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Friday 24 July 2015
Former Owner of ‘Readings by Catherine’ IndictedRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – The former owner of “Readings by Catherine,” a business in Charlottesville that offered palm readings, candles readings, tarot card readings, and other services, has been indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Sandra Marks, 40, of Charlottesville, Virginia, a.k.a. “Catherine Marks,” was charged in a sealed indictment returned April 22, 2015 in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville. That indictment was unsealed yesterday morning following the defendant’s arrest and initial court appearance in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Marks was temporarily detained pending a bond hearing July 24, 2015 at 3 p.m.
The grand jury has charged Marks with 31 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Marks operated a business that offered palm readings, candle readings, tarot card readings, astrological readings and spiritual readings. The defendant offered walk-in services to customers, some of whom suffered from emotional distress and mental disorders, had recently gone through personal traumatic events in their lives, and/or who were emotionally vulnerable, fragile and/or gullible.
The indictment alleges that Marks unjustly enriched herself, and others, by obtaining money, jewelry and other things of value from her customers and clients of “Readings by Catherine” based upon false pretenses, representations, promises and omission of material facts. Marks claimed she was clairvoyant and able to see into the past and the future. She told clients she had a “gift from God” and was able to communicate with spirits and guides from God, including the “Prince of Illusion,” who would relay information to her about clients.
Marks, according to the indictment, would tell clients that she had learned from the spirits and guides that the client, and/or the client’s family, was suffering from a “curse” and a “dark cloud” that occurred in the past. The defendant would tell clients they would have to make a “sacrifice” of large amounts of money and valuables since “money was the root of all evil.” Marks told clients she preferred cash and explained that the money or valuables would be buried in a box or otherwise hidden away and “cleansed” through prayer, rituals and meditation.
The indictment states that Marks told her clients that she could not and would not use the money and valuables furnished as “sacrifices” for her own personal benefit. Once cleansed, she assured her clients that the money and valuables would be returned to them. Contrary to those assurances, Marks, according to the indictment, kept and used the money and valuables provided by her clients for her and her family’s own personal use and economic benefit. In a few instances, Marks returned some money upon threat of legal action.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and the Albemarle County Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Casey will prosecute the case for the United States.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Florida Man Sentenced for Trafficking in over $4 Million of Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Florida man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a multi-million dollar, multi-state conspiracy to transport hundreds of thousands of cartons of contraband cigarettes from the Kansas City, Mo., area to the state of New York, where they were sold primarily on Indian reservations.
Gholamreza “Reza” Tadaiyon, 51, of Weston, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan on Thursday, July 23, 2015, to five years of probation and ordered to forfeit $1,046,320 to the government, representing the profit from the sale of contraband cigarettes. Tadaiyon has forfeited to the government $448,189 that was seized primarily from his bank accounts.
On Feb. 18, 2015, Tadaiyon pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and contraband cigarette trafficking from July 1, 2011 to Jan. 28, 2012. Tadaiyon, who owned Brand Name Connoisseurs, Corp., in Florida, purchased those cigarettes from co-defendant Craig Sheffler, 45, of Independence, through his business, Cheap Tobacco Wholesale.
Tadaiyon admitted that he and Sheffler made regular purchases of contraband cigarettes from undercover agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kansas City, Mo. They coordinated the cigarette orders from vendors in New York and assisted in transporting the contraband cigarettes. Tadaiyon received approximately $1,046,320 in gross profit on these transactions.
Sheffler pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing. Conspirators purchased more than $17 million worth of contraband cigarettes from ATF agents during the undercover operation. Approximately 620,600 cartons of cigarettes – containing 10 packs per carton – were transported to New York without paying the required $4.35 per pack excise tax. The untaxed cigarettes were sold by New York retailers and smoke shops on the reservations in the state of New York. The benefit to those smoke shops was that they did not pay New York state cigarette taxes; thus, they could undercut the prices charged by off-reservation cigarette retailers by over $40 per carton.
The total state excise tax lost to the state of New York was more than $8 million.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul S. Becker and Justin G. Davids. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and FDIC-Office of Inspector General.
Five Charged in Heroin Overdose Deaths of Three Pittsburgh-area ResidentsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Several area men have been charged with distribution of heroin resulting in an overdose death, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today. The five men are named in three separate indictments, returned on July 21 and unsealed a day later, relating to the January 2015 fatal overdoses of two men and one woman. Court documents do not list the names of the deceased.
“The federal charge – distributing heroin that causes death – is not one we bring often or lightly,” stated U.S. Attorney Hickton. “However, it is the policy of this office that if we can establish that a seller of heroin caused a death, we are going to charge it. This heroin crisis requires that response.”
One indictment charges Richard Toland, 56, Edward Skrine, 58, and Anthony McCullough, 54, all of Pittsburgh, Penn., with conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin resulting in serious bodily injury and death on Jan. 25, 2015, as well as with distributing heroin on other occasions. The indictment also charges Toland with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon between January 2015 and Feb. 27, 2015. The indictment lists Toland’s six prior convictions for drug trafficking crimes as well as a prior conviction for aggravated assault. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 20 years and up to life in prison.
Another indictment charges Antonio Rutherford, 26, of Pittsburgh, Penn., with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury and death; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon – all from January 2015 to Feb. 9, 2015. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 25 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $1,500,000.
The last indictment charges Andrew Micheli, 22 of Bridgeville, Penn., with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin on or about Jan. 15, 2015. The indictment also charges that the distribution resulted in the serious bodily injury and death of a user of the heroin. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 20 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant(s).
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott Township Police Department and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigations leading to the indictments in these cases.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Feds seeking fugitives in block burner investigationRead the Press Release
Indianapolis—Federal law enforcement is still seeking the whereabouts of two federal fugitives who escaped capture from this week’s massive operation to arrest members of the Block Burner gang which operated on the East side of Indianapolis. William Edward Dodd, 32, and Eskivel Reynosa De La Cruz, 28, were last seen in Indianapolis on July 21, 2015, and are considered armed federal fugitives.
According to a federal criminal complaint filed on July 22, 2015, Dodd received five to ten kilograms of cocaine on multiple occasions from Dominican Republic sources of supply identified as Eskivel Reynosa De La Cruz and Gerardo Garcia. Law enforcement is still seeking to locate and arrest Dodd and De La Cruz.
When Dodd’s stash house located at 2566 S. Keystone Avenue was searched, agents recovered approximately $80,000 in cash and multiple packages of cocaine ready for resale. When Dodd’s residence was searched, agents found a loaded firearm and approximately $10,000 in cash.
United States Attorney Josh Minkler implored members of our community to come forward with any information that might lead to his arrest saying, “William Dodd is a is a threat to this and any other community he might be in. I am asking anyone who knows where he might be to call the FBI (317-595-4000), Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana (317-262-TIPS) or your local police department.”
A photo of Dodd and the criminal complaint detailing his criminal activity are attached to this release. No photo of De La Cruz is available. Dodd Wanted Poster (225.77 KB)
Dominican National Charged with Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was charged in District Court in Springfield yesterday with conspiracy and aggravated identity fraud.
Sandro Tavera Mora, 45, formerly of Springfield, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to possess and transfer fraudulent identification documents and one count of aggravated identity theft, in addition to the charges in the original indictment: one count of false personation of a U.S. Citizen and one count of fraud and misuse of visas. Tavera Mora was initially charged in March.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, Tavera Mora falsely and willfully represented himself to be a citizen of the United States. It is also alleged that he possessed an altered United States non-immigrant visa and numerous identification documents not belonging to him. Tavera Mora is alleged to have obtained numerous false Puerto Rican identification documents to commit identity fraud and misuse of a visa. It is alleged that between April and June 2014, he engaged in a conspiracy to distribute false identification documents to others.
The maximum sentence for false personation of a U.S. Citizen is three years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for theft and misuse of a visa is five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for conspiracy count is 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of identity theft, Tavera Mora faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence he receives. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Kevin O’Regan, Chief of Ortiz’s Springfield branch office and Marianne Shelvey, Trial Attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Gang Section.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dismissal of Conspiracy Count to Commit Tax Evasion by Kimberly Hastie and John Hastie, Jr.Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that the United States has moved to dismiss Count 18 of the superseding indictment against Kimberly Hastie and John Hastie, Jr., in criminal case number 14-00291-KD-N relating to conspiracy to commit tax evasion.
United States Attorney Kenyen Brown said, "The great bulk of the charges against Ms. Hastie involved allegations of public corruption. With the exception of one public corruption charge, a jury consisting of Ms. Hastie’s peers returned a not guilty verdict in her favor. Given this result, a further pursuit of the ancillary charge of conspiracy to commit tax evasion against Kimberly Hastie and John Hastie, Jr., is not in the best interest of justice at this time."
Defendant Sentenced to 2 Years for ID TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Rosendo Landeros-Galvan, 37, of Robertsdale, Alabama was sentenced on July 22 by Chief U.S. District Judge William H. Steele to 24 months imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. The judge ordered that Landeros-Galvan, an illegal alien from Mexico, undergo 1 year of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment, that he receive deportation consideration, drug abuse testing and substance abuse treatment, and that he pay a $100 mandatory special assessment. Landeros-Galvan was arrested in April 2014 by the Robertsdale Police Department for a narcotics violation. During his arrest, he purported himself to be another person. Landeros-Galvan was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2014 for unlawful use of a Social Security number. Law enforcement officials arrested Landeros-Galvan, a federal fugitive, in South Carolina in January 2015, when he again concealed his true identity from arresting agents. Landeros-Galvan pled guilty to aggravated identity theft in April 2015.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison on Federal Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Dallas man, Jose de Jesus Galicia-Fuentes, was sentenced yesterday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 188 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in September 2014 to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Galicia-Fuentes, 58, was arrested in July 2014 on a related federal criminal complaint; he has been in custody since that time.
According to documents filed in the case, an investigation into the sharing of child pornography files using peer-to-peer networks revealed that a user at a particular IP address, later determined to belong to Galicia-Fuentes, was sharing files indicative of child pornography. The investigation also revealed that as of July 2, 2014, Galicia-Fuentes had 125 files of investigative interest, that is, files with identified child victims or files containing images previously identified as child pornography by law enforcement, available to share.
When law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at his residence on July 9, 2014, they seized a computer containing videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. Galicia-Fuentes admitted that he had been viewing child pornography for more than three years, estimating that he has downloaded 100 videos of child pornography. He further admitted he received and possessed videos that included bondage and sadistic acts involving minors and the majority of his child pornography video collection was of prepubescent children.
The matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The FBI’s Dallas Child Exploitation Task Force and the Dallas Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted.
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Dallas County Woman Admits Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
DALLAS – Brenda Ward, 47, of Cedar Hill, Texas, appeared in federal court this morning before U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater and pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Ward, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for November 6, 2015, before Judge Fitzwater.
According to documents filed in the case, Ward, who was President and CEO of H.E.L.P.-Ing. Communities, Inc. (HCI), obtained a Medicaid group number for HCI and used that number, together with individual Medicaid provider numbers of licensed counselors and Medicaid recipient information, to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid.
Ward, who is neither a psychotherapist nor a mental health provider, submitted claims for individual, family, and group psychotherapy sessions that were not performed. As part of her fraud scheme, Ward used the Medicaid provider numbers of four licensed counselors, without their knowledge and consent, to submit claims under the HCI group number for services that they did not perform. Ward also used the Medicaid provider information of a fifth licensed counselor who worked for her to submit claims for psychotherapy services that both predated and postdated the counselor’s actual employment with her, as well as claims for services that the counselor did not provide during the counselor’s employment. Ward used the identification of more than 290 Medicaid recipients, most of whom were minor children, in her scheme.
Ward admits that from January 1, 2009, through February 9, 2015, she personally submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid and to Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, through HCI, totaling approximately $1,639,923.00; Ward was paid approximately $887,809.64 for these claims.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher is prosecuting.
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Clermont Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Transporting Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Anne C. Conway yesterday sentenced Aaron Michael Murray (23, Clermont) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for transporting child pornography over the Internet. He was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervision, and to register as a sex offender following his release from prison. Murray pleaded guilty on May 15, 2015.
According to court documents, police officers in Texas executed a search warrant at a residence and discovered child pornography on a computer used by a minor child. Further investigation revealed that the child had received images of child pornography from an individual using a computer located at a residence in Clermont, Florida. The individual, subsequently identified as Murray, had portrayed himself to be a minor child during online conversations with the Texas minor.
A search warrant was executed at Murray’s residence, where his laptop computer and iPod Touch device were seized and analyzed by the FBI. The email account Murray had used to send out the child pornography was located on the iPod. Online chat messages that Murray had sent using the fake persona of a minor child were also recovered, along with at least 250 images and videos depicting child pornography that Murray had obtained using the Internet. Murray’s laptop computer contained at least 73 images and videos depicting child pornography, many of which Murray had organized and sorted into folders. Evidence obtained from his email account showed that Murray had sent at least 246 images of child pornography to other users over the Internet, including many that depicted prepubescent boys engaged in sexual intercourse.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Ocala and Jacksonville, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department, and the Carrollton (Texas) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case 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 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.
Clay County Man Sentenced in Federal Court on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
A Clay County man was sentenced to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.
On July 23, 2015, Richard H. Barber, 49, of Louisville, Illinois, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, three years’ supervised release following his imprisonment, and fined $400. Barber had previously pleaded guilty to two counts in a federal indictment. Count 1 charged that from June 2014, until on or about October 28, 2014, in Clay County, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Illinois, Barber conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to manufacture a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Count 2 charged that on October 28, 2014, in Clay County, Barber possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which can be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Flora Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force. The Clay County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.
City Woman Sentenced to Serve Five Years Probation and Pay over $35,000 in Restitution for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma –DELANE HENDERSON, 52, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robin Cauthron to serve five years of probation for making a materially false and fraudulent representation to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”), announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. As part of her sentence, Henderson was also ordered to pay $35,240.00 in restitution. According to court documents, Henderson falsely represented that she was a deceased social security beneficiary, and used the beneficiary’s social security number and other identifiers to obtain funds from the SSA. Reference is made to court filings for further information.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry
Cedar Rapids Felon Sent to Prison for 100 Months for Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a firearm and ammunition in Cedar Rapids earlier this year was sentenced yesterday to 100 months in federal prison.
Michael Ray Davis, age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after his April 24, 2015, guilty pleas to three federal firearms crimes. The crimes included Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon; Unlawful Possession of a National Firearms Act Firearm; and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
At the guilty plea hearing, Davis admitted that he knowingly possessed a Beretta .40 caliber handgun and Winchester .40 caliber ammunition on January 4, 2015. Davis also admitted he knowingly possessed a modified Fabarm 12-gauge pump weapon on February 5, 2015, and such weapon was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davis also admitted to a prior felony conviction in state court for criminal mischief in the second degree.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade to 100 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Davis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information available: https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-CR-0019.
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California Woman Sentenced in Montana to More Than Four Years in Prison in Connection with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HELENA – A federal judge this week sentenced Erika Rae Brown, 44, of San Diego, California, to 56 months in prison and to pay approximately $3.7 million dollars in restitution for money laundering in connection with bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Sam Haddon also sentenced Brown to serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. The sentencing follows a March 19, 2015, change of plea in which Brown pleaded guilty to money laundering.
The offense involved Erika Rae Brown obtaining a four-million dollar bank loan based on a series of fraudulent representations about a data storage facility project she claimed she was working on located on a property in Darby, Montana. In January 2009, the bank forwarded the data company’s loan application to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Following representations by one of Brown’s associates regarding the project, the USDA committed to guarantee the loan. As part of the parameters for the loan, the bank required Brown to provide proof that companies were interested in using the data storage facility. Brown submitted letters to the bank from several well-known national companies that purportedly wanted to use the data storage. Subpoena returns from those companies later indicated that the letters were not, in fact, authored by the companies. Also, prior to the bank loan’s closing date, Brown provided the bank with a number of cashier’s checks and invoices in an effort to show that the company was in fact spending capital on the project. In reality, the checks were altered version of checks Brown had written for other expenses.
Brown assured the bank and USDA employees that her grandfather was able fund the project. It was later discovered that the loan disbursements were not used for the business projects and, in fact, a bathroom and office renovation represented the only work done on the project. Interviews of companies allegedly involved in working on the project confirmed that they had not done any work on it. Brown had submitted fabricated invoices to the bank. The loan defaulted in or about October 2011. A bank executive visited to the property in September 2012, which revealed that there were no improvements other than the bathroom and office space. A financial analysis of the loan proceeds revealed that Brown used the money for personal expenses, including $128,135 in rent for a Laguna Beach house and $5,825 for two Rolex watches. The bank foreclosed on the property in August 2013. The $3,741,047.82 in restitution ordered by the court represents the money Brown owes to the bank and the USDA.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad C. Spraker prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. Brown will have to serve at least 85% of her sentence before being released from federal prison.
Bossier City woman pleads guilty to stealing more than $90,000 in VA benefitsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Bossier City woman pleaded guilty to taking more than $90,000 paid to her deceased mother.
Gloria Lynn Perry, 65, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of theft of government property. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Perry stole $90,006 of her mother’s Veteran’s Affairs Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits from April 1, 2008 until July 1, 2014. Her mother died in 2008. In addition, Perry filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2014, but she did not report the existence of the bank account where her mother’s benefits were deposited nor the income she received as a result.
Perry faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date of November 12, 2015 was set.
The Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan is prosecuting the case.
Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist Agrees to Civil Fraud Settlement in Conjunction with Deferred Prosecution in Medicare and Medicaid Fraud InvestigationRead the Press Release
The United States and New York State have entered into a civil settlement agreement with Haroutyoun Margossian, a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist (OB/GYN). Margossian maintains an OB/GYN subspecialty in urogynecology and is the sole practitioner at NY Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, P.C. with a main office located in Brooklyn. The agreement resolves an investigation under the federal False Claims Act and the New York False Claims Act involving allegations that, in contravention of Medicare and Medicaid regulations, Margossian utilized an unlicensed and often unsupervised staff to treat women suffering from urinary incontinence. Under the terms of the civil settlement agreement, Margossian will pay a total of $8,047,291.06. Contemporaneously with the execution of the civil settlement agreement, the government filed a criminal charge against Margossian for making false statements to Medicare and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with him.
The civil settlement agreement, criminal charge, and deferred prosecution agreement were announced by Kelly T. Currie, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), New York Region, and Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
The government’s investigation revealed that between approximately January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013, the primary focus of Margossian’s practice was the treatment of woman suffering from incontinence. Patients received urodynamics testing and underwent pelvic floor rehabilitation by an unlicensed staff without proper physician supervision. Margossian was often absent from the office while conducting surgery at area hospitals and, at times, on vacation out of the country. Medicare and Medicaid rules required that these procedures be performed by a licensed physician or licensed physical therapist, or a properly trained medical provider under the physician’s direct supervision. Furthermore, Margossian used improper billing codes to bill Medicare for the pelvic floor rehabilitation, which substantially increased Margossian’s Medicare reimbursement.
The deferred prosecution agreement requires Margossian to install an independent billing monitor of his practice. As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, Margossian is obligated to comply with the terms of the civil settlement agreement under which he is paying the government over $8 million. If Margossian abides by all of the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement for two years, the government will then seek dismissal of the charge.
“Those who jeopardize the health and safety of their patients, while at the same time knowingly submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs, will be pursued to the full extent of the law,” stated United States Attorney Currie. Mr. Currie thanked HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the New York Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their assistance in the investigation.
“It is distressing to learn that a physician would be so driven by profit that he allowed his unlicensed employees to conduct testing and provide treatment to patients when he was not present, and at times, when he was out of the country. HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate this behavior, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect patients’ welfare,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Lampert.
“Health care fraud is ultimately a financial crime, which can lead to significant loss to both victims and government programs. Through successful engagement with our partners, the FBI is protecting potential victims and ensuring Medicare billing is utilized within the boundaries of the law,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Rodriguez.
The United States’ civil case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Abell, with assistance from Kaitlyn L. Dunn of the Office of Counsel to HHS-OIG. The criminal investigation was handled by U.S. Attorney Patricia E. Notopoulos. The state case was handled by Special Assistant Attorney General Jill D. Brenner.
The Defendant:
HAROUTYOUN MARGOSSIAN
Age: 55
Residence: Staten Island, NYAttorney Sentenced for $4 Million FraudRead the Press Release
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Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric J. Beste (619) 546-6695SAN DIEGO – Attorney Gino Paul Pietro appeared in two federal courthouses this week, where he was collectively sentenced to serve 30 months in prison for participating in separate fraud schemes in Orange and San Diego counties.
On July 20, 2015, U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford in Santa Ana ordered Pietro to serve 24 months in custody for a sophisticated loan fraud scam that used a “straw buyer” to conceal his client’s receipt of over $4 million in commercial loans that were backed by the federal government.
And on July 24, 2015, Pietro was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw in San Diego to serve 10 months in custody for defrauding six different defendants being held in pretrial detention (and their families) out of $3,000 each by falsely representing that his investigator was a licensed attorney who could “globally” resolve their criminal and immigration cases. Six months of that sentence are to be served consecutive to the Orange County sentence; four months concurrently.
In imposing additional custodial time on Pietro, Judge Sabraw told the defendant his conduct had brought “dishonor and disgrace to the entire legal profession.” And although his six victims had committed crimes by entering the country illegally, “they didn’t deserve this.”
Pietro was ordered to repay $18,000 in restitution to the victims of the San Diego fraud scheme, and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Santa Ana on October 26, 2015, to determine the amount of restitution he must pay to the victims of the loan fraud scheme.
Pietro was ordered to report to prison on November 27, 2015.
Pietro’s sentencing in federal court in Santa Ana concerned his role in defrauding Hana Bank out of two commercial loans that his client – Donald Goff – used to purchase lucrative gas stations in Anza and Imperial, California. In order to facilitate these transactions and conceal Goff’s involvement, defendant Pietro created two shell companies (Rock Petroleum, Inc. and the Golden Oso Group, Inc.) and made it appear that a “straw buyer” was actually going to purchase the properties for over $6 million – using a $2.1 million down payment and $4.5 million in loans from Hana. In truth, however, the purchase price was closer to $3.45 million, and the “down payment” was a total fabrication. And to secure favorable lending terms, the schemers fraudulently obtained guarantees from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”).
Soon after the fraudulent loan scheme was underway, Goff, his wife and stepdaughter were indicted in the Central District of California for executing similar loan fraud schemes. Instead of backing out of the Hana Bank scam, Pietro appeared in federal district court in Santa Ana and represented Goff in the criminal case – at the same time he was working with Goff to defraud Hana Bank. On December 7, 2012, the loans with Hana Bank closed, and over half a million dollars was diverted from these loan proceeds to pay the schemers – including $250,000 to defendant Pietro. The loans ultimately went into default, resulting in Hana Bank suffering the substantial losses that will ultimately be borne by the SBA and taxpayers.
Don Goff was sentenced to 78 months in prison. His wife, Melanie Goff, was sentenced to eight months custody; stepdaughter Monty Brown was sentenced to 18 months custody.
The following year, after withdrawing from representing Goff in the criminal case, Pietro embarked on a second fraud scheme that targeted defendants held in federal custody on immigration charges in San Diego. To obtain access to federal detainees facing criminal charges, Pietro arranged for an investigator to falsely represent to authorities that he was a licensed attorney. The investigator used this fraudulent access to falsely claim to detainees that he and Pietro could “globally” resolve their criminal and immigration charges within a matter a matter of months if they retained them for between $6,000 and $10,000. Between September 2013 and January 2014, Pietro and the investigator fraudulently induced six detainees and their family members to wire transfer $3,000 each to Pietro’s client trust account. Pietro then appeared in federal court for these defendants, replacing their court-appointed counsel. In the end, of course, Pietro was unable to execute a favorable “global” resolution of the criminal and immigration charges. Soon after pleading guilty in Santa Ana for his role in the Hana Bank scam, Pietro withdrew from representing these San Diego clients.
“Because members of the bar are given special privileges, they are rightly held to a strict standard of honesty and fair dealing,” said U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy. “Unfortunately, Pietro placed his own financial interests ahead of his obligations to his clients, to banks, and to the courts. Attorneys who engage in fraudulent conduct should not be surprised to find themselves in federal court – but this time, as defendants.”
Because the United States Attorney for the Central District of California was recused from the prosecution of Pietro, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California handled both of these prosecutions.
“Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature of the defendant’s breach of public trust through his fraud schemes,” said David L. Bowdich, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. Pietro was entrusted to uphold the law but instead, gave in to greed and broke the law, while enabling others to do the same. This sentence should serve as a deterrent for anyone contemplating similar criminal activity.”
“Pietro’s sentence is a reminder that those who defraud the government will be brought to justice and held accountable for their actions,” said Inspector General Peggy E. Gustafson of the Small Business Administration. “Lies by individuals that are afforded a degree of trust by virtue of their professions are particularly egregious. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for its dedicated leadership and professionalism in pursuit of justice in this case.”
DEFENDANT
Gino Paul Pietro Age: 54 Newport Beach, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Case No. SA CR 14CR0019-AG (C.D.C.A.)
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense; mandatory restitution; $100 special assessment.
Case No. 14CR1623-DMS (S.D.C.A.)
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense; mandatory restitution; $100 special assessment.
AGENCIES
U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General
Federal Bureau of InvestigationAssistant U. S. Attorney Promoted to Strike Force SupervisorRead the Press Release
FARGO - Acting U. S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that Assistant U. S. Attorney Rick Volk has been promoted to supervisor of the Bakken Strike Force. His role will include the supervision of the Strike Force prosecutors, as well as leading the Bakken Strike Force and its response to organized crime in the Bakken.
Rick joined the USAO in June 2002 after prosecuting cases for over nine years at the Burleigh County State’s Attorney Office in Bismarck. He is a 1988 graduate of Valley City State University and a 1991 graduate from the UND School of Law. Rick has primarily been assigned to prosecute violent crime occurring in Indian country and also served as the point of contact for both the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Chris Myers remarked: "Rick is an experienced and skilled trial lawyer and is a leader in law enforcement. He is the perfect choice to lead the Strike Force and our collective response to organized crime in the Bakken at a critical time in the history of Western North Dakota – Rick and his team will make a difference."
Animal Rights Activists Accused of Going on Cross-Country SpreeRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys
John Parmley (619) 546-7957 or Michael Kaplan (619) 546-7927SAN DIEGO – Animal-rights activists Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissane were arrested by the FBI today and charged with terrorizing the fur industry during cross-country road trips in which they released thousands of mink from farms around the country and vandalized various properties.
According to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today, Buddenberg and Kissane caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage during the nationwide spree in the summer of 2013. The indictment alleges that the pair snuck onto farms and freed minks and destroyed breeding records in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania during multiple trips, and in one case they released a bobcat from a farm in Montana.
The defendants were charged under the Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. They were arrested in Oakland this morning by agents from the FBI’s San Francisco field office. The government will seek the removal of Buddenberg and Kissane to the Southern District of California to face charges.
In one instance described in the indictment, the defendants traveled from Oregon to San Diego in their 2012 Honda Fit on July 15, 2013 and used paint, paint stripper, a super glue-type substance, butyric acid, muriatic acid and glass etchant to vandalize Furs by Graf, a retail furrier located in San Diego, as well as the Spring Valley and La Mesa residences and personal property of the current and former owners of the business.
To publicize their crimes, the defendants drafted “communiqués” describing their conduct and posted them on websites associated with animal rights extremists, the indictment said.
Among some of the incidents of vandalism cited in the indictment: The defendants slashed tires of a meat distributor’s truck in San Francisco; smashed windows and glued the door locks at a furrier business in Minneapolis, Minnesota; vandalized and attempted to flood the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin home of an employee of the North American Fur Auctions.
According to the indictment, the unemployed defendants sold items on eBay and Amazon to finance their trips. To avoid detection by law enforcement, the defendants withdrew large sums of cash from their bank accounts immediately before setting off on a road trip. During the trips, they largely avoided the use of phones, used only cash for purchases and stopped logging in to known online accounts and email. Instead, they used public internet computers and encrypted email.
Once they returned from the trips, they resumed normal use of phones and computers and no longer relied solely on cash to make purchases.
“Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “The conduct alleged here, sneaking around at night, stealing property and vandalizing homes and businesses with acid, glue, and chemicals, is a form of domestic terrorism and can’t be permitted to continue.”
“Today's indictment represents the collective efforts of several FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) around the country,” said Eric S. Birnbaum, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Diego Field Office. “The FBI and our JTTF partners will continue to investigate and seek the prosecution of those who engage in similar criminal conduct for the purpose of advancing their own personal agenda.”
Indictment Document (335.58 KB)
DEFENDANTS
Joseph Brian Buddenberg Age: 31 Oakland, CA
Nicole Juanita Kissane Age: 28 Oakland, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 43 (a) (1), (2) (c) and (b) (3) (A) Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fineAGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Francisco and San Diego Field Offices
Joint Terrorism Task Force*The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty
Thursday 23 July 2015
Yuma and Cochise Counties Have Accepted over $3 Million in Federal Grant Money Since 2010Read the Press Release
PHOENIX – Governor Ducey recently announced that $557,000 in additional funds would be made available to the sheriff’s offices in Yuma and Cochise Counties to assist with the cost of border law enforcement.
Law enforcement along the border is also a high priority of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Since 2010, Yuma County was awarded over $3 million in grant money from the DOJ and Cochise County was awarded over $200,000 in such grant money. The four border counties in Arizona received additional law enforcement support in the form of millions of dollars in DOJ grants and other federal funding since 2010.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-055_AZ GRANTS
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Woman Sentenced for Role in 2001 Arson That Killed Her 15-year-old SonRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO - SANDRA KAY BRYANT, St. Louis County, was sentenced today for her participation in setting fire to her family’s home in Florissant, Missouri, on November 16, 2001. Bryant’s 15-year-old son became trapped in the basement and was killed during the fire. Bryant pled guilty in March to one count of aiding and abetting the use of fire to commit mail fraud and unequivocally acknowledged and confirmed her participation in the arson scheme.
Bryant appeared today for sentencing before United States District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig. Judge Fleissig imposed a prison sentence of 96 months and awarded Bryant credit for the 50 months she spent in jail during the state-level prosecution.
The 2001 fire was originally the subject of state prosecution in which Sandra Bryant was charged with murder by arson. During the state trial, Bryant challenged her confession to detectives that detailed her involvement in the fire. The judge declared a mistrial after ruling that certain evidence relating to a polygraph examination indicating deception by Bryant had mistakenly been shown to the jury. The Missouri Supreme Court ultimately held that because the mistrial was declared over the defense objection, state prosecutors were barred from retrying the defendant in state court because of the United States Constitution’s “double jeopardy” provision.
Because the State was unable to proceed with its prosecution of Bryant, federal officials took over the investigation, and in October of 2011 a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging both Bryant and her ex-husband, Steven Kemper, for the 2001 arson. Steven Kemper pled guilty in 2013 and was sentenced to 70 months in prison.
Following Bryant’s sentencing this morning, U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan complimented the teamwork and persistence by the law enforcement agencies in staying the course on this long and difficult investigation and bringing both responsible parties to justice.
The investigation into this fire was initiated by the St. Louis County Police Department. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took up the investigation after the Missouri Supreme Court decision barring the retrial by state prosecutors. The Saint Louis County Prosecutor’s Office also provided significant assistance.
Wheatfield Man Charged with Possession of an Unregistered Destructive DeviceRead 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 Michael O’Neill, 45, of Wheatfield, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered destructive device. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 21, 2015, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding an injury at 6761 Walmore Road in Wheatfield. When emergency crews arrived, they discovered the defendant had a significant injury to his lower leg. Subsequently, personnel from the Erie County Bomb Squad entered the unattached garage where an explosion had occurred.
Officers noticed what appeared to be an area where explosives were being manufactured and explosive powder and BB’s in plain view. The bomb squad discovered what appeared to be seven improvised explosive devices, one was labeled “Powder w/Nails.” Other items discovered included two pill bottles labeled as flash powder, a bag of potassium perchlorate, 36 shotgun shells reloaded with fragments inside, a plastic bottle of triple seven powder, a box of triple seven pellets and a plastic bottle labeled as triple seven powder.
A subsequent x-ray exam of the device labeled “Powder w/Nails” determined that nails were packed into the device. It was disassembled and found to contain multiple nails, BB’s and suspected flash powder. A check determined that O’Neill does not have any firearms or destructive devices registered under the National Firearms Act.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Wheatfield Man Charged with Possession of an Unregistered Destructive DeviceRead 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 Michael O’Neill, 45, of Wheatfield, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered destructive device. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 21, 2015, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding an injury at 6761 Walmore Road in Wheatfield. When emergency crews arrived, they discovered the defendant had a significant injury to his lower leg. Subsequently, personnel from the Erie County Bomb Squad entered the unattached garage where an explosion had occurred.
Officers noticed what appeared to be an area where explosives were being manufactured and explosive powder and BB’s in plain view. The bomb squad discovered what appeared to be seven improvised explosive devices, one was labeled “Powder w/Nails.” Other items discovered included two pill bottles labeled as flash powder, a bag of potassium perchlorate, 36 shotgun shells reloaded with fragments inside, a plastic bottle of triple seven powder, a box of triple seven pellets and a plastic bottle labeled as triple seven powder.
A subsequent x-ray exam of the device labeled “Powder w/Nails” determined that nails were packed into the device. It was disassembled and found to contain multiple nails, BB’s and suspected flash powder. A check determined that O’Neill does not have any firearms or destructive devices registered under the National Firearms Act.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Webster City Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
A woman who committed Social Security Fraud for approximately five years pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Karlotta Venegas, 44, from Webster City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of Supplemental Security Income Benefits Fraud.
In a plea agreement, Venegas admitted that, between August 2008 and September 2013, she hid the fact that she had been outside the United States for more than thirty days on eight separate occasions from the Social Security Administration in order to continue to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. Venegas admitted she failed to tell the Social Security Administration about these trips in order to continue to receive them. She would not have been entitled to benefits during the time she was outside the United States if the Social Security Administration knew she was outside the United States for over thirty days at a time. During this period of time, Venegas received over $23,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Venegas remains free on conditions of release previously set. Venegas faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/. The case file number is 15-CR-3018.
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Two South Georgia Residents Plead Guilty to Dog Fighting and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Michael J. Moore announced today that Raymond Lee Hendrix a/k/a “Georgia Lee” and “Lee”, of Echols County, Georgia; and Willie Henderson, of Lowndes County, Georgia, entered guilty pleas to a number of charges in United States District Court in Valdosta. The pleas were entered on June 25, 2015 before the Honorable Hugh Lawson, Senior District Court Judge.
Mr. Hendrix pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor and exhibit a dog in an animal fighting venture. He faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both.
Mr. Henderson entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor and exhibit a dog in an animal fighting venture and to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His plea will subject him to a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both on the dog fighting charge and a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a $250,000.00 fine, or both on the firearms charge.
In their plea agreements, Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Henderson admitted that between January 2008 and August 2013, they operated Clyattville Kennels, maintaining and training American Pit Bull Terriers for other dog fighters in exchange for a “tipping fee”, breeding and registering American Pit Bull Terriers and participating in organized dog fight gambling events throughout the Southeast. In addition, Mr. Henderson admitted to possessing a rifle and shotgun, after having been convicted of a felony. A copy of each plea agreement is attached.
Sheriff Randy Courson with the Echols County Sheriff’s Office stated, “This case has been years in the making with a lot of hard work and many man hours of agencies working together to eliminate the cruel and inhumane treatment of these animals for profit.”
The case resulted from an inter-agency investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Echols County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, Auburn (Alabama) Police Department, Bainbridge (Georgia) Department of Public Safety, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, Lee County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office along with assistance from the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Assistant United States Attorney Julia C. Bowen is prosecuting the case for the government.
The Court set sentencing for Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Henderson for September 23, 2015 at 9:30 am in Valdosta.
Inquiries regarding this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2603.
Two Persons Sentenced for Organized Drug Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
Jason Crabtree, 40, of Centralia, Illinois, was sentenced on July 22, 2015 to a total of 60 months in prison on a four-count indictment charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Unlawful Distribution of Cocaine, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced. Following his prison sentence, Crabtree will be on federal supervised release for 5 years and was ordered to pay a fine of $500, as well as a $200 special assessment. An Order for forfeiture was entered in the amount of $75,000.
On July 22, 2015, co-defendant Cambryn M. Baker, 34, of Odin, Illinois, was also sentenced. Baker was sentenced to an 18 month split sentence (9 months in prison, 9 months on home confinement) for her part in the indictment charging her with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments and Concealing or Disguising the Nature, Source, Location, Ownership or Control of the Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity. Following her split sentence, Baker will be on federal supervised release for 2 years and 3 months and was ordered to pay a $400 fine and $200 special assessment.
Between approximately January 2010 and January 2013, Crabtree, Baker, and others were involved in an organization which engaged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, MEGSI and Illinois State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deirdre A. Durborow.
Two Miami-Dade County Residents Pled Guilty in Identity Theft Tax Fraud Scheme Involving Deceased and Other Individuals’ Personal Identifying InformationRead the Press Release
Two Miami-Dade County residents pled guilty for their participation in an identity theft tax fraud scheme using deceased and other individuals’ personal identifying information (PII).
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and J. Scott Dennis, Chief, North Miami Beach Police Department (NMBPD), made the announcement.
Joshua Chikudo, 40, and Curtis Joseph, a/k/a “CJ,” 36, both of Miami-Dade, each pled guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. Chikudo also pled guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
According to court documents, Joseph met with an IRS confidential informant (CI) and discussed a scheme to cash tax refund checks involving PII stolen from a medical clinic. The CI introduced Joseph to an undercover IRS agent. During three separate meetings, Joseph gave the undercover agent a total of thirteen tax refund checks for the undercover agent to cash. In exchange, the undercover agent gave Joseph approximately sixty-five percent (65%) of the check amounts as payment for his participation in the illicit scheme.
Court documents also state that at another meeting, the undercover agent provided Joseph with five IRS-controlled identities, consisting of fictitious PII - names, social security numbers, and dates of birth - to be used by a tax preparer in order to file fraudulent federal tax returns. During a separate meeting, the undercover agent gave Chikudo seven additional IRS-controlled identities that Chikudo intended to include in fraudulent tax return filings. Chikudo asked the undercover agent if he could obtain a business bank account for the purpose of depositing the fraudulent tax refunds into that account to avoid detection. The defendants, undercover agent, and another undercover partner agreed to split all of the tax refunds equally amongst themselves. The undercover agent provided Chikudo with IRS-controlled bank account information to be included on the fraudulent tax returns. The defendants caused six fraudulent federal income tax returns to be filed. The filings designated the IRS-controlled bank account as the intended recipient of the fraudulent refunds.
Furthermore, court documents state that between April and August of 2013, the defendants filed thirty-two fraudulent federal income tax returns using the twelve IRS-controlled identities, to request refunds totaling $197,688. Twenty-one of the returns were joint returns that included the PII of deceased individuals.
The defendants each face a maximum of twenty years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Chikudo is also facing and a mandatory term of two years in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, for the aggravated identity theft charge.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, ICE-HSI and NMBPD. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia E. Shick.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. 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.
Three Plead Guilty in Green Dot Scam Run by Alabama DOC InmatesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Pamela Lee, age 48, of Madison, Alabama, Michael Shane Garrison, age 26, and Marlon Ramon Coston, age 21, pleaded guilty in federal on Tuesday for their roles in a in a scheme to defraud businesses throughout the United States, announced George L. Beck Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Both Garrison and Coston are inmates in the Alabama Department of Corrections
Court documents indicated that between 2012 and 2014, Lee, Garrison, and Coston, ran a wide-ranging wire fraud scheme in which they used prepaid Green Dot and AccountNow cards to defraud multiple businesses, primarily service stations and convenience stores. Garrison and Coston carried out this scheme while they were incarcerated at the Bullock Correctional Facility, using cell phones that had been smuggled into the prison.
The scheme typically consisted of either Garrison or Coston using the cell phones to call a store and pose as a manager. The two would instruct the clerk to do a cash-count of the register at which time they would inform the clerk that there was a discrepancy with the register’s balance. They would then have the clerk make up for the discrepancy by purchasing a Green Dot prepaid cash or debit card with cash from the register and provide the account numbers over the phone to the “manager.”
Once the account numbers had been obtained by Garrison and Coston, they would then call Lee and have her transfer the funds to another card prior to the fraudulent card being frozen by Green Dot. Lee kept a portion of the transferred funds and maintained multiple alternate prepaid cards for Garrison and Coston at her residence in Madison County, Alabama. Lee provided the account numbers for the alternate cards to Garrison and Coston, who used them to purchase contraband from correctional officers employed at Bullock Correctional Facility.
On Tuesday, Lee, Garrison, and Coston each entered guilty pleas to a single count of wire fraud for carrying out this scheme in October of 2014, through a series of telephone calls to a Shell Station located in Gardendale, Alabama. The three will be sentenced in a separate proceeding where they will face a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. A date for that hearing has not yet been scheduled.
The investigation of this case was initiated by the Gardendale Police Department and was a joint effort with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Alabama Department of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon K. Essig and Jonathan Ross.
Thomas Martinez Charged with Violating the Federal Carjacking and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) announced that Thomas Martinez, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., has been charged with violating the federal carjacking and firearms laws in a criminal complaint filed earlier today. Martinez’s initial appearance in federal court has yet to be scheduled.
The criminal complaint charges Martinez with two counts of carjacking and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The criminal complaint alleges that Martinez committed all four crimes in Albuquerque on July 22, 2015, as he allegedly attempted to evade APD officers who were seeking to arrest him on a warrant arising out of an unrelated state court case.
According to the criminal complaint, Martinez allegedly committed the first carjacking as he attempted to flee from officers conducting surveillance in the vicinity of a hotel in northeast Albuquerque. Martinez allegedly ran to a Chevrolet sedan occupied by a driver and three children as the driver was entering a ramp to Interstate 40. Martinez allegedly brandished a firearm at the driver, pushed the driver into the passenger seat of the Chevrolet, and used the Chevrolet to continue his flight from the officers. The children were able to get out of the vehicle before Martinez drove away with the driver in tow. An APD detective who was attempting to prevent the carjacking was dragged by the Chevrolet as Martinez drove away. As Martinez continued his flight, the driver of the Chevrolet began to fight with Martinez in an effort to get him to stop the vehicle. Martinez allegedly responded by discharging a firearm in an attempt to shoot the driver. When Martinez slowed down, the driver was able to jump out of the Chevrolet.
The complaint further alleges that Martinez continued his flight in the Chevrolet and abandoned the vehicle in a neighborhood in southeast Albuquerque. There Martinez allegedly forced his way into a Cadillac sedan occupied by an older man seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. As Martinez began to drive away, another man confronted Martinez, got into the Cadillac, and began fighting with Martinez. During the fight, Martinez allegedly attempted to discharge his gun at the man. Shortly thereafter, the man was able to disarm Martinez, and Martinez was arrested by APD officers.
If convicted, Martinez faces a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on each of the carjacking charges. Martinez faces a statutory mandatory minimum of seven years if he is convicted of brandishing a firearm during a carjacking, and a statutory mandatory minimum of ten years if convicted of discharging a firearm during a carjacking. The sentences imposed on the firearms charges must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the carjacking charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the ATF office in Albuquerque and APD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, under this initiative.
martinez_complaint.pdf (162.28 KB)
Thirteen Persons Face Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Benton, Illinois, has charged thirteen Southern Illinois residents with narcotics-related offenses, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Five individuals were charged with possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent that it be used for the production of methamphetamine. Those charged with those offenses are: Jordan D.E. Dunstan, 24, of Harrisburg, Illinois; Carolyn S. Glore-McGhee, 43, of Harrisburg, Illinois; Amanda K. Lewis, 30, of Brookport, Illinois; Marty A. Gibson, 43, of DuQuoin, Illinois; and Jared L. Hall, 29, of Galatia, Illinois.
Five more individuals were charged with conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine pills and with possessing pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Those so charged are: Diana L. Osteen, 49, of West Frankfort, Illinois; Richard L. Poole, 49, of West Frankfort, Illinois; Jerry D. Porritt, 51, of West Frankfort, Illinois; Adam J. Craig, 24, of West Frankfort, Illinois; and Gayla L. Craig, 58, of West Frankfort, Illinois.
Two individuals were charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Those persons are: Blakely D. Sullivan, 48, of Bonnie, Illinois, and Miki Jo Lampley, 40, of Benton, Illinois.
One person was charged with distribution of cocaine: Michael G. Nolen, 65, of Benton, Illinois, was charged with committing that offense in Franklin County, Illinois.
Those charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine face 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Those charged with conspiracy to provide pseudoephedrine pills to others or with providing pseudoephedrine pills to others face up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The individual charged with distribution of cocaine faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Illinois State Police, Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West City Police Department, Sesser Police Department, Christopher Police Department, Zeigler Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Saline County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas E. Leggans.
State Employee Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that AJMAL JENKINS, 39, of Middletown, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to one count of tax evasion.
This matter stems from an Internal Revenue Service investigation into State of Connecticut employees and others who had little or no federal withholding taken out of their paychecks and who failed to file income tax returns. The investigation revealed that certain individuals submitted fraudulent W-4 forms claiming numerous exemptions, or that they were exempt, and had little or no money withheld from their wages.
According to court documents and statements made in court, JENKINS has been employed by the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for approximately 15 years as a mental health assistant at the Connecticut Valley Hospital. During the 2009 through 2013 tax years, JENKINS paid little or no federal income taxes on approximately $353,565 in income he received, resulting in a federal tax loss of approximately $52,549.
JENKINS will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000, and is required to pay all back taxes, plus interest and penalties.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines.
Springfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth After High-Speed Chase in Osage BeachRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing methamphetamine for distribution, following a high-speed police chase in Osage Beach, Mo.
Stacy Renae Merrell, 28, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to the charge contained in an April 2, 2015, federal indictment.
By pleading guilty today, Merrell admitted that she was in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on Feb. 19, 2015. Merrell must forfeit to the government $12,557 that was seized by law enforcement officers at the time of her arrest, which was derived from the proceeds of drug trafficking.
Merrell was arrested on Feb. 19, 2015, when she refused to stop for an Osage Beach police officer. The officer observed Merrell driving a BMW X5 SUV on U.S. Highway 54 near the Grand Glaize Bridge in Osage Beach. The officer activated his emergency lights, but Merrell refused to stop and led police in a pursuit that exceeded 100 miles per hour. Merrell exited U.S. Highway 54 at the Highway 242 exit in Miller County, Mo., and crashed through a metal gate. Her vehicle went down an embankment and crashed. Merrell ran from the vehicle but fell through a partially frozen pool of water and was completely submerged. Merrell pulled herself out of the water and surrendered to police officers.
During a search of Merrell’s vehicle, officers found a large bundle of $100 bills totaling $10,000 in the glove box and two plastic bags containing a total of 244 grams of methamphetamine on the passenger floor board inside a nylon bag.
Under federal statutes, Merrell is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $5 million. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander. It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Osage Beach, Mo., Police Department, the Lake Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.
Southbridge Man Convicted of Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Southbridge man was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition yesterday in United States District Court in Worcester.
Mark McForbes, aka “S-Dot,” 33, was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition after an eight-day jury trial. McForbes is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14, 2015.
On Aug. 29, 2014, McForbes and a cooperating witness negotiated the sale of firearms and ammunition in Southbridge. Later that evening, McForbes sold two loaded 9mm firearms to the cooperating witness at a Worcester residence. The jury convicted the defendant of possession of the two firearms and the ammunition contained therein. The jury acquitted McForbes of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. McForbes qualifies under federal law as an armed career criminal based upon prior criminal convictions.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Southbridge Police Chief Daniel Charette made the announcement today. The case was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of United States Attorney Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office. The investigation was initiated by the ATF and the Southbridge Police Department with assistance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Worcester Police Department.
Solon man charged in murder-for-hire plotRead the Press Release
A Solon man was charged for his role in murder-for-hire plot, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.
Dennis A. Totarella, 65, was charged via criminal information with one count of use of an interstate communication facility to commit murder for hire.
Totarella, working with James Martino, used cellular telephones and Internet websites as part of a plot to murder someone in exchange for $40,000. This took place between January and June 2013, according to the information.
Martino, 65, of Highland Heights, was indicted last month on one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and one count of financing extortionate extensions of credit. He has pleaded not guilty and his case is pending.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan Brown and M. Kendra Klump following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the dourt after a review of 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. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An information 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.
Roland City Employee Sentenced to 6 Months, $100,000 Restitution for Theft of Federal Program FundsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JOETTA TYLER-HYDE, age 54, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, followed by 6 months on home detention and 3 years of supervised release for Theft of Federal Program Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666. The defendant was also ordered to pay $100,505.66 in restitution.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Information alleged that from in or about July, 2009, through in or about January, 2013, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, JOETTA TYLER-HYDE, the defendant herein, being an employee of the City of Roland, said organization receiving in any one year period from 2009 through 2013, benefits in excess of $10,000.00 from the United States, embezzled, stole, and intentionally misapplied property worth at least $5,000.00 which was under the care, custody and control of such organization.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. The defendant was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on September 15, 2015, where she will serve her nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wilson represented the United States.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jonathan Rivera, 34, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years In prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both.Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Moynihan who is handling the case, stated on May 24, 2014, the Rochester Police Department received a 911 call regarding a man pointing a shotgun at someone through the window of a car he was driving in the area of Upper Falls Boulevard and North Clinton Avenue.
Officers responded and saw a car that matched the vehicle description they had been given speeding in the area of Oakman Street. The vehicle was pulled over in the parking lot of a restaurant located on Upper Falls Boulevard at North Clinton Avenue. Rivera jumped out of the car, put his hands in the air and was detained. Officers saw a Winchester 1300 Ranger slide action 12 gauge shotgun in the defendant’s car in between the driver’s seat and the driver’s side door, as well as four shotgun rounds in the cup holder in the center console.
In August of 2007, Rivera was convicted in Livingston County of Burglary in the Second Degree.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid, New York Field Division and members of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
Richmond County Defendants Plead Guilty in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Fifteen defendants from Richmond County pleaded guilty during July 2015 to methamphetamine-related offenses, announced Ripley Rand, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Between the dates of July 6, 2015, and July 13, 2015, these fifteen defendants entered guilty pleas related to their involvement in the manufacture, distribution, and use of methamphetamine in and around Richmond County between 2012 and March of 2015.
Phillip Allen McGee, Thomas Leslie Snead, Jr., Tommy Brantley Jenkins, II, and Christopher Jared Jenkins each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. Each faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1 million fine, a supervised release term of at least three years, and a $100 special assessment.
Tracy Alan McDonald, Robert Allen Beck, Tristan Daniel Visingard, Jeffrey John Hodges, Christopher Scott Loftus, Jason Franklin Jacobs, Alex Baxter Odom, Jr., Nickolas Craig Smith, Nanci Brook Byrd, Cayce Leigh Honeycutt, and Taylor Dawn Loftus each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(c)(1). Each faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a supervised release term of not more than three years, and a $100 special assessment.
Sentencing in these cases is scheduled for October 29, October 30, November 12, and November 19, 2015.
These cases were investigated by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett.
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Quincy Man Convicted of Committing Two Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Kenneth Lamar Ellington (46, Quincy) guilty of two counts of bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Sentencing has been set for October 19, 2015, before United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard.
Ellington was charged by indictment on September 17, 2014.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on the morning of April 9, 2014, Ellington robbed a branch of TD Bank in Live Oak, Florida. Disguised with a fake beard and cap, he presented a teller with a note demanding money. When the teller failed to act fast enough, Ellington instructed her to hurry and gestured toward his waistband as if he were reaching for a firearm. The teller gave Ellington $935 that included a dye pack. Ellington then left the bank with the cash and dye pack grasped in a softcover book. Several bank employees witnessed the robbery, including one who identified Ellington at trial. As Ellington walked away from the TD Bank branch, the dye pack ignited, causing him to drop the money, demand note, and book. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) fingerprint analyst later located Ellington’s fingerprint on the recovered items.
Approximately three hours after the first robbery, Ellington entered the First Federal Bank of Florida, also in Live Oak, wearing the same disguise. He again presented a demand note to a teller, and stated “Hurry up and no one will get hurt.” Ellington escaped from the second bank with $4,105.
Bank security camera footage showed Ellington exiting the bank and walking toward a nearby business. Soon after, a witness in that business’s parking lot found a garbage bag containing Ellington’s disguise and the shirt that he had worn during both robberies. After this evidence was recovered, FDLE analysts located Ellington’s fingerprint on the garbage bag and his DNA on the disguise and shirt. In addition, a witness recalled seeing a black Dodge Charger parked at the location where the disguise for Ellington’s second robbery was recovered. When Ellington was arrested, on April 14, 2015, he was driving a black Dodge Charger.
This case was investigated by the Live Oak Police Department, the Suwanee County Sherriff’s Office, the Perry Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dale R. Campion and Michael J. Coolican.
Prisoner Who Escaped from Custody at Virginia Hospital Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charges in Connection with Assaults on GuardsRead the Press Release
Arlington man was in custody on bank robbery charges when he escaped
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Wossen Assaye, 43, of Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, with both counts based on his armed assaults of two security guards during his March 31, 2015, escape from Inova Fairfax Hospital.
In the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Assaye accepted responsibility for not only the firearms offenses, but also additional criminal conduct for which he was charged or suspected to be responsible. According to the statement of facts, beginning in October 2013 and continuing until March 2015, Assaye robbed various banks in Northern Virginia on 11 occasions, two of which were armed robberies. In another instance, Assaye entered a bank with the intent to commit bank robbery and larceny. After being arrested for his crimes, Assaye escaped from federal custody while at a Virginia hospital for treatment. During the course of his escape, Assaye assaulted a security guard, overpowered her, and took her firearm. He then pointed the firearm at a second guard before pulling the first guard down the hospital hallway at gunpoint and fleeing the hospital.
Assaye was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 28, 2015. He faces a mandatory minimum of 32 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 9, 2015. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andrew G. McCabe, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; Earl L. Cook, Alexandria Chief of Police; Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff; and Mary Gavin, Falls Church Chief of Police, made the announcement after the indictment was returned.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria City Police Department, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, and the Falls Church City Police Department. Also, during the course of the investigation assistance was received from U.S. Marshals Service, Virginia State Police, Arlington County Police Department, and Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Rich and William M. Sloan, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Glaser are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-115.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 17 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ROBERT E. BRIDGES, 59, formerly of Greenwich and Redding, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 17 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking marijuana.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 28, 2008, BRIDGES was sentenced in U.S. District Court in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating a scheme that defrauded investors of more than $5 million. BRIDGES was released from prison in November 2012 and began serving his three-year term of supervised release. In May 2014, BRIDGES filed a motion seeking early termination of his supervised release and stated “Defendant is a totally different person as a result of being incarcerated. The life-changing and life-improving process was used to make the most of every day.”
On June 18, 2014, BRIDGES’ motion for early termination of supervised release was granted.
In May 2014, BRIDGES applied for post office boxes at U.S. Post Offices in Georgetown, Riverside and Wilton, Connecticut. On December 11, 2014, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified three suspicious packages that were being mailed from Woodland, California to two of BRIDGES’ post office boxes. When BRIDGES arrived at the Georgetown Post Office later that day to retrieve his packages, he was interviewed by a U.S. Postal Inspector and gave written consent to search the packages. The first package contained 112 plastic vials that contained hashish, the second package contained nine vacuum-sealed plastic bags containing a total of approximately 4.5 kilograms of marijuana, and the third package contained 11 vacuum-sealed bags containing a total of approximately 5.5 kilograms of marijuana.
BRIDGES admitted to law enforcement that he had recently traveled to California, paid approximately $60,000 for the drugs and shipped the packages to himself.
BRIDGES has been detained since his arrest on December 18, 2014. On April 28, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with intent to distribute marijuana.
To date, Bridges has paid approximately $4,000 of the $5 million he owes in restitution related to his fraud conviction.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Portland Married Couple Pleads Guilty to One Million Dollar Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - A Portland, Oregon married couple pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones in the District of Oregon today for conspiring to file fraudulent federal income tax returns that claimed refunds of more than $1 million.
According to the plea agreement, spouses Shawntina Ware and Brandon Leath admitted to conspiring with each other and other individuals to prepare and file more than 227 fraudulent income tax returns for calendar year 2009 during the 2010 tax filing season. The false information on the tax returns included fictitious W-2 wage and withholding information and fraudulent refundable tax credits.
According to court documents, Leath has agreed to a sentencing recommendation of 24 months in prison for his crimes. Ware faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the theft of government funds count, and a statutory maximum sentence of 5 years in prison for both the conspiracy count and the false claims count.
Ware and Leath agreed to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service with a combined total of more than $150,000, and will each be sentenced on November 3, 2015.
The special agents of Portland, Oregon IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Lori A. Hendrickson and Ryan R. Raybould of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland, Oregon.
Ponzi Scheme Operator Sentenced to More Than 6.5 Years on Securities Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Claude Darrell McDougal, 56, formerly of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded his investor victims of over $2.5 million, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. also ordered McDougal to serve two years under court supervision after he is released from prison and to pay $2,020,078.26 as restitution to the victims of his fraud.
North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall and John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division join Acting U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from 2006 to 2010 McDougal induced over 25 investors in Charlotte and elsewhere to invest more than $2.5 million, by promising his victims their money would be invested in securities, in the form of promissory notes offered by “US Financial Alliance Consultants, LLC” (Financial Alliance). McDougal created Charlotte-based Financial Alliance in 2005, a company that was never registered as a dealer of securities in North Carolina or elsewhere, according to court records. Also, according to court records, McDougal was not registered to sell securities in North Carolina or in any other state, following termination from his previous employer in August 2009. Court documents show that McDougal induced his victims to invest with Financial Alliance by falsely “guaranteeing” fixed rates of return between 6% and 15% annually.
McDougal collected over $2.5 million dollars from victim-investors, many of whom were elderly and invested most, if not all, of their life-savings with him. Instead of investing the victims’ money as promised, McDougal squandered it. According to court records, over the course of the three-year scheme, McDougal invested only $580,000 of the victims’ money and used approximately $450,000 to pay some victims supposed “payouts” from profits made on investments. However, these payments were not based on profits, but came from funds contributed by new investors, commonly referred to as “Ponzi” payments. Court records show that McDougal used approximately $1.19 million of the investors’ funds to support his own lifestyle, including to buy dinners, jewelry and electronics, and to pay for hotel stays, furniture and other business-related expenses. McDougal pleaded guilty to securities fraud in July 2014.
Following the sentencing hearing McDougal was released on bond. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The case was investigated by the North Carolina Secretary of State, Securities Division, with assistance from the FBI’s Charlotte Division.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Harrington prosecuted the case. Mr. Harrington is an Enforcement Attorney with the North Carolina Department of Secretary of State, Securities Division, and was appointed to serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte in September 2011. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the North Carolina Securities Division and the United States Attorney that helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of white collar criminals, particularly in the area of securities fraud.
The charges were brought 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.”
Physician and Office Manager Indicted on Alien Smuggling and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Dr. Fred Joseph Turner (57, Sarasota) and Rosetta Valerie Cannata (58, Osprey) with conspiracy to unlawfully bring an alien into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and dispense hydromorphone and OxyContin not in the usual course of professional practice, and distributing and dispensing hydromorphone and OxyContin not in the usual course of professional practice. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the alien charge and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the other charges. The indictment also notifies Turner that the United States intends to forfeit his license to practice medicine.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Largo Police Department, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Health. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Palm Beach County Resident Convicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Riviera Beach resident was convicted by a jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo J. Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, Stephen J. Stepp, Chief, Palm Beach Gardens Police Department (PBGPD) and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), made the announcement.
Joseph McDonald, 36, of Riviera Beach was convicted following a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. McDonald was previously convicted in state court for being a felon in possession. McDonald faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison for the crimes of conviction. McDonald is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30, 2015, at 10:30 a.m.
According to evidence presented at trial, McDonald fled from the police during two separate stolen vehicle investigations. On July 28, 2013, McDonald dropped a fully loaded Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol during his flight from members of the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department. On December 17, 2013, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputies recovered a fully loaded Ingram Mac 10 semi-automatic pistol from McDonald’s path of flight.
This case is, in large part, the result of the Violence Reduction Partnership, launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Through this Partnership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks in various neighborhoods, while simultaneously working with community leaders and concerned citizens to mentor at-risk youths, provide jobs and job training to young families, and help probationers and parolees successfully re-enter society.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ATF, PBGPD and PBSO. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandy Galler and Daniel Funk.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. 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.
Owner of Employee Leasing Company Sentenced for Immigration and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - Kim Meas, 60, a native of Cambodia, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for schemes to defraud the United States. Meas was the managing director of LS Services Corporation (“LS”), an employee leasing company in South Philadelphia. He pleaded guilty on November 24, 2014 to two counts of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, two counts of transporting illegal aliens and two counts of failure to collect and pay federal income and employment taxes. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jan E. Dubois ordered restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1.7 million during three years of supervised release, a $600 special assessment, and $23 million in forfeiture.
As the principal corporate officer at LS, Meas negotiated labor leasing contracts with various companies throughout the greater Delaware Valley that leased temporary workers from LS. Meas also established approximately 14 shell companies to create the illusion that the workers that LS leased to other companies were employees of the shell corporations. As such, the shell corporations, and not LS, would be responsible for collecting and paying employment and income taxes for the employees. Meas attempted make it impossible for the IRS to determine the identity of the employer of the illegal aliens, as well as the amount of employment and income taxes that the employer of the illegal aliens was required to pay to the federal treasury. LS also transported the illegal aliens, free of charge, to various work locations in company vehicles. The companies, that leased employees from LS, did not withhold federal income taxes on the wages paid to the employees, nor did these companies collect and pay to the Internal Revenue Service, employment taxes on the income earned by the workers. Meas had two co-conspirators, Ken Sem and Vivi Fnu, who previously pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Floyd J. Miller.
On the 25th Anniversary of the ADA, the Justice Department Signs Agreement to Bring the Promise of the ADA to Lumpkin County, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced an agreement today under its Project Civic Access (PCA) initiative with Lumpkin County, Georgia, to address accessibility issues in the county’s services, programs, activities and facilities under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the ADA – ADA 25: Advancing Equal Access – culminates today in a convening of ADA pioneers, advocates, persons with disabilities and dignitaries to commemorate the enactment of this historic civil rights law.
PCA was initiated to ensure that persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in civic life, a fundamental part of American society. As part of the PCA initiative, Justice Department investigators, attorneys and architects survey state and local government facilities, services and programs in communities across the country to identify the modifications needed for compliance with ADA requirements.
Today’s agreement will allow people with disabilities to participate in and benefit from the services provided in Lumpkin County’s facilities including the Justice Center, Mental Health Center, Law Enforcement Center, Senior Center, Community Pavilion, the Health Department, the Administration Building, the Animal Shelter and library. Lumpkin County will renovate and remediate everything from entrances, service areas, counters, restrooms and parking so that people with disabilities can get into county buildings and use the services and programs offered by the county in each of its buildings.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26th 1990,” said head of the Civil Rights Division, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today, as we gather to remember, honor, and celebrate the ADA’s 25th Anniversary, it is fitting that we sign this agreement. It reminds us that when it comes to the civil rights of persons with disabilities, the work never stops. I congratulate Lumpkin County, who has worked cooperatively with the department to come to this agreement and has demonstrated its commitment to serve its citizens with disabilities.”
In addition, Lumpkin County will take several important steps to improve access for individuals with disabilities, including:
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Ensuring that all of its webpages comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0;
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Officially recognizing Georgia telephone relay service as a key means of communicating with individuals who are deaf, are hard-of-hearing or have speech impairments and training staff in using the relay service for telephone communications;
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Surveying other facilities and programs and making modifications under the supervision of an Independent Licensed Architect to achieve full compliance with ADA requirements;
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Ensuring that buildings and outdoor facilities that will be built or altered by or on behalf of the county comply with the ADA’s architectural requirements; and
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Providing information for interested persons with disabilities concerning the existence and location of the county’s accessible services, activities and programs.
For more information about the ADA, today’s agreement or the PCA, individuals may access the ADA Web page at http://www.ada.gov/civicac.htm or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).
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Ohio County woman sentenced for heroin traffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tracy McWhorter, 35, of Triadelphia, West Virginia, was sentenced in federal court today for heroin trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
McWhorter pled guilty in June 2015 to a criminal Information charging her with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.” At that time, she further admitted to violations during a period of supervised release stemming from a previous conviction. She was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for the heroin trafficking charge and 12 months in prison for the supervised release violation, for a total of 24 months in prison.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Wheeling Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp presided.
Officials Take Down Gang-affiliated Drug Traffickers; Take Dozens of Guns Off the StreetRead the Press Release
Crystal Palace II
Unsealed Indictments
CHIEN VAN NGUYEN Indictment
CU VAN HUYNH Indictment
DAT MINH TO Indictment
DUNG VAN NGUYEN Indictment
KHAMSOUK INTHAVONG Indictment
MARIO ALBERTO MIRANDA-VERDUGO Indictment
VINH VAN PHAN Indictment
VINCENT RUBIO Indictment
ISRAEL SOTO Indictment
TAM MINH TA Indictment
Search Warrant
Search Warrant-2943 Reynard.pdf
Video Footage
Click HereNew Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing ATF InformantRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SHAQUIL GARY, 22, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to a federal robbery offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 14, 2014, GARY arranged to meet an ATF informant near the intersection of Lamberton and Button Streets in New Haven to sell the informant approximately seven grams of crack cocaine. Instead, when the two met at the location, GARY pulled out a firearm, took $150 in cash and a cell phone from the informant and fled. Law enforcement officers apprehended GARY later that day at a residence on Winthrop Avenue. By that time, he was no longer in possession of the firearm he used to commit the robbery.
GARY pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery of a person in lawful control of property of the United States, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2015.
GARY has been detained since his arrest.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Spector.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2015 Engaging Communities | Empowering VictimsRead the Press Release
San Diego, CA - April 19-25, 2015 is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week – a time for law enforcement, prosecutorial agencies, victim advocates and community members to come together and support victims of crime.Enforcing victims’ rights protects victims, enhances public safety and fosters public confidence in our criminal justice system. Agencies that partake in this Tribute and those who attend will acknowledge and honor crime victims nationwide.
The Victim Assistance Coordinating Council (VACC) and the United States Attorney’s Office in San Diego invite you to attend the 26th annual Candlelight Tribute for Crime Survivors on Monday, April 20, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. The Tribute will be held at the San Diego Police Officers’ Association Hall, 8388 Vickers St., San Diego, CA 92111. The keynote speaker will be San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman. The Tribute is a time to memorialize victims and to hear inspirational words from local law enforcement agencies, victim advocates and personal stories from the victims themselves.
The Tribute is sponsored by the Victim Assistance Coordinating Council (VACC). VACC is comprised of the following agencies: Alliance for Community Empowerment, the Crime and Trauma Recovery Program, the District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Victim Witness Program, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Victim Assistance Program, First Avenue Counseling Centre, the Jenna Druck Center, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Parents of Murdered Children, San Diego Police Department Crisis Intervention, San Diego County Sherriff’s Department, the San Diego Police Officers Association, Therapy Changes, the United States Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Program, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other victim advocates.
By providing a single, uniform message from these agencies and service providers, we can help increase awareness and improve the assistance provided to all crime victims.
To receive further information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and ideas on how to serve victims in your community please visit www.ovc.gov or www.sdvacc.com.
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