Norfolk, have pleaded guilty to charges related to their respective roles in robbing three AT&T stores in the Tidewater area in early 2016.
According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, the men conspired with one another to rob the stores of cellphones, tablets and cash. The men entered the stores wearing masks and brandished what appeared to be firearms at the employees. They would subsequently demand money and access to the unsold electronic devices, including cellphones and tablets. They then would make the employees get down on the floor, zip tied their hands and feet, and took the employees personal phones and some form of identification, telling the employees that they now know where the employees live. In total, the men took approximately $370,000 worth of electronic devices and approximately $3,432 in cash during the robberies. Keeling and Holmes conducted two of the robberies, while Keeling and Perry conducted the remaining robbery. Berry was the get-away driver for all three robberies. Their robbery spree came to an end when a construction worker took down the license plate of their fleeing vehicle during their last robbery. The plates came back to Berry who confessed to the robberies and named his co-conspirators. Keeling and Perry were eventually arrested in Columbia, South Carolina, attempting to sell the electronic devices from the last robbery to a third party.
Each man faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when they are sentenced on separate dates in January 2017. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Jonathan F. Trimble, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Muhr is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-94.
Four Gangster Disciples Collectively Sentenced to More Than 30 Years for Robbing Convenience Store, Drug DealerRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Four members of the Gangster Disciples have been sentenced to more than 30 years for robbing a convenience store and a drug dealer. Two of the defendants were previously on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) "Top 10 Most Wanted" list. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The defendants and their respective sentences:
• Joe Reed, aka "Four Times," 26, of Ripley, Tennessee, 120 months
• Antwone Crew, aka "Gator," 26, of Ripley, Tennessee, 109 months
• Andreas Wells, aka "Drizzy," 20, of Ripley, Tennessee, 106 months
• Sequna Copeland, aka "Cutthroat," 27, of Ripley, Tennessee, 27 months
According to the information presented in court, on the evening of December 10, 2014, Reed, Wells and Crew robbed the Ripley Express Convenience Store in Ripley, Tennessee. The three defendants entered the store masked and armed with firearms. One of them pointed a shotgun at the store clerk as he took money from the register.
A couple hours later, law enforcement officers were informed that several men wearing masks and carrying guns were outside of a trailer home in the Gates, Tennessee area, and that a robbery was about to take place.
Law enforcement arrived on the scene in time to observe the masked men run inside the trailer and a man run out of the back. Officers knocked on the door, and four people came outside. The officers asked if the individuals had seen anything suspicious. The individuals denied seeing anything, and also denied the officers entry into the residence.
Officers looked around the area and discovered some clothing near the home that matched clothing seen on the surveillance video from the Ripley Express robbery. Officers also looked around a Buick Century that neighbors saw the armed men exit before approaching the trailer. Officers saw a firearm sitting inside the car. The firearm and additional clothing seen in the Ripley Express robbery surveillance video were recovered. The vehicle was towed, and the officers eventually left the area.
Shortly after leaving, an anonymous tip came in notifying the police that they needed to return to the trailer because robbers were still inside the home.
Through witness interviews, search warrants, and GPS information, law enforcement identified the perpetrators. Crew and Wells were subsequently arrested.
Reed and Copeland avoided apprehension collectively for eight months and were placed on TBI’s "Most Wanted" list before being captured.
On July 30, 2015, Copeland, while under oath and testifying as a witness in a proceeding before Grand Jury, made a false statement to prevent the punishment of Reed and Crew.
Between March and June 2016, Reed, Wells and Crew all pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly conspiring with each other to take drugs and drug proceeds from a drug dealer, and one count of aiding and abetting each other while carrying a firearm during the robbery of a drug dealer.
In July 2016, Copeland pleaded guilty to one count of perjury.
The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. between June and October 2016.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), TBI and the Ripley Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Fort Smith Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors and the Department of Health and Human ServicesRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that William Jackson Moates, Jr., age 49, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, pled guilty today to two counts of Wire Fraud and one count each of Mail Fraud, Theft Concerning a Program Receiving Federal Funds, Money Laundering, and Theft or Embezzlement from an Employee Benefit Plan. The Honorable Chief Judge P.K. Holmes, III accepted the plea in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
The defendant, WILLIAM JACKSON MOATES, JR., and others owned several businesses operating in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Those businesses included: Trilennium Financial Alliance, an investment, tax and accounting firm; T3Vest, an investment arm of Trilennium; Burrito Brothers, which operated a restaurant called Blaze’n Burrito; and B3NWCR, a credit card processing company operating under the name “Guardian.”
MOATES, with the assistance of others, solicited and received monies from investment clients and employee benefit plans that MOATES represented he would use to invest in various products to include annuities, precious metals, businesses, precious stones, art, automobiles and real estate.
MOATES established bank accounts for the investments, which gave him signature authority on the account and allowed the accounts to be linked to one another utilizing banking software provided by the bank. This software gave MOATES and others the ability to make online transfers from one account to another.
From early-to-mid 2010 to January 2015, MOATES received investments from at least 25 different client investors, which were not invested as represented by MOATES. Instead, those monies were diverted by MOATES to his own personal use, to pay back other investors, and by MOATES and others to the use of the various businesses. MOATES used investor funds to renovate his home, take vacations, make credit card payments, make payments to personal iTunes and Amazon accounts, make contributions to local charitable organizations, and make home mortgage payments. MOATES and others also diverted investor funds to pay operating and other business expenses for the businesses.
MOATES was also an agent of another corporation, Physicians Alliance. Physician’s Alliance was a company that was set up by MOATES and others and initially funded with money received through an Advance Payment Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agreement provided for more than $2.5 million to be paid to Physicians Alliance beginning in February 2013, which could only be spent as authorized pursuant to an approved spending plan contained in the agreement.
As to Count Five, MOATES deposited $500,000 in investor funds in the form of a check, which caused an interstate wire to be sent from the Western District of Arkansas to the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis, Missouri, in order to settle the check. MOATES did not invest those funds as he had represented to the client.
As to Count Eleven, MOATES sent an email from the Western District of Arkansas to an insurance brokerage firm in Topeka, Kansas, which had documents attached to it representing that an investment client had more than $7.5 million in annuities. The documents were completely fabricated and were used to obtain an insurance policy for that client.
As to Count Twelve, MOATES obtained $200,000 in Federal monies given to Physicians Alliance pursuant to the advance payment agreement, which was not provided for in the approved spending plan. This money was used to pay back an investment client that had given MOATES money that he never invested.
As to Counts Thirteen and Fourteen, MOATES mailed two annuity surrender requests for an investment client from the Western District of Arkansas to Austin, Texas, utilizing UPS, after representing to the client that he would invest the proceeds. MOATES later received the proceeds from the surrender requests and never invested them as represented. MOATES utilized $20,000 of those proceeds to make a credit card payment.
As to Count Twenty-Four, MOATES helped a small, family-owned pool company establish an employee benefit plan subject to ERISA. The company initially funded the plan with a $150,000 check, which was given to MOATES. MOATES established a bank account for the plan and provided the bank with a forged document purporting to have been signed by an agent of the company, which made T3Vest the plan sponsor. This allowed MOATES to deposit the check into an account controlled by him, and he never invested the money on behalf of the plan.
The intended loss amount attributable to the defendant will be determined at a later date. However, the defendant and the government agree that it is at least $3.5 million but less than $9.5 million.
Moates will be sentenced at a later date, and his sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record (if any), his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations. The sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases will be less than the maximum. Each count of Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000 or both; Mail Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of not more $250,000, or both; ; Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, not more than $250,000 fine, both; Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of 250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, or both; Theft or Embezzlement from Employee Benefit Plan carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment, not more than $250,000 fine, or both.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Jennen is prosecuting the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records Website at www.Pacer.gov
Former Harris Township Supervisor Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher G. Lee, age 67, a resident of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann in Williamsport to 216 months’ (18 years) imprisonment for production, receipt and possession of child pornography as well as obstruction of justice.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Lee was convicted by a jury in March 2016 for producing and receiving child pornography after approximately two hours of deliberation. The jury of six men and six women also convicted Lee of possessing images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children under the age of 12 years old. Finally, after hearing Lee attempt to have his cousin assist him in having his cellular telephone that was in the custody of the FBI “wiped remotely” in multiple recorded phone calls, the jury convicted Lee of obstruction of justice. Lee is a former Harris Township Supervisor and the ex-director of the Boal Mansion Museum in Boalsburg, PA.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State College Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Taylor and Francis P. Sempa.
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Former Dentist Indicted on Charges He Sexually Assaulted Former Patients, Who Were Under Nitrous Oxide, and EmployeeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bilal Ahmed, 44, a former dentist who practiced in downtown Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury today on charges alleging that he sexually assaulted three former dental patients and one former employee and that he improperly touched another former employee.
Mahsa Azimirad, 26, Ahmed’s former dental practice’s office manager, was also indicted today on a charge accusing her of lying to a grand jury during the investigation of Ahmed.
The indictments, which were returned in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, were announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Ahmed, of Potomac, Md., was indicted on 21 counts of sexually abusing, or otherwise improperly touching, former patients and employees. The charges include 14 felony counts of sexual abuse, four misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse, and three misdemeanor counts of assault. Azimirad, of North Bethesda, Md., was indicted on one count of perjury. They are to be arraigned on Oct. 13, 2016, by the Honorable Florence Pan.
According to evidence presented by the government in arrest warrant affidavits, at earlier court hearings, and in public documents, it is alleged that on May 21, 2014, Ahmed was practicing as a dentist at Universal Smiles DC, in the 2300 block of M Street NW. The practice was originally called Bilal Ahmed DDS PC dba Universal Smiles DC. Ahmed is the owner of these dental practices. The government alleges that on that day Ahmed performed dental treatment to the patient, including administering nitrous oxide to him through a face mask. The patient alleges when the mask came off his face, he realized that the defendant was sexually assaulting him. He also realized that the door was closed and no one was in the room with them. He reported the assault to the Metropolitan Police Department.
During the course of the investigation, and as alleged in the charges, additional victims were identified, including two former male patients and a former male employee. The other former patients also were under nitrous oxide at the time of the incidents, the government alleges. The dates of the alleged assaults span from April 24, 2013, through May 21, 2014.
Ahmed’s D.C. dental license was suspended on Nov. 3, 2014, and his Maryland dental license was suspended on April 6, 2016.
Azimirad, the former office manager at Ahmed’s dental firms, is accused of giving false testimony to a grand jury on Nov. 18, 2014.
Both defendants previously were arrested and charged in criminal complaints in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Ahmed was arrested on Jan. 7, 2016, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. As one of the conditions of his pre-trial release, Ahmed is precluded from practicing dentistry in any capacity. Azimirad was arrested on June 16, 2016. Both Ahmed and Azimirad pled not guilty at their earlier court appearances.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the indictments, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Interim Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Sexual Assault Unit of the MPD. They also expressed appreciation to the United States Marshals Service for its assistance in the investigation. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Marcus-Kurn and Stuart Allen, who are prosecuting these charges.
Former Chief of Los Angeles Port Police Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for False Statement and Tax Evasion Charges Related to Corruption CaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former Port of Los Angeles Chief of Police was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for tax evasion and for lying to FBI Agents who were investigating his acceptance of a bribe in connection with the development of an official smart phone app to be marketed to other law enforcement agencies.
Ronald Jerome Boyd, 58, of Torrance, was sentenced today by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered the defendant to pay $305,054 in restitution.
Boyd pleaded guilty on February 3 to felony charges of tax evasion and making a false statement to the FBI, as well as a misdemeanor offense of failing to file a federal tax return.
Boyd pleaded guilty to the three offenses on the day he was scheduled to go to trial on a 16-count grand jury indictment. Boyd admitted to lying to federal investigators about a scheme related to a smart phone app called Portwatch, which was developed to provide information to the public and to allow citizens to report criminal activity at the port.
In 2011, Boyd and two business partners formed BDB Digital Communications, a company that entered into a revenue-sharing agreement with the company developing Portwatch. The parties involved with BDB intended to generate revenues by marketing and selling a similar app – called Metrowatch – to other government agencies. Boyd was set to receive approximately 13.33 percent of all gross revenues generated by the sale of the Metrowatch application.
“It's of paramount importance that public officials, particularly those in law enforcement, maintain the standards of honesty and trust they owe to the public,” said Lawrence Middleton, the Chief of the Criminal Division at the United States Attorney's Office. “The sentence imposed by the court in this case demonstrates that those who betray such trust shall be met with serious consequences.”
According to the indictment in this case, Boyd received his financial interest in return for guaranteeing that the Portwatch contract would be awarded to the company.
Boyd admitted that he lied to FBI Agents in October 2014 when he denied having any financial interest in Metrowatch or having engaged in a conflict of interest.
“The citizens of Los Angeles must be able to trust that government officials will make decisions based on the needs of the community, rather than using their position of authority to serve their own best interest,” said Deirdre Fike, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work on restoring that trust by addressing corruption by public officials.”
Boyd also pleaded guilty to tax evasion in relation to his 2011 personal income tax return. In his plea agreement, Boyd admitted receiving income from a security business he operated, At Close Range. The income came from the owner of a company doing business with the Port, American Guard Services. Boyd admitted that he failed to report that income on his personal income tax returns for years 2007 through 2011.
Additionally, Boyd pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of failing to file a 2011 tax return for At Close Range. While he pleaded guilty to one only count of failing to file a tax return for At Close Range, Boyd admitted in his plea agreement that he failed to file tax returns for the business for years 2007 through 2011.
The estimated loss of tax revenue to the Internal Revenue Service for Boyd’s conduct was more than $300,000.
“While occupying a position of trust in the community, Mr. Boyd actively concealed his outside business interests by not disclosing certain income he received on his federal income tax returns,” stated Anthony J. Orlando, Acting Special Agent in Charge for IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to vigorously pursue those who unjustly enrich themselves in violation of their fiduciary duties.”
The case against Boyd is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. O’Brien of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Assistant United States Attorney Scott Paetty of the General Crimes Section.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to International Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. –Mustafa Hasan Arif, an individual with dual citizenship in Pakistan and the United Kingdom, appeared in United States District Court in Concord, NH today where he pled guilty to wire fraud. Arif defrauded individuals by fraudulently selling drugs claiming to cure many serious diseases. Arif targeted individuals around the world, including victims in New Hampshire, announced United States Attorney Emily Rice.
According to court records, while in Lahore, Pakistan, Arif created, maintained and controlled over 1,500 websites that promoted the sale of drugs claiming to cure and treat hundreds of diseases, many of which were incurable, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and emphysema. The websites included falsified cure rates, false clinical research and fabricated testimonials. One series of websites fraudulently claimed to have shown in clinical trials a cure rate of 90 percent, while other websites included links to clinical research that had not been written about the drugs on the websites. Arif falsely represented that the drugs were being sold by entities in Germany, Norway, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark when in fact the drugs were all being sold and shipped from Pakistan. Arif used those false addresses to make customers more comfortable purchasing the drugs. Documents in the case show that Arif ‘s scheme generated more than $12 million in fraudulent sales.
Arif was originally arrested on a criminal complaint issued in New Hampshire after he flew into New York in February 2014 on a business trip. He appeared in federal court in New York and was transferred to New Hampshire, where he has remained in custody. Arif is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2017.
This investigation was led by the FDA/Office of Criminal Investigations, Cybercrime Investigations Unit along with Homeland Security Investigations. Assistance during the investigation was provided by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, Portsmouth New Hampshire Police Department, the United States Consulate, Diplomatic Security Service Lagos, Nigeria office, New Zealand Ministry of Health, United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. The investigation is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen and Senior Counsel Sarah Hawkins of the FDA/Office of Chief Counsel.
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Florida man pleads guilty to manufacturing, distributing performance enhancing drugsRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Bagwell, 45, of Petersburg, Florida pled guilty in federal court today to manufacturing and distributing performance enhancing drugs, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Bagwell was the owner and operator of Freedom Pharma, a company that was a manufacturer and distributor of various unapproved prescription drugs to customers throughout the United States, including the Northern District of West Virginia. Freedom Pharma was not registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration as a drug manufacturer. The performance enhancing drugs were misbranded and introduced into interstate commerce.
“Distributing unapproved and misbranded prescription drugs is illegal and puts American consumers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormack of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office. “Our office is fully committed to working with the Department of Justice to assure that drugs are safe, effective, and are manufactured in FDA-registered and inspected facilities.”
Bagwell faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Food and Drug Administration investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Final Member of Large Bank Fraud Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
The final member of a large bank fraud ring responsible for nearly a million dollars in fraud was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. SHAWN ANDRE TURNER, 26, of Kent, Washington was sentenced October 7, 2016 to 25 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. TURNER is the last of five defendants sentenced to prison terms of more than two years. In all, ten defendants were indicted for a fraud scheme involving seven different financial institutions. Between November of 2010 and February 2015, the co-schemers used 219 different bank accounts to steal more than $987,000 from the banks. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones imposed the sentence.
According to records in the case, the defendants used stolen and forged checks to make fraudulent deposits into various bank accounts. Using debit cards, the co-schemers would withdraw large amounts of cash before the bank determined the checks used to inflate the balance were no good. Many of the people whose bank accounts were inflated were complicit in the fraud, allowing the co-schemers to use their debit cards. According to law enforcement records, many of the checks were stolen in car prowls and then used for the fraud. Others were fictitious, using otherwise legitimate account information on fabricated checks. The victim banks include: Bank of America, Boeing Employees Credit Union (BECU), TwinStar Credit Union, Wells Fargo Bank, Sound Credit Union, Key Bank, and Banner Bank. All are federally insured financial institutions.
TURNER was responsible for fraud on 15 different bank accounts, causing a loss of about $80,000. TURNER pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on April 28, 2016.
The other defendants previously sentenced by the court include:
Clayton Leon Bias, Jr., 27, Kent, Washington – 2 years in prison
Relonna Dollinn Ward, 36, Tacoma, Washington –25 months in prison
Calvin Dewayne Davis, 28, Federal Way, Washington – 42 months in prison
Arthur Napoleand Wilcher, 31, Tacoma, Washington – 42 months in prisonFour other defendants, Okila Ayanna Malayka Ulmer, 33, of Renton, Avery Edward Lee, 34, of Milton, Sephora Quilyn Watkins, 29, of Tacoma, and Johnathan Marquiel Turner, 24, of Federal Way, were responsible for smaller amounts of fraud and were sentenced to brief periods of incarceration and multi-year terms of court supervision. One defendant successfully completed federal drug court.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Federal Court Terminates Agreement after Delaware Reforms Service System for People with Mental IllnessRead the Press Release
Delaware is the First Jurisdiction in the Nation to Successfully Comply with the Terms of an Olmstead v. L.C. Settlement and be Released from Court Oversight
The Justice Department announced today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware terminated the remedial settlement agreement governing the state of Delaware’s service system for people with serious and persistent mental illness. The court agreed with the joint motion of the state and the Justice Department that Delaware had fully complied with the terms of the agreement, based on the assessment of an independent court monitor.
The state significantly expanded and enhanced community-based mental health services for individuals with serious and persistent mental illness under the agreement, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C decision. The agreement emphasized the need to transition institutionalized people to the community and prevent people from unnecessarily entering institutions.
“Our agreement prompted Delaware to institute comprehensive reforms and provide services to people with serious and persistent mental illness in integrated community settings,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Throughout this process, we saw the impact of the state’s hard work, leadership and commitment to drive positive change. People with mental illness in Delaware can now live in their own communities, engage with their families and friends and lead meaningful, fulfilling lives.”
Since entry of the agreement, the state has significantly reduced its reliance on institutional care, particularly at the state-run Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC). It has reduced the number of bed days used by the target population in DPC by 47.2 percent. The number of Medicaid-eligible Delawareans receiving community-based services has increased by 92 percent since the United States began its investigation.
Delaware has developed a strong peer and self-advocacy movement that is incorporated into the entire service system: peers orient individuals upon their admission to DPC, assist them during the course of their hospitalization and provide personal care items upon discharge to the community; operate drop-in centers; conduct quality reviews of mental health services; and are essential members of Assertive Community Treatment, intensive case management, crisis apartment and crisis walk-in center teams.
The state has also established a robust quality assurance and performance improvement system in order to continue the reforms and address issues that may arise for people with mental illness in Delaware. These efforts will be sustained by recently passed legislation that established an independent oversight commission to monitor Delaware’s public mental health system.
These reforms to the state’s mental health system have also helped reduce unnecessary arrests and incarceration of people with SPMI. For instance, Delaware created two statewide mobile crisis teams that typically divert 80 to 90 percent of people they encounter from hospitalization and criminal justice interaction. The state’s crisis walk-in center in Sussex County diverts about 70 percent of people from further hospitalization or criminal justice interaction. This walk-in center reports that it takes law enforcement officers less than 10 minutes on average to drop-off an individual in a mental health crisis, which spares police officers an unnecessary and lengthy emergency room admission or jail booking process. Delaware also operates a peer program in the state’s Mental Health Court that serves people with SPMI or co-occurring disorders. Mental Health Court Peers support individuals throughout the process and help defendants access community resources that are necessary to increased stability in the community, including housing and transportation.
The department initiated its investigation pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), putting a primary focus on obtaining reforms to address violations of the ADA, as interpreted in Olmstead., requiring that individuals with disabilities receive services and supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. On Nov. 9, 2010, the United States issued a findings letter to Delaware that detailed systemic conditions and practices that violated the constitutional and statutory rights of individuals with serious and persistent mental illness in the state’s system. The findings letter, settlement agreement, monitor’s reports and papers related to the instant motion are available here.
The department has additional Olmstead settlement agreements in Georgia, Virginia, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and the city of Providence.
Delaware Agreement Fact SheetEast St. Louis Woman Sentenced for Heroin OffensesRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Ciera McNeal, 29, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
McNeal was charged in a superseding indictment on December 16, 2015, along with two co-defendants: Alfred Vernon Reeves, Jr., 41 of East St. Louis, Ill. and Lacy Snead, 52, of Chicago, Ill. Records filed in court established that the three travelled from Chicago on June 18, 2015, with approximately 150 grams of heroin that was intended to be distributed in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Reeves was charged with distributing heroin on March 5, 2013, and for participating in a conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin over a three-year period of time. Reeves pled guilty on May 6, 2016. Reeves faces up to 20 years in prison for distributing heroin, but he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years to life for conspiracy when he is sentenced on October 14, 2016.
Snead was charged with participating in the same heroin deal that occurred on March 5, 2013, and he was further charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. Snead pled guilty to distribution of heroin and conspiracy to distribute heroin, on September 19, 2016, and he faces a minimum of 5 to 40 years in prison. It is expected that Snead will be sentenced in March of 2017.
The investigation was conducted by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Department of Justice Awards over $500,000 to Oregon Law Enforcement Agencies for Body-Worn Camera ProgramsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Monday, September 26, 2016, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced awards to establish and enhance law enforcement body-worn camera programs across the United States. Four Oregon law enforcement agencies are among 106 state, city, tribal, and municipal law enforcement organizations to receive funding from the grant program.
Washington County, Marion County, the City of Hillsboro, and Portland State University will receive a combined $511,864 dollars from the Body-Worn Camera Program. The program was launched in 2015 in response to a recommendation by the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Research conducted by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has shown that law enforcement use of body-worn camera programs improve interactions with the public. Over a two-year period, BJA has provided over $41 million to body-worn camera pilot implementation programs.
Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, commended the local recipients of program funding and other Oregon law enforcement agencies committed to leveraging technology to strengthen relationships with their communities. “The principles of community-oriented policing,” Williams said, “require those of us in law enforcement to seek out new and innovative ways to build accountability with those we serve. Body-worn cameras and the local policies and procedures supporting them are an important tool to increase transparency and improve evidence collection both in Oregon and across the country.”
“The body-worn camera federal grant program,” said Patrick Garrett, Washington County Sheriff, “will greatly help our organization test, develop, and implement body camera technology to enhance a deputy’s ability to gather evidence, increase transparency, and bolster public confidence. I am very grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice,” Garrett continued, “for helping us implement this important program.”
“By outfitting our officers with body-worn cameras,” said Lee Dobrowolski, City of Hillsboro Police Chief, “we can demonstrate our commitment to transparency, build trust within the community, and document the good work our officers do every day.”
The Body-Worn Camera Program is funded under the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). OJP provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards over $4.2 Million to Improve Public Safety and Victim Services for American Indians in OregonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Monday, September 26, 2016, the Department of Justice announced the recipients of grants aimed at improving public safety, supporting victims, and strengthening legal institutions for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Five Oregon tribes and one tribal consortia are among the 131 grantees receiving funding under the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS).
The Burns Paiute Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Klamath Tribes, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission will receive a combined $4,220,070 across six different Justice Department grant programs. Each of the six grant programs target a unique aspect of public safety and the administration of justice in tribal communities, including community-oriented policing, alcohol and substance abuse, violence against women, corrections and correctional alternatives, and juvenile justice.
“Research shows that tribal communities live with disproportionate rates of violence and victimization,” said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “These awards are a positive step toward ensuring that all Oregonians have access to community justice programs that are adequately funded, effective, and culturally relevant.”
The Justice Department’s CTAS program provides a single application for tribal-specific grant programs and aims to streamline support provided by its Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Office of Justice Programs, and Office on Violence Against Women. Since 2010, under CTAS, more than 1,600 grants totaling more than $726 million have been awarded to tribal communities across the country. To learn more about CTAS, please visit www.justice.gov/tribal/grants.
Denise M. Barton, Amy R. Romero Appointed Assistant U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha today announced the appointment of Denise M. Barton and Amy Retsinas Romero as Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Rhode Island.
Ms. Barton, a criminal prosecutor for more than fourteen years, including five years as a county and state prosecutor in Massachusetts, and nine years as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office in San Francisco, graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts in 1991, and earned her Juris Doctor at Tulane Law School, graduating magna cum laude in 1996. Ms. Barton is a native of Medfield, MA. Ms. Barton has been assigned to the Criminal Division.
Prior to her appointment as an Assistant United States Attorney, Ms. Romero clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third District and was a former staff attorney for Rhode Island Legal Services and Community Legal Aid in Worcester, MA. Ms. Romero, a Providence, RI native, graduated from Swathmore College in 2001 and earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2009. Ms. Romero has been assigned to the Civil Division.
In making the announcement, United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha said, “I am enormously pleased to welcome AUSAs Barton and Romero to the Office. Ms. Barton is a talented and experienced federal prosecutor who can ably handle any type of case, and will add great strength to our Criminal Division. Ms. Romero has spent her career using her considerable talents as a civil litigator to help others, particularly those who, due to limited resources, would otherwise have difficulty exercising their legal rights. That is difficult, important, and often unheralded work, and I look forward to relying on her experience in strengthening our civil rights program.”
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Crossett Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
El Dorado, Arkansas – Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Samuel Calvin Richardson, Jr., age 33 of Crossett, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing in the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court records, on April 6, 2015, Crossett Police responded to a call of shots fired near a school in Crossett. Multiple officers responded and found Richardson and another individual in the parking lot and noted a strong smell of alcohol. One of the officers advised Richardson that he was going to pat him down for weapons. Richardson responded negatively and began to backup and ran off on foot. Officers caught up to him and took him to the ground when Richardson began reaching for his waist band and would not bring his hands behind his back. Officers were able to get him under control and found a 9 mm pistol in a holster under his jacket when they patted him down. Officers also found Richardson in possession of a badge at the time of his arrest. The weapon had a live round in the chamber with four rounds in the magazine. Richardson was mirandized and interviewed the next day and stated that he knew he was a felon and shouldn’t have the weapon and that he found it in a house he recently moved into. At the time he possessed the firearm, Richardson had a felony conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm in January of 2014 which was punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.
Richardson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July, 2015 and pleaded guilty to the charge in November, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Crossett Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Coweta Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that JESSE KENT COX, age 34, of Coweta, Oklahoma, pled guilty to WIRE FRAUD, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, punishable by not more than 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 1, 2016, and continuing until on or about March 28, 2016, the defendant, JESSE KENT COX, devised and intended to devise a scheme to defraud persons to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.
Charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the guilty plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.
Castle Cheese Company Executive Michelle Myrter Sentenced in Adulterated Cheese CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A cheese company executive has been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community service on her conviction of one misdemeanor count of aiding and abetting the introduction of adulterated and misbranded cheese products into interstate commerce, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Michelle Myrter, 44, of Harmony, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Myrter was a responsible corporate officer of International Packing, LLC and Universal Cheese & Drying, Inc. While she was the responsible corporate officer for both companies, Myrter aided and abetted the companies’ introduction of adulterated and misbranded cheese products into interstate commerce, in violation of provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Universal Cheese & Drying, Inc. and International Packing, LLC each pled guilty to one count of conspiring to introduce misbranded and adulterated cheese products into interstate commerce and to commit money laundering. Sentencing hearings for the two companies will be scheduled by further order of the Court.
Prior to imposing sentence on Michelle Myrter, Judge Hornak stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to fulfill the purposes of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Myrter.
Cahokia Man Sentenced for Heroin, Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
On Wednesday, October 5, 2016, Jovon C. Dolly, age 37, of Cahokia was sentenced to a term of 12 months and one day in federal prison for Distribution of Heroin, Methamphetamine and Possession of Firearms by a Felon.
Dolly pled guilty to the federal charges on May 19, 2016. At his change of plea hearing, Dolly admitted that he had sold heroin to a police confidential informant in East St. Louis on two occasions in March 2016, and that he had sold methamphetamine on a third occasion. When Dolly was arrested on March 13, 2016, police seized a loaded revolver and a shotgun from his residence in East St. Louis. Dolly admitted that these firearms belonged to him, and that he had been convicted of a felony prior to his arrest on the federal charges.
Dolly has been continuously confined in federal custody since his arrest. The investigation which resulted in Dolly’s arrest and conviction was conducted by officers assigned to the Illinois State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southern Illinois (MEGSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Buisnessman Indicted on Embezzlement and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - An indictment was returned today charging David T. Shulick, 46, of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, with embezzling funds from the School District of Philadelphia. Shulick was also charged in a scheme to defraud PNC Bank, and with filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
The indictment charges that between 2010 and 2012, defendant Shulick, and co-conspirator Chaka Fattah, Jr., embezzled funds from the School District of Philadelphia, in part by misrepresenting the educational services that would be provided to students pursuant to a contract between the School District and Shulick’s company, Unique Educational Experiences, Inc. (“UEE”). According to the indictment, Shulick and Fattah Jr. hid the true costs of services provided by UEE by submitting false budgets to the School District of Philadelphia. The indictment alleges that the budgets contained false entries for benefit costs, inflated staff salaries, and salaries for staff positions that were never filled at the school operated by UEE. The indictment alleges that as a result of this scheme, defendant Shulick fraudulently obtained funds from the School District of Philadelphia that were supposed to be used to educate students. According to the indictment, defendant Shulick used those funds to enrich himself, including by paying for contractors who performed work at Shulick’s personal residence and vacation homes.
The indictment also alleges that Shulick and Fattah Jr. devised a scheme to defraud PNC Bank. According to the indictment, Fattah Jr. had defaulted on a loan made by PNC. As part of the scheme, Shulick acted as Fattah Jr.’s lawyer and threatened PNC Bank with the possibility that Fattah Jr. might file bankruptcy if he were unable to resolve his outstanding debts, which would result in the bank receiving little or no repayment on the loan. According to the indictment, defendant Shulick sent a letter to PNC Bank, offering to settle PNC Bank’s claim for $2,500. The letter included a form which represented that Fattah Jr.’s monthly income was $2,500. According to the indictment, Shulick’s companies were paying Fattah, Jr. a salary of $75,000 per year, and Shulick and Fattah Jr. had entered into an agreement to increase Fattah Jr.’s compensation.
Finally, the indictment charges that Shulick filed false federal income tax returns for tax years 2009, 2010, and 2011. According to the indictment, Shulick failed to report all of his taxable income in these years, and improperly claimed itemized deductions.
The charges were announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Harpster, IRS Special Agent-in-Charge Akeia Conner, and Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent-in-Charge Geoffrey D. Wood.
If convicted of all charges, Shulick, faces a substantial term of imprisonment, restitution to the School District of Philadelphia and PNC Bank, and a fine of up to $3,800,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Education, with the cooperation of the Philadelphia School District’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Donovan.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Armed Robbery of Guilderland Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Aristedes Duartez III, age 37, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his violent, armed robbery of a Guilderland, New York, jewelry store.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian, Guilderland Police Chief Carol J. Lawlor, and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
U.S. Attorney Hartunian stated, “During a robbery of $99,000 worth of Rolex watches from a jewelry store, Duartez jabbed a saleswoman in the back and ribs with his handgun and one of his accomplices pepper-sprayed a 77-year-old saleswoman. Thanks to the outstanding, painstaking investigation of federal and local agencies in New York and Pennsylvania, Duartez will now spend many years in prison for this horrible crime. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make sure that his accomplices are also held accountable.”
Guilderland Police Chief Carol J. Lawlor stated, “On March 15, 2012, an armed robbery at Frank Adams Jewelers in the Town of Guilderland was committed that was so violent it terrorized not only those involved, but residents throughout the town. Only through the diligence of our investigators, one of whom worked untold hours in his off-duty time, and the assistance of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Aristades Duartez III was arrested and sentenced today for his part in this horrific incident. The Guilderland Police Department is pleased to make this announcement along with our colleagues, and offers sincere thanks to the FBI, the York Area Regional Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their assistance in bringing this individual to justice.”
Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the FBI, stated, “Today’s sentencing is the result of many long hours of dedicated work by the FBI, the Guilderland Police Department and our law enforcement partners. Thanks to the joint efforts of law enforcement, Duartez will see just punishment for his criminal deeds.”
Around 8 p.m. on March 15, 2012, Duartez and three others robbed Frank Adams Jewelers on Western Avenue in Guilderland. Duratez and one of the other men entered the store and asked two saleswomen about some of the jewelry on display. A third man then entered the store, went to the Rolex watch display, smashed the glass display case with a hammer, and then stole 20 watches worth approximately $99,000. A fourth robber waited outside in a getaway car.
As the watches were stolen, Duartez pulled out a handgun, jammed it into the back and ribs of one of the saleswomen, and then shoved her toward a back room. At the same time, another robber shoved the 77-year-old saleswoman to the same back room, pulled her to the floor by her hair and shot pepper spray into her face as she cried and complied with their directions. Duartez and another robber then tied the wrists of the saleswomen with zip-ties and left.
Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also ordered Duartez to serve 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release; restitution will be assessed at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Town of Guilderland Police Department and the FBI, with assistance from the York Area Regional Police Department in Pennsylvania, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Sharpe.
Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that James Long (44, Brevard County) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, between 2010 and June 2013, Long and others used the Professional Pain Center located at 860 East State Road 434 in Longwood to conspire and to cause the distribution and dispensation of controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose.
Long, as president and owner of the clinic, employed approximately 10 physicians who were willing to write unlawful and invalid prescriptions for Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances. Long admitted that doctors working for his clinic engaged in a repeated pattern of issuing prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical reason, outside the usual course of professional practice. According to the plea agreement, any reasonably prudent physician would not issue such prescriptions for controlled substances in the quantity and combinations prescribed because of the danger of overdose and death coupled with the likelihood of diversion.
Long and his conspirators conducted financial transactions involving the drug proceeds. As a result, Long has agreed to forfeit numerous assets that he obtained directly from or are traceable to the unlawful operation of the clinic.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
Berkeley County man pleads guilty to failing to register as a sex offenderRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Saul Hicks Williams, 36, of Inwood, West Virginia pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in federal court today, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.From September 2015 through November 2015, Williams failed to register and update his registration as a sex offender in Berkeley County, WV. Williams is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by reason of a conviction under state law, to wit: Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, in the Circuit Court of Berkeley County, West Virginia. He pled guilty to one count of “Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.”
He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Belleville Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Domino'sRead the Press Release
Sterling D. Gould, 38, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced in federal district court, in East St. Louis on September 26 for armed robbery.
Gould was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment, as well as 5 years’ supervised release after his prison term, and was ordered to pay $368 restitution and a $300 special assessment. Gould previously pled guilty to charges stemming from a July 12, 2015, armed robbery of the Belleville, Illinois, Domino’s Pizza.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Belleville Police Department as part of the Metro East Armed Robbery Initiative and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Three Stores and Three BanksRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Gregory George Branch age 42, of Essex, Maryland, today to 130 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for three armed commercial robberies and three bank robberies.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
According to his plea agreement, on June 23 and July 3, 2015, Branch robbed a grocery store in Baltimore and convenience store in Essex, respectively. In each robbery, Branch approached the cashier, pretending to make a purchase, before raising his shirt to display what appeared to be the handle of a black handgun. Branch then demanded money from the cashier, who gave him money from the register and Branch left the store. On July 4, 2015, Branch robbed a discount store in Brooklyn Park, Maryland, displaying what appeared to be a black handgun. Branch ordered the security guard to place guard’s weapon in a trash can, then ordered the security guard and the store manager to open the safe. The manager gave Branch approximately $300 from the safe and Branch ran away.
Branch also admitted that on July 1, July 14 and July 17, 2015, he robbed three banks, stealing a total of approximately $4,402. In each robbery, Branch presented the teller with a note demanding money. In the note presented in the July 14, 2015, robbery Branch claimed to have a gun and in the robbery on July 17, 2015, Branch pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the teller.
When Branch was arrested, he was in possession of a black pellet gun that was used in all three of the store robberies and the bank robbery on July 17, 2015.
Branch also admitted that he committed nine other robberies or attempted robberies of businesses in Baltimore City and Baltimore County during June and July of 2015.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Armed Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Greg Miera, 50, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court to an armed bank robbery charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Miera was arrested in March 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him and four co-defendants, Martin Huerta, 43, Christian Herrera, 20, Isaiah Gallegos, 20, and Christopher Gallegos, 31, all of Albuquerque, with bank robbery. According to the complaint, a source identified the co-defendants as the individuals involved in robbing the US Bank branch located at 5620 Wyoming Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, on March 30, 2016. The complaint alleged that Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers conducted surveillance as a vehicle with four men pulled up to the US Bank on the afternoon of March 30, 2016. The complaint further alleged that three of the men remained outside in the vehicle while the fourth entered the US Bank, threatened to shoot the bank employees, and demanded that two bank tellers place cash into a plastic bag.
Miera, Huerta, Herrera, Isaiah Gallegos and Christopher Gallegos were subsequently indicted on an armed bank robbery charge on April 27, 2016.
During today’s proceedings, Miera entered a guilty plea to the indictment and admitted participating in the armed robbery of the U.S. Bank branch in Albuquerque on March 30, 2016.
Co-defendant Huerta previously entered a guilty plea to the indictment on Sept. 9, 2016. Huerta entered his guilty plea without the benefit of a plea agreement.
At sentencing, Miera and Huerta each face a statutory maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. Both remain in custody pending sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled.
The three remaining co-defendants have entered pleas of not guilty to the indictment. Charges in complaints and indictments are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case.