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6 June 2016
Washington, DC Man Sentenced to over 25 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery and Carjacking ShootingsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Marcellus Ramone Freeman, a/k/a Derrick Relando Pitts, age 24, of Washington, D.C., today to 308 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for robbery, discharging a gun during a robbery and carjacking, in connection with an armored car robbery and a carjacking in which a victim was shot in the arm and head.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; the members of the FBI Cross Border Task Force - Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Alan Goldberg of the Takoma Park Police Department; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
“We are pleased with the sentence,” said Chief Alan M. Goldberg of the Takoma Park Police Department. “The defendants in this case were involved in several violent crimes throughout the Washington, D.C. area. They displayed a total disregard for life while committing serious crimes. This sends a clear message to criminals that through a coordinated effort from our regional and federal partners, that this behavior has consequences.”
According to his plea agreement and court documents, on October 26, 2012, Freeman and co-conspirators Anthony Cannon and Tonnie Floyd who were riding in a stolen Jeep, followed an armored transport truck to a store located on University Boulevard East in Takoma Park, Maryland. An employee got out of the armored truck, walked into the store and picked up a bag containing $3,911. As the employee returned to the armored truck, he was confronted by two co-conspirators with guns. The employee dropped the money bag and at least one co-conspirator fired a gun at the employee. The employee shot back. One of the defendants picked up the money bag. They ran back to the stolen Jeep. As the defendants drove away, the employee continued to fire his handgun at the Jeep, striking a tire and the back window. Floyd was wounded in the shoulder during the gunfire.
The defendants left the Jeep in a neighborhood nearby because it had a flat tire as a result of the shooting. They saw a man entering a vehicle, and shot the man in the arm and head, causing permanent and life-threatening bodily injury, then stole his vehicle. The defendants drove the vehicle into the District of Columbia, where they set it on fire.
Police evidence personnel recovered blood containing DNA of Floyd from the back seat of the Jeep. Floyd went to a hospital that day in the District of Columbia for medical treatment of his gunshot wound. Freeman’s finger and palm prints were found on the money bag left in the Jeep.
Co-conspirator Anthony Terrell Cannon, age 26, of Washington, D.C., was convicted at trial conspiracy, robbery, carjacking, and two counts of discharging a gun during a crime of violence, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Judge Chasanow sentenced Cannon on May 27, 2016 to 75 years in prison. Judge Chasanow ordered that 50 years of his sentence is to be served consecutive to the 60 year sentence Cannon previously received in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for other crimes. Cannon has also been sentenced to life in prison in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court.
Tonnie Floyd, age 23, of Washington, D.C., previously pleaded guilty to robbery, and discharging a gun during the robbery and carjacking and was sentenced to 222 months in prison.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI Baltimore and Washington Field Offices, the Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Police Departments, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Takoma Park Police Department and the Prince George’s County and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William D. Moomau and Bryan E. Foreman, who prosecuted the case.
Washington County Couple Sentenced for Using Children to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Ronnie Lee McCall, 63, of Johnson City, Tenn., was sentenced on June 6, 2016, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve life in federal prison. In the unlikely event that he is released from prison, he was ordered to remain under the supervision of U.S. Probation for the remainder of his life. There is no parole in the federal system.
McCall’s wife, Connie Sue Gentry McCall, 41, also of Johnson City, was previously sentenced in February 2016 by Judge Greer to serve 216 months in federal prison. Upon her release from prison, she will remain under the supervision of U.S. Probation for the remainder of her life.
Connie McCall and Ronnie McCall were charged in a federal indictment after state authorities learned that they sold three girls, ages 12, 14, and 16, to a man who raped and produced child pornography of the girls. Connie McCall pled guilty to the production of child pornography by a parent and assisted the United States in the prosecution of Ronnie McCall, who was found guilty by a jury of selling a child for illegal sexual activity, producing child pornography, producing child pornography by a parent, and using a means of interstate commerce to entice, persuade, or coerce a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Evidence presented during his trial showed he established a two-year pattern of sexual abuse of three children, 50 to 60 confirmed rapes, and the production of 400 images of child sexual abuse.
During sentencing Judge Greer noted that this was one of the most horrible crimes he had ever seen committed and scolded Mr. McCall for completely and totally abdicating his responsibility as protector of these children.
Agencies involved in this investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Division of Child Services, and Johnson City, Tennessee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Helen Smith and Corey Shipley represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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USNCB Makes COPS' Dispatch HeadlinesRead the Press Release
"For almost a decade, INTERPOL Washington, the United States National Central Bureau (USNCB), has empowered the nation’s law enforcement to use both national and INTERPOL criminal indices. The process of linking states together to use INTERPOL systems, known as federation, will assist officers across the country in making determinations about persons or items they encounter in the field: suspected fugitives, victims, stolen vehicles, stolen travel documents, etc."
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) puts the USNCB Federation initiative in its DISPATCH Headlines for the June issue of the e-newsletter.
Please see the below link for the full story.
http://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/06-2016/international_systems.asp
Twenty-Two Year Old Man Sentenced to a Total of Five Years in Prison for Two "Note Job" Robberies and Violating His Supervised ReleasedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla.—Dustin Scott Ross, 22, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 52 months in prison for robbing the Arvest Bank on 4548 East 51st Street and the CVS Pharmacy on 4107 South Harvard Avenue, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Chief United States District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell also sentenced Ross to three years of supervised release following his prison sentence and ordered him to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
On November 4, 2015, Ross robbed the Arvest bank by handing a teller a threatening note. After the bank robbery, Ross was quickly identified because of a tip from Crime Stoppers. On November 19, 2015, Ross robbed the CVS using another threatening note. He was quickly apprehended by the Tulsa Police Department that day.
Judge Frizzell also sentenced Ross to eight months in prison, to be served consecutive to his robbery sentence, for violating the conditions of his supervised release. After release from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, offenders are often placed on supervised release, which imposes certain conditions and restrictions. The primary purpose of supervised release is to help recently released offenders reintegrate back into society. Ross was on supervised release for Bank Fraud when he committed the two robberies.
This case was investigated by the Tulsa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Neal C. Hong prosecuted the case.
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Three Orangeburg Men Sentenced for Killing Hawks at South Carolina Hunting PreserveRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Eric Klumb (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney William N. Nettles stated today that three Orangeburg men, Charles Williams, age 66, John Dantzler, age 66, and Jimmie Aiken, age 57, and Alejandro Renteria Noyola, age 56, were sentenced today by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges, sitting in Charleston, South Carolina. The defendants entered guilty pleas to offenses involving the unlawful trapping and killing of migratory birds at Willcreek, a 1,790-acre tract of land in Orangeburg County owned by Willcreek LLC. Charles Williams, the registered agent for Willcreek LLC, pled guilty to 7 counts of killing Red-tailed or Cooper’s Hawks during 2013 and 2014; the remaining defendants were each named in a single count. Trapping and killing hawks without a permit is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act under Title 16, United States Code, Section 703, and carried a maximum prison term of six months and a fine of up to $15,000, or both, for each count of conviction.
Judge Hodges fined Williams $75,000, imposed 50 hours of community service at a birds-of-prey center, and banned him from hunting for a year. Aiken and Dantzler were each fined $1,000 and were also banned from hunting for a year.
Luis Santiago, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said of today’s plea and sentencing: “This case is an excellent example of the cooperative investigative efforts between the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and each agency’s strong commitment to investigate violations of wildlife laws. Migratory birds are a trust responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We greatly appreciate our state and local partners in law enforcement, and the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office in prosecuting those who violate federal wildlife laws and holding them accountable for their actions. The plea and sentencing today is a success in our collective efforts to conserve migratory birds and other wildlife.”
Mr. Nettles stated, “The statute and the indictment in this case recognize that these majestic birds-of-prey are an important link in our ecosystem. Killing these hawks in order to improve sporting conditions for weekend hunters is not only unsportsman-like, it is illegal and comes at the cost of our wildlife resources. The Court’s imposition of a substantial fine is in line with the seriousness of the offense and defendants’ cruel treatment of the birds-of-prey they killed.”
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The investigation began in November of 2013 based on a tip from the DNR Operation Game Thief Hotline and culminated with the execution of a search warrant at Willcreek on February 21, 2014. During the course of the investigation, agents seized more than thirty raptor carcasses from Willcreek.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric Klumb of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.#####
Three More Conspirators Plead Guilty in Methamphetamine CaseRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Three more individuals associated with a methamphetamine conspiracy that trafficked large quantities of the drug from Atlanta, Georgia to Southwest Virginia, pled guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced.
Jeremey Bartley, 27, pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Franklin Dee Rose, 37, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and Donna Jenkins pled guilty to one count of misprision of a felony.
“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to focus on traffickers like those prosecuted in this case,” United tates Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today.
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, these individuals, and others, were part of a methamphetamine conspiracy that trafficked and distributed multiple pounds of crystal methamphetamine between Atlanta, Georgia, Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
To date, more than ten other individuals have pled guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine as part of the investigation.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bristol, Virginia Police Department, the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, the Abingdon Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee prosecuted the case for the United States.
Three Black Guerilla Family Gang Members Convicted in Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Mark Bazemore, a/k/a Uncle Mark, age 31; and Michael Smith, Jr., ak/ka Mikey, Lil Mike and Mik, age 30, both of Baltimore, and Timothy Hurtt, a/k/a Uncle Tim and Tim, age 45, of Baltimore County, today for participating in a racketeering conspiracy and drug conspiracy related to their membership in the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang. Bazemore and Hurtt were also convicted of conspiring to use and carry a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime. Bazemore was also convicted of conspiring to commit murder in aid of racketeering; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The convictions were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
"If we want to stop the killing in Baltimore, we need to remove the killers from Baltimore," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
“These convictions are significant and are as a result of our on-going local, state and federal effort to combat violence in our communities,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins. “This investigation and resulting convictions is proof again that the Baltimore Safe Streets Task Force is making a significant difference; there is a lot of work to do, but FBI Baltimore and our partners are committed in the fight against violent crime.”
“This is a verdict for the citizens of Baltimore to show these violent gang members that we will stop at nothing to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis. “I hope this guilty verdict sends a message to those who continually harm our communities that we will work collectively to disrupt your illegal activity and organizations.”
According to court documents, the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) is a nationwide gang operating in prisons and on the streets of cities throughout the United States. BGF is involved in criminal activity, including murder, robbery, extortion, narcotics trafficking, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation in Baltimore, in Maryland, and elsewhere. The evidence showed that the defendants and other BGF members regularly paid dues to BGF and discussed gang business at meetings, including: the sanctioning of BGF members; the identities of individuals suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and actions to be taken against them; and the commission of future crimes.
According to trial evidence, Bazemore, who was a BGF leader, issued sanctions on several fellow BGF members, including the attempted murder of one BGF member who was shot on March 10, 2014, and the murder of another member who was killed on June 16, 2014. Between September and December 2013, co-defendant Timothy Gray, who was the Baltimore “city-wide” commander of BGF, sanctioned the murder of a BGF member by Hurtt and a co-conspirator. Also, Hurtt and Gray provide armed protection in a BGF drug deal. Bazemore, Smith and Hurtt collected dues from BGF members who were dealing drugs in the area of Pratt and Payson Streets, a BGF controlled open-air drug shop in Baltimore. In addition to collecting dues, the defendants conspired to operate street-level drug shops throughout Baltimore where they distributed heroin.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison for the racketeering and drug conspiracies. Bazemore and Hurtt also face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to use and carry a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Bazemore also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2016 at 10 a.m.
Timothy Michael Gray, a/k/a “Mike Gray,” age 48, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Ten other co-defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracies and are scheduled to be sentenced between November 15 and 21, 2016.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI; Baltimore City and Howard County Police Departments; and Baltimore City and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James T. Wallner and Clinton Fuchs, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Kevin Wain (41, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for credit card fraud. The Court also ordered him to pay $585,028.99 to the approximately 48 affected financial institutions. Wain pleaded guilty on October 29, 2015.
According to court documents, from at least September 20, 2012, through and including the date of his arrest in June 2015, Wain engaged in a multi-state scheme to use counterfeit credit cards to buy high-end housewares, which he then sold on eBay for cash. Wain used stolen credit cards from numerous financial institutions, without the account holders’ knowledge or permission.
The investigation revealed that Wain had eBay and PayPal accounts listed in his name and address. Profits from the sales in these accounts were deposited into bank accounts in Wain’s own name. Since opening his account in May 2010, Wain has received approximately $881,143 in payments for selling items online.
The eBay records showed that on or about September 20, 2011, Wain purchased a MSR605 Magnetic Credit Card Reader/Writer, which can read and write magnetic striped cards and is typically used to encode and re-encode credit and debit card numbers onto counterfeit credit and debit cards.
Wain’s eBay sales transactions also showed the following:
a. From September 20, 2012, to February 15, 2015, he sold approximately 755 Vitamix blenders in various models for a total profit of $399,713.08;
b. From March 12, 2013, to February 18, 2015, he sold approximately 197 Roomba Robot vacuums in various models for a total profit of $91,141.25; and
c. From April 13, 2013, to June 1, 2013, he sold approximately 9 Dyson DC41 Animal vacuums for a total profit of $3,456.99.
Wain engaged in this credit card fraud scheme primarily near his home in the Tampa area, but also as far away as Texas and Illinois, primarily using stolen credit and debit card numbers to make purchases at Williams Sonoma. To date, investigators have identified more than $585,000 in purchases by Wain at Williams Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond alone, using counterfeit credit cards embedded with the stolen account information of over 125 identity theft victims.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
San Francisco Resident Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Charlyne Basada, AKA Charlyne Melendres, was sentenced today to 65 months of imprisonment for bank fraud and identity theft, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Jean Ackerman, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. The sentence follows Basada’s guilty plea to the charges and her acknowledgement that she helped to defraud four employers collectively of more than a million dollars.
Basada, 38, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty on January 13, 2016, to charges that she fraudulently made payments to herself from her former employers’ checking accounts. Basada worked as a bookkeeper or office manager for four companies from 2009 through 2015. In her position at each company, she obtained access to the payment systems of each company. Basada admitted she devised and executed a scheme to defraud each of her former employers by using the corporate payment systems to initiate fraudulent payments to herself. In so doing, she created the false appearance that she was entitled to funds for wages, reimbursements, and other payments. Her theft diverted money from, among other things, employee pension benefit plans.
Basada also prepared checks that were intended to pay personal vendors of one of her former employers. Her employer signed these checks believing that they would be paid to vendors. However, Basada fraudulently completed the payee portion of the check to “cash” and deposited the checks into her own personal bank account. Basada admitted that the total loss to all four employers from her scheme was $1,085,918.90 and that she abused a position of trust at each employer. Further, Basada acknowledged that she made some repayments to some of her former employers, but the total amount still owed to her former employers is $1,063,975.78.
Basada was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 11, 2015, and was charged with twelve counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344; four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1). Pursuant to her plea agreement, Basada pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge. In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced the defendant to five years of supervised release. Restitution is to be determined at a later date. Basada was ordered to surrender to begin serving her sentence on September 6, 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kingsley is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Meegan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the San Francisco Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.
Roanoke County Woman Pleads Guilty to Gun, Heroin ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke County woman, who police made multiple controlled purchases of heroin from in 2014 and 2015, pled guilty today to federal drug and gun charges, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced.
Abbey Rae Lawhorn, 33, of Roanoke, Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute and one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle that was not registered to her in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
“Illegal guns and drugs make the communities of the Western District of Virginia unsafe and we in law enforcement must do what we can to make our streets safer,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today.
According to evidence presented at today’s hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford, police made controlled purchases of heroin from Lawhorn in December 2014 and April 2015. As a result of these purchases, police obtained a search warrant for Lawhorn’s address in Roanoke County. On May 1, 2015, a search of the residence occupied by Lawhorn and her juvenile daughter was performed and officials found approximately eight bricks of heroin, an amount consistent with distribution. In addition, police discovered three firearms, one of which was a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length. No such firearm was registered to Lawhorn.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Roanoke County Police Department, the Roanoke HIDTA Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case for the United States.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Stolen Firearm was sentenced on June 2, 2016, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Patrick Harding, age 59, was sentenced to 20 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Harding was charged on November 19, 2014, and was found guilty of both offenses after a three-day federal jury trial in January 2016. The conviction stems from Harding, a previously convicted felon, knowingly possessing a stolen Glock, model 23C, .40 caliber pistol in Rapid City.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson prosecuted the case.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on June 6, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Odell Thomas Goodshield, Jr., age 57, was sentenced to 13 months in custody, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Goodshield was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury on February 17, 2016. He pled guilty on March 29, 2016.
On June 14, 1999, Goodshield was sentenced to 188 months in federal custody for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Between January 6, 2016, and January 28, 2016, Goodshield, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender in Pennington County and elsewhere.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie G. Sanderson prosecuted the case.
Goodshield was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pittsburgh Woman Pleads Guilty in Cross-Country Cocaine Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A local resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of cocaine, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Brittanie Dickerson, 26, of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking and violence in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. The interception of wire and electronic communications began in December 2013 and continued through the end of August 2014. During that timeframe, Brittanie Dickerson was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine, which was shipped from California to the Western District of Pennsylvania through the United States Postal Service or commercial carrier.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2016. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Munhall Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Brittanie Dickerson.
Philadelphia Police Officer Charged with Attempted ExtortionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - Thomas Vitanovitz, 32, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by information today, with attempted extortion of an alleged drug dealer while working as a Philadelphia Police Officer, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
According to the information, on July 21, 2015, while employed as a Philadelphia Police Officer assigned to the 24th District, Vitanovitz seized 50 pills that Vitanovitz believed to be a controlled substance from an individual identified in the indictment as Person 1, under the color of official right.
If convicted of all charges, Vitanovitz faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a possible fine, supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arlene Fisk.
An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharmaceutical Companies to Pay $67 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to TarcevaRead the Press Release
Pharmaceutical companies Genentech Inc. and OSI Pharmaceuticals LLC will pay $67 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they made misleading statements about the effectiveness of the drug Tarceva to treat non-small cell lung cancer, the Department of Justice announced today. Genentech, located in South San Francisco, California, and OSI Pharmaceuticals, located in Farmingdale, New York, co-promote Tarceva, which is approved to treat certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer or pancreatic cancer. OSI Pharmaceuticals LLC is the successor to OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc., which was acquired by Astellas Holding US Inc. in 2010 and converted to a limited liability company in 2011.
“Pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to provide accurate information to patients and health care providers about their prescription drugs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will hold those companies accountable that mislead the public about the efficacy of their products.”
The settlement resolves allegations that, between January 2006 and December 2011, Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals made misleading representations to physicians and other health care providers about the effectiveness of Tarceva to treat certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer, when there was little evidence to show that Tarceva was effective to treat those patients unless they also had never smoked or had a mutation in their epidermal growth factor receptor, which is a protein involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells.
As a result of today’s $67 million settlement, the federal government will receive $62.6 million and state Medicaid programs will receive $4.4 million. The Medicaid program is funded jointly by the state and federal governments.
“This settlement demonstrates the government’s unwavering commitment to pursue violations of the False Claims Act and recover taxpayer dollars spent as a result of misleading marketing campaigns,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch for the Northern District of California.
“Pharmaceutical companies that make misleading or unsubstantiated statements about their products can put patients at risk,” said Deputy Commissioner Howard R. Sklamberg for FDA’s global regulatory operations and policy. “The FDA will continue to work to protect the public's health by ensuring that companies do not mislead healthcare providers about their products.”
“Drug manufacturers that make misleading claims about their product’s effectiveness can jeopardize the health of patients – in this case, cancer patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to protect both patients and taxpayers by holding those who engage in such practices accountable for their actions.”
The settlement resolves allegations filed in a lawsuit by former Genentech employee Brian Shields, in federal court in San Francisco. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. Shields will receive approximately $10 million.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $29.8 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $18.2 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
The settlement is the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, with assistance from the HHS-OIG, the HHS Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, the HHS Office of the General Counsel-CMS Division, the FDA’s Office Chief Counsel, the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management, the FBI, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, the Office of the General Counsel for the Defense Health Agency and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Shields v. Genentech, Inc., et al., Case No. CV 11 0822 MEJ (N.D. Ca.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Pharmaceutical Companies to Pay $67 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to TarcevaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO- Pharmaceutical companies Genentech, Inc. and OSI Pharmaceuticals, LLC will pay $67 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. made misleading statements about the effectiveness of the drug Tarceva to treat non-small cell lung cancer. The announcement was made today by United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch; Principal Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer; Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Steven Ryan; and Howard R. Sklamberg, the Federal Food and Drug Administration’s Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy.
Genentech, located in South San Francisco, California, and OSI Pharmaceuticals, located in Farmingdale, New York, co-promote Tarceva, which is approved to treat certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer or pancreatic cancer. OSI Pharmaceuticals LLC is the successor to OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc., which was acquired by Astellas Holding US Inc. in 2010 and converted to a limited liability company in 2011. The settlement resolves allegations that, between January 2006 and December 2011, Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals made misleading representations to physicians and other health care providers about the effectiveness of Tarceva to treat certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer, when there was little evidence to show that Tarceva was effective to treat those patients unless they had never smoked or had a mutation in their epidermal growth factor receptor, which is a protein involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells.
As a result of today’s $67 million settlement, the federal government will receive $62.6 million and state Medicaid programs will receive $4.4 million. The Medicaid program is funded jointly by the state and federal governments.
“This settlement demonstrates the government’s unwavering commitment to pursue violations of the False Claims Act and recover taxpayer dollars spent as a result of misleading marketing campaigns,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch for the Northern District of California.
“Pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to provide accurate information to patients and health care providers about their prescription drugs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will hold those companies accountable that mislead the public about the efficacy of their products.”
“Pharmaceutical companies that make misleading or unsubstantiated statements about their products can put patients at risk,” said Deputy Commissioner Howard R. Sklamberg for FDA’s global regulatory operations and policy. “The FDA will continue to work to protect the public's health by ensuring that companies do not mislead healthcare providers about their products.”
“Drug manufacturers that make misleading claims about their product’s effectiveness can jeopardize the health of patients -- in this case, cancer patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to protect both patients and taxpayers by holding those who engage in such practices accountable for their actions.”
The settlement resolves allegations filed in a lawsuit by former Genentech employee Brian Shields, in federal court in San Francisco. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. Shields will receive approximately $10 million. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $29.8 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $18.2 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ila C. Deiss and U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division Trial Attorney Jennifer Cihon handled the case with the assistance of Paralegal Jonathan Birch. The settlement is the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, with assistance from the HHS-OIG, the HHS Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, the HHS Office of the General Counsel-CMS Division, the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel, the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management, the FBI, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, the Office of the General Counsel for the Defense Health Agency and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Navajo Man from Farmington Pleads Guilty to Federal Sexual Abuse ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ferguson Pierce, 52, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Farmington, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an aggravated sexual abuse charge. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Pierce will be sentenced within the range of 210 to 262 months in prison followed by not less than five years of supervised release. Pierce will also be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Director Jesse Delmar of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.
Pierce was arrested in Nov. 2015, on a criminal complaint alleging that he sexually assaulted and raped a Navajo woman in San Juan County, N.M., on the Navajo Indian Reservation, on July 6, 2015. Pierce was indicted on Aug. 25, 2015, and charged with aggravated sexual abuse.
During today’s proceedings, Pierce pled guilty to a felony information charging him with aggravated sexual abuse. In entering the guilty plea, Pierce admitted that on July 6, 2015, he forced the victim to engage in a sexual act. Pierce admitted that he forced his way into the victim’s residence and sexually assaulted the victim.
Pierce has been in federal custody since his arrest, and will remain detained pending sentencing 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 David Adams is prosecuting the case as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Midland Man Sentenced to 47+ Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Murder of Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
In Del Rio today, 50-year-old Carl Wayne Wiley was sentenced to 571 months in federal prison for attempted murder of a Border Patrol agent announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Rodolfo Karisch, Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol, and Christopher Combs, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle ordered that Wiley be placed on supervised release for three years after completing his prison term.
In February 2016, a jury convicted Wiley of one count of attempting to kill one or more United States Border Patrol Agents who were engaged in the performance of their official duties; one count of assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, or interfering with one or more United States Border Patrol Agents using a deadly or dangerous weapon; two counts of using and discharging a .45 caliber Ruger revolver during and in relation to the commission of the aforementioned crimes of violence; and, one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding United States Border Patrol Agents.
According to court records, in 2014, Wiley was wanted on State charges for Murder and Attempted Murder in Midland, TX, and was fleeing prosecution. In the early morning hours of June 29, 2014, Wiley was spotted by Border Patrol agents in Sanderson, TX. Wiley took the agents on a high speed pursuit before crashing his vehicle. He fled on foot into the brush and avoided arrest by stealing an ATV, then a pickup truck, as well as several firearms from nearby ranches.
On June 30, 2014, an off duty Comstock Border Patrol Agent observed Wiley traveling East on Highway 90 near the Comstock Border Patrol checkpoint. Approximately four miles north of Comstock, an agent attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. When the agent activated the emergency equipment, Wiley crashed through a ranch fence and continued driving across the pasture further into the ranch. The vehicle came to a stop after colliding with a tree and Wiley absconded on foot into the brush.
Wiley led responding agents on a foot pursuit and shot at one agent who was closing in on him. As he continued to evade agents, Wiley fired his weapon again at a group of approaching agents. When the agents were eventually able to surround Wiley, he ultimately dropped his weapon and was arrested.
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Border Patrol, Val Verde Sheriff’s Office and the Midland Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Katherine Griffin prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing Marijuana with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - Deangelia D. Quintana, 30, pleaded guilty today in District Court on St. Thomas to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced.
According to the plea agreement, on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, Quintana arrived at the Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on board a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta, Georgia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers approached Quintana as she approached the carousel at the baggage claim area and removed two bags. Quintana was taken to secondary inspection where CBP officers searched her bags and discovered a large bundle of plastic in each bag. Within the plastics, CBP discovered approximately 19.5 kilos of what was determined to be marijuana. When questioned, Quintana admitted that the bags were hers.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez permitted Quintana to remain on release pending her October 6, 2016, sentencing date. Quintana faces a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Member of the New Jersey Grape Street Crips Pleads Guilty to Crack-Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A gang member who sold crack-cocaine for the New Jersey set of the Grape Street Crips pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Ernest Valentine, a/k/a “Bop,” 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack-cocaine.
On June 2, 2016, Trae Roberts, a/k/a “Trae Pound,” 24, pleaded guilty to the same charge. To date, 37 members and associates of the NJ Grape Street Crips have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, firearms and other charges.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The New Jersey Grape Street Crips controlled drug trafficking and other criminal activities in various areas of Newark, including the neighborhood of 6th Avenue and North 5th Street. Both Valentine and Roberts obtained crack-cocaine from more senior gang members and associates who used and shared a dedicated cell phone to accept orders for thousands of clips of crack-cocaine. These gang-members included Hakeem Vanderhall, a/k/a “Keem,” a/k/a “Sugar Bear,” Eric Concepcion, a/k/a “Eddie Arroyo,” a/k/a “E-Wax,” a/k/a “Wax,” and Rashan Washington, a/k/a “Shoota.”
To protect their gang and drug territory, the New Jersey Grape Street Crips operating in the 6th Avenue and North 5th Street location used “community guns” that were easily accessible to gang members. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized numerous firearms, including a .410 caliber assault rifle, a.45 caliber Thompson semi-automatic carbine, a 7.62 caliber assault rifle, and numerous semi-automatic handguns.
Both Valentine and Robert face a five-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, for the investigation leading to the guilty pleas. U.S. Attorney Fishman also thanked prosecutors and detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray, police officers and detectives of the Department of Public Safety and Newark Police Division, under the direction of Director Anthony A. Ambrose, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Armando B. Fontoura, for their work on the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Osmar J. Benvenuto and Barry A. Kamar of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Defense counsel:
Valentine: Stacy A. Biancamano Esq., Chatham, New Jersey
Roberts: Jean D. Barrett Esq., Montclair, New Jersey
Member of A Mexican Sex Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty to Forcing Woman into ProstitutionRead the Press Release
A member of a Mexican sex trafficking organization, Paulino Ramirez-Granados, has pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the sex trafficking of a woman from October 2000 to December 2008. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto at the U.S. Courthouse in Brooklyn. When sentenced, Ramirez-Granados faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The guilty plea was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Angel Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In announcing the guilty plea, Mr. Capers extended his grateful appreciation to HSI, the agency responsible for leading the government’s investigation.
At today’s proceeding, Ramirez-Granados admitted to bringing a woman from Mexico to New York between October 2000 and December 2008, and forcing her, using threats and violence, to work as a prostitute in Queens, New York, and elsewhere. Ramirez-Granados also admitted that he obtained money from the prostitution that his victim was forced to perform. Pursuant to his plea agreement with the government, Ramirez-Granados also admitted to trafficking an additional victim and agreed to pay restitution to both victims.
As set forth in court filings, between October 1998 and June 2011, members of the Granados sex trafficking organization, including Ramirez-Granados, illegally smuggled young women into the United States, where they were forced to work as prostitutes in New York City and elsewhere. The organization collected profits from the victims’ activities. When victims refused to work or resisted, members of the organization beat and sexually assaulted the victims, and threatened the victims’ family members in Mexico, including the victims’ children.
To date, 13 members of the Granados organization have been indicted in the Eastern District of New York on sex trafficking charges. Twelve have been arrested, and one remains a fugitive. Two high-ranking members of the group, Eleuterio Granados-Hernandez and Samuel Granados-Hernandez, who are brothers, pled guilty to sex trafficking and were sentenced by Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto in 2014 to 22 years and 15 years, respectively.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement identified and rescued over 20 additional victims — all Mexican nationals. Several victims were sexually assaulted by their traffickers, while others were physically assaulted. All the victims said the traffickers threatened to harm their family members.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Soumya Dayananda and Jennifer Carapiet.
The Defendant:
Name: PAULINO RAMIREZ-GRANADOS
Age: 38E.D.N.Y. United States v. Paulino Ramirez-Granados, 11-CR-557 (KAM)
Media Advisory: Waterloo/Black Hawk County Town Hall Meeting Heroin Epidemic & Community Treatment OptionsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative, has scheduled a Waterloo/Black Hawk County Town Hall Meeting on June 8th to discuss the heroin epidemic making its way into Eastern Iowa. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014. Waterloo joins other Iowa cities facing this threat.
Viewed as a national challenge requiring a community solution, the meeting will bring the community together to exchange information and to discuss strategies to address the epidemic plaguing our state. A guest speaker will share her story of her son’s involvement and death from heroin use. A “Call to Action” will be introduced to the community by the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative.
Visit www.faceboook.com/EasternIowaHeroinInitiative to learn more.
U.S. Attorney Kevin W. Techau will be present. The event is open to the public.
Event Details
When: June 8, 2016 (flyer is attached)
Where: Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA
Time: Begins at 6:00 p.m., and ends at 8:00 p.m.
waterloo_town_hall_flyer.pdf
Press wishing to attend should contact AUSA Steve Young at 319-731-4037, or by emailing him at [email protected].
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Return of Thousand-Year-Old Bronze Statue to Republic of IndiaRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the return of a stolen 11th or 12th Century bronze statue of Ganesha to the Republic of India, pursuant to an agreement between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Toledo Museum of Art. The Ganesha was returned today along with several other stolen antiquities at a repatriation ceremony with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch at Blair House in Washington, D.C.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “A decade ago, a valued piece of India’s cultural heritage was stolen and sold in the United States. We are proud to have played a role in returning this treasure to the Indian people, and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the United States does not become a marketplace for stolen art and antiquities.”
The statue of Ganesha, also known in Tamil Nadu as Vinayagar, is a bronze statue dating from the Chola dynasty period (1080-1150 A.D.). The Ganesha was stolen from the Sivan temple at Sree Puranthan Village in the Ariyalur District of Tamil Nadu in 2006, and obtained by Subhash Kapoor, an antiquities dealer in Manhattan. Kapoor has been charged with various offenses by both Indian authorities and the New York County District Attorney’s Office for his alleged involvement in trafficking in stolen antiquities, and is currently awaiting trial in Tamil Nadu. Kapoor sold the Ganesha to the Toledo Museum of Art (the “Museum”) in 2006.
Working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Office identified the Ganesha as stolen, and contacted the Museum. Upon being presented with the evidence of the Ganesha’s illicit origin, the Museum voluntarily agreed to turn over the Ganesha to HSI for return to the Republic of India.
Mr. Bharara thanked HSI for their outstanding work in connection with this matter. He also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Bharara also thanked the Toledo Museum of Art for their willingness to voluntarily return the Ganesha to the Republic of India.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander J. Wilson is in charge of the case.
Man Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court for Threatening to Blow up the Statue of LibertyRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JASON PAUL SMITH pled guilty in Manhattan federal court today to communicating a hoax threat to bomb the Statue of Liberty that resulted in the evacuation of more than 3,200 people from Liberty Island in New York Harbor. SMITH pled guilty to a one-count Indictment before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
According to the criminal Complaint, Indictment, other documents filed in federal court, and statements made at various proceedings in this case, including today’s guilty plea:
On April 24, 2015, SMITH initiated a call to the emergency 911 system (the “911 Call”) from his iPad using a service that assists hearing-impaired individuals with making and receiving telephone calls (the “Service”). In the 911 Call, SMITH identified himself as “Abdul Yasin,” described himself as an “ISI terrorist,” and threatened that “we” are preparing to “blow up” the Statue of Liberty.
Law enforcement officers responded to the threat that SMITH conveyed in the 911 Call, and conducted a sweep of the areas in and around the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island with the aid of canine units trained to detect explosives. Canine units alerted in the vicinity of the visitor lockers at the base of the Statue of Liberty, prompting law enforcement officers and emergency responders to evacuate the more than 3,200 people who were on Liberty Island at the time. Later, the threat conveyed by SMITH was determined to be unfounded.
The iPad registered in SMITH’s name has used the Service to make other 911 calls, including at least two calls in May 2015 from a user who identified himself as “Isis allah Bomb maker” and who threatened to attack Times Square and kill police officers at the Brooklyn Bridge.
* * *
SMITH, 42, pled guilty to one count of conveying false and misleading information and hoaxes, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. SMITH is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., before Judge Broderick.
Mr. Bharara praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) New York Joint Terrorism Task Force – which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. Mr. Bharara also thanked the United States Park Police for its assistance.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zhou is in charge of the prosecution.
Leader of Bank Fraud Scheme Sentenced to over 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Leslie Okyere, age 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland today to 66 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bank fraud, using an unauthorized access device and aggravated identity theft. Judge Hazel also ordered Okyere to pay restitution of $1,040,646.14.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and John L. Phillips, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General.
According to his plea agreement and court documents, co-defendant Bertrand Essem recruited college students to open a bank account and obtain a debit card and PIN number associated with that debit card. After the recruits opened the bank accounts, Essem collected the debit cards and PIN numbers and gave them to Okyere.
Okyere kept the recruited individuals’ bank account information in a portfolio book, along with a handwritten list of telephone numbers for numerous The Home Depot stores located throughout the country, and a handwritten schedule listing the days of the week followed by dollar figures alongside the recruited individuals’ names and their debit card numbers. At the same time, Okyere obtained individual victims’ stolen credit card information from several sources, including co-defendant Godfred Obeng.
For example, sometime in 2012, Okyere recuited Obeng to fraudulently access the credit card information for cardholders from Obeng’s employer, Capital One Bank. Okkyere received approximately 538 text messages from Obeng containing stolen account numbers, cardholders’ names and addresses for the cardholders.
On numerous occasions Okeyere ordered construction materials from The Home Depot stores by phone in amounts ranging from $2,500 to $8,000, using a victim’s stolen credit card number as payment. Within a few days, Okyere called to cancel the order and requested that the refunds be sent to the debit card account numbers and bank accounts in the name of the recruited individuals. From June 2010 to January 2014, a total of approximately 173 refunds from unauthorized credit card purchases at The Home Depot were credited to bank accounts of recruited individuals.
The recruits, including Stanley Nmesirionye and Dosis Feludu, would be required to withdraw the majority of the money from the bank account and give that to Essem or to the person by whom they were recruited. The recruit could keep a portion, in some cases as much as $300, and a significant portion of the refunded money was given to Okyere.
The court determined at today’s hearing that the total loss attributable to Okyere’s conduct arising from the fraudulent scheme was $1,040,646.14.
Bertrand Awah Essem, age 28, of Beltsville, Maryland; Stanley Nmesirionye, age 25, of Owings Mills, Maryland; Dosis Feludu, age 26, of Salisbury, Maryland; Gideon Turkson age 25, of Burtonsville, Maryland and Godfred Obeng, age 39, of Glen Allen, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the fraud scheme. Obeng was sentenced on April 14, 2016 to three years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $338,548.45. Essem was sentenced on February 5, 2016 to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $264,757.29. Feludu, Nmesirionye and Turkson were each sentenced to a day in prison. Feludu was ordered to pay restitution of $71,221.82, Nmesirionye to pay $57,255.85 and Turkson to pay $52,953.13.
The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Department of the Treasury – OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan E. Foreman, who prosecuted the case.
Kansas Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $2 Million in Government FundsRead the Press Release
A Stillwell, Kansas, man pleaded guilty today to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of theft of government funds, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas.
Richard Drake, 60, admitted that he obtained more than $2 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing false tax returns in the names of his clients. Those false returns claimed refunds that Drake directed into accounts he controlled. In his plea agreement, Drake admitted that he used the identities of his clients to perpetrate his fraud without their knowledge. The tax returns that Drake filed caused the U.S. Department of the Treasury to issue large income tax refunds that Drake then converted to his own use.
As part of his plea agreement, Drake has agreed to serve 48 months in prison and to pay $2,432,147 in restitution to the IRS. The sentencing hearing date has not yet been determined.
Acting Assistant Attorney General and Acting U.S. Attorney Beall commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt of the District of Kansas, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Kansas Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $2 Million in Government FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Stillwell, Kansas, man pleaded guilty today to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of theft of government funds, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas.
Richard Drake, 60, admitted that he obtained more than $2 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing false tax returns in the names of his clients. Those false returns claimed refunds that Drake directed into accounts he controlled. In his plea agreement, Drake admitted that he used the identities of his clients to perpetrate his fraud without their knowledge. The tax returns that Drake filed caused the U.S. Department of the Treasury to issue large income tax refunds that Drake then converted to his own use.
As part of his plea agreement, Drake has agreed to serve 48 months in prison and to pay $2,432,147 in restitution to the IRS. The sentencing hearing date has not yet been determined.
Acting Assistant Attorney General and Acting U.S. Attorney Beall commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt of the District of Kansas, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Exporting Firearms to Overseas PurchasersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to six counts of exporting and attempting to export firearms illegally from the United States to individuals located in other countries, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas.
Michael Andrew Ryan, 35, of Manhattan, Kansas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree of the District of Kansas, who set sentencing for Sept. 12, 2016.
“With a computer and an internet connection, Ryan hosted an international arms trafficking business on the dark web, peddling firearms and ammunition throughout the world,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Criminals of all stripes take advantage of technological advances to further their crimes and attempt to avoid identification and arrest. In this case, thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers involved, we were able to shut down dangerous criminal activity and secure the defendant’s conviction – but we must remain vigilant to ensure that law enforcement retains the necessary capabilities to keep up with criminals.”
“The fact that international firearms trafficking has reached Kansas shows the power of the internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beall. “This prosecution shows our law enforcement efforts are working.”
In connection with his plea, Ryan admitted that he used a hidden internet marketplace website that sold illegal drugs and other illegal goods to unlawfully export or attempt to export firearms from the United States to Cork, Ireland; Pinner, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; Victoria, Australia; and Mallow, Ireland.
In his plea, he admitted unlawfully exporting or attempting to export to:
Cork:
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a Beretta 9 mm pistol;
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a Taurus .38 Special revolver;
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a 15-round 9 millimeter magazine;
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32 rounds of 9 mm ammunition;
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one round of .380 ammunition; and
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41 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
Pinner:
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a .22 caliber UZI;
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a .22 caliber magazine for an UZI;
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98 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition; and
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89 rounds of .270 long ammunition.
Edinburg:
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a Highpoint .45 caliber pistol;
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a .45 caliber magazine; and
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19 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition.
Victoria:
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a Walther P22, .22 caliber pistol; and
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a .22 caliber magazine.
Mallow:
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a Glock model 27, .40 caliber pistol;
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a Glock model 22, .40 caliber pistol;
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a 9- round magazine for a .40 caliber Glock;
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a 10-round magazine for a .40 caliber Glock; and
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10 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division investigated the case with assistance from ATF’s Washington, D.C., Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Manhattan and Riley County, Kansas, Police Departments. Senior Counsel Marie-Flore Johnson of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough of the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.
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Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Exporting Firearms to Overseas PurchasersRead the Press Release
A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to six counts of exporting and attempting to export firearms illegally from the United States to individuals located in other countries, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas.
Michael Andrew Ryan, 35, of Manhattan, Kansas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree of the District of Kansas, who set sentencing for Sept. 12, 2016.
“With a computer and an internet connection, Ryan hosted an international arms trafficking business on the dark web, peddling firearms and ammunition throughout the world,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Criminals of all stripes take advantage of technological advances to further their crimes and attempt to avoid identification and arrest. In this case, thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers involved, we were able to shut down dangerous criminal activity and secure the defendant’s conviction – but we must remain vigilant to ensure that law enforcement retains the necessary capabilities to keep up with criminals.”
“The fact that international firearms trafficking has reached Kansas shows the power of the internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beall. “This prosecution shows our law enforcement efforts are working.”
In connection with his plea, Ryan admitted that he used a hidden internet marketplace website that sold illegal drugs and other illegal goods to unlawfully export or attempt to export firearms from the United States to Cork, Ireland; Pinner, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; Victoria, Australia; and Mallow, Ireland.
In his plea, he admitted unlawfully exporting or attempting to export to:
Cork:
- a Beretta 9 mm pistol;
- a Taurus .38 Special revolver;
- a 15-round 9 millimeter magazine;
- 32 rounds of 9 mm ammunition;
- one round of .380 ammunition; and
- 41 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
Pinner:
- a .22 caliber UZI;
- a .22 caliber magazine for an UZI;
- 98 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition; and
- 89 rounds of .270 long ammunition.
Edinburg:
- a Highpoint .45 caliber pistol;
- a .45 caliber magazine; and
- 19 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition.
Victoria:
- a Walther P22, .22 caliber pistol; and
- a .22 caliber magazine.
Mallow:
- a Glock model 27, .40 caliber pistol;
- a Glock model 22, .40 caliber pistol;
- a 9- round magazine for a .40 caliber Glock;
- a 10-round magazine for a .40 caliber Glock; and
- 10 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division investigated the case with assistance from ATF’s Washington, D.C., Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Manhattan and Riley County, Kansas, Police Departments. Senior Counsel Marie-Flore Johnson of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough of the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.
Kansas City, KS, Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City, Kan., man was sentenced Monday to life in federal prison for drug trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Juan Manuel Lopez-Garcia, 27, a citizen of Mexico who lived in Kansas City, Kan., was convicted by a jury in January on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Lopez-Garcia was the main supplier of methamphetamine to a drug trafficking ring that operated in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Lopez-Garcia, who was from Sinaloa, Mexico, received 50 to 60 kilograms of methamphetamine from his brother, who was a high ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel. Lopez-Garcia paid for methamphetamine shipments he received by arranging to send payments in the form of $50,000 to $80,000 in cash at a time to Mexico in vehicles with hidden compartments. Lopez-Garcia was arrested Sept. 5, 2014, at a residence in the 400 block of Shawnee in Kansas City, Kan.
Beall commended the FBI, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ward and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.
Judge Revokes Wilkinsburg Drug Trafficker’s Bond Pending SentencingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of cocaine, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Kelvin Whittle, 58, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking and violence in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. The interception of wire and electronic communications began in December 2013 and continued through the end of August 2014. During that timeframe, Kelvin Whittle was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine, which was shipped from California to the Western District of Pennsylvania through the United States Postal Service or commercial carrier.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2016. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court revoked the defendant’s bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Munhall Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kelvin Whittle.
Huntington man sentenced to Federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to nine months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Shane Patrick Masters, 46, previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a domestic violence crime.
On July 2, 2015, Masters traveled to the 26th Street Drinkery, a bar in Huntington. Masters had a handgun in his vehicle when he arrived at the bar where he met and had drinks with two other individuals. Later on in the early morning hours, those two individuals came into possession of the gun and provided it to officers with the Huntington Police Department. Masters was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2015 domestic battery conviction in Wayne County.
The Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.
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Huntington drug dealer pleads guilty to Federal heroin crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who was caught with heroin pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. James Lennon Pace, 27, entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On June 26, 2015, an officer with the Huntington Police Department observed Pace walking along the 1400 block of 10th Avenue in Huntington. Officers had been looking for Pace as a suspect in an unrelated crime. When approached by law enforcement, Pace gave the officer a false name and repeatedly placed his hands in his pockets. Officers detained Pace and discovered approximately 39 grams of heroin in one of Pace’s pockets. Pace admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin.
On September 22, 2015, agents with the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 1201 Charleston Avenue in Huntington after observing Pace leave the residence. During the search, agents seized over 360 grams of heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl – an opiate painkiller roughly 40 to 50 times more powerful than pure heroin. Agents also seized firearms, over $4,000 in cash, a press used to prepare heroin, and other drug paraphernalia.
Pace faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on September 6, 2016.
The Huntington Police Department and the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Hobbs Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Drugs in Lea CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Rolando Cantu, 40, of Hobbs, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 151 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for his conviction on a methamphetamine trafficking charge.
Cantu was one of five defendants charged as the result of an investigation primarily targeting a drug trafficking organization operating in Lea County, N.M., allegedly headed by co-defendant Leroy Castillo, 34, of Hobbs, N.M. The investigation was led by the FBI and Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) with assistance from the DEA and New Mexico State Police. It was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
Cantu was arrested in July 2014, and charged in a seven-count indictment filed in June 2014. The indictment also charged co-defendants Castillo, Joe Padilla, 34, of Hobbs, Mario Flores, 30, of Artesia, N.M., and Anthony Pisana, 30, of Roswell, N.M. Count 1 charged the four men with participation in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy from Feb. 2014 through May 2014, in Lea County. Counts 2 and 3 charged certain defendants with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Eddy and Lea Counties in March 2014, and Counts 4 through 7 charged certain defendants with using telephones to facilitate drug trafficking crimes in Feb., March and April 2016.
Cantu pled guilty on March 24, 2015, to County 3 of the indictment charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Cantu admitted that on March 8, 2014, law enforcement officers seized 76.2 grams of methamphetamine from inside a truck parked at his residence. Cantu further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine that was found inside the truck.
With the exception of Castillo, all defendants charged in this case have pleaded guilty. Castillo has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive. Individuals with information regarding the whereabouts of Castillo are asked to call the FBI at 505-622-6001. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces, Roswell and Albuquerque offices of the FBI and the LCDTF, with assistance from the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the New Mexico State Police and the Phoenix Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Terri L. Abernathy and Shaheen P. Torgoley.
The Lea County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office, Hobbs Police Department, Lovington Police Department, Eunice Police Department the Tatum Police Department and the Jal Police Department, and is part of the HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Glendale Man Who Stole and Distributed Trade Secrets Belonging to Former Employer Sentenced to One Year in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An electrical engineer from Glendale who was found guilty of violating the Economic Espionage Act for stealing and distributing trade secrets belonging to his former employer was sentenced today to federal prison.
Derek Wai Hung Tam Sing, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder to serve one year and one day in prison.
Judge Snyder presided over a bench trial in September and found Sing guilty in a written ruling issued in January. In her 28-page ruling, Judge Snyder convicted Sing of 32 counts of violating the Economic Espionage Act by transmitting and possessing numerous trade secrets.
Sing worked at the Pasadena-based Rogerson Kratos (RK) in 2012. Until he was fired by the aircraft avionics company, Sing had access to RK trade secrets, and he signed a confidentiality agreement that prohibited him from disclosing any confidential information and trade secrets that belonged to the company.
According to a sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors, Sing’s short tenure at RK was “tumultuous…he was late on assignments, showed up late to work, and had a bad attitude. He created disparaging paraphernalia, such as mugs and bottle openers referring to RK employees as imbeciles, and distributed them to his colleagues. Eventually, he was fired, but not before he took home with him a trove of documents related to RK’s confidential trade secrets, including at least 27 schematics.”
After being terminated, Sing retained materials that he had collected while working at RK, despite being specifically asked to return all trade secrets. Instead, Sing “packaged the trade secrets with sufficient supporting documentation and instructions so that other competitor companies would be able to use the trade secrets and reverse engineer RK’s products,” according to Judge Snyder’s written verdict, which noted that Sing testified at trial that he “wanted to get back at Rogerson Kratos” for not appreciating his work as an employee.
Sing prepared packages that included schematics of RK products and a “readme” document that explained the importance of the proprietary information and instructed competitors to reverse engineer the products. In early 2013, Sing sent the stolen trade secrets to other companies that produced avionics, including a company outside of the United States. Sing also sent flash drives with the trade secrets to companies. Judge Snyder found that Sing illegally sent seven schematics to three different companies, and that he illegally possessed four of those schematics.
In its recommendation to the court, the United States Probation Office
concluded that “Sing acted out of anger, and intended to cause harm to his former employer. He has shown no remorse,” according to the government’s sentencing memo.
“Mr. Sing tried to conceal his illegal theft and transmission of trade secrets by using fictitious email accounts,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “If not for one of the competitors that received the proprietary secrets alerting authorities, Mr. Sing might have caused a devastating blow to his former employer. Intellectual property is the lifeblood of the American economy and provides critical value to businesses and employees.”
“In addition to violating the law by stealing proprietary information, Mr. Sing further victimized his former employer by advertising his theft of trade secrets to the company’s competitors,” said Deirdre Fike, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI takes theft of intellectual property very seriously as the compromise of such data affects the American economy and can weaken our national security.”
The case against Sing was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former University Employee Pleads Guilty to $716,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former University of Missouri employee pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $716,000 from the school over a nine-year period.
Carla Rathmann, 54, of Mount Vernon, Mo., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of mail fraud and one count of credit card fraud.
Rathmann admitted that she embezzled a total of $716,665, primarily by submitting fake and fraudulent invoices and bills to the University of Missouri. Rathman also admitted that she illegally used a university credit card for approximately $146,144 in personal expenses.
“The University of Missouri detected the embezzlement and worked closely with law enforcement to investigate,” Dickinson said. “The university’s cooperation was instrumental in determining the full scope of the fraud scheme.”
Rathman was hired by the University of Missouri as an administrative officer at the Southwest Research Center, located in Mount Vernon, in January 2000. Her responsibilities included receiving bills, paying bills, various accounting duties, payroll, scheduling meetings and organizing staff at the Southwest Research Center. According to today’s plea agreement, Rathmann was fired from her position in September 2015 after officials discovered that she had used her university credit card, also known as a “p-card,” to pay for personal expenses.
In 2005, Rathmann created and registered three shell companies with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office. Rathmann admitted that these companies – R&R, R&R Argi and Garrett Farm and Oil – did not produce a single product or provide a service of any type. Either Rathmann or her husband were the owners and registered agents for these companies.
From Jan. 24, 2005, to June 18, 2014, Rathmann issued bills or invoices in the names of these shell companies to the University of Missouri for products or services ostensibly provided to the Southwest Research Center. In reality, none of these companies provided a single item or a service to the Southwest Research Center. The invoices or bills submitted by Rathmann to the University of Missouri for payment were entirely false and fraudulent.
On numerous occasions, Rathmann, in her capacity as an administrative employee for the University of Missouri at the Southwest Research Center, approved the fraudulent invoices and bills. After she approved the payments, the University of Missouri wrote checks to Rathmann’s fictitious companies, which were deposited into her bank account.
The University of Missouri paid Rathmann $570,521 for the products and services that in fact were never delivered or provided.
Shortly after she was hired, Rathmann was given a credit card to facilitate the purchasing of goods and services needed for the Southwest Research Center. Rathmann fraudulently used the credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases (i.e., her dog’s surgery, remodeling her home, dental expenses, propane for her home, gas for her vehicle and herbicide for her home).
The first unauthorized use of the credit card occurred on Feb. 19, 2002, when Rathmann’s credit card was used to pay Bolivar Insulation in the amount of $1,249. The last unauthorized use of the credit card was on Aug. 20, 2015, when Rathmann’s credit card was used to pay an invoice from Ozark Mountain Pest Control in the amount of $30. In between these purchases were numerous other personal purchases she made using the credit card that totaled approximately $146,144.
By pleading guilty today, Rathmann agreed to forfeit to the government a $716,665 money judgment, which represents the proceeds derived from the fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, Rathmann is subject to a sentence of up to 30 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Former Operator of Money Transfer Business Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Illegal Structuring of Financial TransactionsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Criminal Information was filed in U.S. District Court in Scranton charging a Northampton County man with conspiring to unlawfully structure financial transactions.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, from January 2008 through December 2011, German Ossa Rocha, age 45, conspired with others to utilize a money transmitter service in order to transfer the proceeds from unlawful criminal activity to the Dominican Republic. Ossa Rocha, together with his then-wife, Mirela Desouza, operated Tropic Express, Inc., a money transfer service business, in Stroudsburg. The defendants were residents of Northampton County. Desouza previously pleaded guilty to the same criminal charge and is awaiting sentencing. Both defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2015 on money laundering and illegal structuring charges.
The government also filed a plea agreement in the case. As part of the agreement, the government agreed to dismiss the money laundering charge.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. Ossa-Rocha faces up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the alleged crime is “structuring,” the conducting of transactions in currency for the purpose of evading federal currency transaction reporting requirements. Under federal law, money transmitter agents are required to obtain identification, social security numbers and occupations of clients sending money to other countries, in this case the Dominican Republic, in amounts over $1,000. The defendants ignored the directives. The law also prohibits evading or attempting to evade the reporting requirements or attempting to cause failures to file currency transaction reports.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Former Contractor of Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation Admits Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The sole proprietor of a company that purportedly provided internet research and technology consulting services to the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation (NWCDC) today admitted that she failed to report substantial income she received from the NWCDC, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Retha Renee McCoy, 53, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose Linares in Newark federal court to Count 4 of an information charging her with making and subscribing a false U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for tax year 2012, which intentionally omitted approximately $56,792 in income that she received from the NWCDC in that year.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2007 to March 2013, McCoy received approximately $355,519 from the NWCDC, which was paid in the form of checks written to McCoy individually, or to a company of which she was the sole proprietor, Precision Technology Services (Precision).
The proceeds that the NWCDC paid to McCoy far exceeded the value of any work performed by her as a consultant for the NWCDC. In fact, a substantial portion of these payments were fraudulent and orchestrated to fund a stream of concealed payments from McCoy to Linda Watkins Brashear, the Executive Director of the NWCDC at the time. Brashear pleaded guilty in December 2015 to defrauding the NWCDC of her honest services in the affairs of the NWCDC by taking kickbacks (including payments from McCoy), and of the NWCDC’s money and property, as well as to subscribing to a false federal personal income tax return.
McCoy further admitted that she had failed to report significant income received from the NWCDC directly or through Precision on her 2009, 2010 and 2011 federal personal income tax returns.
The charge of filing a false tax return to which McCoy pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher; IRS – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Newark office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, as well as criminal investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with the investigation leading. U.S. Attorney Fishman also thanked the New Jersey Comptroller’s Office, under the direction of Philip J. Degnan, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mala Ahuja Harker, Jacques Pierre and Leslie Schwartz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division.
Defense counsel: Angelo Servidio Esq., Nutley, New Jersey
Former Ansonia Resident Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Importing "Molly"Read the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WAHEED ISLAM, 48, also known as “Max Paine,” formerly of Ansonia and Manchester, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for importing and distributing “Molly,” and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2014, the Ansonia Police Department received information that ISLAM was residing in Ansonia and was making and distributing “Molly.” Molly is a street name for MDMA.
In July 2014, a U.S. Postal Inspector reported to Ansonia Police that ISLAM had been receiving packages from China that were labeled as containing “rock sugar.” On August 8, 2014, a package that had originated in China and was addressed to ISLAM’s post office box in Ansonia was intercepted at JFK International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents opened the package and found it to contain approximately one pound of ethylone, a Schedule I controlled substance that is a stimulant closely related to methylone, MDPV, MDMA and MDEA. A second package originating from China had been delivered to the Ansonia branch of the U.S. Post Office and was awaiting delivery to ISLAM. On August 11, 2014, HSI agents opened the second package and found approximately 1.1 pounds of the same substance. ISLAM was arrested on August 12, 2014, after he arrived at the post office in Ansonia to pick up the package.
On August 15, 2014, another package destined for ISLAM was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. A search of the package revealed approximately 2.3 pounds of ethylone.
ISLAM has been detained since his arrest. On March 3, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States.
ISLAM’s criminal history includes multiple felony crimes of violence, including first degree assault and first degree robbery. In addition, on May 6, 2011, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 18 months of imprisonment for illegally purchasing and possessing body armor. He was on supervised release at the time of his most recent criminal conduct.
This matter was investigated by the Ansonia Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Falfurrias Mayor Pro Tem Pleads Guilty in Illegal Gambling Business OperationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The mayor pro tem of Falfurrias has admitted she knowingly and intentionally aided and abetted an illegal gambling business operation in the state of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Leticia Hernandez Garza aka Letty Garza, 58, entered a guilty plea this morning.
A federal grand jury indicted Garza on March 23, 2016, for aiding and abetting an illegal gambling business in Falfurrias from on or about Jan. 1, 2009, to on or about May 31, 2015. She surrendered the following day to federal authorities.
The illegal gambling business involved several people who conducted, financed, managed, supervised, directed and owned all or part of such business. The business was in substantially continuous operation for more than 30 days and had a gross revenue in excess of $2,000 in a single day.
Following a one-year undercover operation, agents identified Garza and the owners, operators or managers of multiple illegal casinos in the Falfurrias area. On May 31, 2015, law enforcement raided the game rooms and residences of the owners, seizing $4.9 million.
As part of her plea, Garza admitted to using her influence as Mayor Pro Tem to aid and abet several of the illegal gambling businesses.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Ramos accepted Garza’s plea today and has set sentencing for Sept. 22, 2016. At that time, Garza faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The charges are the result of a two-year joint investigation by the FBI, Texas Rangers, Homeland Security Investigations, Kingsville Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force, Secret Service, Brooks County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, Jim Wells County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Border Prosecution Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Ex-HPD Officer Sentenced in Connection with Armored Car RobberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A former police officer has been ordered to federal prison for his conviction of lying to investigators in relation to an armored car robbery that occurred in Houston in 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Joel Quezada, 33, of Humble, pleaded guilty Jan 11, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore, who accepted the guilty plea, ordered he serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
At the time of his guilty plea, Quezada admitted he lied to investigators about accepting cash for monitoring his police radio during an armored car robbery that occurred on Dec. 6, 2013. At the time of the robbery, he was a full-time patrol officer with the Houston Police Department (HPD).
Quezada no longer works at HPD.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Four others were charged in a separate case with the actual robbery of the Loomis armored car. They have all been convicted and are pending sentencing before U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison in August 2016.
The investigation leading to the charges against Quezada was conducted by the FBI and HPD - Internal Affairs Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Leuchtmann and Carolyn Ferko are prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Knife Attack That Disfigured VictimRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Meguiel Jackson, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison on a charge of malicious disfigurement while armed for cutting a woman approximately 28 times, all over her body, with a knife in an attack that occurred at an apartment building in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Jackson pled guilty in March 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 12-year prison sentence. The Honorable José M. López accepted the plea today and sentenced Jackson accordingly. Following his prison term, Jackson will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Jan. 22, 2016, Jackson entered an apartment building in the 4700 block of C Street SE. He was brought to an apartment by the victim, and she permitted him into her bedroom. Jackson became angry when the victim refused to allow him to inspect her cellular telephone to see her text messages. At one point, he said words to the effect of “I am tired of you ---,” and began to assault her. She lost consciousness. While she was unconscious, Jackson took a knife and began to cut her.
Jackson cut the victim’s body approximately 28 times all over, including her face, her chest, her back, her buttocks, and her legs. Some of the wounds were so deep that tissue was exposed. Jackson ultimately broke the knife in the process of cutting her. He then left the building later that evening. He was arrested Jan. 30, 2016 and has been in custody ever since.
The victim was found to have suffered a total of 28 wounds to the face and body. Also, during the attack, she received a broken jaw and a broken orbital bone in her face. The victim is permanently disfigured as a result of the injuries inflicted by Jackson.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sixth District, the patrol officers who responded in a major snowstorm to the crime scene, and the crime scene officers who processed the scene. U.S. Attorney Phillips also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Shawn Slade; Supervisor Security Specialist Michael Hailey; Victim/Witness Security Specialist M. Laverne Forrest; and Paralegal Specialist Tierra Nanches. Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and Julianne Johnston, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brandon D. Hayes, 31, of Central Falls, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Providence to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hayes was arrested in July 2015 by a Rhode Island State Police trooper during a routine traffic stop after the trooper discovered and seized from the vehicle a loaded firearm belonging to Hayes.
Hayes’ guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
According to information presented to the court, on July 12, 2015, a State Police trooper signaled for a vehicle traveling northbound on Route 95 in Warwick to stop for motor vehicle violations. The trooper learned that as the vehicle was pulling over, Hayes, who was a passenger in the vehicle, removed a loaded handgun from his waistband and put it under the front passenger seat. The trooper seized a loaded Baikal Makarov IJ-70 9 mm pistol from under that seat. Hayes admitted to the trooper that the firearm belonged to him.
Hayes, who has been detained since his arrest, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on September 6, 2016. According to court records, Hayes was previously convicted in state court on felony assault and drug trafficking charges.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Columbus man pleads guilty to Federal heroin crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Columbus man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jharel Daivon Kirkland, 27, entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On January 27, 2016, officers with the Huntington Police Department’s Special Emphasis Unit were conducting surveillance at a known drug residence in Huntington when they observed Kirkland enter the residence. Officers learned that the vehicle Kirkland was driving had been stolen in Columbus, and law enforcement conducted a traffic stop when Kirkland left the residence. Kirkland was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. During a search of Kirkland after his arrest, an officer located approximately 30 grams of heroin. Kirkland admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin.
Kirkland faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on September 6, 2016.
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Butler County Woman Facing Additional Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Valencia, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of interference with commerce by extortion and mail fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The seven-count superseding indictment named Pamela A. Vivirito, 46, of Valencia, PA as the sole defendant.
According to the second superseding indictment Vivirito extorted property from persons known to the grand jury. The indictment further alleges that Vivirito operated a not-for-profit charity called Equine Angels Rescue, Inc. (EAR) which solicited contributions to rescue and rehabilitate horses. Purportedly, Vivirito fraudulently solicited donations and used them for personal expenses.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 140 years in prison, a fine of $1.75 million 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 Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buffalo Woman Sentenced for Role in Commercial Sex BusinessRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Caitlin Connelly, 31, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to engage in a commercial sex business, was sentenced to time served and one year supervised release by U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr., who handled the case, stated that Connelly conspired with Kenneth White to entice women into traveling to other states to engage in commercial sex acts between 2006 through 2012. White, who was convicted of sex trafficking and sentenced 13 years in prison, received all of the money earned by the women in this manner.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Adam S. Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Shantelle P. Kitchen, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office.
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Carter Watts, Jr., Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of unlawfully receiving supplemental security income benefits, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara. The defendant was also ordered to pay $15,456 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who handled the case, stated that between October 1, 2013 and June 1, 2015, the defendant received Supplemental Social Security Income benefits on behalf of his disabled daughter, when in fact, the child was not living with him. Watts received a total of $15,456 to which he was not entitled.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Ryan.
Breathitt County Ambulance Company, Owner, and Billing Manager Sued for Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and MedicaidRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON – The United States Government has sued a Breathitt County ambulance company, its owner, and billing manager for violations of the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits people from submitting false or fraudulent claims for payment from the federal government.
On Friday, June 3, 2016, the United States filed suit against Arrow-Med Ambulance, Inc. (“Arrow-Med”), Herschel Jay Arrowood, and his wife, Lesa Arrowood, alleging that the company submitted numerous fraudulent claims seeking payment for unnecessary non-emergency ambulance transports, and that the Arrowoods caused the company to make those fraudulent claims. Jay Arrowood is the owner of Arrow-Med and Lesa Arrowood serves as its billing manager. According to the complaint, the false claims caused more than a million dollars in loss to the Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid programs.
The Arrowoods also allegedly instructed and pressured employees to falsify patients’ medical records to justify the unnecessary services to help ensure payment from Medicare and Medicaid. In addition, the complaint describes how the Arrowoods converted hundreds of thousands of dollars from Arrow-Med’s bank accounts to their own use.
According to the complaint, from September 2012 to August 2015, Arrow-Med transported patients, who had no medical need for an ambulance transport, to dialysis clinics and to other medical appointments. Under federal law, Medicare pays for non-emergency ambulance transports only if the patient’s condition is such that taking other forms of transportation would endanger the patient’s health.
The complaint provides examples of unnecessary non-emergency ambulance transports provided to patients who rode in the front seat of the ambulance or to patients who walked a half-mile daily for exercise.
The complaint alleges the defendants caused damages to Medicare and Medicaid in excess of a million dollars. Under the False Claims Act, if the defendants are found liable at trial, they would be responsible for paying three times the amount of loss proven at trial, plus additional penalties of $5,000 to $10,000 for each false claim.
The litigation against Arrow-Med was initiated by Darrell Stephen McIntosh, who filed a complaint against Arrow-Med pursuant to the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in April 2015. The United States’ Complaint in Intervention reflects the government’s intent to pursue allegations of fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary services against the defendants.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Hancock and Paul McCaffrey are litigating this case on behalf of the federal government.
Beaver Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Copyright InfringementRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH -- A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and copyright infringement, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Michael K. See, 34, of Beaver Falls, PA pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around January 2010, to in and around January 22, 2015, See purchased and imported copyright infringing DVDs of television shows and movies. See then sold these copyright infringing DVDs on eBay.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2016 at 2 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 25 years in prison, a fine of $500,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court released the defendant on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of See.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Returns Ancient Artifacts to IndiaRead the Press Release
Over 200 artifacts were returned to the government of India today by Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch during a ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The items were recovered as a result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the work of the United States Attorneys’ Offices in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
“The United States is committed to ensuring that no nation is robbed of the objects that inform its identity, shape its traditions and inspire its citizens,” said Attorney General Lynch. “Today, as part of that ongoing commitment, more than 200 antiquities and cultural artifacts that speak to India’s astounding history and beautiful culture are beginning their journey home. It is my hope – and the hope of the American people – that this repatriation will serve as a sign of our great respect for India’s culture; our deep admiration for its people; and our sincere appreciation for the ties between our nations. I want to commend the men and women of the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for recovering these priceless objects and I want to thank our Indian counterparts for their continued cooperation in our shared efforts to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of both of our nations.”
Items returned included religious statues, bronzes and terra cotta pieces, some dating back 2,000 years, looted from some of India’s most treasured religious sites. Among the pieces returned is a statue of Saint Manikkavichavakar, a Hindu mystic and poet from the Chola period (circa 850 AD to 1250 AD) stolen from the Sivan Temple in Chennai, India, which is valued at $1.5 million. Also included in the collection is a bronze sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesh estimated to be 1,000 years old.
“Protecting the cultural heritage of our global community is important work and we are committed to identifying and returning these priceless items to their countries of origin and rightful owners,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. “It’s the responsibility of law enforcement worldwide to ensure criminal smuggling organizations do not profit from the theft of these culturally and historically valuable items.”
The majority of the pieces repatriated in the ceremony were seized during Operation Hidden Idol, an investigation that began in 2007 after HSI special agents received a tip about a shipment of seven crates destined for the United States manifested as “marble garden table sets.” Examination of the shipment in question revealed numerous antiquities. This shipment was imported by Subhash Kapoor, owner of Art of the Past Gallery, who awaits trial in India.
HSI’s Operation Hidden Idol focused on the activities of former New York-based art dealer Kapoor, currently in custody in India awaiting trial for allegedly looting tens of millions of dollars’ worth of rare antiquities from several nations. Artifacts were also found in the Honolulu Museum and Peabody Essex, who promptly partnered with HSI to surrender illicit cultural property stemming from Kapoor. HSI special agents have executed a series of search warrants targeting Kapoor’s New York City gallery, along with warehouses and storage facilities linked to the dealer. Additionally, five individuals have been arrested in the United States for their role in the scheme. The estimated value of the artifacts seized so far in the case exceeds $100 million.
HSI plays a leading role in criminal investigations that involve illegally importing and distributing cultural property, including illicit trafficking of cultural property, especially objects that have been reported lost or stolen. HSI International Operations, through its 64 attaché offices in 46 countries, works closely with foreign governments to conduct joint investigations. Since 2007, more than 7,500 artifacts have been returned to 30 countries, including paintings from France, Germany, Poland and Austria; 15th to 18th century manuscripts from Italy and Peru; as well as cultural artifacts from China, Cambodia and Iraq.
Learn more about HSI cultural property, art and antiquities investigations. Members of the public who have information about suspected stolen cultural property are urged to call the toll-free HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or to complete its online tip form.