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5 October 2015
South Florida Artist Sentenced to Five Years in $4 Million Counterfeit Currency ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jean Phineas Losier (41, Wellington) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to deal in counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. A federal jury in Jacksonville convicted him in June 2015. Losier also faces counterfeit manufacturing charges in the Southern District of Florida.
According to trial testimony and court documents, Losier began manufacturing a specific United States counterfeit note (designated by the United States Secret Service as D23548 and D23548A) in 2008. Over the ensuing years, he engaged in a business relationship with co-defendant Mercury Thompson, and others, to sell and pass the counterfeit $100 and $50 notes.
On January 14, 2014, Secret Service agents executed search warrants at a Wellington apartment where Losier had manufactured the notes. The agents seized manufacturing devices and also located bleached genuine $1 Federal Reserve notes, chemicals and chemical residue, as well as other indicators of high volume bleaching. Detailed molds and templates, reflecting the image of genuine United States security watermarks, were located inside the residence. Losier, an artist, had etched the watermark molds.
Forensic analyses of the seized electronic media and counterfeit notes revealed Losier’s detailed manufacturing process, including images of the notes at virtually every stage of the manufacturing process. Investigators were able to forensically match the electronic devices to counterfeit $100 bills seized at various stores in the Jacksonville area during April and May 2010. The forensic comparison of the images also matched $4,200 of counterfeit $100 notes seized from a rental vehicle in which Thompson had been present on July 12, 2012, and $10,000 in $100 counterfeit notes that another individual had purchased from Losier on January 10, 2014.
According to Secret Service forensic examiners, the value of the known counterfeit notes (D23548 and D23548A) passed in the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida since late 2008 is more than $3.5 million. The known amount passed worldwide exceeds $4.3 million. After Losier’s arrest on January 14, 2014, the passing of these designated counterfeit notes ceased almost entirely.
Mercury Thompson (39, Delray Beach) pleaded guilty on May 8, 2015, and was later sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Delray Beach Police Department, the Boynton Beach Police Department, and the Boca Raton Police Department. The United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida participated in this investigation and prosecution. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Coolican and A. Tysen Duva prosecuted the Middle District of Florida case.
Settlement Reached with Montgomery County Hospital over Alleged Violations of Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – The United States has reached a settlement with Mercy Suburban Hospital (“Mercy”), in East Norriton, PA, to resolve alleged violations of title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) for refusal to treat an HIV-positive patient at one of its facilities, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
According to the United States' allegations, in 2013, an HIV-positive patient was turned away from a Mercy bariatric facility without evaluation or treatment because the patient was HIV-positive. Under title III of the ADA, no person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation may discriminate against an individual on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation.
As a result of the United States’ investigation, Mercy has agreed to pay Complainant $20,000 and to pay the United States a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000. In addition, Mercy has agreed to implement a non-discrimination policy, advertise that policy, and adequately train employees and contractors regarding the policy. The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability, and Mercy denies any such liability.
This matter was based upon a Complaint filed with the United States Department of Justice by the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero.
Settlement Agreement Reached to Aid in Access for DisabledRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on October 5, 2015, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds and Expo Center have entered into a Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement was reached after the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice investigated a complaint alleging Belle-Clair failed to remove barriers that prohibited persons with disabilities from participating in Grandstand activities.
Belle-Clair is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities receive the full and equal enjoyment of its goods and services, as required by Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In accordance with the Settlement Agreement, Belle-Clair agrees to undertake specific barrier removal throughout the Grandstand by September 30, 2017. Additionally, Belle-Clair will provide written notification to all vendors, lessees, and security staff that when the facility is open to the public, accessible parking spaces are available only to those vehicles with state-issued accessible vehicle tags, plates, or decals.
Persons who believe they have been excluded from participation in or been denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or been subjected to discrimination by any such entity due to their disability, or by certain private entities open to the public, may file a complaint, nationwide, online at www.ADA.gov or, within the Southern District of Illinois, by contacting the United States Attorney’s Office at 9 Executive Drive Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208.
Sentences Imposed in Marion Drug CasesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on September 24, 2015, sentences were imposed in a case involving the distribution of substantial amounts of marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Marion, Alabama. The small rural community had been the focus of a three-year federal investigation into drug trafficking, gun violence and money laundering involving numerous state and federal agencies.
At the sentencing hearings, Judge Kristi K. Dubose received stipulations from all the defendants that at least 1,000 kilograms (more than 1 ton) of marijuana was distributed through the conspiracy.
The defendants were Van Tubbs, 49, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Skylark Russell, 46, of Centreville, Alabama; Anthony Dewayne White, 39, of Marion; Kelvin Greene, 39, of Marion, Anthony Davis, 39, of Grove Hill, Alabama; and Shanda Tutt, 37, of Marion. All the defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Russell and Tubbs also pled guilty to conspiring to launder drug proceeds. Judge Dubose imposed the following sentences:
Van Tubbs was sentenced to 180 months in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
Kelvin Greene was sentenced to 60 months in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
Anthony Davis was sentenced to 54 months in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
Skylark Russell was sentenced to 36 months in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
Anthony White was sentenced to 48 months in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
Shanda Tutt was sentenced to 366 days in prison, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
No fines were imposed in any of the cases.
The federal prosecution resulted through the participation of the following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 4th Judicial Circuit Task Force, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, United States Secret Service, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Schuele Boys Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Distributing Drugs Out of Variety StoreRead 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 Robert Brown, aka Pee Wee, 52, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.“From time to time, residents of certain neighborhoods have reported their concerns about corner stores being a front for crime,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. As this case demonstrates, law enforcement welcomes such information, and is committed to closing those locations which are engaged in illegal activities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Burgasser, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2013 and July 23, 2014, the defendant bought quantities of cocaine from co-defendant Damario James. Brown then re-distributed the cocaine from his residence in Buffalo as well as from his store “Pee Wee’s Variety Store.”
The Schuele Boys Gang, which operated in the Schuele Street area of the East Side of Buffalo, is believed to be responsible for multiple acts of violence and the distribution of illegal narcotics including cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana.
Brown is one of 28 Schuele Boys Gang members and associates arrested in this case. To date, 13 of the defendants have been convicted.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force which includes representatives of the Amherst Police Department; the Buffalo Police Department; U.S. Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Cheektowaga Police Department; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department; the Hamburg Police Department; the Lancaster Police Department; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police; the New York State Department of Correctional Services; the New York State Police; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. Additional assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the United States Marshal Service, the Lackawanna Police Department, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department.
Brown will be sentenced on January 21, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Retirement Training for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the NMIRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco, Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that the staff from the Guam and Saipan offices received Retirement Planning Training conducted by Elizabeth “Irene” Meader. Ms. Meader is employed by Government Retirement and Benefits, Inc. and is from North Carolina. Prior to her employment with Government Retirement and Benefits, Inc., she worked at and retired from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The training was held at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Guam on July 8, 2015.
The Retirement Planning Training topics included: Eligibility for Retirement; Determining High-3; Computation of Annuity; Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Annuity Supplement; Disability Benefits; Survivor Benefits; Creditable Service; Deposits/Redeposits; Military Service Deposits; Voluntary Contributions; Cost-of-Living Adjustments; Application for Retirement; Processing your Retirement; Withholdings and Taxation; Social Security; Medicare; Thrift Savings Plan; Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance; Federal Employees Health Benefits; Federal Employees Dental/Vision Program; Long Term Care Insurance; and Flexible Spending Accounts.
The training was very well-received and the staff expressed their appreciation to Ms. Meader for her presentation and professionalism.
Professional Development Training for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the NMIRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco, Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that the staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office received professional development training conducted by Robin M. Fields, Assistant General Counsel, Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) General Counsel’s Office, Washington, D.C; Avery Bakeley, Deputy Assistant Director, EOUSA Equal Employment Opportunity Staff, Washington, D.C.; and Angela Groce, Counselor, EOUSA Employee Assistance Program from the National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina. The training was held at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Guam from January 28 to 30, 2015.
The professional development topics included: “Developing Effective Communication Styles,” “Social Styles,” “Conflict Resolution,” “Social Media,” “Management Training,” “Mental Health in the Legal Profession/Managing Stress and Grief,” and “Emotional Intelligence.”
The participants, who included management, litigation and administrative staff, enjoyed team-building exercises and learned about fostering an effective and rewarding work place, working with different personality styles, stress management, and ethics in social media. The training finished with an island-style fiesta catered by the staff to share with the trainers the traditional foods of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Seated from left to right are Angela Groce, Robin Fields, U.S.
Attorney Alicia Limtiaco and Avery Bakeley surrounded by the staff from both districts
Nicole Benjamin, Roxanne Ferrer and Jackie Emmanuel enjoying the fiesta spread prepared by the employees for the trainers in appreciation
Management team with the trainers, left to right, AO Ed Talato, Criminal Chief Marivic David, Trainer Robin Fields, Trainer Angela
Groce, Trainer Avery Blakeley, U.S. Attorney Alicia Limtiaco, Criminal Chief Mikel Schwab, Special Counsel to U.S. Attorney
Jessica CruzPilot of Plane Loaded with Marijuana Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Denver man who flew a plane loaded with marijuana into an airport in Iola, Kan., was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison followed by a year on supervised release, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration administratively forfeited his plane, more than $450,000 in cash and two cars.
Kenneth E. Weaver, 59, Denver, Colo., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In his plea, he admitted that on July 11, 2014, he flew his plane into the Iola airport carrying 207 pounds of medical grade marijuana.
The Drug Enforcement Administration administratively forfeited his plane (a 1979 Israel Aircraft Industries Model 1124 jet) $457,580 in cash, a 2007 Bentley Continental auto, and a 2010 BMW X auto.
Grissom commended the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.
Pharr Woman Sentenced in Liquid Silicone Injection CaseRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Maribel Quintero, 39, has been ordered to federal prison following her guilty plea of violating the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Quintero, of Pharr, pleaded guilty May 29, 2105.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane took into consideration Quintero’s criminal history and handed her a total sentence of 16 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Additional information was also presented today, including testimony from a woman who was hospitalized after receiving the liquid silicone injections Quintero administered. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane ordered that Quintero pay $15,760 in restitution to the victim who testified in regards to her injuries and medical treatment.
“The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) laws are designed to protect the public health by ensuring, among other things, that medical devices are safe and effective for their intended uses. The medical device here, liquid silicone, failed to meet the standards set by those laws and thus posed a safety risk to U.S. consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Catherine A. Hermsen, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to focus our resources on removing such risks and protecting the public’s health.”
Quintero admitted administering injections of liquid silicone into individuals who wanted to enhance the structure of their buttocks. These injections were not approved by the FDA. Quintero also falsely represented to customers to whom she administered the liquid silicone that they were safe when, in fact, they were not.
On Sept. 9, 2014, she possessed an adulterated device - liquid silicone - and was about to use it on a male customer. She admitted that she intended to mislead him by not disclosing that she had knowledge of previous complications due to the use of the liquid silicone.
The investigation into this case began in August 2014 after law enforcement received information that Quintero was involved with providing liquid silicone to women to effect the structure and function of their bodies.
Quintero 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 the FDA - Office of Criminal Investigations, FDA - Forensic Chemistry Center, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Alex Benavides are prosecuting the case
Palm Beach County Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for his Role in Massive Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Benoit Placide, a/k/a “Snow,” a/k/a “Mario,” 26, of West Palm Beach, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay joint and several restitution in the amount of $742,955 for his role in a massive identity theft tax refund fraud scheme.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office, and Amos Rojas, Jr., United States Marshals, United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force, made the announcement.
After a ten day trial, Placide and co-defendant Lukner Blanc, 31, of Royal Palm Beach, were each convicted of conspiracy to receive, conceal or retain monies stolen from the United States, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Blanc was also convicted of receiving, concealing and retaining monies stolen from the United States. The defendants were remanded into custody, following their conviction. Blanc is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley.
At trial, the government presented evidence that the federal investigation began with the arrest of Blanc, on October 29, 2012, for an unrelated state crime. Agents recovered four bank debit cards out of Blanc’s pants pocket, all in the names of other persons. While incarcerated in the state case, Blanc made recorded calls from the Palm Beach County Jail. Based on information obtained during the course of the monitored and recorded jail calls, law enforcement officials obtained a state search warrant for the residence of co-conspirator Jean Juste, a/k/a “Junior,” a/k/a “Shorty,” 24, of West Palm Beach. Inside Juste’s residence, agents discovered items used to facilitate identity theft crimes, including computers, more than sixty-nine Western Union debit cards, lists of employers, and the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of various individuals. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that Blanc and Juste were associates in the identity theft fraud scheme, alongside co-conspirator Placide.
During the course of the identity theft fraud scheme investigation federal agents obtained additional warrants to search the computers recovered from Juste’s residence. Forensic examinations of the computers revealed that more than 1,000 fraudulent federal personal income tax returns had been filed using the operating system. The returns were submitted over the internet to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) using TaxHawk.com and TurboTax. The actual taxpayers had filed or authorized the filing of the fraudulent income tax returns. Co-conspirators of the fraud scheme opened bank accounts in Florida, in order receive the fraudulently obtained federal income tax refunds.
The co-conspirators attempted to obtain more than $1,200,000 in unauthorized income tax refunds. The co-conspirators received more than $700,000 in fraudulent tax refund payments, which were sent to bank accounts and pre-paid debit cards they controlled. After the fraudulent refunds were sent by wire transfer to the bank accounts and debit cards, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the funds at automatic teller machines (ATMs) and point of sale electronic terminals at various retail establishments.
Co-conspirator Jean Juste previously pled guilty to conspiracy, theft of government funds, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On February 17, 2015, Juste was sentenced to 84 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $668,947 for his participation in the conspiracy.
Co-conspirator Shelda Phadael, 28, of Lake Worth, previously pled guilty to conspiracy and theft of government funds. On May 29, 2015, Phadel was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,327.
Co-Conspirators Marie Claude, 25, of Lantana, and Marie Demesyeux, 29, of Lake Worth, previously pled guilty. On April 16, 2015, both defendants were sentenced to time served.
Co-conspirator Frank Fleuzinord, 29, of Cape Coral, is a fugitive.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, the United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Carlton.
Otero County Resolution Authorizing Removal of Trees from Lincoln National Forest Declared Unconstitutional by Federal CourtRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico has ruled that an Otero County resolution permitting the removal of trees from the Lincoln National Forest is unconstitutional because it violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The court’s order also invalidated the New Mexico state statute upon which the Otero County resolution relied because it too violated the Supremacy Clause.
The lawsuit was filed in Feb. 2012, by the Justice Department on behalf of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, against the State of New Mexico and the Otero County Commission. At issue in the lawsuit was the alleged authority of the State and Otero County to assert control over federal lands without the consent of the federal government.
The state statute (N.M.S.A. § 4-36-11) was enacted in 2001 and purported to authorize counties to clear undergrowth and trees on National Forest System lands without the consent of the Forest Service. In May 2011, the Otero County Commission passed the resolution claiming power to remove alleged fire hazards from federal lands within the County without first complying with federal law. The County also announced plans to cut and remove trees from more than 60,000 acres of lands on the Lincoln National Forest, without approval from the Forest Service.
The lawsuit sought an order declaring that the New Mexico statute and Otero County resolution were preempted by federal law and thus were unconstitutional. The court held that Congress possesses the sole authority to control federal lands under the U.S. Constitution’s Property Clause. The court went on to find that the Otero County resolution and New Mexico statute are in “direct conflict” with federal law, including Forest Service regulations prohibiting the cutting and removal of trees on National Forest lands without Forest Service authorization. It also held that the resolution and statute were inconsistent with several federal statutes by which Congress has delegated the authority to manage National Forests to the Forest Service – not the State or the County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth F. Keegan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and Senior Trial Attorney Andrew A. Smith of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division represented the United States in this litigation. They were assisted by Assistant Regional Director Cassandra C. Currie of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of General Counsel.
New Bedford Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Gangster Disciples was sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015, for his role in a conspiracy to transport drugs and guns between Massachusetts and Maine.
Michael Knott, 29, of New Bedford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to six years in prison and four years of supervised release, during which time he is prohibited from associating with other gang members. In June 2015, Knott pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and distribution of cocaine base.
Knott, and several persons that later cooperated with the government, where involved in a conspiracy to transport a gun to the New Bedford area from Gray, Maine, and transport drugs to Maine. In June 2013, Knott used a straw purchaser to acquire two firearms in Maine, and then the guns were transported to New Bedford. In addition, between May and July 2013, Knott traveled to Gray, Maine up to four times each week, bringing heroin and cocaine.
In August 2013, during an undercover meeting with a cooperating witness monitored by federal agents, Knott bragged about his successful drug business in Maine, claimed that he could get any kind of firearm from his source in Maine, and listed several different handguns that he could obtain.
Knott, a convicted felon, has numerous drug convictions and is also a member of the Gangster Disciples, a street gang operating in New Bedford. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Sorokin noted the seriousness of the offenses and the need to protect the public from those, like Knott, that have a history of violence and drug dealing and participate in the trafficking in guns into Massachusetts.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief David A. Provencher; Cumberland County, Maine Sheriff Kevin J. Joyce; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Roy E. McKinney, made the announcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn A. MacKinlay of Ortiz’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Eve Piemonte of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
Mission Man Sentenced for Third Degree Burglary, Aiding and AbettingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Third Degree Burglary and Aiding and Abetting was sentenced on September 29, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Nicola Black Lance, age 19, was sentenced to time served, 6 months in a Residential Re-Entry Center, 18 months of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and $8,638.31 restitution joint and several.
Black Lance was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 13, 2014. He pled guilty on June 29, 2015.
On or about August 24, 2014, Black Lance, co-defendant Preston White Feather, and two juveniles, broke into the Todd County government building in Mission and stole property, including firearms. The group also caused property damage to the building. While some of the co-defendants devised the plan and some took part in the burglary, they all aided and abetted the burglary.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Trafficking Methamphetamine in Benton County Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that that Francisco Sanchez-Hinojosa, age 45, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr. imposed a ten-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court supervision after Sanchez-Hinojosa is released from Federal prison.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, on November 26, 2014, detectives with the Benton County Sherriff’s Office arrested Sanchez-Hinojosa at his residence after obtaining evidence that he was distributing controlled substances. During the execution of a search warrant at the residence, officers located drugs and drug trafficking tools, including approximately 320 grams of methamphetamine, 36 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, and a semiautomatic pistol. Sanchez-Hinojosa admitted to selling controlled substances and possessing the firearm. He has prior convictions for delivery of cocaine and marijuana and bail jumping.
Michael C. Ormsby said, “Agents with ATF, DEA, ICE/HIS, together with officers from the Benton County Sherriff’s Office, worked in close partnership investigating this drug trafficking case. Their strong working partnership is reflected by the successful prosecution. Federal and local law enforcement officers in the Eastern District of Washington continue to work together to root out the scourge of drug trafficking in this District. With their assistance, the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting aggressively drug traffickers in our communities.”
This investigation was conducted by the cooperative efforts of ATF, DEA, ICE/HSI, and the Benton County Sherriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Ian L. Garriques, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Reymundo Molina-Trujillo, a Mexican national, pled guilty in federal district court this afternoon to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Molina-Trujillo was detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for February 2, 2016, at 10:30 am. Molina-Trujillo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison, up to life in prison, followed by a minimum of five years on supervised release, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a special assessment of $100.
Evidence in support of this prosecution was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Agencies participating in this case include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southern Illinois. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. Stump.
Meridian Residents Sentenced to Prison for Stolen Identify Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Joyce Knight, 38, and Daniel Kelley, 41, both of Meridian, were sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate for their roles in a conspiracy to steal identities of state inmates and to use those stolen identities to file false federal income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Jerome R. McDuffie, Special Agent in charge of Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.
Daniel Kelley was sentenced on September 28, 2015, to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Joyce Knight was sentenced on October 2, 2015, to 26 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Both defendants must also repay $51,992.73 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Kelley, while incarcerated in several different state prisons, stole the identities of fellow inmates and gave those stolen identities to Knight who submitted false federal tax returns to the IRS. Knight was able to get the refund checks cashed at a nearby gas station and transfer the stolen funds back to Kelley by loading the money onto "Green Dot" stored value cards. Knight would provide Kelley with the account numbers of the "Green Dot" cards, and Kelley could then use the funds for his benefit while in prison. According to Kelley and Knight, they were able to communicate with each other via cell phones that Kelley was able to obtain while he was in prison. The false tax returns claimed $127,000.00 in refunds. The defendants actually received about $51,992.73.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gilbert.
Maryland man sentenced for lying to obtain bank loanRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Montgomery Joseph Isner, 47, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for bank fraud, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Isner misrepresented himself as the owner of a parcel of real property in Berkeley County, West Virginia in order to fraudulently obtain a loan in the amount of $60,000. Isner pled guilty in June 2015 to one count of “False Statement on Loan Application.” As part of the sentence imposed today, Isner was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $57,285.78.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the inquiry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.Mammoth Lakes Doctor Indicted for Removing Archeological ResourcesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jonathan Cornelius Bourne, 59, of Mammoth Lakes, was arraigned today after a federal grand jury returned a 21-count indictment against him, charging him with violations of the Archeological Resources Protection Act, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to counts one through eight of the indictment, in 2010 and 2011, Bourne transported archeological resources from Nevada into California that were found on public lands and were over 100 years old. Among the items removed were obsidian biface tools, Steatite pendants, and glass beads allegedly removed from a tribal cremation and burial site. Counts nine through 14 charge Bourne with unauthorized excavation and removal damage or defacement of archaeological resources in Death Valley National Park, Inyo National Forest, and Sierra National Forest. The Native American cultural artifacts taken in 2010, 2011, and 2014, such as dart points, stone tablets, and a juniper bow stave were over 100 years old.
According to counts 15 through 20 in the indictment, Bourne willfully injured property of the United States by excavating, removing damaging and defacing cultural artifacts on land administered by the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service in the Counties of Mono, Inyo, and Fresno.
At the arraignment, Bourne pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on his own recognizance. His next court hearing is a status conference before United States Magistrate Judge Sheila Oberto on December 7, 2015.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Bourne faces a maximum statutory penalty of 98 years in prison and a $2,030,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Laconia Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Walter Morton, 50, of Laconia, who pleaded guilty to three counts of Social Security Fraud on June 29, 2015, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and he was ordered to make full restitution to the Social Security Administration, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
From June 2009 through July 2013, Morton received over $55,000.00 in Child’s Insurance Benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) on behalf of two minor children, his biological daughter and his former stepson, serving as their representative payee. Morton was responsible for using the benefits he received on behalf of the children for their current needs, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Although Morton informed SSA on three separate occasions between August 2010 and December 2012 that the children resided with him and that he used the benefit payments he received as their representative payee for the children’s care and support, the children had not lived with Morton since 2003 and he had not used their benefits for their current needs. Instead, Morton had diverted all but $2,500.00 of the benefit payments to his own use.
“Individuals who use their children to commit fraud against the benefits programs provided by Social Security merit special investigative and prosecutorial attention,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith. “These individuals have accepted the role of a fiduciary and have a special obligation to ensure that benefits paid by SSA are used for the care and well-being of these minors. Parents who abuse that position can expect to be prosecuted for their thefts.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
Impostor Pastor Charged in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Mark Postell, 52, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, on one count of wire fraud announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
According to the indictment, on April 28, 2015, Postell impersonated a pastor with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the purpose of fraudulently cashing a refund check issued to the church by PECO. The refund check, in the amount of $183,698.82, was for overbilling and was mailed to an address used by the church. Postell presented the check at a check cashing store and represented to the owner that he was a pastor with the church, that he, in fact, lived at the address on the check, and that he was authorized to cash the check, none of which was true. After the check was deposited and processed by the bank, Postell returned to the check casher to retrieve the cash.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years of in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurie Magid.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Houston Couple Convicted in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The female former fugitive sought in a sophisticated tax fraud/identity theft scheme involving more than 800 victims has been convicted, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Thalia Diaz Camareno, 30, of Houston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, while her husband - Antolin Julio Nazario, 34 – entered his plea April 27, 2015.
Both have admitted that from approximately June 2010 to January 2012, they engaged in a scheme that involved the filing of hundreds of fraudulent tax returns, commonly referred to as Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF). The Houston couple used stolen and unlawfully obtained personal identity information, including the names and Social Security numbers, of true persons to prepare fraudulent U.S. income tax returns.
Nazario aka Robinson Gomez Churon and Camareno aka Irene Carrero Echevarria mailed the fraudulent federal income tax returns through the U.S. Postal Service in order to generate and obtain tax refunds from the IRS to which they were not entitled and directed the fraudulently obtained tax refunds be disbursed as U.S. Treasury checks. The refunds were then used to obtain cash and goods for their own benefit.
The current fraudulent tax refund filings attributed to this couple have resulted in $4,095,959 potential loss, an excess of $800,000 paid out by the IRS and involves more than 800 victims whose identities were stolen to conduct the scheme.
Camareno was indicted along with her husband on Nov. 13, 2014. Nazario was taken into custody, while Camareno was considered a fugitive until her surrender Dec. 10, 2014. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt accepted both guilty pleas and has set sentencing for Nov. 30, 2015, for Nazario and Jan. 11, 2016, for his wife. Both will face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. Nazario was also convicted of one count of aggravated identity theft for which he will face an additional mandatory 24-month sentence to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case.
Hickory, N.C. Physician Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Hickory physician pleaded guilty today to health care fraud charges for submitting to Medicare and Medicaid over $467,376 in fraudulent reimbursement claims, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Wayne Vincent Wilson, 54, entered his guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Derrick Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations, Atlanta Region.
According to filed court documents, Wilson is a licensed family practitioner and owner and operator of Wayne Wilson, MD Family Practice (the Practice) located in Hickory. At today’s plea hearing, Wilson admitted that from 2007 to 2014, he engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting fraudulent reimbursement claims totaling more than $467,376 for services that were never provided to beneficiaries. The fraudulent claims resulted in payments of at least $210,120 to Wilson and the Practice.
According to plea documents, Wilson “added and padded” his Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements with these false claims because he believed that Medicaid did not pay him enough for his services. Court records show that in some instances Wilson perpetrated the fraud by adding non-existent services, such as nerve conduction studies, strep tests, and pulmonary stress tests among others, to actual patient office visits. In other instances, Wilson fabricated entire office visits and submitted fraudulent claims for dates that patients were not even seen at the office.
According to admissions reflected in the plea documents, beginning in 2005, Wilson contracted with an individual identified as “D.D.” to perform nerve conduction studies, and sought reimbursement for those services through the Practice. In February 2012, D.D. terminated his relationship with Wilson and the Practice. Court records show that Wilson continued to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims to Medicare and Medicaid, falsely stating that he had performed nerve conduction studies for beneficiaries, even though Wilson did not have the equipment or the expertise to provide such studies.
Wilson pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud and was released on bond after the hearing. The maximum prison term for each health care fraud count is 10 years and a $250,000 fine. Wilson has also agreed to pay restitution, the final amount of which will be determined by the Court at sentencing, which has not been set yet.
HHS-OIG conducted the investigation. HHS-OIG conducted the investigation. The prosecution of the case is handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelli Ferry and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Rodgers. Mr. Rodgers is a Special Deputy Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice Medicaid Investigations Division. The SAUSA position is reflection of the partnership between the Medicaid Investigations Division and the United States Attorney that helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of Medicaid fraud.
The investigation and charges are the work of the Western District’s joint Health Care Fraud Task Force. The Task Force is multi-agency team of experienced federal and state investigators, working in conjunction with criminal and civil Assistant United States Attorneys, dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those who defraud the health care system, and reducing the potential for health care fraud in the future. The Task Force focuses on the coordination of cases, information sharing, identification of trends in health care fraud throughout the region, staffing of all whistle blower complaints, and the creation of investigative teams so that individual agencies may focus their unique areas of expertise on investigations. The Task Force builds upon existing partnerships between the agencies and its work reflects a heightened effort to reduce fraud and recover taxpayer dollars.
If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud please report it by phone at 1-800-447-8477 (1-800-HHS-TIPS), or E-Mail at [email protected].
Harrison County woman convicted of cocaine traffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenisha C. Singleton, 30, of Nutter Fort, West Virginia, was convicted of cocaine trafficking in federal court, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Singleton sold cocaine base in Harrison County, West Virginia. She pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base – Aiding and Abetting.” She faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Sarah Montoro prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Get-Rich-Quick Scammer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 30, 2015, Heintina Roor-Potman, also known as Heleen Potman, 52, of the Netherlands, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, ordered to pay restitution, and to forfeit $3,200,000.00, following her guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, two counts of Wire Fraud, and Criminal Forfeiture. The violations took place between 1998 and September, 2010, in the Southern District of Illinois and elsewhere.
"My office is very aggressive in prosecuting scammers wherever we find them. Whether you steal from folks with a gun or you steal from them with a telephone and a computer, we will prosecute you." said United States Attorney Wigginton. "To consumers – please follow this simple advice: If a scheme to get rich seems too good to be true, then it is. Scammers prey upon people in need. Please do not become a victim."
At her guilty plea, Potman admitted that she and her ex-husband, Pieter Roor, also known as Pedro Dispenza, operated a series of fraudulent on-line investment schemes. These schemes were offered to on-line consumers as high-yield investment opportunities. These on-line investment schemes were run using multiple names. As investors learned their investments were not being returned, the "investment program" would close and re-open under another name. Thousands of investors sent Roor and Potman no less than $3,200,000.00. A multi-national investigation showed that Roor and Potman routed investors’ money all over the entire globe. The couple utilized on-line currency accounts from eGold and eBullion as well as bank accounts in Latvia, Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States, Belize, and Egypt.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service with extensive cooperation with the Dutch FOID. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Hudson.
Former Stuart Youth Pastor Charged with Enticement of a Minor over the InternetRead the Press Release
A former youth pastor was charged with enticing a minor over the internet, to engage in sexual activity.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and William Snyder, Sheriff, Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), made the announcement.
Jeffrey Brian Mobley, 24 of Ocala, formerly of Stuart, Florida was charged by criminal complaint with using a facility or means of interstate commerce to persuade, induce, or entice an individual under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). If convicted, Mobley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison. If convicted, Mobley also faces up to a lifetime of supervised release and the requirement that he register as a sex offender.
Mobley had his initial appearance today and was ordered to be held in custody pending a detention hearing and preliminary examination on October 7, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Philip R. Lammens in Ocala.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint, in September 2015, a suspicious conduct report was made to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office concerning a youth pastor, Jeffrey Brian Mobley, and a minor who was under his trust and care through a religious based youth program in Stuart, Florida. During the course of the investigation law enforcement learned that the defendant, while the youth pastor, had allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with two minors in the church’s youth program. The defendant allegedly enticed the minors to engage in sexual activity and exchange sexually explicit images.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 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 the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and Martin County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the members of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their assistance with this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former Sandia National Labs Employee Sentenced to Probation for Embezzling Federal FundsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Theresa Romero, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court to three years of probation for her conviction on a theft of government property charge. Romero also was ordered to pay $32,542.37 in restitution to the National Nuclear Security Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy that was the victim of Romero’s criminal conduct.
Romero pled guilty on July 1, 2015, to a felony information charging her with theft of government property. The information charged Romero with embezzling money from the Department of Energy between Sept. 2010 and Aug. 2011. At the time, Romero was employed as by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) as an Administrative Assistant. In entering her guilty plea, Romero admitted that from Sept. 30, 2010 through Aug. 8, 2011, she used a procurement card that was issued to her as an employee of SNL to make unauthorized purchases for herself.
This case was investigated by the Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General with assistance from SNL’s corporate investigations office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley prosecuted the case.
Former Public Defender Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead 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 Adam Rissew, 39, a former Monroe County Public Defender currently of Rochester, NY, formerly of Medina, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a mandatory prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine.Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Bruce, who is handling the case, stated that on July 20, 2012, Medina police officers and members of the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force searched Rissew’s then-residence at 305 Catherine Street in the Village of Medina. Officers found and seized in excess of fifty marijuana plants, paraphernalia related to the grow operation, numerous firearms and 684 rounds of various types of ammunition. Among the firearms found and seized was a loaded Glock 9mm semi automatic pistol that was secreted between Rissew’s mattress and box springs. During his plea Rissew admitted he used the pistol to protect his marijuana grow operation.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jose Avila, officers of the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of Chief Investigator Joseph Sacco, and Orleans County District Attorney Joseph Cardone.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 25, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Skretny.
Federal Court Sentences Fort Madison Man on Charge of Being Felon in Possesion of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA - On October 1, 2015, Richard Tommy Williams, age 28, of Fort Madison, Iowa, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 77 months in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Williams was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.
On March 14, 2015, Keokuk, Iowa, Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident and identified Richard Tommy Williams as the involved driver. After an investigation at the scene, Williams was advised he was under arrest on the charge of Operating While under the Influence (OWI). Williams attempted to flee the scene, and physically resisted arrest. During the struggle, Williams grabbed the handgun grip of one of the officer’s guns, and began pulling the gun towards him. After several officers were able to gain control of Williams, officers found a loaded Taurus .380 caliber handgun in Williams’ sweatshirt pocket. Williams has two prior felony convictions in Wisconsin.
Williams pleaded to the charge of possession of a firearm as a felon on July 8, 2015.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Keokuk Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.
Fairfax Woman Allegedly Embezzled $653,000 from Virginia State SenatorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Linda Diane Wallis, aka Lynn Wallis Miller, 51, of Fairfax, was charged by criminal information today for her alleged role in three fraud schemes totaling over $1 million in losses, including embezzling $653,000 from Virginia State Senator Richard Saslaw’s campaign fund.
According to the criminal information, Wallis is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for allegedly participating in three separate fraud schemes from in or around January 2013 through in or around February 2014. In the first scheme, Wallis, along with a co-conspirator, D.M., created two fraudulent companies, the first known as Federal Legal Associates, and the second was The Straile Group. Through various methods including fraudulent wire transfers and checks, Wallis allegedly caused approximately $368,400 in loss to Company A.
The second scheme alleged in the criminal information details the embezzlement of approximately $653,000 from the campaign account of Sen. Saslaw. Beginning in or around June 2013 to September 2014, Wallis served as the treasurer of the Saslaw for State Senate campaign. During that time, Wallis issued or caused to be issued, approximately 73 fraudulent checks from the Saslaw for State Senate campaign bank account, which totaled approximately $653,000. Wallis made the checks payable to Federal Legal Associates, The Straile Group, and herself. All of the checks were issued without knowledge or permission of Senator Saslaw or his campaign staff, and were deposited into accounts she independently controlled or that were jointly controlled with D.M.
The third scheme detailed in the criminal information alleges misuse of funds from a non-profit charitable organization, of which Wallis was Executive Director and D.M. co-founded. The non-profit, known as The Community College Consortium on Autism and Intellectual Disabilities (CCCAID), claimed to provide assistance to Community Colleges for program development and implementation and information on the availability of resources for sustainability of programs. In or about April 2010, Wallis established CCCAID’s bank account and between in or about April 2010 to in or about April 2013, community colleges located around the country contributed approximately $293,000 to CCCAID. Additionally, a Bulgarian businessman associated with D.M. donated $500,000 to CCCAID. The funds contributed to CCCAID were to be used to further the mission of the organization and not to enrich Wallis or D.M. Despite these restrictions, from in or about April 2010 to in or about August 2014, Wallis authorized approximately $482,000 in transfers from CCCAID’s account to other bank accounts Wallis and D.M. controlled. A significant percentage of the $482,000 CCCAID was used to pay Wallis’ and D.M.’s personal expenses, such as mortgage payments, expenses related to food/restaurants, and merchandise purchases.
Wallis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Uzo Asonye is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-285.
A criminal information contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
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Erie Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for Defrauding Mexican Construction CompanyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 18 months in jail on his conviction of wire fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on John Paul Donico, 66.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around May 2011, to in and around July 2012, Donico fraudulently obtained $350,000 from a Mexican construction company by promising to obtain financing, which Donico never obtained, for the construction of a rock crushing plant. Donico then refused to return the money and instead used it for personal living expenses.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Donico.
Erie Felon Admits Illegally Possessing PistolRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Vincent Andrew Feliciano, 45, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Feliciano was found in possession of a Springfield Armory .40 caliber pistol in his residence at 918 West 35th Street, Erie, at the time a federal search warrant was being executed. Feliciano is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a convicted felon.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for February 8, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Feliciano. The OCDETF task force includes The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
East Greenbush Nurse Indicted, Accused of Obtaining Controlled Substance from Hospital SyringesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nathan Baum, age 30, of East Greenbush, New York, was indicted on September 30, 2015 for tampering with a consumer product and obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey G. Hughes of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
The Indictment alleges that Baum, as a licensed practical nurse working at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center hospice ward, in Albany, improperly accessed syringes that contained oxycodone hydrochloride. Between April 8, 2014 and May 16, 2014, according to the Indictment, Baum removed the oxycodone hydrochloride from at least 25 syringes and replaced it with haloperidol.
Oxycodone hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly addictive narcotic analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain and is to be prescribed only when medically required. Haloperidol, often marketed as Haldol, is an anti-psychotic medication used to treat certain mental/mood disorders and to treat uncontrolled movements or agitation.
Tampering with a consumer product carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Baum was arraigned on October 2 in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel and released under pretrial supervision pending a trial scheduled for December 1 before United States District Court Judge Lawrence E. Kahn.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe.
District Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Robbing School Teacher at KnifepointRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Rayshawn Tillery, 21, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to three years in prison for robbing an elementary school teacher at knifepoint near Union Station last spring as the teacher walked home from school, Acting United States Attorney Vincent H. Cohen announced today.
Tillery pled guilty in June 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of robbery. The Honorable Neal E. Kravitz sentenced him on Oct. 2, 2015. Following his prison term, Tillery will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim, a fifth grade social studies teacher, was walking home from school on May 1, 2015 carrying a backpack that contained his students’ papers for grading at home. As he cut through an alley behind a block of row houses on Capitol Hill, two men approached him and demanded his backpack. When the teacher refused to part with his backpack, Tillery pulled out a knife, telling the teacher, “You’re gonna’ give us your bag or we’re going to cut you!” Upon seeing the weapon, the teacher gave up his backpack.
The robbers fled down the alley, where they were confronted by two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers on bicycle patrol. The officers pursued the robbers through the alleyways and apprehended Tillery. The knife was later found in Tillery’s sock. The second robber escaped with the teacher’s backpack and the schoolchildren’s work.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim expressed to the Court the fear he felt when the defendant threatened him with the knife.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen commended the work performed by the detectives of the First District and especially the officers of the Bicycle Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Dineen A. Baker, who prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Obtains Settlement of Disability-Based Discrimination Allegations at Three Rental Complexes on Long Island, New YorkRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly T. Currie of the Eastern District of New York, today announced the filing of a consent judgment and order in U.S. v. Sayville Development, et al. to settle alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act.
In its complaint which was filed in August 2007, the Department of Justice alleged that defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the design and construction of a rental-housing complex for senior citizens on Long Island, New York, called Sayville Commons Apartments. Subsequent investigation revealed that the same defendants had designed and constructed two additional complexes, Broadway Knolls Apartments in Holbrook, New York, and Oak Creek Commons Condominiums in Oakdale, New York. All three were developed by Paul Aniboli and designed by Stephen Fellman, an architect. The consent order, which still must be approved the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, provides a comprehensive plan to remedy the violations at the three complexes.
“The requirement that new multifamily housing be built in a manner that is accessible to persons with disabilities has been in place since 1991,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta. “We will continue to enforce this protection vigorously so that persons with disabilities are free to live where they choose without facing unnecessary and unlawful barriers.”
“The Fair Housing Act protects the rights of all individuals, including persons with disabilities, to be free from discrimination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Currie. “This settlement will ensure that the apartments in these complexes are accessible to the people living there, so they can fully use and enjoy their homes.”
The accessible and adaptable design provisions of the Fair Housing Act require that ground level apartment units or units that are elevator accessible and are constructed after 1991 be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Litigation in this case revealed hundreds of violations of the Fair Housing Act’s requirement that apartments in the complex be designed and constructed to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Violations include a lack of wheelchair accessible routes between dwelling units and common areas, excessively steep cross slopes and running slopes on such accessible routes, kitchen sinks and ranges that were inaccessible, outlets and thermostats that were too high or too low and door thresholds that were too high.
The consent order provides a comprehensive plan to remedy the violations at the three complexes. It requires defendants to perform substantial specific retrofits, including fixing the accessible routes, high door thresholds and out-swinging bathroom doors, inaccessible thermostats and outlets, and inaccessible kitchen ranges. In addition, defendants have agreed to be bound by the terms of the consent order for three years, which provides, in part, that they will complete a Fair Housing Act training course and report to the United States any new construction in which they are involved. The consent order also provides for relief for four aggrieved parties, who, due to disability, had difficulty moving about their own apartments or throughout the complex because of the Fair Housing Act violations. Defendants will pay $32,500 to compensate victims, who include current and former tenants, and a non-profit fair housing organization, Long Island Housing Services, whose investigation led to this lawsuit. In addition, the defendants must set aside $5,000 for certain retrofits that will be made at a tenant’s request, and pay the United States a civil penalty of $2,500.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Persons who believe that they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York at 718-254-7000 or by email at [email protected], or the Justice Department Civil Rights Division at 1-800-896-7743, or by e-mail at [email protected], and or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Diane C. Leonardo and Rachel G. Balaban of the Eastern District of New York, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Department of Justice Obtains Settlement of Disability-Based Discrimination Allegations at Three Rental Complexes on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Kelly T. Currie, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division, today announced the filing of a consent judgment and order in United States v. Sayville Development, et al., Civil Action No 07-CV-3622 (JFB/ARL), to settle alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act.
In its complaint, the United States alleged that defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the design and construction of a rental housing complex for senior citizens on Long Island, New York, called Sayville Commons Apartments. Subsequent investigation revealed that the same defendants had designed and constructed two additional complexes, Broadway Knolls Apartments in Holbrook, New York, and Oak Creek Commons Condominiums in Oakdale, New York.[1] All three were developed by defendant Paul Aniboli and designed by defendant Stephen Fellman, an architect. The consent order, which still must be approved the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, provides a comprehensive plan to remedy the violations at the three complexes.
“The Fair Housing Act protects the rights of all individuals, including persons with disabilities, to be free from discrimination. This settlement will ensure that the apartments in these complexes are accessible to the people living there, so they can fully use and enjoy their homes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Currie.
“The requirement that new multifamily housing be built in a manner that is accessible to persons with disabilities has been in place since 1991,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta. “We will continue to enforce this protection vigorously, so that persons with disabilities are free to live where they choose without facing unnecessary and unlawful barriers.”
The accessible and adaptable design provisions of the Fair Housing Act require that ground level apartment units or units that are elevator accessible and are constructed after 1991 be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Litigation in this case revealed hundreds of violations of the Fair Housing Act’s requirement that apartments in the complex be designed and constructed to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Violations include a lack of wheelchair accessible routes between dwelling units and common areas, excessively steep cross slopes and running slopes on such accessible routes, kitchen sinks and ranges that were inaccessible, outlets and thermostats that were too high or too low, and door thresholds that were too high.
The consent order provides a comprehensive plan to remedy the violations at the three complexes. It requires defendants to perform substantial specific retrofits, including fixing the accessible routes, high door thresholds and out-swinging bathroom doors, inaccessible thermostats and outlets, and inaccessible kitchen ranges. In addition, defendants have agreed to be bound by the terms of the consent order for three years, which provides, in part, that they will complete a Fair Housing Act training course and report to the United States any new construction in which they are involved. The consent order also provides for relief for four aggrieved parties, who, due to disability, had difficulty moving about their own apartments or throughout the complex because of the Fair Housing Act violations. Defendants will pay $40,000 toward compensation for the aggrieved parties, including Long Island Housing Services, a non-profit fair housing organization whose investigation led to this lawsuit, a civil penalty, and a retrofit fund to be used for certain retrofits made at a tenant’s request.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Persons who believe that they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York at 718-254-7000 or by email at [email protected], or the Justice Department Civil Rights Division at 1-800-896-7743, or by e-mail at [email protected], and or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.
The United States’ claims were litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane C. Leonardo and Rachel G. Balaban, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
[1] Sayville Commons Apartments are located at 400 Adams Way, Sayville, NY; Broadway Knolls Apartments are located at 2200 Dolphin Lane, Holbrook NY; and Oak Creek Commons Condominiums are located on Oakdale-Bohemia Road, Oakdale, NY.
Defendant Sentenced on Carjacking and Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Letrenton Napoleon Nickles of Mobile was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment by Senior United States District Court Judge Charles R. Butler. The sentencing followed a June 2015 guilty plea to charges of carjacking; brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and, prohibited possession of a firearm. Nickles was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of previous felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of Marijuana, First Degree.
At approximately 7:00 a.m. on October 22, 2014, Mobile Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a robbery call at a residence located off Halls Mill Road in Mobile. The officers found two elderly residents were victims of a home invasion and carjacking committed by Nickles, while armed with a handgun. Nickles followed the female victim into the residence from the carport, pointed a handgun at her, and ordered her to the ground in the living room. When she screamed, her husband came to the living room and saw Nickles standing over his wife pointing a handgun at her. Nickles pointed the firearm at the husband and ordered him to lie down on the floor also. Nickles cursed them, and demanded their car keys, and then money. Nickles took the female victim back to the bedroom at gunpoint to retrieve the car keys. Nickles took the victims’ cell phone and went out to the carport and drove away in their vehicle.
At approximately 2:15 a.m. on October 23, 2014, officers of the Mobile Police Department observed the stolen vehicle near Holcombe Avenue and Government Street. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights, Nickles did not stop and drove away at a high rate of speed. MPD officers pursued Nickles and he lost control and crashed the vehicle into a guard rail and power pole on Cottage Hill Road near the intersection of Demotropolis Road. A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered from inside the vehicle.
Carjacking is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 2119 and is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 924(c), and is punishable by a minimum mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 7 years, up to life. Prohibited possession of a firearm is a violation Title 18, United States Code § 922(g)(1), and is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This case was referred for prosecution by ATF Special Agent Nicholas P. Murphy working in conjunction with the Mobile Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Letrenton Napoleon Nickles of Mobile was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment by Senior United States District Court Judge Charles R. Butler. The sentencing followed a June 2015 guilty plea to charges of carjacking; brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and, prohibited possession of a firearm. Nickles was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of previous felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of Marijuana, First Degree.
At approximately 7:00 a.m. on October 22, 2014, Mobile Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a robbery call at a residence located off Halls Mill Road in Mobile. The officers found two elderly residents were victims of a home invasion and carjacking committed by Nickles, while armed with a handgun. Nickles followed the female victim into the residence from the carport, pointed a handgun at her, and ordered her to the ground in the living room. When she screamed, her husband came to the living room and saw Nickles standing over his wife pointing a handgun at her. Nickles pointed the firearm at the husband and ordered him to lie down on the floor also. Nickles cursed them, and demanded their car keys, and then money. Nickles took the female victim back to the bedroom at gunpoint to retrieve the car keys. Nickles took the victims’ cell phone and went out to the carport and drove away in their vehicle.
At approximately 2:15 a.m. on October 23, 2014, officers of the Mobile Police Department observed the stolen vehicle near Holcombe Avenue and Government Street. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights, Nickles did not stop and drove away at a high rate of speed. MPD officers pursued Nickles and he lost control and crashed the vehicle into a guard rail and power pole on Cottage Hill Road near the intersection of Demotropolis Road. A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered from inside the vehicle.
Carjacking is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 2119 and is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 924(c), and is punishable by a minimum mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 7 years, up to life. Prohibited possession of a firearm is a violation Title 18, United States Code § 922(g)(1), and is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This case was referred for prosecution by ATF Special Agent Nicholas P. Murphy working in conjunction with the Mobile Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Defendant Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining Scientific EquipmentRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Terrence Mullen, age 41, of Boonton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to interstate transportation of property taken by fraud.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to his plea agreement, in September and October 2013, using a fraudulent internet domain name, Mullen emailed a company that specialized in producing and selling scientific devices about the purchase of two mass spectrometers and related equipment for over $400,000. In order to obtain credit to make the purchase, in September 2013 Mullen submitted false information to the company on the credit application, including a false name, references and banking information.
In order to conceal the fraud scheme from New Jersey law enforcement, in October 2013, Mullen rented business space in Beltsville, Maryland and directed the company to deliver the mass spectrometers and equipment to the Beltsville location. After the company shipped the items from Texas to Beltsville, Mullen sold the spectrometers to a company located in New Jersey. Mullen used the sales proceeds to pay for personal expenses and a family member’s educational expenses.
Mullen has agreed to the entry of an order to forfeit and pay restitution of at least $414,682.89, the amount of the loss to the company.
Mullen faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for February 17, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Michael T. Packard, who are prosecuting the case.
DEA’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Effort A Big Success in Michigan and Across the United StatesRead the Press Release
Over 20,000 pounds of unwanted, unused or expired drugs handed over in Michigan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thousands of Americans in communities across the country discarded more than 350 tons of unused, expired, or unwanted drugs as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Initiative (NTBI) on Saturday, September 26.
This past weekend, more than 3,800 federal, state and local counterparts took in more than 702,365 pounds of unused, expired or unwanted drugs at more than 5,000 collection sites across the United States. In Michigan, 20,369 pounds of the prescription drugs were turned in at 146 sites across the state. This was the tenth NTBI event since September 2010; cumulatively, these events have collected 5,525,021 pounds of drugs.
"The numbers are shocking—approximately 46,000 Americans die each year from drug-related deaths. More than half of those are from heroin and prescription opioids," said Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg. "With four out of five new heroin users starting with prescription medications, I know our take-back program makes a real difference."
The NTBI addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.5 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. That same study showed that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s NTBI events are also a significant piece of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s prescription drug abuse prevention strategy.
In his Weekly Address, President Obama spoke about the importance of preventing and treating substance use disorders and called on Americans to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/26/weekly-address-dispose-your-expired-and-unwanted-prescription-drugs .
Cumberland Woman Sentenced Prison for Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – Kathy Joan Cullen, 67, of Cumberland, Iowa, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for filing a false tax return on October 1, 2015, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Sentence was imposed by Chief Judge John A. Jarvey. Cullen also was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following her term of incarceration and was ordered to pay restitution in the amounts of $1,384,374.24 to 21st Century Cooperative; $422,411.35 to the Internal Revenue Service; and $131,040.64 to the State of Iowa.
Cullen had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. According to the plea agreement, Cullen embezzled money from her employer, 21st Century Cooperative. Cullen wrote over $1.3 million in checks to herself over a period of six years and deposited the proceeds into a personal bank account. Cullen admitted that she failed to account for the embezzled funds in her 2009 tax return.
This case was investigated by the Cass County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Columbus Woman Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Alicia Martinez, 23, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 5, 2015, to 70 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp. Martinez had previously pled guilty after Columbus police officers executed a search warrant on her Columbus residence on December 18, 2014. Martinez and her boyfriend were found inside along with packaging materials, drug scales, approximately ¼ pound of cocaine and 1 ¼ pound of methamphetamine, 3 handguns, two shotguns, and approximately $32,000.
The investigation revealed that Martinez and her boyfriend had on several occasions traveled to California where they received quantities of methamphetamine ranging from 2-4 pounds. They then returned with the methamphetamine and sold it in the Columbus area.
After serving her sentence Martinez will be required to serve a Term of Supervised Release of 4 years.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Columbus Police Department.
Clinic Manager Guilty of Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The owner and operator of Elite P. Care Medical Services has been convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud in a $1 million fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Verona Spicer, 46, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt.
Spicer admitted that she hired a physician to sign patient medical documents at her clinic which had office locations on Harwin Drive in Houston and in Port Arthur. Spicer told the court that she filed Medicare and Medicaid enrollment applications in order for her to bill for services under the doctor’s Medicare and Medicaid provider numbers even though the physician did not see or evaluate the patients at Spicer’s clinic. Spicer admitted that a foreign medical graduate who did not have a license to practice medicine in the United States saw the patients, while the physician came in after hours to sign the patient medical records, including medical evaluations, physical therapy treatment notes and home health orders for patients she had not personally seen. Spicer also admitted to submitting claims for fraudulent physical therapy and diagnostic test claims. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Spicer has agreed to pay Medicare and Medicaid $508,868.70 in restitution
Judge Hoyt has set sentencing for Jan. 11, 2016, at which time she faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to a $250,000. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, FBI, the Texas Attorney General Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with the assistance of the Medicare Zone Program Integrity Contractor, Health Integrity LLC. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Redlinger is prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ChargesRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Darnell Roy Baker, a.k.a. "Forty," 26, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty today to charges returned against him by a Federal Grand Jury in November 2014. Specifically, Baker pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin from September 2012 through October 2014 in Marion County (Count 1), and four counts of Distribution of Heroin during June and July 2014, also in Marion County (Counts 2, 3, 4, and 6).
Count 1 carries a maximum penalty of not less than 5 years in federal prison, up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. The remaining counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and not less than 3 years’ supervised release. All counts require an assessment of $100.
According to court documents, Baker agreed with his co-defendants, Dominique Burwell, and Marquise Ross, to distribute heroin for profit in Centralia, Marion County, Illinois. Baker and the others shared a cell phone which customers would contact to order heroin. Burwell often answered the shared cell phone, took the order, and then sent Baker or Ross to complete the transaction with the customer at whatever location was agreed upon. In July, Burwell was convicted in the case. In August, Ross pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing.
Information leading to the charges against Baker was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.
Brunswick Man Sentenced to Four Months for Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Karen E. Kelly
Assistant Chief, U.S Department of Justice, Tax Division
James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II and Acting Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, Caroline D. Ciraolo, announced that David E. Robinson, 79, of Brunswick, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to four months in prison and one year of supervised release, including four months of home confinement, for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by impeding and impairing the Internal Revenue Services (IRS). The defendant and co-conspirator F. William Messier were convicted on April 3, 2015, after a five-day jury trial.
According to trial testimony, Messier, doing business as Oak Hill Communications, earned substantial income on leases from telecommunication towers located on his Brunswick property. In 2012, after the IRS assessed taxes and interest against Messier totaling $172,094 for the tax years 2000 to 2004, Messier enlisted the help of Robinson who had written several books promoting anti-government and "sovereign citizen" theories. According to the testimony of witnesses, after the IRS sent Notices of Levy to Messier's customers, Robinson and Messier took a number of steps to obstruct and impede the IRS in the collection of the assessment against Messier, including presenting the IRS with a fake and worthless money order for the amount due by Messier. They also sent harassing and misleading correspondence to Messier's customers falsely stating that the customers would be breaking the law if they cooperated with the IRS. In addition, Robinson, who claimed to be "Interim Attorney General" of the "Maine Republic Free State," drafted and filed two frivolous lawsuits on behalf of himself and Messier against some of Messier's customers and against employees of the IRS. These lawsuits were dismissed in separate proceedings.
In imposing sentence, Judge Hornby said that the notion that people do not have to pay federal taxes "is a fantasy."
On August 27, 2015, Judge Hornby sentenced Messier to one year and one day in prison, a fine of $15,000, and ordered Messier to file all delinquent returns and pay any taxes owed to the IRS.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney James W. Chapman, and Karen E. Kelly, Assistant Chief at the Tax Division prosecuted the case.Brooklyn Man Admits Role in Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. – A former resident of Brooklyn, New York pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Robert Wireko, 47, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Wireko allowed bank accounts in his name and under his control to be used as repositories for fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds. Wireko would then withdraw the fraudulently obtained refunds, keep a portion for himself and give the remainder of the money to another co-defendant.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for February 8, 2016. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of loss to the victims, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wireko.
Bronx Man Pleads Guilty in Refund Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Bronx, New York pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Nana Baffour, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Baffour allowed bank accounts in his name and under his control to be used as repositories for fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds. Baffour would then withdraw the fraudulently obtained refunds, keep a portion for himself and give the remainder of the money to another co-defendant.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for February 8, 2016. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of loss to the victims, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Baffour.
BLM Rangers Discover Two Large Marijuana GrowsRead the Press Release
DENVER. – The United States Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Land Management, working in concert with local and state law enforcement, discovered and dismantled two large unrelated marijuana grows on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The locations were identified after rangers acting on two separate tips discovered the marijuana grow operations on public land south of Gateway, Colo.
BLM rangers discovered the first illegal grow on September 15th, on National System of Public Lands managed by the U.S. BLM along the Dolores River corridor between Gateway and Naturita, Colorado. They discovered more than 1,200 fully mature marijuana plants, many exceeding six-feet-tall, along with 211 kilograms of dried marijuana and a rifle. The rangers arrested four Mexican nationals who were on-scene and believed to be working the grow site. Because of the size of the operation, officers spent two and a half days eradicating and removing the plants.
A second illegal grow was discovered by the same rangers with the assistance of Mesa and Montrose County Sheriff’s Offices on September 30th near the first site. Law enforcement officers arrested one Honduran and five Mexican nationals at the second grow site. Evidence of thousands of marijuana plants appeared recently harvested with approximately 69.6 kilograms of processed marijuana still on site. Both grow locations were located in Montrose County.
"Illicit marijuana grows on public lands violate the drug laws and harm the environment," said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. "This Fall, Colorado has seen an explosion in the number and size of illicit marijuana grows on public land, which federal and state authorities are aggressively investigating and prosecuting."
“In addition to being illegal, these grow-sites create impacts to public lands, including destruction of native vegetation, hazardous materials and significant trash,” said Grand Junction Field Manager Katie Stevens. “We appreciate the cooperation of a number of other agencies including the Mesa and Montrose county sheriff’s offices, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.”
"This case is a good example of why a multi-jurisdictional drug task force is so beneficial," said Sergeant Tyler Wallace, 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
“It is encouraging to see the coordinated efforts put forth by multiple agencies to combat illegal marijuana grows in Montrose County," said Montrose County Undersheriff Adam Murdie.
For information regarding the status of those individuals charged in relation to these public marijuana land grows, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
These marijuana grows and the subsequent investigation was conducted by the BLM, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Those arrested and face criminal charges are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Role in Massive Mortgage Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An attorney was sentenced on Oct. 1, 2015, to prison in connection with a multi-year, multi-property mortgage fraud scheme in Dorchester and Roxbury.
Michael R. Anderson, 46, of Framingham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11,048,212 in restitution and forfeit $7,413,712. In January 2011, Anderson pleaded guilty to sixteen counts of wire fraud, nine counts of bank fraud, and two counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.
From September 2006 through April 2008, Anderson assisted Michael David Scott, a developer, with perpetrating a fraud scheme in connection with the purported sale of more than 27 condominium units in Boston. Scott, who was charged separately, pleaded guilty in May 2015.
Scott and his associates bought multi-family dwellings promising to convert them into condominiums, and then resold the individual units to various straw buyers. The developer, Anderson, and others arranged for the straw buyers to obtain mortgage financing by falsifying key information, including the buyers’ intent to reside in the properties, assets, down payments, and funds paid at closing. Anderson and others arranged to prepare loan closing documents, and Anderson then closed the mortgage loans associated with these purchases. As the closing attorney, Anderson also was responsible for disbursing the fraudulently obtained mortgage loan proceeds.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan M. DiSantis of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit and Victor A. Wild of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.
Attorney General Lynch:Use-of-Force Data is Vital for Transparency and AccountabilityRead the Press Release
Today, in a press conference held at the Department of Justice, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch reinforced the need for national, consistent data on law enforcement interactions with the communities they serve, especially data collection on the use-of-force. The Attorney General noted that the department has already taken steps to improve the accuracy and consistency of use-of-force data from law enforcement.
“The department’s position and the administration’s position has consistently been that we need to have national, consistent data,” said Attorney General Lynch. “This information is useful because it helps us see trends, it helps us promote accountability and transparency,” said Attorney General Lynch. “We’re also going further in developing standards for publishing information about deaths in custody as well, because transparency and accountability are helped by this kind of national data.”
Currently, federal authorities publish annual figures on the number of “justifiable homicides” by law enforcement. But this reporting is voluntary and not all police departments participate, causing the figures to be incomplete. That’s why the Justice Department and the Obama Administration are taking steps to work with law enforcement to improve the process.
“This data is not only vital – we are working closely with law enforcement to develop national consistent standards for collecting this kind of information,” Attorney General Lynch added.
The department has already taken steps to improve accurate accounts of use-of-force data from law enforcement:
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The Bureau of Justice Statistic (BJS) and the FBI are collaborating with major policing organizations, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Major Cities Chiefs of Police Association (MCCA), the Major County Sheriffs Association (MCSA) on defining data collections on police use-of-force and homicides by law enforcement officers.
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The department also requires the records of police interactions when we enter into consent decree and collaborative reform agreements.
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The FBI recently announced that the Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics (UCR) will begin to collect data on non-fatal shootings between law enforcement and civilians.
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BJS has been conducting work on new methods for not only identifying deaths in police custody (as defined by the Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (PL 113-242), where they will go further than what the newspapers and media reports on law enforcement homicides that are derived from open source records verifying that the media accounts are correct and complete.BJS will do this by surveying police departments, medical examiners’ offices and investigative offices about the reports that it identifies from open source and using data from the multiple source to obtain a more accurate factual account of each incident.BJS will complete its methodology study by late 2015/early 2016 and then begin to stand up a national program on arrest related deaths.
The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and the President’s Police Data Initiative also seek to encourage better data and record keeping for local law enforcement reinforces the administration’s position on this need.
Excerpts from the Attorney General’s Press Conference:
ATTORNEY GENERAL LYNCH: [L]et me be clear: police shootings are not minutiae at all and the department’s position and the administration’s position has consistently been that we need to have national, consistent data. Both on excessive force and on officer involved shootings is vital. The point I was trying to make at that conference related to our overall view of how we deal with police departments as part of our practice of enforcing consent decrees, or working with them and I was trying to make the point that we also have to focus on building community trust which is a very individual – very local – practice. Unfortunately, my comments gave the misperception that we were changing our view in some way about the importance of this data – nothing could be further from the truth. This data is not only vital – we are working closely with law enforcement to develop national consistent standards for collecting this kind of information.
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ATTORNEY GENERAL LYNCH: [W]e do require it [data collection]. When we have consent decrees with departments and frankly we find it very, very useful as we look at data and trends and as we publish consent decrees we encourage other departments to do so. And frankly police departments also are finding it useful. Certainly the fact that we don’t have a nationwide, consistent set of standards is – not only does it make our job difficult it makes it hard to see these trends and that’s why it is so important to focus on these. And that’s why we are working through the department’s research arm – our Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI – are working with the leading police organizations; International Association of Chiefs of Police; Major Cities Chiefs; Major Counties Sheriffs; to look at these standards. And we’re also going further in developing standards for publishing information about deaths in custody as well; because transparency and accountability are helped by this kind of national data.
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Alleged Murder for Hire Suspect Faces Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A federal criminal complaint was filed on Friday, October, 3, 2015, and unsealed today, that charges Kristopher Ledell Love, 31, of Memphis, Tennessee, with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Love was arrested last week on a state capital murder charge for the September 2, 2015, murder of dentist Kendra Hatcher in the parking garage of her apartment building in Dallas. He is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court tomorrow, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez, at 2:00 p.m.
According to the complaint, Love was convicted in 2005 for aggravated robbery in Shelby County, Tennessee, and sentenced to eight years in prison.
The investigation revealed, according to the complaint, that two individuals conspired together, and with others, including the shooter, who was identified as “Kris” LNU, to rob Dr. Hatcher in the parking garage of 1700 Cedar Springs Road. An individual was paid cash to drive the individual who ultimately shot and killed the victim to and from the parking garage where the murder took place. “Kris” LNU hid in the back of the vehicle so that a surveillance camera could not record him when the vehicle entered the parking garage. The vehicle’s driver and “Kris” LNU waited for several minutes until the driver observed Dr. Hatcher drive in and park. “Kris” LNU exited the vehicle. The driver heard a gunshot. “Kris” LNU returned to the vehicle a short time later, with two purses in his hand. The driver then drove them out of the garage and dropped “Kris” LNU off at an intersection in Dallas.
Further investigation revealed that “Kris” LNU is Kristopher Ledell Love. Law enforcement located Love in Dallas on Thursday, October 1, 2015. The vehicle he was driving was towed and subsequently searched, pursuant to a state search warrant. Law enforcement located and seized a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol under the front seat of the vehicle. Love is a person prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2005 felony conviction in Shelby County, Tennessee.
A complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The maximum statutory penalty for the offense as charged is 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI, Dallas Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the ongoing investigation. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is in charge of the prosecution.
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Albuquerque Felon Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Timothy Lobley, 42, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to violating the federal firearms laws. Lobley entered the guilty plea without the benefit of a plea agreement. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Kari E. Brandenburg, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department.
Lobley was arrested on March 11, 2014, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the complaint, on Oct. 25, 2013, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Family Dollar Store located on Central Ave. NW in Albuquerque. Upon arrival, officers were notified that Lobley and another person were still inside the store and appeared to have a weapon concealed in a black duffle bag. The complaint alleges that the APD officers found that Lobley had concealed two shirts under his clothes and had a rifle and more store merchandise inside the black duffle bag.
Lobley subsequently was indicted on March 26, 2014, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 25, 2013, in Bernalillo County, N.M. At the time, Lobley was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of numerous felony offenses including two counts of auto burglary, residential burglary, felony shoplifting, cocaine possession, commercial burglary, criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping.
During today’s proceedings, Lobley pled guilty to the indictment. At sentencing, Lobley faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. If the court determines that Lobley is an armed career criminal, he faces an enhanced sentence of a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison to a maximum of life imprisonment. Lobley has been in federal custody since his arrest. He remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Valencia is prosecuting the case.
The case is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.