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Wednesday 13 January 2016
Nitro woman sentenced for defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nitro woman was sentenced today in federal court to five years of probation and ordered to pay $131,581.40 in restitution for defrauding Social Security, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Linda Alford, 65, previously pleaded guilty to theft of government property in September of 2015.
Alford was receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration after her husband died in 1990. In 1997, Alford remarried, which should have ended her right to collect survivor benefits. However, Alford did not report her change in marital status to the Social Security Administration, and continued to receive Social Security benefits as though she had not remarried. From 1997 to 2014, Alford received the benefits and spent the money, knowing that she was not entitled to the payments. In total, she illegally collected over $130,000 in survivor benefits.
The United States Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
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New York Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Heroin and Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Luis Perdomo, 27, of New York, New York, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin.
Perdomo pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2015. According to court documents, Perdomo and others obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from a source of supply in the New York City area and transported the cocaine and heroin to a stash house in Norfolk prior to its distribution. Proceeds from the drug distributions were then transported back to New York City in various automobiles equipped with secret compartments. A traffic stop in Maryland on March 31, 2015, resulted in a search of Perdomo’s car and the discovery of $280,000 cash in three secret compartments inside the car. Police also found a drug ledger and several phones belonging to Perdomo. One of the phones contained a video recording of Perdomo handling several kilogram sized packages of a white powdery substance. Another video on the same phone contained GPS data for a residence in Norfolk, which police later determined was a stash house. Surveillance in April and May 2015 showed that Perdomo frequented the stash house in Norfolk. GPS tracking devices were put in place on the vehicles at the stash house to track their drive to New York. When police stopped the vehicles, more drugs and secret compartments were discovered.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl Mitchell prosecuted 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. 2:15-cr-82.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Manufacturing and Selling More than $1 Million in Counterfeit Coupons on Silk RoadRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A New Orleans man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a coupon counterfeit ring using the Silk Road online marketplace, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Beau Wattigney, 30, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit trademark counterfeiting before U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Lemelle sentenced Wattigney and immediately remanded him into custody.
In connection with his plea, Wattigney admitted that between May 2012 and November 2014, he used the online monikers PurpleLotus, GoldenLotus and CouponKing to sell counterfeit coupons for various goods and services on the Silk Road, a covert online marketplace largely for illicit goods. Wattigney admitted that he created and manufactured the fraudulent coupons with the assistance of several co-conspirators and that they designed the coupons to look like original print-at-home manufacturers’ coupons by using the companies’ trademarks. According to the plea agreement, Wattigney sold over $1 million worth of counterfeit coupons and victimized more than 50 United States-based businesses.
The FBI’s Philadelphia Division investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office. Senior Counsel Marie-Flore Johnson and Robert Wallace of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg of the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Manufacturing and Selling More Than $1 Million in Counterfeit Coupons on Silk RoadRead the Press Release
A New Orleans man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a coupon counterfeit ring using the Silk Road online marketplace, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Jr. of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Beau Wattigney, 30, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit trademark counterfeiting before U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Lemelle sentenced Wattigney and immediately remanded him into custody.
In connection with his plea, Wattigney admitted that between May 2012 and November 2014, he used the online monikers PurpleLotus, GoldenLotus and CouponKing to sell counterfeit coupons for various goods and services on the Silk Road, a covert online marketplace largely for illicit goods. Wattigney admitted that he created and manufactured the fraudulent coupons with the assistance of several co-conspirators and that they designed the coupons to look like original print-at-home manufacturers’ coupons by using the companies’ trademarks. According to the plea agreement, Wattigney sold over $1 million worth of counterfeit coupons and victimized more than 50 United States-based businesses.
The FBI’s Philadelphia Division investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office. Senior Counsel Marie-Flore Johnson and Robert Wallace of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg of the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
New Britain Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Escaping from Hartford Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES SCOTT, 37, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for escaping from a Hartford halfway house.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2009, SCOTT received a federal sentence of 121 months of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute, and distributing, crack cocaine. On June 30, 2015, he was transferred from a federal prison to the Watkinson House Residential Reentry Center in Hartford to complete his sentence. At the time of his transfer to the Watkinson House RRC, SCOTT had a projected release date of December 26, 2015.
On August 14, 2015, SCOTT signed out from the Watkinson House RRC to conduct a job search, but did not return. He was apprehended on October 5 in Hartford by the U.S. Marshals Service and returned to custody.
On October 19, 2015, SCOTT pleaded guilty to one count of escape from federal custody.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Hartford Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Multiple People Arrested on Federal Drug Trafficking and Violent Crimes ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Multiple individuals were arrested today in connection with a twenty-count federal indictment which was returned last week, but remained sealed until today’s arrests.
The indictment charges 18 individuals with various drug trafficking offenses and violent crimes, including murder, which occurred throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area over the last fourteen years.
The individuals in custody at this time are:
- JOSE ALFREDO VELAZQUEZ, Texas
- ADRIAN LEMONS
- ANTHONY JORDAN
- DWAYNE RAINEY
- JUAN RAMON GARZA, Texas
- LUIS FERNANDO CANTU, Texas
- LARON COLEMAN
- LOUIS FELTON
- CLARENCE MILLER
- DEMETRIUS O’NEAL
- MAURICE WOODSON
- GREGORY KNOX
- LARRY BOYD
- GLORIA WARD
All defendants are from the St. Louis area unless otherwise noted.
These arrests are part of an on-going effort by the “Mission SAVE Initiative” to reduce violent crime in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Mission SAVE (Strike Against Violence Early) is a hybrid task force that was established in December of 2014. It consists of personnel from the FBI, DEA, St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, the St. Louis City Circuit Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Also assisting Mission Save in this particular investigation were agents from Homeland Security, the Postal Inspection Service and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven to be guilty.
Mexican Mafia Member who Oversaw Latino Street Gangs in Orange County for Decades Found Guilty of Federal Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A longtime member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang who exerted control over Latino street gangs in Orange County for 30 years was convicted today of federal racketeering offenses, with a jury finding that he ordered murders and assaults while incarcerated in federal prison for a prior racketeering conviction.
Peter Ojeda, 73, who has been in federal custody since he was indicted in a prior racketeering case in 2005, was found guilty of two counts: conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and conspiracy to commit violent crimes in aid of racketeering.
Ojeda, who is also known as “Sana” and “The Big Homie,” was one of 99 defendants charged in 2011 in relation to Operation “Black Flag,” an investigation conducted by the Santa Ana Gang Task Force (see: http://go.usa.gov/cQTMm).
The jury, which began hearing evidence about two months ago in United States District Court, found that both conspiracies involved plots to murder other gangsters as part of a turf war with a rival Mexican Mafia member who attempted to assert control over local street gangs after Ojeda was imprisoned in his prior case.
In relation to the RICO conspiracy, the jury found that Ojeda was involved in the operation and management of the Mexican Mafia’s activities in Orange County, which included conspiring to commit murder, narcotics trafficking and extortion. Ojeda ordered Latino street gangs in Orange County to pay “taxes” that consisted of a portion of the proceeds the gangs earned from various criminal activities, including drug trafficking. In return, gang members were permitted to exert influence over their neighborhoods and territories and seek protection or assistance from the Mexican Mafia.
Ojeda’s girlfriend, Suzie Rodriguez, 53, was also found guilty in the RICO and VICAR conspiracies for acting as a messenger between Ojeda and local gang leaders while Ojeda was housed in a federal prison in Pennsylvania. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Rodriguez acted as Ojeda’s eyes, ears and voice on the streets of Orange County. Following today’s verdict, Rodriguez, who had been free on bond, was remanded into custody.
“Today’s verdict demonstrates our ongoing commitment to using all available tools to dismantle the Mexican Mafia and the street gangs associated with it,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “No one associated with the Mexican Mafia – whether they are an actual member of the prison gang or the member of a gang affiliated with Mexican Mafia – is beyond the reach of the law. Whether their crimes are committed on the streets or in our prisons, gang members will be brought to justice.”
The Mexican Mafia is a powerful and violent prison gang that controls drug distribution and other illegal activities within the California penal system and on the streets of Southern California by organizing Latino street gang members for the purpose of establishing a larger network for the Mexican Mafia’s illegal activities. If a street gang does not comply with the demands of the Mexican Mafia, the prison gang will order the assault or murder the offending gang’s members, whether they are in custody or on the streets.
“The guilty verdicts today serve as an affirmation that should resonate with criminal gang enterprises that law enforcement will relentlessly pursue them to keep violence out of our communities and bring those involved to justice,” said Carlos Rojas, Chief of the Santa Ana Police Department. “This investigation and prosecution is an example of seamless cooperation between local, state and federal law enforcement. The Santa Ana Police Department looks forward to continuing our partnerships to impact these violent criminal enterprises impacting our community.
Ojeda and Rodriguez are scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna on May 9. At that time, both defendants face potential sentences of life without parole in federal prison.
In the prior federal case, Ojeda pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate RICO and conspiring to distribute narcotics. In late 2006, he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. It was while in federal prison that he participated in the subsequent conspiracy that led to his indictment in Operation Black Flag and today’s guilty verdicts.
With the guilty verdicts today against Ojeda and Rodriguez, 59 defendants now have been convicted on federal charges related to Operation Black Flag (the remaining 40 defendants charged in the case were prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office).
The Santa Ana Gang Task Force is made up of agents and officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Anaheim Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and the United States Bureau of Prisons provided substantial assistance.
Maurepas Woman Sentenced for Corporate Fraud Scheme Involving Almost $500,000Read the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that U.S. District Court Chief Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced MELISSA ST. PIERRE, age 49, of Maurepas, Louisiana, to twenty (20) months in federal prison as a result of her scheme to defraud her employer Aerial Access Equipment, LLC (“AAE”). ST. PIERRE was ordered to pay restitution of $442,064 to the victim AAE, and to serve a two year term of supervised release after her release from imprisonment. ST. PIERRE was also ordered to pay a fine of $7,500 and to forfeit all property traceable to the gross proceeds of the scheme, including but not limited to $459.222.
On September 30, 2015, ST. PIERRE pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
ST. PIERRE was the Controller at AAE from August 2012 through March 2, 2015. During this period, she used material false pretenses to divert AAE funds to her personal benefit, and utilized wire communications to execute her scheme. In her role as Controller, she accessed AAE bank accounts and company credit cards to divert company funds to her personal enrichment. ST. PIERRE used AAE funds to pay her personal financial obligations, including travel, loans related to luxury vehicles, payday loans, credit card accounts, utility and telephone bills, clothes and accessories, and other family expenses.
In order to conceal her misuse of AAE checks and ACH transfers, ST. PIERRE altered monthly bank statements issued by various banks and diverted company documents to her home so that she could conceal her diversions and alter them so that she could avoid detection. During the period August 2012 through March 2015, ST. PIERRE embezzled approximately $459,222.
United States Attorney Walt Green stated: “This case illustrates, once again, the dangers that businesses face from trusted insiders who seek to defraud them. While external fraud threats are usually the focus, the greatest fraud threats to businesses are typically from within and by those holding significant trust and responsibility. My office, along with the FBI and our other federal, state, and local partners, will continue to aggressively pursue such important matters.”
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney René Salomon. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baton Rouge Resident Office.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Dale Delmar Hess, 62, formerly of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 63 months in prison by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for possession of child pornography. After serving his sentence, Hess will also be required to register as a sex offender and serve a period of 7 years on supervised release.
On July 22, 2014, a computer technician who had been contacted by Hess to perform work on a laptop computer made a report to the Lincoln Police Department. Hess had dropped off a laptop computer and requested the technician reinstall a program on the computer. While performing the task, the technician checked the trash bin and observed several folders of files. The technician transported the files to the desktop and opened the folder and observed several files within each folder and clicked on a file. The technician explained to the Lincoln Police Department that the files contained child pornography.
Lincoln Police Department obtained a search warrant for Hess's residence in Lincoln, Nebraska on July 24, 2014. During the course of the search and subsequent interview, Hess admitted that he had downloaded and saved child pornography. A forensic examination of the computers found during the search warrant revealed over 1,100 videos and 63,000 graphic files of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Leaders of a Baltimore Drug Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute over 1,000 Kilograms of Marijuana and to Launder Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - David D’Amico, age 49, of Baltimore, Matthew Nicka, age 43, of Baltimore and his wife, Gretchen Peterson, age 34, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson had been fugitives since the indictment was returned in December 2010. Nicka and Peterson were arrested in Canada in early August 2013, and D’Amico was extradited from Colombia, South America.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to their plea agreements, the defendants were part of an extensive drug trafficking operation which was discovered by the DEA when they executed a search warrant at a residence in the 3500 block of Hickory Avenue in Baltimore on March 18, 2009. The residence was a center of operation for the group. Agents seized more than 80 pounds of marijuana, $20,000 in cash, 31 cell phones, documents regarding a plane purchased for $450,000, tally sheets showing over $14.5 million in marijuana sales, four money counters and false identifications.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants obtained large quantities of marijuana grown in Canada and northern California, which they transported by plane, tractor trailer and trains, to warehouses in Maryland. The marijuana was then divided for distribution in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Kansas, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and elsewhere. The defendants used multiple cellular telephones to avoid detection by law enforcement, as well as aliases and false identifications to conceal their activities. Nicka supervised and directed the conspirators’ activities, recruited conspirators and obtained marijuana in exchange for bulk cash payments, while D’Amico oversaw the day-to-day operations, received orders for marijuana, collected money, arranged for the purchase, operation and rental of planes used to transport marijuana and cash, arranged for the transportation and storage of marijuana, and transported bulk cash payments to marijuana suppliers. Gretchen Peterson received orders for marijuana, transported currency, delivered marijuana, and arranged for deliveries of marijuana to mid-level dealers. Nicka, D’Amico and Peterson also counted drug proceeds with other conspirators at a stash house in Baltimore.
From 2007 through June 2009, D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson used aliases and false identifications, and created and used shell corporations to hold and hide assets, conduct financial transactions, title vehicles, convert assets, and to conceal the source, ownership and control of the proceeds from the marijuana distribution. The defendants structured financial transactions to avoid IRS filing requirements for transactions involving more than $10,000 in cash payments in a single transaction, and further conceal from the government large cash transactions using drug proceeds.
As part of their plea agreements, the Court will order the forfeiture of all proceeds obtained or retained as a result of the offense. For Nicka, this includes a money judgment of $15 million, and for D’Amico and Peterson it includes a money judgment of $1 million.
A total of 15 defendants, including D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson, have been convicted in this case. The other 12 defendants have already been sentenced to up to 121 months in prison.
Nicka, Peterson, and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts their plea agreements, Nicka will be sentenced to between 168 months and 228 months in prison; and Peterson will be sentenced to between 84 months and 144 months in prison. D’Amico faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the marijuana distribution conspiracy; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for D’Amico and Peterson on May 2, 2016, and for Nicka on May 9, 2016.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS-CI, and the Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Mara Zusman Greenberg, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Leader of Mexican Heroin Trafficking Organization Sentenced to over 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Carlos Ramon Castro-Rocha, 42, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to over 11 years in prison. Castro-Rocha previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess heroin with intent to distribute.
“The sentencing of Carlos Ramon Castro-Rocha sends a powerful message to drug traffickers that they cannot escape justice. They will pay for the destruction they cause in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman. “DEA will never relent in our efforts to protect the American people from predators like Castro-Rocha.”
Castro-Rocha was the leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for growing, processing, importing, and distributing massive quantities of heroin. Between October 2008 and April 2009, law enforcement seized approximately 48 pounds of heroin, over $150,000 in currency, numerous vehicles, and a firearm from Castro-Rocha’s organization. Castro-Rocha was indicted in November 2009, arrested in Mexico in May 2010, and extradited to the United States in October 2012 with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Phoenix Police Department, Mesa Police Department, Wickenburg Police Department, Navajo County Sheriff’s Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. The prosecution was handled by Jonell L. Lucca, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR 09-1464-PHX-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-004_Castro-Rocha
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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.
Las Cruces Resident Sentenced to 18 Years for Trafficking Heroin in Doña Ana CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Patrick Gonzalez, 40, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 216 months in prison for his conviction on heroin trafficking and firearms charges. Gonzalez will be on supervised release for five years following his incarceration.
Gonzalez, together with a Mexican national and 19 other Las Cruces residents, were charged with heroin trafficking offenses in five indictments filed in Nov. 2013, as a result of a multi-agency investigation led by the FBI that targeted the heroin trafficking activities of Jovita Belmonte-Gonzalez in Doña Ana County. Belmonte-Gonzales, 45, a Mexican national from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, was named as the lead defendant in four of five indictments which charged her with supplying heroin to five drug trafficking organizations that distributed heroin in Doña Ana County.
Belmonte-Gonzalez, pled guilty to heroin trafficking charges in four of the five cases in June 2014, and admitted conducting frequent heroin transactions with her co-defendants between June 2013 and Oct. 2013. Court records reflect that Belmonte-Gonzalez typically negotiated heroin sales by telephone from Juarez and her co-defendants traveled from Doña Ana County to Juarez where they purchased the heroin from her and later distributed the drugs in Doña Ana County. Belmonte-Gonzales faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, and will be deported after she completes her prison sentence. She remains in federal custody pending her sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
On Feb. 27, 2015, Gonzalez pled guilty to participating in a heroin trafficking conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In entering his guilty plea, Gonzalez admitted that from Sept. 2013 through Oct. 2013, he facilitated at least a dozen drug transactions involving an aggregate of 2.4 kilograms of heroin between Belmonte-Gonzalez and other co-conspirators. Gonzalez also admitted that he arranged for individuals to travel to Belmonte-Gonzalez in Juarez, Mexico, to purchase heroin on his behalf and then bring the heroin back to him in Doña Ana County, N.M., where he distributed the heroin to others. He further admitted that on Nov. 15, 2013, he possessed four firearms and that he kept them because of the dangers associated with dealing illegal drugs though he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his status as a convicted felon.
All 21 of the defendants arrested as a result of the investigation have entered guilty pleas. Nineteen defendants have been sentenced; Belmonte-Gonzales and one other defendant are currently awaiting sentencing hearings.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee L. Camacho, of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office. The investigation leading to the charges in the four cases was led by the Las Cruces office of the FBI in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Las Cruces Police Department and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
This case is being prosecuted pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center that is partnering with the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative with the overriding goal of reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in the District of New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. The law enforcement component of the HOPE Initiative is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.
Lake Charles, Louisiana, Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Nigerian Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 39-year-old Lake Charles, Louisiana, man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a Nigerian mail fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Heesham Broussard a/k/a “Sudan,” was found guilty by a jury in July 2015, of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Broussard was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,700 to the victims of the offenses.
According to information presented in court, Broussard participated in a Nigerian-based mail fraud scheme that distributed counterfeit postal money orders and checks. The scheme targeted victims throughout the United States. Victims of the scheme were led to believe that they were working as mystery shoppers. Broussard served as a reshipper or dispatcher of counterfeit postal money orders and checks. As part of the scheme, he sent packages to more than 600 intended victims and sent counterfeit items bearing a face value of more than $1,000,000. Broussard was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 22, 2014.
Broussard’s co-conspirators, Olumide Lalemi a/k/a “Paul Smith,” the Nigerian organizer of the scheme, and Victoria Williams, a reshipper, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Williams was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison today by Judge Schneider. Lalemi is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2016 and faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and D. Ryan Locker.
Any individuals with knowledge of these or other mail fraud violations are encouraged to contact the Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Tip Line at 877-876-2455.
Jury finds Morgan County, WV man guilty of unlawful possession of stolen firearmsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict today convicting Dustin Wade Hinckle, 30, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, of unlawful possession of stolen firearms, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Evidence presented at trial indicated that Hinckle stole a police vehicle during a May 2015 traffic stop in Morgan County. When Hinckle was subsequently apprehended, it was discovered that he had stolen two firearms from the police vehicle. Having previously been convicted of the felony offenses of “Breaking and Entering” and “Grand Larceny” in the Circuit Court of Frederick County, Virginia, Hinckle is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Following a two day trial, a jury found Hinckle guilty of one count of “Felon in Possession of Firearms,” and one count of “Possession of Stolen Firearms.” He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the two counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Camilletti prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Jury Convicts Mexican National of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national was convicted by a federal trial jury today of his role in a conspiracy to smuggle methamphetamine from Mexico into the Kansas City, Mo., area.
Jose Federico Almeida-Olivas, also known as “Francisco” and “Pancho,” 35, a citizen of Mexico, was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and of using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of methamphetamine.
Today’s conviction is the result of a multiple-agency investigation into the activities of a Sinaloa, Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that smuggles large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico for distribution throughout the United States, including the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Almeida-Olivas was involved in the delivery of 10.5 pounds of methamphetamine to an associate in Kansas City, Mo., in October 2011.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about 1 ½ hours before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.
Under federal statutes, Almeida-Olivas is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Marquez and Adam Caine. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Jury Convicts KCK Man of Illegal Firearm, MarijuanaRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Kan., man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of illegally possessing a firearm and possessing marijuana for distribution.
Michael Anthony Garrett, 32, of Kansas City, Kan., was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Garrett was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber pistol on Dec. 28, 2014. An off-duty police officer found Garrett asleep in a Dodge Caravan that was parked at one of the pumps at Grand Slam gas station, 631 Grand, Kansas City, Mo. There was no one else in the vehicle. The officer attempted to wake Garrett up but he would not wake up.
Another officer saw a handgun in the vehicle, lying in plain view on top of a pile of clothes between the seats. There was a holster for the gun observed on the front passenger floor board. Officers also found a mason jar containing 10.3 grams of marijuana in the vehicle. When Garrett eventually woke up, he was arrested.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Garrett has prior felony convictions for aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and eluding a police officer.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about three hours before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.
Under federal statutes, Garrett is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Jewett City Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Acquiring Guns and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN FLETCHER, 35, of Jewett City, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 72months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for the illegal straw purchase of a .308 rifle and his unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2013, a court-authorized search of FLETCHER’s residence revealed a Savage Arms, Axis XP .308 rifle, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber VE Handgun, a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson Model 60 revolver, as well as multiple rounds of ammunition and weapon magazines.
The investigation revealed that the .308 rifle was purchased in January 2013 by another individual at a sporting goods store in Lisbon. FLETCHER engaged in the straw purchase and financed the transaction, which was captured on in-store surveillance video.
The .40 caliber handgun had been stolen from an owner in Oakdale, and the .38 caliber revolver had been stolen from an owner in Waterford.
The investigation further revealed that on multiple occasions in 2013, FLETCHER made unlawful efforts to obtain, and in some instances he successfully obtained, multiple rounds of different kinds of ammunition.
FLETCHER had previously been convicted of felonies in the Superior Court of the State of Connecticut, including accessory to robbery in the first degree, hindering prosecution in the second degree, possession of a pistol without a permit, and attempted assault in the first degree.
It is a violation of federal law to knowingly possess a stolen firearm, or for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
FLETCHER has been detained since his arrest on November 22, 2013. On April 2, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Reynolds. The Norwich Police Department and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Narducci of the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office in New London assisted the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Irish National Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Endangered Rhinoceros HornsRead the Press Release
Patrick Sheridan, an Irish national, was sentenced in federal court in Waco, Texas, today to 12 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking, announced Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney Richard L. Durbin Jr. for the Western District of Texas and Director Dan Ashe of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sheridan was arrested by United Kingdom law enforcement on Jan. 9, 2015, at Holyhead Sea Port in the United Kingdom as he disembarked a ferry from Dublin, Ireland. The arrest was made pursuant to a request for his provisional arrest by the United States and in September 2015 Sheridan was extradited to the United States . Sheridan’s arrest and subsequent extradition were part of “Operation Crash,” a nation-wide crackdown in the illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns. Sheridan was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Walter S. Smith Jr.
In May 2014, a federal grand jury sitting in Waco, Texas, returned an indictment charging Sheridan and a co-defendant with conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros. In addition to conspiracy, the indictment charges substantive violations of the Lacey Act for wildlife trafficking and making a false wildlife document. According to the indictment, Sheridan, along with John Slattery aka John Flynn and Michael Slattery Jr., used a “straw buyer” to purchase two black rhinoceros horns from a taxidermist in Texas, which the group then transported to New York, where they sold the horns along with two additional horns that the group also illegally purchased in Texas. In January 2014, Michael Slattery Jr. pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn and was sentenced to 14-months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. In addition to the trafficking, the indictment also charged Sheridan and his co-defendant with making a fictitious and fraudulent Bill of Sale in connection with the rhinoceros horns, in an attempt to make their illegal purchase of the horns appear legal.
“We will hold wildlife traffickers fully accountable for these crimes, which are – transaction by transaction – robbing from our children and grandchildren the great diversity of life on our planet,” said Assistant Attorney Cruden. “This case shows the global reach and demand of a trade that is literally driving the black rhino closer to becoming a relic of the past, but it also shows the tireless work of investigators and prosecutors to give it a fighting chance at survival.”
“The slaughter of incredible animals like the rhino driven by poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking is a global scourge, requiring global enforcement,” said Director Ashe. “Working with law enforcement in countries across the world, we’re tracking, apprehending and extraditing criminals like Patrick Sheridan and his co-conspirators, no matter where they operate. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that criminals who contribute to the slaughter of rhinos and other protected wildlife have nowhere to hide, and will inexorably face justice in the United States."
According to the information, plea agreement and statements made during court proceedings:
In China and Vietnam, rhinoceros horns are highly prized because they are believed to have medicinal value. The escalating value of the horns has resulted in an increased demand that has helped fuel a thriving black market.
In pleading guilty, Sheridan admitted to participating in a conspiracy to travel to and within the United States to purchase rhinoceros horns, which he, along with others, then resold to private individuals or consigned to auction houses in the United States, knowing that the interstate purchase and sale of the horns was illegal. Due to their dwindling populations, all rhinoceros species are protected under international trade agreements.Rhinoceros are an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans. All species of rhinoceros are protected under United States and international law. Since 1976, trade in rhinoceros horn has been regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 170 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international markets.
Operation Crash is a continuing investigation being conducted by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in coordination with other federal and local law enforcement agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. A “crash” is the term for a herd of rhinoceros. Operation Crash is an ongoing effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns.
The investigation by was handled by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, with assistance from Ireland's An Garda Síochána (Irish National Police Service) and the Durham Constabulary Police Force in the United Kingdom. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff and Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section are in charge of the prosecution.Hyattsville Career Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Henry Lionel Garvin, age 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland today to 20 years in prison, followed by 13 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, early on November 22, 2013, a search warrant was executed at Garvin’s home in Hyattsville. Officers knocked and announced their presence, then made forced entry into the apartment. Moments later, agencies outside saw Garvin use a handgun to break a window in the apartment and then throw two handguns out the window. Garvin then attempted to get out the window, but when agents outside announced their presence he retreated back into the apartment where he was taken into custody. Law enforcement recovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a loaded 9mm handgun, which Garvin had thrown from the window Inside the apartment law enforcement seized: approximately 147 grams of heroin; a .223 caliber rifle with a loaded magazine; a loaded .380 pistol; .45 caliber ammunition; cellphones, scales, and other drug paraphernalia; and a currency counter and cash.
Garvin subsequently admitted that the heroin and guns were his. He stated that he had obtained the guns in exchange for 10 grams of heroin. Garvin further stated that he was able to purchase one and a half kilograms of heroin for $80 per gram.
Garvin had several previous felony drug convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, ATF, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Ray D. McKenzie, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Hampton Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Overdose Resulting in Death CaseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Benjamin Frank Barrett, Jr., 47, of Hampton, was sentenced today to 264 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, as well as distribution of fentanyl which resulted in death.
Barrett pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2015. According to court documents, from April 2010 toJune 11, 2015, Barrett was the organizer and leader of a heroin drug trafficking organization that operated in Newport News, Hampton and other nearby cities. In addition to distributing heroin directly to customers, Barrett also utilized “runners,” such as co-conspirators Cecil Edwards and Esstease Bellamy, who sold heroin to users in the community. In June 2014, Barrett sold fentanyl, also known as “China White,” in addition to heroin. Robert Shedd, 49, of Newport News, died on June 12, 2014, of a drug overdose and the fentanyl he ingested was distributed by Barrett.
Bellamy pleaded guilty on Oct. 6, 2015, and will be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2016. Edwards pleaded guilty on July 22, 2015, and was sentenced on Oct. 21, 2015, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Gregory J. Cherundolo, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Richmond Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
This case was investigated by DEA’s Richmond Field Division. Yvonne Garcia and Ivana Nizich from the Organized Crime and Gang Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division prosecuted 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. 4:15cr47.
Fugitive Arrested for November 24, 2015, Murder of Bronx Man and New Year’s Eve Shooting in Connection with CarjackingRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and William J. Bratton, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of charges against RUBEN PIZZARO for a November 24, 2015, murder in the Bronx and a December 31, 2015, non-fatal shooting in Manhattan during a carjacking.
PIZZARO, a gang member, is charged with shooting and killing David Rivera, a rival gang member, on the morning of November 24, 2015. Weeks later, while law enforcement actively sought to arrest him, PIZZARO is charged with shooting another man on the morning of New Years’ Eve. PIZZARO has been charged in two separate criminal complaints for the murder of RIVERA and the non-fatal New Years’ Eve shooting.
PIZZARO was presented today before the Honorable James C. Francis IV.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The senseless, deadly violence Ruben Pizzaro allegedly committed on the streets of the Bronx is exactly why this office has pledged to help reduce gun violence in the City. By prosecuting gun cases together with our partners at the FBI and NYPD, we will dismantle violent neighborhood gangs and make New York safer for everyone.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “As alleged, Pizzaro showed no dignity towards human life with his actions of killing a rival gang member and his involvement in a non-fatal shooting. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to disrupt and dismantle such violent gang activity, and bring those involved to justice.”
Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said: “The safe apprehension of this individual removes a violent criminal and repeat offender from the streets of our City, as alleged. I want to thank the members of the NYPD and our partners in law enforcement in the offices of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for their work on this case.”
According to the allegations contained in two complaints filed against PIZZARO:
Pizzaro is a member of a Bronx component of a national gang, and sells narcotics in the vicinity of 180th Street and Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, New York, blocks from where members of a rival gang sell narcotics on behalf of two Bronx-based traffickers. On both October 31 and November 1, 2015, PIZZARO, members of the rival gang, including David Rivera, and one of the traffickers exchanged gunfire. Pizzaro also shot a different member of the rival gang in the hand on November 2, 2015.
Three weeks later, on November 24, 2015, in broad daylight at 9:15 in the morning, PIZZARO shot and killed Rivera in the vicinity of 175th Street and Crotona Avenue. PIZZARO remained a fugitive until yesterday. In the interim, he was involved in another serious act of violence on New Year’s Eve. That day PIZZARO committed a carjacking, forcing the Carjacking Victim at gunpoint to drive him to the vicinity of Ellwood Street and 196th Street in New York, New York. Once there, PIZZARO approached another individual (the “Shooting Victim”) on the street, shot the Shooting Victim in the shoulder, and stole two bags that the Shooting Victim was carrying. A fingerprint from PIZZARO was recovered on the van that had been reported carjacked.
PIZZARO, 23, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of possession of a firearm which causes the death of another individual, which carries a maximum sentence of death, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a carjacking, which carries a sentence of life in prison.
Mr. Bharara thanked the FBI, the NYPD, and the United States Marshal’s Service for their work on the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Crowley, Russell Capone, and Robert Allen are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Frewsburg Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Jeffrey Paden, 47 of Frewsburg, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to 57 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Scott S. Allen, Jr., who handled the case, stated that on September 20, 2007, the defendant knowingly possessed over 600 images of child pornography which were stored on his personal computer. Paden obtained these images over the internet. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors or minors less than 12 years of age.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Buffalo Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, and Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.
Forsyth Man Sentenced for Passing Fraudulent Financial InstrumentsRead the Press Release
G.F. Peterman, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Carmen Deck Trevitt, Jr., age 60, of Forsyth, Georgia, was sentenced today to serve 27 months in Federal prison for two counts of passing fraudulent financial instruments. Mr. Trevitt was sentenced by the Honorable Marc T. Treadwell, United States District Judge, in Macon, Georgia. Judge Treadwell also ordered Mr. Trevitt to pay a $10,000.00 fine.
Mr. Trevitt entered a guilty plea to these charges on June 17, 2015. His plea agreement stipulated that on September 23, 2011 and November 1, 2011, Mr. Trevitt submitted two separate fictitious obligations to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Macon, Georgia, to pay his liabilities. The first document was in the amount of $700,000.00, payable to the “United States Treasury for Credit to the IRS” dated September 16, 2011. The second document submitted indicated the same payee as the previous one; however, the amount was listed as $500,000.00 and was dated October 26, 2011. Both of the fictitious obligations, which purported to be “International Bills of Exchange”, had no financial value.
The investigation was initiated in November 2011 by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). TIGTA agents reported that Mr. Trevitt had filed numerous frivolous documents with the IRS in an attempt to impede and obstruct the collection of approximately $645,000 in outstanding tax liabilities. For example, Mr. Trevitt filed documents purportedly appointing various federal officials as fiduciaries and thus claiming to make these individuals responsible for his tax liabilities. He also submitted documents to the IRS declaring he and his spouse were deceased, thus stopping enforcement activities.
“Anyone who owes the amount of taxes owed by Mr. Trevitt has obviously been blessed with great good fortune by the opportunities afforded by life in the United States. It is then sad and unfortunate to see such a person go to these great lengths to avoid the legitimate tax obligations expected from all the citizens of this great nation” said Acting U.S. Attorney G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III.
The case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Sonja B. Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Former Wells Fargo Bank Manager Sentenced to 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Fraud and TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Sharon Lynn Shaw was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison and ordered to pay over $992,000 in restitution for her involvement in a bank fraud and theft by bank officer scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Brian Stretch and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge David Thomas.
Shaw, 68, of San Jose, Calif., pleaded guilty on February 17, 2015. In pleading guilty, Shaw admitted that from 2001 through 2012 she engaged in a scheme to defraud Wells Fargo Bank while serving as a manager at that bank. Shaw admitted that she used the names, Social Security numbers, and other personal information belonging to her parents, without their knowledge or authorization, to create false and fraudulent business loan applications that she submitted to her employer Wells Fargo Bank. Shaw also used a checking account in the name of her parents to receive the proceeds of the loans. Shaw admitted that she used her position as a bank manager to submit fraudulent applications to Wells Fargo Bank to approve the loans and to conceal their fraudulent nature. Furthermore, Shaw admitted that she arranged credit advances based on the fraudulent loans and then converted the proceeds for her own personal use (including paying off the mortgage on her house) without Wells Fargo’s knowledge or authorization. Shaw also admitted she embezzled from Wells Fargo bank a $12,800 line of credit advance in January 2010 as well as a $20,000 line of credit advance in February 2010.
Shaw was charged in an indictment filed in San Jose federal district court on May 21, 2014. The indictment alleged four counts of bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and two counts of theft by a bank officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. Shaw pleaded guilty to all six counts in the indictment.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman. In imposing sentence, Judge Freeman stated that Shaw engaged in “a personal Ponzi scheme” and had also abused a private position of trust to facilitate her offense. The defendant was also sentenced to a five year period of supervised release with conditions that limit her ability to hold fiduciary roles, and ordered to pay over $992,000 in restitution. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Freeman ordered Shaw to self-surrender by March 14, 2016, at which time she will begin serving her prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Fazioli is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.
Former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Pleads Guilty to Demanding an Illegal GratuityRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that PAMELA PARKER, 55, a resident of New Orleans and former employee of a regional office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”), pled guilty today to one count of demanding an illegal gratuity.
In the fall of 2014, LSU School of Nursing sought to apply for a highly competitive federal grant, which was designed to transition veterans into nursing careers. According to court documents, the VA assigned PARKER to determine if the VA should partner with LSU to strengthen LSU’s grant application. PARKER admitted that, during her meetings with LSU’s representatives, she demanded things of personal value to her in exchange for her assistance on LSU’s grant proposal. PARKER, a Registered Nurse herself, demanded, among other things, that LSU give her a Doctor of Nursing Science degree.
“Today’s guilty plea is the most recent – but not the last – example of our commitment to fighting public corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Polite.
PARKER faces statutory penalties of up to two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman set sentencing for May 4, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marquest J. Meeks is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Postal carrier charged with delaying delivery of mailRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Keauntee Redfern, 37, of Cleveland, and a former U.S. Mail Postal Carrier, with delaying U.S. Mail, that was entrusted to him for delivery to citizens of Northeast Ohio, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that Redfearn, a Postal Service Employee with the Cleveland Heights Branch Post Office in unlawfully detained and delayed first-class letters and other mail matter entrusted to him for intended delivery.
Assistant United States Attorney Karrie D. Howard is prosecuting the case, following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service -- Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, the Court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a 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 violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. 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.
Former Pharmacist Sentenced in Medicaid Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on January 13, 2016, United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Scott Tran to 110 months incarceration followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $14,430,059.17 to the Nebraska Health and Human Services Agency, for the crime of health care fraud. Tran, 45 years old from Omaha, was indicted by a federal grand jury May 19, 2014, charged with the largest health care fraud crime in Nebraska to date, including 12 counts of health care fraud and six counts of identity theft. Tran pled guilty to health care fraud on September 29, 2015. Tran operated a pharmacy, Pharmacy Specialty Services, in Lincoln and during a nearly six year period between May 2009 and March 2015 he submitted 2,346 false claims to Nebraska Medicaid for dispensing a prescription drug – tobramycin solution for inhalation (TOBI) – which he in fact did not dispense. He was paid a total of $14,430,059.17 by Nebraska Medicaid on these claims. According to Tran, the money was primarily used by him to support his gambling habit.
Investigators have seized money and other assets from Tran to be used for restitution, including more than $2.1 million in cash, a house in Waterloo, NE, valued at more than $800,000, a car, a boat and trailer. The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Investigations of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Former Deputy Constable Heads to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A former Cameron County deputy constable has been ordered to prison following his conviction of transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Luis Enrique Guevara, 45, of Brownsville, entered a guilty plea June 4, 2015, admitting he transported three illegal aliens in a Nissan Pathfinder.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered he serve a total of 15 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
Guevara was arrested April 9, 2015, after an officer with the Robstown Police Department (RPD) stopped him for speeding as he was driving the Pathfinder north on U.S. Highway 77 through Robstown.
During the traffic stop, Guevara told the arresting officer he was a former police officer from Cameron County and a former narcotics officer with the Los Fresnos Police Department. After his arrest, Guevara told investigators he had transported illegal aliens several times prior and that he was paid $2,500 per illegal alien transported.
At the time of the arrest, Guevara was a reserve deputy constable in Cameron County. He no longer holds that position.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The charges are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of RPD. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan.
Former Concord Resident Pleads Guilty to Religious Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - Hugo John Scherzberg pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland to committing a religious hate crime in relation to the March 20, 2010, fire at a church in Pittsburg, Calif., announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill A. Snyder.
In pleading guilty, Scherzberg, 48, formerly of Concord, admitted to using gasoline and a lighter to set fire to the Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship, Temple #21 (Workers Fellowship) located on Harbor Street in Pittsburg. Scherzberg admitted he set fire to the church because he felt God had dealt him a poor hand in life. He also admitted he chose the Pittsburg church in particular because it had the words “Living God” in its name and it was “readily accessible.” At the time of the fire, a separate congregation, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, also rented the church building for religious services. Scherzberg admitted that his actions caused significant damage to the entire church building and property within the building, and that almost the entire church building required reconstruction. Losses totaled more than $490,000, according to insurance claims. Scherzberg agreed to make restitution for these losses.
Scherzberg was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 5, 2015, on one count of burning the church building because of its religious character, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 247(a)(1) and (d)(3), and on a second count of arson of a building used in activities affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i). Under Monday’s plea agreement, Scherzberg pleaded guilty to the first charge.
Scherzberg currently is being held in the custody of the United States Marshals.
Scherzberg’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 28, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. before the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Judge, in Oakland. The maximum statutory penalties for damaging religious property by the use of fire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 247(a)(1) and (d)(3), is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 (or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greater), plus restitution. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Huang is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Quant, Trina Khadoo, and Stephanie Mitchell. The Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice is also assisting in the prosecution. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the Contra Costa County Fire Investigation Unit, with assistance from the San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco Police Department, and San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina----United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following:
North Charleston Man Indicted for Threatening the President
George Wesley Beers, Jr., age 39, of North Charleston, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with threatening the President of the United States, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 871. The maximum penalty that Beers could receive is 5 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.Goose Creek Woman Indicted for Theft of Government Property
Linda D’Angelo, age 52, of Goose Creek, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Theft of Government Property, a violation of 18 U. S. C. § 641. The maximum penalty that D’Angelo could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Social Security Administration and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.Mr. Nettles stated that the charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following:
Lexington Resident Indicted for Wire Fraud
Mark Nigel Wilkins, age 48, of Lexington, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with wire fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. The maximum penalty Wilkins could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville office for prosecution.Four Individuals Indicted for Conspiring to Alter Money Orders
Hannah A. McAdams, age 25, of Townville, South Carolina; DeWayne S. Brooks, age 28, of Pendleton, South Carolina; Gary M. Whitfield, age 26, of Pendleton, South Carolina; and Roger L. Powell, age 32, of Anderson, South Carolina; were charged in a 1-count indictment with conspiracy, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The maximum penalty each defendant could receive is 5 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.Husband and Wife Indicted for Mail Fraud
Retta Helms Sundblad, age 59, and Richard Elmer Sundblad, age 64, both of Easley, South Carolina, were charged in a 1-count indictment. Retta Helms Sundblad and Richard Elmer Sundblad were charged with mail fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. The maximum penalty each defendant could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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FACT SHEET: State of the Union: Cabinet in Your Community -- Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
In the days immediately following the State of the Union, Cabinet officials are embarking on the “State of the Union: Cabinet In Your Community” road tour to engage Americans in small towns, big cities and Indian country about the advancements the Administration has made on the most important issues facing the American people, as well as the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The President will make clear in his State of the Union address that the true test is not the challenges we face, but how we approach those challenges. That’s why he and his Cabinet will keep their feet on the gas in this final stretch to continue driving toward solutions that will move this country forward for generations to come, while highlighting the progress that has been made over the past seven years.
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The Department of Justice has taken major steps during the Obama Administration to make our criminal justice system more just, fair, and effective at reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration into society. Our ultimate aim has been to break the cycle of poverty, criminality, and incarceration that grips too many of our communities, and to ensure that each component of our justice system is more closely aligned with our fundamental belief in opportunity and justice for all. A vital part of that task involves examining what happens to our fellow Americans when they exit prison and return to our communities, and addressing the obstacles to successful reentry is a top priority for the Justice Department and the Obama Administration.
More than 600,000 individuals are released from federal and state prisons each year, and 11.4 million cycle through local jails annually. In addition, a broader population – some one in four Americans – has an arrest record, mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, sometimes from decades in the past. The long-term-- sometimes lifelong-- impact of a criminal record keeps many people from obtaining employment and accessing housing, higher education, loans, and credit – even if they have paid their debt to society, turned their lives around, are qualified, and are unlikely to reoffend. At the same time, research shows that people who stay out of trouble for just a few years are largely indistinguishable from the general population in terms of their odds of another arrest.
The Justice Department is committed to breaking the cycle of incarceration and improving reentry outcomes by reducing barriers to education, employment, housing and civic engagement, and by instituting various reforms at the federal Bureau of Prisons that are designed to improve the reentry success of those returning from incarceration in federal prisons.
Today, following President Obama’s 2016 State of the Union, Attorney General Lynch traveled to Boston, Massachusetts to speak with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, corrections and law enforcement partners, and service providers. She is visiting the Boston Reentry Initiative – a program proven to reduce recidivism – and other innovative programs that prepare people for their return to the community. The Justice Department’s first-ever Second Chance Fellow, Daryl Atkinson, is accompanying the Attorney General and participating in a roundtable at the South Bay House of Correction in Suffolk County, MA. The visit highlights the Department’s committed actions on this issue, including the following recent and ongoing efforts:
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The Federal Interagency Reentry Council, chaired by Attorney General Lynch, brings together the efforts of more than 20 federal agencies to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare outcomes.Recent policy actions championed by the Reentry Council include “banning the box” in federal employment to delay inquiries into criminal history until later in the hiring process. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued guidance to reduce barriers to HUD-assisted housing, and the Department of Education launched a Second Chance Pell initiative, providing a limited waiver of the statutory ban to help pay for postsecondary education and training programs. And the Departments of Labor and Justice are establishing a National Clean Slate Clearinghouse that will provide local jurisdictions technical assistance to help with record-cleaning and expungement.
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The Federal Bureau of Prisons embraces a corrections philosophy that “reentry begins on day one.”Accordingly, the Bureau has made significant strides to better prepare inmates for successful reentry while they are still incarcerated.Under the Obama Administration, the Bureau created the Reentry Services Division, which has expanded mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, improved work and educational opportunities inside prison, and better equipped inmates with the tools necessary for success outside the prison walls.Recognizing that education reduces the risk of recidivism, the Bureau has also launched a comprehensive assessment of its education program and identified opportunities for improvement across its 122 correctional institutions. This focused evaluation will increase the Bureau’s capacity to provide high quality education services to inmates with special learning and literacy needs. To date, these ongoing efforts have enabled the Bureau to more effectively identify and serve inmates between the ages of 18 and 21 who require learning accommodations to successfully engage in education programming, and to pilot a specialized curriculum using education technology for individuals requiring instruction at grade levels Pre-K through 5.
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The Justice Department is encouraged by, and strongly supportive of, the bipartisan efforts in Congress
These efforts build on achievements by the Justice Department under the leadership of President Obama:
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Since 2009, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs has made close to 750 Second Chance Act grants totaling more than $400 million.These grants are being used for the full range of reentry assistance, focusing on populations at moderate and high risk of recidivism.The programs offer a range of resources and support, including substance abuse and mental health treatment; job training; expansion of services to children of incarcerated parents; and help to secure driver’s licenses, modify child support orders, and expunge criminal and juvenile records.They also support states designing recidivism reduction strategies as well as new interagency reentry grants to expand access to education for juveniles, permanent supportive housing for those at risk of homelessness, and records expungement for youth in public housing.In addition, Second Chance funds support the National Reentry Resource Center, a one-stop resource for reentry-related research, best practices, and technical assistance managed by the Council of State Governments Justice Center.
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The Department is committed to strengthening and supporting Federal Prison Industries (FPI or trade name UNICOR).Founded in 1934, FPI is a voluntary industrial work program that provides federal inmates with work experience, job training, and life skills, thereby increasing the likelihood they will find meaningful employment upon release and become productive citizens.FPI is the Bureau’s largest and most effective reentry program, employing over 12,000 inmates nationwide.Research has shown that participating inmates are 24 percent less likely to be rearrested or returned to custody.As a result of new authorities granted to FPI in 2012, FPI launched approximately 45 new repatriation projects and employed more than 1,000 inmates who manufacture items that would otherwise be made outside of the United States.In 2016, FPI will welcome a new Chief Executive Officer who will oversee further expansion of this critical recidivism-reducing program.
For more information, please visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/sotu.
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Executive at Now-Defunct Mirae Bank Indicted in Loan Fraud Case that Caused $33 Million in Losses and Contributed to Failure of BankRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former chief marketing officer at Mirae Bank was arrested this morning on federal bank fraud charges that allege he was responsible for the bank issuing $150 million in fraudulent loans – loans that caused the bank to suffer $33 million in losses and were “a significant factor in Mirae Bank’s failure as a financial institution in 2009.”
Ataollah Aminpour, 57, of Beverly Hills, was arrested without incident pursuant to an eight-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on January 7.
Aminpour, who is also known as John and Johnny Aminpour, is expected to be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, Aminpour held himself out as a successful businessman who could help people obtain financing for gas station and car wash businesses with little or no down payment. In some cases, Aminpour personally identified businesses to be purchased and negotiated a sale price, but he allegedly overstated the actual purchase price to buyers. For these buyers and others whom Aminpour introduced to Mirae Bank, the indictment alleges that Aminpour oversaw the loan process and provided loan officers with information and documentation that contained false facts and figures, including the actual purchase price of the business and the source of the down payment. As a result, Mirae Bank funded inflated loans, with excess funds secretly going to Aminpour, borrowers and/or “hard money lenders” who had surreptitiously provided funds used to make down payments.
The indictment alleges that, as part of the scheme, Aminpour arranged for fake down payments – money that came from hard money lenders who made short-term, high-interest loans or, in some cases, from Aminpour himself. Aminpour also allegedly arranged for bogus lender information to be submitted to Mirae Bank in documents that falsely represented borrower assets, their experience in the business being purchased or the income expected from the business. In one instance detailed in the indictment, Aminpour allegedly caused a document to be submitted to Mirae Bank showing that a borrower had more than $1.4 million on deposit at another bank, when Aminpour himself had provided the borrower with $1.3 million – money that was in the borrower’s account for only one day.
“Mr. Aminpour allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which Mirae Bank funded loans based on applications that were rife with misstatements and false information,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Over the course of nearly four years, Mr. Aminpour was able to skim money from many of these loans, which allowed him to profit at the expense of the bank and taxpayers who had to bail out the failed financial institution.”
The indictment alleges that Aminpour concealed information and provided false information that led Mirae Bank to issue approximately 90 loans with principal exceeding $150 million and that these loans generated commissions for Aminpour of more than $1.4 million. As a result of the fraudulent activity, which ran from the fall of 2005 until June 2009 when the bank failed, Mirae suffered losses of approximately $33 million.
“The losses that Mirae Bank suffered and was facing on the fraudulent loans were a significant factor in Mirae Bank’s failure as a financial institution in 2009, and the FDIC’s resulting takeover of Mirae Bank as receiver,” according to the indictment. “The losses incurred on these loans were suffered in part by Mirae Bank, in part by the FDIC, and in part by Wilshire State Bank (now doing business as Wilshire Bank), which acquired Mirae Bank’s assets from the FDIC, after its holding company Wilshire Bancorp Inc. had received $62,158,000 in taxpayer funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.”
Aminpour is charged with six counts of bank fraud for causing Mirae Bank to issue fraudulent loans for gas stations and car washes in Vernon, Maywood, Lomita, Whittier, Carson and El Monte.
Aminpour is also charged with two counts of making false statements to a financial institution in relation to loan applications for two gas stations.
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.
If he is convicted, Aminpour would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the eight counts.
The case against Aminpour is the result of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General.
Evansville man sentenced for robbery of two Walgreens pharmaciesRead the Press Release
Evansville – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today that Jeffrey W. Grimwood, 44, Evansville, was sentenced to 144 months (12 years) in prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Richard L. Young following his guilty plea to obstruction of commerce by robbery. This case was the result of an investigation by the Evansville Violent Crimes Task Force and the Evansville Police Department.
“Prescription drug abuse fuels violence in many areas of Southern Indiana,” said Minkler. “If someone has a prescription drug problem, I encourage them to get help before they resort to violence. If not, they will be sent to federal prison.”
Grimwood admitted to the Court that on May 9, 2015, he entered the Walgreens Pharmacy located at 925 South Green River Road in Evansville, and demanded prescription pain medication. He then displayed what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol tucked in his waistband before leaving the pharmacy with the medication. Grimwood also admitted that on June 11, 2015, he entered a Walgreens Pharmacy located at 4301 North First Avenue in Evansville and asked for Percocet and Dilaudid, both prescription pain medications. When asked for his prescription by the pharmacy staff, Grimwood displayed what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol and said “This is my prescription!”
A witness to the June 11th robbery observed the suspect leaving the pharmacy and provided the license plate number to Evansville Police officers. The officers went to the residence associated with the license plate number where Grimwood admitted to both of the robberies.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted the case for the government, Judge Young also imposed 3 years supervised release following Grimwood’s release from prison and ordered him to participate in a drug abuse prevention program while on supervision.
Corpus Christi Woman Indicted for Kidnapping ChildrenRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Jada Gregg Warren, 32, of Corpus Christi, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Corpus Christi on charges that she kidnapped two minor children from their foster home, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Warren is the biological mother of the children but had lost her parental rights in November 2014.
The two-count indictment was returned today. She is expected to make an appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
Warren was originally charged in a criminal complaint filed Aug. 20, 2015. She Warren was arrested in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, Dec. 16, 2015, and both children were with her. Warren has since been returned to federal custody in Corpus Christi and the children have been returned to the custody of Child Protective Services (CPS).
The criminal complaint alleged that Warren had taken the children from their foster home on Aug. 19-20, 2015. She had allegedly made statements about committing the crime just two days prior.
The children were discovered missing on the morning of Aug. 20, 2015. Several items of clothing had allegedly also been taken. The complaint further alleges that a car she co-owned had a tracking device which indicated it was in Corpus Christi on Aug. 18, but in Mexico two days later. Her Facebook page also indicted she was in Mexico on that date. At the time of the alleged kidnapping, Warren was serving a 36-month-term of supervised release following a federal drug tracking conviction.
On Nov. 6, 2014, a judge in Bexar County had terminated Warren's parental rights and placed the children in the custody of CPS.
If convicted, Warren faces not less than 20 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Colombian Cartel Leader Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Trafficking Narcotics Sold in the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. - A Colombian cartel leader expelled from Venezuela to face federal charges in New Jersey for his role in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy was sentenced today to 132 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Colombian national Salomon Camacho Mora, 71, a/k/a “Papa Grande,” a/k/a “El Viejo,” a/k/a “Hector,” was arrested in Valencia, Venezuela, on Jan. 13, 2010, and subsequently expelled by Venezuelan authorities to the United States. Camacho was originally indicted in September 2002 in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and had been designated a Consolidated Priority Organization Target (CPOT) by the Department of Justice. He was a New Jersey FBI fugitive for more than eight years.
On Oct. 15, 2014, Camacho pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to Count Seven of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit narcotics trafficking. Judge Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Camacho admitted that he and members of his drug organization purchased multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from processing laboratories located in Colombia and arranged for the transportation of the cocaine to various shipping ports in Venezuela. Camacho and members of his drug organization then sold the cocaine shipments to other drug trafficking organizations operating in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the United States.
He also acknowledged that others in his organization received and stored the drug shipments in Venezuela, and arranged for their maritime transportation to Puerto Rico and the United States.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Camacho to five years of supervised release. Camacho must also forfeit $1.6 million and eight Colombian properties that were the product of ill-gotten gains.
U.S. Attorney Fishman praised special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel in Newark; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski in Newark; and the New Jersey National Guard Anti-Narcotics Task Force for the investigation.
U.S. Attorney Fishman also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs for providing assistance in this matter. Additionally, he thanked the Venezuelan agencies Oficina Nacional Anti Drogas (ONA), Servicio Bolivariano de Intelligencia Nacional, (SEBIN), Servicio Administrativo de identificacion migracion y Extranjeria, (SAIME) and the Colombian law enforcement authorities for their assistance in Camacho’s arrest and deportation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam N. Subervi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: William Clay Esq., Miami
Cleveland men indicted for armed robberies in Solon, Bath and North OlmstedRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury indicted three Cleveland men for armed robberies in Solon, Bath and North Olmsted, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Stephone D. Tillman, 24, Matthew S. Bowen, Jr., 24, and Christopher R. Jones, 25, were indicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by means of robbery as well as committing the robberies of convenience stores in Solon and in Bath.
Additionally, Tillman and Bowen were also charged with robbing a drive through convenience store in North Olmsted. Each of the robberies involved the use of a firearm, according to the indictment.
Tillman, Bowen, and Jones robbed the Circle K, located at 29605 Aurora Road, in Solon, on September 15, 2015. On October 3, 2015, Bowen and Tillman robbed the Zip Thru drive-through store located at 30781 Lorain Road, in North Olmsted. On October 8, 2015, all three defendants robbed the Circle K, located at 791 Cleveland-Massillon Road, in Bath, according to the indictment.
Additionally, Tillman was charged with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to each of the robberies. Bowen and Jones were charged as accomplices to that firearm use for the two Circle K robberies.
Tillman was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Solon, North Olmsted, and Bath Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin R. Filiatraut and Kelly L. Galvin.
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 violation. 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
Cleveland man charged for armed robberies of Family Dollar storesRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted for four armed robberies of Family Dollar stores that took place in 2015, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.
Patrick Young, 19, was indicted on one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, four counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The indictment alleges that Young and others known to the grand jury conspired to rob Family Dollar stores at 7300 St. Clair Ave., 3470 East 93rd Street, 7415 Superior Ave., and 12107 St. Clair Ave between August 24 and September 16, 2015.
The indictment also alleges Young carried and brandished a firearm during the incidents.
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 violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases the sentence will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen E. Henderson following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division, and the Cleveland Division of Police, and with the assistance of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
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.
Child Predator Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that District Judge James J. Brady sentenced PIERRE A. MOOSEBROKER, JR., age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 25 years imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for child pornography and false statement offenses related, in part, to his plan to obtain and sexually abuse a child.
On June 18, 2015, MOOSEBROKER was convicted of possessing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B), and making false statements to Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).
MOOSEBROKER’s sentence arose primarily from events in early March 2015. After the FBI received information that MOOSEBROKER had discussed a plan to abduct and sexually abuse a child, the FBI quickly eliminated the threat by arresting MOOSEBROKER and seizing his various electronic devices pursuant to a search warrant. Subsequent FBI investigation revealed that the defendant had downloaded numerous images of child pornography to his computer and confirmed his plans to obtain a young female child to sexually abuse. During the course of his interviews with the FBI, MOOSEBROKER made several false statements related to his possession of child pornography and his plan to obtain and sexually abuse a child.
U.S. Attorney Walt Green stated, “Today’s severe sentence is a just and appropriate outcome for this child predator. There is no doubt that both our district and our children have been made safer as a result. I greatly appreciate the FBI for their dedicated and quick response to a situation that could easily have resulted in tragedy.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and cooperation from the District Attorney’s Office for the Nineteenth Judicial District. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Dippel, who serves as a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division.
Chicago Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Prison for Selling Shotguns and Rifles Imported to Chicago from IndianaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison for selling nearly a dozen firearms that had been transported from Indiana to the streets of Chicago.
TERRENCE GRIGGS, 36, sold eleven firearms and a bulletproof vest to an individual he believed was a high-ranking member of a Chicago street gang. The weapons included two shotguns, four pistols, three revolvers and two rifles. Unbeknownst to Griggs, the buyer was an informant who was cooperating with law enforcement officers from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A federal jury last year convicted Griggs on all four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed a 200-month sentence today in federal court in Chicago.
“The city of Chicago is plagued with gun violence, and many of the guns in that violence are purchased through illegal sales like the ones Griggs orchestrated,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The nature and circumstances of the offense – not only possessing, but trafficking in firearms – are incredibly serious.”
Evidence at trial revealed that in eight separate meetings in the summer of 2011, Griggs personally sold ten firearms and one bulletproof vest to the cooperating informant. Griggs also arranged and facilitated the sale of the eleventh weapon, although he wasn’t present for the sale.
The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffery Magee, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The government is represented by Ms. Krull and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
Caseyville Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on January 12, 2016, Anthony M. Allen, 35, of Caseyville, Illinois, was sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon. Allen was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months of home detention, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $150 fine and a $100 special assessment. Allen, who has been detained since November 16, 2015, also agreed to forfeit the illegal firearm that he possessed.
Court proceedings revealed that Allen, a previously convicted felon, was pulled over by Collinsville police officers for erratic driving on January 7, 2015. After Allen was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, police found a firearm and ammunition in his vehicle. The investigation was conducted by the Collinsville Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
Carl Junction Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Carl Junction, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Steven Ray Cottle, Jr., 35, of Carl Junction, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Law enforcement agents were conducting an undercover investigation in December 2013 and identified Cottle’s computer as receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet through a peer-to-peer file-sharing program. When agents executed a search warrant at his residence on Feb. 13, 2014, Cottle attempted to hide his laptop computer and two thumb drives by placing them above the ceiling tiles in his bedroom before he came downstairs to talk to law enforcement officers. Investigators discovered images and videos of child pornography on the laptop and thumb drives.
Under federal statutes, Cottle is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Canton man charged with robbing three banksRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Cortez K.D. Williams, 24, of Canton, with bank robbery, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Williams is charged robbing the Huntington National Bank at 230 West Cedar Street in Ravenna, on March 27, 2015. Williams is charged with robbign the same Huntington National Bank branch on September 23. He is also charged with robbintg the Huntington National Bank at 1045 Trump Road in Carrollton.
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 records, 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 investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr.
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.
Canadian Resident Pleads Guilty to Coercing Minor Girls Using the Internet and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Ontario man pleaded guilty today to multiple counts related to the sexual exploitation of two minor girls, including the unlawful coercion and enticement of the two girls, the production of child pornography, and the extortion of the girls using the Internet, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Office, and Chief Michael Patton of the West Bloomfield Police Department. Antonio P. Fontana, 58, of Pickering, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson. As part of the plea, Fontana admitted that, in October 2013, he began coercing and enticing a 15-year-old girl (“Victim 1”) into performing various sexual acts for him in front of an Internet webcam. Fontana first began communicating with the victim on the Internet website Omegle.com, where he was posing as a 16-year-old boy. Fontana recorded many, if not all, of the sexual acts that he forced Victim 1 to perform on an almost daily basis. Fontana threatened to post the recordings of Victim 1 on the Internet and to send them to her friends and family if she did not continue to perform sexual acts for him. When Victim 1 ultimately attempted to stop speaking to Fontana in late December 2013, Fontana continued to communicate with Victim 1 and her mother in an attempt to coerce Victim 1 into continuing to communicate. At various times in January and February, 2014, Fontana followed through with his threats, sending sexually explicit images of Victim 1 to Victim 1’s mother, her school and her church, including her friends, peers and church administrators. Fontana also engaged in a similar course of conduct, beginning in November, 2013, with a second minor victim (“Victim 2”), a 14 year-old girl. Both victims were located, at all relevant times, in the Eastern District of Michigan. As part of the plea, Fontana admitted that, in total, he victimized more than five girls. “The phenomenon of ‘sextortion,’ where child predators use the internet to extort children to pose for pictures and engage in sex acts online, is a growing problem,” McQuade said. “Predators entice young people to pose for compromising pictures, and then use shame to silence the victims from seeking help. Parents should warn their children that you never know who is on the other end of an internet conversation, and to never let shame prevent them from seeking help when they are in trouble.” "I am particularly pleased with the swift action from our agents, and from our Canadian law enforcement partners, that brought a quick resolution to this case," said David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Detroit Division. "We were notified on a Friday of the complaint against Mr. Fontana, and by the following Sunday he had been arrested. That speaks to the phenomenal teamwork that exists between the FBI and our partner organizations, even across international borders." Fontana has been detained since his arrest, and arrived in the United States following a lengthy extradition from Canada. According to the plea agreement, Fontana faces a prison sentence of at least fifteen years and up to life in prison. McQuade praised the work of the Special Agents of the FBI, the officers from the West Bloomfield Police Department and the detectives from the major crime unit of the Durham Regional Police Service, Ontario, Canada. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas Salzenstein and Matthew Roth.California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that, on Monday, Phillip Dixon, Jr., a/k/a “Cheddar,” 28, of Manteca, CA, was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Dixon pleaded guilty on April 16, 2015, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and conspiracy to launder money. As part of his plea, he further agreed to forfeit a 2009 Impala, a 2003 Land Rover, $3,400 in currency seized from a Wells Fargo account used to launder money, and $25,000 seized from a safe deposit box.
Dixon was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that sold drugs in Alaska, but whose members were for the most part from the Stockton, California area. The members of the conspiracy would take turns traveling between California and Alaska to sell their drugs and then would send their drug proceeds back to California via bank deposits and wire transfers.
The investigation revealed that the organization used firearms to enforce their drug trade and to protect their drug trafficking proceeds. During this investigation firearms were seized from members of this violent organization.
According to court documents, Dixon served a previous prison term for felony drug trafficking and related firearm offenses. Upon his release, he organized the current group, most of whom were from California. Many of the co-defendants Dixon recruited had no previous criminal history, but entered this conspiracy willingly. Between April 2012 and April 2013, Dixon’s criminal enterprise distributed methamphetamine and heroin throughout Alaska. The conspirators used some of the proceeds of the sale of the drugs to fund their transportation and other operating expenses of the organization.
Furthermore, Dixon conspired with the others to launder the proceeds of the drug sales in an attempt to conceal and disguise the nature, source, ownership, and control of the funds, and that they in fact laundered money in connection with transfers of money from Alaska to the Eastern District of California, knowing that the money represented the proceeds of drug sales. Dixon arranged for his co-defendants to use a series of bank accounts to move money made from the sale of heroin and methamphetamine. Proceeds were deposited in Alaska and withdrawn in California. In other instances, Dixon instructed members of the group to send drug sale proceeds via money orders.
Those others indicted and sentenced include:
- George Little, a/k/a “Nino,” 23, of Stockton, CA; 108 months in prison;
- Gloria Sarinana, 27, of Stockton, CA; five years of probation;
- Fausto Hernandez, a/k/a “Jimmy,” 31; of Stockton, CA; 18 months in prison;
- Shaquille Marquis Anderson, a/k/a “Calvin,” 23; of Stockton, CA; 18 months in prison;
- Justin Fisher, 28, of Stockton, CA; 12 months in prison;
- Kyle Wilson, 24, of Chugiak, Alaska; 11 months in prison;
- Marcos Diaz, 25, of Stockton, CA; 30 months in prison;
- Norris Drummond, Jr., 21, of Stockton, CA; 30 months in prison;
- Cesar Serna, 23, of Stockton, CA; 44 months in prison;
- Anthony Mixon, a/k/a “Ray,” 19, of Stockton, CA; 24 months in prison; and
- Harry Hawkins, III, a/k/a “Paulie,” 33, of Stockton, CA; 33 months in prison.
“Drug trafficking is a nasty business that erodes the safety of our community and destroys families and lives,” stated Special Agent in Charge Teri Alexander of IRS Criminal Investigation. “But we know the dealers responsible for this trail of tears don’t care about those repercussions; they’re only in it for the money, and that’s where we come in. IRS-CI is uniquely positioned to track down the money trail criminals like Dixon leave behind, and we are pleased to add our expertise to that of our law enforcement partners to bring this career offender to justice.”
This case was investigated and prosecuted under the purview of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is made up of personnel from the U.S. Attorney=s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue ServiceBCriminal Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security.
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Raul Matos, 49, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distributing heroin, was sentenced to six months home detention and five years probation by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who handled the case, stated that on three occasions in June and July 2014, the defendant sold heroin to an individual in Buffalo.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Adam S. Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Buffalo Division.
Brighton Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on January 12, 2016, Ryan Richard Duckett, 30, of Brighton, Illinois, was sentenced on the charge of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance. The U.S. District Court in Benton sentenced Duckett to 37 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The district court also ordered Duckett to pay a fine of $600.00 and a special assessment of $100.00.
Court records indicate that Duckett admitted on February 6, 2013, in Brighton, Illinois, Jersey County, that he possessed a GP WASR-10/63, 7.62 x 39 mm. caliber semi-automatic rifle, during a time that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances, namely cocaine and marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Coonan.
Belleville Woman Sentenced for Heroin and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney, James L. Porter, announced today that Fetara D. McCarter, 31, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment in United States District Court in East St. Louis on January 12, 2016, for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine.
McCarter pled guilty to the federal charge on September 2, 2015, and has been confined in federal custody since that date. At her change of plea hearing in September, McCarter admitted that she had distributed heroin in the Belleville, Illinois, are from February 2014 until her arrest on April 18, 2014.
The investigation which resulted in McCarter’s arrest and conviction was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Drug Tactical Unit (DTU).
This case was prosecuted by Robert L. Garrison.
Beulaville Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Raleigh – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announces that in federal court today Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever sentenced JOHN EDWARD RYAN, JR. 60, of Beulaville to 240 months imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On October 5, 2015, RYAN pled guilty to receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2).
According to public information, in July, 2014, an investigation was initiated relating to the distribution and receipt of child pornography through a peer-to-peer file sharing network. An Internet Protocol (IP) address was identified and as the investigation continued the subscriber assigned to the IP address was captured and identified as RYAN.
On September 3, 2014, a search warrant was executed at RYAN’S residence. An initial onsite preview revealed the presence of child pornography on RYAN’S computer. RYAN who was present at the time of the search, acknowledged receiving and possessing child pornography. Forensic examination of the defendant’s computer and media storage devices revealed approximately 2,415 images and 1,072 videos depicting child pornography. In December 2014, family members informed investigators that RYAN previously molested his adopted daughter and step-granddaughter and these facts were considered by the court during sentencing.
The criminal investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan A. Ontjes is handling the prosecution on behalf of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Attorney Who Stole $1.8 Million from Oxford Woman's Estate Sentenced to 45 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PETER M. CLARK, 58, of Woodbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 45 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $1.8 million from the estate of an Oxford woman who died in 2010.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miriam S. Strong of Oxford died on July 2, 2010. At the time of her death, Strong had a will, which left money, property and other items to a list of individuals, the Town of Oxford, the State of Connecticut and several religious and other charitable entities. The will also called for the creation of a scholarship fund for college-bound students from Oxford. CLARK drafted the will as Strong’s attorney and served as a witness to Strong’s execution of the will. The will named CLARK and another individual as co-executors. The investigation revealed that, during the course of the administration of the will, CLARK took more than $1.8 million from Strong’s estate for his own use.
CLARK will be ordered to make restitution to the Connecticut Client Security Fund, which has reimbursed Miriam Strong’s estate.
CLARK was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 21, 2015. On October 19, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
CLARK, who is released on a $500,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on February 24, 2016.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut State Police – Western District Major Crime Squad. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.