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Monday 22 August 2016
Ocoee Man Sentenced to 42 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Timothy Michael Sedlak (43, Ocoee) to 42 years in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the computers and electronic equipment used in the offenses. A federal jury found Sedlak guilty on May 26, 2016.
According to court documents, on two occasions, Sedlak took photographs of himself sexually abusing a small child. The first incident took place in September 2009, when the victim was a year old, and the second incident took place in April 2011, when the child was three. The images of Sedlak abusing the child were discovered when United States Secret Service agents executed a search warrant on Sedlak’s home as part of an unrelated computer intrusion investigation. In addition to the images of the victim, agents discovered hundreds of images of child pornography on Sedlak’s computers that had been downloaded from the Internet.
"The horrible victimization this young child has survived cannot be erased, but we can ensure this criminal cannot harm another child," said Susan L. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Division of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who assisted with the investigation of the case. "HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to make our communities safer and hold monsters like this accountable for their actions."
It is another case 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, 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.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office Closes Investigation into the Death of Jerame C. ReidRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced today that following a thorough federal investigation, there is insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Jerame C. Reid. On Dec. 30, 2014, Mr. Reid was killed by Bridgeton Police Officer Braheme Days following a traffic stop of a car in which Mr. Reid was a passenger. Representatives from the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office met today with Mr. Reid’s family to inform them of the decision.
Following Mr. Reid’s death, the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, in consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, opened a criminal investigation into whether that shooting violated federal law. Viewing the evidence as whole, the government determined that federal charges are not warranted.
The federal criminal statute that enforces Constitutional limits on uses of force by law enforcement officers is 18 U.S.C. § 242. A violation of Section 242 requires the government to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was acting under color of law, that he deprived a victim of a right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, that the deprivation resulted in bodily injury and/or death, and that he acted willfully.
There is no dispute that Officer Days, who was on duty as a police officer for the Bridgeton Police, acted under color of law when he shot Mr. Reid and that the shots resulted in Mr. Reid’s death. However, criminal prosecution is appropriate only if there is sufficient evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that any of the shots fired by Officer Days were unreasonable and that he fired those shots with the requisite willful criminal intent.
As the U.S. Supreme Court has explained, the use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the “20/20 vision of hindsight.” Allowance must be made for the fact that law enforcement officials are often forced to make split-second judgments in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving. The use of deadly force is justified when the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a threat of serious physical harm, either to the officer or to others.
In addition, the law requires that the government prove that the shooting was done willfully: mistake, fear, misperception, or even poor judgment does not constitute willful conduct prosecutable under the statute.
To make the proper assessment under these standards, federal agents and prosecutors evaluated the physical, forensic, ballistic and crime scene evidence, medical and autopsy reports, the officers’ personnel records, audio and video recordings, internet postings, any relevant leads, as well as the extensive prior investigation conducted by the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office to which investigators were given full access. FBI agents and federal prosecutors interviewed the driver of the vehicle, who had given several prior statements about the events that evening, spoke to Mr. Reid's family members, and pursued various leads in an effort to investigate and evaluate every possible source of relevant information. The audio and video from the police dashboard camera, as well as the physical and forensic evidence provided federal prosecutors with a benchmark against which to measure the credibility of the witness’s accounts, including that of Officer Days.
Investigators compared individual witness accounts to the physical and forensic evidence, to other credible witness accounts, and to each witness’s own prior statements made throughout the investigations. Investigators also re-interviewed certain witnesses in an effort to clarify aspects of their testimony, to evaluate their accounts and to obtain more detailed information. In so doing, investigators assessed the witnesses’ demeanor, tone, bias, and ability to accurately perceive or recall the events of Dec. 30, 2014.
The death of Mr. Reid arose out of a traffic stop of a car in which he was a passenger. During the stop, police officers discovered a firearm in the glove compartment of the car. Officer Days and Officer Roger Worley then drew their firearms and ordered Mr. Reid and the driver not to move. The driver complied, while Mr. Reid continued to reach toward the console area between the passenger and driver front seats. Eventually, Mr. Reid forced his way out of the passenger side door against the repeated directives of Officer Days. Mr. Reid was shot as he exited the car in the direction of Officer Days. Although Officer Worley also fired his weapon, only the shots fired by Officer Days struck Mr. Reid.
While in hindsight it is clear that Mr. Reid was unarmed, Officer Days stated that he feared that Mr. Reid either had a firearm or was attempting to grab one from him. In order to bring a federal criminal charge in these circumstances the government would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Days did not fear for his own life and safety, but rather shot and killed Mr. Reid for malicious or improper reasons. The government does not believe it can carry that burden beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office will not pursue criminal charges against Officer Days.
Navajo Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Child MolestationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Raymond S. Tsosie, 53, of Burnside, Ariz., a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 229 months in prison. Tsosie had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 years old.
Tsosie’s conduct included sexually abusing a five-year-old girl, an eight-year-old girl, and a nine-year-old girl in 2014. Tsosie was also ordered to have 20 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, which will include sex offender treatment and registration. All victims are members of the Navajo Nation and all incidents occurred on the Navajo Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Gayle L. Helart, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-08165-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-065_ Tsosie
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Muskogee Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that KEEVIN MICHAEL RAY WALKER, age 29, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, pled guilty to FELON IN POSSESSION OF FIREARM, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The defendant was indicted in June, 2016.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 16, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
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. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
The statutory range of punishment is not more than 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine or both.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States.
Member of the Simple City Criminal Organization Pleads Guilty to a Racketeering Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Sylvia Price, a/k/a “Deez Nuts,” age 50, of Suitland, Maryland pleaded guilty today to conspiring to participate in a racketeering conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft, in connection with her activities in the Simple City Criminal Organization (SCCO), a racketeering enterprise engaged in fraud and related activity, including vehicle theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. Specifically, Sylvia Price admitted that she engaged in fraudulent financial transactions, using the identities of over 230 victims, with losses to the victims of SCCO’s activities of at least $453,900.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to her plea agreement, from at least 2009 to July 2015, Price and her conspirators met on a regular basis, and planned criminal activity, including vehicle theft, the interstate transportation of stolen property, identity theft and credit/debit card fraud. The SCCO received money and income from those criminal activities.
For example, Sylvia Price received stolen pocketbooks containing checks, credit and debit cards, and other forms of identification, such as driver’s licenses, from other members of SCCO. Price and other conspirators used the stolen items to conduct fraudulent financial transactions. The money obtained from those transactions was given to Price, who then provided a portion to another SCCO member, to divide with the co-conspirators who stole the pocketbooks. Law enforcement intercepted communications between Price and another SCCO member in which they discuss providing handbags stolen from automobiles to Price.
On July 16, 2015, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Price’s home in Suitland and recovered checkbooks and means of identifications of individuals who had reported their vehicles stolen, or had reported a theft of those items from their vehicle. In addition, law enforcement recovered 95 women’s designer handbags worth approximately $53,000, as well as gift cards totaling approximately $1,180.
As part of her plea agreement, Sylvia Price will be required to forfeit and pay restitution of at least $453,900, the full amount of the victims’ losses.
Sylvia Price faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the racketeering conspiracy, and a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for November 21, 2016, at 2:30 p.m.
Co-defendants Stefon Janey, a/k/a “Stef,” and “Stef Luva,” age 23, of Marlow Heights, Maryland, Jessica Rubio, age 38, of Washington, D.C. previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the racketeering conspiracy. Rubio also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Judge Hazel sentenced Janey to 27 months in prison, and Rubio to 40 months in prison.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department and the members of the Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement Unit for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Nicolas A. Mitchell, who are prosecuting the case.
Marion drug dealers sentenced to prison for selling fatal mix of heroin and fentanylRead the Press Release
Two Marion men were sentenced to prison for selling a mixture of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death last year, law enforcement officials said.
Eric Creagh, 33, was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison while Rashawn D. Thomas, 28, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Both previously pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking that resulted in death.
Creagh sold Thomas “blue drop heroin” -- a mixture of heroin and fentanyl that had been dyed blue -- on May 22, 215. Later that day, Thomas sold a portion of the “blue drop heroin” to Christopher Wolford, who used the drug at his home, which ultimately caused him to overdose and die, according to court documents.
“Heroin and fentanyl abuse have been devastating to the community in Marion, as it has to communities throughout Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “We will continue to pursue long prison sentences for those who sell this deadly mix, while also continuing with a comprehensive approach focused on prevention, treatment, changing prescribing practices and enforcement.”
“On May 28, 2015 the City of Marion reached out to our federal and state partners asking for assistance with a Blue Drop Heroin overdose epidemic,” Marion Police Chief William Collins said. “Through combined efforts of our local drug task force, MARMET/METRICH, DEA, BCI and the US Attorney’s Office, an unprecedented 14-day investigation took place and resulted the arrests of Eric Creagh and Rashawn Thomas. These individuals were charged at the federal level in hopes that they would receive the kind of prison sentence that would fit the criminal offense, today we see our hopes fulfilled in that they will serve long prison sentences for their crimes against this community. Marion law enforcement will continue to seek harsh prison sentences for those whom seek to destroy our community.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “DEA and our law enforcement partners have made it a priority to investigate the distribution of drugs that result in death. The efficiency in which this investigation was conducted, taking dangerous drug dealers off of the street, demonstrates the strong level of cooperation among all of our partners. We are focused on bringing to justice those individuals that are responsible for the increasing heroin problem in Ohio and across the United States.”
“I commend the work of the local, state, and federal authorities who worked so aggressively to get the supplier of this so-called ‘blue drop’ heroin off the streets,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Drugs like heroin and fentanyl are devastating lives and tearing families apart every day in this state. Traffickers must be held responsible, and investigators with my office’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation are available to work with local authorities anywhere in Ohio to help make that happen.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Thomas Weldon following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, MARMET, the Marion Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Douglas Blodgett, 46, of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to accessing with intent to view material containing images of child pornography.
According to court records, in March of this year, Blodgett used the internet to access Internet Relay Chat channels and chatrooms containing child pornography images. Investigators executed a search warrant on Blodgett’s computer and residence, and found that he had accessed internet addresses containing child pornography images. In an interview with agents, Blodgett admitted visiting chatrooms containing child pornography.
Blodgett faces between 10 and 20 years in prison; a $250,000 fine; and between 5 years and life on supervised release. He faces an enhanced sentence because of a prior sex offense conviction. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Kidnapping Victim to be Keynote Speaker at Protect Our Children ConferenceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped at age 11 and remained missing for more than 18 years, will be the keynote speaker at next month’s Protect Our Children Conference in Kansas City, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and victim service providers from across the region are expected to attend the conference from Sept. 12 to 14 at the Kansas Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo. The three-day event will cover a broad range of threats facing children including domestic violence, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, drug trafficking, child pornography and the effects of exposure to violence.
“Children are being robbed of the chance to live a rich and full life,” Beall said. “We have to work harder to protect them. Every child deserves to grow up free from harm, free from fear and free from the shadow of violence.”
Dugard will discuss her work with the JAYC Foundation, Inc., to help survivors of trauma. In her book, “A Stolen Life,” she tells the story of being abducted while she was walking from home to a school bus stop. On Aug. 26, 2009, she was found with convicted sex offender Phillip Craig Garrido. Investigators became suspicious of Garrido when he visited the campus of the University of California at Berkeley with Dugard.
Other presentations will cover a broad range of topics including meeting the needs of crime victims, confronting family violence and coping with stress.
Information about registering and paying for the conference is available online at http://www.pocconference.com/
There is a registration fee. The deadline to register is Aug. 31.
The conference is sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kansas Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Midwest Criminal Justice Institute at Wichita State University.
Judge Sentences Erie Man to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months in jail, a $7,500 fine, and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $6,000 on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on John Leonard Oleski, 66, of Erie, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Oleski possessed computer images and movies depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Oleski.
Jared Galanis Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Misprision of A FelonyRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JARED GALANIS pled guilty today to concealing a conspiracy to manipulate the market for Gerova Financial Group, Ltd. (“Gerova”), a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and to defraud the shareholders of that company. GALANIS pled guilty to misprision of a felony before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment filed against JARED GALANIS and his co-conspirators, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings[1]:
The Gerova Scheme
From 2009 to 2011, Jason Galanis, John Galanis, Derek Galanis, Gary Hirst, Ymer Shahini, and Gavin Hamels engaged in a scheme to defraud the shareholders of a publicly traded company called Gerova Financial Group, Ltd. (“Gerova”), and the investing public, by effecting securities transactions in Gerova stock for the purpose of conferring millions of dollars of undisclosed remuneration on the co-conspirators, without adequate disclosure of Jason Galanis’s role in directing the transactions or the benefits received by Jason Galanis and his co-conspirators.
As a part of the scheme to defraud, Jason Galanis obtained sufficient control over Gerova so as to be able to cause Gerova to enter into transactions of his design, and for his benefit, including the issuance of Gerova stock. Jason Galanis obtained this control without causing himself to be identified as an officer or director of Gerova so as to purport to abide by an SEC-imposed bar that forbade him from holding such positions at publicly traded companies. Among other means and methods, Jason Galanis, with the assistance of Hirst, caused over five million shares of Gerova stock, which represented nearly half the company’s public float and which were intended for Jason Galanis’s ultimate benefit, to be issued to and held in the name of Ymer Shahini, who knowingly served as a foreign nominee for Jason Galanis. Jason Galanis, John Galanis, Derek Galanis, Hirst, and Shahini understood that the purpose of the stock grant to Shahini was to disguise Jason Galanis’s ownership interest in the stock, and to evade the SEC’s regulations for issuing unregistered shares of stock.
At the same time, and as a further part of the scheme to defraud, various co-conspirators opened and managed brokerage accounts in the name of Shahini (the “Shahini Accounts”), effected the sale of Gerova stock from the Shahini Accounts through manipulative trading, and received and concealed the proceeds, knowing that this activity was designed to conceal from the investing public Jason Galanis’s ownership of and control over the Gerova stock. In total, the co-conspirators sold nearly $20 million worth of Gerova shares from the Shahini Accounts for their own benefit.
In contrast, unsuspecting Gerova shareholders were left with a worthless investment. More specifically, in March 2011, the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) halted trading of Gerova and in April 2011, Gerova asked the NYSE to delist its securities. By November 2, 2011, Gerova’s stock price had bottomed out at $0.00 per share.
JARED GALANIS, an attorney, was aware of the criminal scheme involving Gerova and took steps to conceal it. In particular, JARED GALANIS permitted John Galanis to use a phone and a law firm email account registered to JARED GALANIS in furtherance of the scheme and transferred the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme through his attorney trust account.
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JARED GALANIS, 37, pled guilty to one count of misprision of a felony, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Derek Galanis, 44, pled guilty on August 15, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Jason Galanis, 46, pled guilty on July 21, 2016, to two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
John Galanis, 73, pled guilty on July 20, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Gavin Hamels, 40, pled guilty on March 22, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence for the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Trial against defendant Gary Hirst is scheduled for September 12, 2016, on charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. Defendant Ymer Shahini remains a fugitive. The allegations contained in the Indictment as to those defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Bharara praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the SEC.
The charges were brought in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Blais, Aimee Hector, and Rebecca Mermelstein are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As for the defendants who have not pled guilty (Gary Hirst and Ymer Shahini), the charges described herein constitute only allegations.
Jackson inmate pleads guilty to threatening Monroe magistrate judgeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a prisoner in Jackson pleaded guilty last week for sending threatening messages to U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes.
Charles Lidberg, 27, a prisoner at the Dixon Correctional Center in Jackson, La., pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of making threatening communications. According to the guilty plea, Lidberg, who was serving time at the state correctional institution for an unrelated crime, mailed a letter on February 19, 2014 to Judge Hayes’ office stating that he would hunt down and kill her after he was released from prison. Lidberg said his friend promised him half a million dollars to kill the judge if she sentenced Lidberg’s friend to more than 10 years in prison. Lidberg also said he did not state his friend’s name because that would “take the fun out of this.” He also gave a second letter threatening the judge to a fellow inmate who turned it over to law enforcement agents.
Lidberg faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. A sentencing date of December 7, 2016 was set.
The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker is prosecuting the case.
Inmate Sentenced for Operating a Fake Jury Duty Money Laundering Scheme from Georgia State PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Autry State Prison inmate Reginald Perkins has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for laundering $1 million in fraud proceeds arising from a “jury duty” telemarketing scam conducted by inmates at Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC) prisons.
“Prisons should be the one place where we have confidence that multi-million-dollar telemarketing schemes are not being conducted,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “Cases like this show how much needs to be done to make sure that those who are convicted and sentenced to prison are not still victimizing citizens from behind bars. We are working with state and federal law enforcement to eradicate the illegal use of cell phones and fraud in our Georgia state prisons, and will continue to prosecute offenders, whether they are in or out of prison.”
“This case showcases the criminal possibilities available to inmates with cell phones/smart phones and, with today’s sentencing of Mr. Perkins, it also illustrates the punishment available to those inmates who obtain and use them. The FBI will continue to work with its various law enforcement partners in not only addressing these types of inmate based crimes but also in preventing inmates access to these cell phones that provide the means to do so much harm to the unsuspecting public,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: Perkins laundered fraud proceeds while incarcerated at Jimmy Autry State Prison in Pelham, Georgia, which is a Georgia Department of Corrections medium security prison and houses approximately 1,700 adult male inmates.
While Perkins was serving his sentence at Autry, inmates regularly obtained cellular telephones. For example, from 2014 to 2015, officials seized more than 23,500 cellular telephones from inside Georgia state prisons. Many of the seized cellular telephones possessed Internet capabilities and the latest smartphone features. The possession of cellular telephones by inmates creates a significant risk to prison security and to public safety, as inmates used contraband cellular telephones to commit various criminal acts while incarcerated.
Inmates used contraband cellular telephones from inside Autry to access Internet websites to identify the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of potential fraud victims. Using the cellular telephones, inmates called the victims whose names and numbers had been obtained. During these calls, the inmates made certain false representations to the victims, including: (a) that the inmates were law enforcement officials; (b) that the victims had unlawfully failed to appear for jury duty; (c) that because the victims had failed to appear for jury duty, warrants had been issued for the victims’ arrest; and (d) that the victims had a choice of being arrested on the warrants or pay fines to have the arrest warrants dismissed. To make the calls seem real, the inmates created fictitious voicemail greetings on their contraband cellular telephones, identifying themselves as members of legitimate law enforcement agencies.
For those victims who wanted to pay a fine, the inmates instructed them to purchase pre-paid cash cards and provide the account number of the cash card or wire money directly into a pre-paid debit card account held by the inmates. Based on these false representations, the victims electronically transferred money to the inmates because they believed that the funds would be used to pay the fine for failing to appear for jury duty and would result in the dismissal of the arrest warrant.
Perkins admitted that he would take the account number of the pre-paid cash card and contacted his co-conspirators, who were not incarcerated, to have those individuals transfer the money from the cash card purchased by the victims to a pre-paid debit card possessed by the co-conspirators. Next, the co-conspirators withdrew the victim’s money, which had been transferred to the pre-paid debit card they controlled, via an automated teller machine or at a retail store. Typically, the co-conspirators then laundered the stolen money by purchasing a new cash card so that the victims’ funds could be transferred back to the inmates. Perkins worked with about 100 individuals outside of the prison and laundered approximately $1 million in proceeds from fraud and other illegal schemes.Reginald Perkins, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to 12 years, seven months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Perkins was convicted on these charges on March 22, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Huber prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Harrisburg Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Harrisburg, Mo., man who struck several vehicles in a parking lot while attempting to flee from law enforcement officers, pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Sean Anthony Blumenshine, 34, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to the charge contained in a Dec. 9, 2015, federal indictment.
By pleading guilty today, Blumenshine admitted that he had traveled to Kingdom City, Mo., to deliver two pounds of methamphetamine to another person, identified in court documents as Individual A, on Dec. 3, 2015. Law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance when Blumenshine arrived at the Taco Bell in Kingdom City, driving a white Ford Mustang. Blumenshine pulled into a parking space near the restaurant, and law enforcement officers attempted to take him into custody; however, he attempted to flee from the scene. Blumenshine drove in a dangerous and erratic manner through a commercial parking lot, striking several unmarked police vehicles and an unoccupied private vehicle. After a brief pursuit through the parking lot, the Mustang was disabled and he was placed under arrest.
Officers searched the Mustang and found a bag containing approximately 924 grams of methamphetamine inside a storage container in the back seat, along with $4,623.
Blumenshine admitted that he had conducted numerous one-pound transactions with his supplier, and that he had sold one-pound quantities of methamphetamine to Individual A on four occasions. Individual A had been arrested in St. Charles, Mo., with one ounce of methamphetamine and approximately $20,000 in cash earlier on the same day.
Under federal statutes, Blumenshine is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.
Georgia Doctor Pleads Guilty in Pill Mill CaseRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA – Paul Spencer Ruble, 63, a doctor from Thomson, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in federal court before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to a charge of conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled substances and launder money.
The information to which Ruble pleaded charged that beginning in November 2011, he and other conspirators began operating Apex Health & Wellness, Inc., a phony pain management clinic, from a building located at 6129 New Jesup Highway, Brunswick, Georgia. The clinic employed Ruble, a licensed and registered medical doctor, to work at Apex Health & Wellness, Inc. Between November 2011 and April 24, 2013, drug-seeking customers typically paid between $200 and $300 cash to Apex Health & Wellness, in exchange for prescriptions for controlled substances issued outside the usual course of professional practice and without legitimate medical purpose. Ruble wrote prescriptions for vast quantities of controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and alprazolam (Xanax), outside the usual course of professional practice and without legitimate medical purpose. An average of 30 drug seeking patients were seen per day at the clinic during its 17 months of operation. A typical patient could expect to receive a prescription for 168 oxycodone 30 mg tablets, 112 oxycodone 15 mg tablets, and 28 to 56 2 mg alprazolam tablets.
The Apex Health & Wellness clinic was shuttered April 24, 2013 when a federal search warrant was executed at the premises. The unlawful business was very profitable until being shut down. During the conspiracy, more than 400 deposits were made to bank account of Apex Health & Wellness. These deposits were mostly comprised of cash paid by patients at Apex Health & Wellness for controlled substances prescribed without legitimate medical purpose. The deposits totaled over $1.8 million, including cash deposits of over $1.7 million. Ruble was paid just under $500,000 for his services at Apex which he then laundered through several other bank accounts.
Ruble faces a maximum penalty of not more than 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for his conviction. The owner of the clinic, Marc Frazier, 46, of Satellite, Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to a similar charge in July 2015 and is awaiting sentencing.
The convictions in this matter resulted from a joint investigation by the DEA, GBI, Glynn-Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team (GBNET), IRS - Criminal Investigations, and the United States Marshals Service. The investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the keystone drug enforcement program of the Department of Justice.
United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “The devastation caused to human lives by prescription drug abuse cannot be overstated. Patients at pill mills such as this one can expect to lose money, health, time, family, employment, and happiness. The heroin epidemic which is sweeping many parts of the country can be traced directly to these phony medical clinics where the owners and doctors prosper and the patents suffer grievously. Persons who operate pill mills in the Southern District of Georgia can expect to be investigated, prosecuted, and sent to prison in the same way as other drug traffickers who push poison in our communities.”
Daniel R. Salter, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said, “It is a sad commentary when a trusted person in the medical community attempts to hide behind the veil of legitimacy to commit criminal acts. The reckless distribution of pharmaceuticals results in addiction and death. Many thanks to the hard-working law enforcement partners who worked this case.”
Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the GBI Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office, observed, “This investigation shows that the GBI, in conjunction with Local and Federal partners, is dedicated to eradicating pill-mill operations. The prescriptions obtained from these type of pill mill clinics are most often sold or diverted on the streets, feeding pain pill addictions and ruining families and lives.”
Kevin Jones, Chief of the Brunswick Police Department, noted, “It has been a focused effort of GBNET to drive these types of illegitimate businesses out of Brunswick and Glynn County and to bring those responsible for this activity to justice.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly, Marcela Mateo, and Karl Knoche prosecuted the case for the government. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.
Fresno Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Counterfeiting U.S. CurrencyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Samuel Prieto Gonzales, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for counterfeiting U.S. currency, Acting United States Attorney Phillip Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on May 2, 2016, Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of counterfeiting United States Obligations for creating counterfeit $10, $50, and $100 bills in March 2014 and attempting to pass those bills in Madera County in March 2014.
Gonzales previously absconded from a drug treatment program while under pretrial supervision in this matter, and he is currently in custody.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Grant B. Rabenn prosecuted the case.
Former U.S. Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of InvestigationRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rachel Lynn Howze, age 30, Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner in Harrisburg, to obstructing an official federal proceeding while serving as a U.S. Probation Officer in Pittsburgh.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Howze, was charged, in a Criminal Information filed in June 2016 in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, with attempting to obstruct, influence, and impede an investigation by intentionally disclosing to unauthorized persons the existence of a state criminal investigation involving an individual under federal supervised release.
Howze plead guilty pursuant to a plea agreement with the government which was subject to the approval of the court. Howze is no longer employed by the U.S. Probation Office.
Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for November 28, 2016 before Chief Judge Conner.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, would otherwise be prosecuting the case, is recused under U.S. Department of Justice policy, because the defendant was an employee under the supervision of the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh at the time of the alleged activity.
This investigation was conducted by the Pittsburgh Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz is assigned to prosecute the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Former Navy Range Manager Sentenced to 18 Months for Accepting Illegal GratuitiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that on Friday, August 19, 2016, in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced HARRY C. MANN, 80, of Manns Harbor, North Carolina, to an 18-month term of imprisonment, ordered him to pay $149,999 in restitution to the United States Defense Logistics Agency, and imposed a $75,000 fine. On October 28, 2015, MANN pled guilty to a Criminal Information charging him with one count of accepting illegal gratuities.
According to the United States Attorney’s factual proffer at the plea hearing, MANN, had been employed by the Navy at the range southwest of Manteo, since 1968. The range provides air warfare training support to the Navy and the Marine Corps. Aviators practice dropping inert bombs and firing live rounds of ammunition at practice targets. As range manager, MANN’S official duties included constructing and maintaining the targets. Between January 2005 and May 2011, MANN requisitioned approximately 16 million dollars in excess government property, which included many types of functional heavy equipment, like trucks, excavators, bulldozers, cranes, trailers, and metal connex boxes. He obtained the property from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO), which was created by the Department of Defense to centralize the disposal of excess property for better accountability and to reutilize military property within the Department of Defense. If the Department of Defense no longer has use for the property, excess material may be used for emergency management in the United States and humanitarian aid worldwide. The Department of Defense could also sell excess property to the public.
MANN, however, without proper authorization, sold DRMO acquired property to local metal scrappers. These men paid MANN a percentage of the proceeds they received for scrapping numerous pieces of heavy equipment and aluminum expedition runway matting. In total, these men state they paid MANN approximately $175,000 in kickbacks. MANN, according to the government’s proffer, demanded that these men pay him in cash when they were alone so others could not witness the payments. One such cash payment of $16,300 was paid to MANN at his residence on May 18, 2011. MANN told the local scrapper to put the envelope of cash in a flower pot.
The investigation of this case was jointly conducted by the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the Defense Logistics Agency, Office of the Inspector General. The Navy was first alerted of the criminal activity by inspectors from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles after witnessing the transportation of heavy pieces of equipment in the Edenton area. Assistant United States Attorney Susan B. Menzer represented the government.
Former Letter Carrier Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that George Steven Gray, 27, of Daphne, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court on August 18, 2016, for discarding mail he was supposed to deliver. Court documents reflect that batches of undelivered and unopened mail were recovered from a dumpster and a recycling bin in Fairhope during late November and early December of 2015. An investigation conducted by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General revealed that Gray, a letter carrier delivering mail in the Fairhope area, had
Gray pled guilty to one count of discarding mail in March of 2016. United States District Court Judge William H. Steele pronounced the sentence, ordering the Gray serve a probationary term of two years. Gray will pay a $100 special mandatory assessment but no fine was imposed.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Former Hopkins County Teacher Sentenced for Child Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas — A 39-year-old former Hopkins County, Texas school teacher has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Lucas Hill pleaded guilty on Feb. 20, 2016, to coercion or enticement of a minor and was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on Aug. 19, 2016.
According to information presented in court, in early 2015, an investigator in Louisiana received a complaint from a family who discovered that someone had used photographs of their family, and particularly photographs of their teenaged son, to create a Facebook account as “Aaron Cage.” The investigation revealed the account user was accessing the account from Hill’s residence in Sulphur Springs, Texas. At the time, Hill was a teacher with Cumby Independent School District. It was determined that Hill created the fictitious Facebook page to pose as a teenage boy and from October 2013 through 2015, used the Facebook page to contact numerous minor females and persuaded them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including producing images and videos of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Hill was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2015.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Sulphur Springs Police Department and Hopkins County District Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.
Former Executives of Military Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Exporting Weapons PartsRead the Press Release
Four former employees of Sabre Defence Industries, LLC (“Sabre”), a defense contractor formerly based in Nashville, were sentenced Friday in connection with their role in illegally exporting firearm components and other defense items, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. During sentencing hearings on Friday, August 19, U.S. District Court Judge Todd J. Campbell imposed the following sentences:
- Charles Shearon, 60, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, the former Sabre President, was sentenced to 18 months in prison;
- Elmer Hill, 69, of Brentwood, Tennessee, the former Sabre Chief Financial Officer, was sentenced to 15 months in prison;
- Michael Curlett, 49, of Wixom, Michigan, the former Sabre Director of Sales and Marketing, was sentenced to 13 months in prison; and
- Arnold See, Jr., 59, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the former Sabre International Shipping and Purchasing Manager, was sentenced to 13 months in prison.
All defendants were also ordered to serve one year of supervised release at the conclusion of their prison terms.
Each of the four defendants pleaded guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act, and to conspiring to do so. Sabre had contracts with the U.S. government valued at more than $74 million for the manufacture of certain military-grade weapons, including the M16 rifle and other semi-automatic and fully-automatic firearms. In pleading guilty, each of these four defendants admitted to conspiring to export firearms and firearm components that were classified as defense articles without first obtaining the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State. The four defendants also acknowledged their role in attempting to conceal Sabre’s illegal exports through the use of falsified shipping documents and, at times, the use of shipping crates with false bottoms. Sabre maintained a fictitious set of business books to conceal its unlawful shipments of firearm parts, lied about the value of items on shipping documents, and illegally imported firearm silencers.
Guy Savage, 47, of London, England, has also been charged in this same case and is facing extradition proceedings. An indictment is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt, and Savage is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the Department of Defense-Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William F. Abely and John K. Webb.
Federal Inmate, Co-Conspirator Indicted for Alleged Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal prisoner in Mississippi, along with a co-conspirator in West Tennessee, has been indicted for allegedly operating a tax fraud scheme. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictments today.
According to the indictment, between January and April of 2014, Henry Lamont Jones, 41; and Toni Chinwah, 45; both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; operated a scheme in which they filed and attempted to file federal fraudulent income tax returns using stolen identity information. During the course of the scheme, Jones, who was an inmate at FCI Yazoo City, Mississippi, would obtain personal identifying information. Jones would secretly pass the information to Chinwah, who wasn’t incarcerated, during prison visiting hours. She would then prepare and file fraudulent federal income tax returns using the information in an attempt to obtain income tax refunds.
After becoming aware of the scheme, detectives with the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit (MPD-OCU), working in an undercover capacity, made contact with the defendants. The defendants presumed that the officers were helping them in their scheme. Chinwah prepared income tax returns using controlled identity information provided by the undercover officers, which she believed to have been stolen, and electronically filed those returns with the expectation that the conspirators would receive federal income tax refunds.
On Tuesday, August 16, both Jones and Chinwah were indicted on one count of false claims conspiracy. Chinwah was also charged with four counts of attempted submission of false claims.
Each charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is being investigated by MPD-OCU and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cotten is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Father and Daughter Convicted of Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Roger Belanger, 59, of Corinna, Maine and Kelli Mujo, 31, of Harmony and Wellington, Maine and Central Falls, Rhode Island, were convicted on Friday following a jury trial in U.S. District Court of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and maintaining a drug involved premise.
The evidence at trial revealed that between 2002 and 2014 the defendants ran a cocaine and oxycodone distribution conspiracy that stretched from Rhode Island to the Dexter, Maine area. They obtained over 22 kilograms of cocaine and thousands of oxycodone pills in Rhode Island. Mujo and others transported it to Maine where it was distributed in Dexter and the surrounding communities.
They face between 10 years and life in prison, a $10,000,000 fine, and between five years and life on supervised release on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years, a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release on the premises charge.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance provided by the Dexter Police Department, and the Penobscot, Somerset and Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Offices.
Fairmont man sentenced for heroin distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daniel Ross Sims, 27, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to twelve months and one day in prison for distributing heroin, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Sims pled guilty in April 2016 to one count of “Distribution of Heroin Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.”
Assistant United States Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Erie County Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Relating to the Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of North East, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Wesley Chase, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Chase distributed, received and possessed computer images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for January 9, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Chase.
Ellington Woman Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PATRICIA BADDELEY MEEHAN, 51, of Ellington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to two months of imprisonment and two additional years of supervised release for violating the terms and conditions of her supervised release that followed a federal conviction in 2010.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2010, Judge Underhill sentenced MEEHAN to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing $1,716,128 from a law firm where she was employed, and for failing to pay taxes on the stolen income. She was released from federal prison in August 2013 and began serving her term of supervised release, a condition of which included that she refrain from gambling and not enter any establishment known to promote gambling.
An investigation revealed that MEEHAN gambled at Foxwoods Resort Casino on at least 23 occasions between 2014 and 2016, and had jackpot winnings of at least $51,862. During this time, she has paid only approximately $8,021 of the more than $1.7 million in restitution she owes.
MEEHAN was ordered to report to prison on September 28, 2016.
This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi M. Perry.
Cushing Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Joseph Dinapoli, 27, of Cushing, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court records, in June 2008, Dinapoli was convicted of Domestic Violence Assault, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under federal law, and as a result was prohibited from possessing firearms. In June 2014, Dinapoli was found in possession of two handguns.
Dinapoli faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Club Owner, Law Enforcement Officers Indicted on Charges of Receiving Stolen MerchandiseRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A club owner, Memphis Police officer and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office sergeant have all been indicted for their alleged roles in buying liquor, electronics and footwear they believed to be stolen. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee; Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings; and Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham announced the indictments today.
"Individuals who engage in criminal conduct and violate the public’s trust, including those who take an oath to protect and serve our community, will be held accountable for their actions," said U.S. Attorney Stanton. "No one is above the law."
The defendants include:
• Roy Hughes, 57, of Memphis, Tennessee
• Warren Jones, 63, of Memphis, Tennessee
• Torrance Taylor, 41, of Millington, Tennessee
Hughes is reportedly the owner of the Gentlemen’s Club on Thomas Street. Jones is a sergeant with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. And Taylor is an officer with the Memphis Police Department.
According to the indictment, between October 2015 and May 2016, Hughes unlawfully received cases of liquor and electronic devices, including Apple iPhones, a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, and a Samsung Gear watch, from an individual acting at the direction of federal law enforcement officers. Hughes allegedly knew the items, worth more than $1,000, were stolen. He also transported cases of liquor from Mississippi to Memphis for resale at the Gentlemen’s Club.
Taylor and Jones, both law enforcement officers, also bought property they believed was stolen from an individual acting at the direction of federal law enforcement officers.
"The alleged actions taken by these law enforcement officers are unacceptable and will not be tolerated," said Director Rallings. "As I have said many times, no one is above the law. This alleged unlawful behavior in no way should be a reflection on the officers who continue to work hard and diligently to serve and protect the citizens of Memphis."
"We continually work to seek out those in law enforcement who violate their oath of office and commit criminal acts," said Sheriff Oldham. "The Sheriff’s Office fully supports and participates with all of our law enforcement partners in this effort."
On Monday, August 22, all three defendants had their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diane K. Vescovo.
Hughes is charged with one count of knowingly receivingmore than $1,000 worth of cases of liquor and assorted electronics, including Apple iPhones, a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and a Samsung Gear watch, and believing the property was stolen based on the representations of a person acting at the direction of a federal law enforcement officer.
Hughes is also charged with one count of unlawfully transporting more than $5,000 worth of cases of liquor and Apple iPhones from Mississippi to Tennessee, believing the property was stolen based on representations of a person acting at the direction of a federal law enforcement officer.
Jones is charged with one count of knowingly receiving Samsung Galaxy Tablets and a DeWalt tool kit worth more than $1,000, and believing the property was stolen based on representations of a person acting at the direction of a federal law enforcement officer.
Taylor is charged with one count of receiving more than $1,000 worth of boots and shoes, and believing the property was stolen based on representations of a person acting at the direction of a federal law enforcement officer.
All of the aforementioned charges carry individual penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.
This case is being investigated by the Tarnished Badge Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Police Department and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Erskine is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Charleston man sentenced to federal prison for heroin crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to a year and a half in federal prison for a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Thomas Jarrell, 21, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Jarrell admitted that on October 1, 2015, at his Georges Creek residence in Malden, he possessed approximately six grams of heroin that he intended to distribute. Agents of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team seized the drugs during the execution of a search warrant at Jarrell’s home. Jarrell further admitted that he was involved in the distribution of up to 60 grams of heroin.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Charleston man pleads guilty to federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man caught with drugs and loaded handgun pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Michael Brooks Burgess, 46, entered his guilty plea to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
On February 8, 2016, Burgess was stopped for speeding and a suspected DUI in Sissonville. During the stop, officers found a vial of methamphetamine in his pocket and over 30 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s seat. The officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded .45 caliber handgun, three high capacity magazines for a MAC-10 firearm, approximately 50 rounds of ammunition, and over an ounce of marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle. Burgess admitted that he was a habitual, unlawful user of methamphetamine at the time he possessed the gun.
Burgess faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 14, 2016.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. The defendant entered his guilty plea before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
Capitol Heights Man Facing Gun Charges; He and Three Co-Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Tamper with Evidence and Obstruct a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging Anthony Darnell Boyd, Jr., a/k/a Tony Fortune, Tone Tone, Big Tony, Jermaine Jefferson, and Paul Dreber, age 37, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, with two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. The indictment also charges Boyd, Bianca Desirea Williams, a/k/a Bianca Boyd, Chocolate, Mahogany, and Katrina Watson, age 22, also of Capitol Heights; Natalie Ragsdale Goetschius, a/k/a London, age 22, of Baltimore, Maryland; and David D’Von Frazier, a/k/a Peanut, age 24, of Bladensburg, Maryland, with conspiracy to tamper with evidence and obstruct a federal proceeding.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Earl L. Cook of the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department.
According to the three count indictment, on July 21, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Boyd’s residence in Capitol Height, where he lived with Williams, and recovered two loaded 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistols and three additional rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition. Boyd was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition (as charged in the previous indictments and in count one of this second superseding indictment).
After his arrest, Boyd was detained and subsequently housed at the Chesapeake Detention Facility (“CDF”) in Baltimore, Maryland, under the name “Jermaine Jefferson,” the name Boyd previously had given to law enforcement in connection with a prior felony conviction and under which Boyd served a sentence of imprisonment exceeding one year for that prior felony conviction.
Between July 22 and August 6, 2016, while Boyd was held at CDF, he made numerous calls to Williams, Goetschius, and Frazier through his inmate telephone account. The calls were recorded, as are all jail calls per CDF policy. According to the indictment, during those calls Boyd, Williams, Goetschius, and Frazier conspired to tamper with evidence and to obstruct the government’s ongoing investigation. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the defendants attempted to conceal additional firearms owned by Boyd. Those firearms, a 7.62 millimeter caliber, semi-automatic rifle, two .357 caliber revolvers (one with an obliterated serial number), a 12 gauge shotgun, a 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol, and assorted rounds of ammunition, were recovered and are charged in count two of the second superseding indictment. The indictment further alleges that, in an effort to obstruct the investigation, the defendants submitted a document to the Court falsely claiming that Goetschius owned and possessed the firearms recovered from Boyd’s home on July 21, 2016.
Boyd faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the gun charges. The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to tamper with evidence and obstruct a federal investigation. Boyd is scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment on August 24, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt and he remains detained. No court appearance has been scheduled for Williams, Goetschius, and Frazier who remain detained on related charges.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, the Prince George’s County Police Department and Alexandria, Virginia Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray D. McKenzie, who is prosecuting the case.
California Resident Sentenced to Serve over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On Aug. 17, 2016, Luis A. Rivera Gutierrez, 30, of Sylmar, Cal., was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 240 months in federal prison following a conviction for his leadership role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from California to Tennessee.
According to his plea agreement on file with U.S. District Court, Gutierrez admitted to engaging in a series of recorded telephone calls with an individual working on behalf of law enforcement (individual) during June and July 2015. In these recorded calls, Gutierrez agreed to send a multi-kilogram delivery of methamphetamine from California to east Tennessee. In July 2015, co-defendant Eudave-Castaneda, a.k.a. Seven, 27, of Lancaster, Cal., agreed to transport this multi-kilogram shipment of methamphetamine for Gutierrez and others to the individual in Tennessee. Eudave-Castaneda had made a previous delivery of methamphetamine for Gutierrez and others in May 2015. In a recorded call in July 2015, Gutierrez told the individual that Seven would be bringing 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and the quantity would be doubled the next time. On his way to Morristown, Eudave-Castaneda stopped for the night in Roane County, Tenn. He gave consent to search his vehicle and law enforcement agents located approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the rocker panels of the vehicle. Laboratory testing showed that the methamphetamine was 97.5 percent pure.
In subsequent communications, Gutierrez told the individual that he would personally deliver the methamphetamine next time and they negotiated a ten-pound transaction. In September 2015, Gutierrez told the individual that he was driving through Kansas and should arrive in a day or two. The individual, acting at the direction of law enforcement agents, sent Gutierrez an address in Newport, Tenn., to meet and discuss the payment for the methamphetamine. Gutierrez told the source that the methamphetamine was in another tractor trailer and would arrive separately.
Upon arriving in Newport, Gutierrez became lost and suspicious that he was being followed by law enforcement. As a result, he entered I-40 where a chase by numerous police vehicles, at approximately 100 mph in rainy conditions ensued for several miles before a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer caught up and pulled him over. While driving at such high speeds on I-40, Gutierrez tossed his cell phone out the window. After being placed under arrest, a search of his vehicle revealed a note with the address to the residence in Newport given by law enforcement agents. The following day a tractor trailer with a registration out of Sylmar, Cal., was stopped on I-40 westbound near Memphis, Tenn. A subsequent search of the trailer resulted in the seizure of well in over ten pounds of methamphetamine. Laboratory testing showed that the methamphetamine was 99.7 percent pure.
Gutierrez stipulated that between May and October 2015 he was accountable for the distribution of approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine. After being taken to jail, he made a number of recorded phone calls to his wife in California telling her to destroy certain items in California.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Cocke County Sheriff’s Office, and Morristown, Tennessee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
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Cabell County man sentenced to over four years in federal prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Cabell County man was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for a child pornography crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Mark Allen Angle, 47, of Milton, previously pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. As part of his sentence, Allen will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Angle admitted that on March 19, 2015, he possessed images of prepubescent minors engaged in sexual acts. The images were found by investigators on his personal computer and media devices in his residence in Milton. The investigation additionally revealed that Angle was using peer-to-peer file sharing programs to download, receive, and distribute child pornography.
The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston is in charge of the prosecution. Chief United States District Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was brought 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.
Buffalo Man Sentenced on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Larry White, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distributing crack cocaine, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on April 1, 2014, the defendant sold approximately 26 grams of crack cocaine at 74 Woltz Avenue in Buffalo to a confidential informant working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). On June 3, 2014, White again sold crack cocaine, approximately 25 grams, to a confidential informant working with the DEA.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
Brookyln Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years for Prostituting Minors and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Today, defendant Alvaun Thompson, also known as “Love Pimpin,” was principally sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for forcibly sex trafficking minors—including a 13-year-old girl—and producing child pornography. A federal jury convicted Thompson of all nine counts with which he was charged, following a jury trial in November 2015.
The sentence was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Diego Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and William J. Bratton, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
The evidence at trial established that from 2013 to 2015, the defendant used physical violence and emotional manipulation to force two minor girls to engage in prostitution. The defendant’s victims were 13 and 15 years old when he began exploiting them. The defendant prostituted the minor victims on the streets of Brooklyn and advertised them as prostitutes on the internet, posting explicit photographs. He impregnated the minor victims and continued to prostitute them while they were pregnant with his children. The defendant beat the minor victims, and he forced them to get brand-like tattoos of his name. The defendant personally tattooed the letters “LP”—an abbreviation of his alias “Love Pimpin”—on the face of one of the minor victims. On at least two occasions, he transported his victims across state lines to engage in prostitution. In addition to the minor victims, the defendant prostituted other girls and women and had sexual relationships with them. He frequently filmed his own sex acts with the prostitutes, and created a pornographic video of himself and one of the minor victims, who was then 15 years old.
The Hon. I. Leo Glasser conducted an evidentiary hearing on June 29, 2016, to evaluate the defendant’s conduct relevant to sentencing. At that hearing, the Court made factual findings that the defendant murdered Johnny Moses Robinson—a rival Brooklyn pimp—on September 9, 2013, over a dispute involving one of the defendant’s minor victims. The government established, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Thompson shot Robinson four times, including once in the face.
“For years, the defendant preyed on defenseless children by repeatedly subjecting them to acts of physical and psychological abuse and used them to line his pockets by prostituting them on the streets of our city,” stated United States Attorney Capers. “The sentence announced today reflects the heinous nature of the defendant’s crimes and serves as a warning to others who would seek to exploit the most vulnerable members of our society.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Rodriguez stated, “It’s hard to comprehend anyone using and abusing children to make money, but this case shows some subjects do it for much more than profit. This subject took sadistic pleasure in torturing girls who had no ability to defend themselves. It is unbelievably frustrating to know we open more cases every day, but the FBI and our law enforcement partners know with each arrest we are saving a child from real life monsters.”
“There is no place in our city for sex trafficking, a truly abhorrent crime. I commend the work of the investigators and prosecutors involved in the case who brought to justice this individual and the deplorable acts he committed on society’s most venerable members, children,” said Police Commissioner Bratton.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Jacobs and Jennifer M. Sasso are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Alvaun Thompson
Age: 29E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-80 (ILG)
Bridgeport Residents Charged with Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven has returned an indictment charging DARRYL MORRIS, also known as “King Sincere,” 32, and NESHAYA DOZIER, 26, both of Bridgeport, with offenses related to the sex trafficking of a minor.
The indictment was returned on August 9, 2016, and unsealed today. MORRIS was arrested on August 16 and DOZIER was arrested on August 19. They are both detained.
The indictment alleges that, between November 2014 and May 2016, MORRIS and DOZIER conspired to recruit, harbor and transport a minor to engage in commercial acts, and that MORRIS did so with force, threats of force, fraud and coercion.
MORRIS and DOZIER are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and one count of sex trafficking of a minor, offenses that carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. MORRIS is also charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bridgeport Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Stratford Police Department and New York Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
Alabama Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Access Device Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Terrell Tramone Brown (48, Alabama) to six years and eight months in federal prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered him to forfeit $102,024.15, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Brown pleaded guilty on June 6, 2016.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2015, Brown, identifying himself as C.W., went to Dimmitt Cadillac in Clearwater, Florida and obtained a line of credit to purchase a 2015 Cadillac Escalade for $102,024.15. He provided the dealership with a counterfeit Kentucky driver’s license featuring C.W.’s name, but with Brown’s photograph. Brown also gave the dealership C.W.’s date of birth, Social Security number, and home address to secure the financing for the vehicle.
On February 19, 2016, investigators interviewed C.W., who currently resides in Texas. He stated that he does not know Brown, nor did he give him authorization to use his information to secure a loan. C.W. provided a copy of his credit report that lists the loan for the 2015 Cadillac Escalade as one of C.W.’s current obligations. According to that credit report, no payments have been made towards the loan balance since the inception of the loan on August 29, 2015. A representative from the Kentucky State Police confirmed that the Kentucky driver’s license used by Brown was counterfeit.
On February 23, 2016, law enforcement officers stopped and arrested Brown as he was driving the 2015 Cadillac Escalade in Hernando County, Florida. At the time, Brown was a fugitive from his term of supervised release related to an earlier federal conviction for counterfeiting. A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of counterfeit checks, blank check stock, miscellaneous mail addressed to C.W. in Tampa, numerous counterfeit Florida and Kentucky driver’s licenses with Brown’s photo on them, numerous counterfeit Veterans Affairs ID’s with Brown’s picture on them, bank account documents matching the names on the counterfeit driver’s licenses and ID’s, miscellaneous personal identifiable information in the form of names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, counterfeit and re-encoded credit cards, a credit card skimmer, and numerous computers, devices, and smart phones. A search of Brown’s devices revealed that he had previously attempted to purchase a 2015 Dodge Charger for $49,169.14, and a 2014 Range Rover for $93,679.89, using stolen identities.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Sunday 21 August 2016
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez Pays Tribute to Hatch Police Officer Jose ChavezRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez paid tribute to Officer Jose Ismael Chavez of the Hatch Police Department this afternoon during the Officer’s public funeral service at the Pan American Center of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M. The U.S. Attorney’s remarks are set forth below.
“This afternoon, I have the privilege and honor of representing the federal law enforcement community during this solemn event.
“In these modern times, with all the stresses and complexities of life that pull us apart as a community, we know that there are certain truths that continue to bind us together. The police officer is a constant stabilizing force in our society who was present at the creation of our great nation and who continues to represent that part of our community that maintains law and order.
“In New Mexico, our local, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement officers comprise one team. In New Mexico, we support our law enforcement officers, and this outpouring today is an example of our support. One officer killed in the line of duty us one officer too many, and we, as a community, must support a culture in which violence against law enforcement officers is unacceptable.
“Today, we offer our deepest condolences to the family of Officer Jose Chavez and pay tribute to his life. In wearing the badge, Officer Chavez stood for justice. In wearing the badge, Officer Chavez was dedicated to something greater than himself. In wearing the badge, Officer Chavez was a deeply heroic person who placed himself between good and evil.
“But Officer Chavez was not solely defined by his job. Officer Chavez was also a member of our community. He was also a son, a devoted partner, and a loving father. And he was a person who lived by integrity, and to whom we owe a great debt. A debt which can only be repaid by ensuring that his family and his daughters know the full support of the community; that the family and daughters of this fallen hero are never forgotten; and that the cause for which he sacrificed his life – the safety of the community – remains a top priority.
“At this time, I would like to read one of the two letters that U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has sent to Officer Chavez’s family.”
USAG Letter Officer Chavez
Saturday 20 August 2016
District Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison for Beating Two Men at Rooming HouseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deonta J. Simms, 34, of Clinton, Md., has been sentenced to over 10 years in prison on charges of assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault for an attack of two men that took place in June 2014 after an argument at a rooming house in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Simms was found guilty by a jury in June 2016, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on Aug. 19, 2016, by the Honorable Florence Pan. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of June 6, 2014, Simms, who had been visiting and consuming alcohol with residents of a rooming house in the 700 block of Lamont Street, NW, became involved in an altercation with two of the home’s occupants, each of which were men who were approximately 60 years old. The argument turned physical and Simms struck one of the men in the head while inside the house. The argument migrated outside the house and Simms took the second victim down to the ground, where Simms then struck the man in the face multiple times with his fists, and repeatedly kicked the man in the head while he lay on the ground defenseless.
While the first victim suffered minimal injuries, the second victim suffered multiple lacerations and contusions to his face. He required emergency brain surgery to treat a blood clot, and still suffers some cognitive impairment.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Paralegal Specialists Chae Vang and Donville Drummond; Criminal Investigator Mark Fitzgerald; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys C.B. Buente and Stephen Rickard. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Jennings, who secured the indictment and tried the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Palmieri, who also worked on the case and handled the sentencing hearing.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting in Southeast Washington That Wounded 7-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Wiggins, 27, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to charges in a shooting last spring that injured a 7-year-old bystander, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wiggins pled guilty on Aug. 19, 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of aggravated assault while armed and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a seven-year prison term. The Honorable Zoe Bush scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2016.
In his plea, Wiggins admitted that on April 8, 2016, at about 9:30 p.m., he was in the 2900 block of Knox Place SE, and had been fighting with his cousin. As his cousin was leaving Knox Place by car, Wiggins fired four shots at the vehicle, shattering its back windshield. Meanwhile, the victim, a 7-year-old girl, was arriving home with her family after an outing to Chuck E. Cheese. One of the shots hit her in the chest and she fell to the ground. The victim was immediately transported to Children’s National Medical Center and is expected to make a full recovery. MPD officers were swift to identify Wiggins as the shooter and he was arrested on April 11, 2016. Wiggins admitted that he was shooting at his cousin that night.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of those handling the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Antoinette Sakamsa, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Barr, who is prosecuting the matter.
Friday 19 August 2016
U.S. Servicemember Who Took Illegal Photos Inside Nuclear Sub, Impeded Investigation, Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin announced that KRISTIAN SAUCIER, 29, of Arlington, Vt., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally retaining photos taken inside a nuclear submarine and impeding the investigation of the matter. While on supervised release, SAUCIER must spend six months in home confinement with electronic monitoring, and perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from September 2007 to March 2012, SAUCIER served as a machinist’s mate aboard the USS Alexandria, which is a U.S. Navy Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine based at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. On at least three separate dates in 2009, SAUCIER used the camera on his personal cellphone to take photographs of classified spaces, instruments and equipment of the USS Alexandria, documenting the major technical components of the submarine’s propulsion system.
On January 19, 2009, at approximately 4:00 a.m., SAUCIER took two photos, one of the auxiliary steam plant panel and the other of the reactor compartment viewed through a portal. On March 22, 2009, at approximately 1:30 a.m., SAUCIER took two photos that, when placed side by side, provided a panoramic array of the Maneuvering Compartment, the room from which the propulsion system of the boat is operated. On July 15, 2009, at 12:47 p.m., SAUCIER took two photos documenting the reactor head configuration of the nuclear reactor and a view of the reactor compartment from within that compartment.
SAUCIER had a Secret clearance and knew that the photos depicted classified material and that he was not authorized to take them. He retained these photographs and failed to deliver them to any officer or employee of the U.S. entitled to receive it.
The investigation began in March 2012 when SAUCIER’s cellphone was found at a waste transfer station in Hampton, Conn. SAUCIER was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Naval Criminal Investigative Service in July 2012 and confronted with the classified images from his phone. Following that interview and in an effort to impede the federal investigation, SAUCIER returned to his home and immediately destroyed a laptop computer, a personal camera and the camera’s memory card. Pieces of a laptop computer were subsequently found in the woods on a property in Connecticut owned by a member of SAUCIER’s family.
SAUCIER was arrested on May 28, 2015. On May 27, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized possession and retention of national defense information.
SAUCIER, who is released on bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 12, 2016.
SAUCIER is currently enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer First Class assigned to the Naval Support Activity Base, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He is awaiting an administrative separation board proceeding.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa Richards and Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss, and Trial Attorney Will Mackie from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Two Massachusetts Men Sentenced for Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Israel Garcia, 56, of Lawrence, Massachusetts and Maximo Brito-Tejeda, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic most recently residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, were sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to five counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Garcia to 78 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release of four years and Brito-Tejeda to 88 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release of four years.
According to court documents, during a law enforcement investigation, officers received information from a cooperating source indicating that Garcia and an individual later identified as Brito-Tejeda were actively involved in the distribution of drugs in and around the Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire areas. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers used the cooperating individual and an undercover officer to make controlled purchases of fentanyl from Garcia and Brito-Tejeda on five occasions in August and September, 2015. On each occasion, Garcia and Brito-Tejeda met the cooperating individual and/or the undercover officer and sold them approximately ten grams of fentanyl.
On September 25, 2015, officers approached Garcia and Brito-Tejeda in an attempt to arrest them. Garcia fled but was apprehended within seconds and Brito-Tejeda locked himself in his car, emptied bags containing fentanyl onto the floor mat, and poured his drink over the drugs. He also attempted to swallow plastic bags containing additional quantities of fentanyl. That same day, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the residence occupied by Brito-Tejeda where Garcia and Brito-Tejeda stored and packaged drugs. A scale, packaging materials, and an additional quantity of fentanyl were recovered at this residence.
“Prosecuting those individuals who illegally introduce narcotic drugs into our communities is a priority of my office,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Fentanyl, in particular, is an incredibly dangerous substance responsible for many overdose deaths in New Hampshire. We will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who seek to profit from the sale of this dangerous drug.”
“Opiate abuse is at epidemic levels in New Hampshire and throughout New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Fentanyl is causing overdose deaths across the Granite State, and DEA is committed to aggressively pursue trafficking organizations or individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute fentanyl to areas of New Hampshire in order to profit and destroy people’s lives, and wreak havoc in our communities. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners."
According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl. Because a single gram of heroin or fentanyl can be used to create multiple individual dosage units that can be sold “on the street,” the quantity of fentanyl involved in this case could have generated many individual doses of fentanyl, each of which had the potential to cause a fatal overdose.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Aframe and Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Three Defendants Plead Guilty in Identity Theft Tax Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Defendants Gabriel Aquino-Camilo and Pedro J. Esteves-Rosa and defendant Samer Suboh-Kased plead guilty before United States District Judge Juan M. Pérez-Giménez to twenty counts, ten counts, and five counts, respectively, of theft of government property, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
From December 2011 through May 2012, Aquino-Camilo gave Esteves-Rosa twenty (20) U.S. treasury checks totaling $138,912.43 that were fraudulently obtained by filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) using stolen identities of residents of Puerto Rico. Esteves-Rosa successfully deposited the checks into two business bank accounts that he controlled. The treasury checks were endorsed with the victims’ signatures, but each victim denied filing the tax return and endorsing the check.
From September through October 2012, defendant Suboh-Kased also received treasury checks that were fraudulently obtained by filing fraudulent tax returns with the IRS. He deposited these checks into his business bank accounts, without the authorization of the individuals whose names were on the checks, and then Suboh-Kased withdrew the money in cash. Suboh-Kased received a percentage for each check he deposited and another individual kept the remaining amount.
The cases were investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon. Esteves-Rosa and Suboh-Kased are scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2016. Aquino-Camilo is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2016.
Tennessee Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay More Than $8 Million in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Spent $6.2 million on Personal Expenses from Business Accounts while Failing to Pay U.S. Treasury
A Germantown, Tennessee, resident and business owner was sentenced today to one year in prison and ordered to pay more than $10 million in restitution for failing to pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III of the Western District of Tennessee.
“Payment of employment taxes is not optional,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “Nor are such withholdings an interest-free source of money to be tapped to make payments on lavish personal expenses. The sentence that Mr. Thornton received today reflects not just the harm that his actions caused to the U.S. Treasury but also the financial risks he placed on his employees by deliberately not filing their W-2 forms with Social Security on a timely basis.”
According to court documents, Larry Thornton, 67, was the majority owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Software Earnings, Inc. (SEI), a Memphis company that produced and installed check processing. Thornton was also the 100 percent owner, CEO and president of First Touch Payment Solutions, LLC (First Touch), a Memphis company that provided merchant services for credit card processing. Thornton, as CEO and president of SEI and First Touch, had ultimate and final decision-making authority regarding SEI’s and First Touch’s business activities and had authority to exercise significant control over SEI’s financial affairs. Thornton admitted that he was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the IRS federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that were withheld from the wages of SEI and First Touch’s employees.
Beginning in the second quarter of 2007, Thornton caused SEI to stop paying over the taxes required to be withheld from SEI’s employees’ paychecks and caused SEI to stop timely filing Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, Forms 941, with the IRS. Beginning in the first quarter of 2010, Thornton caused First Touch to stop paying over the taxes required to be withheld from First Touch’s employees’ paychecks and caused First Touch to fail to timely file Forms 941 with the IRS. Between 2007 and 2011, Thornton collected more than $6.8 million in employment taxes from SEI and First Touch employees’ paychecks, but failed to pay those collected taxes over to the IRS. Thornton also failed to pay his companies’ matching share of FICA taxes during those years. During that time period, two of Thornton’s full-time accountants – both of whom were certified public accountants (CPAs) – warned Thornton about his failure to pay over employment taxes. Both CPAs resigned their positions due to Thornton’s unwillingness to comply with his employment tax obligations.
During the same years in which Thornton failed to comply with his employment tax obligations, Thornton spent more than $6.2 million from the business bank accounts on personal expenses, including house and condominium payments; vehicle, yacht and motorcycle loan payments; personal travel; and start-up funding for his wife’s beauty boutique. According to court documents, Thornton also failed to file personal and corporate income tax returns. As part of the guilty plea, Thornton admitted that his illegal conduct caused a tax loss of more than $8.9 million to the IRS.
“Larry Thornton’s efforts to conceal from IRS millions of dollars generated by his businesses afforded him a plush lifestyle for several years,” said U.S. Attorney Stanton. “But his illegal and illicit acts also have earned him a stint in federal prison and a multimillion-dollar restitution fee. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue and bring to justice anyone who violates the nation’s tax laws.”
“Employment tax evasion results in the loss of tax revenue to the U.S. government and the loss of future social security or Medicare benefits for the employees,” said Special Agent in Charge Tracey D. Montaño of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Failure to pay over withheld taxes is a serious offense. Corporate executives like Mr. Thornton have a responsibility to withhold income taxes for their employees and then remit those taxes to the IRS. IRS Criminal Investigation will vigorously pursue anyone who collects these taxes and uses the funds for their own personal gain.”
In addition to the prison term, Thornton was ordered to serve two years of supervised release. Thornton was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,822,728.99 to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Stanton commended special agents of IRS–CI, who investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon Griffin of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Robert J. Boudreau of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its employment tax enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Telephone Scammers Continue to Target Idaho Residents Callers Claiming to be a Deputy U.S. Marshal Falsely Threaten with Federal Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
BOISE – The United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service are advising Idaho residents to be aware of telephone calls threatening individuals of a pending arrest warrant for not responding to federal jury summonses. Calls have been reported in the Boise and Coeur d’Alene areas.
It was recently reported that Idaho residents have received phone calls from a person from the following number 208-391-5870 claiming to be a Deputy U.S. Marshal demanding that citizens post bond for failing to appear for a federal jury summons. This is not a valid phone number of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Because the telephone calls are continuing to occur, the United States Attorney wants the public to be aware of these scam calls. Officers do not notify people of arrest warrants by phone. A valid arrest warrant would be served in person by a Deputy U.S. Marshal or other law enforcement officer. Persons receiving such a telephone call are cautioned not to provide any information and to notify the U.S. Marshals Service immediately.
“I urge everyone who receives this type of phone call to be very skeptical, or better yet, simply hang up the phone,” said Brian T. Underwood, United States Marshal for the District of Idaho. “This is not a typical way that the U.S. Marshals resolve warrant related matters.”
It is a crime for an individual to falsely represent himself or herself as a federal official or Deputy United States Marshal. Accordingly, this scam and any similar fraudulent conduct will be investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, in partnership with the FBI.
Surgoinsville Resident Sentenced to Thirty Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Firearm and Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On Aug. 19, 2016, Gregory Harold Moore (Moore), 47, of Surgoinsville, Tenn., was sentenced by the Honorable R. Leon Jordan, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 360 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine, hydrocodone, oxycodone and oxymorphone, as well as conspiracy to threaten bodily injury to a person in retaliation for suspected cooperation with law enforcement and engaging in intimidating and threatening conduct with the intent to influence or prevent testimony in an official proceeding and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
According to his plea agreement on file with U.S. District Court, Moore admitted that between May 2015 and August 2015 he sold an approximate total of two ounces of methamphetamine, spread out over four separate occasions, to an individual working with law enforcement. In August 2015, Moore told this individual that he could provide him/her with three ounces of methamphetamine the next time they met (and currently had two ounces of methamphetamine). A federal search warrant was executed at Moore’s Surgoinsville residence during which law enforcement agents found approximately 48 firearms, over $24,000.00 in cash, approximately 190 hydrocodone pills and a silencer. Moore was arrested and taken to jail on the same day.
While incarcerated on these charges, Moore engaged in a significant number of telephone calls, which were recorded on the jail system. During these recorded phone calls, he directed others, including co-defendants, Pamela Moore, 47, of Surgoinsville, Tenn., David Allen Davis, 47, of Church Hill, Tenn., and Kathy Denice Jones, 50, also of Church Hill, Tenn., to collect pain pills and methamphetamine that were not located during the search of his residence in order to hide them from the police and be sold to raise profit and/or to collect other drug debts for Moore while he was in jail. Additionally, Moore told his wife, Pamela Moore to spread the word as to the identity of the person he believed was working with law enforcement and get another co-defendant Donnie Dwayne Wallen, 38, of Church Hill, Tenn., to cause bodily injury to that person for cooperating against Moore. In particular, Moore wanted Wallen to “beat his brains out,” and “beat the brakes off” the individual because he/she was a “narc” and a “snitch.”
During another recorded jail call between Moore and Jones, Moore estimated that there was over $30,000 worth of pills hidden at his residence. He told Jones that the police only found a little over $20,000 in cash during the search because he had invested the rest in drugs. Law enforcement agents returned to Moore’s residence and continued their search, locating 355 oxymorphone pills, 357 oxycodone pills and 7.4 ounces of methamphetamine which had been hidden by Moore. In a subsequent recorded meeting, Davis told Pamela Moore that the value of all of the drugs seized by the police was likely at least $50,000.
Davis, Jones and Wallen all met at Jones’ residence in Church Hill to discuss Moore’s directions. During the meeting, Jones stated that Wallen was “prepared to go ahead and beat the h*** out of the guy, you know leave him for dead” but just wanted to make sure it was the right person. Wallen stated that he was going to collect $1,000.00 for Moore from the source and that if he/she didn’t pay, he would break his/her legs. Wallen stated that he couldn’t “beat the h***” out of the individual and then expect him to pay the $1,000.00, unless he/she had it on them and he could just take it, “and most people don’t carry $1,000.00 on them unless they are Greg Moore.” Wallen and Jones were previously sentenced to 66 months and 41 months respectively for their roles in the relevant conspiracies. Both Pamela Moore and Davis have sentencing hearings scheduled in U.S. District Court within the next few months.
U.S. Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr stated, “The safety and security of witnesses involved in the criminal cases is paramount. There are few cases that this office takes more seriously than witness intimidation or retaliation as such crimes tear at the very fabric of the criminal justice system. We believe that this sentence on Gregory Harold Moore illustrates these intimidation type tactics simply cannot be tolerated in the criminal justice system.” U.S. Attorney Harr added, “These law enforcement agencies worked closely together to halt the destruction of lives in Hawkins County from illegal drug use and addiction directly attributable to violent drug dealers such as Moore.”
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation Morristown Rocky Top Task Force, Third District Judicial Drug Task Force, Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, and Appalachian High Intensity Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
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State Prison Inmate in Tax Fraud Ring Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Daniel Allen Coats, 34, of Turlock, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to one and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $8,938 in restitution for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false claims for federal tax refunds, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, beginning in 2011, Coats and three fellow inmates in the California Correctional Center in Susanville obtained the personal identification information of other inmates and provided it to co-defendants outside the prison. The co‑defendants then used that information to prepare and file false income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, claiming refunds to which the inmates were not entitled. Coats also filed three false tax returns in his own name.
In all, the conspiracy resulted in at least 247 false claims for income tax returns in the tax years 2008 through 2011. Although the IRS stopped some of these refunds, approximately 138 fraudulent refunds totaling approximately $219,984 were issued.
“Prison refund fraud schemes are a priority for Special Agents at IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Cindy S. Chen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s sentence of Daniel Coats is an example of our hard work in combating tax fraud and assuring to the public that those who commit tax fraud are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Investigative Services Unit at the California Correctional Center. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock prosecuted the case.
On July 8, 2015, co-defendant Edwin Ludwig IV was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the scheme. On July 29, 2016, Judy Ruth Mullin was sentenced to 21 months in prison for her participation. One other defendant has pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing later this month. The charges against the remaining three co-defendants are pending. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 97 Months' ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced that Alexander Newman, 26, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced on August 18, 2016, before Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, for manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of destructive devices (bombs).
Newman was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case, Newman was arrested on February 29, 2016 on outstanding warrants and was found to be in possession of materials used to manufacture methamphetamine. Newman was also in possession of three destructive devices in his home in South Bend, Indiana.
This case was prosecuted as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.
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Sex Offender Sentenced for Fraudulent StatementsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Robert Brooks Tipton, Jr., 38, formerly of Broken Bow, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 2 years in prison by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for making false statements or representations to an agency of the United States. After his release from prison, Tipton will serve 3 years of supervised release and still be required to register as a sex offender.
On February 18, 2014, Tipton and his girlfriend applied for public housing through the Broken Bow Housing Authority (BBHA) in Broken Bow, Nebraska. Tipton was listed as another adult household member living in the assisted housing unit. On page 5 of the BBHA application, the question “Have you or anyone in your household ever been convicted of any crime other than traffic violations?” was presented The question was answered by checking “No.” In fact, defendant had been convicted of felony Sexual Assault of a Child in Garfield County, Colorado, on or about August 9, 2001, a fact which excluded him from obtaining public housing at BBHA. Defendant signed the BBHA application on February 18, 2014 below the statement “I do swear and attest that all of the information above about me is true and correct.” The BHHA administers a subsidized housing complex in Broken Bow, Nebraska, for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an agency and department of the United States. HUD regulations forbid any sex offender convicted of a felony sex offense from living in public housing.
This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Marshals Service.
Serial Convenience Store Armed Robber Sentenced to 46 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell yesterday sentenced Joshua Anthony Rivera (29, Orlando) to 46 years in federal prison for interfering with interstate commerce by robbery, brandishing a short-barreled shotgun in the course of committing those robberies, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Rivera was found guilty by a jury on March 10, 2016.
According to evidence presented at trial, between June 7 and June 17, 2015, Rivera robbed three convenience stores and a grocery store using a short-barreled shotgun. During the trial, victims of those robberies testified about their terrifying experiences, including one father whose young daughter had been with him during the robbery. In addition, surveillance videos revealed that the robber had worn some of the same articles of clothing during multiple robberies, particularly the same pair of athletic shoes. Trial evidence also showed that Rivera had used the same short-barreled shotgun during each robbery, and also had used the same Ford Expedition during at least two of the robberies.
When law enforcement officers arrested Rivera at his hotel, shortly after the last robbery, they found articles of clothing, the short-barreled shotgun, the Ford Expedition, and several other items matching those used during the robberies.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Plant City Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shauna S. Hale and Taylor G. Stout.
Riverside Police Officer Honored for Law Enforcement, Volunteer WorkRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that K9 Officer Andrew Marr of the Riverside, Mo., Police Department has received the 2016 Enoch B. Morelock Award.
The Enoch B. Morelock Award is an annual recognition of outstanding moral character, service to law enforcement and service to the community. Marr was honored on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, during the 14th Annual LECC Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. The prestigious law enforcement award, presented annually by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, is named in honor of Sullivan County Sheriff Enoch B. Morelock, who was the first recorded line of duty death in the Western District of Missouri on Dec. 19, 1847.
Marr was recognized for his life-saving actions and display of compassion that occurred on May 23, 2016. Shortly after 10 p.m., Marr (newly appointed K9 officer) arrived to back up another officer who had stopped behind what appeared to be a stalled vehicle on the I-635 bridge over the Missouri River. They encountered a man standing between the vehicle and the concrete barrier wall. Marr arrived and, as the senior officer working with two younger officers, took control and began talking to the man in hopes of persuading him to get off the wall. Marr assured the man he would get help.
With radio chatter about getting rescue boats in the water, the man began to lean forward and push off the wall. Marr grabbed him and pulled him back over the wall. With the help of other officers, Marr was able to place the man in handcuffs for his safety.
Marr placed his arm around the man and began to ask him what was wrong. Marr continued to sit with the man and comfort him, patting him on the shoulder and talking with him until EMS arrived.
In addition to his police work, Marr is a volunteer firefighter with the West Platte Fire Department, responding to fire and emergency calls on his off time to help protect his community.
His compassion doesn't stop there; since 2011 Marr has been a member of the Missouri Law Enforcement Funeral Assistance Team. After the loss of good friend and co-worker, Officer Jeff Taylor, Marr decided he wanted to join the team and give back to other agencies and families who suffer through a line of duty death. Marr has been co-chair of the Funeral Team’s annual fundraiser motorcycle ride for the past three years, which is the main source of funding for the team’s activities.
Enoch B. Morelock Award
Sullivan County Sheriff Enoch B. Morelock was the first recorded line of duty death in the Western District of Missouri on Dec. 19, 1847, in Sullivan County. Sheriff Morelock was shot and killed during a court‑ordered sale of the accused=s property. The accused killer, Patrick McIntry, was charged with 1st Degree Murder but was later acquitted. Within a year Mr. McIntry was found shot to death on the banks of a local river.
The annual Enoch B. Morelock Award recognizes individuals with outstanding moral character, service to law enforcement and to the community outside of law enforcement. Recipients may include officers from local police departments, sheriffs= offices, state agencies, or federal agencies as well as investigators from prosecutors= offices.