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30 September 2015
Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Jorge Franco, 37, of Pawtucket, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for trafficking heroin, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Franco to serve 4 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Franco, a Guatemalan national, also faces deportation proceedings. He pleaded guilty on April 1, 2015 to possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
According to court records and information presented to the court, in late June 2014, a Newport police detective developed information that a large shipment of heroin was expected to be delivered in Newport in the coming days. Two days later, on June 29, 2014, the detective learned that the shipment of heroin was expected to arrive that evening inside a vehicle with Massachusetts license plates being driven by a Hispanic male. A description of the vehicle was provided to police. The heroin delivery was expected to take place in the parking lot of a convenience store located a short distance from the Newport Bridge.
Shortly before 11:00 p.m. on June 29, 2014, law enforcement spotted a vehicle with Massachusetts license plates being driven by a male fitting the description previously provided to Newport detectives exiting the Newport Bridge. The vehicle was followed as it made its way into the parking lot of a nearby convenience store a short distance from the bridge. Once stopped, law enforcement approached the vehicle and detected a strong odor of narcotics.
Upon questioning, the driver indicated to law enforcement that drugs would be found concealed inside clothing inside the vehicle. With the driver’s permission, law enforcement searched the vehicle and discovered a bag containing clothing and bedding. The bag was taken to the Newport Police Department and searched.
Inside the bag, wrapped in the clothing and bedding, law enforcement discovered seven packages of Guatemalan coffee and nine packages of Guatemalan food products. Three of the coffee packages contained a total of 947.3 grams of pure heroin. A DEA chemist who examined the heroin reported that it was extremely rare to find heroin of this purity. The four remaining packages contained a total of 1,359 grams of extremely potent heroin. Inside the nine food packages law enforcement discovered nearly 4,000 grams of phenylacetic acid, a substance commonly used to produce methamphetamine.
Franco has been detained since his arrest on June 29, 2014.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The FBI's Safe Streets Task Foerce assisted Newport Police in the investigation of this matter.
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Government Employee Convicted of Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Jeffrey F. Bohn (55, Riverview) guilty of two counts of making false statements to government investigators. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Bohn was indicted on June 3, 2015.
According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in or around September 2006, and continuing through at least February 2007, Bohn engaged in a personal and sexual relationship with “Individual A.” At the time of this relationship, Bohn was employed as an Immigration Services Officer with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Tampa.
Bohn met “Individual A,” a foreign national, on September 11, 2006, when she attended an interview at USCIS regarding an application to adjust her children’s residency status. During the interview, Bohn and “Individual A” exchanged phone numbers. He further suggested to “Individual A” that she attempt to adjust her citizenship status as well. Thereafter, Bohn and “Individual A” engaged in a personal and sexual relationship that lasted until at least February 2007. “Individual A” remains a foreign national, and is not a citizen or national of the United States.
When agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General (DHS OIG) became aware of the allegations, they interviewed Bohn twice. Both times he denied knowing or having sex with “Individual A.”
“The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General applauds the outstanding efforts of the prosecution team during this investigation and the subsequent trial,” said Jay H. Donly, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Field Office, DHS OIG. “These types of criminal cases will be not be tolerated and the offenders will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law. The DHS OIG would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for their prosecutorial efforts and the vital cooperation and guidance they provided during the investigation and subsequent trial.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney.
Four Miami-Dade Residents Sentenced for Using Credit Card Numbers Skimmed from Palm Beach County ResidentsRead the Press Release
Four Miami-Dade residents were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for their participation in a fraud conspiracy that involved the unauthorized use of credit card numbers that had been skimmed at local establishments.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Jordy Hechavarria Morales, 21, Yoandy Hechavarria Morales, 29, Christian Vinent, 23, and Addel Fernandez Camejo, 31, all of Miami-Dade, previously pled guilty for their involvement in a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud. Camejo and Vinenta also pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. Jordy Morales also plead guilty to possessing fifteen or more counterfeit credit cards, using counterfeit credit cards, and using counterfeit credit cards to obtain goods valued at $1,000 or more. In addition, Jordy Morales was convicted, following a bench trial, of aggravated identity theft. Yoandy Morales also pled guilty to possessing fifteen or more counterfeit credit cards, three counts of using counterfeit credit cards, and using counterfeit credit cards to obtain goods valued at $1,000 or more. In addition, Yoandy Morales was convicted, following a bench trial, of three counts of aggravated identity theft.
The Honorable Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced each of the defendants to a term of incarceration, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Camejo was sentenced to 36 months; Vinent was sentenced to 38 months; Jordy Morales was sentenced to 40 months; and Yoandy Morales was sentenced to 48 months, in prison.
According to court documents, on March 24, 2015, officers with the Tequesta Police Department stopped a car that was occupied by Jordy Morales, Yoandy Morales, Vinent and Camejo. During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered 143 credit cards, each embossed with a defendant’s name or alias. Officers also found counterfeit Florida driver’s licenses embossed with Vinent and Yoandy Morales’ aliases. Each of the discovered credit cards was found to be counterfeit and included unauthorized credit card numbers. During the subsequent investigation, agents uncovered evidence that the conspirators had used additional unauthorized credit cards during the course of the conspiracy. In total, the defendants were engaged in a conspiracy involving 173 counterfeit and unauthorized credit cards.
The unauthorized credit card numbers used during the course of the conspiracy actually belonged to Palm Beach County residents. These credit card account numbers were unlawfully obtained through the use of “skimmers” at gas stations in Palm Beach County. The stolen credit card numbers were then used to manufacture counterfeit credit cards which were encoded and embossed with the account number and a conspirator’s name, to make it appear as if the defendant was the actual account holder. The defendants, who are residents of Miami-Dade County, traveled together to Palm Beach County and used the counterfeit credit cards to purchase and attempt to purchase Visa, MasterCard, and American Express gift cards from Palm Beach County merchants.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and the Village of Tequesta Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Evans.
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 Siemens Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to $100 Million Foreign Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANDRES TRUPPEL, former chief financial officer for Siemens Argentina, pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to pay $100 million in bribes to senior Argentine government officials to secure, implement, and enforce a $1 billion contract between Siemens and the Argentine government to produce national identity cards. He is the first individual defendant to plead guilty in the massive scheme. TRUPPEL, a citizen of Argentina and Germany, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act’s anti-bribery, internal controls, and books and records provisions, and to commit wire fraud, before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “Andres Truppel has admitted to playing a significant role in the massive Siemens bribery conspiracy that spanned over a decade. To reap the benefits of a billion dollar contract with the Argentinian government, Truppel and his co-conspirators funneled close to $100 million in bribes to government officials, including wiring more than $7 million in bribe money to a bank account in New York, and filed a fraudulent arbitration claim in the United States that included a false witness statement from Truppel. This conduct violated U.S. anti-bribery and fraud laws, and Truppel is the first individual in this criminal scheme to admit his guilt.”
According to the Indictment and statements made at today’s plea hearing:
ANDRES TRUPPEL was employed by Siemens Aktiengeselleschaft (“Siemens AG”) from 1977 until 2004.From approximately 1996 to 2002, TRUPPEL was the chief financial officer for Siemens Argentina, a subsidiary of Siemens AG.
In 1994, the government of Argentina issued a tender for bids to replace an existing system of manually created national identity booklets with state-of-the-art national identity cards (the DNI project). The value of the DNI project was $1 billion. In 1998, the Argentine government awarded the DNI project to a special-purpose subsidiary of Siemens AG.
In connection with this project, TRUPPEL and his co-conspirators caused Siemens to commit to paying nearly $100 million in bribes to sitting officials of the Argentine government, members of the opposition party, and candidates for office who were likely to come to power during the performance of the project. Members of the conspiracy worked to conceal the illicit payments through various means. For instance, they wired more than $7 million in bribes to a bank account in New York disguised as a foreign exchange hedging contract related to the DNI project.
In May 1999, the Argentine government suspended the DNI project, due in part to instability of the local economy and an impending presidential election. When a new government took power in Argentina, and in the hopes of getting the DNI project resumed, members of the conspiracy committed Siemens to paying additional bribes to the incoming officials, and to satisfying existing obligations to officials of the outgoing administration, many of whom remained in influential positions within the government. When the project was terminated in May 2001, members of the conspiracy nevertheless sought to recover the anticipated proceeds of the DNI project by causing Siemens AG to file a fraudulent arbitration claim against the Republic of Argentina in Washington, D.C. The claim alleged wrongful termination of the contract for the DNI project and demanded nearly $500 million in lost profits and expenses. Members of the conspiracy hid from the tribunal the fact that the contract for the DNI project had been secured by means of bribery and corruption by filing a claim and supporting evidence, including a witness statement from TRUPPEL, which contained material misrepresentations and omissions.
Members of the conspiracy also continued the bribe scheme, in part to prevent disclosure of the bribery in the arbitration but also to ensure Siemens’ ability to secure future government contracts in Argentina and elsewhere in the region. In four installments between 2002 and 2007, members of the conspiracy allegedly caused Siemens to pay approximately $28 million in further satisfaction of the obligations. Conspirators continued to conceal these additional payments through various means. For example, TRUPPEL and other members of the conspiracy caused Siemens to transfer approximately $9.5 million through fictitious transactions involving a Siemens business division that had no role in the DNI project. They also caused Siemens to pay an additional $8.8 million in 2007 to settle an arbitration that was brought to enforce a sham consulting contract.Siemens’s corrupt procurement of the DNI project was not exposed during the lifespan of the conspiracy, and, in February 2007, the arbitration tribunal in Washington sided with Siemens AG, awarding the company nearly $220 million on its DNI claims, plus interest. The company, however, never claimed the award money, because after Siemens reached corporate resolutions with the U.S. and German authorities, Siemens AG agreed to forego its right to receive the award.
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TRUPPEL, 60, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and three years of supervised release. The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Charges against the other individuals named in the indictment – Uriel Sharef, Herbert Steffen, Ulrich Bock, Eberhard Reichert, Stephan Signer, Carlos Sergi, and Miguel Czysch – are pending. The charges and allegations against the other individuals named in the Indictment are merely accusations, and these defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On December 15, 2008, Siemens AG and Siemens Argentina entered guilty pleas to criminal violations of the FCPA. As part of the plea agreement, Siemens AG and Siemens Argentina agreed to pay fines of $448.5 million and $500,000, respectively.
Mr. Bharara praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York and Washington D.C. Field Offices for their work on the case. He also thanked the Department of Homeland Security for its assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niketh Velamoor and Assistant Chief Tarek J. Helou of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Police Officer and Disbarred Attorney Pleads Guilty to Dealing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
A former police officer, also a disbarred Iowa attorney, who sold counterfeit currency to an undercover agent in February of this year, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Brian Loren Stowe, age 43, from Waverly, Iowa, was convicted of one count of dealing in counterfeit currency.
In a plea agreement, Stowe admitted that he is a former police officer and attorney, whom the Iowa Supreme Court disbarred in 2013 after he was convicted on felony forgery charges and received a deferred judgment for possession of methamphetamine. In February 2015, Stowe sold $900 in counterfeit currency for $250 in real currency to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Stowe remains free on conditions of release set by the court pending sentencing. Stowe faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 in special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Vavricek and was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Divisions of Narcotics Enforcement and Criminal Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service.
Court file information available https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-CR-2034.
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Former Orleans Parish School Board Member Ira Thomas SentencedRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that IRA THOMAS, 58, of New Orleans, a former member of the Orleans Parish School Board (“OPSB”), was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced THOMAS to one year plus 1 day incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release, a $4,000 fine and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, THOMAS admitted that, beginning in September 2013 and continuing until January 2015, he and others participated in a conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud. THOMAS further admitted that, in his role as an Orleans Parish School Board member, he engaged in a scheme to defraud Orleans Parish and its citizens of his honest services through bribery and a kickback scheme, whereby THOMAS used his public office and official capacity to provide favorable treatment, including attempting to facilitate the awarding of a contract, that was designed to benefit the business and financial interest of an individual who provided him with a bribe and kickback in the form of cash payment disguised as a campaign contribution.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and thanked the Metropolitan Crime Commission for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Toomey was in charge of the prosecution.
Former Las Vegas Resident Convicted of Perjury, Making False Statements and Obstruction in Investigation of Homeowners’ Association Takeover SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Las Vegas resident was convicted by a federal jury in Nevada today of perjury, making false statements and obstruction of justice in the course of an investigation into a scheme to fraudulently take control of homeowners’ associations (HOAs) in the Las Vegas area.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Laura A. Bucheit of the FBI’s Las Vegas Division, Special Agent in Charge John Collins of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Las Vegas Field Office and Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
Stephanie Markham, 57, of Dobbs Ferry, New York, was found guilty of one count of perjury, one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice following a three-day trial in the District of Nevada. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2016, before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada, who presided over the trial.
Evidence presented at trial established that, in 2006, Markham participated in a scheme to take over the Jasmine Ranch HOA for the purpose of awarding the HOA’s construction and legal work to other members of the conspiracy. The evidence showed that Markham received a one percent property interest in a condominium unit at Jasmine Ranch, and agreed to run for the Jasmine Ranch HOA board of directors to advance the goals of fraudulent takeover scheme.
In October 2012, Markham was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in the District of Nevada investigating the HOA takeover scheme, and was interviewed by an FBI agent beforehand. Evidence at trial established that, both in her FBI interview and in her testimony before the grand jury, Markham falsely denied knowing about the Jasmine Ranch HOA or the takeover scheme.
Markham is the 41st defendant convicted in the HOA takeover scheme investigation. Thirty-six defendants have pleaded guilty and, in March 2015, four defendants were found guilty after trial.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, IRS-CI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Section. The case has been prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Thomas B.W. Hall and Alison Anderson, and Deputy Chief Charles La Bella of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Former Credit Union Employee Admits Embezzling Funds from Pantex Federal Credit UnionRead the Press Release
AMARILLO, Texas — Dorothy Stegall Barnes, a/k/a “Dorothy Stegall Newman,” 56, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a federally insured credit union, announced John Parker, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Barnes, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine and a 5 years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate District Judge Clinton Averitte ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date of December 8, 2015.
The indictment alleges that from approximately September 1996 through December 2010, Barnes, the Assistant Vice-President of Teller Operations at the Pantex Federal Credit Union, embezzled approximately $826,000 from the credit union.
The FBI and Borger Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Hammer is prosecuting.
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Former Chief Financial Officer of Siemens Argentina Pleads Guilty to Role in Multimillion Dollar Foreign Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
The former chief financial officer (CFO) of Siemens S.A. – Argentina (Siemens Argentina) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to pay tens of millions of dollars in bribes to Argentine government officials to secure, implement and enforce a $1 billion contract to create national identity cards.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York and Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
Andres Truppel, 61, of Argentina, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of New York to conspiring to violate the anti-bribery, internal controls and books and records provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA); and to commit wire fraud.
In 1998, the government of Argentina awarded to a subsidiary of Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (Siemens AG) a contract worth approximately $1 billion to create state-of-the-art national identity cards (the Documento Nacional de Identidad or DNI project). The Argentine government terminated the DNI project in 2001.
In connection with his guilty plea, Truppel admitted that he engaged in a decade-long scheme to pay tens of millions of dollars in bribes to Argentine government officials in connection with the DNI project, which was worth more than $1 billion to Siemens. Truppel admitted that he and his co-conspirators concealed the illicit payments through various means, including using shell companies associated with intermediaries to disguise and launder the funds, and by paying $7.4 million as part of a hedging contract with a foreign currency company incorporated in the Bahamas.
In addition, Truppel admitted that he and his co-conspirators paid nearly $1 million to a former official in Argentina’s Ministry of Justice that was used to bribe an Argentine government official.
Truppel also admitted that he used a $27 million contract between a Siemens entity and a company called MFast Consulting AG that purported to be for consulting services to conceal bribes to Argentine officials.
In 2008, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (Siemens AG), a German entity, pleaded guilty to violating the books and records provisions of the FCPA; Siemens Argentina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the books and records provisions of the FCPA; and Siemens Bangladesh Limited and Siemens S.A. – Venezuela each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA. As part of the plea agreements, the Siemens companies paid a total of $450 million in criminal fines. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also brought a civil case against Siemens AG alleging that it violated the anti-bribery, books and records and internal controls provisions of the FCPA. In resolving the SEC case, Siemens AG paid $350 million in disgorgement of wrongful profits. The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office also resolved similar charges with Siemens AG that resulted in a fine of $800 million. In August 2009, following these corporate resolutions with U.S. and German authorities, Siemens AG withdrew its claim to the more than $200 million arbitration award.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Tarek J. Helou of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Niketh Velamoor of the Southern District of New York. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the SEC and the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office also provided significant assistance.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Fenton Man Sentenced for Smithton Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Jonathon M. Ford, 38, of Fenton, Missouri, was sentenced today in federal district court, in East St. Louis, Illinois, for Bank Robbery, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Ford was sentenced to 64 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $150 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment. Ford pled guilty on June 9, 2015, to charges stemming from a March 19, 2015, bank robbery at Regions Bank in Smithton, Illinois. Ford entered the bank wearing a dark-colored hooded zip up jacket and a black face mask. He then approached a bank teller, pointed a BB gun at the teller, and stated, "I need all of your money." The teller immediately removed $3,872 in United States currency from the drawer and handed it to Ford, who then fled from the bank. Shortly thereafter, Ford was captured by law enforcement officials and all of the stolen money was recovered.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
Federal Jury Convicts Man in Computer Intrusion CaseRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Following a week-long trial before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, a federal jury has convicted a Spring, Texas, man, who worked as an Information Technology (IT) engineer for a Dallas-headquartered law firm, on felony offenses stemming from his unauthorized access to the firm’s computer network, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Anastasio N. Laoutaris, 40, was convicted on two counts of knowingly accessing a computer network without authorization and intentionally issuing commands and codes that caused damage to the network. After the verdict, Judge Boyle remanded him into the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
Laoutaris faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A sentencing date was not set.
The government presented evidence at trial that Laoutaris, who was an IT engineer for Locke Lord LLP from 2006 to August 2011, accessed the firm’s computer network without authorization on December 1, 2011, and December 5, 2011, and on both occasions, issued instructions and commands that caused significant damage to the network, including deleting or disabling hundreds of user accounts, desktop and laptop accounts, and user e-mail accounts
The law firm, Locke Lord LLP, has offices throughout the U.S. and the world; its headquarters is located in Dallas.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Yanowitch and Nick Bunch are prosecuting.
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Federal Court in New Mexico Dismisses Drug Addict’s Lawsuit Against United States and DEA AgentsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico issued orders today dismissing a lawsuit filed by a drug addict against the United States and five DEA agents and supervisors.
Plaintiff Aaron Romero filed his lawsuit on July14, 2014, in which he alleged that undercover DEA agents wrongfully supplied him with cocaine base, more commonly known as crack, thus “reigniting” his previous addiction to crack. Romero sought $8,500,000.00 in damages from the United States, the DEA agents and their supervisors.
In a 16-page opinion, the court dismissed Romero’s claims against the United States after finding that the law does not allow a person to recover when their own wrongful conduct was the cause of his or her injuries. The court concluded that because Romero admitted that his own illegal use of drugs was the cause of his injuries, he could not hold others, including the United States, responsible for his injuries.
In a separate 36-page opinion, the court also dismissed claims that DEA agents intentionally targeted Romero to “stack” drug-related charges against him. It also dismissed the claims against the agents’ supervisors. The court ruled that Romero’s suit was barred by his acknowledgement that the government acted for a legitimate investigative purpose in fighting drug crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth F. Keegan and Karen F. Grohman represented the United States in this civil litigation.
romero_usa_order.pdf (85.2 KB) romero_judgment.pdf (43.46 KB) romero_agents_order.pdf (139.78 KB)
Father of Marysville School Shooter Convicted of Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
The father of a teen who killed four students and himself last year at Marysville-Pilchuck High School was convicted today of six counts of illegal firearms possession, announced United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. RAYMOND LEE FRYBERG, 42, was convicted following a four day jury trial. The jury deliberated one day before reaching its verdict. Sentencing on the conviction is scheduled for January 11, 2016 before the Honorable Judge James L. Robart.
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, in 2002, FRYBERG’s then-girlfriend asked the Tulalip Tribal Court for an order of protection alleging FRYBERG had recently threatened her and had in the past physically assaulted her by hitting, slapping and/or pulling her hair. The protection order was made permanent in September 2002 and had no expiration date. In September 2012, FRYBERG was back in tribal court and pleaded “no contest” to violating the protection order. FRYBERG was fined and placed on probation for one year. Less than four months later, FRYBERG went to Cabela’s Sporting Goods store on the Tulalip reservation and purchased the Beretta, and, over subsequent months, four other firearms. FRYBERG filled out forms for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) stating that he was not the subject of any court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the child of a partner. The form states that anyone subject to such an order is prohibited from purchasing a firearm.
According to testimony at trial, FRYBERG purchased a Beretta, Model PX4 Storm, in January, 2013. On October 24, 2014, FRYBERG’s son, 15-year-old Jaylen Fryberg, used the illegally purchased Beretta to kill four other students and himself at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington. Fryberg’s cousin was critically injured but survived. Jurors were not told of the connection between FRYBERG’s weapons and the school shooting.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and the Tulalip Tribal Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ye-Ting Woo and Bruce Miyake.
Essex Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Robert John Wiseman, Jr., age 55, of Essex, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to Wiseman’s plea agreement, on July 17, 2014, an undercover Baltimore County Police detective was conducting an online investigation into the sharing of child pornography using file sharing networks. The detective located an IP address on one of the file sharing programs that was sharing at least one video file that the detective knew from previous investigations depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The detective downloaded the video file and tracked the IP address to the subscriber, a woman who lived in Essex. The detective obtained a search warrant for that address and on September 9, 2014, the search warrant was executed. The subscriber was at the residence along with Wiseman and two others, including a minor child.
During an audio recorded interview, Wiseman told the detective that he used a file sharing program on his desktop computer to search for and download child pornography. Wiseman also acknowledged that he was aware that other people were able to download files from him using the file sharing network. During the execution of the search warrant, a forensic triage was conducted on Wiseman’s desktop computer and the detective located the video he had downloaded, as well as numerous other video and image files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent children and images of sadistic and masochistic conduct, or other depictions of violence. Law enforcement seized the desktop computer, two laptop computers, and 17 external hard drives, among other items. A subsequent forensic examination of the desktop computer found approximately 20 video files and over 10,000 image files of child pornography.
As part of his plea agreement, Wiseman will be required to forfeit the computers, hard drives and other digital media seized during the search. In addition, Wiseman must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Wiseman faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Baltimore County Police Department, FBI and HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Yasser and Sandra Wilkinson, who are prosecuting the case.
Employment Staffing Agency Owner Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Failure to Pay over Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A local man who admitted failing to pay over payroll taxes for tax years 2008 through 2012 was sentenced today, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Luis Morales was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to 24 months in federal prison and order to pay approximately $209,000 in restitution. Morales pleaded guilty in January 2015 to an information charging one count of failure to pay over payroll taxes.
According to the factual resume filed in the case, in June 2008, Morales formed A Staffing Solution, LLC and was listed as the organizer, registered agent and sole manager with the State of Texas. A Staffing was a temporary employment agency in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and was operated by Morales until the end of January 2010. In January 2010, Morales formed Morales Employment Services (“MES”). MES operated with the same employees and clients that had previously been with A Staffing.
In March 2010, according to the factual resume, Morales, with the assistance of Manuel Chavez, formed MES & Company (“MES & Co.”). MES & Co. operated with the same employees and clients that had previously been with A Staffing and later MES. Chavez pleaded guilty to a separate information in February 2015 and was previously sentenced to serve 36 months probation and pay $142,320.71 in restitution.
Morales admitted that for tax years 2008 through 2012, according to the factual resume, he deducted and collected from the total taxable wages of his employees federal income, social security and Medicare taxes. Morales further admitted that he willfully failed to truthfully account for and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service all of the federal income, social security and Medicare taxes withheld. Morales used the retained withheld taxes for personal use.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Poe prosecuted.
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Eight from Cleveland area indicted for firearm and drug violations following undercover investigationRead the Press Release
Eight people from the Cleveland area were indicted for federal firearms or narcotics violations as part of a long-term undercover investigation, law enforcement officials said.
Indicted in seven separate indictments are: Joyce E. Minter, 50, of Cleveland; Arllie Joe Jones, 68, of Cleveland; Darryl W. Thompson, 41, of Cleveland; Richard Smith, 59, of Cleveland Heights; Joseph L. Moore, 25, of Cleveland; Brian Abernathy, 33, of Cleveland; Christopher Scott, 32, of Cleveland, and Thomas L. Scott, 31, of Cleveland.
These indictments are the result of an undercover operation targeting the illegal sale of firearms and narcotics in Cleveland’s 4th Police District, on the city’s southeast side.
“This undercover operation is part of a comprehensive strategy to get illegal guns off the streets of Cleveland and lock up those who sell or possess them,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
“Violence does not have to be the norm in our cities and streets,” said Donald Soranno, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Columbus Field Division. “As demonstrated with these cases, ATF will continue to work with our state and local law enforcement partners to remove violent offenders from our streets. If you live in a community that is plagued by crime, you don't have to just look the other way. Work with us to make our community the place we all want it to be.”
“The illegal sale of firearms is something that plagues our community, perpetuating the problem of guns getting into the hands of criminals and becoming the tools used to commit violent crimes,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. “The dedicated officers and agents involved in this operation have partnered together to take weapons off of our streets and compile solid cases that will put violent offenders behind bars. The Cleveland Division of Police thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms along with our other partners for their eagerness to assist in combating violent crime in our city.”
Thirty firearms were seized as part of the operation, including several Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifles, a Beretta .40-caliber pistol, a Tangfolio 9 mm pistol, a Hi Point 9 mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol, a Rohm .22-caliber revolver, a BRNO .25-caliber pistol, a Norinco pistol, a F.I.E. .38-caliber revolver, a Remington .22-caliber rifle, a Iver Johnson .38-caliber revolver, a Ruger .380-caliber pistol, a Intratec 9 mm pistol, a Ruger .22-caliber pistol and a SWD 9 mm pistol.
Charges against additional defendants are expected to be filed in state court in coming weeks.
According to the indictments unsealed today in U.S. District Court:
United States v. Richard Smith: Smith is charged with possessing a Hi Point 9 mm semiautomatic rifle, a Beretta 9 mm semiautomatic rifle, a Romarm/Cugir .39-caliber semiautomatic rifle and a Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle, despite convictions for burglary and theft.
United States v. Joyce E. Minter and Arllie Joe Jones: Jones is charged in a 15-count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition for having a High Standard .22-caliber revolver and six rounds of ammunition, despite a previous conviction for felonious assault with a firearm specification.
Minter is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition for having a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun with two loaded magazines and a loaded Ruger .357-caliber revolver, despite a previous conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in relation to a crime.
Minter and Jones are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin.
United States v. Darryl W. Thompson: Thompson is charged in a seven-count indictment with possessing a Weirauch .32-caliber revolver and a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber pistol despite previous convictions for drug trafficking and attempted escape. He also faces multiple charges of distribution of crack cocaine.
United States v. Christopher Scott and Thomas L. Scott: The Scotts are charged in a 13-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, as well as multiple counts of distribution of crack cocaine and distribution of heroin.
United States v. Joseph Moore: Moore is charged with nine counts of distribution of heroin.
United States v. Brian D. Abernathy: Abernathy is charged with five counts of distribution of heroin and two counts of distribution of crack cocaine.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl, Marisa Darden and Matthew B. Kall following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force. The NOLETF is a task force comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the police departments of Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, the Regional Transit Authority, Westlake and Shaker Heights. The NOLETF is also one of the initial Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiatives, which supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate or reduce drug trafficking in Ohio.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dallas Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Lying in Bankruptcy FilingsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Dallas woman who was convicted at trial earlier this year on felony offenses stemming from the filing of false bankruptcy documents, was sentenced yesterday, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Julie Grant, a/k/a Juliana Jacobs Grant, Juliana Okwue Jacobs Grant, and Juliana Okwuenu, 50, was sentenced to serve 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay. She must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on December 1, 2015.
Grant, using two different Social Security Numbers, filed voluntary bankruptcy petitions on October 3, 2008, March 2, 2009, July 6, 2009, December 16, 2009, and August 9, 2011. In some of the petitions, Grant was represented by counsel, and in some, she acted pro se (without counsel.)
In the August 9, 2011, petition, Grant fraudulently concealed two bankruptcy cases she filed in the Northern District of Texas in October 2008 and March 2009. Grant also falsely stated in the December 16, 2009, petition and the August 9, 2011, petition, that she had only used one Social Security Number, when, in fact, she had used at least one other Social Security Number in other bankruptcy petitions that she knew she was obligated to disclose.
This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative within the Northern District of Texas. As another example, in late January 2015, a Waxahachie, Texas, man, James Derek Howard, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution after he pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud offense.
Since May 2013, 13 debtors have been charged with various bankruptcy-related criminal offenses. To date, seven of these defendants have been sentenced, one defendant is pending sentencing, three defendants have filed documents in U.S. District Court indicating they intend to plead guilty, and two defendants are awaiting trial.
The Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis prosecuted.
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Conspirators Indicted for Defrauding Elderly Victims of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted the following defendants on charges arising from a scheme to defraud elderly victims of millions of dollars:
Gbenga Benson Ogundele, a/k/a “Benson Ogundele,” age 57, of Laurel, Maryland;
Mukhtar Danjuma Haruna, a/k/a “Mukhtar Haruna Danjuma” and “Mukky,” of Lagos, Nigeria;
Victor Oyewumi Oloyede, age 41, of Laurel;
Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, a/k/a “Charles O. Ogunseye,” age 58, of Laurel;
Babtunde Emmanuel Popoola, a/k/a “Emmanuel Popoola” and “Tunde Popoola, age 40, of Bowie, Maryland;
Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja, Jr., a/k/a “Yinka O. Awolaja, Jr.,” age 33, formerly of New Carrolltown, Maryland;
Mojisola Tinuola Popoola, a/k/a “Mojisola Oluwakemi Tin Popoola” and “Moji T. Popoola,” age 41, of Laurel;
Olusola Olla, age 48, of Brown Summit, North Carolina; and
Olufemi Wilfred Williams, a/k/a “Wilfred Olufemi Williams” and “Femi Williams,” age 26, of Owings Mills, Maryland.
The indictment was returned on May 18, 2015 and partially unsealed today upon the arrests of eight of the defendants. Mukhtar Haruna has not been arrested and is believed to be overseas. Olusola Olla had his initial appearance in federal court in North Carolina this morning, and was ordered detained and to be transferred to Maryland. The initial appearances of the remaining defendants who were arrested are scheduled for this afternoon in federal court in Greenbelt and Illinois.
The indictment 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 the 10 count indictment, from January 2011 to May 18, 2015, members of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with elderly male and female individuals. They phoned, emailed, texted and used internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived in Maryland and around the country.
The indictment alleges that members of the conspiracy used a number of false stories and promises to convince the victims to provide money to the conspirators, including fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims, problems with overseas businesses and foreign taxes. The conspirators opened bank accounts in order to receive millions of dollars from the victims.
The indictment alleges numerous deposits from several victims into bank accounts controlled by the defendants, or checks received from the victims, ranging in individual amounts from $1,720 to $30,000.
All of the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, and for conspiring to commit money laundering.
Additionally, all of the defendants except for Mojisola Popoola face a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence for aggravated identity theft, arising from the alleged use of a victim’s name, bank account number or driver’s license in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Leah Jo Bressack, who are prosecuting the case.
Cecil County Liquor Store Owner Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Evade Payment of Taxes on Liquor Smuggled into New YorkRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Dilip Patel, age 49, of Wilmington, Delaware pleaded guilty today to wire fraud.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Assistant Administrator for Field Operations Tom Crone, of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Patel owned and operated a retail liquor store in Cecil County known as Chesapeake Wine and Spirits.
According to his plea agreement, from January 2011 to June 2012, a number of smugglers from New York City ordered bulk liquor from the store by phone. The smugglers then drove to the store, paid cash for the bulk liquor, loaded the liquor into their vehicles and drove back to New York City, evading the payment of excise taxes by failing to file reports with the state of New York describing the transportation of the liquor into New York.
Patel has agreed to the entry of an order to pay restitution of $673,992 to the state of New York - the amount of excise tax loss, and forfeit $11,000 seized from a bank account that was the liquor store’s operating account.
Patel faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis has scheduled sentencing for January 7, 2016.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore, IRS - Criminal Investigation and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard C. Kay, who is prosecuting the case.
California Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Shipping More Than One Kilogram of Heroin and Cocaine to New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A San Bernadino, California, man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties and elsewhere in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Anthony J. Brooks, 46, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
In March 2014, 21 alleged members of the “Britt-Young DTO,” a drug trafficking organization named after its leaders, Robert Britt and Rufus Young, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute heroin. Nineteen of the defendants have pleaded guilty.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between November 2013 and March 2014, Brooks shipped through the U.S. Postal Service packages from California containing large quantities of heroin and cocaine to conspirators in New Jersey, including an individual who supplied heroin to the Britt-Young DTO. The conspirators in New Jersey then transported and packaged the narcotics and distributed them to others. Brooks admitted that he shipped more than one kilogram of heroin and 1.5 kilograms of cocaine from California to New Jersey.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Brooks to serve four years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense Counsel: Ryan Clark Esq., Freehold, New Jersey
Biddeford Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Transportation for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Leo Grondin, 49, of Biddeford, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution.
Court records reveal that on July 15, 2015, Grondin drove a woman from southern Maine to Dover, New Hampshire, where the woman performed sexual services for clients for money. On July 17, 2015, law enforcement officers located an online advertisement for escort services that listed a contact phone number associated with Grondin and a location in Dover, New Hampshire. Law enforcement tracked Grondin and the woman to a hotel in Dover, where Grondin was taken into custody on a pending state warrant.
Grondin faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Biddeford and Dover Police Departments.
Beaver Falls Man Sentenced to Prison for Taking Teen Out of State for SexRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Beaver County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months imprisonment, followed by five years supervised release, on his conviction of travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill, Jr., imposed the sentence on Donald L. Starkey, age 58, of Beaver Falls, Pa.
According to information presented to the court at the time of Starkey’s guilty plea, on June 4, 2012, Starkey, then aged 54 years, transported a 15-year old female from Pennsylvania to North Carolina with whom he engaged in sexual intercourse en route and while in North Carolina. A bystander observed Starkey and the minor female playing pool at a truck stop in Guilford County, North Carolina, and reported them to local authorities.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office for conducting the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Donald L. Starkey.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
29 September 2015
York County Men Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Benjamin M. Block
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Chris Michaud, 23, of Limerick, Maine, and Cole Meserve, 21, of Standish, Maine, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess stolen firearms and possession of stolen firearms.
According to court records, between about May and November 2014, Michaud and Meserve engaged in a series of burglaries in which they stole items to sell for cash or trade for drugs. Beginning on October 1, 2014, Michaud, Meserve and another conspirator committed burglaries in which they stole firearms that they sold for cash and illegal drugs. On November 21, 2014, during the execution of search warrants, agents recovered several stolen firearms at a storage unit in Limerick that was rented by Michaud.
The defendants face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 10 years on the firearms charge. They also face fines of up to $250,000 on each charge. They will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Maine State Police; and the Office of the Maine Attorney General; with assistance from the Buxton Police Department and Cumberland and York County Sheriff’s Offices.
Wheeling man convicted of lying to purchase firearmsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Paetzold, 35, of Wheeling, was convicted today of knowingly providing false information in order to purchase firearms, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
On two separate occasions in February 2015, Paetzold purchased firearms from The Outdoor Store, a licensed firearms dealer in Wheeling. On both occasions, he falsely indicated that he was not an unlawful user of controlled substances. Based on this false information, he illegally purchased a 9 mm pistol and a .45 caliber pistol.
Paetzold pled guilty today to two counts of “False Statement in Acquisition of a Firearm.” He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. 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 David Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Two Tennessee Men Each Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Killing During Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
Two Tennessee men were each sentenced to 28 years in prison for killing during a home invasion robbery, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Rivera of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Michael Massey, 26, of Lexington, Tennessee; and Demario Winston, 27, of Clarksville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on May 29, 2015, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kevin H. Sharp of the Middle District of Tennessee to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and use of a firearm in a crime of violence resulting in death. Massey also pleaded guilty to a separate count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and was ordered to pay $17,000 in restitution.
According to admissions reflected in the plea agreements, on May 7, 2011, Massey, Winston and others attempted to rob a home in Clarksville, and Massey used a sledge hammer to gain entry. The conspirators previously had been advised that a large amount of cocaine and cash was stored inside a safe in the basement of the home.
The defendants further admitted that, while inside the home, Winston, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, engaged in a gun fight with the homeowner on the first floor as other conspirators attempted to force one of the occupants of the home, Raul Triana, to open the safe, and pistol-whipped him in the face in the process. Evidence introduced in the plea hearing indicated that, in response to the shooting on the first floor, some of the conspirators fled the home, and Massey, who was armed with an assault rifle, fled through the basement where he encountered Triana and shot and killed him.
In addition, Massey admitted that, on Oct. 21, 2011, he and a co-defendant planned the robbery of the owner of a Clarksville-based construction company. Massey, together with two others executed the robbery at gunpoint.
This case was investigated by the Clarksville Police Department and the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Laura Gwinn of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynne T. Ingram of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Two Sentenced to Federal Prison for $5 Million Real Estate Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Charles Wooden and Hendrickx H. Toussaint, a now disbarred lawyer, have been sentenced to federal prison for operating a real estate-based Ponzi scheme that took in almost $5 million dollars from out-of-state and foreign investors.
“These defendants tricked investors into handing over millions of dollars by promising quick returns and an income stream,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “To make their scheme work, they preyed upon the common belief held by many investors that real estate is a safe investment. Sadly, this case proves that criminals will say anything to persuade a person to part with their money, and that investors should always be skeptical of offers that sound too good to be true.”
“While so much of the financial harm in cases like this is unrecoverable, the FBI hopes that today’s sentencing provides some degree of relief to the many investors turned victims that now suffer from the greed fueled criminal conduct of these two defendants,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has no shortage of Ponzi schemes to investigate and this is just another example of greed overcoming honest business practices,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge, Charlotte Division. He added, “Relying on a reputation or relationship is not enough, investors must still verify information, especially if there are claims of outperforming the market.”
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: In or about 2009, Charles Wooden, doing business as Aeon Capital Management, LLC, held himself out to the public as a real estate broker who could locate and oversee the purchase of residential properties and apartment buildings for or on behalf of real estate investors. Wooden purported to find properties that could be flipped in a short period for a profit, and also properties that he would manage for the investors.
Wooden’s property management services allegedly included renting the properties to tenants, collecting rent, and forwarding investors their share of the rental funds. Wooden introduced and described Hendrickx Toussaint, who was an attorney at the time, to real estate investors as the attorney who would escrow investor funds and close real estate purchases for Wooden and the investors. As the escrow agent, Toussaint agreed to hold funds from investors and disburse such funds to purchase real estate for the investors’ benefit.
Between 2009 and 2012, multiple out-of-state and foreign investors invested over $5 million with Wooden and Toussaint for the purchase of Atlanta, Georgia, area real estate. Although Wooden purchased some properties for investors, Wooden and Toussaint did not use the vast majority of investors’ funds as they had promised and represented to the investors. In addition to funding his personal lifestyle and business, Wooden used funds from investors to pay “profits” from short-term real estate “flips,” that in fact never occurred, and to pay rental income to investors from properties that in fact had not been purchased. When one out-of-state investor sued Wooden, he used funds obtained from another victim to settle the out-of-state investor’s lawsuit.
Wooden, Toussaint, and others provided fake documents to the investors to conceal that their monies had not been used to purchase real estate. These false documents included HUD-1 settlement statements, bogus real estate deeds, and in one instance, a fake bank account statement reflecting that the investor’s money was still being held in escrow. Over time, investors asked more and more questions about why public records did not reflect that they owned properties that they had been told had been purchased for them. Wooden blamed Toussaint and county recording systems, and attempted to deceive the victims further by introducing fictitious people and identities who he claimed would fix what he said were simply title recording problems.
Charles Wooden, 48, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark H. Cohen to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution of $2.4 million.
Hendrickx H. Toussaint, 44, of Decatur, Georgia, has also been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark H. Cohen to three years, ten months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution of $1.2 million.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas W. Gilfillan prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Two Oregon Men Indicted Federally for Firearms Trafficking to MexicoRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that a federal grand jury has indicted two men for their involvement in a scheme to illegally purchase and sell firearms and smuggle them to Mexico. Those men are Erik Flores Eloretgui, 33 years old, of Beaverton, Oregon and Robert Allen Cummins, 56 years old, of Eugene, Oregon. Defendant Cummins appeared today on a summons before Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Coffin, who ordered Cummins to return to court on October 5, 2015, for a hearing on release conditions and detention status.
The indictment is the result of a year-long investigation and international collaboration that began after a large shipment of firearms was found in Sonora, Mexico. According to the indictment, members of the conspiracy deposited tens of thousands of dollars near the U.S./Mexico border to bank accounts associated with Erik Flores Elortegui. Defendants then allegedly straw-purchased over $70,000 dollars’ worth of high-caliber firearms, including .50 caliber and AK-47 type rifles, some of which were recovered in Mexico soon after being purchased.
The indictment further alleges that on the same day as a $38,100 firearms purchase in Oregon City involving three .50 caliber rifles, Erik Flores Eloretegui purchased a Dremel grinding tool – commonly used by firearms traffickers to grind off firearms’ serial numbers – and a few days thereafter drove from Oregon and crossed into Mexicali, Mexico.
In announcing the indictment, Acting U. S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said, “Those who illegally deal and smuggle firearms share responsibility for the violence those firearms promote. This case serves to put firearms traffickers, and anyone who illegally buys or sells firearms, on notice that they will be held accountable for violating laws designed to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and to assure the safety of citizens both here and abroad.”
Summary of the Charges
• Count 1: conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Mexico and making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
• Counts 2 through 13: making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms – each of those charges carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
• Counts 14 through 25: illegal smuggling of goods from the United States – each of those charges carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
• Count 26: unlawful dealing in firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Lichvarcik.
Two Jackson County Residents Sentenced on Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
On September 14, 2015, and September 24, 2015, James Scott Rankin, 45, and Thomas A. O’Grady, 50, both of Carbondale, IL, were sentenced for their involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Rankin and O’Grady had previously pled guilty to the one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Rankin and O’Grady were sentenced to prison terms of 84 months and 132 months, respectively. Both men were also ordered to serve 3 years’ supervised release following the prison sentence and were each fined $200. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Rankin and O’Grady were involved with others in the unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine. The offense occurred between 2010 and May 2014, in Jackson, Williamson, Union, and Franklin Counties. Twelve co-defendants have previously been sentenced for their involvement in the methamphetamine conspiracy.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Carbondale Police Department, Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Timber Lake Man Convicted of Simple AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that Warren Purvis, age 24, of Timber Lake, South Dakota, was found guilty of Simple Assault as a result of a court trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
Purvis was charged by Information on September 10, 2015. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 6 months in custody and/or a $5,000 fine, and a $10 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction arose from a September 8, 2015, incident when Purvis and the victim had a disagreement and he hit her. The victim attempted to call the police, and Purvis took her phone away. He later gave her the phone back and she was able to call 911.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Purvis was sentenced to time served, 8 days, and a $10 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Three Charged in Sweepstakes Fraud Scheme That Used Hamptons-Based Bank AccountsRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of New York charging Ana P. Leon, also known as Ana P. Gonzalez, Sandra E. Leon, also known as Sandra E. Chavarria, and Ivan D. Pelaez with mail and wire fraud and conspiring to commit those offenses.[1] Ana P. Leon was arrested earlier today and her initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke at the United States Courthouse, 100 Federal Plaza, Central Islip, New York. Sandra E. Leon and Pelaez are currently at large.
The charges were announced by Kelly T. Currie, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI)
According to the criminal complaint, the three defendants participated in a scheme in which seven elderly victims from across the United States were told that they had won large cash prizes, often as much as $3.5 million, in a purported sweepstakes. In some instances, the victims were informed by phone and letter that these sweepstakes were operated by federal government agencies, such as the Government Accountability Office. Victims were directed to send check or wire transfers that would supposedly cover taxes and fees due on the sweepstakes winnings to post office boxes that one of the defendants established in Suffolk County’s East Hampton and Amagansett or to bank accounts that the defendants established, which had mailing addresses in East Hampton, Amagansett, Hampton Bays, and Manhattan. Victims sent more than $695,000 by mail or wire transfers, some of which was withdrawn as cash in ATM transactions or used to pay for personal expenses such as airline tickets.
“As described in the complaint, the defendants enriched themselves by taking advantage of elderly Americans,” stated Acting United States Attorney Currie. “We are committed to protecting seniors from such schemes.” Mr. Currie expressed his appreciation to FBI field offices in New York, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin for their assistance.
“As alleged, the defendants took advantage of seniors by claiming they had literally hit the jackpot by winning a cash prize, often as much as $3.5 million, with the stipulation they just had to pay supposed taxes and fees. The senior victims were directed to wire money or send checks only to never see the winnings they were promised. The money the victims paid netted the defendants more than a half a million dollars. The FBI is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who seek to profit at the expense of defrauding the senior community,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Rodriguez.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley T. King is in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor is handling matters related to forfeiture.
The Defendants:
ANA P. LEON
Age: 50
East Hampton, NYSANDRA E. LEON
Age: 47
Hampton Bays, NYIVAN D. PELAEZ
Age: 51
East Hampton, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-M-922 (SIL)
[1] The charges in the complaint are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Thoreau, N.M., Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Anthony J. Hamilton, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Thoreau, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to assault charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Hamilton will be sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Hamilton was arrested on June 11, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Court documents indicate that on May 18, 2015, law enforcement officers were notified that Hamilton had allegedly assaulted two Navajo men and a Navajo woman in McKinley County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Hamilton pled guilty to a felony information charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Hamilton admitted that on May 18, 2015, he repeatedly struck two victims on the face, head and body with his fists and elbows. Hamilton further admitted that he caused an acute depressed fracture and a concussion to one victim and an acute bilateral fracture to the bones within the other victim’s orbital and sinus structures.
Hamilton remains detained pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the Gallup office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito.
Ten Puerto Rico Police Officers Indicted for Allegedly Running Criminal Organization Out of Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
Officers Charged with Racketeering, Robbery, Extortion, Firearm, Narcotics, Civil Rights and Theft Charges
Ten Puerto Rico police officers have been indicted for their alleged participation in a criminal organization, run out of the police department, that used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money through robbery, extortion, manipulating court records and selling illegal narcotics, announced U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico.
“The criminal action today dismantles a network of officers who, we allege, used their badges and their guns not to uphold the law, but to break it,” said U.S. Attorney Rodríguez-Vélez. “The indictment portrays a classic criminal shakedown; but the people wielding the guns and stealing the drugs here weren’t mob goodfellas or mafia soldiers – these were police officers violating their oaths to enforce the law, making a mockery of the police’s sacred responsibility to protect the public.”
“Corruption is at the root of all evil,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Division. “These police officers violated the trust of the people of Puerto Rico and not only dishonored the police department, but also their fellow, honest, and hardworking officers. The FBI, along with the United States Attorney's Office, will continue to attack corruption at all levels.”
The indictment, returned on Sept. 24, 2015, by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico, includes 11 charges against the following police officers: Shylene López-García aka “Plinia;” Ángel Hernández-Nieves, aka “Doble;” Xavier Jiménez-Martínez, aka “Negro;” Alvin Montes-Cintrón, aka “Vinillo;” Ramón Muñiz-Robledo, aka “Marmota;” Guillermo Santos-Castro, aka “Caco Biftec;” Luis Flores-Ortiz, aka “Piquito;” José Neris-Serrano; Manuel Grego-López; and David Centeno-Faría, aka “David Bisbal”.
The defendants are charged with conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Other charges against certain defendants include extortion under color of official right, narcotics trafficking, civil rights violations and false statements to federal agents.
According to the indictment, the officers charged with RICO conspiracy were members of a criminal organization who sought to enrich themselves through a pattern of illegal conduct. The officers worked together to conduct traffic stops and enter homes or buildings used by persons suspected of being engaged in criminal activity to steal money, property and narcotics. The officers planted evidence to make false arrests, extorted narcotics and firearms from individuals in exchange for their release. The members of the enterprise gave false testimony, manipulated court records and failed to appear in court when required so that cases would be dismissed. The officers also sold and distributed wholesale quantities of narcotics.
For example, in January 2012, defendants Hernández-Nieves, Muñiz-Robledo and Grego-López, in their capacity as police officers, released a federal fugitive from custody in exchange for firearms.
In another example, the indictment alleges that in February 2013, defendants López-García and Montes-Cintrón, in their capacity as police officers, stole at least 500 grams of cocaine during the course of a police intervention, which Jiménez-Martínez sold afterward in furtherance of the goal of the enterprise.
The indictment charges that the defendants frequently shared the proceeds they illegally obtained and that they used their power, authority and official positions as police officers to promote and protect their illegal activity. Among other things, the indictment charges that they used the Police of Puerto of Rico’s (POPR) firearms, badges, patrol cars, tools, uniforms and other equipment to commit the crimes and concealed their illegal activity with fraudulently obtained court documents and falsified POPR paperwork to make it appear that they were engaged in legitimate police work.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mariana Bauzá-Almonte and Teresa Zapata-Valladares of the District of Puerto Rico.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Citizens of Puerto Rico with allegations of law enforcement corruption are encouraged to contact the FBI’s San Juan Division at (787) 754-6000.
Ten Puerto Rico Police Officers Indicted for Allegedly Running Criminal Organization Out of Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ten Puerto Rico police officers have been indicted for their alleged participation in a criminal organization, run out of the police department, that used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money through robbery, extortion, manipulating court records and selling illegal narcotics, announced U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico.
“The criminal action today dismantles a network of officers who, we allege, used their badges and their guns not to uphold the law, but to break it,” said U.S. Attorney Rodríguez-Vélez. “The indictment portrays a classic criminal shakedown; but the people wielding the guns and stealing the drugs here weren’t mob goodfellas or mafia soldiers – these were police officers violating their oaths to enforce the law, making a mockery of the police’s sacred responsibility to protect the public.”
“Corruption is at the root of all evil,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Division. “These police officers violated the trust of the people of Puerto Rico and not only dishonored the police department, but also their fellow, honest, and hardworking officers. The FBI, along with the United States Attorney's Office, will continue to attack corruption at all levels.”
The indictment, returned on Sept. 24, 2015, by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico, includes 11 charges against the following police officers: Shylene López-García aka “Plinia;” Ángel Hernández-Nieves, aka “Doble;” Xavier Jiménez-Martínez, aka “Negro;” Alvin Montes-Cintrón, aka “Vinillo;” Ramón Muñiz-Robledo, aka “Marmota;” Guillermo Santos-Castro, aka “Caco Biftec;” Luis Flores-Ortiz, aka “Piquito;” José Neris-Serrano; Manuel Grego-López; and David Centeno-Faría, aka “David Bisbal”.
The defendants are charged with conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Other charges against certain defendants include extortion under color of official right, narcotics trafficking, civil rights violations and false statements to federal agents.
According to the indictment, the officers charged with RICO conspiracy were members of a criminal organization who sought to enrich themselves through a pattern of illegal conduct. The officers worked together to conduct traffic stops and enter homes or buildings used by persons suspected of being engaged in criminal activity to steal money, property and narcotics. The officers planted evidence to make false arrests, extorted narcotics and firearms from individuals in exchange for their release. The members of the enterprise gave false testimony, manipulated court records and failed to appear in court when required so that cases would be dismissed. The officers also sold and distributed wholesale quantities of narcotics.
For example, in January 2012, defendants Hernández-Nieves, Muñiz-Robledo and Grego-López, in their capacity as police officers, released a federal fugitive from custody in exchange for firearms.
In another example, the indictment alleges that in February 2013, defendants López-García and Montes-Cintrón, in their capacity as police officers, stole at least 500 grams of cocaine during the course of a police intervention, which Jiménez-Martínez sold afterward in furtherance of the goal of the enterprise.
The indictment charges that the defendants frequently shared the proceeds they illegally obtained and that they used their power, authority and official positions as police officers to promote and protect their illegal activity. Among other things, the indictment charges that they used the Police of Puerto of Rico’s (POPR) firearms, badges, patrol cars, tools, uniforms and other equipment to commit the crimes and concealed their illegal activity with fraudulently obtained court documents and falsified POPR paperwork to make it appear that they were engaged in legitimate police work.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mariana Bauzá-Almonte and Teresa Zapata-Valladares of the District of Puerto Rico.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Citizens of Puerto Rico with allegations of law enforcement corruption are encouraged to contact the FBI’s San Juan Division at (787) 754-6000.
Tampa Woman Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for SIRF OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Tiffani Pye Williams to ten years and three months in federal prison for theft of government property and aggravated identity theft stemming from her participation in a tax fraud scheme. She was also ordered to pay $1,533,283 in restitution to the United States Treasury. Williams pleaded guilty on April 23, 2015.
According to court documents, from 2010 to 2014, Williams, using various aliases, participated in a scheme to defraud the IRS. As part of the scheme, she and others possessed, transferred, and used the means of identification of others, without their knowledge, to file fraudulent federal income tax returns. The fraudulently obtained tax refunds were wired from the IRS to reloadable debit cards. Williams and others then used these debit cards at various ATMs and retail stores.
Investigators determined that Williams, together with others, filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns using the stolen identities of approximately 991 individuals, many of whom were deceased at the time of filing. In filing these false returns, she and others claimed more than $5.3 million in refunds, and received approximately $1.5 million.
Williams’ alleged co-conspirator, Bobby Muhammad, was charged separately with conspiracy, theft of government property, and identity theft. His trial is scheduled in November 2015.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Syracuse Woman Pleads Guilty to Making A False StatementRead 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 Valerie Christine Hedd-Johnson, 46, of Syracuse, NY, pleaded guilty to making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport, before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Moellering, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant applied for a passport in Buffalo, NY in November 2013. On the application, Johnson indicated that she had never applied for a U.S. passport before. However, in August 2000, the defendant applied for a passport in Texas and that application had been rejected due to indications of fraud.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents from the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Services and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Stafford Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Justin Fox, 31, of Stafford, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for attempted production of child pornography.
Fox pleaded guilty on May 27, 2015. According to court documents, Fox admitted he engaged in online messaging with a 13-year-old boy. During those conversations, Fox portrayed himself as a young female and asked the boy to create and send child pornography via online messenger. After the boy sent pornographic images to Fox, Fox continued to ask for more, calling the boy his slave. A search warrant executed at Fox’s residence and a forensic search of Fox’s electronic devices allowed law enforcement to identify two additional victims who Fox attempted to entice to produce child pornography.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Hart prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15-cr-47.
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Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child ObscenityRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing child obscenity.
Rusty Mann, 35, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Upon release from federal incarceration, Mann will be committed to the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections for control, care and treatment as a sexually violent predator (under the terms of the Judgment and Order of Commitment entered in Case Number 1131-PR00937, in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri, Probate Division). The court also sentenced Mann to spend the rest of his life under supervised release following incarceration.
On March 18, 2015, Mann pleaded guilty to possessing child obscenity.
On the night of Oct. 21, 2011, a Springfield police detective observed Mann approach a playground on a bicycle. The detective made contact with Mann just outside the fenced area of the playground. Mann was attired in a black mini skirt and women’s knee-high boots; he was identified as the person who had been leaving soiled diapers and clothing on the playground.
As a registered sex offender, Mann was not permitted within 1,000 feet of school property under state law. Mann was placed under arrest at that time. Mann has prior convictions for child molestation and sexual misconduct involving a child.
Mann’s bicycle, backpack and fanny pack were collected from the scene. A search of the backpack yielded a cell phone, along with other items. The investigators conducted a search of the cell phone and located several images of suspected child pornography and obscene cartoon depictions of minors, including a cartoon image of a prepubescent female being sexually assaulted.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Settlement Will Provide Nearly $194 Million for Cleanup Work at the Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New JerseyRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Wyeth Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of the Pfizer Corporation, will perform nearly $194 million worth of cleanup work at the American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. The cleanup work that the company has agreed to perform includes work to address six disposal areas at the site, where chemicals were manufactured for nearly 100 years. In addition, the company will pay $1 million for EPA’s past costs of overseeing cleanup work at the site.
“Just as we must act to meet the environmental challenges of the present and the future, we cannot leave unaddressed the toxic legacies of the past like American Cyanamid’s site in Bridgewater Township,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement will help protect waterways from seeping contaminated groundwater and makes significant progress towards closing waste disposal areas at the site.”
“This agreement marks an important milestone in EPA’s work to clean up pollution throughout this complex site,” said Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck for EPA. “This will allow critical work to reduce problems posed by soil and groundwater contamination on parts of the site.”
The cleanup work includes addressing contaminated soil, groundwater and six waste disposal areas at the site. In addition, the agreement includes the closure of two waste disposal areas whose contents were previously excavated and sent off-site. Under the agreement, Wyeth will continue to operate a system for collecting and treating contaminated groundwater underneath the site to prevent it from seeping into the nearby Raritan River, Cuckel’s Brook and Middle Brook. A study to evaluate alternatives for cleaning up two additional waste disposal areas is ongoing.
The American Cyanamid Superfund Site has a history of industrial pollution dating back to 1915. For nearly a century, prior owners manufactured chemicals at the property. A number of impoundments were constructed and used for waste storage and disposal throughout this time period, which eventually contaminated soil and groundwater. The site was placed on the federal Superfund list in 1983 after hazardous chemicals were found in the impoundments, soil and groundwater.
The soil, groundwater and waste disposal areas are contaminated with volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level of contamination to which people are exposed and how long people may be exposed to the contaminants. The groundwater underlying the site is highly contaminated with benzene and other contaminants. Many of the site contaminants are known or suspected to cause cancer in people and animals, and benzene can cause cancer in people.
The public has the opportunity to submit written comments on the consent decree. The consent decree is subject to the 30-day comment period and final approval by the court. A copy of the consent decree is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Sanford Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Contact: Benjamin M. Block
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Adam Hill, 34, of Sanford, Maine, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
According to court records, on April 10, 2015, Hill was arrested while in possession of about 43 grams of heroin and 20 grams of cocaine.
Hill faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Sanford Police Department, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General, with assistance from the Maine State Police and South Berwick Police Department.
Sanford Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that James Levesque, 54, of Sanford, Maine pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to distribution of oxycodone.
Court records reveal that on March 7, 2014, in Sanford, Levesque sold forty 80-milligram oxycodone pills, through a middleman, to an individual working with law enforcement.
Levesque faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
San Felipe Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Kewa Pueblo ChildRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gregory Kyle Chavez, Jr., 28, a resident and member of San Felipe Pueblo, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a federal assault charge. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Chavez will be sentenced within the range of six to 14 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Chavez was arrested on July 6, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a two-year-old Kewa Pueblo child. According to the complaint, on June 13, 2015, in Indian Country in Sandoval County, N.M., Chavez allegedly assaulted the child resulting in injuries to the child’s left facial and forehead area including dark bruising and swelling to the left eye, left cheek, right jaw and bruising on the neck.
During today’s plea hearing, Chavez pled guilty to an information charging him with assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. He admitted that on June 13, 2015, within the Kewa Pueblo, he assault the 2-year-old child causing substantial bodily injury.
Chavez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA Office of Justice Services and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease.
San Angelo, Texas, Psychiatrist Admits Committing Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
AMARILLO, Texas — A licensed psychiatrist from San Angelo, Texas, Robert Hadley Gross, 58, pleaded guilty last week to one count of health care fraud stemming from a scheme he ran to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting claims for services not rendered in the manner billed, including submitting claims for services allegedly rendered after patients’ deaths. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Gross faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, according to the plea agreement filed in the case, he agrees to pay $1,832,869 in restitution to the U.S., representing all overpayments made to Gross from health care providers during the scheme. Gross has been in federal custody since his arrest in mid-October 2014 on related charges outlined in a federal indictment.
According to documents filed in the case, beginning in January 2009 and continuing until approximately June 20, 2014, Gross filed, and caused to be filed, claims against Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance carriers, for payment for services that were never rendered and services that were billed using inappropriate CPT codes.
Gross regularly submitted claims for services rendered to nursing home residents in and around San Angelo and he also regularly submitted claims for services provided to clients of mental health and mental retardation (MHMR) organizations in San Angelo, Midland, and Abilene, Texas, in addition to claims for services provided to foster care children in Brownwood, Texas.
As part of his scheme, Gross filed claims against Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance carriers for services for nursing home patients on dates he did not actually render services to patients. In those instances, the patients may have died or been discharged before Gross allegedly visited them in the nursing home.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of the Texas Attorney General are investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Cruce-Haag and Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams are prosecuting. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Fahey is handling the forfeiture.
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Salinas Man Charged in Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Neal Morton on bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon.
According to the indictment, Morton, a resident of Salinas, was employed in the accounting department at Tehama Golf Club, a privately owned entity located in Carmel. From 2009 through February 2014, Morton allegedly devised a scheme to embezzle funds from the Tehama Golf Club. As part of the scheme, he issued or caused to be issued checks drawn on the Tehama Golf Club bank accounts that were made payable to himself. To conceal the scheme, Morton either made or caused to be made entries in Tehama Golf Club’s accounting records falsely reflecting that the checks were for valid business expenses when in fact they were made payable to himself. Morton deposited the proceeds from the fraudulent checks into a bank account he controlled. Many of the fraudulent checks Morton signed were required to be co-signed by another authorized signatory at Tehama Golf Club. To evade this requirement, and in furtherance of his fraudulent scheme, Morton forged those signatures using electronic copies of them he had saved on his computer. In at least one instance, Morton also forged a co-signer’s signature by hand.
Morton is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court in San Jose on October 29, 2015, before the Honorable Paul Singh Grewal, U.S. Magistrate Court Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of thirty years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 for bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2). The maximum sentence for aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, is two years in prison to run consecutive to the underlying felony and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas Newman and Jose A. Olivera are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Russian Developer of the Notorious “Citadel” Malware Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Dimitry Belorossov, a/k/a Rainerfox, has been sentenced to four years, six months in prison following his guilty plea for conspiring to commit computer fraud. Belorossov distributed and installed Citadel, a sophisticated malware that infected over 11 million computers worldwide, onto victim computers using a variety of infection methods.
“Global cyber-crime requires a global response, and this case is a perfect example,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “This defendant committed computer hacking offenses on victims in the United States from the relative safety of his home country of Russia, but he was arrested by our law enforcement partners in Spain. As malware and hacking toolkits continue to victimize computer users around the world, we will step up our efforts to focus internationally on the criminals who develop these programs.”
“The FBI, in working with its international partners, continues to demonstrate that international boundaries no longer provide a safe haven for cybercriminals targeting U.S. individuals or interests domestically. Successful investigation and prosecution of cases such as this are directly attributable to the increased capabilities and determination of our cyber trained investigators and our foreign based legal attachés working collectively to not only disrupt and dismantle these foreign based hacking efforts, but also to bring those individuals responsible to justice,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: In late 2011, a malicious software toolkit named “Citadel” began appearing for sale on invite-only Internet website forums frequented by cybercriminals. Citadel was a sophisticated form of malware known as a “banking Trojan” designed to steal online banking credentials, credit card information, personally identifiable information, and, ultimately, funds through unauthorized electronic transfers. Citadel electronically infected the computers of unsuspecting individuals and financial institutions, creating “bots,” which cybercriminals, such as Belorossov, then remotely accessed and controlled.
Cybercriminals, including Belorossov, distributed and installed Citadel onto victim computers through a variety of infection methods, including malicious attachments to spam emails and commercial Internet ads containing malware or links to malware. Since 2011, multiple versions of Citadel have been distributed and operated throughout the world. Citadel became one of the most advanced crimeware tools available in the underground market, as it had the capability, among other things, to block antivirus sites on infected computers. According to industry estimates, Citadel, and other botnets like it, infected approximately 11 million computers worldwide and are responsible for over $500 million in losses.
In 2012, Belorossov downloaded a version of Citadel, which he then used to operate a Citadel botnet primarily from Russia. Belorossov remotely controlled over 7,000 victim bots, including at least one infected computer system with an IP address resolving to the Northern District of Georgia. Belorossov’s Citadel botnet contained personal information from the infected victim computers, including online banking credentials for U.S.-based financial institutions with federally insured deposits, credit card information, and other personally identifying information.
In addition to operating a Citadel botnet, Belorossov also provided online assistance with the goal of developing suggested improvements to Citadel, including posting comments on criminal forums on the Internet and electronically communicating with other cybercriminals via email and instant messaging.
For example, in 2012 Belorossov made numerous postings to Citadelmovement.com, an online forum in which Belorossov discussed his Citadel botnet and recommended improvements to the Citadel malware. In those postings, which were in Russian, Belorossov shared his concurrence with the improvements to Citadel recommended by others and commented on the efficacy of additional criminal functions other customers had recommended as enhancements to the Citadel malware.
Belorossov, 22, of St. Petersburg, Russia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr., to four years, six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $322,409.09. Belorossov was convicted on July 18, 2014, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven D. Grimberg and Scott Ferber prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
Roswell Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jaime Juan Alvarado, 37, of Roswell, N.M., was sentenced this afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Alvarado was arrested on Jan. 20, 2015, in Roswell after agents and officers from the DEA, Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force and the Lea County Drug Task Force executed a federal search warrant at his residence. According to the criminal complaint, the law enforcement officers seized approximately 35.7 grams of methamphetamine, heroin, several safes and a digital scale when they executed the search.
On March 25, 2015, Alvarado pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Alvarado admitted that on Jan. 20, 2015, in Chaves County, N.M., agents executed a federal search warrant on his residence and found methamphetamine in his kitchen which he planned to distribute to others.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force and the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terri J. Abernathy of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted this case.
The Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The Lea County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office, Hobbs Police Department, Lovington Police Department, Eunice Police Department the Tatum Police Department and the Jal Police Department.
The Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force and the Lea County Drug Task Force are part of the NM HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Thomas Hegarty, 21, of Rochester, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Hegarty walked into a Bank of America in Rochester, New Hampshire, on January 20, 2015 and handed the teller a note demanding money. He then made off with $400 in stolen funds. Surveillance cameras captured images of the robbery and law enforcement quickly identified Hegarty. He was apprehended later that day.
Hegarty – who faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000 – will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for January 12, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty in Jamaican Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Charles Hanks, 47, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to mail fraud before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Hanks worked with co-defendant Ricky Miller and a Jamaican group in a fraudulent sweepstakes telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly individuals. Victims were called on the telephone and told that they had won a sweepstakes prize or lottery. Victims were then asked to pay an upfront fee in order to release the purported winnings.
Hanks and Miller agreed to act as a point of contact in the United States to receive the money from the victims and then forward it to Jamaica after taking a substantial cut. Between January 2012 and September 2013, the victims sent approximately $300,000 to Hanks and Miller.
Ricky Miller was convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, Boston Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2016, at 11:00 am, before Judge Larimer.
Roanoke Man Convicted of Making False StatementRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man who willfully made a false statement to an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, pled guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke.
Shane Giles Eaton, 21, of Roanoke, Va., waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty today to a one count Information charging him with willfully making a false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the Government of the United States.
“Mr. Eaton falsely accused an ex-girlfriend of making threats against the President of the United States and of her intentions to join a known terrorist organization,” United States Attorney Anthony P. Giorno said today. “We take the act of making false statements to law enforcement officials extremely seriously. Mr. Eaton’s false accusations wasted precious federal resources and unnecessarily subjected his former girlfriend to the trauma of a federal investigation. Today’s conviction should serve as a warning to others who may be contemplating making similar false statements.”
According to evidence presented at today’s guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Bubar, on March 12, 2015, Eaton walked into the downtown Roanoke offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and made a statement to an agent that his ex-girlfriend made threats against the life of the President of the United States and her of intentions to join ISIS.
During interviews with Eaton’s ex-girlfriend and her mother, agents determined that Eaton’s original statements were false. In subsequent interviews with Eaton, conducted on March 16, 2015 by agents with the FBI and United States Secret Service, Eaton admitted that his prior statements were not truthful and that he lied about his ex-girlfriend to get her into trouble. In a Mirandized statement he wrote, “I lied to the agent,” and “Sorry for what I had done.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Bubar will prosecute the case for the United States.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Bank Fraud, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A woman with multiple felony convictions has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencing today.
According to facts presented in court, from December 2014 to March 2015, Patricia Ann Johnson, 38, targeted and obtained the bank account numbers and other identifying personal information of individuals who had the same name as her. She impersonated these individuals to make cash withdrawals from their accounts at area banks, which included First Citizens, Regions, SunTrust, and First Tennessee. The victims were from Tennessee and other states.
One of the fraudulent bank transactions occurred on December 3, 2014 at First Citizens Bank on Highway 70. The defendant impersonated another Patricia Johnson and obtained $9,000 from the victim’s account.
Another fraudulent transaction occurred on March 7, 2015 at First Tennessee Bank on Kirby Parkway. Once again, the defendant impersonated another Patricia Johnson and obtained $4,000 from the victim’s account.
On March 19, 2015, the defendant was arrested while attempting to make a fraudulent transaction at SunTrust Bank on Poplar. In total, the defendant obtained more than $20,000 during her scheme.
Johnson has an extensive criminal record, which includes 24 felony convictions.
Johnson was charged with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violating the supervised release of her last federal conviction for identity theft. She was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on Monday, September 28th by Judge Jon Phipps McCalla.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hall prosecuted the case.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate StalkingRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Makwan Jaff, 35, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to interstate stalking.
According to the criminal complaint affidavit and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, Jaff previously attended medical school in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (“St. Kitts”). Between February 11, 2014 and June 25, 2014, with the intent to harass or intimidate a female former medical school classmate, Jaff created about five Facebook accounts in the victim’s name (or variations of her name with added words, such as “slut” and “whore”) and put pictures of her in them without her knowledge or permission. Once the Facebook accounts were deleted by the victim, Jaff sent threatening email and Facebook private messages to her and her immediate family. During these communications from St. Kitts, Jaff threatened to harm the victim and another classmate who were attending school in Scarborough, Maine from May 2014 until June 2014.
During some of the communication sent to the victim while she was in Maine, Jaff threatened: “Let me tell you what I am gonna do when I get home; rent a car first thing and come to [M]ain[e]….It is only a 24 hours drive...I won’t stop believe me I will f**k your world upside down!...I will turn your life in to a living hell…I will not go away I will f**k with you for the rest of your f**ken life…Keep thinking I am playing game till I hit where it f**ken hurts!”Jaff’s conduct caused substantial emotional distress to the victim and her immediate family. Jaff also sent hundreds of email messages to the classmate about the victim, many of which were similarly threatening and harassing.
Jaff faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.