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Thursday 23 June 2016
New Orleans Man Sentenced in Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that LARRY HARDY, age 50, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after having previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced HARDY to 90 months of incarceration, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
HARDY was one of twelve defendants charged in a 23-count Indictment on July 25, 2014. According to court documents, this Indictment sprung from an investigation into a heroin-trafficking organization operating in New Orleans East. This organization was responsible for distributing at least 15 kilograms of heroin in the New Orleans area. As part of the arrests in this case, federal agents have seized from the twelve defendants approximately $1,200,000 in assets (a combination of vehicles, currency, jewelry, and real property) as proceeds made from the sale of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Traffick Heroin Using MegabusRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that REGINALD WASHINGTON, age 32, of New Orleans, pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin.
WASHINGTON was one of eight defendants charged in a 21-count Superseding Indictment on September 18, 2015. According to court documents, this Superseding Indictment resulted from an FBI investigation into a heroin-trafficking organization operating primarily around Loyola Avenue and Harmony Street in Central City. The sources of heroin for this organization traveled via Megabus from Houston to New Orleans, carrying half-kilogram quantities of heroin for distribution in the New Orleans area.
As a result of a prior felony drug offense, WASHINGTON is facing not less than 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, as well as a possible fine of up to $8,000,000. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier will sentence WASHINGTON on October 13, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF), Saint Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Federal Bribery and Honest Services Wire FraudRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that LESTER MORNAY, 68, of New Orleans, was charged in a one-count Bill of Information charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud.
According to the Bill of Information, beginning in September 2013 and continuing until January 2015, MORNAY and several others participated in a conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud.
The Bill of Information alleges that IRA THOMAS, in his role as an Orleans Parish School Board Member, engaged in a scheme to defraud Orleans Parish and its citizens of his honest services through bribery and a kickback scheme, whereby THOMAS used his public office and official capacity to provide favorable treatment, including attempting to facilitate the awarding of a contract, that was designed to benefit the business and financial interest of an individual who provided him with a bribe and kickback in the form of cash payment disguised as a campaign contribution.
According to the Bill of Information, in September 2013, a cooperating witness (“CW”) was approached by ARMER BRIGHT, an OPSB employee, who offered the CW a janitorial services contract that would soon be up for bid by the OPSB in exchange for a monetary payoff. During the fall of 2013, the CW, THOMAS, BRIGHT, and at times MORNAY, met to discuss this contract. These conversations were recorded by the CW with the assistance of the FBI. Ultimately, it was decided that the CW would pay $5,000 to THOMAS in the form of a “campaign contribution” in exchange for THOMAS’ and the OPSB employee’s assistance regarding the janitorial services contract. In December 2013, the CW delivered $5,000 in cash to MORNAY acting as a conduit for THOMAS, which was video recorded. This money was then delivered to THOMAS. During the fall of 2014, THOMAS and BRIGHT discussed over recorded telephone conversations how to alter the bid process so that the CW would be given an improper advantage in bidding for the janitorial services contract, which was valued over $5,000.
If convicted of conspiring with others to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud, MORNAY faces statutory penalties of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The Bill of Information also contains Notice of Forfeiture which puts the defendant on notice that the Government intends on forfeiting any and all property and profits concerned with and/or derived from any illegal activity referenced in the Bill of Information.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that today’s Bill of Information describes allegations and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Toomey is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Smuggling Cocaine Through IAHRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old New Jersey man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Christopher Curi, of Totowa, New Jersey, pleaded guilty Jan. 14, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake ordered him to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release.
On Feb. 21, 2015, Curi arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston aboard a United Airline flight from Lima, Peru. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an inspection of Curi’s checked baggage and discovered several gel-like figurines, packages of powdered condiments, a bottle of liquor and picture frames. The figurines emitted an unusual order and appeared to be cracking. The figurines ultimately field tested positive for cocaine.
The packages of condiments were opened and found to contain a white powder which also turned out to be cocaine. In addition, there was cocaine secreted inside the picture frames and the bottle of liquor.
Curi will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation along with CBP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart A. Burns prosecuted the case.
Navajo Man from Buffalo Springs Sentenced to Prison for Federal Voluntary Manslaughter ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jay Barton, 48, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Buffalo Springs, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 97 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his voluntary manslaughter conviction.
Barton was arrested on Aug. 26, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with killing a Navajo man on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M., on Aug. 21, 2015. The crime occurred during an argument between Barton and the victim while Barton and the victim were drinking alcoholic beverages. Barton was subsequently indicted on a voluntary manslaughter charge on Sept. 22, 2015.
On Jan. 28, 2016, Barton pled guilty to the indictment charging him with voluntary manslaughter. In entering the guilty plea, Barton admitted killing the victim by stabbing him in the chest, abdomen and back during an argument that became physical. According to the plea agreement, both Barton and the victim were intoxicated when Barton committed the crime.
This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez.
Mississippi Sports Medicine to Pay Civil Penalty for Violating the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control ActRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - The United States has reached a civil settlement with Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, PLLC (MSM) in connection with allegations that MSM violated federal regulations related to record keeping violations regarding the issuance of numerous controlled substance prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation of MSM records determined that there were grounds for action against MSM based on the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act of 1970, including monetary penalties and damages as a result of violations of Title 21 U.S.C. 829 and 842, as MSM employees failed to comply with regulations required by Title 21 C.F.R. 1306.04 and 1306.05. DEA Investigators found record keeping violations affecting numerous prescriptions for Schedule II-V controlled substances.
As a result of the DEA investigation, MSM will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $726,000 to the U.S. Department of Justice. MSM cooperated in the investigation of their records and has already taken steps to more closely monitor its prescription writing practices.
Prescriptions for controlled substances are subject to strict record keeping requirements due to the potential for harm, abuse and diversion. DEA is tasked with ensuring that DEA registrants, to include practitioners and pharmacies, meet federal record keeping requirements to ensure the proper regulation and deter diversion of controlled substances.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux stated: “Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in this country. The rules, regulations and record keeping requirements set in place by The Controlled Substances Act, as supported by the Code of Federal Regulations, exist to prevent the illegitimate diversion of controlled substances as well as protect our citizens from harm. Failure to follow these rules and regulations will result in an investigation, action and penalties for DEA Registrants. Today’s civil settlement, based on DEA’s investigation, sends a resounding message that such activities will not be tolerated.”
The investigation of MSM was conducted by the Jackson DEA office in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn Murray.Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that NAVOR SOLIS-GARCIA, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count indictment that charged him with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1326(a).
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced SOLIS-GARCIA to time served and ordered him to pay a special assessment of $100. SOLIS-GARCIA will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Samuel Antonio Flores-Murillo, 38, a Mexican national, pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to assaulting a federal officer. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Self of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, and Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI.
Flores-Murillo was arrested on April 9, 2016, and charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal agent of the U.S. Border Patrol on April 9, 2016, in Doña Ana County, N.M. The complaint indicates that Flores-Murillo struck the agent in the forehead and bit the agent on the right forearm while the agent was attempting to apprehend Flores-Murillo.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Flores-Murillo pled guilty to a felony information charging him with assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Flores-Murillo admitted that on April 9, 2016, he struck a U.S. Border Patrol agent in the forehead causing the agent to bleed, and bit the agent on his right forearm which punctured the agent’s skin. Flores-Murillo further admitted that he resisted and assaulted the agent while he was attempting to flee from Border Patrol.
At sentencing, Flores-Murillo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Flores-Murillo will be deported after completing his prison sentence. He remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Las Cruces office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Lizarraga of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Citizen Heads to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A Mexican citizen who had been living in Corpus Christi has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Rogelio Alfaro Carrillo, 27, pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered he serve a total of 72 months in federal prison. He was further ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. During the hearing, the court heard testimony from an agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who testified that some of the images and videos depicted children as young as four years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Carrillo will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, the court heard that officers with the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD), while using peer-to-peer software, were able to successfully download of various files containing child pornography from an IP address that was associated with Carrillo.
In August 2015, agents executed a search warrant at Carrillo’s residence, at which time they seized various electronic devices. Forensic analysis on those devices revealed more than 1,400 images and more than 20 videos of child pornography. Carrillo admitted having an sexual interest in children and having downloaded child pornography.
Carrillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of CCPD - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Member of Cherry Hill Gang ‘UDH’ Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Including MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Cornell Harvey, a/k/a “Little Head,” age 29, of Baltimore, today to 262 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with his gang activities as a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore. Harvey’s federal sentence will be served concurrent to the two life sentences he received on state charges for an unrelated murder in Cherry Hill.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
“Disputes between rival drug gangs lead to many shootings and murders in Baltimore City,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Thanks to a lengthy and intensive investigation, we will hold accountable the criminals who turned Cherry Hill into a war zone.”
According to his plea agreement, from at least 2007 to 2013 Harvey was a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the area of Cherry Hill known as “Up the Hill” or “Up da Hill.” UDH members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with members of an organization known as “Coppin Court” that is involved in criminal activity in the part of Cherry Hill known as “Down the Hill,” and since at least January 2011, have been in a dispute with members of “Little Spelman,” another organization that is involved in criminal activity in the Down the Hill section of Cherry Hill. UDH members and associates used violence and intimidation to protect themselves, the organization, and their control of the drug trade in part of Cherry Hill.
Harvey admitted that as a member of UDH he sold crack cocaine, heroin and other narcotics with UDH members. In addition to selling drugs, Harvey admitted that on October 5, 2010, he and co-defendant Dominic Evans committed an armed robbery of two individuals who were selling marijuana in the area, but who were not UDH members. After stealing $150 from one of the victims, Harvey began to shoot at the two individuals. One of the victims was shot once and survived his wound, but the other victim, who was shot at least three times, died from her wounds. The murder was captured on CCTV. A Baltimore City jury acquitted Harvey and Evans of this murder.
Finally, on January 29, 2011, at approximately 1:30 am, Harvey, and other gang members were arrested riding around Cherry Hill in a stolen 1997 green Cadillac Seville. Upon trying to stop the vehicle, a chase ensued, and all four occupants bailed out in the rear of the 2800 block of Bookert. Harvey was chased by an officer who saw him toss a fully loaded 9mm .357 handgun. Officers also recovered from the vehicle: a box containing 39 rounds of .38 special ammunition; a plastic bag containing 33 rounds of 9mm ammunition; a ski mask; and a glove.
According to Harvey’s plea agreement, the green Cadillac Seville was stolen late on January 27, 2011, after the victim was approached by three men as he was filling the vehicle at a gas station at North Avenue and McCulloh Street, in Baltimore City. After giving the three men a ride, the victim was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint in the 1800 block of Eutaw Place, where he was shot and left for dead.
Throughout the course of Harvey’s involvement in the UDH drug conspiracy Harvey knew that the conspiracy involved between 840 grams and 2.8 kilograms of crack cocaine and between 3 and 10 kilograms of heroin.
Co-defendant Dominic Evans, a/k/a “FlatLine,” age 25, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea L. Smith, Seema Mittal, and Patricia C. McLane, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Media Advisory: Press Conference Follow Sentencing Hearing TomorrowRead the Press Release
WHO: United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III
Special Agent in Charge Michelle S. Klimt
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jacksonville Division
United States Marshal William B. Berger, Sr.
Undersheriff Pat Ivey, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
Investigative Agencies
Baker County Sheriff’s Office
Bethune-Cookman University Department of Public Safety
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Daytona Beach Police Department
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office
State Attorney’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit
State Attorney’s Office, 7th Judicial Circuit
U.S. Probation
WHAT: Press Conference
Press conference following the sentencing of Aaron M. Richardson. In March 2016, a federal jury found Richardson guilty of attempting to assassinate United States District Judge Timothy Corrigan as well as multiple federal firearm offenses. The sentencing hearing is set for Friday, June 24, 2016, before United States District Judge L. Scott Coogler at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12A. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. in the jury assembly room on the 1st floor of the courthouse.
WHEN:
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016
11:00 A.M. EST (Following 9:00 A.M. sentencing hearing)
WHERE:
Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse
300 North Hogan Street
Jury Assembly Room (1st Floor)
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license). Media may begin arriving for the 11:00 press conference at 10:15 A.M. There will be evidence on display for photo ops.
Please RSVP to [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. today.
Individuals attending the 9:00 A.M. sentencing hearing will not be permitted to bring any electronic media into the courtroom. All electronic equipment must be kept in the jury assembly room. Please arrive by 8:15 A.M. to allow time to clear security and store equipment prior to the hearing.
Man from Mexico incarcerated in St. Mary Parish pleads guilty to reentering the U.S. illegallyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Mexican citizen pleaded guilty to a charge that he reentered the United States illegally twice.
Mario Albert Mora-Villa, 41, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before by U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, immigration officers encountered Mora-Villa in the St. Mary Parish Detention Center. He admitted that he had been previously removed from the United States in March of 2007 and November of 2011, and he had not obtained permission to return to the country.
Mora-Villa faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of October 11, 2016 was set.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney, Kenneth A. Polite announced that ERIN PITRE, age 37, of Cut Off, Louisiana, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to possessing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children under the age of twelve-years old.
U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced PITRE to 72 months in prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release. PITRE was also ordered to pay both victims $1,500 each in restitution. Additionally, the Court ordered PITRE to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at PITRE’S residence on January 22, 2015, during which time they seized an external digital storage device that contained images and videos of child pornography. A forensic examination of the device revealed that PITRE used peer-to-peer file sharing programs on his computer to search for, download, and store images and videos of children as young as two-years-old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The forensic examination determined that PITRE possessed approximately 185 images and 7 videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 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 Attorney’s 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.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg was in charge of the prosecution.
Lancaster Resident Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Filimon Mendez-Perez,” a/k/a “Alfredo Lopez-Perez,” 34, of Lancaster, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that on or about February 25, 2016, Mendez-Perez, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about December 7, 2009, June 2, 2010, and July 30, 2011.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roberta Benjamin.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against New Jersey Staffing CompanyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Powerstaffing Inc., a temporary staffing agency based in Edison, New Jersey. The agreement resolves allegations that Powerstaffing’s North Bergen, New Jersey, office discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The department’s investigation found that from June 20, 2014, until at least Dec. 15, 2015, Powerstaffing had a pattern or practice of requesting specific immigration documents from non-U.S. citizens for the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes. In contrast, Powerstaffing allowed U.S. citizens to present whichever valid documents they wanted to present to prove their work authorization. Under the INA, all workers, including non-U.S. citizens, must be allowed to choose whichever valid documentation they would like to present from the lists of acceptable documents to prove their work authorization, such as a driver’s license and unrestricted social security card. It is unlawful for an employer to limit employees’ choice of documentation because of their citizenship or immigration status.
Upon learning of the department’s investigation, Powerstaffing promptly re-trained its staff on proper Form I-9 and E-Verify practices. Among other things, the settlement agreement requires Powerstaffing to pay $153,000 in civil penalties, be subject to department monitoring and review its hiring policies.
“All employers should ensure that when creating Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance plans, they fully understand the relevant rules so that they don’t discriminate against workers based on their citizenship status, immigration status or national origin,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department applauds Powerstaffing for its prompt action to address and resolve this issue.”
The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The law prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices in employment eligibility verification; retaliation and intimidation. This matter was handled by Senior Trial Attorney Liza Zamd of OSC.
To learn more about the protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call OSC’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call OSC’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar at www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/webinars.php; email [email protected] or visit OSC’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc.
Applicants or employees who believe they have been subjected to: different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral should contact OSC’s worker hotline for assistance.
Powerstaffing Settlement Agreement
Justice Department Reaches Settlement to Reform Criminal Justice System in Hinds County, MississippiRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today reached a landmark settlement agreement to reform the criminal justice system in Hinds County, Mississippi. The agreement resolves the department’s findings that the Hinds County Adult Detention Center and the Jackson City Detention Center – which together form the Hinds County Jail – failed to protect prisoners from violence and excessive force and held them past their court-ordered release dates, in violation of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA).
The settlement agreement is the first of its kind to incorporate broader criminal justice system reform through diversion at the front end and reentry to the community after incarceration. It creates a criminal justice coordinating committee that will help ensure the county’s systems operate effectively and efficiently, develop interventions to divert individuals in appropriate cases from arrest, detention and incarceration, and engage in community outreach. To promote successful reentry, the agreement includes mechanisms for notifying community health providers when a person with serious mental illness is released to help the person transition safely back to the community. The agreement also addresses unlawful enforcement of court-ordered fines and fees by ensuring that the county cannot incarcerate an individual for non-payment if the court does not first assess whether the individual is indigent.
“Across the board, this settlement will make the Hinds County criminal justice system smarter and fairer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “If implemented, these reforms will make pretrial detainees, prisoners, corrections staff and the entire community safer, while also ensuring that vulnerable individuals get access to the treatment, care and community services they need and deserve. We commend the county for its commitment to making these reforms a reality.”
“For too long, the conditions in the Jail have posed a serious challenge to law enforcement and the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi. “I appreciate the commitment made by Hinds County officials to turn the page and begin making necessary reforms.”
The settlement agreement – subject to approval by the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Mississippi – requires the county to implement a series of reforms across various stages of the criminal justice system, including the following:
- Improve safety and security within the jail through better staffing and supervision, revised policies and physical plant improvements;
- Limit the use of segregation and improve access to screening, treatment and community-based services for special needs prisoners, including juveniles and prisoners with serious mental illness;
- Improve mental health and youth services, including better integration of jail operations with local community mental health and youth programs;
- Enhance communication and coordination among different agencies involved with the criminal justice process; and
- Ensure compliance with due process liberty protections as prisoners navigate the criminal justice system.
Together these reforms aim to improve communication and coordination among criminal justice entities and community service providers to help individuals with mental illness transition back to the community and to reduce recidivism. If approved by the federal district court, an independent monitor will be appointed to assess the county’s compliance.
In May 2015, the Justice Department completed a comprehensive investigation – which included on-site inspections, document reviews and stakeholder interviews by department experts and staff – and issued a findings letter that determined that Hinds County Adult Detention Center and the Jackson City Detention Center violated CRIPA by failing to protect prisoners from violence by other prisoners and from improper use of force by staff. The department also found that inadequate staffing and training, a backlog in record filing and a lack of centralized information resulted in prisoners being held beyond court-ordered release dates.
CRIPA authorizes the department to seek a remedy for a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the constitutional rights of persons confined in a jail, prison or other correctional facility. For more information on the Civil Rights Division’s work in this area, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Hinds County Settlement Agreement
Hinds County Fact Sheet
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Manufacturing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court yesterday, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Melvin Dean smith, 45, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, to 290 months imprisonment, followed by twenty years of supervised release. The Court also ordered SMITH register as a sex offender.
smith was named in an Indictment filed on July 7, 2015. On September 4, 2015, SMITH pled guilty to one count of Manufacturing Child Pornography.
In 2012, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Wilmington initiated an online investigation related to the distribution of child pornography through photo sharing websites. The investigation revealed a moniker that was later identified as belonging to SMITH.
On February 19, 2014, agents received information from a online foreign undercover agent who had received three images of child pornography labeled “new and homemade” from SMITH’s moniker.
On October 2, 2014, agents executed a federal search warrant at SMITH’S residence in Jacksonville. Based on the investigation, SMITH manufactured child pornography on one occasion by producing at least 13 images of a nude 2-3 year old female while acting as her babysitter. On Septebmer 25, 2015, SMITH provided a written statement in which he apologized and accepted responsibility for his actions related to the instant offense.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), the Jacksonville Police Department and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes represented the government.
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Iowa City Head Shop Owner Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Synthetic DrugsRead the Press Release
Hadi Sharairi, age 45, from Iowa City, has been charged with conspiring to distribute synthetic drugs. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on June 16, 2016, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between at least February 10, 2014, and May 7, 2014, Sharairi conspired to distribute drugs called AB-FUBINACA and THJ-2201. The Indictment alleges that AB-FUBINACA is a Schedule I controlled substance and THJ-2201 was a controlled substance analogue in May 2014. Testimony at a hearing on June 21, 2016, showed Sharairi was the former owner of Zombies, a head shop located in Iowa City. An officer testified that Sharairi was warned by the Iowa City Police Department in June 2013 not to sell synthetic cannabinoid products (commonly known as “K2,” “Spice,” or “incense”). In May 2014, however, law enforcement searched Zombies and a storage unit associated with the business and found packages labeled “Bizarro,” which contained THJ-2201, and other packages labeled “Super Nova,” which contained AB-FUBINACA.
If convicted, Sharairi faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Sharairi appeared on June 16, 2016, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and on June 21, 2016, was released on bond. Sharairi’s next appearance for a status hearing is set for July 20, 2016.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services; and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-48-1-LRR.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to 30 Months on Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Juan Carlos Sepulveda-Castro, 31, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill to 30 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Sepulveda-Castro pleaded guilty on March 30, 2016.
Idaho Falls police arrested Sepulveda-Castro on December 5, 2015 after a report that he had threatened several others with a gun during a dispute. Sepulveda-Castro admitted possessing a loaded, Sig Sauer Model 522, .22 caliber, assault-style rifle. Sepulveda-Castro is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.
The case was investigated by Idaho Falls Police, U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case was prosecuted by the new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Eastern Idaho Partnership and the State of Idaho. The Eastern Idaho Special Assistant U.S. Attorney was hired to bolster ongoing efforts to prosecute regional drug trafficking, gun and gang violence, internet based crimes against children, and other serious crimes with a federal nexus. The Eastern Idaho Partnership is a collaboration of elected officials and law enforcement from 12 counties and 18 cities across eastern Idaho, in partnership with the Idaho Department of Correction and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Houston Man Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
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U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that MICHAEL RAY TAYLOR, age 47, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
TAYLOR faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum life sentence, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and up to five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier set sentencing for October 13, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
Harrisburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing A False and Fraudulent Personal Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aida Crespo, age 44, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of an Indictment that charged her with submitting a false and fraudulent tax return to the Internal Revenue Service. Crespo was previously indicted by a federal grand jury on October 7, 2015.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, between the years 2007 and 2011, Crespo made numerous false representations in the preparation of income tax returns for herself and for others in order to maximize refund amounts. The fraudulent preparation included misrepresenting Schedule C income, listing fictitious dependents and manipulating filing status. As a result, the United States Treasury issued refunds to citizens which exceeded the amount that they were entitled to receive.
The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Schinnour.
Indictments and informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for submitting a false claim to the United States is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Hanson Man Indicted for Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hanson man was indicted today in connection with sending sexually explicit videos of two pre-teen girls.
Mark L. Leach, 48, was indicted today on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor. In April 2016, Leach was charged in a criminal complaint.
According to court documents, law enforcement learned that Leach had used the Skype screen name “funtimehockey” to send sexually explicit messages via text, live video and audio with two pre-teen girls. One of the minor victims occasionally babysat for Leach’s daughter. The victims told law enforcement that Leach asked them to send naked and sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves. Leach also allegedly exposed himself.
Leach was arrested by law enforcement in April 2016 as he was leaving his home. During a consensual interview, Leach admitted that he had set up the Skype account to communicate with the minor girls, and requested that the girls expose themselves to him during conversations and send him sexually explicit pictures. He also admitted that he masturbated in front of them during Skype sessions.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and no greater than 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and no greater than life imprisonment, up to lifetime 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; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch; and Whitman Police Chief Scott D. Benton, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information related to this case, or any information relating to the sexual exploitation of children, should call (617) 478-3274.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Grand Jury Indicts Two Dallas Men on Federal Felony Offenses Stemming from Their November 2015 Armed Assault on Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment yesterday charging two Dallas men, Victor Manuel Solorzano, 30, and his cousin, Edgar Solorzano, 23, on felony offenses stemming from their November 19, 2015, armed assault of two federal law enforcement officers in southwest Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
“The charges in this indictment clearly demonstrate that violent drug traffickers will be vigorously prosecuted by this office, particularly when their violence is directed at law enforcement officers, and the punishment they face upon conviction will be substantial,” said U.S. Attorney Parker.
The indictment charges each defendant with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of assault of a federal officer. Victor Solorzano is also charged with two counts, and Edgar Solorzano with one count, of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Victor Solorzano is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
During the early morning hours of November 19, 2015, the defendants, allegedly armed with assault rifles, opened fire on two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officers engaged in the performance of their official duties.
That same day, as part of the investigation, Victor Solorzano, was found to be in possession of numerous firearms in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime, namely possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, the methamphetamine distribution count and each of the assault counts carry a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Victor Solorzano is also charged with three firearm offenses. If convicted, one of those, relating to the drug count, is punishable by not less than five years and up to life, and the other two, relating to the two assault counts, are each punishable by not less than 25 years and up to life. These sentences must run consecutive to each other and consecutive to any sentences for the drug and assault offenses. Edgar Solorzano is also charged with one firearm offense, and it relates to one of the assault counts. If convicted, because it involves the discharge of a firearm, it is punishable by not less than 10 years and up to life, and this sentence must run consecutive to any sentences for the drug and assault offenses.
The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation that would require the defendants, upon conviction, to forfeit 22 firearms and assorted ammunition, as well as nearly $4,000 in cash seized from them on November 19, 2015.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dallas Police Department are conducting the investigation. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kull are in charge of the prosecution.
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Glassport Man Admits Guilt in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on a charge of wire fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
William B. Rusnock, 35, of Glassport, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Gustave Diamond.
According to the information presented to the court, Rusnock made fraudulent purchases of sporting event tickets on StubHub! without paying for them, defrauding StubHub!, PayPal and Huntington Bank by using a deceptive scheme. The fraud totaled approximately $44,000.
Judge Diamond scheduled the sentencing for Oct. 18, 2016 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Fort Thompson Woman Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter and Child Abuse.
Bonita Keeble, a/k/a Bonita Hare, age 34, was indicted on April 13, 2016. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 21, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction of Involuntary Manslaughter is up to eight years in custody, and conviction of Child Abuse is up to 15 years in custody. Each charge carries a penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
It is alleged that around July 27, 2015, Keeble killed a minor child under the age of seven by acting in a grossly negligent manner by overlaying and smothering the child.
The charge is merely an accusation and Keeble is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Keeble was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former Supervisory Contracting Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Foreign Defense ContractorRead the Press Release
A former Department of Defense (DoD) supervisory contracting officer pleaded guilty today to charges that he accepted bribes from the owner of the foreign defense contractor at the center of a massive bribery and fraud scandal.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy of the Southern District of California, Acting Director Dermot O’Reilly of the DoD’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and Director Andrew Traver of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) made the announcement.
Paul Simpkins, 61, of Haymarket, Virginia, was a senior DoD contracting official who supervised contracting officers responsible for awarding and administering U.S. Navy contracts. Sentencing was set for Sept. 9, 2016.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from approximately May 2006 until September 2012, Leonard Glenn Francis, owner of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), provided cash, travel expenses and the services of prostitutes in return for Simpkins’s efforts to steer contracts to GDMA and intervene on GDMA’s behalf in contracting disputes with the U.S. Navy. Simpkins admitted that during the years-long scheme, Francis provided him with hundreds of thousands of dollars through wire transfers to a bank account in Japan controlled by Simpkins’s former wife. After Francis transferred the funds to Simpkins’s wife’s account, Simpkins caused payments to be remitted to a U.S. bank account held in his own name.
According to his plea, Simpkins admitted that, in return, he used his influence within the U.S. Navy to benefit GDMA. Among other things, Simpkins admitted that he extended GDMA’s contract after a subordinate recommended the contract not be extended due to high costs; instructed U.S. Navy officials in Hong Kong to discontinue using meters that ensured proper accounting of the amount of waste that GDMA removed from U.S. Navy ships to ensure that no overbilling occurred; and instructed a U.S. Navy official to ignore invoices that GDMA submitted after Francis complained that U.S. Navy personnel were asking questions.
Including Simpkins, 14 individuals have been charged in connection with this scheme; of those, 11 have pleaded guilty, including Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau, Captain (Select) Michael Misiewicz, Captain Daniel Dusek, Lieutenant Commander Todd Malaki, NCIS Special Agent John Beliveau, Commander Jose Luis Sanchez and Petty Officer First Class Dan Layug. On Jan. 21, 2016, Layug was sentenced to 27 months in prison and a $15,000 fine; on Jan. 29, 2016, Malaki was sentenced to 40 months in prison and to pay $15,000 in restitution to the Navy and a $15,000 fine; on March 18, 2016, Alex Wisidagama, a former GDMA employee, was sentenced to 63 months in prison and to pay $34.8 million in restitution to the Navy; on March 25, 2016, Dusek was sentenced to 46 months in prison and to pay $30,000 in restitution to the Navy and a $70,000 fine; and on April 29, 2016, Misiewicz was sentenced to 78 months in prison and to pay a fine of $100,000 and to forfeit $95,000 in proceeds for the scheme. Francis and Ed Aruffo, a former GDMA employee, as well as GDMA, the corporate entity, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Retired Captain Michael Brooks, Commander Bobby Pitts and Lieutenant Commander Gentry Debord were charged by a federal grand jury on May 25, 2016, and their cases remain pending.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by NCIS, DCIS and DCAA. Assistant Chief Brian R. Young of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher and Patrick Hovakimian of the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Those with information relating to fraud, corruption or waste in government contracting should contact the NCIS anonymous tip line at www.ncis.navy.mil or the DOD Hotline at www.dodig.mil/hotline, or call (800) 424-9098.
Former Supervisory Contracting Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Foreign Defense ContractorRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714 and Patrick Hovakimian (619) 546-9718
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 23, 2016
SAN DIEGO, CA – Former Department of Defense supervisory contracting officer Paul Simpkins pleaded guilty today to charges that he accepted bribes from Leonard Glenn Francis, the foreign defense contractor at the center of a massive bribery and fraud scandal.
Paul Simpkins, 62, of Haymarket, Virginia, supervised contracting officers responsible for awarding and administering U.S. Navy contracts. According to admissions made in his plea agreement, from approximately May 2006 until September 2012, Francis provided cash, travel expenses and the services of prostitutes in return for Simpkins’s efforts to steer contracts to his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), and intervene on GDMA’s behalf in contracting disputes with the U.S. Navy. Simpkins admitted that during the years-long scheme, Francis provided him with hundreds of thousands of dollars through wire transfers to a bank account controlled by Simpkins’s former wife.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2016 at 9 a.m. before Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
Including Simpkins, 14 individuals have been charged in connection with this scheme; of those, 11 have pleaded guilty, including Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau, Captain (Select) Michael Misiewicz, Captain Daniel Dusek, Lieutenant Commander Todd Malaki, NCIS Special Agent John Beliveau, Commander Jose Luis Sanchez and Petty Officer First Class Dan Layug.
On Jan. 21, 2016, Layug was sentenced to 27 months in prison and a $15,000 fine; on Jan. 29, 2016, Malaki was sentenced to 40 months in prison and to pay $15,000 in restitution to the Navy and a $15,000 fine; on March 18, 2016, Alex Wisidagama, a former GDMA employee, was sentenced to 63 months in prison and to pay $34.8 million in restitution to the Navy; on March 25, 2016, Dusek was sentenced to 46 months in prison and to pay $30,000 in restitution to the Navy and a $70,000 fine; and on April 29, 2016, Misiewicz was sentenced to 78 months in prison and to pay a fine of $100,000 and to forfeit $95,000 in proceeds for the scheme.
Francis and Ed Aruffo, a former GDMA employee, as well as GDMA, the corporate entity, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Retired Captain Michael Brooks, Commander Bobby Pitts and Lieutenant Commander Gentry Debord were charged by a federal grand jury on May 25, 2016, and their cases remain pending.
The investigation is being conducted by NCIS, DCIS and DCAA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher and Patrick Hovakimian of the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case along with Assistant Chief Brian R. Young of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Those with information relating to fraud, corruption or waste in government contracting should contact the NCIS anonymous tip line at www.ncis.navy.mil or the DOD Hotline at www.dodig.mil/hotline, or call (800) 424-9098.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 15-CR-0530
Former Department of Defense supervisory contracting officer Paul Simpkins Age 62
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
Maximum Penalty: 5 years in prison, $250,000 fine
Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201 (b) (2) (A) and (C)
Maximum Penalty: 5 years in prison, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
Former Letter Carrier Pleads Guilty to Worker’s Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining worker’s compensation for medical travel.
Joseph Bouchard, 67, of Georgetown, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in obtaining federal employee compensation. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14, 2016
From January 1986 to December 2009, Bouchard was employed as a letter carrier in Reading, Mass. While on medical leave from 2008 to 2014, Bouchard submitted dozens of travel vouchers to fitness centers in Lexington, Lynnfield and Bedford for dates when he did not actually use those gyms or used a different gym of closer proximity. Bouchard’s fraudulent submissions totaled approximately $50,000.
The charging statues provides a sentence of no greater than one year in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $100,000, or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in Boston, made the announcement today. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption and Special Crimes Unit.
Former Law Firm Executive Sentenced for Embezzling over $230,000 from FirmRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Mary Suzanne Creach has been sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud as part of her scheme to steal over $230,000 from her former employer, an Atlanta-based law firm.
“Even though well-paid as the Executive Director of her firm, Creach used her position to embezzle money routinely and to pad her comfortable lifestyle,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “Stealing is illegal whether it’s from someone's home or from your employer, and in this instance a law firm lost several hundred thousand dollars due to the actions of an unscrupulous senior employee.”
“This case is another unfortunate example of an individual who violated her position of trust to illegally enrich herself,” said Malcolm D. Wiley, Sr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office. “The United States Secret Service will continue to collaborate with its law enforcement partners to target and arrest individuals who commit these types of crimes.”
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: From August 2013 until June 2015, Creach was the law firm’s Executive Director, and part of her responsibilities were managing the firm's financial affairs, including employee payroll. Despite being paid a considerable salary well in excess of six-figures, Creach used her authority to initiate unauthorized bank transfers and payroll adjustments that almost doubled what she earned in salary.
At the beginning of her scheme, Creach initiated fraudulent transfers and payroll adjustments in the $1,000 to $3,000 range. She grew considerably bolder over time, and towards the end of the scheme, she was routinely authorizing transfers to herself in the $6,000 to $7,000 range, with some transfers well over $10,000. By the time her theft was discovered by the firm, she had stolen $232,933.40.
Mary Suzanne Creach, 53, of Dunwoody, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas W. Thrash, to one year, six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $232,933.40. Creach pleaded guilty on March 28, 2016.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Lynsey M. Barron prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Five Persons Sentenced on Tax Refund Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that five persons who previously pleaded guilty in related cases to filing false claims for federal tax refunds were sentenced this week, in federal court in Scranton, by United States District Judge Robert Mariani.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the following persons were sentenced as indicated:
Russell F. Trauger, age 67, Factoryville, pleaded guilty in December 2012 to making a false claim against the government. Trauger was sentenced by Judge Mariani on June 20, 2016 to serve 24 months in prison and to make restitution to the government in the amount of $233,686.55.
Donald K. Murley, age 64, Cresco, pleaded guilty in December 2012 to making a false claim against the government. Murley was sentenced by Judge Mariani on June 21, 2016 to serve 21 months in prison and to make restitution to the government in the amount of $243,462.62.
Harold C. Trauger, Jr., age 70, Factoryville, pleaded guilty in December 2012 to making a false claim against the government. Murley was sentenced by Judge Mariani on June 21, 2016 to 2 years’ probation conditioned upon 6 months’ of home confinement and electronic monitoring. Harold Trauger was also ordered to pay a fine of $7,500.
Bryan Cavage, age 36, Florida, pleaded guilty in August 2013 to making a false claim against the government. Murley was sentenced by Judge Mariani on June 23, 2016 to serve 5 months in prison and to make restitution to the government in the amount of $37,152.38.
Laura Laporta, age 49, Cresco, pleaded guilty in December 2012 to making a false claim against the government. Laporta was sentenced by Judge Mariani on June 23, 2016 to serve 4 months in prison and to make restitution to the government in the amount of $32,564.
The individuals sentenced this week were charged after an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation that revealed that the charged individuals were involved in a scheme to defraud the government through the filing of false Forms 1099-OID in support tax returns that fraudulently claimed refunds. Similar abusive tax fraud schemes have been investigated and prosecuted nationwide.
The cases were prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Samuelson and Assistant U.S. Attorney William Houser.
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Eustis Man Sentenced for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Gregory J. Rhoadarmer, 46, formerly of Eustis, Nebraska., was sentenced in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 63 months in prison by United States Senior District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for receipt and distribution of child pornography. After his release from prison, Rhoadarmer will serve a period of five years on supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
While conducting investigations into the sharing of child pornography files, investigators from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office were able to obtain a number of video files which contained child pornography as defined by federal law. On June 11, 2015, an IP address was identified as using a file sharing program and was traced to Rhoadarmer’s residence.
A search warrant was executed at Rhoadarmer’s residence in Eustis, Nebraska on July 16, 2015. Various items of computer equipment were seized and have been forfeited. Rhoadarmer was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted that he had installed the file sharing program on his computer and had been downloading and sharing files containing child pornography. A forensic examination revealed over 100 videos and images of child pornography on Rhoadarmer’s computer.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
English Avenue Drug Market Intervention Targets Drug Dealer Who Recruited Juveniles into the Drug TradeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Tovias Dunton, has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiring to possess heroin with the intent to distribute, distribution of heroin, and using a minor to distribute and attempt to distribute heroin. The defendant was indicted as part of the Drug Market Initiative (DMI), which is an on-going commitment to eradicate the heroin market in the English Avenue neighborhood.
“The cycle of drug trafficking in the English Avenue community is perpetuated by people like Dunton, who allegedly tried to avoid his own prosecution by enlisting minors to traffic heroin,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn. “We won’t sit on the sidelines when drug dealers attempt to pull the young people in their community into the drug trade.”
“Although we are very pleased with the success of this operation, it highlights the persistence of narcotics trafficking and demonstrates that this type of crime is real and must be continuously battled,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Atlanta Field Division.
“The arraignment of Tovias Dunton on federal charges related to heroin distribution is a win for the City of Atlanta,” said Chief George N. Turner, Atlanta Police Department. “The cowardly method of using children to commit your crimes shows just how far a criminal will go to carry out his deeds. We will remain committed to working with our federal partners to protect our youth from every type of threat.”
“This indictment illustrates that drug trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in the state of Georgia. It is paramount that violators of drug laws and criminals that utilize juveniles to distribute drugs be held accountable. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is fully committed to working with our local and federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” said Vernon Keenan, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: Dunton’s indictment stems from the latest phase of the DMI investigation of drug trafficking in the English Avenue community. Dunton was identified by law enforcement as a heroin seller in the English Avenue community when he allegedly conducted a hand-to-hand transaction with a confidential informant in February 2016. Beginning that same month, Dunton allegedly conspired with a 15-year old boy and others to possess heroin with the intent to distribute. On two separate occasions in April and May 2016, Dunton allegedly used the minor distribute and attempt to distribute heroin.
Tovias Dunton, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 14, 2016, and was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Atlanta Police Department, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Hartigan is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Eight, including a Former State Employee, Charged in Northern District of Georgia as Part of the Largest National Medicare Fraud Takedown in HistoryRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an unprecedented nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 36 federal districts, resulting in criminal and civil charges against 301individuals, including 61 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving approximately $900 million in false billings. Twenty-three state Medicaid Fraud Control Units also participated in the arrests. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also suspended a number of providers using its suspension authority provided in the Affordable Care Act. This coordinated takedown is the largest in the history of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, both in terms of the number of defendants charged and loss amount.
“This exemplifies the ongoing commitment to investigate and prosecute those who steal tax dollars that provide essential healthcare to the elderly and low-income families,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Horn. “Those who commit healthcare fraud through filing of false claims, payment or receipt of bribes, or fraudulent medical practices will be held accountable for defrauding the U.S. government.”
“As this takedown should make clear, health care fraud is not an abstract violation or benign offense – it is a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. “The wrongdoers that we pursue in these operations seek to use public funds for private enrichment. They target real people – many of them in need of significant medical care. They promise effective cures and therapies, but they provide none. Above all, they abuse basic bonds of trust – between doctor and patient; between pharmacist and doctor; between taxpayer and government – and pervert them to their own ends. The Department of Justice is determined to continue working to ensure that the American people know that their health care system works for them – and them alone.”
“This indictment demonstrates our office’s continued commitment to protect crucial Medicaid dollars from fraud and abuse,” said Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens. “I would also like to thank our federal partners for their work and cooperation in this case.”
“The FBI, in working with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, brought these investigative cases forward for federal prosecution as part of a national coordinated effort to firmly and aggressively protect the much needed federal funds that make up the Medicare program. Those individuals that engage in Medicare fraud are not only stealing from the federal taxpayer but also from those individuals who are counting on Medicare and Medicaid for their healthcare needs,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
“These actions send a strong message to those who allegedly steal from Medicare and Medicaid: The Office of Inspector General will continue to work hard with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the financial bleeding of our health care system,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta.
Specifically, the Northern District of Georgia case announced as part of the nationwide Medicare Strike Force takedown include:
United States v. Otis Shannon, et. al., Case No. 1:16-CR-218
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the indictment, and other information presented in court: From on or about 2013 until 2015, Otis Shannon was employed with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. In this position, Shannon was tasked with reviewing mental health provider applications to verify that prospective mental health providers met requisite minimum staffing levels and had proper credentials and licenses to provide proper care to Georgia Medicaid beneficiaries.
According to the indictment, Shannon solicited and accepted bribes from applicants to accept falsified and forged documents. Matthew Harrell, Denise Dixon, Geovon Martin, Marion Simpson, Sharon Zellner, Derrick McDow, and Cortim Martin were owners, operators or employees of health care providers that paid bribes to Otis Shannon to gain approval to provide mental health services to Georgia Medicaid beneficiaries. These mental health providers were approved to bill Georgia Medicaid without meeting program requirements that were in place to ensure that beneficiaries were obtaining quality care. These unqualified providers improperly billed Georgia Medicaid for over $6.6 million and Georgia Medicaid paid the providers over $5.9 million.
The following defendants have been charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery:
- Otis Shannon, 42, of Stone Mountain, Georgia.
- Matthew Harrell, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia.
- Denise Dixon, 40, of Fayetteville, Georgia.
- Geovon Martin, 39, of Mableton, Georgia.
- Marion Simpson, 66, of Austell, Georgia.
- Sharon Zellner, 58, of McDonough, Georgia.
- Derrick McDow, 46, of Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Cortim Martin, 31, of Smyrna, Georgia.
The case is being investigated by the Georgia State Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, FBI, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Brown and Special Assistant United States Attorney Robin Daitch are prosecuting this case. Including the enforcement actions, nearly 1,200 individuals have been charged in national takedown operations, which have involved more than $3.4 billion in fraudulent billings.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The court documents for each case will posted online, as they become available, here: http://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-2016-medicare-fraud-strike-force-press-conference.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
- Otis Shannon, 42, of Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Eight Firearms Arrests Made as Part of Violence Reduction Network Operation in West MemphisRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Jeffrey Reed, Resident Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced today the final two arrests of a targeted operation designed to remove violent gun offenders from communities in and around West Memphis. Since Friday, June 17, 2016, eight individuals have been arrested in this ongoing operation, which is part of the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) initiative in West Memphis.
On Thursday, Derrico Dashawn Davis, 27, and Nakia Dejuan Mondy, 41, were arrested in the early-morning operation. They joined several others already in custody, including Marvis Ballard, 31, and Patrick Barrett, 22, who were arrested Wednesday night, and Orlando D. Ingram, 45, Marvin Meux, 43, and Burt Calvin Neely, 29, who were arrested last Friday. Nicco M. Alls, 28, was already in state custody when served the federal arrest warrant. All defendants are from West Memphis except Davis, who is from Osceola.
The eight defendants were named in separate indictments charging them with being felons in possession of firearms. United States Magistrate Judge Beth Deere held initial appearance hearings on the three prior arrests and will hold initial appearances for the newly arrested defendants on Friday.
"These individuals are among the most dangerous members of their community, and removing them and their guns from the streets was a top priority," Thyer said. "I’m pleased that this coordinated effort through the VRN is succeeding in helping make our local communities safer, while at the same time punishing those who believe gun violence is somehow acceptable."
"Through partnerships with ATF, other federal agencies and local law enforcement, the removal of violent offenders from northeast Arkansas has made these communities a safer living environment for their citizens," Reed said.
In 2015, West Memphis was selected to participate in the VRN. The other cities comprising the VRN include: Little Rock; Detroit; Chicago; Compton, California; Flint, Michigan; Wilmington, Delaware; Newark and Camden, New Jersey; and Oakland and Richmond, California. The VRN is a comprehensive approach to reducing violent crime in communities around the country. Through the VRN, the Justice Department enlists tactical and operational expertise available from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the ATF, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Executive Office of the United States Attorneys, the Community Oriented Policing Services Office and the Office on Violence Against Women.
On Tuesday, Judge Deere issued an order detaining Meux. Meux was originally arrested by state authorities on October 21, 2015, after West Memphis police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of South 16th Street in West Memphis in reference to two subjects being held at gunpoint while attempting to repossess a car belonging to Meux. While attempting to hook up the car, Meux jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off in the vehicle, with a repossession employee still in the passenger seat. After fleeing a short distance, Meux drove back to his residence. After the employee exited Meux’s vehicle he saw Meux running towards him with a small black gun. The two repossession employees then got into their truck and drove away, while Meux pointed the gun at them.
West Memphis police officers received consent to search the residence and located an SKS assault rifle and a .38 caliber revolver. Meux has been previously convicted of drug offenses and is a high-ranking member of a gang known as the Gangster Disciples in West Memphis.
Ingram, the leader of the Gangster Disciples in West Memphis, was also arrested for his involvement in a shootout occurring in that city.
The federal indictments, unsealed today, were handed up by a Grand Jury on March 8, 2016. The seven separate indictments charge seven defendants with felon in possession of firearms. One complaint, issued by United States Magistrate Judge Beth Deere on June 21, 2016, charges an eighth defendant (Barrett) with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
Previous convictions associated with the eight defendants include: murder in the first degree; battery 2nd degree; robbery; residential burglary; sale of a controlled substance; delivery of cocaine; possession of with intent to deliver cocaine; possession of a controlled substance; felon in possession of a firearm; aggravated assault; and hindering apprehension.
As a result of the joint effort, one assault rifle, one rifle, seven handguns, and multiple extended ammunition magazines were seized.
If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Ingram and Neely will face a sentence of not less than 15 years to life imprisonment due to their prior criminal history. The other six defendants will face a sentence of not more than 10 years imprisonment.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is a coordinated effort through the ATF, DEA, FBI, West Memphis Police Department, Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola Police Department, Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, Jonesboro Police Department, Shelby County Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and Memphis Police Department. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Gordon and Liza Jane Brown.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on June 20, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Carl White Eagle, age 27, was sentenced to 21 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2015. He pled guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury on March 29, 2016.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place on April 5, 2015, at Eagle Butte, when White Eagle and some friends were visiting and drinking at a residence. At some point, White Eagle and his girlfriend got into an argument about him being with other girls. They were standing in the kitchen entryway, and when the victim walked behind them, White Eagle turned around and without warning or saying anything, assaulted the victim, knocking her to the floor. The victim tried to get up, but was dazed. Blood was pouring from her mouth and she was crying. When the victim sought medical attention later that day, she told the doctors what had happened and law enforcement was notified. The victim required complex plastic surgery to repair the injuries to her lip and mouth.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
White Eagle was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Doctor Admits Accepting Thousands of Dollars in Cash Bribes for Referrals to Lab CompaniesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A doctor with offices in Toms River, New Jersey, today admitted accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for patient referrals to two lab companies that performed blood and DNA testing, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Vincent Destasio, 54, of Toms River, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to Count 1 of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to accept cash bribes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Destasio, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, was paid cash kickbacks by two sales representatives – Daniel Gilman, 63, of Ocean Grove, New Jersey, and Kenneth Roberson, 46, of Wall, New Jersey – who were partners operating PROMED, a marketing and sales company specializing in blood testing laboratories and DNA laboratory testing companies.
From March 2014 through May 2015, Gilman and Robberson solicited Destasio by paying him cash bribes for referring patient lab work to two separate laboratories for which Gilman and Robberson provided marketing and sales. One company (Company 1) was a blood testing laboratory company and the other was a DNA laboratory testing company (Company 2). Neither Company 1 nor Company 2 had any knowledge of or involvement in the kickback scheme.
Gilman and Robberson received monthly commission checks from the two companies for referrals. After receiving the commission checks from the two companies, Gilman and Robberson would identify the number of patients Destasio had referred and pay him a cash kickback based on those patients. Destasio was paid thousands of dollars in cash bribes for his referrals.
Destasio faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26, 2016.
Gilman and Robberson have both pleaded guilty to an information charging them with conspiracy to bribe a physician and await sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. David Walk Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Camden.
U.S. Attorney Fishman reorganized the health care fraud practice shortly after taking office, creating a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit to handle both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since 2010, the office has recovered more than $1.29 billion in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.
Defense counsel: John J. Bruno Jr., Esq., Rutherford, New Jersey
Dallas, Texas, Woman Faces up to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Katia Maribell Olivera, 26, of Dallas, Texas, appeared in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David L. Horan and pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Olivera, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for October 5, 2016, before Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn.
According to documents filed in the case, in July 2013, Olivera filed a voluntary bankruptcy petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Texas. Following the filing of the bankruptcy petition creditor International Auto Sales filed an Emergency Motion to Annul the Automatic Stay to repossess a 2006 BMW 7 Series automobile purchased by Olivera.
In May 2013, Olivera made a $4,000 down payment and signed a credit application seeking a loan for the purchase of the BMW. The application was mailed to National Auto Lenders located in Miami Lakes, Florida. In this credit application, Olivera signed and submitted a false and fraudulent application falsely representing her monthly gross income and also contained the forged signature of her employer.
This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative in the Northern District of Texas. Olivera is the 16th defendant convicted since July 2014 as part of that initiative.
Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Dallas Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison on Child Porn ConvictionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Avel Barron, 26, of Dallas, was sentenced this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 151 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in September 2015 to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, in late July 2015, Barron used his computer and the Internet to receive videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
When special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at his residence on August 4, 2015, agents found and seized computers and other computer media. Barron, who was present during the search, acknowledged that he possessed more than 175 images and videos of child pornography. Some of those images and videos that he collected depicted sadistic acts involving children, and some of the images and videos he possessed depicted infants or toddlers.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative. PSC is a department initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Since FY 2011, the Department of Justice has filed 20,260 PSC cases against 19,111 defendants. These cases include prosecutions of child sex trafficking; sexual abuse of a minor or ward; child pornography offenses; obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children; selling or buying of children; and many more statutes. To learn more about PSC’s work, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks was in charge of the prosecution.
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Cranberry Twp. Woman Admints Embezzling $150,000 from UPMC SubsidiaryRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Butler County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of embezzlement related to health care, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Elizabeth A. Rotto, 46, of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Rotto embezzled funds in the amount of $150,000 that belonged to Askesis Development Group, a subsidiary of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for Nov. 8, 2016 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Rotto on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rotto.
Coeur d’Alene Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Kody Ray Gibbs, 29, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Gibbs was indicted by a federal grand jury in Coeur d'Alene on April 19, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2016, a woman purchased an “open box” tablet-computer from a local Coeur d’Alene business. When she powered the tablet, she found that it contained images of child pornography. The Coeur d’Alene Police were called. Detectives determined that Gibbs had purchased the computer previously and returned it for a refund. Gibbs was located, interviewed, and admitted to downloading child pornography.
The charge of possession of sexually explicit images of minors is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, and up to lifetime supervised release.
Sentencing is set for September 6, 2016, before Chief United States District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene.
The case was investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office. They participate in the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a statewide coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies, focused on apprehending and prosecuting individuals who use the Internet to criminally exploit children. For more information about the Idaho ICAC Task Force and a list of all the participating agencies, visit www.icactaskforce.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Moses Wood Brown, Jr., age 38, of Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, today to 162 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Chasanow also ordered Brown to forfeit $42,758, a firearm, ammunition and a bulletproof vest.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on four occasions from September 12 to December 18, 2013, Brown provided Cornelius Jackson with a total of 201.9 grams of crack cocaine, commonly referred to as crack cocaine, for which Jackson paid a total of $9,100.
On February 20, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized three plastic bags containing a total of approximately 881.5 grams of cocaine base; a plastic container of Inositol which is frequently used as a cutting agent for cocaine; $42,758; a bullet proof vest and 150 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; two plastic bags containing a total of approximately 193.9 grams of powder cocaine; a semiautomatic pistol loaded with fourteen 9 millimeter rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber; and narcotics paraphernalia, including a digital scale, used for the processing and cooking of powder cocaine into crack cocaine.
Brown admitted that he used his residence to manufacture and distribute crack cocaine.
In a separate proceeding, Cornelius Maurice Jackson, a/k/a “Buddy Love” and “Buddy,” age 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 11 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Judge Chasanow also ordered Jackson to forfeit $9,100.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Metropolitan Police Department and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly O. Hayes and Ray D. McKenzie, who prosecuted the case.
Chinese National will be Deported for Role in Fraudulent Test Taking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Chinese national has been sentenced in federal court to one year probation with immediate deportation on his conviction of conspiracy in relation to a scheme involving the fraudulent taking of college entrance exams, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Yudong Zhang.
According to information presented to the court, Yudong Zhang acted as a facilitator for two Chinese nationals, who were associates of his, to have the SAT and TOEFL examinations taken on their behalf by others. Using counterfeit passports that contained identifying information of Zhang’s associates and the impostors’ photographs, Zhang’s associates earned scores on three college entrance examinations which were then used by Zhang’s assoicates to earn admission to Virginia Tech University. Zhang’s associates were also able to obtain F-1 Visas to enter the United States as students on the basis of that fraudulent admission.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stated that her sentence reflected the seriousness of the offense in that it allowed people who otherwise would not have been eligible to enter the U.S. to enter and also brought unfairness to the American education system.
Assistant United States Attorney James T. Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of State for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Zhang.
Chadron Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Jesse Lucio, 39, formerly of Chadron, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 19 years in prison by United States Senior District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for the production of child pornography. Following his release from prison, Lucio will serve 10 years on supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
In September of 2015 the Chadron Police Department was informed of a possible sexual assault involving Lucio and a minor female victim. The reporting party indicated to law enforcement that there was a video of Lucio and the minor female victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct on a tablet computer located at Lucio’s home. The reporting party stated that she knew the age of the minor female victim and that she also saw Lucio in the video. The tablet was later examined by law enforcement officials, including a forensic examination conducted by the FBI, and 2 videos were recovered on the tablet computer, both videos having been produced on September 12, 2015, in Chadron Nebraska, and depicting Lucio and the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct as defined by federal law.
Lucio was interviewed by the Chadron Police Department and admitted to having sexual contact with the minor female victim and recording the sexually explicit conduct on the tablet computer.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Chadron Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced for Stealing Gun from Local Gun StoreRead the Press Release
A man who stole a gun from Sports Outfitters in Cedar Rapids was sentenced June 21, 2016, to more than 6 years in federal prison.
Dante Glinn, 23, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after a January 27, 2016, jury verdict finding him guilty of theft of a firearm from a licensed dealer.
The evidence at trial showed that, on August 25, 2015, Glinn walked into Sports Outfitters, a Cedar Rapids gun store, reached behind the counter, and stole a .45 caliber Kimber pistol before fleeing the scene. Testimony at trial established that Glinn used an alias to get medical treatment at a local hospital for a wound visible in the videos the same evening as the theft.
Glinn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Glinn was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and he was ordered to make restitution of $1,019.95 to Sports Outfitters. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 15-CR-00093.
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Captured Fugitive Pleads Guilty in Odometer Tampering Scheme That Defrauded Hundreds of Car BuyersRead the Press Release
A woman originally from Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, entered guilty pleas today in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia to all 23 counts of an indictment related to an odometer tampering conspiracy, the Department of Justice announced.
Judith Ann Aloe, 55, previously residing in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, was scheduled to stand trial in May 2014, in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia. When she failed to appear for trial on May 14, 2014, a bench warrant was issued for her arrest by Chief Judge Petrese B. Tucker. Aloe remained at large for 21 months. In February 2016, she was located in Baja California, Mexico, and turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service at the Mexico/California border. Today, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to tamper with odometers, make false odometer certifications, and commit securities fraud and to 11 counts each of securities fraud and making false odometer certifications. Her sentencing is on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. before Chief Judge Tucker.
In April 2014, Aloe’s co-defendant, Kyle Novitsky, then 46, of Scott Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to several counts in the indictment. In October 2014, Novitsky was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,482,000 to victims. From at least as early as 2004 through 2010, Aloe and Novitsky purchased high mileage cars and trucks, and then rolled back the odometers on the vehicles to make them appear more valuable. Doing business under various company names, Aloe and Novitsky sold close to 250 vehicles with rolled back odometers.
“The purchase of an automobile is one of the biggest purchases consumers make, and consumers rely on accurate mileage information to assess the value and safety of a vehicle,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Not only do purchasers pay more for used cars, but odometer fraud could ultimately affect a car’s safety and the costs of future repairs to the consumer. The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously enforce consumer protection laws by bringing those who commit this crime to justice.”
Aloe admitted to participating in the purchase of high-mileage cars, sport-utility vehicles and trucks from various locations of a national car rental company. She then worked with Novitsky to roll back and alter the odometers and resold the vehicles at wholesale automobile auctions in Pennsylvania. Aloe also caused to be altered the high mileages shown on the titles received from the car rental company to reflect false, low mileages and retitled the vehicles in Pennsylvania with false mileages. These titles were then given to the buyers so that the mileage on the titles matched the mileage shown on a vehicle’s odometer.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Linda I. Marks of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and former Consumer Protection Branch Trial Attorney Jessica Gunder, now an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Idaho, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation.
More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA’s website and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at this page. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Burley Man Sentenced to 20 years for Possessing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Danny Henderson, 42, of Burley, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison for possessing, distributing, and receiving child pornography, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also imposed 15 years of supervised release. Henderson pleaded guilty on February 10, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, on June 5 and 6, 2015, Henderson sent fifteen images of sexually exploitative images of minors via Twitter Direct Messaging, receiving in exchange eighteen images. A subsequent search of his residence revealed several computers with numerous sexually exploitive images of minors. Henderson admitted that he possessed the images, knowing the images contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and also knowing that production of such visual depictions involved the use of minors in sexually explicit conduct. Henderson was previously convicted of lewd conduct with a child under 16 in 2002.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Bridgeport Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that AMONDA MENDEZ, also known as “M-Dot” and “Dot,” 25, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release.
This matter stems from an investigation headed by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Stamford Police Department, with the assistance of the Fairfield Police Department.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2015, Stamford Police received information that MENDEZ was distributing a large quantity of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and oxycodone in Stamford. Between February and April 2015, the DEA Task Force conducted four controlled purchases of narcotics from MENDEZ. A subsequent court-authorized wiretap confirmed that MENDEZ was distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills, including Percocet and Xanax.
MENDEZ was arrested on May 17, 2015, after the wiretap revealed that she was injured the previous day in a shoot-out with another individual and she might be preparing to retaliate further. A search of MENDEZ’s Bridgeport apartment on the day of her arrest revealed the handgun she used in the shooting incident, a sawed-off shotgun, narcotics, and approximately $10,000 in cash. In addition, a search of her vehicle revealed a bulletproof vest.
MENDEZ has been detained since her arrest. On November 19, 2015, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force includes members from the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Norwalk, Milford and Trumbull Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case was prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy C. Brown.
Bankcard Fraud Defendants Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Stefon D. Clark, Ayanna Johnson, and Quantaves Curry, have been sentenced to three years, five months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with their scheme to deposit fraudulent checks at USAA, the Navy Federal Credit Union, and BB&T.
“These defendants appealed to their victims with promises of ‘fast cash,’” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “The ease with which they were able to prey on unsuspecting citizens reinforces that bank customers should always carefully guard their bank account information.”
“Bank fraud is not a victimless crime and this case clearly illustrates that those engaging in this type of criminal act will pay a high price for those actions. The FBI will continue to dedicate significant investigative resources toward the protection of the banking industry and those customers in which it serves from those who would prey on them and defraud them,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: the defendants participated in a bank fraud scheme that lasted at least 17 months, compromised more than 240 bank accounts, and resulted in more than $600,000 in losses to three financial institutions. The scheme generally worked as follows: the defendants would post advertisements on social media sites, such as Instagram, seeking individuals who had bank accounts with certain financial institutions and were looking to make “fast cash.”
Upon learning of an interested party, the defendants would obtain the individual’s bank account information—including account number, PIN number, online banking information, and debit card. The defendants then deposited checks that had been stolen or were for closed bank accounts into the compromised bank account, and would withdraw the funds as cash before the financial institution realized that the checks were not valid. In total, the defendants deposited more than one million dollars in invalid checks into the compromised bank accounts and withdrew over $600,000 in cash.
All of the defendants pleaded guilty, with Johnson and Curry pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and Clark pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and seven substantive bank fraud counts. Curry pleaded guilty on July 6, 2015, Johnson pleaded guilty on August 26, 2015, and Clark pleaded guilty on January 20, 2016.
Stefon D. Clark, 27, Ayanna Johnson, 23, and Quantaves Curry, 27, all of Atlanta, Georgia, were sentenced to three years, five months in prison to be followed by supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $613,476.25. Curry and Johnson were sentenced on November 16, 2015 and Clark was sentenced on June 22, 2016.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Huber and former Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Mickelson prosecuted the case.
This announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.”
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Bank Robber Sentenced to 71 MonthsRead the Press Release
G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Charles Michael Beatty, age 44, of Knoxville, Tennessee was sentenced on June 23, 2016, to 71 months in federal prison for bank robbery and ordered to pay a total of $9,070 in restitution by Senior United States District Court Judge Hugh Lawson in Valdosta, Georgia.
On February 17, 2012, Mr. Beatty entered the Bank of America in Valdosta, Georgia. He approached a teller and presented a note demanding “50’s and 100’s.” As the teller read the note, Mr. Beatty took the note back and stated, “Don’t press the button, and don’t give me the dye pack.” The teller complied and gave him $8,000. A few days prior to this robbery, Mr. Beatty robbed the First Tennessee Bank in Chattanooga, Tennessee, taking $1070. Mr. Beatty was taken into custody on February 22, 2012, when he was arrested in Hollywood, California, for possession of a vehicle he had stolen from Cleveland, Tennessee.
“Charles Michael Beatty was a virtual one-man crime wave in East Tennessee and South Georgia during February, 2012, robbing and stealing every few days until his eventual apprehension on the west coast. It took dedicated and determined law enforcement efforts to track him across the country and bring his crime spree to an end,” said Acting United States Attorney Peterman.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Valdosta Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert McCullers prosecuted the case for the Government.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Baldwin Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Taking Sexually Explicit Photos of His Friends’ ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Raymond Mykale Goodridge, age 21, of Baldwin, Maryland, today to 210 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography in connection with images and videos he made of two minor boys, both engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Judge Garbis also ordered that upon his release from prison Goodridge must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to his plea agreement, Goodridge was friends with the mother of a prepubescent boy. Goodridge spent time alone with the boy, spending the night at the boy’s home in Dundalk, Maryland. The boy also spent the night at Goodridge’s home. In May 2014, when Goodridge was alone with the boy at the boy’s house, Goodridge used his cell phone to produce four photos which depict the boy partially naked. The photos focused on the boy’s genitals.
Goodridge was also friends with the mother of a 13 year old boy, who lived in Harford County. Goodridge and the 13 year old boy spent time together alone. In May 2014, Goodridge used a camera phone to surreptitiously take a video of the boy, intending to capture images of the boy engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The video captured the boy changing clothes and in various states of undress, included fully naked, and his genitals.
In February 2015, law enforcement seized digital devices belonging to Goodridge from his former residence, including a laptop and hard drive, which contained more than 600 images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Numerous files portrayed prepubescent children engaged in sex acts with adults. The hard drive also contained the images and videos Goodridge produced of the two boys.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore County Police Department, and the Harford County and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.