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Tuesday 24 May 2016
Statement from Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch on the Case of United States V. Dylann RoofRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007
Washington – Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch today released the following statement regarding the United States v. Dylann Roof:
“Following the department’s rigorous review process to thoroughly consider all relevant factual and legal issues, I have determined that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty. The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision.”
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https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-loretta-e-lynch-statement-case-dylann-roof
Six Residents of Southeastern Connecticut Charged with Staging Car Accidents in Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging six men with fraud and conspiracy offenses for allegedly staging car accidents for the purpose of defrauding automobile insurance companies. The nine-count indictment was returned on May 18, 2016, and was unsealed yesterday.
Charged in the indictment are:
MACKENZY NOZE, also known as “Ken Ken,” 31, of Norwich
JONAS JOSEPH, 32, also known as “James,” of Norwich
FRANDY DUGUE, 39, also known as “Jimmy,” of Norwich
CARLINS CALIXTE, 32, of Norwich
JACQUES FLEURIJEUNE, 26, also known as “Magic,” of New London
PIERRE JEUDY, 56, of NorwichAs alleged in the indictment, the defendants and others deliberately staged approximately 50 automobile accidents in and around New London County. A high percentage of these planned crashes were single-vehicle accidents on remote roads where there were no witnesses other than the occupants of the crashed vehicle. After each staged accident, the defendants filed fraudulent property damage and bodily injury claims with various automobile insurance companies. They then collected payouts on the fraudulent claims from the victim insurance companies. These payouts typically ranged from about $10,000 to about $30,000 per accident.
FLEURIJEUNE, JEUDY and DUGUE were arrested on May 20, and NOZE and CALIXTE were arrested on May 23. NOZE and FLEURIJEUNE are detained and DUGUE, CALIXTE and JEUDY are released on bond.
JOSEPH is being sought by law enforcement. Citizens with knowledge of his whereabouts, or with information that may be helpful to the investigation of this matter, are encouraged to call the FBI at 203-777-6311, or the Norwich Police Department at 860-886-5561.
NOZE, DUGUE, CALIXTE, FLEURIJEUNE, and JEUDY are citizens of Haiti. DUGUE, CALIXTE and JEUDY are lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
The indictment charges each defendant with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and multiple counts of mail and/or wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Norwich Police Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, with the assistance of the Mohegan Tribal Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi M. Perry.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who threatened another man with a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced on March 30, 2016 to more than a year in federal prison.
Billy Williams Navarrete, 22, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 10, 2015 guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Sawed-Off Shotgun.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearing showed Navarrete threatened an unarmed man with a hammer, threw a rock at the unarmed man, and when that unarmed man retreated, followed him to his home where he again confronted him with a loaded sawed-off shotgun. Later law enforcement found the loaded weapon in Navarrete’s car and additional rounds of ammunition on his person.
Navarrete was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Lenard T. Strand. Navarrete was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Navarrete is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 15-4059.
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Sacramento Man Charged with Arson for Setting Fire to Sacramento Nail SalonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Paul La, 58, of Sacramento, was arraigned today on a 10-count indictment charging him with arson of a commercial structure, arson to commit a federal felony, and mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the indictment, on February 6, 2011, La intentionally set fire to Golden Nails & Hair, a salon that he owned at 8335 Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento. La then knowingly lied about the cause of the fire and the extent of his destroyed business property in order to obtain payment from his insurance company.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, La faces a minimum five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for arson to a commercial structure; a consecutive 10 years in prison for arson to commit another felony; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rochester Woman Sentenced for Robbing A BankRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Tiffany Hogan, a.k.a. Michael Hogan, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of robbing the Chase Bank at 2900 Dewey Avenue in Rochester, was sentenced to eight years in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.Assistant U.S. Charles E. Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that on May 22, 2015, Hogan entered the Chase Bank just after it opened and passed the bank teller a note demanding money. The note also indicated that nobody would be hurt if the teller complied. The teller provided Hogan with a specific amount of United States currency.
The defendant left the bank and entered a white minivan in which co-defendant Maximilion Broadnax was waiting and the two drove away. Hogan and Broadnax were arrested later that day at 17 Second Street in Rochester by Rochester Police officers who were looking for Broadnax in connection with his involvement in stolen vehicles. While taking Broadnax into custody, officers saw that Broadnax’s pants fell down and a large amount of United States currency fell out.
Charges are pending against Maximilion Broadnax. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, as well as the Town of Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
Rochester Hell’s Angel Sentenced for Baseball Bat BeatingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Robert W. Moran, Jr. aka Bugsy, 64, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Moran was also prohibited by Judge Siragusa from being a member of the Hell’s Angels for a year after his release from prison.Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that on May 31, 2006, Moran – a member and officer of the Rochester Hell’s Angels – assaulted a patron at Spenders Bar, at 1600 Lyell Avenue in Rochester, with a baseball bat. The defendant beat the patron in the head and body with the bat after the patron made disparaging remarks about motorcycle clubs, including the Hell’s Angels. At the time of the assault, Moran was a member of the Rochester Hell’s Angels, which was an enterprise the members of which were engaged in racketeering activity, including drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder. The defendant committed the assault in order to maintain his position in the Rochester Hell’s Angels.
This case is part of a larger investigation that resulted in the indictment and arrest of members and associates of the Rochester and Monterey (California) Hell's Angels for drug trafficking and racketeering-related offenses in February 2012. Seven defendants were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. All of the defendants – Richard W. Mar, James H. McAuley, Jr., Donna Boon, Jeffrey A. Tyler, Richard E. Riedman, and Paul Griffin, have been convicted for their roles in the methamphetamine conspiracy.
In addition, Gina Tata was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to the conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity. Another defendant, Timothy M. Stone, was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to the assault.Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam Cohen, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gary T. Maha, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Craig Hanesworth, the City of Batavia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean Shawn Heubusch, and the Village of LeRoy Police Department.
Prior Felon from Deming Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Elias David Parra, 29, of Deming, N.M., pleaded guilty this afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to violating the federal firearms laws.
Parra was arrested in Oct. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the complaint, officers of the Las Cruces Police Department arrested Parra after finding him in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 14, 2015, during a traffic stop in Doña Ana County, N.M. At the time, Parra was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of a drug trafficking felony in a Texas state court. Parra was indicted on Jan. 20, 2016.
During today’s proceedings, Parra pled guilty to the indictment, and admitted that he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 14, 2015. Parra acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a result of his prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
At sentencing, Parra faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department and the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 40 Months for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Gary Swisher, Jr., 44, of West Carrollton, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 40 months in prison for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
Benjamin C. Glassman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Donald J. Soranno, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to court documents, in May, June and October of 2015, Swisher illegally sold multiple firearms to an individual in the Dayton area. When he possessed the firearms, he had been previously convicted of felony offenses – namely, aggravated burglary and felonious assault.
He pleaded guilty on December 30, 2015 to possession of a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
Swisher was also ordered to complete three years of supervised release and pay a $7,500 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by ATF, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt, who is representing the United States in this case.
Pierre Man Sentenced for Conversion of Mortgaged PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man charged with Conversion of Mortgaged Property pled guilty to and was sentenced on May 16, 2016, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Timothy Sherwood, age 36, was sentenced to five years of unsupervised probation, $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and $65,095.34 in restitution to the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred between December 12, 2011, and September 30, 2012, wherein Sherwood was provided a loan in the amount of $76,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administered by the FSA, to purchase sheep and cover expenses related to their care. Sherwood then sold the sheep without FSA approval, and deposited the proceeds of the sales into his personal banking account, rather than the FSA banking account as was required by the loan agreement. Following the sales, Sherwood did not buy any more sheep and did not remit the proceeds to the FSA to repay his loan balance as required. Sherwood instead spent large amounts of money on personal, non-ranch expenses.
The investigation was conducted by the FSA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges.
Pensacola Resident Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Multi-State Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kenneth Grandison, 42, of Pensacola, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to utilize a telephone facility to further a drug trafficking offense. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
During his guilty plea on February 29, 2016, Grandison admitted that, between January 2012 and January 2016, he received illegal drugs from California, including marijuana and codeine, for further distribution in Florida. An investigation identified dozens of Bank of America and Wells Fargo accounts that Grandison used to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. In total, the Bank of America accounts received more than 200 cash deposits, and the Wells Fargo accounts received more than 600 cash deposits. This investigation involved the laundering of between $1.5 and $3.5 million.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
For more information, contact:
Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]Pennsylvania Man Charged with Hacking Apple and Google E-Mail Accounts Belonging to More Than 100 People, Mostly CelebritiesRead the Press Release
Update:
A Pennsylvania man charged in relation to the ongoing “Celebgate” investigation pleaded guilty this morning in United States District Court in Harrisburg, Penn. The case against Ryan Collins was investigated by FBI agents based in Los Angeles, and the plea agreement was negotiated by prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. The case was transferred to the Middle District of Pennsylvania for the entry of the guilty plea because the defendant lives in that area.
Collins pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William W. Caldwell, who has not yet scheduled a date for sentencing. As indicated in the original press release (included below), Collins faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Original Release, which was issued on March 15:
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Hacking Apple and Google E-Mail Accounts Belonging to More Than 100 People, Mostly Celebrities
LOS ANGELES – A Pennsylvania man was charged today with felony computer hacking related to a phishing scheme that gave him illegal access to over 100 Apple and Google e-mail accounts, including those belonging to members of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles.
Ryan Collins, 36, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has signed a plea agreement and agreed to plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. In the plea agreement also filed today, Collins agreed to plead guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.
Although Collins has been charged in Los Angeles, the parties have agreed to transfer the case to Harrisburg in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, near Collins’ home, for the entry of his guilty plea and sentencing. Once he enters the guilty plea, Collins will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The parties have agreed to recommend a prison term of 18 months, but that recommendation will not be binding on the sentencing judge.
“Today, people store important private information in their online accounts and in their digital devices,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Lawless unauthorized access to such private information is a criminal offense. My Office remains committed to protecting sensitive and personal information from the malicious actions of sophisticated hackers and cyber criminals.”
According to factual basis in the plea agreement, from November 2012 until the beginning of September 2014, Collins engaged in a phishing scheme to obtain usernames and passwords for his victims. He sent e-mails to victims that appeared to be from Apple or Google and asked victims to provider their usernames and passwords. When the victims responded, Collins then had access to the victims’ e-mail accounts. After illegally accessing the e-mail accounts, Collins obtained personal information including nude photographs and videos, according to his plea agreement. In some instances, Collins would use a software program to download the entire contents of the victims’ Apple iCloud backups.
The charge against Collins stems from the investigation into the leaks of photographs of numerous female celebrities in September 2014 known as “Celebgate.” However, investigators have not uncovered any evidence linking Collins to the actual leaks or that Collins shared or uploaded the information he obtained.
Many of Collins’ victims were members of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. By illegally accessing the e-mail accounts, Collins accessed at least 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, most of which belonged to female celebrities.
“By illegally accessing intimate details of his victims' personal lives, Mr. Collins violated their privacy and left many to contend with lasting emotional distress, embarrassment and feelings of insecurity,” said David Bowdich, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We continue to see both celebrities and victims from all walks of life suffer the consequences of this crime and strongly encourage users of Internet-connected devices to strengthen passwords and to be skeptical when replying to emails asking for personal information.”
The case against Collins is the product of an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Owner of Pizza Franchises Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Tax Return that Omitted Income from Skimmed CashRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – The owner and operator of dozens of pizza franchise restaurants in Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana pleaded guilty today in federal court to filing a false federal income tax return that did not include money he skimmed from his Little Caesars restaurants, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot.
RAMON S. ARIAS, 64, of Mountain Brook, entered his plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre to one count of making a false tax return. In accordance with a plea agreement between Arias and federal prosecutors, Arias must pay $224,290 in restitution to the IRS, and cooperate with the IRS Civil Division in filing accurate amended tax returns for 2010 through 2013. He is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 4.
Arias owned, controlled and operated 26 to 45 Little Caesars franchises in the three states from 2010 through 2013, according to his plea. The stores were incorporated under various business names, with other individuals owning percentages of the businesses, but Arias was primarily responsible for running the businesses and managing the finances.
Arias operated a scheme to divert cash from the gross receipts of some of the businesses, primarily two to four of the restaurants in Alabama, during the four years, according to his plea. Arias used a certified public accountant to prepare his business and individual income tax returns, but did not provide the accountant with any information about the skimmed money.
The amounts of skimmed cash under-reported on Arias’ individual returns for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were $238,664, $265,413, $312,955 and $287,023, respectively, according to Arias’ plea agreement.
The maximum penalty for making a false tax return is three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
IRS-CI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Patton Meadows is prosecuting.
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Oneida County Woman Indicted for Theft of Deceased Mother’s VA BenefitsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Michelle Gulla, 53, of Marcy, New York, appeared in court today in Syracuse, New York, on an indictment alleging she stole approximately $17,863 of Veterans Administration compensation benefits paid to her deceased mother, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.
Gulla appeared pursuant to a summons and was ordered released pending a trial scheduled for July 18, 2016.
The charge filed against Gulla, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, Theft of Public Money, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl G. Eurenius.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography of Child Under 12Read the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Last week, Gregory Maurek, 60, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy Diguisti to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced Mark A. Yancey, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On June 16, 2015, a two-count Indictment was returned in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma charging receipt and distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, the production of which involved a prepubescent minor under the age of 12. On September 30, 2015, Maurek pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, the production of which involved a prepubescent minor under the age of 12.
At the sentencing hearing last Thursday, Maurek was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment. In addition, Judge Diguisti ordered Maurek to serve ten years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry Blackburn.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Bringing Minors to Chicago from Iowa to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An Ohio man was sentenced today to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a sex trafficking ring involving minor girls who were brought to Chicago from Iowa to engage in prostitution.
WILLIE WOODS, 46, of Toledo, Ohio, helped transport the minor girls from Iowa City in 2012. Once in Chicago, Woods and his co-conspirators forced the girls to engage in prostitution. At the time, one victim was 14 years old, one victim was 16 years old, and one victim was 17 years old.
A jury last year convicted Woods on one count of sex trafficking conspiracy; three counts of sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud or coercion; one count of transporting minors to engage in prostitution; and one count of obstruction of justice.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the 264-month sentence in federal court in Chicago.
Woods “humiliated these girls, robbed them of their childhood and their innocence, and set them off on a path of self-destructive behavior,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany K. Biesenthal argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The girls will never be able to fully recover from the pain defendant inflicted.”
Woods is one of three defendants convicted in the case. MALIK MCKEE and his sister, SHUNTINA MCKEE, both of Iowa City, previously pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking conspiracy. Judge Coleman in 2014 sentenced Malik McKee to 102 months in prison, plus restitution of $6,000. Shuntina McKee is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Coleman on May 31, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.
Evidence at Woods’ seven-day trial revealed that the defendants forced the minor girls to engage in prostitution in Iowa and Chicago. The defendants took photographs of the minors and used them in advertisements on websites, including Backpage.com. When individuals responded to the advertisement, the defendants arranged the meeting and then pocketed the proceeds.
The three minor girls testified at trial about their ordeals. The girls described the defendants’ violent and abusive acts, which included using power and coercion to force the girls to perform sex acts for money. One of the girls testified that Woods starved her by withholding food until she submitted to his demands to engage in prostitution.
The conviction was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Eddie T. Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The FBI and Chicago Police conducted the investigation in coordination with the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. Federal law enforcement authorities in the Southern District of Iowa and the Northern District of Ohio, as well as the Iowa State Police, assisted in the case.
The government is represented by Ms. Biesenthal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Cunniff Church.
New York Man Charged in Connection to the Illegal Acquisition of PA Guns Bound for Other StatesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A New York resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy, making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, and transferring firearms to residents of another state, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The 17-count second superseding indictment named one defendant: Nathan Lawrence, age 33, of Brooklyn, NY.
According to the second superseding indictment, between December 2014, and September 2015, Lawrence conspired and caused others to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of at least 20 firearms from licensed dealers in the Western District of Pennsylvania, and also aided and abetted the transfer of firearms between residents of different states.
At nine of the seventeen counts, the law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. At the remaining counts, the law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than five years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with detectives from the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, conducted the investigation leading to the second superseding indictment in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Conor Lamb is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A second superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
Sajmir Alimehmeti, aka Abdul Qawii, 22, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested today for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization, as well as for making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport. Alimehmeti is expected to be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein of the Southern District of New York.
The arrest was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner William J. Bratton of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
“Alimehmeti was charged for his attempt to provide material support to ISIL by assisting a person who he believed was traveling to Syria to join ISIL,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “The National Security Division will continue to work with our partners to identify, disrupt and hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”
“As alleged, Sajmir Alimehmeti, a Bronx man and an ISIL sympathizer, took steps to travel overseas to support ISIL’s terror campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara. “As the complaint alleges, Alimehmeti also bought military-type weapons and helped someone he believed to be a fellow ISIL supporter get travel documents, equipment and encryption technology purportedly to get to Syria to fight with ISIL. Alimehmeti is charged today with actions that show a clear intention to support a terrorist organization that is hell-bent on murder and mayhem. For that, thanks to the incredibly dedicated work of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, Alimehmeti is under arrest and facing federal criminal charges.”
“The subject in this case was allegedly having a hard time getting overseas to fight with ISIL,” said Assistant Director in Charge Rodriguez. “But when he couldn’t leave, he allegedly seemed more than willing to help others tread the same path to join an insidious and deadly terrorist organization. Cases like this keep the FBI JTTF and our partners at the NYPD going day in and day out, protecting our city from individuals who plot to help murderers.”
“As alleged, Alimehmeti continued his quest to support ISIL’s deadly terrorist agenda, after being denied entry into Europe with a bag full of military gear,” said Commissioner Bratton. “When he returned home, to the Bronx, he allegedly turned to helping others join the terrorist organization as he built his own arsenal of weapons. Today’s case is the latest example of collaboration at its best, a case worked through the Joint Terrorism Task Force with undercover officers from the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau.”
As alleged in the criminal complaint, unsealed today in federal court:
In October 2014, Alimehmeti attempted to enter the United Kingdom but was denied entry after U.K. authorities found camouflage clothing and nunchucks in his luggage. In December 2014, Alimehmeti was again denied entry into the United Kingdom, this time after U.K. authorities found that his cellphone contained images of ISIL flags and improvised explosive device attacks. Further forensic examination of images on the cellphone and Alimehmeti’s laptop computer showed numerous indications of Alimehmeti’s support for ISIL, including a picture of Alimehmeti with an ISIL flag in the background, pictures of ISIL fighters in the Middle East, a picture of Alimehmeti making a gesture of support for ISIL and numerous audio files relating to jihad and martyrdom.
After returning to the United States, Alimehmeti continued to express his support for -ISIL by displaying an ISIL flag in his apartment in the Bronx, among other things. In meetings with undercover law enforcement employees, Alimehmeti played multiple ISIL-related videos on his computer and his phone, including videos of ISIL decapitating prisoners.
Over the last 11 months, Alimehmeti made multiple purchases of military-style knives and other military-type equipment, including masks, handcuffs, a pocket chain-saw and steel-knuckled gloves.
In October 2015, Alimehmeti applied for a new U.S. passport, claiming his previous passport had been lost. However, Alimehmeti later told an undercover law enforcement employee that his prior passport had not been lost and, instead, that he was applying for a new passport because he believed rejection stamps on his old passport, including rejection stamps from his attempted entries into the United Kingdom, would make it difficult to travel.
In May 2016, Alimehmeti attempted to assist an individual who was purportedly traveling from New York to Syria to train and fight with ISIL but who was actually an undercover law enforcement employee (UC). On May 17, 2016, Alimehmeti met with the UC in Manhattan, New York, where the UC was purportedly en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport to take an overseas flight later that night in order to join ISIL.
Alimehmeti agreed to help the UC with several tasks before the UC went to the airport, including by locating stores so that the UC could purchase supplies to use while traveling to and fighting with ISIL, including a cellphone, boots, a compass, a bag and flashlight, among other items. Alimehmeti provided the UC with advice and suggestions on the best boots to purchase and on which items to purchase. The defendant also advised the UC on the use of different kinds of encrypted communications apps, including an app that Alimehmeti stated was currently being used by “the brothers,” and downloaded three encrypted communications apps onto the UC’s new cellphone.
Further, Alimehmeti assisted the UC in traveling from Manhattan to a hotel in Queens, New York, so that the UC could purportedly meet with an individual who was preparing travel documents that the UC would use to travel to Syria (document facilitator). Alimehmeti, who had repeatedly expressed his own desire to travel to join ISIL, gave the UC a piece of paper with his name and contact information so that the UC could provide that information to the supposed document facilitator. In voicing his interest in joining ISIL, Alimehmeti stated, excitedly, “I’m ready to . . . go with you man . . . you know I would. I’m done with this place.” After leaving the hotel in Queens, Alimehmeti brought the UC to Kennedy International Airport via public transportation.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Alimehmeti faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for providing material support and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Assistant Attorney General Carlin joined U.S. Attorney Bharara in praising the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant Attorney General Carlin and U.S. Attorney Bharara also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and British authorities for their assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan F. Quigley and Emil J. Bove III of the Southern District of New York with assistance from Trial Attorney Kiersten Korczynski of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
Alimehmeti Complaint
New York Attorney Charged in Scheme to Defraud in Connection with Northern District LitigationRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Joel Zweig, an attorney who resides in New York, was charged with wire fraud, obstruction of justice, perjury, aggravated identity theft, and false statements to a government agency announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez. The charges stem from allegations that Zweig attempted to manufacture evidence to prove losses suffered by a litigant in a federal case pending in the Northern District of California.
According to the indictment, Zweig, 52, was asked to provide documents in connection with the lawsuit Pet Food Express, Limited v. Royal Canin USA, Inc., C09-1483 EMC. The underlying lawsuit involved allegations that Pet Food Express suffered losses due to a breach of contract and that some of the losses were directly attributable to the planned opening of a retail store in Manhattan. On November 8, 2010, Zweig allegedly received an email that a witness was going to be deposed and that the witness needed the lease documenting Pet Food Express's intention to open the Manhattan store. Zweig allegedly manufactured a phony lease and then followed up with false declarations he knew would be submitted to the district court.
On or before November 11, 2010, Zweig allegedly caused the signature of a fictitious individual, "Anthony Guida," to be forged on a phony lease. Then, Zweig allegedly electronically scanned and transmitted by email a copy of the phony lease to the founder of Pet Food Express for use in the lawsuit. Moreover, sometime after November 8, 2010, and before July 26, 2011, Zweig allegedly misappropriated a copy of a notary seal to make it appear that a notary had witnessed and notarized signatures on the phony lease.
Further, according to the indictment, Zweig created two false affidavits and additional evidence in an effort to support the claim for damages. The first affidavit was supposedly by one of the signors of the phony lease. According to the indictment, Zweig created the affidavit and caused the signature of the supposed signor to be forged on it. The second affidavit was Zweig’s. According to the indictment, Zweig made material false statements under penalty of perjury concerning, among other matters, his receipt of the purported 2008 lease and his knowledge about the creation of the lease. Zweig allegedly knew when he delivered his affidavit to Pet Food Express’s attorneys that it would be submitted to the district court in the Northern District of California.
Zweig was charged with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; two counts of obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1503; four counts of perjury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1623(a); one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A; and one count of false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Zweig is next scheduled to appear on June 15, 2016, at 9:30 a.m., before the Honorable Laurel Beeler, United States Magistrate Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty for wire fraud of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss. The maximum statutory penalty for obstruction of justice is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. The maximum statutory penalty for use of false documents and perjury is five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence imposed on the underlying fraud count. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Harris and Benjamin Kingsley are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
New London Man Charged with Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ELLSWORTH ROBERTSON, also known as “S,” 35, of Hartford and New London, with narcotics and firearm offenses.
ROBERTSON was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 18, 2016. The complaint alleges that, on November 7, 2015, ROBERTSON was found in possession of distribution quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in the wake a stabbing incident at the Mohegan Sun casino. Following his federal arrest, a court-authorized search of ROBERTSON’s New London apartment revealed more than two kilograms of cocaine, a quantity of heroin, thousands of dollars in U.S. currency, and other drug evidence.
The indictment charges ROBERTSON with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
If convicted of the charges contained in the indictment, ROBERTSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for possessing cocaine and heroin, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years for possessing 500 grams or more of heroin, a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
A separate warrant has been issued for ROBERTSON for violation of his federal supervised release. On May 20, 2008, ROBERTSON was convicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base “crack”). He was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment for that offense and was on supervised releases when he is alleged to have committed the offenses charged in the indictment that was returned today.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New London Police Department and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.
Navajo Man from Newcomb Pleads Guilty to Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Eli Hunt, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Newcomb, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Hunt will be sentenced to ten years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Hunt was arrested in Dec. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and burglary. The complaint alleged that he committed the crimes on Dec. 3, 2015, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M. According to the complaint, Hunt broke into a home in Little Water, N.M., and threatened a man and woman who lived there with a tire iron and a firearm. Hunt also fired shots into the air as he chased the victims around their residence and property while threatening to kill them.
Hunt was subsequently indicted on Dec. 17, 2015, and was charged with aggravated burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
During today’s proceedings, Hunt pled guilty to Count 3 of the indictment charging him with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering his plea, Hunt admitted discharging a firearm while assaulting a person with a deadly weapon.
Hunt was remanded into federal custody after entering his guilty plea. He will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito is prosecuting the case.
Muskogee Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that DONNIE EUGENE DREW, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, followed by 36 months of supervised release for FELON IN POSSESSION OF FIREARM, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922 (g)(1).
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eastern District Violent Crime Task Force. The defendant pled guilty in January, 2016.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 27, 2015, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DONNIE EUGENE DREW, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) Hopkins & Allen Arms “Safety Police”, .32 Caliber revolver handgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which he will serve his nonparoleable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.
Midwest HIDTA Director Presents Awards in Fargo to Law Enforcement from the United States and CanadaRead the Press Release
FARGO - US Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on May 24, 2016, Midwest HIDTA Director Jeffrey Stamm presented a Midwest HIDTA Regional Award for ‘Outstanding Cooperative Effort’ to various members of law enforcement from the United States and Canada for their teamwork on "Operation Denial."
The Midwest HIDTA is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and was established in 1990 after the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 was passed. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program is a drug-prohibition enforcement program run by the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy. The mission of the program is to enhance and coordinate America’s drug-control efforts among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in order to eliminate or reduce drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States. The term "HIDTA" also refers to each geographic location, usually a major city, county, or border crossing, in which the program has established a headquarters which are placed in locations considered to be major drug trafficking zones; to date, 28 HIDTAs have been designated since the program began. Each HIDTA is governed by a HIDTA Executive Board which includes representatives from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in the area of each HIDTA. By law, each HIDTA Board is equally divided between federal law enforcement on the one side and state and local agencies on the other. The Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force is a HIDTA-funded task force. The following individuals were honored by the HIDTA program and received the Outstanding Cooperative Effort Award for their exemplary work on "Operation Denial":
• Special Agent Steve Gilpin, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Special Agent Scott Kraft, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Special Agent Michael Ness, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Special Agent Ed Carter, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Special Agent Jeremy Grube, Homeland Security Investigations – Grand Forks
• Detective Daniel Casetta, Grand Forks Police Department
• Investigator Joel Lloyd, Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office
• Investigator Delicia Glaze, Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office
• Detective Darin Johnson, Grand Forks Police Department
• Sergeant Devan Greuel, University of North Dakota Police Department
• Investigator Andreas Alt, WCSO/Grand Forks Police Department/Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force
• Sergeant Derek Madsen, Pembina County Sheriff’s Office
• Christopher Steenerson, Border Patrol
• Intelligence Analyst Lisa Gemar, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Intelligence Analyst Ross Brumley, North Dakota Counter Drug
• Sergeant Travis Jacobson, Grand Forks Police Department
• Intelligence Research Specialist Devin Stefanowicz, Homeland Security Investigations – Grand Forks
• Special Agent Craig Williams, Homeland Security Investigations – Grand Forks
• Special Agent Brian Black, Homeland Security Investigations – Grand Forks
• United States Attorney Chris Myers, District of North Dakota
• Assistant United States Attorney Scott Schneider, District of North Dakota
• Assistant United States Attorney Scott Kerin, District of Oregon
• Grand Forks County State’s Attorney David Jones
• Grand Forks County Assistant State’s Attorney Carmell Mattison
• Special Agent Tom Irvin, United States Postal Inspection Service
• Special Agent Adam Henney, United States Postal Inspection Service
• Special Agent Mike Buemi, Drug Enforcement Administration – West Palm Beach, FL
• Special Agent Chuck Connelly, Drug Enforcement Administration – Fargo
• Special Agent Guy Gino, Homeland Security Investigations – Portland, Oregon
• France Beauchamp, Canadian Crown Prosecutor – Montreal
• Inspector Marc Grecco, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
• Corporal Jacques Theberge, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
• Staff Sargeant Joe Tomeo, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
• Sargeant Josee Pelletier, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
• Corporal Stephan Dufort, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
• Constable Karim Mahrady, Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Montreal
"Operation Denial" is an international investigation that was initiated in 2015 after the overdose death of Bailey Henke in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The investigation has resulted in numerous indictments and convictions in federal court in the Districts of North Dakota and Oregon.
North Dakota Defendants
The following defendants, who are each from Grand Forks, have been sentenced in this case:
Ryan Jon Jensen - 240 months (20 years)
Joshua Tyler Fulp – 144 months (12 years)
Kain Daniel Schwandt – 42 months (3 ½ years)
David Todd Noye Jr. – 39 months (3 years 3 months)
Jameson Robert Sele – 36 months (3 years)
Brandon Corde Hubbard of Portland, Oregon, has pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death and is currently set for sentencing in Fargo on June 6, 2016.
Ronnie Lee Helms of Acworth, Georgia, and Braden James Foley of Olympia, Washington, have been indicted in this case and are currently scheduled for trial July 5, 2016, in Fargo.
Daniel Vivas Ceron was arrested in Panama City, Panama, on July 17, 2015, and is currently awaiting extradition from Panama.
Oregon Defendants
Steven Fairbanks Locke – Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Trial set for July 19, 2016.
Channing Lacey – Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury; Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. Trial set for July 19, 2016.
Carissa Marie Laprall - Three counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute. Trial set for July 19, 2016.
An Indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Contraband to an InmateRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 24-year-old Mexican National has entered a guilty plea to attempting to provide contraband to a federal inmate, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Karen Yudith Reyes-Oliva pleaded guilty to a criminal complaint at a hearing today in federal court in McAllen before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter E. Ormsby.
In April 2016, Reyes went to the East Hidalgo Detention Center in La Villa to visit her boyfriend, an inmate who was in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on federal narcotics charges. Upon walking through the metal detector, correctional officers discovered that Reyes had concealed a cellular phone and charger underneath her clothing.
Visitors are prohibited from bringing contraband, including cellular phones, into a correctional facility.
Sentencing has been set for June 9, 2016, at 3:00 p.m., at which time Reyes faces up to a year in federal prison and a possible $100,000 maximum fine. She has been in custody since her arrest where she will remain pending that hearing.
The U.S. Marshals Service initiated the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Requénez is prosecuting the case.
Media Advisory: June 6, 2016, Criminal Justice Reform ConferenceRead the Press Release
BOISE – Registration for the June 6, 2016, Criminal Justice Reform conference at Concordia University School of Law is nearly full. Top criminal justice scholars, major Idaho practitioners and policy makers and Idaho judges will convene to address reforms targeting some of the most pressing problems in our criminal justice system. Many participants in the conference will be available for interviews, and some may be available upon request in advance of the conference. Speakers and presenters will be:
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Raul Labrador, Idaho’s First District Congressman, an attorney, and, in the U.S. House of Representatives, a co-author of the bipartisan Sentencing Reform Act of 2015.
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Jonathan Wroblewski, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy, U.S. Department of Justice and former U.S. Department of Justice representative to the United States Sentencing Commission.Mr. Wroblewski is an expert in federal sentencing guidelines, the processes used to amend them and the impact on the federal criminal justice system on recent changes to federal drug sentencing guidelines.
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B. Lynn Winmill, Chief U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Idaho since 1999.
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Candy W. Dale, U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of Idaho, co-founder and one of the presiding judges for Idaho’s federal re-entry court, START Court.
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Timothy Hansen, District Court Judge, Fourth Judicial District, Ada County, Idaho, presiding Judge over Ada County’s Veterans Court.
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Kevin Kempf, Director, Idaho Department of Correction.
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Gabriel “Jack” Chin, Martin Luther King, Jr., Professor of Law, University of California, Davis School of Law. Professor Chin is one of the nation’s most respected experts on criminal justice and race and the law. The U.S. Supreme Court has acknowledged his article on collateral consequences of criminal convictions as “the principal scholarly article on the subject.”
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E. Lea Johnston, Professor, University of Florida Levin College of Law, Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Center. Professor Johnston is one of the nation’s leading experts on mental health and criminal law. Her work examines, among other things, the theoretical underpinnings of mental health courts, and the proper sentencing standards for offenders with significant mental disorders.
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J.J. Prescott, Professor, University of Michigan Law School, co-director, Empirical Legal Studies Center.Professor Prescott and his partners are developing and implementing web-based case resolution technologies designed to allow judges and litigants to resolve issues and cases more accurately and conveniently.
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Alex Kreit, Associate Professor, Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Professor Kreit is a nationally recognized expert on controlled substances law, in particular the regulation and legalization of marijuana.
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Kari Hong, Assistant Professor, Boston College Law School. Professor Hong is an expert in immigration law, criminal law, and family law. Her scholarship analyzes how criminal convictions can lead to deportation and the intersection between family law and immigration law.
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Andrew Chongseh Kim, Assistant Professor, Concordia University School of Law. Professor Kim studies federal sentencing patterns revealing, inter alia, significant disparities in sentences defendants receive based on race, gender, and whether the defendant pleads guilty.
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Samuel R. Rubin, Executive Director, Federal Defender Services of Idaho.
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Wendy J. Olson, U.S. Attorney, District of Idaho.
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Jeffrey Thomason, Chief U.S. Probation Officer, District of Idaho.
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Tom Hiller, Perkins Coie law firm, Seattle, and former Federal Defender, Western District of Washington.
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Maria E. Andrade, Andrade Legal, Boise attorney specializing in immigration law.
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Amy Baron-Evans, Federal Public and Community Defenders.
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Melissa Winberg, Federal Defender Services of Idaho.
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Scott Bandy, Ada County deputy prosecuting attorney.
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Alan Trimming, Ada County public defender’s office.
Media members wishing to interview speakers should contact Becky Early at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at the contact information above. Some media availability will depend on individual speaker schedule.
The conference sessions will address sentencing reform, collateral consequences of criminal convictions and alternative courts. Attendees at the conference will be members of the legal and law enforcement communities, as well as policy makers and students.
The Conference on Criminal Justice Reform is hosted by Concordia University School of Law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, and the Federal Defender Services of Idaho. The Conference is sponsored by Bublitz Law, P.C., the Idaho Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Concordia University School of Law. For additional information, contact Anne Comstock, Concordia University School of Law, 208-639-5402.
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Manchester Man Charged with Additional Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ROBERT V. GENTILE, 79, of Manchester, with new firearm offenses.
GENTILE, who has a pending indictment for the alleged possession and sale of a loaded .38 Colt Cobra revolver to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon, is charged in the new indictment with possession of three additional firearms and a silencer, each of which was seized from his Manchester residence during a search conducted by the FBI on May 2, 2016.
The indictment alleges that GENTILE, who has been convicted previously of multiple felony offenses, was in possession of a .22 caliber Browning semi-automatic pistol, a 9mm Walther semi-automatic pistol, a .380 caliber RPB Industries, M11-Al semi-automatic pistol, and an unregistered silencer.
The indictment charges GENTILE with one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, and one count of possession of an unregistered silencer. Both charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
According to court documents and statements made in court, GENTILE was on supervised release from a prior federal conviction at the time he is alleged to have committed these latest offenses. If he is found to have violated the terms and conditions of his supervised release, he faces additional penalties.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.
Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced that Cedric C. Shaw, 35, of South Holland, Illinois, was sentenced before District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody for aggravated identity theft; using counterfeit credit cards; illegal possession of device-making equipment; and committing an offense while on release.
Shaw was sentenced to 65 months’ imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $56,434.11 in restitution.
According to documents filed in this case, between April 2014 and June 2014, Shaw worked with two other co-defendants to commit credit card fraud. He purchased stolen credit card numbers from the Internet. The stolen credit card numbers were embossed on other credit cards. The defendant also placed his name and the other co-defendants’ names on the cards. They used the cards to purchase gift cards at major retailers in Indiana and Illinois. The gift cards were subsequently used to purchase items or services. Shaw was arrested and charged with credit card fraud and released on bond. While on bond, Shaw purchased 61 additional stolen credit card numbers in August 2014. He continued to make purchases with the stolen numbers in Michigan and Indiana. He was arrested a second time, and his bond was revoked.
This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gary T. Bell.
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Local Man Arrested in $5 Million Investment ScamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 75-year-old Houston man has been charged in a 10-count indictment alleging wire fraud and mail fraud in an investment fraud scheme involving more than 50 victims and $5 million, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Allan George Cooper was taken into custody this morning without incident and is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy at 2:00 p.m. today.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment under seal May 18, 2016. The indictment, unsealed today upon Cooper's arrest, charges him with four counts of wire fraud and six counts of mail fraud.
According to the indictment, Cooper defrauded more than 50 investors since 2006 in an investment fraud scheme which took in at least $5 million of investor funds. His scheme involved convincing investors to invest their funds in his alleged investment programs via AG Cooper & Associates, according to the indictment. He allegedly offered investors a low-risk/high-return in investments such as short-term loans, gaming investments, interim construction loans and mortgage-backed notes.
The indictment alleges that on many occasions, investors would wire their funds from their personal account directly into Cooper's commercial banking account or would mail or hand deliver their investment checks to Cooper personally. Investors that were using their retirement funds would wire the funds via an intermediary, self-directed IRA custodian to Cooper's commercial bank account, according to the allegations.
Cooper allegedly prepared quarterly statements he mailed to the investors, making them believe their funds were being utilized in legitimate programs and were earning more than 11 percent in returns. The statements contained false and misleading representations concerning the value and performance of AG Cooper & Associates investment programs and returns, according to the indictment. Instead of investing the funds as promised, Cooper allegedly appropriated the money for his own use, including paying his personal expenses, paying employees, paying his credit card bills, paying other investors and transferring funds to other companies controlled by Cooper.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine on each charge.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Texas State Securities Board. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Liquor Wholesaler and Three Employees Indicted for $9 Million Scheme to Smuggle Liquor from Maryland to New YorkRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Republic National Distribution Company, LLC, and its employees, Eugene Gerzsenyi, age 52, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Jason Lockerman, age 38, of Bel Air, Maryland; and Lisa Robbins, age 55, of Woodbine, Maryland, today on charges arising from a scheme to defraud the state and city of New York, and registered New York liquor wholesalers. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the defendants transferred and moved liquor from Maryland, where the state excise tax rate for liquor was approximately $1.50 per gallon, to New York, where the state excise tax for liquor was approximately $7.44 per gallon, for retail sale.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Assistant Administrator for Field Operations Tom Crone, U.S. Treasury Department, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB); and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the indictment Republic National Distribution Company, LLC, (RNDC), which has offices in Jessup, Maryland, is a wholesale distributor of liquor in Maryland and elsewhere in the United States. Eugene Gerzsenyi was the Assistant Director of Operations for RNDC, Jason Lockerman was a salesman for RNDC and Lisa Robbins was an accounting manager. According to the indictment, any wholesaler transferring or distributing liquor for retail sale in Maryland, or in New York, was required to register with the state, and to provide monthly reports of the quantities of liquor transferred or distributed for retail sale in the state. RNDC was registered in Maryland and sold and delivered liquor to Cecil County retailers, including liquor stores, bars and restaurants.
The 23 count indictment alleges that from at least June 2009 through June 2012, a number of New York liquor retailers communicated with several retail liquor stores in Cecil County to order cases of wine and liquor. People working at the Cecil County retailers then passed the orders to RNDC though salesmen, including Lockerman. The indictment alleges that Lockerman and the other RNDC salesmen knew that the liquor was intended for retail sale in New York, and they transmitted those orders to RNDC to be filled. According to the indictment, RNDC delivered the ordered liquor to the Cecil County retailers, where it was held for the New York retailers. The New York retailers and their agents then picked up and transported the liquor to New York, where it was sold to customers without the New York excise taxes being paid.
The indictment alleges that RNDC, Robbins, Gerzsenyi, and Lockerman facilitated the payment to RNDC for liquor that was moved from RNDC, through the Cecil County retailers to the New York retailers and their agents. Specifically, RNDC submitted invoices to the Cecil County retailers that included the amounts owed to RNDC for the liquor that had been delivered to the New York retailers and their agents. The New York retailers paid the Cecil County retailers in cash, which the Cecil County retailers deposited into their business accounts. The Cecil County retailers then paid RNDC by check.
The indictment alleges that RNDC, the New York retailers, and the Maryland retailers, did not register as liquor wholesalers or distributors in New York; did not provide monthly reports of the quantities of liquor shipped into New York for retail sale; and did not pay New York excise taxes. In addition, RNDC allegedly filed false reports to the Maryland State Comptroller’s Office, indicating that all liquor sold to the Cecil County retailers was intended for resale in Maryland.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of all proceeds traceable to the scheme, including a money judgment of at least $9 million.
If convicted, the company and the individual defendants face a $250,000 fine, and the individual defendants also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, for wire fraud conspiracy and each of four counts of wire fraud. If convicted of the money laundering counts, the indictment seeks forfeiture from RNDC of the funds involved in those offenses. No initial appearance has been scheduled for the defendants.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore, TTB, and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their work in the investigation and thanked the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Criminal Investigations Division for its assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tamera L. Fine and Richard C. Kay, who are prosecuting the case.
Lee's Summit Woman Indicted for Additional Embezzlement Schemes, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that additional charges have been filed against a Lee’s Summit, Mo., woman who was previously indicted for embezzling more than $300,000 from her employer.
Patricia Webb, 43, of Lee’s Summit, was charged in a 24-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on March 31, 2016, and includes additional charges related to two more fraud schemes. Webb is in federal custody after having her bond revoked by the court for unrelated fraudulent conduct.
In addition to the scheme to embezzle approximately $302,183 from Black and Veatch, which was charged in the original indictment, today’s superseding indictment charges Webb with a scheme to embezzle $1.2 million from Garmin International, a previous employer, and a scheme to embezzle $7,385 from a healthcare benefits program for Garmin employees.
TriStar Embezzlement Scheme
According to today’s indictment, Webb stole the identity of another employee while she was working at Garmin in order to embezzle $7,385 from TriStar Benefit Administrators, the company which managed Garmin’s healthcare savings accounts.
Webb allegedly created a flexible spending account for another Garmin employee without his knowledge or consent. Webb allegedly submitted a request for reimbursement to TriStar on July 18, 2011. The request was for hospital treatment in the amount of $7,385, the indictment says, and the payment from TriStar was sent to Webb’s bank account.
Today’s indictment charges Webb with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in relation to this embezzlement scheme.
Garmin Embezzlement Scheme
According to today’s indictment, Webb embezzled $1,224,410 million from Garmin while employed as a senior payroll specialist.
Webb was hired by Garmin on Feb. 28, 2011, and promoted to payroll team leader in August 2011. Webb allegedly caused Garmin to send 16 unauthorized payments to her own business bank account under the corporate name Beauty Within Me from Feb. 24, 2012, to May 30, 2014.
Today’s indictment charges Webb with 16 counts of wire fraud in relation to this embezzlement scheme.
Black and Veatch Embezzlement Scheme
According to today’s indictment, Webb embezzled $302,183 from Black and Veatch while employed as a global payroll manager. Webb was employed by Black and Veatch from January 2015 until March 4, 2016 and earned $90,000 per year.
The indictment alleges that Webb facilitated unauthorized wire transfers and Automated Clearing House transactions (fund transfers, such as direct deposits and business-to-business payments) from the company’s payroll account to her Beauty Within Me business bank account. To conceal her fraud, the indictment says, Webb manipulated the direct deposit information of Black and Veatch employees, who were either based overseas or deceased, to funnel company funds into her own bank account.
Webb allegedly embezzled approximately $302,183 from Black and Veatch in a series of six transfers that ranged from $8,588 to $92,862 over approximately seven months in 2015 and 2016.
During the scheme, according to court documents, Webb made $106,529 in withdrawals and expenditures at casinos; spent $8,986 on travel-related expenses (including airfare and hotels for trips to Bangkok, Thailand, Las Vegas, Nev., and Miami, Fla.; made $14,449 in payments to multiple higher education universities; and made $61,745 in ATM withdrawals.
On March 4, 2016, an accounts manager at Commerce Bank contacted Black and Veatch’s executive management regarding payroll deposits that seemed suspicious. On the same day, Webb was confronted about the suspicious transactions and was suspended without pay.
Today’s indictment charges Webb with six counts of wire fraud in relation to this embezzlement scheme.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking Apple and Google E-Mail Accounts Belonging to More Than 100 People, Mostly CelebritiesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Lancaster man pled guilty to felony computer hacking charges related to a phishing scheme that gave him illegal access to over 100 Apple and Google e-mail accounts, including those belonging to members of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Ryan Collins, age 36, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William W. Caldwell in Harrisburg. Collins pled guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine as a result of the guilty plea. No date was set for sentencing.
Collins admitted that from November 2012 until the beginning of September 2014, he engaged in a phishing scheme to obtain usernames and passwords for his victims. He sent e-mails to victims that appeared to be from Apple or Google and asked victims to provide their usernames and passwords. When the victims responded, Collins then had access to the victims’ e-mail accounts. After illegally accessing the e-mail accounts, Collins obtained personal information including nude photographs and videos. In some instances, Collins would use a software program to download the entire contents of the victims’ Apple iCloud backups.
The charge against Collins stems from the investigation into the leaks of photographs of numerous female celebrities in September 2014 known as “Celebgate.” However, investigators have not uncovered any evidence linking Collins to the actual leaks or that Collins shared or uploaded the information he obtained.
Many of Collins’ victims were members of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. By illegally accessing the e-mail accounts, Collins accessed at least 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, most of which belonged to female celebrities.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce Brandler, Chief of the Criminal Division.
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.
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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Indictment: Hillsboro Man Made $7.9 Million with Oil and Gas Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Hillsboro man was indicted Tuesday on charges of carrying out a $7.9 million oil and gas fraud scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
David K. Lawson, 70, Hillsboro, Kan., is charged with one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges the crime occurred while Lawson was the owner and director of Sonstone Trading, LLC.
Lawson made a deal for Sonstone to sell 90 barrels a day of crude oil to Parnon Gathering, Inc. Crude oil is unrefined oil produced from oil wells. What Sonstone provided to Parnon was in fact not crude oil. It was raw gas oil (RGO), which is a mixture of various refined petroleum products with a very low vapor pressure and a lesser commercial value.
For more information on oil and gas fraud from the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, see www.stopfraud.gov/oil-gas-fwg.html
If convicted, Lawson faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and restitution. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS
Drew Alan Reed, 42, El Dorado, Kan., and Timothy Wayne Rosenbaum, Augusta, Kan., are charged with making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer when purchasing a gun at Cabela’s, 2447 N. Greenwich in Wichita. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 3, 2014.
If convicted, they face a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Jonathan C. Wolfinbarger, 54, Wakeeney, Kan., and Steven R. Hansen, 62, Fontana, Calif., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of using the U.S. mails in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in June and July 2015 in Trego County, Kan.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the possession count, and up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the mail count. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Random Shane Smith, 36, Wichita, Kan., is charged in counts one and two with aggravated sexual abuse, in count three with production of child pornography, in count four with possessing child pornography; and in count five with tampering with a witness. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2014, 2015, and 2016 at McConnell Air Force Base.
Smith initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed May 13 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. The indictment adds to the charges in the complaint one count of possession of child pornography and one count of tampering with a witness.
Upon conviction counts one and two carry a penalty of up to life and a fine up to $250,000 on each count; count three carries a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years and a fine up to $250,000; count four carries a penalty of up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000; and count five carries a penalty of up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Air Force OSI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Vernon J. Walker, 45, Wichita, Kan., and Tabitha A. Hanchett, 35, Wichita, Kan., are charged in count one with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Walker is charged in count two with unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, in count three with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction and in count four with unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 15, 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, count one carries a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million; count two carries a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000; and counts three and four carry a penalty of up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Rhonda J. Smith, 47, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two counts of money laundering to conceal funds from a bankruptcy trustee. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2013 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a penalty of up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Carlos Alejandro Casas-Pulido, 33, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States, and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Feb. 23 and Feb. 24, 2016, in Ford County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of up 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge, and a penalty of up to two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the re-entry charge. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Fidelina Morales-Escobar, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged in count one with document fraud, in count two with making a false statement on an employment verification form, in count three with misusing a Social Security number, and in count four with aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2014 and 2016 in Harper County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a penalty in count one of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000; in counts two and three a penalty of up to five years and fine up to $250,000; and in count four a mandatory penalty of two years in prison consecutive to the underlying sentence and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Angel Adan Prado-Neri, 36, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 3, 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Nicholas A. Moore, 33, who is in custody in Lyon County, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 5, 2016, in Emporia, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Indiana, Pa., Man Charged with Defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Indiana County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government property, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment named Carmen Donofrio, 62, of Indiana, PA.
According to the indictment, from in and around July 2013, through in and around May 2015, Donofrio received approximately $16,577 in Supplemental Security Income to which he was not entitled because he had concealed a retirement account from the Social Security Administration.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Illegal Alien Removed Four Times from U.S. Found Again in Pittsburgh-areaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - An illegal alien found in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of re-entry into the United States after deportation, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment named Martin Esquivel-Hernandez, 35, formerly from Mexico, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, Martin Esquivel-Hernandez, an illegal alien, was removed from the United States by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Nov. 4, 2011, Dec. 8, 2011, April 11, 2012 and May 19, 2012.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of two years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Hull is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegally ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ALLAN WENDERLAY DOMINGUEZ, age 47, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty today to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of removed alien previously convicted of an aggravated felony.
According to the Indictment, on or about February 11, 2016, DOMINGUEZ was found in the United States after having been officially deported on or about June 24, 2011 and September 12, 2012, following a conviction for theft of goods.
DOMINGUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years and a fine of $250,000, up to three (3) years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey set sentencing for August 23, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
High-Ranking Gang Members Among Several Defendants Arrested for Dealing Narcotics and Guns on Chicago’s South SideRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Several suspects, including high-ranking members of a Chicago street gang, are facing drug or gun charges for their alleged roles in dealing narcotics and firearms on the city’s South Side.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Cornerstone,” spanned more than two years and included seizures of distribution quantities of cocaine and heroin, as well as confiscations of firearms and cash proceeds from drug sales. Authorities uncovered the criminal activity through the use of wiretapped cellular phones, cooperating witnesses, controlled purchases of narcotics and guns, and extensive surveillance.
Several suspects were arrested today without incident. While attempting to arrest a suspect at a residence in Park Forest, two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were wounded. The agents survived the shooting and their injuries are not believed to be life threatening. The suspect, MELVIN TORAN, 50, of Park Forest, was later found dead inside the home. Toran was a high-ranking member of the Black P-Stone Nation street gang. He was set to be charged in federal court with distributing heroin.
Several defendants will be charged in criminal complaints to be filed in federal court in Chicago. One defendant will be charged in a complaint filed in state court.
In addition to Toran, the investigation revealed that a number of the suspects are ranking members of the Black P-Stone Nation. One of them arranged for the sale of 225 grams of heroin for $15,700 on Nov. 6, 2015. Unbeknownst to him, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement and had surreptitiously recorded both the negotiation – in a restaurant in the Back of the Yards neighborhood – and the transaction itself in a residence in Englewood.
The investigation also uncovered a heroin and cocaine operation being run out of a South Side clothing store. A source cooperating with law enforcement informed authorities that when picking up narcotics from the store, the normal practice was to purchase an item of clothing as a pretext. When paying for the clothing at the checkout counter, the owner of the store or one of the employees would bag the item of clothing and also pass over an additional bag containing the narcotics. In the summer of 2015, a cooperating source – working at the direction of investigators – purchased more than 1,000 grams of heroin from the store owner for $72,720.
In addition to the drug offenses, the investigation also involved a probe into federal gun violations. On Feb. 23, 2015, a .380-caliber firearm and chrome magazine was sold by a suspect for $500 to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. In a related case indicted last month, JAMES JONES, 41, of Chicago, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chicago Police officers arrested Jones after a traffic stop on Dec. 7, 2015. In the backseat of Jones’ vehicle were an infant child and two loaded semiautomatic pistols hidden in a baby bag, according a complaint filed in December in Jones’ case. Jones has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond while awaiting trial.
The investigation was conducted by a joint gang task force of the FBI and Chicago Police Department.
The arrests were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI; Anita Alvarez, Cook County State’s Attorney; and Eddie T. Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Park Forest Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Shoba Pillay, Sean J.B. Franzblau and Christine M. O’Neill will represent the government in the federal cases. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office will prosecute the state case.
Grand Prairie Man Faces 10 Years in Federal Prison after Pleading Guilty to Felony Offense Stemming from his Work with FAIM Economic Development CorporationRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Ellis Wamsley, IV of Grand Prairie, Texas, appeared in federal court today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez, and pleaded guilty to a felony offense stemming from his work with Kevin Kenard Howard and the FAIM Economic Development Corporation, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Wamsley, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction with property derived from specified unlawful activity and aiding and abetting. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or twice any pecuniary gain to the defendant, and restitution. He will remain on bond pending sentencing, which is set for September 8, 2016, before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle.
Co-defendant Kevin Kenard Howard, 34, of Dallas, pleaded guilty last week to one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison a fine not to exceed $250,000 or twice any pecuniary gain to the defendant, and restitution. He, too, will remain on bond pending sentencing, which is set for September 1, 2016, before Judge Boyle.
According to documents filed in the case, Wamsley formed FAIM in 2003, and in 2010, as its CEO, hired Howard to work as a financial consultant to assist in recruiting investors for FAIM. In summer 2010, while trying to recruit these investors to supply additional cash revenue for FAIM, Howard and Wamsley recruited “M.R.,” the owner/operator of “Company R,” in Flower Mound, Texas. They advised M.R. that a proposed joint venture between FAIM and Company R would generate funding for FAIM economic development projects in the southern sector of Dallas and throughout the U.S. FAIM and Company R signed a joint venture agreement in July 2010 that represented to investor M.R. and Company R that FAIM would provide a monthly financial report regarding the performance of the trading. Wamsley and Howard told M.R. that M.R.’s funds would only be invested in certain types of investments identified in the agreement and that all investment profits would be split equally between FAIM and M.R.
In August 2010, M.R. wired $2 million to a FAIM brokerage account at Charles Schwab. Approximately one month later, Wamsley transferred $1,791,703 in Company R’s investment funds from that account to a FAIM Merrill Lynch brokerage account that he had established and to which M.R. did not have access.
Wamsley told Howard that Howard would be FAIM’s primary point of contact with M.R. After the first few trades, the joint venture began to lose money. Wamsley told Howard to hide the investment losses from M.F. Howard agreed to, and did, lie to M.R. about the trading losses and the true balance of the investment account.
Howard, with Wamsley’s knowledge and consent, knowingly participated in the fraud scheme by sending lulling emails to M.R. that contained false information about the true balance and value of the account. In November 2010, Howard sent an email to M.R. falsely assuring M.R. that profits in the investment account had increased. In December 2010, Howard sent an email to M.R. in which he falsely represented that the account balance was $2,436,611. In January 2011, Howard sent another email saying the total account balance was $2,500,000. In fact, from October 2010 to August 2011, Howard, at Wamsley’s instruction, sent several emails to M.R. with the specific intent to deceive, mislead and confuse M.R. about the account’s true balance. Wamsley and Howard also concealed that fact that Wamsley was diverting some of the funds in the account for his own personal benefit and use.
For instance, from October 2010 through April 2012, Wamsley fraudulently transferred more than $1.7 million of Company R investment funds to FAIM’s business accounts, and he unlawfully spent those funds for his, Howard’s and others’ personal benefits. For example, in November 2010, Wamsley used $40,024 in Company R investment funds to purchase a 2008 Cadillac Escalade for Howard; $41,764 of investment funds to purchase a 2008 Cadillac Escalade for a family member; and $125,477 in investment funds to purchase a 2007 Aston Martin for himself. Wamsley also used more than $200,000 in investment funds to host a Super Bowl fund-raising event in 2011.
This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative in the Northern District of Texas. Wamsley is the 14th defendant convicted since July 2014 as part of that initiative.
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Fort Hall Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault on an OfficerRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Somber March, 30, of Fort Hall, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to assault on an officer, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. March was indicted by the federal grand jury in Pocatello on November 25, 2014.
On or about September 19, 2014, Officer Riley Degnan of the Fort Hall Police Department was dispatched to the intersection of War Bonnet Road and Eagle Road on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation to contact a person identified as Somber March, who had a warrant for her arrest from Fort Hall Tribal Court. Officer Degnan contacted March on War Bonnet Road and found her to be incoherent. He believed her to be under the influence of a controlled substance and attempted to take her into custody on the Tribal Court warrant. As he began to handcuff her, she turned and hit him in the face, knocking Officer Degnan’s sunglasses off. She again tried to grab Officer Degnan and, with the assistance of another officer, was taken to the ground and handcuffed. March was later interviewed and admitted hitting the officer in the face. Under the specific federal law that March pleaded guilty to violating, Fort Hall police officers are considered “federal officers.”
The charge of assault on an officer is punishable by up to eight years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
March is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2016, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
The case was investigated by the Fort Hall Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former TSA Employee Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., announced today that Raymond Kinney, 54, of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.
Kinney, who was a Transportation Security Inspector for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prior to his arrest, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to distribution of child pornography before United States District Judge Susan Webber Wright, who will sentence him at a later date. Kinney was indicted on February 4, 2015. As part of the plea agreement, the parties will jointly recommend a sentence of 20 years, the maximum allowed by law, in exchange for the United States not charging Kinney with additional criminal conduct that was also uncovered in the investigation, including enticement of a minor.
Kinney was arrested in January 2015, after arriving at a motel where he planned to meet a person he thought was a 10-year-old girl. According to online chats that were recovered from his account, Kinney planned to have sex with this minor. A search incident to arrest revealed that Kinney had brought sex toys and children’s clothing with him.
"This defendant planned to sexually abuse a 10-year-old little girl," Thyer said. "Thanks to the work of law enforcement officers, he was not able to follow through with that plan. Fortunately, the minor in this case was actually undercover law enforcement, but online predators will seize any opportunity to take advantage of our children.
"There is no higher priority in my office than protecting the children of Arkansas, and, as I have said many times, parents must be aware of the potential for danger online and monitor their children’s internet activity just as closely as they would monitor them in any other public place."
According to facts read at the hearing, this investigation began in January 2015, when undercover officers monitoring a social networking site encountered an individual seeking a minor for sexual contact. Under the username "luvsyngteengirls," this individual sent several pictures and videos of child pornography over the internet. Kinney admitted that "luvsyngteengirls" was his username. Agents ultimately arranged a meeting at a motel with Kinney using this username, and when Kinney arrived, officers arrested him.
"Today’s guilty plea is a victory and it sends a clear cut message to those who want to take advantage of our children. We will find you and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Parmer, Jr., said. "We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. HSI and its local, state and federal partners will continue to work together to put these predators behind bars."
The indictment charges that on or about January 27, 2015, Kinney knowingly distributed child pornography. The statutory penalty for distribution of child pornography is at least five but not more than 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with substantial assistance from Russellville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Allison W. Bragg and Kristin Bryant.
Former Port St. Lucie Police Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
A former police officer with the Port St. Lucie Police Department was sentenced yesterday to life in prison by United States District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg in Fort Pierce, Florida. He had previously pled guilty to multiple federal child exploitation charges.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, and John A. Bolduc, Chief, Port St. Lucie Police Department, made the announcement.
Michael Edwin Harding, 28, of Port St. Lucie, was sentenced to life in prison for the charge of attempt to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b); 240 months for each count of distributing material involving sexual exploitation of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2); 240 months for possession of material involving sexual exploitation of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B); and 360 months for producing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a)(e). All of the sentences imposed will run concurrently. Additionally, the court imposed a lifetime term of supervised release and Harding will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, Harding distributed videos and still images involving the sexual exploitation of minors on three separate dates. Between July 23, 2015, and August 4, 2015, Michael Harding posted multiple images and videos to a chat room on a popular social media application. The still images and videos depicted minor children engaging in sexually explicit acts. The images posted to the chat room were discovered during a forensic examination of a cell phone owned by Harding.
During the execution of a search warrant at Harding’s house, HSI agents located electronic devices and thumb drives containing hundreds of videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. A large number of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors engaging in sexual acts with adults.
Additionally, Harding attempted to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity over the internet. Chat messages recovered from Harding’s cell phone memorialized a conversation between the defendant and another individual, wherein they claimed to have custody of minor children whom they offered to exchange for their own sexual gratification.
Harding also produced child pornography by using his cell phone to create a video depicting his sexually explicit contact with a child under the age of 12. The video was discovered on Harding’s cell phone during a computer forensic examination.
This case is part of Operation Predator, an international law enforcement initiative, led by ICE-HSI, to combat the sexual exploitation of children. Through this collaborative effort, law enforcement strives to protect children from sexual predators, including individuals who travel overseas in order to engage in sexual conduct with minors, individuals who possess, trade and produce child pornography, criminal alien sex offenders, and sex traffickers of children. Anyone with information about suspected child exploitation is encouraged to call 1‑866‑872-4973. For additional information regarding the initiative and resources, visit www.ice.gov.
Mr. Ferrer commended ICE-HSI for their investigative efforts and the Port St. Lucie Police Department for their assistance with this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel E. Funk and Russell R. Killinger.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov
Former Monroe Public Works Director Sentenced to 31 Months for BriberyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III, announced today that Hugh Stephen Worley, age 54, of Bethlehem, Georgia was sentenced to 31 months in federal prison on May 24, 2016, for one count of bribery by the Honorable C. Ashley Royal, U.S. District Court Judge, in Macon, Georgia. Mr. Worley is also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution to the City of Monroe and forfeit an additional $18,000. He entered a plea of guilty to this charge on August 28, 2015 in Athens, Georgia.
Mr. Worley served as Director of Public Works for the City of Monroe in Walton County, Georgia for approximately seventeen years. He was terminated in January of 2013 for “violations of personnel policies and procedures.” One such violation involved the rental of an Asphalt Paver from a local company.
In 2008 or 2009, Sims Paving, Inc., a Monroe business, acquired an Asphalt Paver that could be used for small patching and paving jobs. Mr. Worley went to see the owner, Mr. Sims, about a paver that could be used for smaller jobs, such as paving the driveways in the City of Monroe Cemetery. In 2012, Mr. Sims and Mr. Worley came to a verbal agreement that the City would rent the paver for a total of $20,000 over four months. After the agreement, Mr. Worley told Mr. Sims on four separate occasions that he could use $1,000. He did not tell Mr. Sims about his need for the cash until after the agreement for the Paver rental. Fearful that Mr. Worley would renege on the rental deal, Mr. Sims gathered $1,000 together on the four separate occasions. The Paver was never used to pave the cemetery driveways or for any other municipal purpose. It sat idle at a cost of $20,000 to the City of Monroe. Mr. Worley admitted that he engaged in an illegal course of conduct regarding the rental agreement.
“Mr. Worley abused the trust placed in him by the people of the City of Monroe,” said Acting United States Attorney Peterman. “Now, as a direct result, he will face the consequences of violating public corruption laws by serving time.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Athens division. Assistant United States Attorney Danial Bennett 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.
Former Mansfield Special Needs Instructor Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — Kelly Dan Williams, Jr., a former special needs instructor at Mansfield Independent School District’s (ISD) Mary Orr Intermediate School, who admitted sexually exploiting children, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to serve a total of 720 months (60 years) in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Williams, Jr., 62, has been in custody since his arrest in June 2015 on a related federal criminal complaint. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Worth in July 2015 on two counts of the sexual exploitation of children, and he pleaded guilty to that indictment in January 2016. Today, Judge Means sentenced him to 360 months on each of those to counts, to run consecutively.
According to documents filed in the case, on June 1, 2015, an individual at Mary Orr Intermediate School observed Williams, Jr. performing a sex act on an 11-year-old male student in a school bathroom stall. This individual reported this to the school’s administration, and Williams, Jr. was directed to report to the Human Resources office.
Mansfield Police obtained a search warrant for Williams’ Jr., residence, where they seized electronic storage devices, to include an SD card. A forensic examination revealed that a video located on the SD card depicted Williams, Jr. performing a sex act on a minor male, who appears to be younger than age 12, in what appears to be a school bathroom stall. Further forensic analysis indicates that the video was created on or about February 3, 2010.
Williams admitted that on approximately January 13, 2010, he used a minor boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct that he video-recorded. He further admitted that on approximately February 3, 2010, he used a minor boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him and video- recorded that conduct.
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.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Mansfield ISD Police Department, the Mansfield Police Department and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem was in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Money Order Receipts in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former federal employee pleaded guilty in federal court today to using stolen money order receipts in a fraud scheme to avoid paying his medical bills.
Byron G. Gorman, 51, of St. Joseph, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to the charge contained in a Sept. 10, 2015, federal indictment.
Gorman was employed as an information technology specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General, assigned to the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in Kansas City, Mo., where he was being trained to become a computer forensic examiner.
By pleading guilty today, Gorman admitted that he used stolen money order receipts – taken by Gorman as he participated in a criminal investigation – as fraudulent evidence in court, both to defend himself against a lawsuit against him by his creditors and in his own lawsuit against his creditors.
Gorman was a defendant in a civil collection lawsuit in Buchanan County, Mo., in which a judgment had been entered against him and a garnishment of his wages had been ordered to recover monies owed on medical bills incurred at the Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph. On Sept. 28, 2012, Gorman’s creditors filed a second civil collection lawsuit against him in Buchanan County to recover monies owed on additional unpaid medical bills.
On May 22, 2012, Gorman participated in the execution of a federal search warrant at the offices of a private business in Kansas City, Kan. Gorman was there to search for computer-related evidence. He found and took five blank U.S. Postal Service money order receipts belonging to the private business and used them to facilitate the scheme to defraud Heartland Regional Medical Center.
Gorman used the stolen money order receipts and other fraudulent documents created as evidence in his defense. Gorman claimed that he had submitted postal money orders to his creditors, but the payments had not posted. As evidence, he provided the five stolen money order receipts, which were filled out to make it appear that money orders had been made out to Heartland Regional Medical Center, as well as a number of forged letters displaying the names and purported signatures of postal employees.
Gorman also used the stolen money order receipts and other fraudulent documents he created as evidence in a lawsuit he caused to be filed against his creditors. Gorman placed the names and forged signatures of the actual persons onto letters purporting to be from the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission onto two letters and two certified mail receipts as part of his wire fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, Gorman is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
As an examiner in training, Gorman did not perform any computer forensic examinations unless under the supervision of a fully certified Heart of America Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory (HARCFL) examiner.
Upon learning of the allegations regarding Gorman, the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory did a complete and thorough review of any cases which Gorman may have assisted in the examination of computer forensic evidence. No inconsistencies, errors or issues were noted with any evidence. The Heart of America Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory is a fully accredited laboratory facility following a strict protocol for the examination of evidence and the training protocol for examiners in training.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General – Office of Compliance and Integrity.
Former Credit Union Employee Sentenced for $34,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A former credit union employee in Overland Park was sentenced today to three years supervised release for embezzling from the credit union where she worked, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. In addition, she was ordered to pay $34,035 in restitution.
Susan Wooten-Robb, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In her plea, she admitted the crime occurred while she worked for Community America Credit Union at 5601 W. 95th in Overland Park, Kan. In February 2014 two account holders complained about unauthorized debits from their accounts. Investigation revealed Wooten-Robb had made unauthorized debits totaling $34,035. In one instance, she attempted to cover up an unauthorized debit by filing a false currency transaction report claiming the account holders took out the money to assist a family member with paying tuition
Beall commended the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.
Former City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud and Arson ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA - On May 24, 2016, Dorothy L. Dillinger pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of malicious use of fire announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Dillinger, age 61, admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud the City of Casey, Iowa, from around 2009 until August 2014, while serving as the City Clerk. As part of that scheme, Dillinger admitted that she used the City’s credit card and funds to purchase items for personal use without the knowledge or approval of the City Council. Dillinger used the United States Postal Service to mail City checks to pay the resulting credit card statements. Dillinger also admitted to making unauthorized payments to herself for personal expenses without City Council approval or knowledge. Dillinger failed to disclose these expenditures to both the City Council, as well as in minutes from City Council meetings. Dillinger also admitted to maliciously destroying the City of Casey Community Building, which was used in activities affecting interstate commerce, by means of fire. The city building was destroyed by fire from the late night of August 19th into the morning of August 20th in 2014.
Dillinger faces a statutory sentence of at least five (5) years and up to twenty (20) years in prison, as well as financial penalties and a term of supervised release. As part of the plea agreement, Dillinger agreed to pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the court at sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for at 10:30 a.m. on September 26, 2016, before the Honorable James E. Gritzner, Senior United States District Court Judge, at the United States Courthouse in Des Moines.
Former Bookkeeper for the Pinckneyville Rural Fire Protection District Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
Tammy L. Kellerman, 53, of Pinckneyville, Illinois, the former bookkeeper for the Pinckneyville Rural Fire Protection District (PRFPD), was sentenced today in United States District Court in Benton to 33 months in prison for defrauding the tax-payer funded municipal entity of over $444,000.00, announced James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Kellerman had previously pled guilty on February 2nd to an Information charging her with four counts of mail fraud.
Information introduced in support of the guilty pleas and sentence showed that between 2004 and 2013, Kellerman used her trusted position with PRFPD to steal funds from PRFPD by sending unauthorized checks drawn on PRFPD’s bank account through the United States mail to pay her personal credit card bills and other expenses and, thereafter, made false entries in PRFPD’s accounting software to conceal her theft from the board.
In addition to the 33 month term in prison, Kellerman was ordered to pay the United States $400 in special assessments and to pay a total of $441,390.32 in restitution (consisting of $406,640.32 to PRFPD and $34,750 to its insurer). Kellerman was also placed on a 3 year term of supervised release to follow her time in prison.
The investigation leading to Kellerman’s conviction and sentence was a cooperative effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Illinois State Police, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Illinois Department of Revenue, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The federal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Sentenced for Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jason A. Razo, 39, a former background investigator who did work under contract for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), was sentenced today to two months of incarceration, to be followed by four months of home detention, on a charge stemming from his falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Norbert E. Vint, Acting Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.
Razo, of Van Nuys, Calif., pled guilty in February 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to making a false statement. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Gladys Kessler. Following his prison term, Razo will be placed on three years of supervised release, during which he will serve the four months of home detention. Also, Razo has agreed to pay $85,779 in restitution to the federal government.
According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Razo was employed by KeyPoint Government Solutions as an investigator under contract to conduct background investigations on behalf of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services.
Between October 2010 and July 2011, in approximately 50 Reports of Investigations on background investigations, Razo represented that he had interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation. In fact, he had not conducted the interviews or obtained the records of interest. These reports were utilized and relied upon by the agencies requesting the background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, for receiving or retaining security clearances, or for positions of public trust.
Razo’s false representations have required Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to him during the time period of his falsifications, at an estimated cost of at least $85,779 to the U.S. government.
Federal Investigative Services has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program.
This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Razo, 21 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.
Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 6,000, including 5,200 field investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. Federal Investigative Services conducted more than 2.4 million investigations during the 2015 fiscal year. More than 600,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation. After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment or a security clearance.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Acting Inspector General Vint praised the efforts of Special Agent Christopher Sulhoff, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop, Kevin Cassidy, and Jeffrey Addicks, OPM, Federal Investigative Services. They also acknowledged the work of Paralegal Specialists Donna Galindo and Julie Dailey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.
Felon Sentenced for Possessing A Firearm After Firing into Athens Apartment, Obstructing Justice at His SentencingRead the Press Release
G. F. Peterman, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Sadarrevin Kendrick, age 26, of Washington, Georgia, was sentenced today to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mr. Kendrick was sentenced by the Honorable C. Ashley Royal, United States District Judge, in Macon, Georgia, who enhanced the sentence based on a finding that Mr. Kendrick had obstructed justice by testifying falsely under oath at his sentencing.
On March 13, 2015, Mr. Kendrick fired a .45 caliber pistol through the floor of an Athens apartment into the apartment below. There were four individuals in the apartment through which the bullet passed, but no one was injured. Mr. Kendrick fled the scene, but was arrested shortly thereafter by an Athens-Clarke County police officer and found to be in possession of the loaded, stolen .45 caliber firearm, 82.2 grams of marijuana, and digital scales. Mr. Kendrick, who has prior convictions for burglary and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, subsequently admitted to the police that he had fired the weapon, which he said was an accident.
“This case is a good example of why felons are prohibited from possessing firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III. “Mr. Kendrick not only possessed a loaded, stolen gun, but he fired it, endangering innocent, unrelated people in his vicinity.”
The case was investigated by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Peter D. Leary 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.
Easthampton Man Sentenced for Cocaine and Marijuana DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Easthampton man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Worcester for distributing cocaine and marijuana.
David Dulchinos, 51, of Easthampton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2016, Dulchinos pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of cocaine and distribution of marijuana.
On Feb. 7, 2014, Dulchinos distributed cocaine and marijuana to an individual cooperating with federal agents. The transaction was captured on video and audio recordings. Dulchinos pleaded guilty to distributing nearly 400 grams of cocaine and 27 grams of marijuana in connection with that transaction.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Easthampton Police Chief Bruce McMahon, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.
Drug User Involved in Exchange of Gunfire in Dubuque Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
An admitted user of a controlled substance who possessed a firearm and ammunition was sentenced yesterday to just over four years in federal prison.
Martin Lewis Smith, 21, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on January 13, 2016, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was prohibited from possessing a weapon and ammunition because he was a regular user of marijuana.
The evidence showed that Smith exchanged gunfire with another individual in a Dubuque neighborhood with residents present, including small children. When he was approached by one citizen, he advised that citizen to “Go inside before you get popped.” He had smoked marijuana the day prior. At sentencing, the Court noted that Smith created a serious danger to the public and was a high risk to reoffend because of his criminal background and attitude.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. He was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steve Young and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 15-CR-1028.
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District Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Robbing Bank in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Francis Davis, 69, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for robbing a bank last year in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Davis pled guilty in February 2016 to a charge of bank robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, Davis will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Davis entered the rear door of the SunTrust Bank in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Once inside, he walked to a teller station. Davis then passed the bank teller a note which demanded money. The teller read the note and paused in disbelief. At that time, Davis stated, “Quit stalling … Somebody is gonna’ get hurt.”
The teller opened the cash drawer and passed $1,589 to the defendant. Davis stated, “That’s good,” and then walked swiftly out the door. Law enforcement officers submitted images taken from the bank’s surveillance video to the law enforcement community. The defendant was subsequently identified from several surveillance video photos from the robbery. He was arrested on Dec. 11, 2015 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the actions of the FBI and Metropolitan Police Department officers who worked to solve this case. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Finally, they commended efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.