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13 January 2016
Three Indicted in Worcester Armory TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three individuals previously charged by complaint in connection with the theft of handguns and machineguns from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Worcester, Mass. were indicted today by a federal grand jury.
James W. Morales, 34, of Cambridge, was indicted for being a felon in possession of firearms, possession of a machinegun, possession of stolen weapons, theft of government property, and conspiracy to possess stolen weapons. Tyrone James, 28, and Ashley Bigsbee, 26, both of Dorchester, were indicted for possession of stolen weapons, conspiracy to possess stolen weapons, and making false statements to federal agents. James was also indicted on being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents it is alleged that, on Nov.14, 2015, Morales broke into the weapons vault at a U.S. Army Reserve Facility in Worcester, Mass. and stole six M-4 rifles and 10 Sig Sauer M11 9mm pistols. The rifles, which are capable of firing three round bursts, are machine guns under federal law. At the time of the robbery, Morales was wearing a state court mandated GPS device as a condition of his release on charges, including child rape, which are currently pending in Middlesex Superior Court.
According to court documents, DNA evidence left at the scene of the robbery and information from the GPS device allegedly placed Morales at the scene of the robbery. On Nov. 18, Morales was arrested in New York and found in possession of four of the stolen M-4 machineguns and two of the stolen M-11 handguns.
Subsequently the investigation began to focus on events that occurred on Page Street in Dorchester following the robbery. Electronic evidence, including evidence recovered from mobile phones belonging to James and Bigsbee, revealed that they had possessed the stolen weapons and negotiated to sell them. James and Bigsbee were both interviewed by federal agents and allegedly made false statements about their involvement with the stolen firearms. To date, all six of stolen the M-4 machineguns have been recovered and four of the ten M-11 handguns have been recovered.
The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, and possession of stolen weapons provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The charges of conspiracy to possess stolen weapons and making false statements to federal agents provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on each count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Daniel Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Gary Gemme of the Worcester Police Department; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department; and Commissioner Robert C. Haas of the Cambridge Police Department made the announcement today.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Grady and Cory Flashner of Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office.
Texas Man Detained on Charges of Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, a Palestinian born in Iraq, has been ordered into custody on charges contained in a three-count indictment alleging he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
He was charged in a sealed indictment returned Jan. 6, 2016. Today, the government presented testimony regarding the alleged crimes and evidence in support of his continued detention pending trial. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court found probable cause that he committed the crimes alleged and a flight risk. He further noted that there was no set of restrictions that could assure his appearance in court, noting that he nor his family has significant ties to the United States.
Al Hardan entered the United States as a refugee from Iraq on or about Nov. 2, 2009. He was granted legal permanent residence status on or about Aug. 22, 2011, and resides in Houston.
He is charged with one count each of attempting to provide material support to ISIL, procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully and making false statements.
The indictment alleges that Al Hardan attempted to provide material support and resources, including training, expert advice and assistance, and personnel – specifically himself – to a known foreign terrorist organization. According to the allegations, he also knowingly responded, certified and swore untruthfully on his formal application when applying to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. He allegedly represented that he was not associated with a terrorist organization when, in fact, he associated with members and sympathizers of ISIL throughout 2014, according to the charges. The indictment further alleges that during an interview in October 2015, Al Hardan falsely represented that he had never received any type of weapons training, when he allegedly received automatic machine gun training.
The charge of attempting to provide material support to terrorists carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charge of false citizenship procurement carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism). The charge of making false statements carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. If convicted, any potential sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal history, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and HSI with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Imperato is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Kashyap Patel of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Tax Charge Filed Against Bucks County ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Joseph White, 46, of Newtown, PA, was charged today by Information with attempted evasion of payment of tax, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the information, White willfully attempted to evade the full amount of income tax he owed for calendar years 2000 through 2011 by filing false information with the IRS and diverting money from his corporations for personal expenses.
If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine, a $100 special assessment, and up to two years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Floyd Miller.
An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes on State of the Union and Seattle Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O'Toole was a guest of First Lady Michelle Obama at last night's State of the Union address in recognition of the Seattle Police Department's reform efforts. Chief O'Toole then met with President Obama and the First Lady after the speech to discuss police reform. U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes issued the following statement:
"The White House has recognized the real and significant progress the Seattle Police Department has made in some of the most critical areas of law enforcement, like de-escalation and encounters with community members in crisis. Strong leadership from the Chief of Police, Mayor Murray and other City leaders, continued engagement and dedication by rank and file officers, and collaboration with community stakeholders, especially members of the Community Police Commission, have put Seattle on the path to being leaders in modern policing. And while the work of consent decree compliance continues, the commitment of the City of Seattle is clear. We ask a lot of police officers in Seattle and in communities across the country, and our experiences here show that providing clear guidance, effective training, and real supervision and accountability can increase public safety and strengthen bonds between police departments and the communities they serve."
Currently, as part of reform efforts, the Monitor and Department of Justice are conducting formal assessments to measure whether SPD is in initial compliance with requirements of the court-ordered consent decree. Information about the first five assessments can be found here and here.
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez today sentenced Ja’Moi Khadeem Corraspe, 23, to 48 months in prison for conspiracy to ship firearms with obliterated serial numbers, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Carlos A. Canino announced. Judge Gomez also sentenced Corraspe to serve three years of supervised release, 600 hours of community service and pay a $100 special ssessment.
On September 14, 2015, Corraspe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to ship firearms with obliterated serial numbers. According to the plea agreement filed with the court, between August 6, 2013, and October 7, 2013, Corraspe conspired with other individuals to mail two firearms with obliterated serial numbers from Jacksonville, Florida, to St. Thomas. Corraspe is not a federally licensed firearm dealer and is not authorized to possess the firearm in the Virgin Islands.
This case was investigated by ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez today sentenced Lued Browne, 44, to 42 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Carlos A. Canino announced. Judge Gomez also sentenced Browne to serve three years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service and pay a $100 special assessment.
On September 14, 2015, Browne pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on May 22, 2015, Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) officers responded to a report that a vehicle was blocking the exit at the Antilles School. Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed Browne, the sole occupant of the vehicle, sitting in the driver’s seat. The officer also observed a firearm between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle. The firearm was recovered. Browne is a convicted felon and cannot legally possess a firearm in the Virgin Islands. Browne was previously convicted of armed bank robbery and use or possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in the Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Division, in 1992.
This case was investigated by ATF and the VIPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.St. Cloud State University Professor Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Elephant Ivory and Rhinoceros HornRead the Press Release
Andrew M. Luger, United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota and Ed Grace, Deputy Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced that today in federal court a St. Cloud State University Professor pleaded guilty to smuggling elephant ivory and to illegally exporting rhinoceros horns from the United States in violation of the Lacey Act. Under the Lacey Act, it is unlawful to import, export, transport, sell or purchase wildlife, fish or plants that were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of a state, federal or foreign law. When it was passed in 1900, the Lacey Act became the first federal law protecting wildlife.
YIWEI ZHENG, A/K/A STEVE ZHENG, 43, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to knowingly and fraudulently smuggling elephant ivory out of the United States on April 30, 2011, to a recipient in Shanghai, China, contrary to U.S. smuggling statutes. ZHENG also pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act by knowingly exporting two rhinoceros horns from the U.S. between July 25, 2010 and July 27, 2010, with knowledge that the two rhinoceros horns were transported and sold in violation of the laws and regulations of the United States, including the Endangered Species Act.
In addition to his employment as a Professor of Philosophy at St. Cloud State University, ZHENG operated an online business known as Crouching Dragon Antiques. As part of this business, ZHENG offered for sale and sold a variety of items, including items made of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn.
As alleged in court filings and admitted to during the plea hearing today, on May 5, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the International Mail Facility in Chicago, Illinois identified a parcel being exported from the United States and destined for an individual in Shanghai, China. The shipper was identified as YIWEI ZHENG, a Professor at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife inspector determined the package contained a number of elephant ivory carvings. The accompanying Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note completed by the shipper described the contents as “Chinese artifact: Desk Decorative item” with a declared value of $35.00. Additionally, the ivory contained within the shipment had not been declared to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service upon export nor had ZHENG obtained any Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permits for the ivory being exported as required.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents determined through investigation that ZHENG purchased the elephant ivory items found in the intercepted shipment through the online auction site eBay and that the value of those items was actually $6,961.41 rather than the $35.00 ZHENG declared on the exported shipment. During the course of the investigation, agents also documented that ZHENG purchased two rhinoceros horns from an individual in Florida for more than $20,000 and subsequently smuggled the two rhinoceros horns out of the United States to China where they were ultimately sold at auction for approximately $68,000. At the time, ZHENG knew that all rhinoceros species were protected under CITES and were listed as endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ZHENG further knew that the ESA made it unlawful to import or export any endangered wildlife species.
In total, agents documented that ZHENG smuggled into and out of the United States and sold in China and elsewhere, elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn and products with a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000. Pursuant to the plea agreement presented in U.S. District Court earlier today, ZHENG agreed that the fair market value of the illegal wildlife documented in his case was between $550,000 and $1,500,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino stated “the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the environment and natural resources by prosecuting those individuals who violate our federal laws. Cases like this are important to curb the market for rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory to help ensure the survival of those species across the globe.”
“This is another significant case which documents the extent of global wildlife trafficking and the pressure it places on the world’s most rare and endangered animals,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Assistant Director for Law Enforcement Ed Grace. “These types of investigations remain the top priority for us as we carry out the President’s National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking,” continued Grace.
ZHENG faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment and a criminal fine of up to $500,000. The defendant will be sentenced on May 9, 2016 in Minneapolis before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Spartanburg Man Pleads Guilty in Human Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ----- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Dylan L. Patterson, age 19, of Spartanburg, pled guilty today in federal court in Greenville, to a conspiracy to traffic in children by force for the purposes of prostitution in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c). United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Greenville, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Patterson is the fifth man to plead guilty in the conspiracy. Previously on December 17, 2015, Brandon L. Littlejohn, age 26, D’Shawn C. Pitts, age 19, Michael G. Riddle, age 20, and John A. Gossett, III, age, 22, all of Spartanburg, pled guilty to the conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that the defendants recruited minor victims and young women to work for them. They then instructed and supervised the minor victims and young women on how to solicit and charge for commercial sex acts. The indictment also states that the conspirators “would and did physically beat or threaten to physically beat the minor victims and young women to scare and control them.”
According to evidence presented at the change of plea hearing, the conspiracy operated in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Virginia, and other cities in the Southeastern states. It was further part of the conspiracy that the Defendants obtained hotel rooms for the women to work from. Defendants placed advertisements, or assisted in the placing of advertisements, on the internet using backpage.com to advertise the young women for commercial sex acts.
Once a John answered the ad and arranged to meet the minor female or young women at the hotel, Defendants would wait in an adjoining hotel room until the John arrived, paid the money, and completed the sex act with the minor female or young girl. Once the John left the room, Defendants would enter and retrieve the money.
Mr. Nettles said that his office “would continue to diligently fight human trafficking because such crimes impose a great personal and psychological toll on the victims and society as a whole.”
The maximum penalty Patterson and the others could face is life imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000, and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Investigations, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office for prosecution.
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South Charleston woman pleads guilty to Federal methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Jonda Grandoni, 52, admitted that on October 12, 2012, she arranged to have a package containing methamphetamine shipped via FedEx to an individual who would then deliver the package to her for distribution. Law enforcement intercepted the package before it was delivered and found that it contained 11.5 grams of methamphetamine. Officers then set up a controlled delivery of the package to Grandoni, who accepted the package and was arrested. In addition to the methamphetamine recovered on October 12, 2012, Grandoni admitted that she was responsible for the distribution of over 520 grams of additional methamphetamine.
Grandoni faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced on April 13, 2016.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is in charge of the prosecution. The hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Seventeen Charged in Drug Trafficking Ring that Operated from Inside Georgia State Correctional FacilitiesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Three current Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC) inmates and fourteen others have been charged federally for their roles in a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy operating from within prison walls. Using contraband cellular telephones inside of prison, and employing a network of brokers, distributers, and runners outside of prison, GDOC inmates controlled and managed the distribution of illegal narcotics throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area and the southeast region of the United States.
“Once again, inmates have gained access to contraband cellular telephones and used them to organize and manage an extensive criminal enterprise from inside prison,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “This indictment alleges that these inmates capitalized on their near unfettered access to cell phones to not only continue their criminal activities, but to direct the criminal activities of others outside of prison. It makes no sense that, where prison is supposed to remove criminals from our community and rehabilitate them, the inmates continue to victimize society from behind prison bars.”
“This case clearly illustrates the growing problems stemming from cell phones within prison walls and in the hands of unrepentant inmates determined to further inflict harm on individual victims or the general public with their continued criminal activity. Prisons should serve as a deterrent for those on both sides of its walls but cell phones, smart phones, or other such available contact with the outside world gives those individuals the unmitigated opportunity to conduct these criminal enterprises in a manner that is difficult at best for law enforcement to detect and neutralize and costly in terms of resources and manpower at worst,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the indictment, and other information presented in court: The indictment alleges that GDOC prison inmates across several prisons conducted a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy by leading, directing, and managing a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy and the activities of brokers, distributers, and runners outside of prison via the use of contraband cellular telephones. The cellular telephones were often equipped with touch screens and internet access that enabled prisoners to coordinate drug transactions. Further, on numerous occasions, multiple cellular telephones were used simultaneously to communicate with the larger network of drug suppliers, distributers, and couriers using voice calls, text messages, and WhatsApp Messenger to coordinate illegal drug transactions.
The following individuals have been indicted, and many of the defendants made their initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker:
The GDOC inmates who were charged are:
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Francisco Palacios Baras, a/k/a “Chapparro,” a/k/a “Shorty,” a/k/a “Kiko,” 36, an inmate at Hancock State Prison in Sparta, Georgia.Palacios Baras has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine and eleven counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Johnathan Corey McLoon, a/k/a “Drop,” 30, an inmate at Valdosta State Prison in Valdosta, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Christopher Wayne Hildebrand, 33, an inmate at Costal Transition Center in Savannah, Georgia has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
While they were inmates at Hancock State Prison, Valdosta State Prison and Costal Transition Center, Palacious, McLoon and Hildebrand allegedly obtained contraband cellular telephones and used them to lead and manage an extensive drug trafficking network responsible for the trafficking in crystal methamphetamine in the Atlanta and elsewhere.
A paroled GDOC inmate who was charged, and who allegedly participated in the drug trafficking network outside of prison is:
Ruben Antonio Ruiz, a/k/a “Scrapy,” a/k/a “Flaco,” 36, of Gainesville, Georgia.Ruiz has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
The other individuals who were charged and participated in the drug trafficking network outside of prison are:
- Salvador Pineda Melendez, a/k/a “Tomas Pineda Medoza,” 30, of Marietta, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Olga Veronica Ramirez Reyes, 27, of Marietta, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and five counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Gustavo Adolfo Ramirez Reyes, a/k/a “Primo,” 24, of Marietta, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and three counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Jose Rolando Ramos Remez, 25, of Gainesville, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
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Yony Israel Yanes Padilla, 26, of Gainesville, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
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Troy Oneal Watkins, 46, of Roswell, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Gregory Landon Smith, 55, of Plainville, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Robert Lynn White, 55, of Silver Creek, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Billy Joe Foster, 35, of Tennessee, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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George Travis Roach, 36, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Melissa Leann Waters, 30, of Tennessee, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Charles Randall Warthen, 52, of Mableton, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least five grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
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Walter Alvarado Lopez, a/k/a “Andy,” 28, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least five grams of actual methamphetamine, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Tasheika Hinson is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Saugus Store Owner and Brother Charged with Trafficking in Counterfeit iPhone ComponentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Peabody men were charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with trafficking in counterfeit iPhone components at Accessory Unlimited, a store in Square One Mall in Saugus.
Micky Punjabi, 36, and his brother Hitesh Punjabi, 33, of Peabody, were charged with conspiring to traffick in counterfeit goods, specifically iPhone components that bore Apple trademarks but were not genuine Apple products. Micky Punjabi, who owned the store, was also charged with trafficking in the counterfeit Apple components.
According to court documents, from approximately December 2010 to February 2015, the Punjabis sold counterfeit Apple merchandise at Accessory Unlimited. Micky Punjabi also repaired genuine iPhones using counterfeit components allegedly purchased from sources outside the United States and from a supplier within the United States. Micky Punjabi knew that the goods he was selling were counterfeit, but sold and attempted to sell thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
The charge of conspiring to traffick in counterfeit goods provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in counterfeit goods provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $2 million. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of Ortiz’s Cybercrime Unit.
The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Francisco Resident Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Charlyne Basada, also known as Charlyne Melendres, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and identity theft announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Jean Ackerman, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. In connection with the plea agreement, Basada acknowledged her role in a scheme to defraud four employers collectively of more than a million dollars.
According to the plea agreement, Basada, 38, of San Francisco, acknowledged she fraudulently made payments to herself from her former employers’ checking accounts. Basada worked as a bookkeeper or office manager for four companies from 2011 through 2015. In her position at each company, she obtained access to the payment systems of each former employer. Basada admitted she devised and executed a scheme to defraud each of her former employers by using the corporate payment systems to initiate fraudulent payments to herself. In so doing, she created the false appearance that she was entitled to funds for wages, reimbursements and other payments. Basada also prepared checks that were intended to pay personal vendors of one of her former employers. Her employer signed these checks believing that they would be paid to vendors. However, Basada fraudulently completed the payee portion of the check to “cash” and deposited the checks into her own personal bank account.
Basada admitted that the total loss to all four employers from her scheme was $1,085,918.90 and that she abused a position of trust at each employer. Further, Basada acknowledged that she made some repayments to some of her former employers, but the total amount still owed to her former employers is $1,063,975.78.
Basada was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 11, 2015, and was charged with twelve counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344; four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1). Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Basada pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The maximum statutory penalty for bank fraud is 30 years’ imprisonment and $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The maximum statutory penalty for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years of imprisonment in addition to any sentence imposed. Additional periods of supervised release, fines, and special assessments also could be imposed. However, any sentence following conviction would 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. As part of her plea agreement, Basada agreed that the Court may order her to pay restitution in the amount $1,063,975.78.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kingsley is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Meegan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the San Francisco Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.
San Antonio Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, 51-year-old Edward Mesquiti was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for bank robbery announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ordered that Mesquiti be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On February 27, 2014, Mesquiti, along with his co-defendant, Jacob Sanchez, age 40, robbed BBVA Compass Bank located on Goliad Road in San Antonio, TX. According to court records, Sanchez entered the bank with a mask on his face, pulled out a gun, racked it, and pointed the gun at a bank employee while instructing the employee to “get all the money,” and put it in a bag Sanchez provided. Sanchez fled in a white Tahoe driven by Mesquiti.
San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) responded to the robbery and with the assistance of an SAPD helicopter, officers were able to track the Tahoe and pull the vehicle over. Officers arrested Sanchez but Mesquiti drove off, ramming the Tahoe into a police cruiser. Mesquiti eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. SAPD officers apprehended Mesquiti a short time later. Testimony at trial revealed that two SAPD officers were injured in the course of Mesquiti’s flight. Mesquiti was on parole for a Bexar County robbery conviction at the time of his arrest for the BBVA Compass Bank robbery.
On May 20, 2015, Sanchez pled guilty to one count of bank robbery and was sentenced on September 23, 2015, to 84 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release after the completion of his sentence.
On July 7, 2015, Mesquiti was found guilty by a jury of one count of bank robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation together with the San Antonio Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wannarka prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Rochester Man Sentenced on Sex Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Otis Willis, Jr., 33, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor was sentenced to time served (24 months) by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany H. Lee and Bradley Tyler, who handled the case, stated that between January 2012 and August 2012, the defendant conspired with Tiffany St. Denis to entice a female victim under the age of 18 to engage in commercial sex acts. Specifically, St. Denis posted ads for the female victim to engage in prostitution and Willis paid for hotel rooms at a Red Roof Inn.
Tiffany St. Denis was convicted and sentenced to 41 months in prison.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations.
Raceland Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JAMIE PLAISANCE, age 38, of Raceland, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment charging him with possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced PLAISANCE to 121 months imprisonment, followed by a life term of supervised release, and ordered that he continue to register as a sex offender.
On March 16, 2015, special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations arrested PLAISANCE during the execution of a federal search warrant at his Raceland home. Agents found PLAISANCE in possession of several items, including an Apple I-Touch and cellular phones that contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children. PLAISANCE appeared in federal court on March 17, 2015, and was detained by a United States Magistrate Judge. PLAISANCE pled guilty to the Indictment on August 19, 2015.
According to court records, in 2006, PLAISANCE was sentenced in federal court to 37 months imprisonment for possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
"Child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes HSI investigates as it steals the innocence of children and leaves lasting scars on victims," said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans. "Criminals who possess child pornography further victimize the innocent by sharing the evidence of these terrible crimes, and as such these cases will continue to be one of the agency's highest priorities."
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."
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI in investigating this matter. Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Unit Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba was in charge of the prosecution.
Palm Beach County Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Ronnie Razz, a resident of West Palm Beach, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra, following his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g) and 924(e).
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, David Aronberg, State Attorney, Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, Carlos A. Canino, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), made the announcement.
According to court records, a stolen firearm was recovered after Razz fled from law enforcement in early January 2015. Razz was arrested later that month pursuant to a warrant. During the subsequent search of the residence in which Razz was arrested, law enforcement discovered a second stolen firearm and a controlled substance (“Flakka”). A forensic analysis identified the defendant’s DNA on the firearm and narcotics discovered in the residence. On September 30, 2015, Razz pled guilty to possession of both recovered firearms. Razz, was previously convicted of state felony offenses, including robbery with a weapon, aggravated battery and sale of cocaine within 1000 feet of a place of worship or convenience business.
This case is, in large part, the result of the Project Safe Neighborhood Partnership, launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Through this Partnership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks in various neighborhoods, while simultaneously working with community leaders and concerned citizens to mentor at-risk youth, provide job training and family services, and help individuals who have completed their federal and state prison sentences to successfully re-enter society.
Mr. Ferrer and Mr. Aronberg commended the investigative efforts of the ATF and PBSO. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller from the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Operation Green Giant: Two Muskogee Men Sentenced to 132 Months, 120 Months for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
"OPERATION GREEN GIANT"
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that KEVIN BERNARD GREEN, age 35, and ELIJAH ALFRED MAYES, JR., age 35, both of Muskogee, Oklahoma were sentenced in federal court.
GREEN was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) and MAYES, JR., was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Indictment alleged that the defendants coordinated and orchestrated the transportation of cocaine from source locations to the Eastern District of Oklahoma and used telephones, cellular and otherwise, to conduct and carry out the organization’s objectives.
The charges arose from a joint investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Muskogee Police Department, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshal Service.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearings. The defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which they will serve their nonparoleable sentences.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on January 13, 2016, Senior United States District Court Judge Lyle E. Strom sentenced Myron Plummer of Omaha, Nebraska, age 52, to a 4 year term of imprisonment, following his conviction for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. After his release from prison, Plummer will begin a term of supervised release of 3 years. Additionally, Plummer was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $196,000.00 to the victims of his fraudulent scheme.
During the period of March 1, 2011 through December 3, 2014, the Defendant conducted a telemarketing scheme to defraud mostly elderly individuals who had previously lost money to fraudulent telemarketers who were selling them bogus timeshares and/or precious metals.
Plummer, doing business as FCR Global LLC, would “reload” victims, (that is, re-contact individuals that he learned had been previously defrauded), and tell them that for an upfront advance fee, he would be able to recover the monies they had lost and in turn would be able to resell their timeshares for them to recoup their losses. Plummer convinced approximately 17 individuals to send him via Western Union, Money Gram, Bank Wire, or through the U.S. Mail, approximately $196,000.00 on the promise that he would recover the losses incurred by the victims from prior fraudsters. Plummer had also advised these individuals that if he could not recover the lost funds from the prior frauds, he would return his advance fees to them. In fact, he did not recover any of the victims’ monies and used the monies for his own personal use . Plummer, rather than helping the victims, in fact, victimized them once again and used monies that he received for the advance fees for his own personal use, the majority of the funds being used to underwrite a significant drug habit he had during the period of the fraud.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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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