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18 August 2016
Kooskia Man Pleads Guilty to Physically Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE - Eben Paul Slickpoo, 30, of Kooskia, Idaho, pleaded guilty Tuesday in United States District Court in Coeur d’Alene, to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Slickpoo waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty to an information filed by the U.S. Attorney on July 7, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, Slickpoo admitted that in 2015, he injured a child by pulling out a section of hair from her scalp as a form of punishment. Teachers and other adults noticed the child missing hair and reported it to law enforcement.
Assault resulting in substantial bodily injury is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release for up to three years. Sentencing is set is set for November 29, 2016, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Nez Perce Tribal Police.
Kewa Pueblo Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Camille Lovato, 19, a member and resident of Kewa Pueblo, entered a guilty plea yesterday in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Lovato was arrested on Jan. 13, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging her with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the criminal complaint, Lovato stabbed a Kewa Pueblo man in the chest with a knife on Jan. 9, 2016. The victim sustained a collapsed lung as a result of the assault, which took place at a residence in Kewa Pueblo.
On April 12, 2016, Lovato was indicted on assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury charges. During yesterday’s change of plea hearing, she entered a guilty plea to both offenses.
At sentencing, Lovato faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison. She will remain in federal custody pending her sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled.
The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper and Newton counties.
Vance W. Cooley, 60, of Joplin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 7, 2016, Cooley pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper and Newton counties from Oct. 24, 2014, to March 13, 2015.
Co-defendant David B. Garrett, 60, of Joplin, pleaded guilty on March 8, 2016, and co-defendant Sheldon John Oliver, 60, of Carl Junction, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2016, to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Cooley admitted that he supplied methamphetamine to Garrett and Oliver, who admitted they distributed methamphetamine to other persons in Jasper and Newton counties. Garrett was sentenced on Aug. 17, 2016 to 10 years in federal prison without parole; Oliver is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016.
The investigation began on Oct. 24, 2014, when a Jasper County sheriff’s deputy saw two flashlights in a wooded area behind Cooley’s residence on Rabbit Run Road in Joplin. The deputy saw two people loading items into the back of a Chevrolet S10 truck. Cooley, who was one of the men, then got into the truck and started driving. When the deputy conducted a traffic stop, he arrested Cooley for driving with a revoked license. The deputy found a baggie containing 8.6 grams of methamphetamine and $1,608 in Cooley’s possession. After searching Cooley’s vehicle, deputies found a Mossberg 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun, a Mauser 7.65-caliber rifle, an EIG .22-caliber rifle, an EIG .22-caliber revolver and various rounds of ammunition in the bed of the truck.
On Dec. 10, 2014, Jasper County Drug Task Force officers met with a confidential source who provided information regarding illegal narcotics being sold from Cooley’s residence. Officers conducted surveillance on the residence and saw Oliver and Garrett leave in a Chevrolet Lumina. Deputies conducted a traffic stop and found a marijuana joint and two hypodermic needles in the vehicle; Oliver and Garrett were placed under arrest. Deputies searched Oliver and found approximately nine grams of methamphetamine in his watch pocket. Deputies searched Garrett and found approximately 32 grams of methamphetamine in his shirt pocket.
Task force officers executed a search warrant at Cooley’s residence on Dec. 10, 2014. Officers found 575 grams of methamphetamine, individually packaged in Ziploc baggies, inside a Chevrolet pick-up truck that was parked in a detached garage. They also found another Ziploc baggie containing approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine inside a leather-bound box in the truck. Approximately 633 grams of methamphetamine in total was found inside the truck.
On Jan. 13, 2015, members of the Jasper County Drug Task Force and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department executed a search warrant at Oliver’s residence. Oliver and his wife were detained in an RV located on the rear of the property. Officers found a black case on the floor of the RV that contained a bag with 2.8 grams of methamphetamine, several baggies (commonly used for distribution) and a spoon. Also discovered in the RV were two scales and syringes.
On Jan. 22, 2015, members of the Jasper County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on a hotel room in Joplin occupied by Garrett. Garrett, who was inside the hotel room with an unidentified female, had approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine, approximately two grams of cocaine, and approximately 10 grams of marijuana on the nightstand.
Later that night, task force officers executed a search warrant at Garrett’s residence. They found a Thompson .50-caliber muzzle loader, a loaded Davis Industries .38-caliber pistol, a loaded Bridge 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun, a Stevens .410 sawed-off shotgun and various rounds of ammunition. Garrett admitted that he possessed the firearms and ammunition in connection with his involvement in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Cooley was arrested by Joplin police officers on March 13, 2015. At the time of his arrest, Cooley was in possession of approximately 3.6 grams of methamphetamine, two 10mg pills of Diazepam and three Acetaminophen and Oxycodone hydrochloride pills. A police detective searched Cooley’s vehicle and found a clear plastic baggie containing approximately 7.2 grams of methamphetamine underneath the driver’s seat. The police detective also found a loaded Taurus .38-caliber revolver and a loaded Thompson Auto Ordinance .45-caliber handgun inside a green bag in the trunk.
Approximately 650 grams of methamphetamine, in total, was seized from Cooley during the investigation of this case.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Larison. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County Drug Task Force (now the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team), the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Jackson Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than 6,000 Prescription PillsRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal jury has found a Jackson man guilty of unlawfully possessing with intent to distribute more than 6,000 prescription pills. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, George Ward, 49, of Jackson, Tennessee, unlawfully possessed with intent to distribute large quantities of Morphine, Amphetamine, Zolpidem(Ambien), Hydrocodone, Methadone, Alprazolam(Xanax), and Hydromorphone.
In February 2013, the Jackson Police Department (JPD) Gang Enforcement Team and the Jackson-Madison County Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at a house as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation involving the defendant. Ward was present at the location during the search warrant’s execution. Law enforcement agents determined that he was staying in the house’s guest bedroom. While searching the room, law enforcement discovered approximately 6,600 pills contained in several different bags. The seized pills included: 2,317 Morphine pills; 2,247 Amphetamine pills; 684 Zolpidem pills; 482 Hydrocodone pills; 456 Methadone pills; 260 Alprazolam pills; and 89 Hydromorphone pills.
The pills were packaged in numerous Ziploc bags, indicative of pills that are being distributed. There were also numerous pills in wholesale pharmacy bottles that individuals are prohibited from possessing, indicative of pills for resale. Drug ledgers were also seized in Ward’s room, which referenced certain strengths of the narcotics, pills with certain markings, as well as the number of pills and prices.
At the time of the search, Ward was on parole for a state conviction of possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
On Wednesday, August 17, a federal jury convicted Ward of seven counts of unlawful possession with intent to distribute prescription pills — individual counts for Morphine, Amphetamine, Zolpidem, Hydrocodone, Methadone, Alprazolam and Hydromorphone.
Five of the counts carry individual penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $2 million. Two of the counts carry individual penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
This case is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration; the JPD Gang Enforcement Team; and the Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Boswell is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
Jackson County Man Sentenced for Illegally Purchasing Native American Human RemainsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Mark M. Beatty, 57, of Wellston, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for violating the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act by purchasing human remains of Native Americans. The case is the first criminal enforcement of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act in the Southern District of Ohio.
Benjamin C. Glassman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division, Jackson County Sheriff Tedd E. Frazier and Rick Perkins, Chief Ranger, National Park Service at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Beatty was sentenced today to serve three years of probation including three months of home confinement, pay a $3,500 fine and pay $1,000 in restitution to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, to be used for re-burial of the Native American remains. The remains will be transferred to the federally recognized tribes who have assisted with this case, and re-buried in Ohio at an undisclosed location and in private once all the court proceedings are completed.
Beatty also agreed to publish an advertisement in a circulation warning others not to engage in illegal excavation of Native American bones and artifacts. He was also sentenced to perform 100 hours of community service for a program that protects or promotes the interests of Native Americans.
According to court documents, a witness saw people digging in a rock shelter on property on Sour Run Road in Jackson County, Ohio in November 2012 and chased them off. They left behind shovels, dirt sifters, buckets and trash. Sheriff Frazier’s investigators confirmed that three Wellston men – David E. Skeens, 40, Brian K. Skeens, 49, and Toby Lee Thacker, 56 – had been digging on the property and had unburied human remains and artifacts§ . Beatty pleaded guilty in August 2015 to illegally buying those remains.
An anthropologist confirmed that the human remains were consistent with Native Americans, specifically identifiable by cradle boarding, a cultural activity used only by Native American Indians in North America. The identity of the remains was also confirmed by an archeologist, who verified that rock shelters were used extensively for burials in Southern Ohio and specifically in Jackson County. DNA testing confirmed a direct connection between tribes living thousands of years ago to present day Native Americans.
David Skeens was sentenced on July 21, 2016 to 30 days’ incarceration followed by a year of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to one count of illegal trafficking of Native American remains. Brian Skeens and Thacker have pleaded guilty to the same charge but have not yet been sentenced.
Acting U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of the Interior, and the participation from an archeologist from Wayne National Forest and researchers from Ohio University, The Ohio State University, Washington State University and the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys J. Michael Marous and Brian Martinez, who are representing the United States in this case.
Houston Man Sent to Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Animal Crush VideosRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Houston man convicted of creating and distributing videos depicting the torture and killing of puppies, chickens and kittens has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Brent Justice, 55, was found guilty on three counts of producing and one count of distributing what is referred to as “animal crush videos” following a one-day bench trial May 23, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake, who presided over the trial, handed Justice a 57-month sentence. Justice also be required to serve a term of three years of supervised release following completion of the prison term.
Co-defendant Ashley Nicole Richards, 25, originally from Waco, but residing in Houston, was also convicted after opleading guilty in September 2015.
People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) defines the “crush” fetish as a cruel and illegal genre of pornography in which women are videotaped or photographed mutilating small animals for the sexual gratification of viewers. In crush fetish materials, women are depicted, usually barefoot or in high heels, stepping on (or crushing), torturing and killing different species of animals, ranging from crawfish, crabs and insects to rodents, rabbits, kittens, puppies, cats, dogs and other mammals.
Under federal law, it is illegal to depict - via photograph, motion-picture film, video, digital recording or electronic image - actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury, and is obscene.
These were believed to be the first individuals indicted on these offenses since the statute was amended in 2010.
Richards and Justice created and distributed videos that involve puppies, chickens and kittens being tortured and killed. The videos are titled “puppy1,” “puppy 2,” “whitechick1,” “whitechick2,” “whitechick3,” “blackluvsample,” “adammeetseve” and “adammeetseve2” and were created at varying times between February 2010 and August 2012. In the “puppy2” video, which is more than 13 minutes in length, Richards is seen torturing and killing a blue Pit Bull-mix puppy in a kitchen. The defenseless dog’s mouth is closed with duct tape and he struggles as Richards strikes the dog numerous times with a meat cleaver. In the video, Richards chops off one of the puppy’s paws, then hacks at his head and neck. Richards is later seen severing the dog’s head and urinating on its body. In another video, described in court, Richards steps on a cat’s eye with heel of her shoe.Previous court records also indicated that during the videos, Richards is often scantily clad and wearing a Mardi Gras-type mask. As she tortured the animals, she engaged in sexually charged dialogue meant to arouse the viewer.
The government contended that Justice was the cameraman in all of the videos in all the videos he was charged with producing. Richards testified during the bench trial that Justice introduced her to “crush” and that he was the person behind the marketing and distribution of the videos.
Authorities were alerted to the videos following an inquiry from PETA.
Richards was originally arrested on state charges on Aug. 15, 2012. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Nov. 28, 2012, and she was transferred to federal custody. However, the crush video charges were later dismissed on what the court cited as constitutionality issues. The government appealed that decision to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans which subsequently overturned the decision of the District Court. The defense then filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the 5th Circuit’s ruling. The U.S. Supreme Court denied that petition and remanded the case back to the District Court for prosecution.
Justice was also found guilty after a bench trial in state court stemming from similar conduct in February 2016 and sentenced to 50 years. Richards also pleaded guilty to three charges in state court stemming from the same conduct and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.The Houston Police Department originally investigated the matter and worked in conjunction with the Houston Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case, while trial attorney John Pellettieri of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division handled the appeal.
Harley-Davidson to Stop Sales of Illegal Devices That Increased Air Pollution from the Company’s MotorcyclesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Harley-Davidson Inc., Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group LLC, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company Inc. and Harley-Davidson Motor Company Operations Inc. (collectively Harley-Davidson), that requires the companies to stop selling and to buy back and destroy illegal devices that increase air pollution from their motorcycles and to sell only models of these devices that are certified to meet Clean Air Act emissions standards. Harley-Davidson will also pay a $12 million civil penalty and spend $3 million to mitigate air pollution through a project to replace conventional woodstoves with cleaner-burning stoves in local communities.
The government’s complaint, filed today along with the settlement, alleges that Harley-Davidson manufactured and sold approximately 340,000 illegal devices, known as “super tuners,” that, once installed, caused motorcycles to emit higher amounts of certain air pollutants than what the company certified to EPA. Aftermarket defeat devices like these super tuners alter a motor vehicle’s emissions controls and are prohibited under the Clean Air Act for use on vehicles that have been certified to meet EPA emissions standards. Harley-Davidson also made and sold more than 12,000 motorcycles that were not covered by an EPA certification that ensures a vehicle meets federal clean air standards.
“Given Harley-Davidson’s prominence in the industry, this is a very significant step toward our goal of stopping the sale of illegal aftermarket defeat devices that cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communities,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden, head of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Anyone else who manufactures, sells, or installs these types of illegal products should take heed of Harley-Davidson’s corrective actions and immediately stop violating the law.”
“This settlement immediately stops the sale of illegal aftermarket defeat devices used on public roads that threaten the air we breathe,” said Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Harley-Davidson is taking important steps to buy back the ‘super tuners’ from their dealers and destroy them, while funding projects to mitigate the pollution they caused.”
Since January 2008, Harley-Davidson has manufactured and sold two types of tuners, which when hooked up to Harley-Davidson motorcycles, allow users to modify certain aspects of a motorcycles’ emissions control system. These modified settings increase power and performance, but also increase the motorcycles’ emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These tuners have been sold at Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country.
The Clean Air Act requires motor vehicle manufacturers to certify to EPA that their vehicles will meet applicable federal emissions standards to control air pollution and every motor vehicle sold in the U.S. must be covered by an EPA-issued certificate of conformity. The Clean Air Act prohibits manufacturers from making and selling devices that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative a motor vehicle’s EPA-certified emissions control system. The act also prohibits any person from removing or rendering inoperative a motor vehicle’s certified emissions control system and from causing such tampering. The complaint alleges violations of both these provisions.
Under the settlement, Harley-Davidson will stop selling the illegal aftermarket defeat devices in the United States by August 23. Harley-Davidson will also offer to buy back all such tuners in stock at Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country and destroy them. The settlement requires the company to obtain a certification from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for any tuners it sells in the United States in the future. The CARB certification will demonstrate that the CARB-certified tuners do not cause Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles to exceed the EPA-certified emissions limits. Harley-Davidson will also conduct tests on motorcycles that have been tuned with the CARB-certified tuners and provide the results to EPA to ensure that its motorcycles remain in compliance with EPA emissions requirements. In addition, for any super tuners that Harley-Davidson sells outside the United States in the future, it must label them as not for use in the United States.
The complaint also alleges that Harley-Davidson made and sold more than 12,000 motorcycles from model years 2006, 2007 and 2008 that were not covered by an EPA certificate of conformity. A certificate of conformity covers only the motorcycle models that were included in the certification application and that are listed on the certificate. These 12,000 motorcycles were models that were not included in Harley-Davidson’s applications and that were not listed as covered by the relevant certificate. Under the consent decree, Harley-Davidson will ensure that all of its future motorcycle models intended for sale in the United States are fully certified by EPA.
Hydrocarbon and NOx emissions contribute to harmful ground-level ozone and NOx also contributes to fine particulate matter pollution. Exposure to these pollutants has been linked with a range of serious health effects, including increased asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses. Exposure to ozone and particulate matter has also been associated with premature death due to respiratory-related or cardiovascular-related effects. Children, the elderly and people with pre-existing respiratory disease are particularly at risk of health effects from exposure to these pollutants. The woodstove project, which Harley-Davidson will undertake in conjunction with an independent third party, will eliminate excess air pollution caused by using the illegal tuners by providing cleaner-burning stoves to designated local communities, thereby assuring better air quality in the future.
EPA discovered the violations through a routine inspection and information Harley-Davidson submitted after subsequent agency information requests.
The settlement, a proposed consent decree lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is subject to a 30-day public comment period before it can be entered by the court as final judgment. To view the consent decree or to submit a comment, visit the department’s website: www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.
More information about today’s settlement: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/harley-davidson-clean-air-act-settlement.
Grand Jury Indicts Felon who Shot and Wounded Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
A grand jury in Seattle today indicted RANDY LEE HALL, 31, on four new charges for shooting at law enforcement officers who were trying to arrest him in Auburn, Washington on June 28, 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The superseding indictment charges HALL with assault of a person assisting federal officers, assault on a federal officer, using a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm. HALL will be arraigned on the superseding indictment September 1, 2016.
According to records in the case, in the spring of 2016, HALL was linked to multiple firearms and incidents where gunshots were fired. On June 28, 2016 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) were joined by officers from the Seattle Police Department and the Washington State Department of Corrections in order to arrest HALL on an outstanding warrant. Law enforcement officers located a vehicle Hall had rented, and were waiting outside the Auburn apartment where the car was parked. When HALL came out, the officers – dressed in clothing identifying their respective agencies -- verbally identified themselves as law enforcement officers and attempted to arrest HALL. HALL brandished a pistol and fired at several officers: two ATF agents and two Department of Corrections (DOC) officers. One DOC officer was hit but has since recovered. HALL was also shot and was treated at Harborview Medical Center. HALL made his first appearance on federal charges in U.S. District Court on July 5, 2016.
The charges in the superseding indictment carry maximum penalties of twenty years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory ten year prison term to run consecutive to any prison term on the other charges.
HALL’s prior felony convictions prohibit him from possessing firearms.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Fresno Man Previously Convicted of Tax Fraud Indicted for Failing to Surrender to Serve His SentenceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Leroy Donovan Combs, 75, of Fresno, charging him with failure to surrender for service of sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Combs participated in a tax refund scheme claiming more than $33 million in false tax refunds. Following a three-week trial, Combs was convicted of one count of filing a false claim against the United States.
On March 7, 2016, Combs was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. He was required to self‑surrender to begin serving that sentence on August 11, 2016, but failed to do so. On August 15, 2016, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Combs.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Combs faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison to be served consecutive to the original sentence and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Ziggies Owner Sentenced for $1.3 Million Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that the former owner of Ziggies restaurants in Springfield and elsewhere has been sentenced in federal court for failing to pay more than $1.3 million in federal payroll taxes.
Agim Zendeli, 43, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Zendeli to pay $1,330,708 in restitution to the IRS.
On Jan. 20, 2016, Zendeli pleaded guilty to failing to pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes he collected from his employees.
Zendeli operated a chain of restaurants under the name “Ziggies” in Springfield, Republic, Willard, Marshfield, Nevada, West Plains, Rolla, Carthage and Poplar Bluff in Missouri, and in Fort Scott and Pittsburg in Kansas, from 1998 to 2014.
From March 2004 through December 2014, Zendeli opened and closed 18 companies he formed to operate as Ziggies. For each such company, Zendeli withheld federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare taxes from his employees’ pay, and the employees believed those amounts had been paid over the IRS on their behalf. However, Zendeli admitted today, he did not pay those amounts over to the IRS as he was required to do.
From 2004 through 2014, Zendeli diverted substantial amounts of money from the restaurant LLCs he owned and operated. During this period, Zendeli lived a lavish lifestyle, and spent substantial sums on vacations, gambling trips, entertainment and luxury vehicles, including three BMWs, two Cadillac Escalades, two Infiniti QX56s, a 2009 Mercedes, a 2008 Acura and a 2004 Land Rover.
In order to avoid IRS collection of past due employment taxes, Zendeli repeatedly formed new entities to continue restaurant operations. Once each company accumulated a large tax debt to the IRS, Zendeli ceased operating under that company’s name and opened a new entity, often in the name of a family member, partner, or employee. Zendeli, however, maintained custody and control of the businesses.
The total tax loss resulting from the scheme for all entities controlled by Zendeli totals $1,330,708, which includes $741,099 in payroll taxes he deducted from his employees’ pay, plus the required employer’s contributions to Social Security, Medicare and unemployment taxes.
In addition, Zendeli attempted to avoid payment of approximately $654,260 in past due federal and state employment taxes by filing bankruptcy on March 26, 2010. Prior to the bankruptcy, Zendeli divorced his wife and transferred the trademarked name “Ziggies®” to his father, for a token payment. (Funds from the 2011 sale of trade name “Ziggies®” were remitted through Zendeli’s bankruptcy proceedings, after the trustee determined a fraudulent transfer of assets had occurred.)
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Former U.S. Army Reservist Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Christopher Mailloux, 25, of Reading, PA, was sentenced today to 15 years’ imprisonment, following his guilty plea to two counts of production of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The Honorable Lawrence F. Stengel also sentenced the defendant to 15 years’ supervised release, restitution in the amount of $5062, and a $400 special assessment.
According to court papers, Mailloux, who served in the U.S. Army Reserves in Afghanistan, was apprehended in the course of an investigation of his roommate, Danny Ray Evans, Jr., for the online harassment of minors. Mailloux’s computer contained thousands of images of child pornography depicting infants and toddlers, and he manufactured images of an infant and toddler who were being babysat in his residence by a female housemate.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Berks County Detectives, with assistance from the Berks County District Attorney's Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Morgan.
Former Treasurer of Labor Union Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Union Dues and Filing False Report with Department of LaborRead the Press Release
Jeffrey Magelitz, 44, of Chester, Illinois, entered pleas of guilty to a two-count Indictment that charged embezzlement and theft from a labor union and for filing a false report with the Department of Labor, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. Magelitz was the former treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 415 in Vienna, Illinois from January of 2012 through June of 2013. AFSCME Local 415 represents employees at the Vienna Correction Center, located in Vienna, IL Magelitz embezzled approximately $30,000 and prepared and cashed unauthorized checks for himself and forged the signatures of the president and vice-president of the union on the checks. Magelitz also submitted a false annual report for the union which contained the forged signature of the president and falsely reported the amount of money that he received during the year. Magelitz faces a prison sentence of up to 6 years, a fine of up to $350,000, and up to 3 years’ supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 7, 2016.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards, with the assistance of the labor union. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Former Pharmacy Technician Indicted for Attempting to Entice A Minor Online and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces today the return of a superseding indictment charging Matthew Bryan Caniff (33, Gainesville) with attempted online enticement of a minor, advertising for child pornography, and attempted production of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on the attempted enticement charge. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in prison for each of the enticement, advertising, and attempted production charges.
According to court documents, between March 31 and April 1, 2016, Caniff engaged in a series of online text conversations with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old child. This "child" was actually an undercover FBI agent. During the course of these conversations, Caniff discussed in graphic detail his desire to have sex with the “child” at “her” home. He also sent several explicit photos of himself to the “child,” and told “her” that he would bring prescription drugs with him to share with “her.” During the early morning hours on April 1, 2016, Caniff drove from Gainesville to a home in St. Johns County to meet the “child” for sex. He was arrested by deputes from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and several prescription pills were found in his possession.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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.
Former Nevada Liquor Store Owner Convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Assisting in Filing False Corporate Returns and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Skimmed Cash and Gave Preparer False Set of Books to Evade Reporting Nearly $4 Million in Sales
A federal jury sitting in the District of Nevada found the former co-owner of three Las Vegas, Nevada, liquor stores guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States, assisting in filing false corporate tax returns and tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.
According to the evidence at trial, Jeffrey Nowak and his co-defendant, Ramzi Suliman, jointly owned and operated liquor stores in Las Vegas. At their first liquor store, Super Liquor Store South Strip, Nowak and Suliman conspired to skim cash receipts and maintain a double set of books in order to underreport income to their accountant and tax return preparer. One set of books was an accurate accounting of sales, while a second set of books fraudulently omitted nearly $4 million in cash receipts skimmed from the business. Nowak and Suliman provided the fraudulent books to their accountant-return preparer, causing the return preparer to create false corporate tax returns that underreported gross receipts and taxable income. Nowak and Suliman also had their individual income tax returns prepared to falsely underreport their income and tax owed. For tax years 2006 to 2009, Nowak reported a total income tax owed of only $313, when in fact Nowak owed more than $400,000. The total tax loss from the conspiracy is nearly $1 million.
“Cash sales are not an opportunity for business owners to shortchange the government or produce multiple sets of books,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “Owners are subject to the same legal obligations that their W-2 employees comply with every pay period – they must accurately report their income to the IRS and pay their fair share of taxes. As Mr. Nowak learned today, if they refuse to do so, the Department of Justice and the IRS will work to see that they are identified and held accountable.”
“When business owners willfully skim cash and cause their true income to be underreported to the IRS, they are stealing from the U.S. Treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The IRS and our office take these cases seriously, and we will continue to seek judgments, injunctions, and criminal convictions that often carry substantial prison sentences, restitution and financial penalties.”
“The license to run a business is not a license to avoid paying taxes,” said Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan for the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). “Mr. Nowak’s misconduct, skimming nearly $4 million from his business and filing false tax returns, cheated all Americans, since we all pay our fair share for the government services and protections that we enjoy.”
A sentencing date has been scheduled for Nov. 17. Nowak faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States, five years on each charge of tax evasion and three years on each charge of assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns. He also faces supervised release and substantial monetary penalties. Suliman pleaded guilty in July 2014 to conspiring to defraud the United States and is awaiting sentencing.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Bogden commended special agents of IRS-CI, who investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn C. Newman for the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Former Gary Firefighter’s Association Secretary-Treasurer SentencedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David A. Capp, announced that John T. Springer 54, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced in Hammond Federal Court before Senior Judge James Moody for three counts of wire fraud.
Springer was sentenced to 3 years’ probation to include 3 months of home detention and he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,315.99 to the victim.
According to court filings, Springer was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Gary Professional Firefighters Association and an authorized signatory on general, holding and retiree bank accounts. Per the union’s by-laws, expenditures of funds were for sanctioned bills and no member or officers were to derive personal profit from goods or services unless approved by the membership on a (2/3) vote during any regular or special meeting. At no time was Springer authorized by vote of the union or any official to spend union funds for any personal expense or to fund any personal loan. Nonetheless, from January 10, 2008 to September 25, 2012, Springer utilized $30,315.99 in union funds to pay for various items of a purely personal nature, including automotive-related loans and repairs, his home mortgage, attorney’s fees, and school tuition for his children.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jill R. Koster.
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Five indicted for selling heroin or fentanyl that caused Lorain County overdosesRead the Press Release
Five Lorain County men were indicted in federal court for selling heroin and/or fentanyl that resulted in overdoses.
Three of the overdoses were fatal while the users were revived in the other two cases. All five indictments carry sentencing enhancements for selling drugs that resulted in death or serious bodily injury.
Those indicted are: Delante Lunn, 36, of Elyria; Russell Davis, 47, of Lorain; Cecil Shelton, 22, of Elyria; Jesus D. Cruz, 35, of Elyria, and Leon Hale, 35, of Elyria.
The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely, Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will and Lorain Police Capt. Roger Watkins.
Lunn is charged in a five-count indictment with distributing heroin and fentanyl, including on Feb. 18, when he sold a heroin and fentanyl mixture in Elyria that resulted in a fatal overdose, according to the indictment.
Davis is charged in a two-count indictment with distributing fentanyl and cocaine. Davis sold fentanyl in Lorain on March 7 that resulted in a fatal overdose, according to the indictment.
Shelton is charged in a four-count indictment with distributing heroin, including selling heroin on March 18 in Elyria that resulted in a fatal overdose, according to the indictment.
Cruz is charged in a six-count indictment with distributing fentanyl and heroin, as well as being a felon in possession of firearm. Cruz sold drugs several times in March, including on March 2 in Elyria, which resulted in a fentanyl overdose. He also illegally possessed a .357 revolver despite a prior conviction for heroin trafficking, according to the indictment.
Hale is charged in a four-count indictment with distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Hale sold heroin and fentanyl on Feb. 21 in Elyria that resulted in an overdose, according to the indictment.
In an unrelated case, Ryan Sumlin, 27, of Akron, was charged in a superseding indictment with selling a mix of heroin and fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose in Akron on March 28, 2015. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has now indicted 16 cases with enhanced sentencing provisions for selling heroin or fentanyl that caused death or serious injury.
“Aggressively targeting dealers who sell heroin and fentanyl that kills people is one of several tools required to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic,” Rendon said. “We need to continue to work to make treatment more available to those who want help, work with our medical community to decrease the availability of opioids, and talk to our children about how dangerous these drugs can be.”
“It is almost a daily occurrence to hear of a death due to heroin or fentanyl,” Anthony said. “Law enforcement will continue to work collaboratively to hold accountable those that bring this poison and destruction to our communities.”
“The entire country is dealing with a surge of overdose deaths as a result of the heroin epidemic,” Whitely said. “Lorain County Ohio is no exception. Lorain County law enforcement agencies have been attacking this epidemic for several years. Selling drugs that result in the someone's death needs to be pursued as a murder. It is no different than killing someone with a gun. Our relationship with the U.S. Attorney's Office has proved to be a winning partnership. By working together, we are able to put these murderers in prison for a long time.”
“The City of Lorain is well aware of the urgent need to combat the heroin and fentanyl crises which plagues our city, and communities throughout this area,” Watkins said. “Today’s indictments are a step in the right direction. We will continue our proactive efforts, while working together with our local, state, and federal partners, to combat this epidemic.”
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Vasile Katsaros following investigations by the FBI, Elyria Police Department and Lorain Police Department. The Sumlin case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Akron Police Department.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Final Two Defendants in Tax King Case Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, has announced that Edric A. Russell, 35, and Pierre J. Carter, 34, both of East St. Louis, IL, pled guilty yesterday to filing false tax returns. Both Russell and Carter worked at the East St. Louis location of a tax return preparation business known as "Tax King."
Tax King was owned and operated by co-defendant Eyob Tilahun. In addition to the East St. Louis location, Tilahun operated several Tax Kings in St. Louis, Missouri. On May 20, 2016, Tilahun pled guilty to conspiring to submit false claims for tax refunds. Tilahun admitted that Tax King’s return preparers were trained and instructed to increase their customers’ refunds by falsifying certain information on their tax returns. The false information that was placed on the returns included: (1) false Business Income and Schedules Cs which caused the clients to qualify for larger Earned Income Credits ("EICs"); (2) false wages, which again caused the clients to qualify for larger EICs; (3) false education expenses which enabled the clients to qualify for American opportunity education credits; and (4) false information regarding fuel taxes which qualified the clients for federal fuel tax credits.
Tilahun admitted that he profited from the scheme by charging Tax King’s clients fees which ranged from approximately $400 to $650. The indictment in the case alleges that the return preparers also profited by requesting cash "tips" from the clients that ranged from approximately $100 to $1,000.
In their guilty pleas, Russell and Carter both admitted that they prepared false tax returns while working at Tax King. Both admitted that they placed false Schedule C income on their clients’ returns in order to qualify them for higher refunds. Russell also admitted that he placed false education expenses on his client’s return, which also fraudulently increased her refund amount. Both admitted that they requested tips from their customers for preparing the false returns. The charge of preparing a false income tax return carries a maximum sentence of 3 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and restitution.
In addition to Russell, Carter, and Tilahun, four other defendants in the case have previously pled guilty. Those defendants are: Mason B. Richmond, 31, of St. Louis, MO; Lakesha R. Wilson, 28, of East St. Louis, IL; Tanesa L. Beverly, 32, of East St. Louis, IL, and Melissa L. Wiley, 34, of Granite City. Wilson, Beverly, and Wiley all worked as return preparers at the East St. Louis Tax King. Richmond worked as a return preparer at a Tax King on North Grand in St. Louis.
Tilahun, Beverly, and Wiley are scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2016. Sentencing for Wilson and Richmond will be October 7, 2016. Russell and Carter will be sentenced on January 27, 2017.
The investigation is being conducted by agents from both the Fairview Heights, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri Offices of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has also prosecuted several return preparers who worked at Tax King locations in St. Louis, MO.
Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing Guns and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The four-count indictment, returned on Aug. 17, named Erick Lamont Griffin, Jr. a/k/a Ericc Bucc, age 22, of Penn Hills, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, Griffin, Jr. possessed four firearms and ammunition at various times between March and July of 2016, after having previously been convicted in state court of possession with intent to deliver heroin.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and the forfeiture of the firearms and ammunition. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal and State Authorities Arrest Seven in Madisonville for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Today, federal, state and local authorities arrested seven Madisonville, TX, residents charged in connection with a methamphetamine trafficking operation announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw.
Those arrested today include: 26-year-old Ezequiel Guevara (aka “Ziek”); 23-year-old Pedro Martinez-Castandeda (aka “Dro,” “Pedro”); 27-year-old Manuel Martinez (aka “Meme”); 19-year-old Victor Doubrovski; 28-year-old Steven Jerrell Manning (aka “Rell”); 23-year-old Dedrick Dondre Whaley (aka “Lowkey”); and 23–year-old Jeremy Shaffer (aka “Jergo”).
A federal grand jury indictment returned in Waco and unsealed this afternoon charges the defendants with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine since April 2015. During this year-long investigation, authorities took possession of approximately 1.5 kilograms of “crystal” methamphetamine through undercover purchases from the defendants.
Upon conviction, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.
All of the defendants remain in federal custody at this time. Detention hearings are expected to occur next week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske in Waco.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Texas Department of Public Safety -- Criminal Investigation Division together with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Houston Division, and Madison County District Attorney Brian Risinger. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service, and the Brazos County Sheriff’s office assisted with today’s arrests. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Kucera is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
FCI-Greenville Inmate Pleads Gulity to Possession of Contraband by A Federal InmateRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 17, 2016, Antonio M. Green, 26, pled guilty to an indictment charging him with Possession of Contraband by a Federal Inmate, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(a)(2). At the time the offense was committed, Green was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Greenville, Illinois. Johnson faces a term of imprisonment of not more than five years, a fine up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three (3) years. Green’s sentence must be served consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving. Green’s sentencing has been scheduled for December 2, 2016, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Green has been held without bond since his arraignment on July 11, 2016.
The charge arose when, on April 4, 2016, a correctional officer performed a random shakedown of Green’s cell and found a 7 inch, ice pick-style weapon with a handle in his locker. Green admitted the weapon was his, stating that he had it for his own protection.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigation Section. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
East Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Distributing Heroin and Illegally Possessing WeaponsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug and firearm laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The four-count indictment, returned on Aug. 17, named Douglas Tyrone Williams, age 36, of East Pittsburgh, PA.
According to the indictment, on or about July 20, 2016, Williams possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. The indictment further alleges that during July, 2016, Williams conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
According to the indictment, Williams also possessed a 9 mm caliber semi-automatic Ruger pistol bearing serial number 321-57348; a 9 mm caliber semi-automatic Beretta pistol with an obliterated serial number; a 45 caliber semi-automatic Para-Ordnance pistol bearing serial number P132015; a 22 caliber American Tactical Imports assault-style rifle bearing serial number A526980; and a 22 caliber CBC assault-style rifle bearing serial number ELB3341813 in furtherance of those drug offenses, after having been convicted of crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Those cases include one conviction for Aggravated Assault, one conviction for Illegally Carrying a Firearm Without a License, and one conviction for Murder.
The law provides for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,500,000.00, and the forfeiture of the firearms. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Duval County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison on Counterfeit Currency and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Deryck Dean Barcous (27, Jacksonville) to 46 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. In a companion case, Judge Davis sentenced Barcous to 14 months’ imprisonment for violating his federal supervised release. At the time Barcous committed these new criminal offenses, he was on federal supervised release for passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2015, Barcous sold $3,640 in counterfeit currency to a confidential source (CS) working on behalf of law enforcement. During that transaction, Barcous displayed a firearm and offered to sell it to the CS. In a follow-up meeting two days later, Barcous sold the CS $5,600 in counterfeit currency and a loaded firearm and ammunition. He was subsequently arrested. Further investigation revealed that Barcous had four prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service -Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Shooting at Anacostia Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Demetri Goldsmith, 18, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from the shooting of a teenage girl last spring near the Anacostia Metro station, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Goldsmith pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of assault with significant bodily injury and unlawful possession of a firearm. The assault charge carries a statutory maximum of three years in prison and the firearms charge carries up to 10 years. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2016. Goldsmith has been in custody since his arrest three days after the shooting.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, May 29, 2016, during Memorial Day weekend, Goldsmith was at the Anacostia Metro station in the 1100 block of Howard Rod SE. At approximately 7:30 p.m., he was talking to the 16-year-old victim near the station’s entrance. He pulled a firearm from his jacket and fired in the direction of the girl, shooting her in the left leg. This action was intentional and not by mistake or accident. Goldsmith put the firearm back in his jacket and biked away. The victim was taken to a hospital.
At the time of this shooting, Goldsmith was on probation for an earlier conviction involving a robbery that took place in April 2015 in Northeast Washington. He was charged as an adult in that case and pled guilty in May 2015 to robbery. He was sentenced in September 2015 to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. However, that time was suspended on the condition that he successfully complete 18 months of supervised probation. He now faces the revocation of his probation in that case.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Chief Pavlik, and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany A. Keil, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Delhi doctor pleads guilty to writing illegal prescriptionsRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Delhi medical doctor pleaded guilty Tuesday to writing illegal prescriptions.
Dan J. LaFleur, 64, of Delhi, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes to one count of distribution of Suboxone, a Schedule III medication used to treat opiate addiction. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Dr. LaFleur issued illegal prescriptions from 2012 through February 2013 from his residence in Delhi, from the Northeast Louisiana Health Center in Rayville, and from his suboxone clinic in Rayville, La. On February 6, 2013, law enforcement executed seven search warrants at the locations and several pharmacies in Rayville and Delhi. Illegal prescriptions, patient records, bags, cartons, packages, and prescription bottles containing Schedule III and IV controlled substances were seized at all of the locations.
LaFleur faces up to 10 years in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. A sentencing date was not set.
The DEA and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Sentenced for Role in May 2013 Murder of Southlake, Texas, ManRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — One of the Mexican citizens convicted for his role in the May 2013 murder of Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa in Southlake, Texas, was sentenced today, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano, 32, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to 20 years in federal prison. Ledezma-Campano pleaded guilty in March 2016 to one count of interstate stalking and testified for the government at trial.
Two co-defendants in the case, his father, Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda, a/k/a “Chuy” and “Juan Ramos,” 60, and his cousin, Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes, 60, also Mexican citizens, were each convicted at trial in May 2016 on one count of interstate stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Each offense carries a maximum statutory penalty of life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Cepeda-Cortes was also convicted on one count of tampering with documents or proceedings, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Both are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Means on September 22, 2016.
On May 22, 2013, at approximately 6:47 p.m., Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa was ambushed and shot multiple times with a 9mm pistol while seated in his Range Rover that was parked at Southlake Town Square. A Toyota Sequoia pulled up behind the Range Rover, a gunman got out of that vehicle, walked up to the Range Rover, and fired several times through the window at Mr. Chapa, who died at the scene. Nearby, Mr. Chapa’s wife was not harmed; Ledezma-Campano admitted seeing her screaming outside the vehicle.
According to evidence presented at trial and documents filed in the case, from approximately March 1, 2011, until May 22, 2013, the three defendants traveled in interstate and foreign commerce from Mexico to Southlake, and elsewhere, with the intent to kill, injure, harass and intimidate Mr. Chapa, and as a result of that travel, Mr. Chapa was killed. In addition, from approximately May 23, 2013, until September 5, 2014, Cepeda-Cortes took steps to destroy evidence on his computer related to the investigation.
The defendants were acting on orders from a man in Mexico, Rodolfo Villarreal Hernandez, known as “El Gato,” or “the Cat,” who wanted Mr. Chapa killed as revenge for his father’s murder. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cortes received money from Ledezma-Cepeda to pay for their expenses. Ledezma-Cepeda was paid by “El Gato.”
Ledezma-Cepeda asked his son, Ledezma-Campano, to assist in the search. Ledezma-Campano used his skill with electronic devices to assist in the search, and he created email accounts for Ledezma-Cepeda and “El Gato” to communicate with each other.
The defendants exchanged information via email to locate Mr. Chapa – exchanging personal information about Mr. Chapa and his family as well as information regarding vehicles associated with them and photographs of the Chapa residence in Southlake.
The defendants used various means to locate and track Mr. Chapa and members of his family. Cepeda-Cortes purchased surveillance cameras that were placed in various locations in Mr. Chapa’s neighborhood. In addition, while in the area, the defendants purchased and rented several vehicles that allowed them to frequently change vehicles and use non-descript rental vehicles to avoid detection by Mr. Chapa and his family. They placed automobile tracking devices not only on their own vehicles, but on vehicles owned and operated by Mr. Chapa and his relatives, including the Range Rover Mr. Chapa was in when he was murdered.
After the defendants located Mr. Chapa, “El Gato” sent two assassins from Mexico to Southlake to kill him. Ledezma-Campano met the two, whom he identified as “Clorox” and “Captain,” and concluded they were sent to kill Mr. Chapa. One of the men was, in fact, the gunman who killed the victim on May 22, 2013, and the other drove the Toyota Sequoia.
On the day of the murder, Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda followed the victim around Southlake, and that afternoon, while the victim’s Range Rover was parked in a Walmart parking lot, Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda switched the tracking device on the Range Rover.
At approximately 6:00 p.m. on May 22, 2013, Mr. Chapa and his wife drove to Southlake Town Square. Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda, who had been parked near Chapa’s home, followed them. Mr. Chapa parked in his regular parking spot near a yogurt store, and Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda parked directly across from them and used binoculars to watch them.
As they waited, Ledezma-Cepeda was in regular contact, via Blackberry Messenger, with “El Gato.” Ledezma-Campano saw “Clorox” and “Captain” drive by in a Toyota Sequoia. Ledezma-Campano went into a coffee shop in Town Square and while inside he heard a commotion outside. He returned to Ledezma-Cepeda who told him “they shot him”
Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda waited several minutes as law enforcement responded before leaving the scene. “El Gato” told both of them to stop using the tracking device they carried in their vehicle. The next morning, they returned the rental car and drove directly into Mexico, along the way destroying the phones they had used.
The investigation was led by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Southlake Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Texas Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Fort Worth Police Department and Grapevine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Burgess and Aisha Saleem are prosecuting the case.
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Darren Sharper Sentenced on Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that DARREN SHARPER, age 40, formerly of New Orleans, was sentenced today after having previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute Alprazolam, Diazepam and Zolpidem, with intent to commit rape and two counts of distributing these substances with intent to commit rape.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced SHARPER to 220 months of incarceration, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine.
SHARPER has previously pled guilty to similar charges in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. He has also entered into a conditional plea in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. According to court records, SHARPER admitted that he and others distributed controlled substances to unsuspecting women and then had sexual relations with them while they were incapacitated. SHARPER also admitted that he conspired with other persons in committing these offenses.
Co-defendants Brandon Licciardi and Erik Nunez, who both pled guilty last month, are scheduled for sentencing on October 13, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. U.S. Attorney Polite also thanked the victims for their courage and willingness to come forward. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael E. McMahon, Theodore Carter, and Brandon Long were in charge of the prosecution.
Dallas Insurance Agent Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Kyle Scott Boyd, an insurance agent from Dallas, appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney and pleaded guilty to a felony Information charging one count of making or subscribing to a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
According to the factual resume filed in the case, Boyd, a licensed insurance agent, owned and operated Insurance 3 Group, Inc. in Dallas. During tax years 2008 and 2009, Boyd received insurance commissions (income) of approximately $526,465 and $572,942, respectively. The majority of those commissions, paid by various insurance companies, were deposited into an account, held by Insurance 3 Group, Inc., at Amegy Bank, for which Boyd was the sole signatory at least during tax years 2007 to 2009. Boyd used the funds in that account for both personal and business expenses.
In early September 2010, Boyd filed his federal income tax returns for tax years 2008 and 2009 in connection with obtaining financing for his residence in Dallas. Prior to that, according to the factual resume, Boyd had not filed any tax returns on behalf of Insurance 3 Group, Inc., nor any individual tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2009. With both returns, Boyd filed Schedule C forms that identified his income source as “insurance agent license rental,” and he reported $12,000 in income for tax years 2008 and 2009.
In reality, according to the factual resume, Boyd had not rented out his insurance agent license, and he received insurance commissions of more than $500,000 for each of those years, as noted above. Based on bank records, Boyd’s business expenses for tax year 2008 totaled approximately $371,591, which left a net business income of approximately $154,874. His business expenses for tax year 2009 totaled approximately $349,670, netting a business income of approximately $223,272. The resulting tax loss, according to the factual resume, was $43,364 for tax year 2008 and $62,516 for tax year 2009.
The maximum statutory penalty for making or subscribing to a false return is three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Boyd will be required to pay $105,880 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A sentencing date has not been set.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Walker and Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Miller are prosecuting.
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Dallas Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Iran Zavala, 28, of Dallas, was sentenced this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 235 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in April 2016 to a felony Information charging one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Zavala’s co-conspirator in the case, Santiago Veliz, 29, pleaded guilty in May 2016 to the same offense and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Boyle on October 6, 2016. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
According to documents filed in the case, beginning in approximately June 2015, Zavala, Veliz and others agreed to distribute methamphetamine. On approximately June 29, 2015, Zavala negotiated the sale of two kilograms of methamphetamine for $32,000 to a person he later learned was an undercover law enforcement officer.
A few days later, on July 2, 2015, Zavala and Veliz traveled to a gas station on N. Beltline Road in Grand Prairie, Texas, to distribute one kilogram of methamphetamine to a person Zavala believed to be customer. They had both the methamphetamine and a firearm in their pickup truck. However, prior to the drug transaction being completed, law enforcement in marked patrol cars attempted to pull over Zavala’s vehicle. Rather than stop, Zavala fled in the truck at a high rate of speed, and during the chase, Zavala threw the methamphetamine out of the driver’s side window. The firearm was thrown out of the passenger side window.
At today’s sentencing hearing, testimony was presented that Zavala intentionally drove his pickup truck at a high rate of speed toward an officer with the Grand Prairie Police Department who was attempting to lay a spike strip in the road to deflate the tires on Zavala’s fleeing vehicle. Zavala is charged in a pending Dallas County case with Aggravated Assault of a Public Servant.
The pursuit ended when Zavala drove his vehicle into Mountain Creek Lake where it collided with a sailboat near the boat ramp. Both Zavala and Veliz were arrested. The firearm, a 9-milimeter semi-automatic pistol, was recovered and ordered forfeited to the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Grand Prairie Police Department investigated the case. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert was in charge of the prosecution.
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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.
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Trying to Renew the Passport of A Dead ManRead 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 Porfirio Rosa, a/k/a Luis Rosa, 74, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of making false statements in application for a passport, was sentenced to time served (six months) by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott S. Allen, Jr. and Stephanie Lamarque, who handled the case, stated that on October 9, 2015, the Western Passport Center in Tucson, Arizona received a United States Passport Renewal Application from an individual identifying himself as Luis Rosa. The application was mailed from the defendant’s residence in Buffalo. As proof of identity and citizenship, the defendant submitted an expired U.S. passport issued in 2003 in the name of Luis Rosa.
Further investigation revealed that the name, social security number, and date of birth provided on the passport renewal application and original passport belonged to a man who died in 1995.
At the time of his arrest, the defendant was in possession of several New York State identification cards as well as federal Social Security cards containing several different names, dates of birth, and social security numbers.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of State, under the direction of William Ferrari and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John Grasso.
Brooke County man pleads guilty to firearm, drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Patrick Hauck, 34, of Wellsburg, West Virginia, has been convicted of federal drug and gun charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Hauck, who has prior felony convictions for “Breaking and Entering” in Brooke County and “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm” in federal court, was discovered in possession of a 7.62 caliber rifle in January 2015. In February 2015, he possessed pseudoephedrine that was to be used to make methamphetamine.
He pled guilty on Wednesday to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm” and one count of “Possession of Pseudoephedrine to be Used in the Manufacture of Methamphetamine.”
Hauck faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearm charge and up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the drug charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, and the Follansbee Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.
Bellmead Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In Waco, 28-year-old William Ervin Taylor of Bellmead, TX, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division, and McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara.
During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Walter S. Smith, Jr., also ordered that Taylor pay $10,000 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.
On April 14, 2016, Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge. By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted that beginning in March 2015, he distributed images and videos depicting child pornography to individuals he later discovered were undercover HSI agents.
In August 2015, federal and state authorities arrested Taylor following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. A subsequent forensics examination of seized materials, including the defendant’s computer tablet and cellphone, revealed the presence of child pornography. Taylor has remained in custody since his arrest.
“By conducting these types of investigations, Homeland Security Investigations is taking child predators off the Internet, off the streets, and putting them behind bars,” said Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, HSI San Antonio. “This sentence sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those who exploit children in any way. Targeting crimes of this nature is a high priority for HSI. We will continue to dedicate resources and work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice these individuals.”
This investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations together with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Kucera prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Bay Area Woman Arrested on Federal Stalking and Computer Hacking Charges Stemming from Harassment of Kris Jenner and AssociatesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Northern California nurse’s assistant was arrested this morning on federal cyberstalking and hacking charges related to harassment and threats targeting television personality Kristen Jenner, members of her family and two assistants.
Christina Elizabeth Bankston, 36, of Newark, California, was arrested at her residence Thursday morning by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Bankston was arrested pursuant to a 15-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on July 26 and unsealed today. Bankston is scheduled to make her first appearance Friday morning in United States District Court in Oakland.
“This defendant is charged with stalking her victims over six months,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “The defendant’s criminal conduct included hacking personal accounts, impersonating her victims, extortion, and ‘swatting.’ This case illustrates that stalking is a very serious criminal offense. Such conduct can put lives in danger, cause considerable stress and anxiety to victims, and consume considerable law enforcement resources to respond to the false emergency calls. We take seriously the defendant's reckless and outrageous electronic intrusion into the private lives of the victims, and will prosecute such conduct to the fullest extent of the law.”
Most of the stalking and hacking was conducted anonymously while Bankston was in Northern California and consisted of her sending large numbers of text messages and e-mails, as well as making harassing phone calls, according to the indictment. Bankston allegedly used a variety of electronic means that caused or were intended to cause substantial emotional distress to the victims and their families.
“The defendant in this case went to great lengths to stalk and even impersonate her victims to concoct disturbing scenarios that could have put lives in danger,” said Deirdre Fike, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The violations alleged are egregious and the criminal charges should serve as a warning to anyone contemplating similar behavior targeting victims, whether they are celebrities or not.”
According to the indictment, among other things, Bankston:
· made multiple phone calls in which she impersonated Kristen Jenner, some of which involved false claims that Kristen Jenner had cancer and needed help, and one in which Bankston falsely told law enforcement that a family member was attempting to commit suicide at Kristen Jenner's residence;
· sent numerous electronic messages to Kristen Jenner, in which Bankston claimed to be tracking Kristen Jenner and to have put tracking devices on Kristen Jenner’s vehicle, with some messages specifically referencing that Bankston was stalking Kristen Jenner and her family;
· sent harassing and threatening text messages to Caitlyn Jenner;
· gained unauthorized access to Kristen Jenner’s iCloud account, which allowed Bankston to impersonate Kristen Jenner in text messages to Caitlyn Jenner and one of Kristen Jenner’s children, some of which Bankston later threatened to release publically;
· hacked into the email account of another member of the Jenner family;
· made Internet postings that published telephone numbers for Kristen Jenner, two family members and a friend;
· gained unauthorized access to Kristen Jenner’s Instagram account and publicly posted comments under Kristen Jenner's name and likeness that include disparaging comments about a member of Jenner’s family; and
· falsely told law enforcement that someone was going to Kristen Jenner's residence to commit a massacre.
Bankston specifically is charged with six counts of stalking, one count for each victim discussed in the indictment – Kristen Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner, two of Kristen Jenner assistants and two unnamed Jenner family members. The indictment further charges four counts of computer hacking, one count of extortion by threat targeting one of Kristen Jenner’s assistants, and four counts of aggravated identity theft related to the computer hacking offenses.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Each of the cyberstalking and computer hacking offenses carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence.
This case is being investigated by the FBI.
Babulal Bera Sentenced for Making Illegal Contributions to His Son’s Congressional CampaignRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Babulal Bera, 83, of La Palma, was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison for making excessive campaign contributions and making campaign contributions in the name of another. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert made the announcement.
According to court documents, in 2010 and 2012, Bera’s son was a candidate for a seat in the United States Congress representing District 3 (2010) and District 7 (2012) from the state of California. With respect to both elections, the defendant made the maximum allowable individual contributions to his son’s campaign, and he also solicited friends, family members and acquaintances to make contributions, which he then reimbursed with his own funds. Bera did this to make contributions to his son’s campaign in excess of the contribution limits established by federal law. With respect to the 2010 and 2012 elections, the government has identified over 130 improper campaign contributions totaling over $260,000 and involving approximately 90 contributors living in multiple states.
In imposing the sentence recommended by the government, the Court balanced the serious nature of Bera’s offense with the defendant’s advanced age and associated health issues. The Court said the defendant’s conduct was “calculated,” and “cuts to the heart of the integrity we expect of elections.”
“The District Court gave thorough and thoughtful consideration to the arguments of both parties in imposing sentence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “That sentence, which is significant given this defendant’s age, sends a clear message that campaign finance crimes are serious offenses that will result in real consequences.”
“Mr. Babulal Bera knew the law when it came to campaign contributions, but he tried to beat the system using straw donors,” said Monica Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “His sentence demonstrates the U.S. Government takes these crimes seriously and will spare no effort to defend the integrity of the electoral process which is the foundation of American democracy.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Vincent and Philip A. Ferrari, and Department of Justice Public Integrity Section Trial Attorney Richard Evans prosecuted the case.
Avon man charged in child pornography caseRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today that an Avon man has been charged in a federal complaint with ten counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Jerry Boucher, 43, Avon, had his initial appearance before a magistrate judge this afternoon and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
On July 22, 2016, agents and task force officers conducted an on line Internet investigation, when a computer was allegedly found to be sharing child pornography using the BitTorrent network. The computer was tracked through the IP address to Boucher’s computer at his residence in Avon. On August 17, 2016, a federal search warrant was obtained and computers and storage media were allegedly located in Boucher’s bedroom containing child pornography videos and images.
This investigation was jointly conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force.
Boucher works as a children’s volleyball coach. The public is encouraged to call Homeland Security Investigations if they have any information about this case at 317- 216-0252.
Senior Litigation Counsel Steven DeBrota, who is prosecuting the case for the government, said Boucher could receive 20 years in prison if convicted.
A complaint is merely a charge and not evidence of guilt. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in federal court.
Authorities Arrest 24 in Maverick and Zavala Counties on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 24 individuals in Maverick and Zavala counties based on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit today.
Those arrested today include:
Name Age Residence
SONIA BALBOA 52 Eagle Pass, TX
SUCEL BALBOA a.k.a. “Susan” 27 Eagle Pass
BALDEMAR BALBOA 24 Eagle Pass
WILIBALDO MORA, SR. a.k.a. “Willie” 50 Crystal City, TX
WILIBALDO MORA, JR. 23 Crystal City
JORGE RIVERA 37 Crystal City
PURA GARZA ESQUIVEL 49 Eagle Pass
TERESA SANTA LOPEZ 48 Eagle Pass
ANGEL LEE RAMIREZ 28 Del Rio, TX
DAVID DAVALOS, SR. 47 Crystal City
DAVID DAVALOS, JR. 26 Crystal City
JACINTO DAVALOS 41 Crystal City
MARICELA ALVARADO DAVALOS 32 Crystal City
BRUCE DAVALOS 34 Crystal City
GERARDO FIGUEROA a.k.a. “Bebo” 50 Crystal City
ROBERT TELLES 49 Crystal City
RAMIRO RAMIREZ a.k.a. “Ram” 55 Crystal City
RONALD DAVALOS a.k.a. “Gato” 46 Crystal City
ROGELIO DAVILA JR. a.k.a. “Roy” 23 Crystal City
ROGELIO DAVILA SR. 61 Crystal City
ARTURO HERNANDEZ a.k.a. “Cheffy” 38 Crystal City
ARNOLDO ALMEDIA a.k.a. “Ernie” 57 Crystal City
ABELARDO RODRIGUEZ a.k.a. “AB” 24 Crystal City
SIMON CONTRERAS 59 Crystal City
Genaro Balboa-Falcon, age 47 of Mexico, and Joseph Garza (a.k.a. “Cain”), age 30 of Crystal City, are considered fugitives.
A nine-count federal grand jury indictment, returned on Tuesday and unsealed this morning in Del Rio, charges the above-named defendants--with the exception of David Davalos, Jr. and Maricela Alvarado Davalos--with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The indictment charges David Davalos, Jr. and Maricela Alvarado Davalos with using a cellular telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. David Davalos, Sr., Jacinto Davalos, and Bruce Davalos are also charged with one count of maintaining a residence for the distribution of cocaine. Genaro Balboa-Falcon, Sonia Balboa, Sucel Balboa, Baldemar Balboa, Wilibaldo Mora, Sr., Jorge Rivera, Pura Esquivel and Teresa Lopez are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The indictment alleges that since October 1, 2012, the defendants were part of a cocaine distribution conspiracy operating primarily in the Eagle Pass and Crystal City areas.
The indictment also seeks the criminal forfeiture of nine real estate properties—two in Eagle Pass and seven in Crystal City—alleged as proceeds derived from the illegal drug trafficking activities. The indictment also seeks a $5.98 Million money judgement which represents the alleged proceeds derived from, and the value of property involved in, the criminal enterprise.
During this investigation, authorities have seized more than 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 660 pounds of marijuana, 36 firearms, 35 vehicles, a bullet-proof vest, and approximately $110,000 in U.S. Currency attributed to the criminal enterprise.
Upon conviction of the drug conspiracy count and in accordance with individually charged cocaine amounts, Genaro Balboa-Falcon, Sonia Balboa, Wilibaldo Mora Sr, Jorge Rivera, David Davalos Jacinto Davalos and Bruce Davalos face between ten years and life in federal prison; Sucel Balboa, Baldemar Balboa, Wilibaldo Mora, Jr., Pura Esquivel, Teresa Lopez, Angel Ramirez, Gerardo Figueroa, Robert Telles, Ramiro Ramirez, Ronald Davalos, Rogelio Davila, Jr., Rogelio Davila, Sr., Arturo Hernandez, Joseph Garza, Arnoldo Almedia, Simon Contreras, and Abelardo Rodriguez face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Upon conviction of maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug trafficking, the defendants face up to 20 years imprisonment. Upon conviction of conspiracy to commit money laundering, the defendants face up to 20 years imprisonment. David Davalos, Jr. and Maricela Alvarado Davalos each face up to four years in federal prison upon conviction of the use of a cellular telephone to facilitate drug trafficking charge.
All of the arrested defendants remain in federal custody at this time. Detention hearings are scheduled for August 29, 2016, before United States Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia in Del Rio.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Zavala County Sheriff’s Office, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department and the U.S. Border Patrol. The U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in making the arrests.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Artesia Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Violating Federal Narcotics Trafficking and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joe Anthony Reza, 33, of Artesia, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., for his conviction on federal firearms and drug trafficking offenses. Reza will serve 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Reza was arrested on June 6, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Feb. 24, 2015, in Eddy County, N.M. According to the complaint, agents with the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Reza’s residence on Feb. 24, 2015, and seized approximately 117 grams of methamphetamine, three firearms, a marijuana plant and digital scales. At the time, Reza was arrested on state charges which were later dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
Reza pled guilty on Aug. 19, 2015, to a felony information charging him with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering his guilty plea, Reza admitted that on Feb. 24, 2015, law enforcement officers seized 117 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun from his residence. Reza further admitted that he possessed the handgun for protection of his drug trafficking activities.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force with assistance from the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
The Pecos Valley Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department and Artesia Police Department and is part of the HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Ankeny Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography and Related ChargeRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On July 27, 2016, Aaron Lawrence Storm, 35, of Ankeny, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to a total of 12 years in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release. Storm had previously pleaded guilty to the offense of possession of child pornography, as well as the offense of attempted kidnapping which was based on threats the defendant made that were directed toward the family of the prosecutor handling his child pornography case.
The child pornography case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Ankeny Police Department, and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
The attempted kidnapping case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service, and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Federal Drug Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ernest Cordova, 44, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 96 months in prison for his conviction on heroin and methamphetamine trafficking charges. Cordova will be on supervised release for fouryears after completing his prison sentence. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEA’s El Paso Division.
Cordova, who has six prior felony convictions, was arrested in Feb. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with trafficking in heroin and methamphetamine from Jan. 22, 2016 through Feb. 18, 2016. According to the criminal complaint, DEA agents observed Cordova engage in several drug deals in the Albuquerque-area during this period. During the execution of a search warrant at Cordova’s residence on Feb. 18, 2016, the DEA found 134 grams of heroin and 82 grams of methamphetamine.
Cordova and his co-defendant Sara Marie Martinez, 36, also of Albuquerque, were indicted on March 8, 2016. The three-count indictment charged Cordova with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, and Cordova and Martinez with possessing heroin and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to the indictment, Cordova and Martinez committed the three crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M. The indictment included forfeiture provisions seeking an order requiring Cordova and Martinez to forfeit $8,840.27 to the United States.
Cordova pled guilty to the indictment on March 14, 2016, without the benefit of a plea agreement. Martinez entered a guilty plea yesterday to heroin and methamphetamine trafficking charges without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Martinez faces a statutory minimum of five years and maximum of 40 years in federal prison. She remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and Cordova is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander M. Uballez as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. In recognition that New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community has come together to is collaborating the initiative is significantly exceed the national average.
The case is also being prosecuted as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Abilene Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to More than 21 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ABILENE, Texas — An Abilene, Texas, man, Pascual Jamie Avalos, 34, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, following his guilty plea in April 2016 to an indictment charging one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement today.
According to documents filed in the case, on November 14, 2015, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with investigators with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, received information that Avalos would be transporting an unknown quantity of methamphetamine from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to Abilene, Texas, in a gray 2015 Toyota Avalon.
On November 14, 2015, a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper working in Eastland County, Texas, observed that vehicle travelling westbound on Interstate 20 at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit. The DPS Trooper stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Avalos. An adult female and an infant child were passengers in the vehicle. Avalos was found to be operating the vehicle while his license was suspended, and he was taken into custody.
A K-9 gave a positive alert to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle. It was searched and approximately four pounds of methamphetamine, with a purity of 82.5% was found. Avalos admitted he had picked up the methamphetamine and was going to deliver it to a person in Abilene.
ICE HSI, FBI, Texas DPS and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden prosecuted the case.
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17 August 2016
Two men sentenced to Federal prison for drug crimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced to prison today for federal drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Ronald Ray McMillion, 64, of Renick in Greenbrier County, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for a crime involving the distribution of oxycodone, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. McMillion previously pleaded guilty to interstate travel to facilitate an unlawful activity. McMillion admitted that in February 2014, he traveled from Renick to the Baltimore area to obtain oxycodone pills, and that he then traveled back to Renick and sold some of the pills. He further admitted that he had sold oxycodone in Greenbrier County on other occasions, and that he possessed a firearm while receiving payment for a drug debt.
In a separate drug prosecution, Nicholas Thomas Novak, 33, of Brentwood, New York, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin. Novak previously pleaded guilty and admitted that on September 22, 2015, he possessed approximately 150 stamps or packets of heroin at a residence in Frankford in Greenbrier County. Novak further admitted that he brought the heroin to Greenbrier County for distribution.
The McMillion case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated the Novak case under the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative. Assistant United States Attorney John File is handling the prosecutions. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
These prosecutions are part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Tax Return Preparer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — Michael McCrary, a tax return preparer who managed a tax preparation business in Fort Worth, Texas, appeared this morning in federal court in Fort Worth, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hal R. Ray, Jr., and pleaded guilty to an Information charging one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
McCrary, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Sentencing is set for December 15, 2016, before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.
According to the factual resume filed in the case, McCrary managed Tax Breaks, a tax return preparation business that was located on Meadowbrook Drive in Fort Worth. In March 2011, McCrary knowingly aided and assisted in the preparation and presentation of a taxpayer’s individual 2010 federal income tax return that was false and fraudulent. That tax return, according to the factual resume, represented the taxpayer was entitled to claim a $26,993 deduction, based mostly on claiming unreimbursed employee expenses related to 39,875 in business mileage, when as McCrary knew, the taxpayer worked for Walmart and did not use his vehicle for business purposes, and was not entitled to claim that deduction. The statement was material in that it resulted in lowering the taxpayer’s taxable income thereby decreasing the taxpayer’s tax liability.
The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. Allen is in charge of the prosecution.
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St. Louis Man Sentenced for East St. Louis Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Gregory Forest, 55, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois to 188 months in prison and three years of supervised release for charges stemming from a bank robbery at First Bank, located at 300 River Park Drive, East St. Louis, on May 8, 2015, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. Forest was also ordered to pay $2,310 in restitution to First Bank.
Evidence showed that on May 8, 2015, Forest entered First Bank, approached a teller, and told her that he had a gun and demanded money. After receiving $2,310, Forest fled the scene. He had been on federal supervised release for a less than three months for a string of bank robberies he committed in 2004 when he committed this robbery.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the East St. Louis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Reppert.
Smithton Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitaton of A Minor and Possession of Prepubescent Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 16, 2016, Kyle W. Oberg, 40, Smithton, IL, pled guilty to a three-count Superseding Indictment charging him with two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (Counts 1 and 2) in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a), and Possession of Prepubescent Child Pornography (Count 3), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2). On each of Counts 1 and 2, Oberg faces a term of imprisonment of not less than fifteen (15) but not more than thirty (30) years, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of five (5) years to life. On Count 3, Oberg faces a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty (20) years, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of five (5) years to life. Oberg has been detained since his arraignment on August 22, 2013. His sentencing date is January 27, 2017, in East St. Louis, Illinois.
On July 18, 2013, the Smithton Police Department executed a state search warrant at Oberg’s residence and seized Oberg’s desktop computer. Oberg’s hard drive was later searched pursuant to a federal warrant. A forensic analysis of the hard drive revealed approximately 337 images and three videos of a minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At the times the images and videos were taken the minor child was five and six years old. Police obtained the warrant to search Oberg’s residence after receiving a complaint from the minor child’s mother, who was concerned about Oberg’s behavior towards the minor child. Oberg took advantage of his familiarity with the minor child to induce or coerce the child into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing the images and videos.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The case was investigated by the Smithton Police Department and the United States Secret Service’s Cyber-Crime Unit. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
Sex Trafficker Charged with Victimizing Girls and Women Between New York and FloridaRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing this morning of an indictment charging GREVY GERARD PIERRE-LOUIS, a/k/a “Cadillac Slim,” a/k/a “Caddy,” in four counts stemming from his long-running criminal enterprise that turned the violent sexual exploitation of girls and women into his own profit. The defendant was arrested this morning at his home in Miami, Florida, and was presented this afternoon in Miami federal court before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. The case is assigned to Chief United States District Judge Colleen McMahon.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, the defendant victimized girls and women for the better part of 20 years through extreme violence, threats, and other types of abuse, all for profit. Along with our partners at the FBI, we are committed to protecting vulnerable victims from those alleged predators who seek to hurt and sexually exploit them.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “People see human trafficking every day in this city, but may not realize it because this crime that can be hidden in plain sight. The subject in this case allegedly used violence and intimidation as weapons, using these women as disposable chattel to line his pocket. The FBI and our law enforcement partners need the general public to watch for things that don’t seem right, and call us if they suspect someone is being trafficked or held against their will.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
Starting in or about 1998 and continuing through 2016, PIERRE-LOUIS has been compelling minor girls and women to engage in prostitution through extreme violence, psychological and verbal abuse, coercion, and threats of violence to his victims and their family members. PIERRE-LOUIS victimized minor girls and women in and around New York, including in Manhattan and the Bronx, and in a number of other states between New York and Florida, all for his own profit.
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PIERRE-LOUIS, 44, from Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, one count of interstate transportation of minors for the purpose of prostitution, one count of use of interstate commerce to promote unlawful activity, and one count of operating a child exploitation enterprise. The defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences imposed on the defendant will be determined by the Court.
Anyone with information concerning GREVY GERARD PIERRE-LOUIS, a/k/a “Cadillac Slim,” a/k/a “Caddy,” that may be relevant to the investigation should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, and noted that the investigation is continuing. Mr. Bharara also thanked the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Miami Field Office of the FBI, the United States Secret Service, the City of Miami Police Department, the Miami Beach Police Department, and the Miramar Police Department for their critical support and cooperation throughout the investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica K. Fender and Amanda Kramer are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ray A. Perkins, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of crack cocaine.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Perkins faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 12, 2016 by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
As part of his plea, Perkins admitted that between December 2015 and March 2016, he and a co-conspirator sold about 106 grams of crack cocaine in the city of Schenectady.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
San Jose Resident Sentenced to over 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Edgardo Reyes was sentenced to 154 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin. Reyes’s co-conspirator, Armando Solorio, was sentenced to 73 months’ imprisonment for his part in the drug trafficking scheme. The sentences were handed down by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge on August 15, 2016, following guilty pleas entered earlier this year.
Reyes, 34, of San Jose, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. Section 846, and two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. Section 841. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Reyes acknowledged as true the facts set out in a complaint filed on February 20, 2015. The complaint describes two transactions in which Reyes took part. The first transaction took place January 30, 2015, and involved Reyes’ efforts to sell a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover Task Force Officer of the DEA. This transaction led to a second transaction in February of 2015 in which Reyes attempted to sell another twelve pounds of the drug to the same undercover officer.
Solorio, 27, of San Jose, pleaded guilty on February 29, 2016, for his part in the drug trafficking scheme. Solorio acknowledged his role as a courier for both the January and February transactions which led to Reyes’ arrest.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Davila sentenced each defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. Remarking on the large quantity of drugs at issue, Judge Davila referred to the case as a tragedy and stated that methamphetamine is “not good for anyone.” Both Reyes and Solorio have been in custody since their arrest in February 2015 and both will begin serving their sentences immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffery Nedrow and Scott Simeon are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA.
Salem Man Charged in Home Depot Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salem man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud Home Depot of over $45,000.
Robert Dooley, 56, of Salem, Mass., pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with 10 counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2016.
Between January 2016 and February 2016, Dooley engaged in a scheme to defraud Home Depot by “returning” items he never purchased from the store to receive store credit. On each occasion, Dooley, entered Home Depot stores empty handed and gathered merchandise totaling $500 to $900. At the returns desk, Dooley falsely claimed that he previously purchased the items, but did not have a receipt. When he provided this driver’s license number to the clerk, Dooley often varied the number so the “return” would not immediately be detected as fraudulent. Dooley was then issued a Home Depot gift card for the fraudulent return. Dooley perpetrated the scam over forty times at Home Depot stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine, resulting in over $35,000 in fraudulent returns.
In 2007, Dooley was convicted of federal wire fraud charges arising out of a nearly identical scheme in which he defrauded Home Depot in excess of $330,000 from July 2004 through October 2005. In that case, he was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.
Roswell Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Conviction on Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Israel Luna, 38, of Roswell, N.M., was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on firearms and methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Luna was arrested on Sept. 28, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 24, 2015, in Chaves County, N.M. According to the complaint, on Sept. 24, 2015, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on Luna’s residence and seized approximately 7.75 ounces of methamphetamine, $5,726 in cash, drug paraphernalia and a firearm.
On March 8, 2016, Luna pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Luna admitted that on Sept. 24, 2015, agents found a firearm and approximately 217 grams of methamphetamine from a safe in his bedroom. Luna further admitted that he used the firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Roswell office of the FBI and the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The HIDTA Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Rochester Man Sentenced for Armed Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Nicholas Davis, a/k/a Holiday, a/k/a Hollywood, 34, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to 210 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that Davis and other members of the conspiracy were responsible for the distribution of significant quantities of crack cocaine throughout the Rochester area. The defendant, an admitted leader/organizer of the conspiracy, was involved in the purchase of kilogram quantities of cocaine, the manufacture of crack cocaine from cocaine, and the direct distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine to others. Davis also possessed and maintained firearms for protection in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force resulted in the federal arrest of 11 defendants between May and October 2012. All defendants stand convicted.
The investigation included involvement by the Rochester Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid, New York Field Division, Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Sandra Doorley.