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4 May 2016
Washington, Pa., Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violation federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Quenten Vaden, 33, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about Feb. 11, 2016, Vaden distributed and possessed with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for Aug. 22, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $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, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine A. King and Ross E. Lenhardt are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and numerous local police departments including the Canonsburg Police Department, the Donora Police Department, the Monessen Police Department, and the Charleroi Police Department, as well as the Washington County Coroner’s Office, and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Quenten Vaden.
Wapato Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Sexually Assaulting ChildRead the Press Release
Yakima – Today, Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Charles Pete Eyle, age 52, of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation, was sentenced after having previously been being convicted of two counts of Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. Separately, Eyle was convicted of being a previously convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Senior District Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Eyle to a life term of imprisonment.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, on July 3, 2014, Eyle sexually assaulted a young child. The assault was reported to law enforcement later that day. A family member transported the young child to the hospital where a sexual assault examination was completed. Evidence obtained from the examination was subsequently sent to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, where Eyle’s DNA was recovered.
The Yakama Nation Police Department and the FBI investigated the matter. During the investigation, law enforcement officers quickly discovered that Eyle had two prior convictions, which had involved sexual acts with children. The officers applied for and obtained a court-authorized warrant to search Eyle’s residence. Among other items, the officers discovered a box of ammunition in Eyle’s bedroom.
On June 3, 2015, following a three day trial, a jury found the Eyle guilty of the sexual abuse charges. In a separate trial, on November 23, 2015, a jury found him guilty of being a previously convicted felon in possession of ammunition.
Michael C. Ormsby said, “I commend the Yakama Nation Police Department, the Wapato Police Department, the FBI and the ATF for their thorough investigation of this case and exemplary working partnership. The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protect children who live within the Eastern District of Washington. My Office will continue to prosecute aggressively and seek lengthy sentences to remove dangerous sex offenders from our streets.
In this case, the Wapato Police Department and the ATF were instrumental in following through with the investigation. The Yakama Nation Police Department and the FBI conducted a lengthy investigation, conducted dozens of interviews, spent countless hours developing the case, and processed all of the evidence to ensure that justice would prevail.”
This investigation was completed by the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, the FBI, the Wapato Police Department, and ATF. The case was prosecuted by Tom Hanlon, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison for Traveling into the District of Columbia to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Wesley Breeden, 30, of Springfield, Va., was sentenced today to 28 months in prison for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Breeden pled guilty to the charge in February 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Upon completion of his prison term, Breeden will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
According to the government's evidence, on July 30, 2015, Breeden contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, through a social network site. Over the next several days, Breeden engaged in e-mail and text-messaging conversations with the undercover officer. During the course of these conversations, Breeden arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with a female who was a minor. On Aug. 4, 2015, Breeden traveled from Virginia to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea L. Hertzfeld, who prosecuted the case.
Violent Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Illegal GunRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA –United States Attorney Walt Green announced that Michel Keith Lands, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been sentenced to a total of 125 months in federal prison as a result of possessing a firearm while a convicted felon and violating the terms of his supervised release.
In the early hours of November 14, 2014, Baton Rouge City Police (BRPD) was called to a home on Byron Street. The caller told police that Lands had a gun, had fired a shot, and was attempting to kill the occupants of the home. After a struggle, BRPD apprehended Lands and recovered two spent .40 caliber shell casings and recovered one expended bullet slug all from inside the house. The BRPD also recovered a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with four live .40 caliber rounds in the magazine. Lands had previously been convicted of federal and state felony offenses which prohibited him from ever possessing any type of firearm.
Based on the November 2014 incident, Lands was indicted and convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Senior U.S. District Court Judge James J. Brady today sentenced Lands to 110 months imprisonment. Also, because Lands was on federal supervised release at the time of the November 2014 incident, the Court found that Lands violated the terms of his supervised release and sentenced him to an additional 15 months in federal prison for the violation.
U.S. Attorney Walt Green stated: “This is another example of the danger posed by felons with guns. Keeping our communities safe from such criminals will continue to be one of my office’s highest priorities.”
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III and investigated by the Baton Rouge Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Verona Man Charged with Robbery of First Commonwealth Bank in EdgewoodRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on May 3, named Christopher Gregg, age 44, of Verona, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 22, 2016, Gregg robbed First Commonwealth Bank, located at 1105 S. Braddock Avenue, in Edgewood, PA 15218. The bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 25 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Allegheny County Police and Edgewood Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney's Office and DEA announce Prescription Drug Take-Back results for West VirginiaRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration announced today that over 5,800 pounds of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription drugs were collected throughout West Virginia as part of the most recent National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. As a result of the April 30th Take-Back event, participating law enforcement agencies in West Virginia took in a total of 5,876 pounds from citizens and households around the state.
“Prescription drug abuse is an issue that touches all West Virginians,” said Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. “DEA’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events continue to be successful here because all of us want to take an active role in preventing drug abuse. Removing unused prescription medication from the home and properly disposing of it helps keep our communities safer.”
“This event works because of the strong partnerships between DEA and federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said DEA Resident Agent in Charge Suzan Williamson. “National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day allows us to work together to cut off a significant source of the drug supply. We will continue fighting drug abuse by providing a safe place for West Virginians to get rid of their unused prescription medication.”
As part of DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day held in April, there were over 100 collection sites throughout West Virginia for the disposal of unused, unwanted, and expired prescription medication.
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Topeka Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of ATM AttendantRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced Wednesday to 40 months in federal prison for robbing a man whose job was to stock ATMs with cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Pattrick J. Towner, 26, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery. In his plea, he admitted the robbery took place Sept. 16, 2014, at the Low Cost Plus Convenience Store at 3101 S.E. 6th Street in Topeka. When the victim tried to restock the ATM machine in the store with cash, Towner entered the store wearing a mask and brandishing a firearm. Towner took the victim’s money and keys and then fled the scene driving the victim’s vehicle.
Co-defendant Ahmad Salim Salti, 21, Topeka, was sentenced to 24 months after pleading guilty to helping plan the robbery.
Beall commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Toledo man faces firearm chargeRead the Press Release
An indictment was filed charigng Antwuan T. Lawson, 35, of Toledo, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, said Carole S. Rendon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Weldon.
This case is being prosecuted as part of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a gun violence reduction program administered by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The program targets armed criminals for federal prosecution.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tohono O’odham Man to Serve a Combined Sentence of 39 Months of Imprisonment for Domestic Violence AssaultRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On May 2, 2016, Kyle Wesley Street, 29, of Sells, Ariz., a member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 27 months of imprisonment, consecutive to a tribal sentence of 12 months’ incarceration. Street had previously pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate partner by attempted strangulation.
On Oct. 17, 2014, Tohono O’odham police officers responded to a 911 call about a domestic incident involving attempted strangulation where victim lost consciousness during the assault. Citing prior instances of domestic violence by Street upon the victim, the need to protect the public and the victim from further acts of domestic violence, and noting that the defendant had served 12 months of tribal custody for the offense, the court sentenced Street to 27 months in prison with a term of supervised release to follow. The total tribal and federal sentence for the offense is 39 months of imprisonment. The victim is also a member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Tohono O’odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-00434-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-041_Street
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Three Men Indicted Federally on Heroin Related ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Mitchell, age 37, Harrisburg, Eddie Viera, age 42, Shippensburg, and Brandon Brooks, age 26, York, were indicted in three separate cases today by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg.
According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, Mitchell is charged with the sale of heroin and possession of a short-barreled shotgun. He was arrested by the Harrisburg Police Department at his residence during the execution of a search warrant on November 16, 2015. Police had previously observed Mitchell allegedly selling heroin out of his home. During the search, police allegedly found a short-barreled shotgun under Mitchell’s mattress. Short-barreled shotguns violate the Federal Firearms Act if not properly registered, and, as a convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing any firearm.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Harrisburg Police Department. The maximum penalty for this offense is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Viera is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police on February 15, 2016 near mile marker 77 of Interstate 81 after a high speed pursuit for nearly 20 miles. Along the route of the pursuit, Troopers found over 950 individual packets of heroin which Viera allegedly had thrown out the window of his car. Viera was already the subject of an arrest warrant after members of the Franklin County Drug Task Force observed him allegedly distributing heroin and found over 70 individual packets of heroin in his apartment in December 2014.
The matter was investigated by the Franklin County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The maximum penalty for this offense is up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Brooks is charged with possession with the intent to distribute heroin. He was stopped by West York Police for Driving Under the Influence on November 27, 2015. During the arrest, officers found 9 bundles, or 90 individual packets, of heroin on Brooks.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West York Police Department and York County District Attorney’s Office. The maximum penalty for this offense is up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
All three cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford.
These cases were brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Indictments 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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Thirty-Two Gangster Disciples Members Federally Indicted on RICO ChargesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Federal agents have arrested multiple members and associates of the national gang The Gangster Disciples on RICO charges stemming from an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 27, 2016. Agents also arrested Gangster Disciples members on a separate indictment handed down in Memphis, Tennessee.
“Atlanta has historically been resistant to the incursion of these national gangs, but unfortunately today’s indictment shows how this landscape has changed in just the last few years, as the Gangster Disciples are only one of several gangs that now boast a strong foothold,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “These charges show how a national gang like Gangster Disciples can wreak havoc here and in communities across the country, with crimes that run the gamut from murder to drug trafficking to credit card fraud. Within Georgia, the leadership of the Gangster Disciples resided mostly in metro Atlanta, yet the reach of the crimes committed extended into far south and west Georgia. We hope this indictment warns the leaders of these gangs that Atlanta is not a good place to do business.”
“It is the very of core of law enforcement’s mission to ensure that everyone feels safe in their homes and neighborhoods, and it is a hard reality that many people across our country simply do not enjoy this basic sense of security because of gangs like the Gangster Disciples,” said Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell. “That is why it is so significant that today’s indictments charge top leaders within the Gangster Disciples. There are a lot of people out there willing to join gangs, and eager to get easy money from criminal activity. But there are far fewer people with the wherewithal to lead organizations like the Gangster Disciples. These are the people who keep gangs like the Gangster Disciples alive, year in and year out, generation after generation. Cases like these make a difference, and I want to thank all the law enforcement and U.S. Attorney Office and Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecutors who worked so hard to build this case.”
“Today’s Gangster Disciple arrests across nine states merely marks the first wave of the FBI’s strategic campaign to dismantle this violent criminal organization. The Gangster Disciples are a highly-organized and ruthless gang that recognizes no geographical boundaries, and its members have far too long indiscriminately preyed upon and infected the good people of our communities like a cancer. The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Forces recognize no boundaries either, and we are committed to identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most violent gangs that seek to harm our communities. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to seeing this campaign through, and once and for all putting an end to the Gangster Disciples’ reign of violence,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2009, the defendants named in the RICO conspiracy charge committed murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion, arson, firearm crimes, drug trafficking, wire fraud, bank fraud, credit card fraud, prostitution and obstruction of justice and other crimes in furtherance of the Gangster Disciples.
The Gangster Disciples are a national gang active in approximately 24 states, including Georgia. The Gangster Disciples brought money into the gang through, among other things, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, extortion, wire fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud and bank fraud. The gang protected its power and operation through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault, and obstruction of justice. It also promoted the Gangster Disciples enterprise through member-only activities, including conference calls, celebrations of the birthday of the Gangster Disciples founder, the annual Gangster Ball, award ceremonies, and other events.
The gang also provided financial and other support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses, and members who were fugitives from law enforcement would be provided “safe houses” in which to hide from police. To introduce the criminal nature of the Gangster Disciples to a new member, older members and leaders in the various local groups ordered newer members to commit crimes, including murder, robbery and drug trafficking. Further, Gangster Disciples members would teach other members how to commit certain crimes, including fraud crimes, and would provide drugs on discount to other Gangster Disciples members who would then resell the drugs.
Members were organized into different positions, including board members and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions; governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers, and chief of security for each state where Gangster Disciples were active; and coordinators and leaders within each local group. To enforce discipline among Gangster Disciples and adherence to the strict rules and structure, members and associates were routinely fined, beaten, and even murdered, for failing to follow rules.
The indictment alleges that Gangster Disciples members committed 10 murders, 12 attempted murders, two robberies, the extortion of rap artists to force the artists to become affiliated with the Gangster Disciples, and fraud resulting in losses of over $450,000. In addition, the Gangster Disciples trafficked in large amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, illegal prescription drugs, and marijuana. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of 34 different firearms seized as part of the investigation.
In the Georgia indictment alone, the grand jury indicted Gangster Disciples members from multiple cities in the state to include Atlanta, Decatur, Stone Mountain, Marietta, Valdosta, Macon, and Cochran. They also arrested gang members in Birmingham, Alabama; Denver, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; and San Jose, California.
The RICO conspiracy charge names the following defendants and their alleged roles within the Gangster Disciples:
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Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, Alabama, held the rank of Gangster Disciples “Board Member”.
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Vancito Gumbs, 25, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples while at the same time serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department.
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Alonzo Walton, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, held at different relevant times the positions of governor and governor of governors, the latter position controlling Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina.
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Mangwiro Sadiki-Yisrael, 43, of Marietta, Georgia, held at different relevant times the positions of a first coordinator, assistant governor of Georgia, and governor of Georgia.
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Kevin Clayton, 43, of Decatur, Georgia, was the chief enforcer for the State of Georgia.
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Donald Glass, 26, of Decatur, Georgia, served as a first coordinator of the eastside group of the Gangster Disciples.
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Lewis Mobely, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was an enforcer.
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Vertious Wall, 40, of Marietta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Macon Gangster Disciples group.
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Adrian Jackson, 37, of San Jose, California, was the national treasurer for the Gangster Disciples.
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Terrence Summers, 45, of Birmingham, Alabama, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Alabama and governor of governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida.
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Markell White, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, was a regional leader in Macon.
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Ronald McMorris, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, was first coordinator of the Atlanta group.
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Perry Green, 29, of Decatur, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as enforcer of a Gangster Disciples group.
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Dereck Taylor, 29, of Macon, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as security for a Macon group.
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Alvis O’Neal, 37, of Denver, Colorado, was a senior member of and drug trafficker for the Gangster Disciples.
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Jeremiah Covington, 32, of Valdosta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Valdosta region.
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Antonio Ahmad, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, was the chief of security for the state of Georgia.
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Eric Manney, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and stored multiple guns at his house.
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Quiana Franklin, 33, of Birmingham, Alabama, served as treasurer for the state of Alabama.
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Frederick Johnson, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was a chief enforcer for a Gangster Disciples group.
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Charles Wingate, 25, of Conyers, Georgia, was chief of security for a Covington, Georgia, group.
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Thomas Pasby, 42, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Denise Carter, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Carlton King, JR., 25, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Kelvin Sneed, 26, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Arrie Freeney, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Myrick Stevens, 26, of Madison, Wisconsin, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Curtis Thomas, 45, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Yohori Epps, 36, of Marietta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
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Michael Drummound, 49, of Marietta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
In addition to the RICO conspiracy:
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Defendant Lewis Mobely was charged with committing attempted murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during that shooting; possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug charge.
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Defendant Donald Glass was charged with committing a murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during that murder.
Defendants Alonzo Walton and Antonio Ahmad were also charged with carjacking. A third defendant, Laderris Dickerson, 45, of Chicago, Illinois, has been charged with the carjacking, but is not charged in the RICO conspiracy.
Defendant James Travis Riley, 35, of Wichita, Kansas¸ has been charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, but is not charged in the RICO conspiracy.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Atlanta’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force (composed of members of the FBI, Alpharetta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, DeKalb Police Department, Forest Park Police Department, Georgia Dept. of Community Supervision, Georgia Dept. of Corrections, Gwinnett County Police Department, and Marietta Police Department), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Marshal’s Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Services.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kim S. Dammers, Stephanie Gabay-Smith, and Ryan K. Buchanan, and DOJ Organized Crime & Gang Section Trial Attorney Hans B. Miller are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Operating Sex Trafficking EnterpriseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Granville Robinson, 27, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced to 294 months in prison for his role in operating a sex trafficking scheme out of the Riviera Motel in New Orleans, using force and threats to compel multiple women to engage in prostitution for the defendants’ profit in New Orleans and elsewhere.
On Feb. 3, 2016, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking. A restitution hearing is scheduled for July 13, 2016. Six other defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with the case, and are awaiting sentencing.
“Trafficking in human beings is abhorrent to our nation’s belief in freedom, dignity, and individual rights,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is deeply committed to seeking justice on behalf of vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to be unwavering in our commitment to restoring the lives of human trafficking victims and survivors, and to holding human traffickers accountable.”
“Of the seven defendants convicted in this prosecution, Robinson was the most violent,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite of the Eastern District of Louisiana. “He regularly used physical abuse to coerce vulnerable victims – including a pregnant woman – into a life of prostitution for his benefit. Today's lengthy sentence was certainly warranted, and it reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that human traffickers like Robinson are held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“Today, we have removed Granville Robinson not just off of the streets of Louisiana, but also from the streets of America,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Sallet of the FBI’s New Orleans Office. “He is nothing short of a predator who took advantage of and abused vulnerable women. His need for control and greed comes to an end today with this lengthy sentence he so justly deserves.”
“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that ICE Homeland Security Investigations fights as one of its highest priorities via a coordinated global effort with the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “The results speak for themselves; over the past two years HSI has doubled its number of human trafficking arrests. HSI will continue to investigate and seek prosecution of these criminals while also ensuring the victims of this terrible crime are rescued and get the care they need.”
On Oct. 3 2014, Robinson and co-defendants Duane Phillips, Christopher Williams, Anthony Ellis and Laquentin Brown were charged in a second superseding indictment with sex trafficking conspiracy and varying counts of sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution. An additional defendant, Kanubhai Patel, who owned the Riviera Motel where the sex trafficking scheme was based, was charged in the same indictment with benefitting financially from sex trafficking. A seventh defendant, Zacchaeus Taylor, was charged separately on March 28, 2014.
According to Robinson’s admissions during his plea hearing and other court documents, he enforced strict rules on the women he trafficked as part of his conspiracy. These rules included requiring the women to earn a minimum amount each day, to provide him with all of their earnings and to seek his permission to stop prostituting for the night. Robinson confiscated some women’s identification to make it harder for them to leave, and forced some to get tattoos signifying that they belonged to him. When the women broke the rules or did not earn enough money, Robinson physically assaulted them.
Robinson acknowledged compelling and coercing more than 10 different women to engage in prostitution for his profit from 2012 through January 2014 in connection with the charged conspiracy. Robinson admitted to using force to punish and control the women, including one instance of punching and kicking a woman in the abdomen, knowing she was pregnant, to punish her for texting without his permission, and another instance of shoving a woman into a toilet tank hard enough to break it, then striking her repeatedly with a wooden board, to punish her for reportedly planning to escape.
Robinson and his co-defendants aided each other by posting bond for each other following arrests, monitoring the women and reporting to each other any violations of the rules the defendants imposed on the women and transporting women together from New Orleans to Texas, Tennessee, Maryland and Washington, D.C., for prostitution. When two women tried to escape on one such trip, Robinson and a co-defendant found them, forced them into a car, and brought them back to New Orleans to continue prostituting.
Robinson and his co-defendants operated out of certain motels, including the Riviera, which generally did not report their activities to the police. The defendants rented multiple rooms at the Riviera where women would meet prostitution clients, and paid the Riviera above-market rates to reflect the high traffic through the rooms.
On July 1, 2015, Patel pleaded guilty to benefitting financially from human trafficking. In March and April 2015, Phillips, Williams, Ellis and Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Ellis and Brown also pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for prostitution. On June 25, 2014, Taylor pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and interstate transportation for prostitution.
This case was investigated jointly by the FBI’s New Orleans Division and HSI’s New Orleans Field Office, with assistance from the FBI’s Memphis Division. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti and Former Special Litigation Counsel John Cotton Richmond of the Civil Right Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Evans of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Operating Sex Trafficking EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Sex Trafficking Scheme Used Threats, Violence and Coercion to Compel Women into Prostitution in New Orleans and Elsewhere
The Justice Department announced today that Granville Robinson, 27, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced to 294 months in prison for his role in operating a sex trafficking scheme out of the Riviera Motel in New Orleans, using force and threats to compel multiple women to engage in prostitution for the defendants’ profit in New Orleans and elsewhere.
On Feb. 3, 2016, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking. A restitution hearing is scheduled for July 13, 2016. Six other defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with the case, and are awaiting sentencing.
“Trafficking in human beings is abhorrent to our nation’s belief in freedom, dignity, and individual rights,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is deeply committed to seeking justice on behalf of vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to be unwavering in our commitment to restoring the lives of human trafficking victims and survivors, and to holding human traffickers accountable.”
“Of the seven defendants convicted in this prosecution, Robinson was the most violent,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite of the Eastern District of Louisiana. “He regularly used physical abuse to coerce vulnerable victims – including a pregnant woman – into a life of prostitution for his benefit. Today's lengthy sentence was certainly warranted, and it reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that human traffickers like Robinson are held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“Today, we have removed Granville Robinson not just off of the streets of Louisiana, but also from the streets of America,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Sallet of the FBI’s New Orleans Office. “He is nothing short of a predator who took advantage of and abused vulnerable women. His need for control and greed comes to an end today with this lengthy sentence he so justly deserves.”
“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that ICE Homeland Security Investigations fights as one of its highest priorities via a coordinated global effort with the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “The results speak for themselves; over the past two years HSI has doubled its number of human trafficking arrests. HSI will continue to investigate and seek prosecution of these criminals while also ensuring the victims of this terrible crime are rescued and get the care they need.”
On Oct. 3 2014, Robinson and co-defendants Duane Phillips, Christopher Williams, Anthony Ellis and Laquentin Brown were charged in a second superseding indictment with sex trafficking conspiracy and varying counts of sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution. An additional defendant, Kanubhai Patel, who owned the Riviera Motel where the sex trafficking scheme was based, was charged in the same indictment with benefitting financially from sex trafficking. A seventh defendant, Zacchaeus Taylor, was charged separately on March 28, 2014.
According to Robinson’s admissions during his plea hearing and other court documents, he enforced strict rules on the women he trafficked as part of his conspiracy. These rules included requiring the women to earn a minimum amount each day, to provide him with all of their earnings and to seek his permission to stop prostituting for the night. Robinson confiscated some women’s identification to make it harder for them to leave, and forced some to get tattoos signifying that they belonged to him. When the women broke the rules or did not earn enough money, Robinson physically assaulted them.
Robinson acknowledged compelling and coercing more than 10 different women to engage in prostitution for his profit from 2012 through January 2014 in connection with the charged conspiracy. Robinson admitted to using force to punish and control the women, including one instance of punching and kicking a woman in the abdomen, knowing she was pregnant, to punish her for texting without his permission, and another instance of shoving a woman into a toilet tank hard enough to break it, then striking her repeatedly with a wooden board, to punish her for reportedly planning to escape.
Robinson and his co-defendants aided each other by posting bond for each other following arrests, monitoring the women and reporting to each other any violations of the rules the defendants imposed on the women and transporting women together from New Orleans to Texas, Tennessee, Maryland and Washington, D.C., for prostitution. When two women tried to escape on one such trip, Robinson and a co-defendant found them, forced them into a car, and brought them back to New Orleans to continue prostituting.
Robinson and his co-defendants operated out of certain motels, including the Riviera, which generally did not report their activities to the police. The defendants rented multiple rooms at the Riviera where women would meet prostitution clients, and paid the Riviera above-market rates to reflect the high traffic through the rooms.
On July 1, 2015, Patel pleaded guilty to benefitting financially from human trafficking. In March and April 2015, Phillips, Williams, Ellis and Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Ellis and Brown also pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for prostitution. On June 25, 2014, Taylor pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and interstate transportation for prostitution.
This case was investigated jointly by the FBI’s New Orleans Division and HSI’s New Orleans Field Office, with assistance from the FBI’s Memphis Division. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti and Former Special Litigation Counsel John Cotton Richmond of the Civil Right Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Evans of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Tango Blast Gang Member Sentenced in Two Federal CasesRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 31-year-old Tango Blast gang member has been ordered to federal prison for 15 years following his convictions in two separate indictments, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. William Chance Wallace, of Victoria, pleaded guilty Feb. 10, 2016, to witness retaliation and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
At a hearing before U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey in Victoria yesterday, Wallce received a sentence of 180 months in federal prison on both convictions to be served concurrently. The 15-year-sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
On May 12, 2015, law enforcement executed an arrest warrant for a state parole violation, at which time they found ammunition in Wallace’s pocket as well as a weapon he had tossed away from his body. They also found the holster for the weapon in his vehicle. Wallace is a five-time convicted felon – three for drug-related crimes as well as two convictions for aggravated assault with deadly weapon. As such, Wallace is prohibited from possession firearms or ammunition.
During the investigation and while he was in custody, Wallace ordered an associate to post a picture of a criminal complaint with the name of a witness in a different investigation. Additionally, Wallace had the individual write a comment on the post calling the witness a snitch. As a result of the Facebook post, there were a number of threats of violence made against the witness.
Wallace remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Booth prosecuted the cases.
Sutter County Man Found Guilty of Two Violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty ActRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury found William Louis Filter, 46, of Live Oak, guilty on Tuesday of unlawful baiting and unlawful taking of a migratory game bird by aid of bait, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The evidence at the two-day trial showed that Filter baited a field on his family’s hunting ranch in the Sutter Buttes by covering it with birdseed to attract mourning doves. On September 1, 2015, which is opening day of mourning dove season, Filter returned to that baited field with his three hunting buddies. Altogether, Filter and his friends shot and killed 34 mourning doves over the baited fields.
Mourning doves are a migratory game bird. It is lawful to hunt mourning doves during the appropriate hunting season. It is unlawful, however, to hunt mourning doves using bait. Baiting means placing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attractions for migratory game birds to any areas where hunters are attempting to take them.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Nelson and Elliot Wong prosecuted the case.
Filter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2016, by United States Magistrate Judge Allison Claire. Filter faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and a one-year term of supervised release. The actual sentenced will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Suffolk Man Indicted for Distribution of Heroin Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Carlos A. Brown, 45, of Suffolk, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of distribution of heroin resulting in death, distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury, distribution of heroin and distribution of fentanyl.
According to the indictment and other filed documents, the investigation of Brown’s drug activities began in November 2015 after an investigative team was dispatched to the scene of a suspected heroin overdose death in Chesapeake. Over the course of the next six months, members of the law enforcement team, which includes the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, the Virginia State Police, and the Chesapeake Police Department, began gathering various sources of information including Confidential Human Source (CHS) interviews, as well as arrest and police reports related to the drug distribution activities of Brown. The interviews were corroborated with undercover controlled buys of heroin and fentanyl from Brown as well as physical and electronic surveillance. Documents filed with the court indicate that in late November 2015, Brown contacted one buyer describing his heroin as a “missile.” Brown told one CHS that he was aware of three or four of his customers overdosing, yet he continued to sell heroin, which lead to a fatal overdose the following day. Even after learning of the fatal overdose, Brown continued to sell heroin.
Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, if convicted. 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.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; and John S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the grand jury returned the indictment. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Bosse and Joseph E. DePadilla are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-67.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Springfield Latin Kings Leader Pleads Guilty to Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former “Inca” of the Springfield Latin Kings gang pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Springfield to distributing heroin.
Jose Cartagena, 38, of Springfield, Mass., pleaded guilty today to distributing heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 3, 2016.
In October 2014, an investigation was initiated in an effort to disrupt and dismantle the Latin Kings’ criminal activity in Springfield and Holyoke. According to court documents, members and associates of the Latin Kings were engaged in the distribution of narcotics, particularly heroin. Furthermore, disputes with rival gangs over criminal activity and drug turf were on the rise and resulted in serious crimes of violence, including armed assaults with firearms and murder. The investigation led to the arrest of 12 alleged Latin Kings members in connection with drug and firearms offenses in November 2015.
As alleged in court documents, Cartagena held the position of “Inca,” or chief, of the Springfield chapter of the Latin Kings gang at the time of his arrest on Nov. 9, 2015. Cartagena pleaded guilty today to distributing 300 bags of heroin in Springfield on July 31, 2015.
The charge of distribution of heroin provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine A. Wagner of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.
Six Arrested on Federal Charges Related to the Attempted Delivery of Contraband into the Montgomery, Alabama City JailRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama– Rasheen Jahmal Smith, 30, Curtis Caffie, 24, Derreana Gray, 24, Curtis Jackson, 54, Peggy Caffie Jackson, 48, and Jeremy Terrell Caffie, 28, all from Montgomery, Alabama were arrested this weekend, announced George L. Beck, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. The arrests followed the return of a federal indictment charging each for their involvement in an attempt to smuggle contraband cellular telephones into the Montgomery City Jail. The indictment resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Marshals Service.
According to court documents, Rasheen Smith, Curtis Caffie and Joshua Jackson devised a scheme to smuggle cellular telephones into the City Jail where they were then being held on unrelated charges. Aided by family members and others, a package purportedly containing legal documents but actually containing cellular telephones was delivered to the Montgomery City Jail addressed to Rasheen Smith. The package was intercepted by employees of the Montgomery City Jail who became suspicious of the package’s contents. While investigating the matter, several of the defendants made false statements to deputy United States Marshals concerning their roles in the conspiracy.
On April 25, 2016, Joshua Jarrell Jackson entered a guilty plea before United States Magistrate Judge Terry F. Moorer for his role in the plan and for attempting to influence a witness to provide a false statement to deputy United States Marshals during the course of their investigation.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“A cell phone these days is an essential part of the daily affairs of most law abiding citizens,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “However, a cell phone in the hands of prisoners presents a serious threat to public safety, the safety of correctional officers, and other inmates as well.”
“At one time, drugs and tobacco were the contraband of choice by prisoners. Now, wireless telephones are becoming increasingly popular,” stated U.S. Marshall Tom Hession. “The correctional personnel that intercepted the devices are to be commended. Correctional institutions must continue to maintain their vigilance toward detection of smuggling and possession of the devices by inmates, excellent intelligence gathering and uphold effective practices to minimize the dangers posed by inmate wireless telephone possession.”
“An inmate’s illegal activity may involve discussions with fellow criminals outside the prison walls about drug trafficking, money laundering or intimidating witnesses – or worse, plotting their murders,” said Montgomery Police Chief Ernest Finley. “Jail personnel involved with this incident are to be commended for their attention to detail and subsequent efforts to protect our community, their fellow officers and all those incarcerated at the Montgomery City Jail.”
A conviction for conspiracy to commit the charged offenses carries a potential sentence maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney’s Curtis Ivy and Rand Neely are prosecuting the case.
Silver Spring Man Convicted for Internet Romance Scheme in which Victims were Defrauded of over $600,000Read the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Evans Appiah, a/k/a Sean Carter, age 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland today for conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft arising from an internet romance scheme in which the victims were defrauded of more than $600,000. Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel ordered that Appiah be immediately taken into custody and detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 29, 2016, at 2:00 p.m.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge James Murray of the United States Secret Service - Washington Field Office; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to testimony at his six day trial, Appiah and his co-conspirators searched online dating websites and initiated romantic relationships with male and female victims in order to obtain money from them. The relationships began with emails and instant messaging and escalated to telephone calls and primarily text messages. After gaining the victims trust, Appiah and his co-conspirators began asking for money for a variety of reasons, often invoking false stories and promises to convince the victims to send them money.
According to evidence presented at trial, from December 2013 through June 2015, Appiah opened and maintained accounts in order to receive money from the victims. Once the victims had deposited the funds requested by Appiah and the co-conspirators into the accounts controlled by Appiah, he disbursed the money by transferring it to other accounts, withdrawing cash, and by purchasing goods for shipment to co-conspirators outside of the United States. At least seven confirmed victims were defrauded of more than $600,000.
Appiah also used the name and identifying information of one victim in particular, while depositing one of the victim cashier’s checks into his own bank account.
Appiah faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy, and for each of two counts of wire fraud and for mail fraud. In addition, he faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated 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 HSI Baltimore, the U.S. Secret Service and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Wine, who are prosecuting the case.
Seymour Man Who Assaulted Girlfriend Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MAURICE EARLEY, 50, of Seymour, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 28, 2013, EARLEY was arrested by Connecticut State Police after he physically assaulted his girlfriend. EARLEY punched the victim in the face while they were traveling on I-95 in Bridgeport, then pulled over, dragged her from the car, choked her and punched her several more times. The victim was able to escape and was treated at the hospital for a fractured nose, a fractured collar bone and other injuries.
A subsequent search EARLEY’s residence revealed a loaded 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number, and 93 rounds of 9mm ammunition, including hollow-point bullets.
EARLEY’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug trafficking and robbery offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
“It is our priority to prosecute all defendants who are prohibited from possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “We are particularly concerned about guns in the hands of predators who commit acts of domestic violence preying on an especially vulnerable population. This defendant not only possessed a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number, but also 90 rounds of ammunition. Domestic violence affects women and children across all socio-economic, cultural and racial lines. According to a 2011 Center for Disease Control survey, one in four women experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Each year, this country witnesses more than a million acts of domestic violence that result in hundreds of deaths.”
On February 19, 2015, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging EARLEY with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He has been detained since March 2, 2015. On December 14, 2015, EARLEY pleaded guilty to the charge in the indictment.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut State Police and Seymour Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alina P. Reynolds.
Saugus Store Owner and Brother Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit iPhone ComponentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Peabody men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Boston for trafficking in counterfeit iPhone components at Accessory Depot, a store in Square One Mall in Saugus.
Mickey Punjabi, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to six months of home incarceration, two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a fine of $7,500. His brother, Hitesh Punjabi, 33, was sentenced by Judge Casper to three months of home confinement, two years of probation, 100 hours of community service and a fine of $7,500. Both men were jointly ordered to pay restitution of $114,751 and forfeit assets seized from their home, which includes over $200,000 in cash and cash equivalents. In January 2016, the men were charged with conspiring to traffick in counterfeit goods, specifically iPhone components that bore Apple trademarks but were not genuine Apple products. Micky Punjabi, who owned the store, was also charged with trafficking in the counterfeit Apple components.
From December 2010 to February 2015, the Punjabis sold counterfeit Apple merchandise at Accessory Depot. Micky Punjabi also repaired genuine iPhones using counterfeit components purchased from sources outside the United States and from a supplier within the United States. Micky Punjabi knew that the goods he was selling were counterfeit, but sold and attempted to sell thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
At today’s sentencing, Judge Casper stated, “This is a serious crime…[T]here is harm not just to companies involved in terms of their reputation and the integrity of their products but also to the members of the public who bought those products.”
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of Ortiz’s Cybercrime Unit.
Retired Colonel in Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ROY AUSTIN, 69, of St. Tammany Parish and a retired Colonel of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (“OPSO”), pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to court documents, AUSTIN admitted that in his role as a Colonel in the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, he arranged for security details through a private company (Austin Sales and Service) for local entities and events, including Mardi Gras Krewes, music and food festivals, and sporting events, and engaged in a scheme to defraud those local entities and events by padding the billing documents with names of individuals who did not in fact provide any security services (“Ghost Employees”).
Additionally, AUSTIN admitted that after submitting the fraudulently inflated invoices via interstate wires, AUSTIN kept a portion of the overbilled amount in the Austin Sales and Service corporate bank account for his own personal use. In some instances, AUSTIN drafted Austin Sales and Service corporate checks made payable to the Ghost Employees who did not work and then fraudulently endorsed those checks and deposited them into his personal bank account for his own personal use. AUSTIN also admitted drafting checks made payable to other OPSO employee(s)’ family members under the fraudulent guise of payments for detail work that in fact did not take place as those employee(s)’ share of the fraudulently collected funds.
AUSTIN faces statutory penalties of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt set sentencing for August 3, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Louisiana Legislative Auditors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Toomey is in charge of the prosecution.
Randolph County, WV man sentenced for role in multi-state painkiller, marijuana trafficking networkRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Chad Allen Workman, 38, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his role in an oxycodone and marijuana distribution operation, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Workman participated in an extensive and long-term multi-state drug trafficking operation. Workman, along with other individuals, conspired to transport large quantities of oxycodone and marijuana across state lines into West Virginia. The oxycodone was commonly transported from sources in Detroit, Florida and New Jersey. The marijuana was commonly obtained from sources in Pennsylvania and California. Workman further utilized the unlawful proceeds of the drug trafficking operation to purchase vehicles, real estate, and personal vacations.
Workman pled guilty in October 2015 to one count of “Money Laundering.” As part of the sentenced imposed today, Workman was ordered to pay a money judgment of $224,400 and to forfeit his interest in a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force led the inquiry. The Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office also investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Prison Guard Convicted of Having Sex with InmateRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A former prison guard at the Federal Detention Center in Houston has entered a guilty pleato one count of sexual abuse of a ward, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Samuel Hawkins, 51, of Houston, was charged by criminal information with engaging in a sexual relationship with an inmate while he was employed as a correctional officer. On or about Nov. 15, 2015, Hawkins did knowingly engage in a sexual act with an inmate who was officially detained at the Federal Detention Center.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the plea today and has set sentencing for July 27, 2016. At that time, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Justice - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Leuchtmann and Ruben R. Perez are prosecuting the case.
Previously Deported Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Passport FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Leonardo Cesar Pulido-Escamilla, 39, a Mexican national who previously resided in Yuba City and other California cities, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in an application for a United States Passport, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Pulido-Escamilla fraudulently applied for a U.S. Passport in 2012, using another person’s name and birth certificate in connection with the application. Pulido-Escamilla had been deported from the United States in 1997 and 2004, and on March 20, 2016, he was apprehended by border patrol agents in Arizona.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nirav Desai is prosecuting the case.
Pulido-Escamilla is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on July 20, 2016. Pulido-Escamilla faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violation federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Paris Wilson, 24, pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts before Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around October, 2013, and continuing thereafter to in and around May, 2014, Wilson conspired with others known to the grand jury to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin; Wilson also pleaded guilty to one count of employing or using a person under 18 years of age in drug operations and one count of conspiracy to carry and possess a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for Aug. 19, 2016 at 3 p.m. The law provides for a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Paris Wilson. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Street Task Force including 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, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Second Superseding Indictment and Superseding Indictments in this case.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Two Deaths, Three Non-Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Allegheny County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, resulting in serious bodily injury and/or death; and distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The seven-count Superseding Indictment, which was returned yesterday, named Jocquinn Lamont Harris, 29, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on or about Nov. 29, 2015; Dec. 3, 2015; Dec. 4, 2015; and Dec. 5, 2015, Harris distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, resulting in serious bodily injury and/or the deaths of persons known to the grand jury. The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about Dec. 15, 2015, and Dec. 16, 2015, Harris distributed and possessed with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A Superseding Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Admits Robbing Bergen County BankRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, man who was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List in 1988 today admitted robbing a TD Bank in Oakland, New Jersey, in April 2013, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
John Edward Stevens, 62, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to Count Two of an indictment charging him with armed bank robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Stevens admitted that on April 15, 2013, he robbed a TD Bank in Oakland. After entering the bank, Stevens approached several bank employees while carrying a zipper pouch. He opened the zipper pouch, pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun, and brandished it at one of the bank employees. He then took several thousand dollars in cash and fled the scene.
Approximately 20 minutes after the robbery, law enforcement stopped a vehicle that was reported stolen. The driver of the stolen vehicle was identified as Stevens. Law enforcement arrested Stevens and located a TD Bank bag filled with money in the vehicle.
Stevens has been convicted of at least eight prior armed bank robberies in the Central District of California and the Southern District of Ohio. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement – if accepted by the court – Stevens will be sentenced to 240 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 7, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s plea. He also thanked the Waldwick Police Department, the Oakland Police Department, the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their contributions to the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Wangenheim and Melissa Jampol of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo Esq., Verona, New Jersey
New York Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Failed to Report More than $650,000 in Income from Online Sales of Sunglasses and Eyeglasses
A Brooklyn, New York, business owner pleaded guilty today to two counts of filing false tax returns, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court documents and information presented in court, Michael Stern, 48, was the founder and operator of Prestige Optical, a retailer of sunglasses and eyeglasses. For the 2006 and 2007 tax years, Stern filed false federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on which he failed to report approximately $656,780 of income from online retail sales.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York set sentencing for Sept. 9. Stern faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of filing a false tax return. As part of his plea agreement, Stern also agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $190,781.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Mark Kotila and Jack Morgan of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
New Orleans Area Merchant Sentenced for Food Stamp FraudRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that HENRIETTA KAMBI, age 59, of New Orleans, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to Food Stamp Fraud for receiving approximately $132,768 from the United State Department of Agriculture based upon food stamp benefits through her store, CTN Grocery, located in New Orleans, that were not authorized.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced KAMBI to three years probation and restitution in the amount of $132,768.
According to court documents, grocery retailers who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal government program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, may only accept and redeem food stamp benefits in exchange for the sale of eligible food items. Retailers may not exchange food stamp benefits for cash or any other ineligible items of value such as tobacco products or alcoholic beverages. Store owner KAMBI knowingly presented for payment and redemption SNAP benefits which had been purchased in exchange for cash money and ineligible items through her store.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United State Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Loan “Mimi” Nguyen was in charge of the prosecution.
Nevada Man Charged in $5 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Nevada man was arrested today and charged with defrauding investors out of more than $5 million dollars, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Lee Vaccaro, 44, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was arrested by special agents of the FBI this morning and charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of securities fraud. He is scheduled to appear later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Vaccaro and “Conspirator #1” allegedly sold investors interests in companies they controlled, and falsely represented to investors that the companies held warrants in eAgency, a California-based company developing mobile security products. Warrants are derivative securities that give the holder the right to purchase common stock at a specific price within a certain time frame.
Vaccaro and conspirator #1 allegedly made oral and written misrepresentations concerning the existence, number, validity, and term of eAgency warrants purportedly owned by the investment companies, as well as about the amount of money conspirator #1 had personally invested in and raised for eAgency, and conspirator #1’s current position at eAgency.
Vaccaro and conspirator #1 also allegedly created and showed to investors numerous forged documents purporting to reflect the issuance of warrants to entities controlled by Vaccaro, and the transfer of those warrants to a company controlled by conspirator #1. Most of the eAgency warrants purportedly transferred by Vaccaro to conspirator #1’s company had, in fact, never been issued.
Beginning in January 2011, the dollar amount of interests Vaccaro and conspirator #1 sold in the investment companies began to surpass the dollar amount of valid warrants held by the investment companies. Neither Vaccaro nor conspirator #1 disclosed to investors the risk that their investments would be diluted by the sale of additional interests in the companies.
Vaccaro and conspirator #1’s actions allegedly defrauded investors of more than $5 million.
The conspiracy to commit securities fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross amount of pecuniary gain or loss resulting from the offense. The securities fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, for the investigation. He also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office, under the direction of Sanjay Wadhwa and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities, under the direction of Laura Posner.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shapiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
If you believe you are a victim of or otherwise have information concerning this alleged scheme, you are encouraged to contact the FBI at 973-792-3000.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Today’s charges are part of efforts underway by President Obama’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
Defense counsel: Robert C. Scrivo Esq., Newark
Navy Senior Chief Indicted in ID Theft and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Clayton A. Pressley, 40, of Chesapeake, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unlawfully possessing identity documents.
According to the indictment, Pressley used his position as a senior enlisted member of a local military command to access personal identity information and identification documents of members of his command. Using that information, he applied for and received several loans from Pioneer Mid-Country Bank, pretending to be two of his subordinates. He also possessed identity documents at his residence for eight other members of his military command.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Tim Quick, Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the grand jury returned the indictment. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Nichol and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Haynie are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-66.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Navajo Man from Waterflow Charged with Federal Murder and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Tom Begaye, Jr., 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation from Waterflow, N.M., made his initial appearance this morning in federal court in Farmington, N.M., on a criminal complaint charging him with kidnapping and murdering an 11-year-old Navajo child. Begaye remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing both of which are scheduled for May 6, 2016, at the federal courthouse in Albuquerque, N.M. The criminal complaint alleges that on the evening of May 2, 2016, Begaye picked up the victim and a boy (witness) at a location near Shiprock, N.M., and drove them in his vehicle towards the Shiprock Pinnacle. It further alleges that the witness observed Begaye, who was carrying a piece of metal, take the victim out of his vehicle and walk towards a hill leaving the witness alone in the vehicle. Begaye allegedly returned about an hour later, still carrying the piece of metal but without the victim. Upon his return to the vehicle, Begaye allegedly told the witness to get out of the vehicle. Thereafter, the witness provided a description of Begaye and his vehicle to the police, and a second witness corroborated the descriptions.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 3, 2016, investigators located and arrested Begaye at a sweat lodge outside of Shiprock based on the descriptions provided by the two witnesses. Investigators located the victim’s body near Navajo Route 13, which is located within the Navajo Indian Reservation, and observed that the victim’s head was bloody and appeared to have sustained blunt force trauma.
If convicted on the kidnapping of a minor charge, Begaye faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. If convicted on the murder charge, Begaye faces a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The FBI and Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, New Mexico State Police, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and the Farmington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Niki Tapia-Brito and David Adams are prosecuting the case.
Begaye Criminal Complaint
Nanticoke Man Charged in Straw Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal Grand Jury in Scranton indicted Damone Whitley, age 22, on May 3, 2016, with making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Whitley, a resident of Nanticoke, provided false information for the purchase of two firearms from a gun shop in that city on April 5, 2016. The indictment alleges that Whitley stated that he was the true buyer of the firearms when, in fact, he was buying them for others.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Prosecution has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert O’Hara.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law is ten years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Monrovia Woman Arrested for Allegedly Pepper Spraying Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Postal Inspectors this morning arrested a Monrovia woman on federal charges of assaulting a mail carrier, who allegedly was subjected to racial epithets and then pepper sprayed in the face.
Ruby Guerrero Valenzuela, 64, was arrested on charges of assaulting the United States Postal Service employee in an incident on April 20 in Pasadena.
Valenzuela is expected to make her initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Valenzuela apparently believed that the mail carrier’s vehicle had cut her off at an intersection in Pasadena. Valenzuela shouted obscenities and followed the victim to her next stop, where Valenzuela ran up the victim, who had walked to the entrance of a building on Lake Avenue. According to witnesses, Valenzuela screamed additional obscenities and racial epithets at the victim before spraying the victim in the face with pepper spray, which caused the victim to suffer severe pain and blurred vision.
“The evidence in this case indicates that a postal carrier carrying out her duties was the victim of an unwarranted attack,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “All federal employees should be able to carry out their duties without fear of attacks based on the performance of those duties.”
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The charge of assaulting a federal employee in a manner that inflicts bodily injury carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, which received assistance from the Pasadena Police Department and the Monrovia Police Department.
Mexican national sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in Hardy County, WVRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Noel Barrera Silva, 27, a Mexican national living in Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for methamphetamine trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Silva was discovered in possession of four pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Wardensville, West Virginia. He pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Use of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that SERGIO GALVEZ-VELAZQUEZ, age 40, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to the illegal use of a Social Security Number.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced GALVEZ-VELAZQUEZ to seven months imprisonment and ordered that he pay a special assessment of $100. Following completion of his sentence, GALVEZ-VELAZQUEZ will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court records, GALVEZ-VELAZQUEZ illegally obtained a Louisiana Identification Card from the Louisiana DMV office in Houma by using a Social Security number that did not belong to him.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Drug Trafficker First to Plead Guilty in Multi-Drug Conspiracy Netting $1MRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. - Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Ariel Vergara, age 49, of Bear, Delaware, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Vergara faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of forty years, a fine of $5 million, and four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He is currently scheduled to be sentenced on August 17, 2016, by the Honorable Sue L. Robinson of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.
Vergara’s plea is the first conviction resulting from a long-term Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Group 41 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) investigation known as “Operation Bear Trap.” The investigation involved the wiretap of five phones, seizures including more than $1,000,000, approximately 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, approximately one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine, and nine firearms. At his change of plea hearing, Vergara admitting to obtaining drugs from Mexico so that he and his associates could sell the drugs in the City of Wilmington, the greater New Castle County area, and southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The investigation also revealed that Vergara sought to obtain drugs from other out of state sources in California.
According to charging documents, the investigation led to the Indictment of eight people in addition to Vergara:
• Leticia Beltran, age 32, of Wilmington, DE;
• Luis Bustos, age 35, of Wilmington, DE;
• Richard Cephas, age 51 of Wilmington, DE;
• Sergio Flores-Lopez, age 41, of Wilmington, DE;
• Jamal Maddox, age 31, of Wilmington, DE;
• Miguel Martinez, age 64 of Wilmington, DE;
• Juan Rosas-Guadarrama, age 24, of New Castle, DE; and
• Juan Carlos Segura-Lorzo, age 25, of Wilmington, DE;
U.S. Attorney Oberly stated, “This plea represents a significant achievement for law enforcement in Delaware. With the help of the DEA, HSI, and our HIDTA partners across the entire Delaware Valley, we were able to dismantle a significant group of drug traffickers with ties back to Mexico.”
“Today’s conviction sends a clear message that narcotics trafficking in Delaware will not be tolerated and the repercussions will be severe,” stated Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle. “As a result of this investigation, and efforts by both federal and local law enforcement the final chapter of this Narcotic Trafficking Organization is being written.”
“This guilty plea marks a great victory in our multi-agency effort against illegal narcotics trafficking in Delaware,” said Gregory C. Nevano, acting special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia. “When we dismantle and cripple the organizations behind those drugs, we make an indelible impact on public safety in our communities.”
Chester County District Attorney Hogan stated, “Operation Bear Trap was a model of inter-agency cooperation to take on a large-scale drug dealing operation. Working separately, these law enforcement agencies are very good. But working as a team, we are unstoppable.”
DEA Group 41 is part of the New Castle County HIDTA, a collaborative effort established in January 2015 among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This case would not have been possible without the substantial coordination and cooperation between DEA Group 41 and two other HIDTA agencies, the Chester County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney’s Office Drug Unit, and HSI Wilmington. Other agencies that provided assistance included: Newark Police Department, Kennett Square Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Wilmington Police Department, Delaware Probation and Parole, Wilmington SWAT, and Delaware State Police SORT.
The charges in the Indictment are only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer K. Welsh and Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe.
Management Firm Owner Admits to Stealing over $2.5 Million from Client Homeowner and Condo AssociationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – William Kyndall Francis, age 39, of Elkridge, Maryland pleaded guilty today to wire fraud.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
Francis owned and operated Legacy Investment and Management, Inc. (Legacy Inc.) and Legacy Investment and Management, LLC (Legacy LLC), which were both located at 10015 Old Columbia Rd. in Columbia, Maryland. Legacy Inc. and Legacy LLC (collectively Legacy) were both management firms that provided financial and property services primarily to homeowner and condominium associations (HOAs) in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia in exchange for a monthly fee. One of the services that Legacy provided was management of the HOAs’ reserve funds, which were typically held in savings or money market accounts and were to be used to cover long term and unexpected capital expenses.
According to his plea agreement, from October 2011 to August 2012, Francis defrauded at least 51 of Legacy’s HOA clients by taking reserve funds that belonged to the HOAs. For many of the HOAs, Francis created false bank statements that he gave to the HOA representatives that falsely reflected that their reserve funds were intact and earning returns. In fact, Francis had spent the funds for his own personal and business benefit, including: $7,165.70 to Dogtopia, a dog grooming service; $2,339 to Delicate Touch Nails, a nail salon; $8,244.42 to the Washington Wizards; $1,000.01 to Bare Exposure and $3,848.67 to Pure Gold, adult entertainment clubs; $2,088.50 to A Platinum Plus Limousines; $3,700 to Shadow Room, a Washington D.C. night club; thousands of dollars for the purchase of clothing, liquor, restaurant meals, groceries and other living expenses; $40,025.07 for payroll for Legacy Inc. employees; and payment to AT&T.
The total loss caused by the fraudulent scheme was at least $2,573,753.92. Francis has agreed to the entry of a money judgment forfeiting $2.5 million.
Francis faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander scheduled his sentencing for September 13, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.
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 FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case.
Man indicted for two Canton bank robberiesRead the Press Release
A man was indicted for robbing two Canton banks last month, Acting U.S. Carole Rendon said.
Richard Ricky Hampton, 58, robbed the First Merit Bank on Atlantic Boulevard of $4,820 on April 8. Three days later, he robbed the Key Bank on Cleveland Avenue South of $2,183, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Barr following an investigation by the FBI and the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Isaias Villa, a/k/a “Fish” (44, Duluth, GA) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty in February 2016.
According to court documents, Villa began obtaining methamphetamine from Georgia in approximately 2013. He arranged for shipments of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine to be delivered to others in the Polk County area. He then directed co-conspirators to collect the drug proceeds and transport them to him in Georgia.
On September 3, 2015, Villa was arrested in a Winter Haven motel room. He had in his possession close to a half kilogram of methamphetamine and more than $30,000. On September 8, 2015, while in the Polk County Jail, Villa was recorded calling co-conspirators regarding the delivery of drug proceeds and methamphetamine. An additional $42,000 in drug proceeds was recovered as a result of those calls.
To date, the investigation has resulted in the federal convictions of five individuals and the seizure of approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, more than $100,000, and homemade explosives.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Justice Department Reaches $475,000 Settlement with Beaumont, Texas, to Resolve Disability Discrimination in Housing LawsuitRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that the city of Beaumont, Texas, has agreed to pay $475,000 and change its zoning and land use practices to resolve a lawsuit alleging that it discriminated against persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities who sought to live in small group homes in the city’s residential neighborhoods. The consent decree must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The lawsuit, filed on May 26, 2015, alleged that the city violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act when it imposed a one-half mile spacing rule that prohibited many small group homes from operating in Beaumont. The suit further sought to prohibit the city from imposing fire code requirements that exceeded those imposed by the state of Texas as part of its certification and funding of such homes. These restrictions prohibited numerous persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities from living in Beaumont and resulted in the institutionalization in a nursing home of a woman who was forced to move out of her home. Although the city alleged that its restrictions were justified by a Texas statute, the state of Texas later clarified in a statement it submitted to the court during the litigation that neither the spacing requirement nor the heightened fire code requirements were required by Texas law.
Under the terms of the consent decree, the city will allow small group homes to operate in any residential district and will not subject such homes to fire code requirements that exceed the state’s requirements for certification of such homes. The city will also pay $435,000 in monetary damages to 11 individuals with disabilities, their family members and companion care providers who were subject to the city’s discriminatory code enforcement practices. The city will also pay $15,000 to the United States as a civil penalty and $25,000 to Disability Rights Texas, the organization that represents the individuals who filed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) complaints and intervened in the United States’ lawsuit. Beaumont will take other remedial measures, including implementing a comprehensive reasonable accommodation policy, requiring its officials to attend fair housing training and appointing a fair housing compliance officer.
“Persons with disabilities have the same right to live in and enjoy their communities as all other families do throughout our nation,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to eliminate discriminatory barriers that impede these individuals from doing so.”
“I applaud the parties for reaching this common-sense, fair agreement,” said U.S. Attorney John M. Bales of the Eastern District of Texas. “Beaumont is a great city in which to live and the prior restrictions now being set aside were inconsistent with that greatness. Now everyone can reside where they wish in an environment that is best for their lives.”
“Group homes provide a critical source of housing for persons with disabilities and their availability shouldn’t be limited by discriminatory practices,” said Gustavo Velasquez, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Today’s settlement reaffirms HUD and the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that jurisdictions meet their obligation to adhere to the nation’s fair housing laws.”
The lawsuit arose as a result of complaints filed with HUD by persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities whose homes were closed and were threatened with closure under the city’s challenged housing restrictions. After conducting an investigation, HUD referred the matter to the Justice Department. The individuals who had filed complaints with HUD later intervened in the United States’ lawsuit. Today’s settlement resolves their lawsuit as well.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Persons who believe that they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may contact the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Beaumont Consent Decree
Jury Convicts Bank RobberRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal jury sitting in Houston has convicted a 48-year-old Houston man for the robbery of two local banks and the attempted robbery of another as well as another charge of escape, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. The jury deliberated for approximately five hours before convicting Henry Lee London Jr. on all counts as charged following a three-day-trial.
During the trial, the jury heard that London escaped from the Leidel Sanction Center on Commerce Street in Houston on March 20, 2014, where he was serving the remainder of a federal sentence. He was wearing a plain blue baseball hat, black shirt, a tan backpack and shoes. Shortly thereafter, a man wearing the same clothing robbed the BBVA Compass bank on 43rd Street in Houston. The robber handed a teller a demand note that read “This is a robbery give large bills.”
Four days later, a man wearing the same clothing and plain blue baseball hat attempted to rob an IBC bank on Katy Freeway in Houston. He was unsuccessful. The teller testified that she was trying to get the money but the robber became frustrated and left. Less than an hour later, the same man wearing the same clothes and plain blue baseball hat robbed the Comerica Bank on Highway 6 South in Houston.
The jury saw videos and photos from each of the robberies and heard testimony from 10 witnesses. Three of the witnesses knew London well from his personal life and were able to identify him in all of the robberies.
London’s defense did not dispute the fact that he escaped from the halfway house. They also did not dispute that the banks were robbed, but contended London was not the robber. The jury was not convinced and found him guilty on all counts.
U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon presided over the trial and has set sentencing for Aug. 12, 2016. At that time, London faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the bank robbery and attempted bank robbery convictions. He also faces another five years of imprisonment for the escape. London will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI Bank Robbery Task Force which included the U.S. Marshals Service, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Fort Bend Counties and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennie Basile and Jill Stotts are prosecuting the case.
Judge Sends Armed Carjacker to Prison for More Than 40 YearsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - Desmond Janqdhari, 29, of Philadelphia, was sentenced on May 2, 2016, to 481 months in prison for armed carjacking, robbery, and firearms crimes. On January 28, 2016, a federal jury found Janqdhari guilty of robbery which interfered with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), armed carjacking, and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
On January 6, 2014, Janqdhari stole a 2005 Toyota Corolla by forcing the car’s owner to surrender her keys at gunpoint. On January 11, 2014, Janqdhari and co-defendant Keith Williams robbed the Wireless Factory Store at 5618 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia. They stole $300 from the store while holding employees at gunpoint. Williams pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson ordered restitution to the victims in the amount of $440, five years of supervised release, and a $400 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jose Arteaga.
Indictment Charges Philadelphia Man in Fraud Conspiracy Involving Tax and Other Financial CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - A multi-count superseding indictment, unsealed Monday, charges Zaki M. Bey, 38, of Philadelphia, PA, with conspiracy to file false claims with the IRS, conspiracy to commit loan fraud and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and related charges, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, Bey conspired to file false federal income tax returns for tax years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Bey allegedly filed these tax returns claiming false withholding payments and Form 1099-OID (“Original Issue Discount”) income for his company, Natural Home Builders. Bey also allegedly assisted another individual in filing a false amended tax return with the IRS that included false withholding and Form 1099-OID income.
It is further alleged that beginning in 2007, Bey conspired with other individuals to submit false information in mortgage applications for at least 13 properties in the Germantown section of Philadelphia and in New Jersey. Bey was responsible in securing more than $2 million in residential mortgage loans on these properties, which were allegedly purchased by straw purchasers acting on Bey’s behalf. With the assistance of a co-conspirator who was a mortgage broker, Bey submitted loan applications to lenders containing false information about the straw buyers’ income, assets, extent of pre-existing liabilities and the intent to occupy the properties as primary residences. Bey and the co-conspirators also created and submitted altered payroll, wage and tax documents to lenders to support the fraudulent loan applications.
It is further alleged that beginning in 2010, Bey conspired with others to create false employment and payroll documents and make fraudulent loan applications made to lenders through auto dealerships in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Bey was able to obtain at least six automobiles purchased through straw buyers by submitting false loan applications based on income used from the fraudulent payroll documents.
If convicted, Bey faces a statutory maximum sentence of 253 years in prison, a possible fine, a period of supervised release, and a $1,500 special assessment.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Pavlock.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Honduran National Sentenced for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JUAN CARLOS FERRERA-RAMIREZ, age 44, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced FERRERA-RAMIREZ to 9 months of incarceration, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. Following completion of his sentence, FERRERA-RAMIREZ will be surrendered to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on December 2, 2015, FERRERA-RAMIREZ was found in the United States after having been previously deported from the United States on June 24, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri was in charge of the prosecution.
Homestead Man Admits Participating in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violation federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Shelby Jeffries, Jr., 33, of Homestead, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around January 2014, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2014, Jeffries, Jr. conspired with others known to the grand jury, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for Aug. 19, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,0000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Street Task Force including 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, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Shelby Jeffries, Jr.
Hazleton Resident Charged with Trafficking in Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine, and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on May 3, 2016, charging a 55-year-old Dominican national who resided in Hazleton with distributing heroin on two occasions between December 2015 and January 2016, trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the superseding indictment alleges that Juan Elvis Monsanto, who used the street name “Elvi,” distributed heroin on December 15, 2015, and January 28, 2016; possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and in excess of 50 grams of methamphetamine on February 10, 2016, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The charges against Monsanto resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Hazleton Police.
Monsanto faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a potential maximum sentence of life in prison, if he is convicted of the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Appear for SentencingRead the Press Release
BOISE - Terrance Barimah, 28, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to failure to appear for sentencing, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on July 15, 2015.
According to the plea agreement, Barimah admitted that on April 23, 2015, he pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal possession of device-making equipment. At the change of plea hearing, the defendant was informed that the sentencing was scheduled for July 8, 2015. On July 8, 2015, the defendant failed to appear for sentencing and the Court issued a warrant for the defendant’s arrest. On February 5, 2016, law enforcement authorities in Atlanta, Georgia, arrested the defendant on the warrant. The defendant admitted that his failure to appear for sentencing was willful.
The charge of failure to appear is punishable by up to 10 years in prison to be served consecutively to the sentence of imprisonment for any other offense, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Sentencing for both of the defendant’s cases is set for July 20, 2016, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service with assistance from the United States Marshals Service.
Forty-Eight Alleged Members of Gangster Disciples Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
Forty-eight alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples Gang – including the top leaders in Tennessee and Georgia – have been charged in two indictments and accused of conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that included multiple murders, attempted murder and drug crimes.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John A. Horn of the Northern District of Georgia, U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III of the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge J. Britt Johnson of the FBI’s Atlanta Division and Special Agent in Charge A. Todd McCall of the FBI’s Memphis Division made the announcement.
A 12-count indictment was returned by a grand jury on April 27, and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia. Thirty individuals were taken into custody today and two remain at large. A 16-count indictment was returned by a grand jury on April 22, and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Tennessee. Fifteen individuals were taken into custody today and one remains at large.
“It is the very of core of law enforcement’s mission to ensure that everyone feels safe in their homes and neighborhoods, and it is a hard reality that many people across our country simply do not enjoy this basic sense of security because of gangs like the Gangster Disciples,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “That is why it is so significant that today’s indictments charge top leaders within the Gangster Disciples. There are a lot of people out there willing to join gangs, and eager to get easy money from criminal activity. But there are far fewer people with the wherewithal to lead organizations like the Gangster Disciples. These are the people who keep gangs like the Gangster Disciples alive, year in and year out, generation after generation. Cases like these make a difference, and I want to thank all the law enforcement and U.S. Attorney Office and Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecutors who worked so hard to build this case.”
“Atlanta has historically been resistant to the incursion of these national gangs, but unfortunately today’s indictment shows how this landscape has changed in just the last few years, as the Gangster Disciples are only one of several gangs that now boast a strong foothold,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “These charges show how a national gang like Gangster Disciples can wreak havoc here and in communities across the country, with crimes that run the gamut from murder to drug trafficking to credit card fraud. Within Georgia, the leadership of the Gangster Disciples resided mostly in metro Atlanta, yet the reach of the crimes committed extended into far south and west Georgia. We hope this indictment warns the leaders of these gangs that Atlanta is not a good place to do business.”
“As the indictment alleges, the Gangster Disciples flooded communities throughout the southeast and beyond with large amounts of drugs, and ruthlessly used fear, intimidation, and even murder to promote and protect their nationwide criminal enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Stanton. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the terror gang members inflict upon our communities, and will exhaust every available resource, including the federal RICO statute, to bring them to justice. Dismantling violent gangs at the highest levels remains a priority for the U.S. Attorney's Office.”
“Today's Gangster Disciple arrests across nine states merely marks the first wave of the FBI’s strategic campaign to dismantle this violent criminal organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Johnson. “The Gangster Disciples are a highly organized and ruthless gang that recognizes no geographical boundaries, and its members have far too long indiscriminately preyed upon and infected the good people of our communities like a cancer. The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Forces recognize no boundaries either, and we are committed to identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most violent gangs that seek to harm our communities. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to seeing this campaign through, and once and for all putting an end to the Gangster Disciples' reign of violence.”
According to court documents, the Gangster Disciples is a national gang active in more than 24 states with a highly organized structure including board members and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions; governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chiefs of security for each state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active; and coordinators and leaders within each local group. To enforce discipline among Gangster Disciples and adherence to the strict rules and structure, members and associates were routinely fined, beaten and even murdered for failing to follow the gang’s rules.
The scope of the Gangster Disciples’ crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout the national operation. The RICO conspiracies charged here include attempted murder, narcotics trafficking, extortion, firearms crimes, obstruction of justice and other crimes in furtherance of the Gangster Disciples enterprise and to raise funds for the gang. In Georgia, for example, the Gangster Disciples brought money into the gang through, among other things, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, extortion, wire fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud and bank fraud.
The gang protected its power and operation through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice. It also promoted the Gangster Disciples enterprise through member-only activities, including conference calls, birthday celebrations of the gang’s founder, the annual Gangster Ball, award ceremonies and other events.
The gang also provided financial and other support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses and members who were fugitives from law enforcement were provided “safe houses” in which to hide from police. To introduce the criminal nature of the Gangster Disciples to a new member, older members and leaders in the various local groups ordered newer members to commit crimes, including murder, robbery and drug trafficking. Further, Gangster Disciples members would teach other members how to commit certain crimes, including frauds and would provide drugs on discount to other Gangster Disciples members for resale.
The Atlanta RICO conspiracy indictment names the following defendants and their alleged roles within the Gangster Disciples:
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Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, held the rank of Gangster Disciples board member;
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Alonzo Walton, 47, of Atlanta, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Georgia and governor of governors, the latter position controlling Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana and South Carolina;
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Kevin Clayton, 43, of Decatur, Georgia, was the chief enforcer for the state of Georgia;
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Donald Glass, 26, of Decatur, served as a first coordinator of the eastside group of the Gangster Disciples;
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Lewis Mobely, 38, of Atlanta, was an enforcer;
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Vertious Wall, 40, of Marietta, was a first coordinator for the Macon Gangster Disciples group;
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Adrian Jackson, 37, of San Jose, California, was the national treasurer for the Gangster Disciples;
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Terrence Summers, 45, of Birmingham, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Alabama and governor of governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida;
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Markell White, 43, of Atlanta, was a regional leader in Macon;
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Ronald McMorris, 34, of Atlanta, was first coordinator of the Atlanta group;
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Perry Green, 29, of Decatur, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as enforcer of a Gangster Disciples group;
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Dereck Taylor, 29, of Macon, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as security for a Macon group;
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Alvis O’Neal, 37,of Denver, was a senior member of and money launderer for the Gangster Disciples;
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Jeremiah Covington, 32, of Valdosta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Valdosta region;
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Antonio Ahmad, 33, of Atlanta, was the chief of security for the state of Georgia;
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Eric Manney, 39, of Atlanta, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and stored multiple guns at his house;
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Quiana Franklin, 33, of Birmingham, served as treasurer for the state of Alabama;
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Frederick Johnson, 37, of Marietta, was a chief enforcer for a Gangster Disciples group;
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Charles Wingate,25, of Conyers, Georgia, was chief of security for a Covington, Georgia group;
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Vancito Gumbs, 25, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples while at the same time serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department;
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Thomas Pasby, 42, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Denise Carter, 41, of Detroit, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Carlton King Jr., 25, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Kelvin Sneed, 26, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Arrie Freeney, 32, of Detroit, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Myrick Stevens, 26, of Madison, Wisconsin, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Curtis Thomas, 45, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples;
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Yohori Epps, 36,of Marietta, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; and
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Michael Drummound, 49, of Marietta, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
In addition to the RICO conspiracy, Glass and Mobely are each charged with committing or attempting to commit murder in aid of racketeering and using firearms during those crimes. Mobely, Glass, Craig, O’Neal, Covington and Travis Riley, 35, of Wichita, Kansas are also charged with various drug distribution crimes and Mobely and Glass are further charged with related firearms crimes. Walton, Ahmad and Laderris Dickerson, 45, of Chicago, are also charged with carjacking and Walton and Dickerson are charged with a related firearms offense.
The Memphis RICO conspiracy indictment names the following defendants and their alleged roles within the Gangster Disciples:
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Byron Montrail Purdy, aka “Lil B” or “Ghetto,” 37, of Jackson, Tennessee, served as Gangster Disciples leader in Tennessee;
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Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, aka “38,” 32, of Memphis, served as Gangster Disciples leader in Tennessee;
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Demarcus Deon Crawford, aka “Trip,” 32, of Jackson, served as leader of security in Tennessee;
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Henry Curtis Cooper, aka “Big Hen,” 36, of Memphis, served as leader of security in Tennessee;
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Rico Terrell Harris, aka “Big Brim,” 43, of Memphis, served as leader of security in Tennessee;
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Shamar Anthony James, aka “Lionheart,” 37, of Memphis, held the rank of governor of a region in Memphis;
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Demario Demont Sprouse, aka “Taco,” 35, of Memphis, held the rank of chief of security of a region in Memphis;
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Robert Elliott Jones, aka “Lil Rob” or “Mac Rob,” 36, of Memphis, held the rank of governor of a region in Memphis;
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Denton Suggs, aka “Denny Mo” or “Diddy Mo,”40, of Memphis, held the rank of chief of security in a section of Memphis;
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Santiago Megale Shaw, aka “Mac-T,” 23, of Jackson, was a member of the security team or blackout squad in Jackson;
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Tarius Montez Taylor, aka “T,” 26, of Jackson, was a member of the security team or blackout squad in Jackson;
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Tommy Earl Champion Jr., aka “Duct Tape,” 27, of Jackson, held the rank of chief of security of Jackson;
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Cory Dewayne Bowers, aka “Bear Wayne,” 32, of Jackson, was associated with the Gangster Disciples and acted as a member of the security team in Jackson;
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Gerald Eugene Hampton, aka “G30,” 30, of Jackson, held the rank of assistant chief of security and was a member of the security team’s blackout squad in Jackson;
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Daniel Lee Cole, aka “D-Money,” 37, of Jackson, acted as assistant governor and assistant education coordinator for the Gangster Disciples in Jackson; and
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Tommy Lee Wilkins (Holloway), aka “Tommy Gunz,” 28, of Memphis, was a member of the security team in Memphis.
In addition to the RICO conspiracy, all 16 defendants are charged with a cocaine-distribution conspiracy, and Crawford, Shaw, Taylor, Champion and Bowers are charged with seven counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during the commission of those offenses.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Atlanta case is being investigated by the FBI Atlanta's Safe Streets Gang Task Force (composed of members of the FBI, Alpharetta Police Department (PD), Atlanta PD, Clayton County PD, DeKalb PD, Forest Park PD, GA Dept. of Community Supervision, GA Dept. of Corrections, Gwinnett County PD, and Marietta PD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, United States Marshal's Service and United States Postal Inspection Services. The Atlanta case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Hans B. Miller of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim S. Dammers, Ryan K. Buchanan and Stephanie Gabay-Smith of the Northern District of Georgia.
The Memphis case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit; the Memphis PD; the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office; the Jackson PD Gang Enforcement Team; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Madison County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department; the 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; the Tipton County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office; the 26th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the Atascosa County, Tennessee District Attorney’s Office; and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office. The Memphis case is being prosecuted by David N. Karpel of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen, Samuel Stringfellow, Beth Boswell, and Michelle Parks of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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