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Wednesday 8 April 2015
Two Fairmont, WV residents convicted for role in manufacturing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brittany Thompson, 26, and Raymond Leonard, 33, both of Fairmont, West Virginia, were convicted in federal court today for their role in manufacturing methamphetamine in Marion County, West Virginia in October 2014, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Thompson and Leonard each pled guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Possession of Material Used in the Manufacturing of Methamphetamine.” They each face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Three Rivers Drug Task Force led the investigation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull presided.
Two Charged in Alleged Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Providence, R.I., men have been charged by way of federal criminal complaints with allegedly trafficking and transporting a 14-year old female for sex in Rhode Island and Massachuetts, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security (HSI) Investigations for New England, Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney and Seekonk, Mass., Police Chief Craig A. Mace.
It is alleged in court documents that Franklin Liberto, 20, and Mackenzy Scott, a/k/a Bangazz, a/k/a Mackenzy Chandler Scott, a/k/a Banks, 19, participated in a conspiracy to traffic and to transport a 14 -year-old Rhode Island girl with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in December 2014, and in January and February 2015.
Liberto and Scott are charged with one count each of sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity and conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, it is alleged that the victim was trafficked for sex at motels in Warwick, R.I., and Seekonk, Mass., and was driven to several locations in Rhode Island for the purpose of being trafficked for sexual activity. It is alleged that advertisements depicting the teenage girl and offering her for sexual activity were placed on the website Backpage.com.
The victim, who had been reported missing by her family, was located by a family member at a Warwick motel on December 31, 2014. The victim was rescued by responding officers and detectives from the Warwick Police Department.
On February 6, 2015, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and Warwick Police Department detectives who were jointly investigating this matter became aware that the victim was missing from her Rhode Island residence. Among the steps taken by HSI agents and Warwick detectives to attempt to locate the young girl was to provide a photograph of the missing teenager to the Seekonk, Mass., Police Department, who began checking local hotels and motel for the missing girl. The missing girl was located at a Seekonk motel and was removed by Seekonk police.
Franklin Liberto, who had been detained in custody in Massachusetts since his arrest in February, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence before Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on April 2, 2015, and was ordered detained. Liberto was ordered released by the court on April 7, 2015, on home confinement with GPS monitoring.
Mackenzy Scott, who had been detained in custody in Massachusetts since his arrest in February, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and was ordered detained in federal custody.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an allegation 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela E. Chin.
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To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Two Allen Gang Members SentencedRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that GIE PRESTON, age 39, and EMANUAL CASAME, age 26, both residents of New Orleans, were sentenced today for federal drug and gun violations. PRESTON was convicted by a federal jury in November 2014 of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base “crack,” being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. CASAME pled guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base “crack.”
U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced PRESTON to 228 months incarceration; 168 months for the various drug and gun violations and 60 consecutive months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, to be followed by five years of supervised release. CASAME was sentenced to 60 months incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of the metro area’s Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MAG) in investigating this case. As an integral component of NOLA FOR LIFE’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, the MAG Unit consists of a partnership with New Orleans Police Department (NOPD); Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (DA); Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO); Louisiana State Police (LSP); Parole Board of the Louisiana Department of Corrections; United States Attorney’s Office (USAO); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); United States Marshal’s Service (USMS); and the United States Probation & Parole Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Toomey and Andre Lagarde were in charge of prosecuting this matter.
Treasure Hunter, Girlfriend Plead Guilty to Criminal ContemptRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thomas “Tommy” G. Thompson, 62, and Alison L. Antekeier, 47, both formerly of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to criminal contempt, specifically disobedience or resistance of the court, stemming from a civil lawsuit.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Peter C. Tobin, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, Thompson disobeyed and resisted a lawful order of U.S. District Chief Judge Sargus, who ordered Thompson to personally appear at an August 13, 2012 hearing related to a civil case involving the defendant. Specifically, Thompson had been ordered to appear at a hearing to provide an accounting of certain funds and the location of 500 re-strike commemorative gold coins as part of a lawsuit over the treasure that Thompson found from the SS Central America shipwreck. A bench warrant for Thompson’s arrest was issued the same day.
Antekeier was also ordered to appear in U.S. District Court as a witness in the civil lawsuit. She was to appear in court to give testimony related to the civil case on November 7, 2012; a bench warrant for her arrest was issued when she failed to appear.
In March 2013, an arrest warrant based on a criminal complaint alleging criminal contempt was authorized against Thompson.U.S. Marshals found and arrested Thompson and Antekeier on January 27, 2015 in Boca Raton, Florida. Thompson and Antekeier – Thompson’s former assistant and current girlfriend – had been living in a Hilton hotel room under fake names and paying with cash.
“Deputy U.S. Marshals in Columbus were relentless in their pursuit of Thompson and Antekeier,” U.S. Marshal Tobin said. “Thompson and Antekeier were very sophisticated in avoiding capture and had access to nearly unlimited funds, enabling them to stay completely off the radar for years. The U.S. Marshals Service with Deputy U.S. Marshals across the country can cast a wide net in apprehending fugitives. In this instance, Deputy U.S. Marshals from the West Palm Beach, Florida office stepped up and played a major role in the capture of the treasure hunter and his companion.”
As part of their plea, the couple has agreed to forfeit the more than $425,000 in cash that was seized at the time of their arrest.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as Senior Litigation Counsel Douglas W. Squires, who is representing the United States in this case.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and IRS remind people that violating tax laws can bring serious consequencesRead the Press Release
Several people have been found guilty and sentenced for violating federal tax laws over the past few months, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Cincinnati Field Office.
As the 2015 tax filing deadline approaches, these cases serve as reminders that there are civil and sometimes criminal penalties to filing erroneous tax returns.
“Tax day is not fun, but the vast majority of Americans who properly report and pay their fair share need to know that we will aggressively prosecute those who shirk or flaunt their obligations,” Dettelbach said.
“The April 15th tax deadline is fast approaching and to build faith in our nation’s tax system, honest taxpayers need to be reassured that everyone is paying their fair share as our system of taxation depends on voluntary compliance by each and every citizen,” Enstrom said. “IRS Criminal Investigation, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will investigate and prosecute those who violate our tax system. The joint announcement of these criminal cases should serve as a warning to anyone who might consider evading their federal tax obligations.”
Details on a few cases over the past year:
Brian D. Krantz, 48, of Twinsburg, was sentenced last year to nearly five years in prison for his role in a $8.8 million conspiracy in which he filed false income tax returns claiming refunds to which he was not entitled. Based on those false claims, the U.S. Treasury issued 17 refund checks totaling approximately $3.6 million payable to Krantz and various corporations he controlled, according to court documents.
Sean Houston, 46, of Cleveland, was charged in a 33-count indictment with preparing dozens of false tax returns and falsely claiming more than $133,000 in refunds. In 2010, Houston prepared false tax returns, listing fictitious wages and income-tax withholdings when he knew no wages had been earned and no taxes withheld. The returns also claimed “making work pay” tax credits to which the claimants were not entitled, according to the indictment.
John J. Manore III, 58, of Toledo, was indicted this year on three counts of filing false tax returns. Manore filed tax returns from 2009 through 2011 in which he significantly underreported the amount of taxable income he earned, according to the indictment.
Ghana Johnson, 45, of Pepper Pike, was indicted for claiming $476,000 in fraudulent tax refunds for herself and others. She electronically filed 106 tax returns for 2010 and 2011 in which she falsified wage income, federal income tax withholdings, dependents, exemptions and tax credit information in order to obtain income tax refunds for which neither Johnson nor the individuals she prepared the income tax returns for were entitled, according to the indictment.
Zinara M. Highsmith, 35, of Fayetteville, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced in June for filing approximately 2,750 tax returns containing false refund claims of more than $4.8 million. Highsmith ran the Atlanta-based tax-preparation business WE XL LLC. In 2011, Highsmith partnered with a minister in Arkansas in a scheme to file false tax returns. The minister’s role was to recruit and obtain personal identification information from claimants and to provide the information to Highsmith, who was responsible for the preparation of the false returns. The minister did this by inducing other ministers and church leaders in various states, including Ohio, to solicit members of their congregations to apply for benefits under the so-called government stimulus program. Nearly 1,000 false claims were made on behalf of people living in Northeast Ohio, resulting in false claims of nearly $1.7 million, according to court documents.
Walter Berkovic, of Monsey, N.Y. pleaded guilty last month to one count of failing to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with the IRS disclosing that he had a financial interest in an UBS financial account in a foreign country for the 2004-2008 income tax years. Citizens and U.S. residents are obligated to report their income from any source, including dividends and interest, regardless of whether the source of their income is from within or outside the U.S. In addition, on Schedule B of the IRS Form 1040, the taxpayer must indicate whether at any time during the calendar year the taxpayer had an interest in or signature authority over a financial account in a foreign country. If this is the case, the taxpayer must indicate the name of the particular country in which the account was located and the taxpayer must file a FBAR for an account with a value of more than $10,000. UBS is a bank with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Between 1991 and 2008, Berkovic had a financial interest in or signature authority over two undeclared accounts at UBS with a value of approximately $713,000. The IRS Criminal Investigation Office in Akron investigated the Berkovic case.
Tax Preparer Convicted of Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – A federal jury, yesterday, convicted tax preparer David Nixon, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of 63 counts of fraud related to the preparation of federal income tax returns. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 7, 2015.
Nixon, as the owner of Economy Tax Services at 3731 Stanton Street in Philadelphia, prepared materially false federal income tax returns for his clients for tax years 2007 through 2009. The fraudulent returns included credits for children, earned income credit, tuition and fees, residential energy efficiency credits, incorrect filing status, and false or falsely inflated Form 1040 Schedule A deductions for charitable contributions and employee business expenses. More than 25 of the taxpayers testified during at trial that Nixon changed their filing status from married to head of household, inflated their charitable contributions, and/or created employee business expenses. The jury also heard a recorded meeting between Nixon and an undercover IRS agent during which Nixon said, “I cheated to get them [other taxpayers] two, three thousand,” “I had a 99.9% record of people who’ve got refunds,” and “my rule of thumb, let me get you some money before I get mine.” The tax returns that Nixon prepared and filed increased the amount of the refunds his clients received. As a result of the false and fraudulent income tax returns prepared by Nixon, the IRS was defrauded of more than $200,000 in fraudulently obtained refunds.
Nixon faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of 33 to 41 months in prison, a fine of up to $21 million, up to one year of supervised release, and a special assessment of $6,300.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Tahlequah Man Sentenced to 41 Months for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JOSHUA ALLEN BARNETT, age 24, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years Supervised Release for Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3) and 2.
The charge is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney. The defendant was indicted in July, 2014 and pled guilty in December, 2014.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 29, 2013, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, traveled in interstate commerce from the State of Oklahoma to Bella Vista, Arkansas, and attempted to purchase Oxycodone from Cornerstone Pharmacy with a false prescription with the intent to promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on of an unlawful activity, that is, a business enterprise involving narcotics or controlled substances in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), and thereafter performed or attempted to perform an act to promote, manage, establish and carry on, and to facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on, of such unlawful activity.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
St. Louis Woman Indicted for Tax Scheme to Obtain "Free Money"Read the Press Release
A Missouri woman was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 7, 2015, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Ebonyi Blakely, 28, of St. Ann, Missouri, was charged in a lengthy indictment that alleges Blakely conspired with and assisted a dishonest tax preparer who filed false tax returns to claim inflated refundable tax credits for low-income tax filers.
The indictment charges Blakely with conspiracy to obstruct or impair the Internal Revenue Service in the lawful assessment and collection of income taxes and distribution of tax refunds.
The scheme to defraud was described as an ongoing federal income tax refund scheme where Blakely
recruited individuals to have their returns prepared by a dishonest tax preparer. The indictment also alleges that Blakely had her own federal income tax return prepared by the dishonest tax preparer who prepared fraudulent income tax returns for individual tax filers in order to generate "refundable tax credits," such as the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, which were refunded to the filer. The false information contained in the income tax returns prevented the IRS from making an accurate ascertainment, computation, and assessment of tax liabilities. It also prevented the IRS from making a correct distribution of income tax refunds. The false tax returns generated a larger tax refund than the filer was entitled to receive.
Conspiracy is punishable by not more than 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
The investigation is being conducted by agents from the Internal Revenue Service / Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
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.
St. Louis Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Frederick Buettner, 42, of St. Louis, MO, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois to 24 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. His sentence was ordered to run consecutively, that is, in addition to his sentence for violating the terms and conditions of mandatory supervised release on his Illinois sex offense.
Evidence showed that Buettner was convicted of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child in Madison County in 2005, sentenced to ten years in prison, and released on mandatory supervised release on May 24, 2013. Buettner was placed in a halfway house in East St. Louis, Illinois. In July 2013, Buettner cut his electronic leg monitor off and absconded. On June 30, 2014, he was apprehended in St. Louis, Missouri.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Reppert.
Six Individuals Indicted for Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Six individuals, from Miami and Brazil, were indicted for participating in a mortgage fraud conspiracy.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Raul Enrique Quintana, 48, of Miami, Maura Barbosa Lopes, a/k/a “Maura Quintana,” 55, of Brazil, Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, 33, of Brazil, Evelyn Lara, 47, of Miami, Luis Enrique Sosa, 43, of Miami, and Juan Osiel Gonzalez, 54, of Miami, were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and various counts of bank fraud offenses, punishable by up to thirty years in prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2004 to 2007, the defendants conspired to perpetrate a complex mortgage fraud scheme against various FDIC-insured lenders, including Chevy Chase Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and Washington Mutual Bank.
The indictment alleges that the defendants Raul Enrique Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto purchased and refinanced residential properties in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties, including a number of properties on Fisher Island, using mortgage loans that they obtained through false and fraudulent misrepresentations on their loan applications and related documents.
According to the indictment, the fraudulent loan applications were originated by Raul Enrique Quintana’s mortgage brokerage company, Brickell Financial Corporation (“BFC”). Title Closing Partners, LLC (“TTP”), a company controlled by Raul Enrique Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Evelyn Lara, served as the closing agent for the loans.
According to the indictment, the defendants’ misrepresentations to the banks included fictitious verifications of false and fraudulent employment and bank deposit information set forth on loan applications. The indictment alleges that Maura Barbosa Lopes and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, as borrowers, falsely and fraudulently declared that they were employed by defendant Luis Sosa’s company, CWW, and were earning substantial salaries. It is further alleged that Raul Quintana and Luis Sosa agreed that when lenders contacted CWW the employees would provide fraudulent verifications of Barbosa Lopes and Prado Neto’s employment with the company.
The indictment also alleges that Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto submitted loan applications that fraudulently listed fictitious or inflated bank account balances as assets, and that in some instances they provided lenders with falsified bank account statements in support of those claims. It is alleged that defendant Juan Gonzalez, who was an employee at Wachovia Bank, provided lenders with false and fraudulent verifications of deposit for fictitious and inflated Wachovia Bank accounts that were listed as assets by Raul Quintana and Maura Quintana on their loan applications.
The indictment alleges that Evelyn Lara prepared and signed HUD-1 Settlement Statements for loans to Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, which falsely and fraudulently stated that they had paid earnest money deposits and cash due at the closing of their loans.
On April 6, 2015, Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, Luis Sosa, and Juan Gonzalez appeared for their initial hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Chris M. McAliley. Luis Sosa and Juan Gonzalez were granted bond. Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto remain in custody pending their pretrial detention hearings, which are currently set for April 9, 2015, before Magistrate Judge McAliley in Miami.
Mr. Ferrer commends the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne E. Williams.
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Shreveport resident pleads guilty to failing to update his sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport resident pleaded guilty Monday to failing to register his correct address for his sex offender identification.
Joseph Kelly Parson, 31, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of failure to update his sex offender registration. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Parson did not update his sex offender registration when living at a Shreveport address from October 8, 2013 until November 12, 2014. Parson originally pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape in Liberty County, Ga., in 2004. Upon release from prison, he was informed that he was required to register as a sex offender. He was later found living in Texas in 2010 and served a term of imprisonment for failure to register as a sex offender in Texas. After his release, Parson later moved to Shreveport but did not register in Louisiana as a sex offender.
Parson faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 6, 2015 has been set.
The U.S. Marshals Service and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Second Tahlequah Man Sentenced to 41 Months for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that ERIC STANFIELD COCHRAN-CLINE, age 27, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years Supervised Release for Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3).
The charge is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney. The defendant was indicted in July, 2014 and pled guilty to an Information in September, 2014.
The Information alleged that on or about August 10, 2012, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant traveled in interstate commerce from the State of Oklahoma to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and purchased Oxycodone from Walgreens Pharmacy with a false prescription with the intent to promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on of an unlawful activity, that is, a business enterprise involving narcotics or controlled substances in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), and thereafter performed or attempted to perform an act to promote, manage, establish and carry on, and to facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on, of such unlawful activity.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
San Jose Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ana Lilia Angulo, 30, of San Jose, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute nine pounds of heroin, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2013, Angulo was stopped for a traffic violation while driving a vehicle northbound on I5 near Highway 198 by Fresno County Sheriff detectives. During the stop, detectives became suspicious that Angulo was involved in transporting drugs and found several packages of heroin weighing nine pounds behind the arm rest panel of the rear passenger seat near where Angulo’s infant child was sitting in a car seat.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Angulo is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on August 18, 2014. Angulo faces a statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Reno Residents Plead Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Counterfeit Currency and over 1,000 Access Devices in Angels CampRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —William Theodore Lewis, 50, and Lori Marie Dahl, 50, a married couple of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to possessing counterfeit U.S. currency and counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2013, the Angels Camp Police Department received a call from a Save Mart employee, reporting that a man had attempted to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. The chief of the department responded to the scene, identified a man matching the description the caller gave, and arrested Lewis. A search of Lewis’s person produced three additional counterfeit $20 bills.
After Lewis’s arrest, law enforcement searched the hotel were Lewis and Dahl were staying and the stolen rental vehicle they had driven from Reno. Law enforcement found evidence of counterfeiting activity including wholly and partially printed counterfeit U.S. currency in various denominations, a printer, and various solvents and equipment associated with the manufacture of counterfeit currency. Law enforcement personnel also found evidence of access device fraud and identity theft in Lewis and Dahl’s room at the motel and in the vehicle. They possessed over 1,000 unauthorized or counterfeit access devices such as credit, debit, and prepaid cards. Additionally, law enforcement found access device-making equipment including blank plastic cards, seals, and hologram stickers, and a card printer to be used for printing credit cards. They also possessed several lists with personal identifiers and information of many individuals.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Angels Camp Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nirav Desai is prosecuting the case.
Both Lewis and Dahl remain in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on December 10, 2014. Lewis and Dahl each face a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Red Lake Man Convicted After Jury Trial of Stabbing His Cousin on the Red Lake Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the conviction of BENJAMIN ONE DEER HART, 28, a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, for stabbing one of his cousins and attempting to stab another cousin on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. On April 7, 2015, following a two-day trial, a federal jury deliberated for only 50 minutes before finding HART guilty of the entire indictment against him, which included two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
As proven at trial, on the morning of July 10, 2014, HART got into an argument with three of his cousins and his aunt at the defendant’s father’s house on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Hart and his family members were arguing that HART should leave the house because he was not welcome there. During the argument, HART refused to leave and pulled a knife from a wooden knife block in the kitchen. While the cousins were trying to disarm him, HART attempted to stab one of his cousins. A second cousin intervened to protect the first and HART stabbed him in the stomach. The victim had to have surgery to repair the stab wound and was hospitalized for several days.
“Violence in Indian Country continues at a more aggressive pace than in other parts of Minnesota,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw. “Aggressively prosecuting these kinds of cases is an important tool for reducing such violence.”
Because the Red Lake Indian Reservation is an exclusive federal criminal jurisdiction reservation, some of the crimes that occur there are investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. Those cases are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw
Defendant Information:
BENJAMIN ONE DEER HART, 28
Red Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
• Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, 2 counts
• Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, 1 countRantoul Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A federal grand jury in Springfield today returned an indictment charging Edward C. Brown, 35, of the 1200 block of Sycamore Street, Rantoul, Ill., with distribution and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that from January 2015 to March 2015, Brown distributed and possessed images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of computers and related materials allegedly used to commit or promote the offenses.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for each count of distribution of child pornography (two counts) is a mandatory minimum five years in prison to 20 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to life following any term of imprisonment. If a defendant has a prior child sex abuse or child pornography conviction, the statutory penalty is not less than 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. For possession of child pornography (one count), the penalty is up to 10 years in prison.
Brown was arrested on March 11, 2015, and charged in a criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography. During a court appearance on March 12, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, in Urbana, Brown was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Urbana Police Department, the Rantoul Police Department, and the Illinois Secretary of State.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Rancho Cordova Man Indicted for Passport and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Satnam Singh, 54, of Rancho Cordova, charging him with passport fraud, unlawful procurement of naturalization and citizenship, making a false statement under oath in a matter relating to naturalization and citizenship, and use of a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Satnam Singh immigrated to the United States from India in the 1980s and naturalized as a United States citizen in 1996. However, in 1993, Satnam Singh filed an application for asylum under a fake identity “Rupinder Singh,” and also was naturalized under that second, false identity in 2012. Also in 2012, Satnam Singh successfully filed an application for a U.S. Passport in the false name “Rupinder Singh,” using the naturalization certificate issued to Rupinder Singh as proof of U.S. citizenship; He traveled internationally using the Rupinder Singh passport at least twice in 2013.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nirav Desai is prosecuting the case.
Singh was released on a $150,000 bond and will be arraigned on the indictment on December 10, 2014.
If convicted, Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prison Inmate Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband into the Taft Correctional InstitutionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Gerardo Alvarez-Montanez, 32, an inmate at the Taft Federal Correctional Institution, was sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii today to five years in prison for conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in prison, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, between November 2013 and February 27, 2014, Alvarez-Montanez recruited and then conspired with correctional officer Ramon Cano 28, of Bakersfield, to smuggle cellphones, cash, alcohol and controlled substances into the prison in return for cash.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
On August 25, 2014, Cano pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide and possess contraband in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2014. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Portland Area Drug Dealer Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison Following Federal Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – April 8, 2015, Pedro Cervantes-Urbina, 34, originally from the State of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 80 months in prison after his federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. When the defendant is released from prison he will serve an additional three years of supervised release.
In March 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau requested the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and then later the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, in investigating a large-scale methamphetamine and heroin drug trafficking organization operating in the greater Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Between the spring of 2011 and the summer of 2012, law enforcement authorities investigated the organization using informants and conducting controlled drug purchases from members of the organization. In September 2012, the government sought and received permission to start using the first of eight federal wiretaps targeting the organization.
Wire intercepts confirmed that the defendant purchased pound level quantities of methamphetamine from the drug trafficking organization for purposes of further distribution within Oregon. On February 15, 2013, as a result of this investigation, federal agents arrested the defendant in the parking lot of a Portland hotel. Subsequent searches of the defendant, his hotel room, his residence and a storage shed found $4,814 in cash, cocaine, four handguns, a rifle, a shotgun, drug packaging materials, scales, ammunition, drug ledgers and bags containing methamphetamine residue. The defendant was interviewed and admitted that he sold drugs to support himself and his family. At the time of the crime, the defendant had a prior 2008 state conviction for the delivery of a controlled substance.
“The combination of drugs and firearms is a lethal mixture that threatens the safety of our community,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Billy Williams. “Our office will continue to work with law enforcement to find and prosecute the members of these criminal organizations who profit by selling drugs within our community."
This case resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by HSI, DEA, the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division, the Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Scott Kerin, Chief of the District of Oregon’s OCDETF program.
Phillips County Man Indicted on Weapons ChargeRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK – Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Grover Crossland, Resident Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that a Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging Dentrel Maurice Bragg, 20, of Helena-West Helena, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The one-count indictment, returned on April 8, 2015, charges that on February 6, 2015, Bragg possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson, model SD40VE, .40 caliber pistol, and a loaded Colt, model Mustang, .380 caliber pistol.
“For more than four years my office, working in partnership with all federal law enforcement agencies, has focused significant attention on the entire Arkansas Delta region,” Thyer said. “While I am committed to continuing that focused attention in the Delta, today’s announcement highlights an additional commitment to support state and local law enforcement efforts to make Phillips County and the entire Arkansas Delta a safer place to live and work. Removing weapons from the streets in Phillips County is a high priority for all law enforcement.”
On February 6, 2015, a Helena-West Helena patrol officer initiated a traffic stop on a cream-colored four door Lincoln town car for no vehicle tags. The Lincoln Town Car stopped in a parking lot, and as the officer approached the vehicle, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana. The officer asked the driver and sole occupant, Bragg, to step out of the vehicle. While conducting a pat-down of Bragg, another officer found the loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol in Bragg’s pocket. The loaded Colt .380 caliber pistol was located inside the vehicle. The Helena-West Helena Police 425 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 500 (501) 340-2600 Post Office Box 1229 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-1229 Department determined that the Colt .380 caliber pistol had been reported stolen out of Jonesboro.
Bragg was previously convicted of Battery First Degree and Terroristic Act, felony offenses, on October 22, 2012, in Phillips County Circuit Court Case No. 2012-123. The offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), carries the following penalties: Not more than 10 years imprisonment; not more than 3 years supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.
Bragg will appear before United States Magistrate Judge Beth Deere for plea and arraignment later this month, at which time a trial date will be set.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program—a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF, in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. This investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Helena-West Helena Police Department, along with the Arkansas State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Convicted of Eight Robberies Throughout Central PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maurice Lebron Davis, age 40, of Brooklyn, New York was convicted yesterday of eight counts of robbery or attempted robbery following a four day jury trial in Harrisburg. U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III presided over the trial, which included testimony from 10 victims and 5 experts. The defendant also testified, denying his involvement in the robberies.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Davis was charged in an Indictment by a grand jury on February 20, 2013. Davis robbed or attempted to rob fast food restaurants located in Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties between December 2011 and February 2012. For some of the robberies, Davis broke the drive thru window and crawled inside, waiting for the opening employees to arrive. For others, Davis accosted the employees in the parking lot as they walked up and forced them to let him into the restaurants. He would then demand they give him money, before fleeing the scene.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the police departments of Upper Allen Township, Middlesex Township, Harrisburg, Carroll Township, Swatara Township, Lower Allen Township and Silver Spring Township. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment for each count, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
No sentencing date has been set by the court.
Murphysboro Resident Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
On April 8, 2015, Martell L. Brown-Wright, a/k/a "Low Key," 29, of Murphysboro, pled guilty to a four-count indictment charging distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
The indictment asserts that the offenses occurred on September 4-5, 2014, at the New Horizons Housing Complex, in Murphysboro, Jackson County. Evidence at the plea hearing established that Brown-Wright sold crack cocaine to a confidential source working for law enforcement. When agents executed a search warrant at the New Horizons apartment where the drug sales had occurred, they located multiple firearms, crack cocaine, a large amount of U.S. Currency, ammunition, and drug packaging materials.
The crack cocaine offenses carry a penalty of up to 40 years in federal prison, to be followed by 6 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $2,000,000. The firearm offense carries a penalty of 5 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Federal law requires that any term of imprisonment imposed on the firearm offense must be served in addition to any term imposed on the drug offenses.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphysboro Police Department. The Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Monroe County Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 24-year-old Tobyhanna Township man pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. in Wilkes-Barre, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine in Monroe and Wayne Counties between 2011 and 2014.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Brandon Cruz, admitted to distributing heroin and cocaine on several occasions between 2011 and 2014, in drug transactions that were arranged by other members of his family. Three other Cruz family members—Tiffanyann Cruz, Rubie Cruz, and Carlos Cruz—were charged in the case. Tiffanyann Cruz previously entered a guilty plea to participating in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Rubie Cruz and Carlos Cruz are awaiting trial.
Brandon Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2014, as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $1 million fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy will schedule sentencing at a later date.
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Modesto Man Pleads Guilty in Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Heath Lee Roberson, 39, of Modesto, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring to defraud the United States, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, from about December 2010 to May 2011, Roberson and his former spouse obtained personal identifying information from more than 40 individuals. After this information was used to generate false tax returns, Roberson and his former spouse funneled the tax refunds into accounts they controlled. The false tax returns sought over $121,000 in tax refunds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. Tierney is prosecuting the case.
Roberson is currently in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on July 7, 2014. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Missouri Man Indicted for Robbery of Smithton BankRead the Press Release
On April 7, 2015, a federal grand jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, indicted Jonathon M. Ford, 38, of Fenton, Missouri, for Bank Robbery, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The indictment charges that on March 19, 2015, Ford took proceeds, amounting to $3,872, from Regions Bank in Smithton, Illinois, which is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, by "force and violence, and intimidation."
If convicted of Bank Robbery, Ford faces a term prison of up to 20 years, a $250,000 fine, or both, three years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment and restitution.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak for prosecution.
Midlothian Man Pleads Guilty to Steroid Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Illegally imported and distributed steroid products to individuals in over 30 states
RICHMOND, Va. – Carl E. Macchiarulo, 43, of Midlothian, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
Macchiarulo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 19, 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.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Macchiarulo admitted that he operated an illegal steroid distribution business known as CK Labs out of his home in Midlothian between December 2012 and September 2014. In operating the business, Macchiarulo imported raw steroid powders and pills from China and other foreign countries, manufactured finished steroid products at his home, and distributed them to his customers through the mail. Macchiarulo advertised his business on various internet sites known to serve as a marketplace for the distribution of anabolic steroids. During the course of the conspiracy, Macchiarulo imported at least 16 kilograms of raw steroid powders and thousands of steroid pills, and distributed steroids to customers located in over 30 states, including to at least one amateur athlete. As part of the plea agreement, Macchiarulo agreed to forfeit $163,455 in U.S. currency that was seized by law enforcement as proceeds of the conspiracy.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division; and David M. McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace and Erik S. Siebert 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. 3:15CR00050.
Middletown Registered Sex Offender Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting A Minor via FacebookRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that DANIEL COONS, 35, a registered sex offender, was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison by United States District Judge Cathy Seibel for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl via Facebook. COONS coerced the girl into taking sexually explicit photographs of herself and sending them to him online. The sentencing followed COONS’s guilty plea on September 3, 2014.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As this sentencing demonstrates, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “Crimes of this nature rob children of their innocence, creating long-lasting negative effects on our nation’s most vulnerable. Our children deserve to live in a society free from the advances of predators. This sentence is a reminder of our commitment to protect their most basic rights.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
On March 24, 2005, COONS was convicted in Orange County Court of Sexual Abuse in the 1st degree, Engaging in a Course of Sexual Conduct in the 2nd degree, and Sexual Abuse in the 3rd degree. He was sentenced to six months in prison and ten years’ probation. In addition, as a result of that conviction, he was required to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.
From at least January 29, 2013, through May 14, 2013, COONS, using the Facebook names “mike.storms.77715,” “nicholas.mathew.7,” and “jacod.davis.9,” communicated with a 14-year-old girl in Kentucky on Facebook and convinced her to take and send sexually explicit photographs. COONS used the different identities to make her believe she was speaking to three different people and tricked her into thinking that her photographs were being shared. COONS threatened the girl that, if she did not send additional sexually explicit photographs, the photos she had already sent would be posted on Facebook.
COONS used an iPhone to access Facebook notwithstanding the fact that the terms of his probation prohibited his use of Facebook. After his arrest, COONS admitted to using multiple Facebook accounts to entice underage girls to send sexually explicit images of themselves to him. COONS said that he used the different Facebook names to convince the girls that they were speaking to more than one male and to convince them that their pictures were being shared with other users. COONS admitted that he engaged in this conduct with at least 10 underage girls. In addition, COONS identified the girl in Kentucky as one of the girls with whom he communicated via Facebook and indicated that he knew the Victim was 14 years old.
Mr. Bharara praised the efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County Computer Crimes Task Force, the Middletown Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in connection with this investigation.
In sentencing COONS, Judge Seibel underscored the “particularly cruel” nature of the offense and stated that the 30-year sentence was necessary to protect the public from further crimes by the defendant.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican national indicted for illegally transporting seven undocumented peopleRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging a Mexican national with illegally transporting seven undocumented people, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Enrique Luis Lopez-Rodriguez, 29, was found transporting six Mexican citizens and one Guatemalan citizen on March 17 in Richland County, according to the indictment.
He was charged with illegally reentering the country after officials had previously deported him from the United States.
If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations – Immigrations and Custom Enforcement and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Methamphetamine distribution ring dismantledRead the Press Release
Law enforcement served 10 warrants early this morning in Marion, Vigo and Morgan Counties
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis--United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today 14 defendants have been arrested on various gun and drug-related charges after federal agents along with state and local officers served warrants in Marion, Vigo and Morgan counties early this morning. Most defendants face charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine.
“The violence and social devastation that methamphetamine brings to our communities is a problem that law enforcement needs to address.” said Minkler. “Preventing violent crime through dismantling drug trafficking organizations, remains a top priority of my office and I will use every available federal resource to help keep our communities safe.”
According to the indictment, the conspiracy began in June 2014 and continued until today. The defendants used mobile phones to facilitate the methamphetamine distribution and often used coded messages and texts to discuss prices and quantities of the drug. The defendants frequently received and distributed methamphetamine on consignment, meaning they were “fronted” the drug from a source without paying for it at the time-or making only partial payment. The expectation was, they would pay the provider in full after having distributed the methamphetamine and received payment from their customers.
Those arrested today include:
Honan M. Rivera Bonilla, 25, Indianapolis
Ramon E. Rivera Bonilla, 21, Indianapolis
Charles G. Talley, 33, Mooresville
Thresa A. Talley, 44, Mooresville
Larry A. Key, 27, Indianapolis
Amanda S. Sims, 34, Martinsville
Brian E. Ridener, 42, Martinsville
Brandon L. Ross, 33, Terre Haute
Amanda M. Dill, 30, Dubois, IN
Osman R. Diaz-Reyes, 41, El Salvador, Central America
Joshua B. Camplin, 34, Martinsville
Michael A. Bones, 39, Terre Haute
Martin Gonzalez, Jr., 26 Indianapolis
Ronald L. Woods, 42, Indianapolis
The indictment further alleges that Charles and Thresa Talley received large quantities of methamphetamine from Honan and Ramon Rivera Bonilla and Key. The Talley’s then distributed the methamphetamine to Sims, Ridener and Ross for redistribution throughout the Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Mooresville and Martinsville areas. Diaz-Reyes, Camplin and Woods were also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of their methamphetamine-related crimes.
As a result of this investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Indiana State Police, Vigo County Drug Task Force, Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morgan County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement seized 24 firearms and 13 pounds of methamphetamine.
“The FBI will continue to combat drug trafficking organizations with our local, state and federal partners in order to keep the citizens of Indiana safe,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott.
“Attacking drug organizations is what we do best,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Dennis A. Wichern. “DEA remains steadfast in partnering with all law enforcement to protect our communities and bring criminals to justice.”
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Lasher who is prosecuting this case for the government, all defendants face decades in prison if convicted.
An Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Marysville Man Sentenced for Racially Motivated Assault on White Man and African-American WomanRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Perry Sylvester Jackson, 28, of Marysville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to five years and 10 months in prison for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act for his role in a 2011 racially motivated attack on a white man and an African-American woman, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Jackson, who previously pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2013, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay $175 in restitution. Jackson is the second of three defendants to be sentenced in the case.
According to court documents, on April 18, 2011, around 10:45 p.m., a white man and an African-American woman parked their car at a convenience store in Marysville. Shortly afterward, Jackson, Billy James Hammett, 30, of Marysville, and Anthony Merrell Tyler, 33, of Olivehurst, initiated an unprovoked attack on the man and woman based on race. Jackson punched the male victim twice in the head through the open passenger window. Co-defendant Hammett kicked the woman in the chest, and Tyler smashed the car’s windshield with a crowbar. As the attack continued, the woman managed to take refuge inside the convenience store, and the three assailants then beat the male victim in the parking lot. He sustained abrasions on his right forearm and knees, while the woman suffered bruising to her chest.
On March 25, 2014, Hammett, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison in connection with the incident. Parole has been abolished in the federal system, and defendants are required by law to serve at least 85 percent of the prison sentence.
Tyler is scheduled for sentencing on July 8, 2014. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Wagner and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains of the Civil Rights Division.
Man indicted for armed robbery of the same Richmond Heights bank he robbed years earlierRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging two Northeast Ohio men with multiple criminal counts related to a bank robbery in Richmond Heights last year, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The grand jury charged Larry Hewitt, 47, of Garfield Heights, with armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in commission of a bank robbery, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The grand jury charged Marcus Wright, 33, of Cleveland, with armed bank robbery. The charges stem from the November 6, 2014, robbery of the Ohio Saving Bank branch located at 720 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights, Ohio
In 2000, Defendant Larry Hewitt pleaded guilty to robbing the same bank.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richmond Heights Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial where it is the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill Two Federal Judges in Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who told federal homeland security officials on June 3, 2014, that he had placed explosives under the desks of two federal district court judges in Las Vegas and planned to blow them up, has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Clifford James Schuett, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on April 7, 2015. Schuett pleaded guilty in December 2014 to one count of threatening to kill or cause damage by explosive.
“We take all threats to federal officials and federal buildings very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the threats in this case, and the perpetrator has been convicted and sentenced and is in federal custody for a lengthy period of time.”
According to the plea agreement, on June 3, 2014, Schuett entered a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Las Vegas and stated that he had placed explosives in the courtrooms and under the desks of two U.S. District Judges in the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse with the intent to kill them. Law enforcement agents detained Schuett, and notified federal courthouse security of the threat. The courthouse was searched and cleared of any threats, and no explosives were located. Schuett told the agents that he wanted to blow up one of the judges because the judge had sent him to prison, and wanted to blow up the other judge because the judge had turned down his court case. Schuett also said that if he were released from custody, he would shoot a federal judge and would first go after the judge who had sent him to prison. Schuett was previously convicted in March 2010 of threatening to blow up Nellis Air Force Base, and sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. When Schuett was released from prison on that conviction, he failed to report to his probation officer and was sentenced in June 2013 to one additional year in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ICE, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith, Jr.
Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – James J. McGonigle, age 42, of Troy, was sentenced today in Albany before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on distribution and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiNicola. McGonigle was sentenced to 120 months on Distribution of Child Pornography and 120 months on Possession of Child Pornography, to run concurrently, for a total sentence of 10 years. The sentence included 15 years of supervised release upon release from prison and a $200 special assessment fee.
As part of his guilty plea, McGonigle admitted that he distributed videos of child pornography by e-mail. On March 5, 2014, investigators executed a federal search warrant at McGonigle’s residence in Troy, New York, and recovered 364 still images and 50 videos depicting child pornography from his smartphone.
"Child pornography consists of photographic images of minors, even infants, being sexually harmed, humiliated and scarred for life. Sentences for defendants who view and share such images must serve as both a deterrent and a warning that such behavior is wrong and will not be tolerated," said United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Mailing of FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Vonne Bailey, 24, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty Tuesday, April 7, 2015 in District Court on St. Croix to one count of Unlawful Mailing of a Firearm, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced.
As part of his plea, Bailey admitted that on May 26, 2014, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intercepted a package, shipped from outside the Virgin Islands, containing a Springfield Armory .40 caliber pistol, a magazine, and a Smith and Wesson AR-15 lower receiver with an obliterated serial number. Federal agents traced the delivery to Bailey’s residence. Bailey admitted that he was responsible for and owned the package.
Bailey is facing a maximum sentence of two years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2015.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Rami Badawy.
Local Tax Preparer Sentenced on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – The owner and operator of Discount Tax Service was sentenced to one year and one day in prison on charges of filing false tax returns. According to court documents, CHRISTOPHER MICKLES prepared over seven hundred and fifty federal income tax returns on behalf of his clients for tax years 2008 through 2011. Many of those returns contained falsely claimed fraudulent items and credits, such as household help income and earned income tax credits. In addition to the prison sentence, Mickles was ordered to pay restitution of $131,219.
"Criminal Investigation wants to make sure taxpayers do not pay good money for bad advice," said Sybil Smith, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office. "Tax return preparers have a duty to their clients to prepare tax returns that comply with the law and are accurate."
Christopher Mickles, St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty last October to four felony counts of aiding and abetting in the preparation of false tax returns. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge E. Richard Webber.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dianna Collins handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Local Businessman Handed Maximum Sentence for Transporting A Female Employee for Criminal Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Henri De Sola Morris, 68, former president and chief executive officer of Solid Software Solutions LLC, which does business as Edible Software Inc., has been sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Morris had just began trial in early December 2014 when he elected to enter a guilty plea to transportation.
Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon handed Morris the maximum sentence of 120 months in federal prison. Following completion of his prison term, he will also be on supervised release for the rest of his life. At the hearing, Morris read a statement to the court. After listening to the defendant, Judge Harmon noted that she did not believe he had accepted responsibility for his actions.
A letter prepared by the victim in the case was also read in court. In it, she talked about the pain Morris has caused. She stated that she did not expect him to feel sorry for what he did, noting that she did not think he had the capacity for that, but hoped he would eventually take some accountability for his actions. “It is my hope that the other women will see today as a win for all of us,” she said. “Because of their courage and tenacity the public is safe from you. God knows the things you have done and he will be your ultimate judge. I will walk away today free of you and your evil, because I know I am strong enough to continue to fight for the truth.”
Morris, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Houston, admitted that on or about May 8, 2011, he traveled in interstate commerce and committed, and attempted to commit, the drug-facilitated sexual assault of a female employee.
According to opening statements presented by the prosecution at trial, several women relayed similar experiences of being in compromising situations with Morris after he provided each woman with a drugged alcoholic beverage he had prepared. Each woman reported instances of memory loss that followed the encounter consistent with being administered drugs. The women also reported unwanted contact with Morris, according to the opening remarks. The women all worked for Morris at one time and had taken business trips with him at his request to various states, including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Some of those women were also present in court today.
The plea agreement indicates that on one of those trips, Morris gave a female employee an alcoholic drink which he had drugged with Ambien. She recalled the drink being extremely strong and soon feeling inexplicitly “very intoxicated.” The victim recalled having their picture taken in a restaurant, but then nothing until awakening the next morning on her bed in her hotel room. At that time, she saw Morris standing over her naked body and taking pictures with his cell phone. She also had scratches on each of her hips and bruises on her arm. During a later conversation with the victim, Morris admitted he was “lonely.”
The photos Morris had taken of the woman were later recovered on a thumb drive found in his possession during the execution of a search warrant at Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on Feb. 27, 2012. Also discovered at that time were three Jack Daniel’s bottles containing a clear liquid inconsistent with the appearance of whiskey. The search also resulted in the discovery of drugs, some of which were later identified as benzodiazipams, that a toxicologist has indicated can cause physical impairment and memory loss especially when mixed with alcohol as well as several tablets of the erectile dysfunction drugs commercially-known as Viagra and Cialis.
The Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SFT) defines drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) as “when a person is subjected to nonconsensual sexual acts while they are incapacitated or unconscious due to the effect(s) of ethanol, a drug and/or other intoxicating substance and are therefore prevented from resisting and/or unable to consent.” Typical symptoms of DFSA are drowsiness, dizziness, loss of muscle control, slurred speech, decreased inhibitions, memory loss or impairment, loss of consciousness and vomiting. The SFT compiled a list of drugs, in addition to ethanol, as known to have been associated with DFSA. The drugs found on Morris at IAH are all on that list.
Morris, who was previously on bond but later detained after violating his conditions of release, will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The case was investigated by the FBI – Houston Division Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of agents and officers from the FBI, Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory in Dallas and the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Va. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Suzanne Elmilady are prosecuting the case.
Leader of Sex Trafficking Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
The leader of a sex trafficking ring pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from his interstate prostitution enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney J. Walter Green of the Middle District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson of the FBI’s New Orleans Division.
Jeremie J. Tate, 33, of Zachary, Louisiana, pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick of the Middle District of Louisiana to conspiracy to unlawfully use interstate facilities in aid of racketeering, two counts of use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering and enticing another to travel interstate for prostitution. After evading arrest for several days, Tate was apprehended in Houston, Texas, on April 25, 2014, by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the FBI’s New Orleans Division. Tate has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, from November 2012 through November 2013, Tate operated a prostitution business based in Baton Rouge involving multiple prostitutes, including a minor. Tate and others, used telephones and the Internet to arrange online advertising, schedule prostitution sessions and recruit other prostitutes. Tate admitted that he took most of the proceeds from the prostitution business and distributed controlled substances to his prostitutes and others to manipulate and intimidate them. In his plea agreement, Tate specifically admitted that he enticed a prostitute to travel from Baton Rouge to Las Vegas in December 2012 to engage in prostitution for him.
Three other individuals have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing for their roles in this sex trafficking ring.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New Orleans Division, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Louisiana State Police and East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Police Department’s Narcotics Division, U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and other law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Reginald E. Jones of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie A. Flowers Jr. of the Middle District of Louisiana.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Leader of Sex Trafficking Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The leader of a sex trafficking ring pled guilty today to charges stemming from his interstate prostitution enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney J. Walter Green of the Middle District of Louisiana, and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson of the FBI’s New Orleans Division.
Jeremie J. Tate, 33, of Zachary, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick of the Middle District of Louisiana to conspiracy to unlawfully use interstate facilities in aid of racketeering, two counts of use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering, and enticing another to travel interstate for prostitution. After evading arrest for several days, Tate was apprehended in Houston, Texas, on April 25, 2014, by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the FBI’s New Orleans Division. Tate has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, from November 2012 through November 2013, Tate operated a prostitution business based in Baton Rouge involving multiple prostitutes, including a minor. Tate and others, used telephones and the Internet to arrange online advertising, schedule prostitution sessions, and recruit other prostitutes. Tate admitted that he took most of the proceeds from the prostitution business and distributed controlled substances to his prostitutes and others to manipulate and intimidate them. In his plea agreement, Tate specifically admitted that he enticed a prostitute to travel from Baton Rouge to Las Vegas in December 2012 to engage in prostitution for him.
Three other individuals have already pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing for their roles in this sex trafficking ring.
United States Attorney Walt Green stated: “Persons preying on vulnerable victims for their own selfish gain is a truly despicable act. We will continue to prioritize these types of cases to prevent others from committing similar crimes and to rescue the victims.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New Orleans Division, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Louisiana State Police, and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Police Department’s Narcotics Division, U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and other law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Reginald E. Jones of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie A. Flowers Jr. of the Middle District of Louisiana.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Kingsville Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay $750,000 in TaxesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former owner of a Grandview, Mo., business that provided residential treatment for children while in state custody pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay both the payroll taxes he collected from his employees and his personal income taxes, resulting in a total tax loss of more than $750,000.
Jason Rudolph, 47, of Kingsville, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to failure to pay over withholding taxes and willfully failing to file federal income tax returns.
Rudolph owned and operated Jay’s Residential, which provided residential psychiatric care for children at several locations in Grandview.
By pleading guilty today, Rudolph admitted that he did not deposit the employees’ Federal Insurance Contributions Act and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes and income taxes that he withheld from his employees’ wages and did not pay the employer portion of FICA. Instead, Rudolph used the money to gamble, pay personal bills, and purchase vehicles. In addition to failing to pay over his employment taxes, Rudolph admitted he did not file personal income tax returns for the tax years 2008 through 2011.
The total tax harm from Rudolph’s criminal conduct is $755,643. Rudolph admitted that he failed to pay over $149,944 in employee payroll taxes and $344,902 in personal income taxes, for a tax loss of $494,845. The tax loss increases to $570,491 after including the employer portion of FICA, and to $755,643 including earlier employment tax periods and the employment tax owed to the state of Missouri.
While having substantial employment taxes due, according to today’s plea agreement, Rudolph frequently went to casinos and paid personal expenses with Jay’s Residential’s funds. An analysis of bank records and records obtained from Ameristar Casino reveal that Rudolph withdrew more than $1.1 million from Jay’s Residential’s bank account at the casino from 2008 to 2011.
Although Rudolph failed to file his personal federal individual income tax return for the tax years 2008 through 2011, the plea agreement says, his wife filed her personal federal individual income tax return using the filing status of married and filing separately.
Under federal statutes, Rudolph is subject to a sentence of up to six years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man, Six Columbia Residents Sentenced for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man and six Columbia, Mo., residents have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County, Mo., and elsewhere.
Yun Yi Chang, 37, and Ricardo Lawrence Harrell, 36, both of Columbia, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes. Chang was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole. Harrell was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.
Samuel Raphael Johnson, 37, of Kansas City, was sentenced on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Johnson, Chang and Harrell have all pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County and elsewhere from July 2008 until 2012. Johnson admitted that he sold multiple kilograms of cocaine to co-defendant Levi McLean Franklin Coolley, 36, of Columbia, for $20,000 per kilogram. Coolley, who has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, used other conspirators (including Chang) to pick up the cocaine from Johnson in Kansas City and deliver it to Columbia, where it was distributed.
Chang admitted that he and Coolley were responsible for bringing more than 20 kilograms of cocaine to Columbia. Chang also admitted that, for approximately six months preceding his March 2012 arrest, he purchased an average of two ounces of cocaine every two weeks from Harrell for $1,100 per ounce.
At approximately 2:40 a.m. on Nov. 8, 2011, officers of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department were dispatched on an alarm call to Johnson’s residence, where they discovered evidence of a break-in. When they searched Johnson’s residence, they found 72.42 grams of cocaine, 75.47 grams of crack cocaine and 18.66 kilograms of marijuana.
During the time of the conspiracy, and due to his direct involvement in the agreement to distribute cocaine and his knowing participation and knowledge of the extent of the distribution network, Johnson acknowledge that he was responsible for the distribution of more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Co-defendants Jessica Lynn Jobe, 32, George Dale Wolchko, 33, and Patrick Jeremy O’Blennis, 35, all of Columbia, were also sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to their roles in the cocaine-trafficking conspiracy. Jobe was sentenced to three years and three months in federal prison without parole. Wolchko was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole. O’Blennis was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Justin Ashley Blackburn, 33, of Columbia, was also sentenced yesterday to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to his role in a separate conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Co-defendants Russell Preston Browns, 33, Sara Jean Patrick Browns, 28, Travis Keith Rudloff, 38, Art Waylon Gill, 36, Michael Wayne Crossno, 40, Russell Scott Kuda, 41, Nicholas Robert Berberich, 34, and Lance Michael Walbrecht, 36, all of Columbia, already have been sentenced.
Three co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing: Coolley, Eric Paxton Pyle, 36, and Jonathan Richard Gray, 36, all of Columbia.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez. It was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gambling OperationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to operating an illegal gambling business that generated nearly $4 million in bets placed during its final year of operation.
Hoang Pham, 49, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan to conducting an illegal gambling business and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.
By pleading guilty today, Pham admitted that he operated an illegal gambling business from at least 2008 to February 2012. Pham used Costa Rican Web sites to run his bookmaking operation. The gross revenue of Pham’s illegal gambling business exceeded $2,000 per day on multiple days during the operation of the business. Evidence obtained during the course of the investigation indicated that, in approximately a one-year period from Jan. 1, 2011, to Feb. 9, 2012, bets totaling $3,788,635 were placed in Hoang Pham’s operation.
Pham settled up with his bettors on a weekly basis and, typically, the transfer of funds would be in cash. Pham and his partners conspired to use a number of bank accounts and businesses to conduct financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the proceeds of the illegal gambling operation and to engage in financial transactions that involved the proceeds of the illegal gambling business. These accounts included their personal bank accounts and their business accounts.
In a separate civil proceeding, Pham has forfeited to the government $56,437, which represents the proceeds of his illegal conduct and was seized by law enforcement officers during the execution of a search warrant.
Under federal statutes, Pham is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $750,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.
Terrence Lamar Hawkins, 46, of Jefferson City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to five years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 4, 2014, Hawkins was convicted at trial of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Hawkins was found guilty of possessing a Hi-Point .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Feb. 24, 2011. Hawkins was also found guilty of possessing a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol on March 24, 2011. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hawkins has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon in Cole County, Mo.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Hawkins was arrested twice by the Lincoln University Police Department at the Lincoln University Scruggs Student Center cafeteria in Jefferson City. At the time of both arrests, Scruggs was carrying a concealed handgun.
On Feb. 24, 2011, Hawkins, who appeared to be intoxicated, was confronted by police officers in the student center cafeteria. Officers noticed a bulge in his front, left pocket. When questioned about the bulge, Hawkins stated that it was nothing. When informed that officers were going to check his pockets, Hawkins attempted to flee and was detained by officers. Officers recovered a loaded Hi-Point .40-caliber pistol from Hawkins. Hawkins was then arrested and warned that he would be arrested for trespassing if he returned to Lincoln University.
On March 24, 2011, officers were dispatched to the Scruggs Student Center after a report that Hawkins was present, in violation of the trespass order. Hawkins was subsequently arrested for trespassing. During a search, a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol was found in his pants pocket.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Lincoln University Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Indictment Returned Against Houston Police Officer and Mexican CitizenRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced the return of a Superseding Indictment charging Houston Police Officer NOE JUAREZ, 46, and Mexican citizen SERGIO GRIMALDO, 32, with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. JUAREZ is additionally charged with conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The Superseding Indictment was returned on April 2, 2015 and recently unsealed. This Superseding Indictment is a product of an ongoing investigation. Both defendants are presently in custody.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, each defendant faces a sentence of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine. If convicted of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, JUAREZ faces a maximum of twenty years imprisonment, followed by a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) offices in New Orleans and Houston, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in Houston, and the Houston Police Department Internal Affairs Division in investigating this matter and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney John F. Murphy is in charge of the prosecution.
Superseding Indictment - Noe Juarez and Sergio Grimaldo
Indictment Charges Florida Man with Passport FraudRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jose Salvador Lantigua, 62, of Jacksonville, Florida, has been charged with passport fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. His wife, Daphne Sylvia Simpson, 57, of Sapphire, N.C., has also been charged with one count of making false statements to a federal agent in connection with the case.
Scott Moretti, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; B.W. Collier, Acting Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI); Steven M. Watkins, Director of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau (NC DMV L&T); Sheriff Chip Hall of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Phil Harris, of the Brevard Police Department join Acting U.S. Attorney Rose in making todays’ announcement.
According to allegations contained in the federal indictment, on or about November 18, 2014, Lantigua lied on his application for a U.S. passport, falsely representing that his name was “Ernest Allen Wills.” According to court records, to support his passport application, Lantigua allegedly provided a birth certificate in the name “Ernest Allen Wills,” and, as proof of identity, Lantigua allegedly used a fraudulently-obtained North Carolina license issued in the victim’s name but bearing Lantigua’s photo. Court records show that Lantigua is the subject of an ongoing investigation in Florida, for allegedly faking his own death to fraudulently obtain life insurance money. The indictment charges Lantigua with one count of knowingly making a false statement on a passport and one count of aggravated identity theft. Law enforcement arrested Lantigua in Brevard, N.C., on March 21, 2015, and he remains in federal custody.
Lantigua’s wife, Daphne Simpson, has also been charged with one count of making a false statement to law enforcement. According to allegations contained in the indictment, Simpson lied when she told a special agent that the man who was with her at the time was “Ernest Wills” who was her “friend,” when Simpson knew that the man was actually her husband, Lantigua. Simpson was arrested in Florida on March 21, 2015, by the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud and currently remains in state custody. Simpson is facing insurance fraud and related state charges for filing fraudulent insurance claims and receiving a $500,000 payout from one of Lantigua’s life insurance policies. The federal court in Asheville will schedule Simpson’s initial appearance on the federal charges in the coming days.
If convicted of the offenses, Lantigua faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the passport fraud charge. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a minimum mandatory sentence of two years to be served consecutively with any other sentence imposed. Simpson faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statement charge.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, assisted by NC-SBI, NCDMV&T, Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office and Brevard PD.Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, is prosecuting the case.
Illinois Man Charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Boys through Online Video GamesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Zack Sawyer, 30, was charged in a criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Springfield with one count of sexual exploitation of children.
According to the complaint, Sawyer used online interactive video games including X-Box Live and MineCraft to communicate with at least eight boys aged 10 to 13 years old in Massachusetts, Illinois, and Virginia.
Specifically, in March 2010, Sawyer allegedly used X-Box Live to contact 12-year-old boys from Roselle, Ill. Sawyer asked one boy to send him nude photographs and the addresses and phone numbers of the boy’s friend, and engaged the other boy in sexually explicit chats. When the second boy blocked Sawyer from the X-Box Live system, Sawyer responded with a death threat.
In May 2010, Sawyer used X-Box Live to allegedly contact two 13-year-old boys in Hampshire County, Mass. Sawyer asked one boy to send him nude photographs, and when the boy refused, Sawyer threatened to rape him and kill him. Sawyer asked the second boy to send him naked pictures and when the boy refused, Sawyer also threatened to rape him, claiming that he had a drug that would paralyze people.
In August 2010, Sawyer allegedly used X-Box Live to contact a 12-year-old boy in Rockton, Ill. Sawyer asked the boy to send him naked pictures and to provide his address. When the boy refused, Sawyer told him, “I don’t wanna have to do anything bad.” In January 2011, Sawyer used X-Box Live to contact two 13-year-old boys from Lockport, Ill. Sawyer engaged both boys in sexually explicit conversations and threatened to kill them and their families if they told anyone about his contact with them.
In early August 2014, after Sawyer had been notified that he was the subject of a Massachusetts arrest warrant based upon his solicitation of the two Hampshire County boys, Sawyer used MineCraft to contact a 10 year-old boy in Loudon County, Va. Sawyer sent the boy a picture of his penis, and asked the boy to send him a similar photograph. On two occasions, the boy used Skype to show Sawyer his genitals. In one online chat, Sawyer admitted to the boy that he was a “truck driver on the run from the cops.” Sawyer was ultimately arrested on Dec. 23, 2014.
The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. 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 Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Use of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that FRANCISCO MUNOZ, age 26, a citizen of Honduras and residing in Hammond, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment for illegal use of a social security number.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced MUNOZ to time served, and a $100 special assessment. MUNOZ will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on or about May 6, 2013, MUNOZ was able to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license from the Office of Motor Vehicles by using a social security number that did not belong to him.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JOSE LEMUS-HERNANDEZ, age 28, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced LEMUS-HERNANDEZ to time served, followed by one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. LEMUS-HERNANDEZ will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on or about October 30, 2014, LEMUS-HERNANDEZ was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about April 16, 2012.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Custom Enforcement and Removal in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González was in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that NELSON FLORES-CRUZ, age 31, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman sentenced FLORES-CRUZ to 45 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Upon release from incarceration, FLORES-CRUZ will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on or about August 12, 2014, NELSON FLORES-CRUZ was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about July 11, 2008.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Custom Enforcement and Removal in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González was in charge of the prosecution.
Hixson Tennessee Tax Preparer Indicted for Preparation of False Federal Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- On Apr. 7, 2015, a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging Kevin Mendell Walker, 44, of Hixson, Tenn., with aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false federal income tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Walker is the owner of K&R Enterprises, a tax preparation business located in Hixson, Tenn. According to the indictment on file with the U.S. District Court, from 2009 through 2012, he is alleged to have aided and assisted with the filing of nine false federal income tax returns, claiming deductions and credits for items and amounts the taxpayers were not entitled to claim, such as false education credits, false business expenses, and false hobby and investment expenses.
If convicted, Walker faces up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Brooks represented the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Harrold Man Charged with Attempted Murder of A Federal Employee, Assaulting A Federal Employee, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Harrold, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Attempted Murder of a Federal Employee, Assaulting a Federal Employee, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Brian Iron Boulder, a/k/a Brian Ironboulder, age 51, was indicted on April 7, 2015. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 8, 2015, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about March 25, 2015, Iron Boulder unlawfully attempted to kill another human being, an officer and employee of the United States, while said employee was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and said assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
The charges are merely an accusation and Iron Boulder is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Iron Boulder was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for June 2, 2015.