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24 April 2015
Notice of Court Proceedings - Former Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts to be SentencedRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jay Richardson (803) 929-3000
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten has set a sentencing hearing in the case of United States v. James R. Metts, Case No. 3:14-429.
WHEN: Monday, April 27, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. WHERE: Matthew J. Perry, Jr., Courthouse
901 Richland Street, Courtroom V
Columbia, SC 29201####
Northampton Felon Charged with Second Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Northampton man, who was convicted in 2005 for possessing child pornography, was charged today in U.S. District Court in Springfield with the same offense.
Robert F. Sokolowski, Jr., 42, was charged in an information with one count of possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Sokolowski has agreed to be sentenced to 12.5 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release pending approval by the Court. A plea hearing is scheduled for May 12, 2015.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2013, Sokolowski uploaded a child pornography file to a Facebook account in the fictitious name of “Amy Addams.” During a search executed by local law enforcement officers at Sokolowski’s apartment, a laptop was seized that revealed 14 fictitious Facebook accounts, including the “Amy Addams” account. Also found on the laptop were 400 images of child pornography, including a copy of the file that had been uploaded to the “Amy Addams” account, as well as four video files of child pornography, including one that depicted the rape of a female toddler.
On July 25, 2013, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the Facebook accounts used by Sokolowski and located additional evidence of child pornography.
The charging statute provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and a maximum lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, forfeiture of his computer media, and restitution to the victims in his child pornography collection. 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.
In June 2005, Sokolowski pleaded guilty to one count of possessing material involving the exploitation of minors. In October of that year, he and was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz of the Northampton Police Department; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz's Springfield Branch Office.
The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
North Adams Woman Pleads Guilty to Concealing Marriage from Social SecurityRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Adams woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Springfield on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, to fraudulently concealing her marriage from the Social Security Administration to secure unauthorized Social Security payments.
Nancy Killackey, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one count of fraudulent concealment to secure unauthorized social security payments. Between Jan. 1, 2002 and Oct.1, 2013, Killackey fraudulently concealed her 2001 marriage with the intent to secure $72,635 in Social Security Supplemental Security Income payments. Because her husband earned sufficient income, Killackey was not eligible to receive the supplemental income benefit. When confronted by federal agents from the SSA Office of Inspector General, Killackey falsely claimed that she was not married to her husband. She said that on the day of their marriage, he had a heart attack and the wedding did not take place.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, 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 Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Regional Office, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.
New York Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Paul Henry, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today in United States District Court to 15 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for production of child pornography.
Court records reveal that on both January 25 and January 26, 2014, Henry filmed himself on his iPhone engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year old girl. Henry then distributed one of the videos via a social networking application on his phone to multiple individuals.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Portland Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mountain Lake Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the sentencing of DAVID LARRY RASMUSSEN, 42, to 204 months in federal prison for production of child pornography. RASMUSSEN was indicted on May 21, 2013, and pleaded guilty on March 11, 2013, to three counts of Production of Child Pornography. The defendant was sentenced today before Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, RASMUSSEN produced and traded child pornography images and videos on-line. He took pictures of three children, ages 4, 3, and one and a half, in their homes and in his own home in Mountain Lake, Minn. On October 27, 2012, RASMUSSEN’S computers were seized by the Mountain Lake Police Department. Law enforcement conducted a search of the computers and found thousands of images and videos of prepubescent children subjected to sexual penetration, and included bondage and violent materials.
In a sentencing position filed with the court, the federal prosecutor argued for a significant sentence: He argued that RASMUSSEN “victimized the children of neighbors who trusted him in order to produce and distribute child pornography for the sexual gratification of himself and his friends” and that RASMUSSEN also “stored and distributed an astonishing amount of child pornography depicting the rape and torture of children.”
RASMUSSEN has been in custody since he was arrested on the federal charges on May 28, 2013. Prior to that, Rasmussen had been facing state charges.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Mountain Lake Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Production and distribution of child pornography is against the law. In addition to prosecuting these cases, the Justice Department is presently funding a study focused on the correlation between involvement in child pornography and hands-on sexual abuse of children. A 2008 study (The Butner Study) published in the Journal of Family Violence found that up to 80 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography also admitted to hands-on sexual abuse of children, ranging from touching to rape.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”
Defendant Information: DAVID LARRY RASMUSSEN, 42
Mountain Lake, Minn.
Convicted: • Production of Child Pornography, 3 counts
Sentenced: • 204 months in prison
• 10 year term of supervised releaseMoon Investor Admits Guilt in $2M Fraud Scheme Involving 130 VictimsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Moon Township resident has entered a plea of guilty in Pittsburgh on charges of wire and mail fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Ryan Blumling, 35, appeared before United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab and pled guilty to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud in connection with a long running scheme whereby he swindled individuals who thought they were investing a coal mines and persons who were seeking loans to infuse cash into their businesses.
According to information presented to the Court, Blumling engaged in conduct over the period 2005 through 2014 in which he defrauded a series of potential investors and potential borrowers by making false representations and failing to use funds consistent with the promises he made to investors. Among his false representations were that the money given to him would be used in ongoing mining operations when, in fact, Blumling typically used the funds for personal expenses or to pay off previous investors who were threatening to sue him. In one instance identified for the Court, Blumling secured two wire transfers on the same day from an investor totaling $90,000. At the time Blumling received the money he had approximately $200 in his bank accounts. He used the investor’s funds to purchase a new Range Rover for himself, which a few weeks later he traded in on a new Lexus that he put into his wife’s name. In another instance Blumling sent an email to a potential borrower to assure the borrower that he has access to enough money to fund the borrower’s need for a loan of over $7,000,000. As a part of the email Blumling attached a bank statement for one of his accounts at PNC which showed a balance of over $9,000,000. However, as the investigation conducted by the FBI showed, in fact, at the time that account had a balance of zero.
According to the information provided to the Court there were more than 130 victims and more than $2,000,000 in losses suffered as part of Blumling’s fraudulent activities.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 or both at each of the four counts (two counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud). Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of assaulting a federal officer was sentenced on April 20, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Jorge Trujillo, age 22, was sentenced to 21 months in custody, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.
Trujillo was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2014. He pled guilty on January 29, 2015.
On August 5, 2014, at McLaughlin, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding a man with a knife making threats. After the officer told Trujillo to raise both of his hands above his head, he resisted by attempting to reach for a fixed-blade kitchen knife located in the waistband of his pants. Upon seeing the knife, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officer making the arrest immediately took the knife away from Trujillo.
This case was investigated by BIA Law Enforcement Services and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Trujillo was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 24 1/2 Years in Prison for Murder of GirlfriendRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin McDarrin Johnson, 52, of Landover, Md., was sentenced today to 24 ½ years in prison for killing his girlfriend last year at the apartment they shared in Southeast Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. announced.
Johnson pled guilty in February 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence between 20 and 26 years. The Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston approved the plea and sentenced Johnson today. Upon completion of his prison term, Johnson will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 20, 2014, Johnson strangled his girlfriend, Detra Martin, 48, to death in the apartment they shared in the 800 block of Southern Avenue SE. After strangling her, Johnson left Ms. Martin in her bed, locked the bedroom door, and fled the apartment. Johnson did not show up to work the next day. Law enforcement acted swiftly, and arrested Johnson the day after the murder at a relative’s home in Maryland.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation to the District of Columbia Office of the Medical Examiner. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lashone Samuels, Ethel Noble, and Meridith McGarrity; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard DiZinno and Natalia Medina, who prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced in Shooting of Miami Gardens Police OfficerRead the Press Release
Randy Thomas, 45, of Miami Gardens, was sentenced yesterday to life in prison after having been convicted at trial of being a convicted felon who shot and injured a local police officer.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Filed Office, and Antonio G. Brooklen, Interim Chief, Miami Gardens Police Department, made the announcement.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that on January 11, 2014, two Miami Gardens Police Officers responded to a 911 call for assistance. On the scene, an officer separated Thomas and two women who were in a fight. Thomas then began to walk away. Another officer approached Thomas and asked him to stop, so that an investigation could be conducted. Thomas responded by turning around and pointing a gun at the officer. The officer attempted to flee to safety but was pursued by Thomas who fired at and struck the officer in the thigh. In order to protect the community and disarm the defendant, responding officers fired at Thomas. A 9mm pistol was recovered inches from Thomas’ hand, along with several matching spent shell casings. Video surveillance, introduced at trial, captured the shooting.
As a result of the gunshot wound, the responding officer underwent months of medical treatment before being able to return to his job.
Thomas is pending charges in state court for the attempted first degree murder of the law enforcement officer.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “Police officers put their lives on the line to protect us every single day. Individuals who target those sworn to maintain our safety will face judgment and be prosecuted accordingly.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Hugo Barrera stated, “Our community is very fortunate to have heroes that stand ready to defend us against violent criminals who want to harm us. ATF stands with our state and local partners to reduce violent crime and ensure that justice prevails.”
Interim Chief of Police for Miami Gardens Police Department Antonio G. Brooklen added, “The citizens of this great community have once again spoken and brought to bear a clear message that should resonate in the minds of all who would think to violate the law and that is, ‘Be it a private citizen or a law enforcement officer, criminal acts of this nature will be dealt with swiftly and without impartiality.’ The events that took place on January 11, 2014, could have resulted in a greater tragedy: we are thankful they did not, and applaud the multi-jurisdictional efforts that resulted in the successful prosecution of this case. We at the Miami Gardens Police Department are grateful for the continued support of U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer; Special Agent in Charge Hugo Barrera - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle.”
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigatory efforts of the ATF and Miami Gardens Police Department. Mr. Ferrer also thanked State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and members of the Miami Dade Office of the State Attorney for their assistance with this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Moreno and Francisco Maderal.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl. 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.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
Texarkana, Arkansas - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jonathan Taylor, aka “N.O.”, age 30, of Violet, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Texarkana.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “With today’s sentence, another drug dealer has been brought to justice. The eradication of drug trafficking is vital to the growth and well-being of Hot Springs and communities across the Western District of Arkansas. Our office remains focused on investigating and prosecuting drug trafficking activity in order to make our state a safer place for all of our citizens.”
According to court records, on May 27, 2014, members of the 18th Judicial East Drug Task Force and the Hot Springs Police Department were contacted by staff members of a Hot Springs hotel, regarding possible controlled substances found in a guest room while the room was being cleaned by the housekeeping staff. The substance was field tested on the scene by members of the 18th Judicial East Drug Task Force, which provided a positive result for the presumptive identification of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed that the room in question had been rented by Jonathan Taylor. Subsequently, Taylor was encountered by investigators as he arrived back at the hotel. Taylor stated that he came to the hotel to retrieve a PlayStation game console that he left in the hotel room. Taylor was advised that controlled substances had been found in the room he rented, to which Taylor spontaneously responded that the controlled substances belonged to him. At that point, Taylor was advised of his Miranda rights and agreed to make a statement. During his interview, Taylor admitted that he was the current renter of the hotel room in question, and that the methamphetamine found in the room belonged to him. The substance was later determined to have an approximate weight of 6.4 ounces and was confirmed by the State Crime Lab as methamphetamine. Taylor was arrested on July 2, 2014, and pleaded guilty to the charge on December 1, 2014.
This case was investigated by the Hot Springs Police Department, the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Local Man Pleads Guilty to Five Felony ChargesRead the Press Release
Antwyne Warren, a resident of St. Clair County, Illinois pled guilty in federal district court this morning to five felony charges including (1) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting; (2) attempted robbery; (3) using or carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and a crime of violence and aiding and abetting; (4) possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and (5) possession of heroin, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Warren was ordered held without bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for July 31, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. before the Honorable David R. Herndon, United States District Judge. Warren faces a minimum of ten years imprisonment on the conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting count and a minimum of five years on the using or carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and a crime of violence and aiding and abetting count. By law, the sentences for these two offenses must run consecutively.
Court documents indicate that Warren, a convicted felon, agreed with two men to rob a drug stash house containing cocaine in July 2013. Warren and a codefendant brought loaded firearms with them to assist in the robbery. ATF agents, who had been investigating Warren’s and his codefendants’ plans to commit the robbery, arrested the three men in St. Louis. Following Warren’s arrest, a deputy at the St. Clair County Jail located heroin in Warren’s rectum.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. Stump is prosecuting the case.
Lincolnites Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on April 24, 2015, an Indictment was unsealed charging Nicole Lynn Zabel, a/k/a Nicki Lynn Zabel, age 41, and Kenneth Ali Carman, age 42, both of Lincoln, with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine between January of 2010 and April of 2015. The charge carries a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by at least five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000.
Both are scheduled for initial appearances in federal court in Lincoln on Wednesday, April 29, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Law School Graduate Gets 20 Years for Conspiring to Launder Drug MoneyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A law school graduate who operated a non-profit business has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder drug money, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Mendy Read-Forbes, 40, Platte City, Mo., was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. In her plea, she admitted that in March 2012 she began meeting with an agent posing as a drug dealer. Read-Forbes, a law school graduate who was not licensed to practice law, operated Forbes & Newhard Credit Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit corporation registered in Missouri to provide educational and social welfare services.
The agent told Read-Forbes he had assets to conceal from the sale of marijuana. She boasted she could use her legal training and her connections with federal attorneys and law enforcement officers to help him launder the money. She told the agent she would launder his cash by running it through her business. She said a lot of her customers paid in cash. So it would not be suspicious for her to be doing transactions involving cash. The plan also involved her listing the agent as an employee of her business and putting him on her company’s board of directors. As part of the scheme, she created a fictitious company called Maximus Lawn Care LLC.
Over the course of the investigation she laundered a total of more than $200,000 in purported drug funds. She also agreed to invest $40,000 of her money with the agent for the purchase of marijuana.
Co-defendants are:
Ronald E. Partee, who was sentenced to five years.
Laura Shoop, who is awaiting sentencing.
Grissom commended the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.
Kirtland Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine in San Juan CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Felix Trujillo, 52, of Kirtland, N.M., was sentenced late yesterday afternoon in Albuquerque, N.M., to 108 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Trujillo was arrested on Oct. 28, 2014, on an indictment charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it in San Juan County, N.M., on July 28, 2014.
On Dec. 10, 2014, Trujillo pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on July 28, 2014, he possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to other people.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec.
The HIDTA Region II Task Force is comprised of officers and investigators from the Farmington Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomfield Police Department and Aztec Police Department, and is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Kingpin Sentence in Income Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: T. DeWayne Pearson (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina - United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Flavio Torres-Tello, a.k.a. “El Jefe”, age 42, of Newberry was sentenced in connection with a scheme that netted him and others $1.4 million dollars in fraudulent income tax refund checks from the United States Treasury. Torres-Tello pleaded guilty to unlawful identification document transfer in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 1028(a)(2) and aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 1028A. According to facts presented during the guilty plea hearing, Torres-Tello directed others to buy or steal IRS form W-2s from migrant workers in and around the Lexington County area. Torres-Tello used the W-2 forms to file hundreds of fraudulent income tax returns, often adding multiple fictitious dependents to inflate the amount of the refunds. Torres-Tello would then generate forged Mexican Consular Identification Cards to use as identification in order to cash the refund checks at retail locations. Torres-Tello received a sentence of 61 months of incarceration and faces deportation upon his release.
“The IRS is aggressively pursuing those who steal others' identities in order to file false returns,” said Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Our cooperative work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office will help protect taxpayers in South Carolina from being victimized by identity theft. The IRS is taking additional steps this tax season to further prevent, detect and resolve identity theft cases as soon as possible.” The case was investigated by Special Agents with the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security/HSI, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.
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Jury Finds Former Manager of Federally Funded Job Placement Centers Liable in Civil Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ALEX SAAVEDRA (“SAAVEDRA”), the former director of two Structured Employment Economic Development Corporation (“SEEDCO”) Workforce1 Career Centers, was found liable for violating the False Claims Act (the “FCA”) in connection with a federally funded program to provide assistance to unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers. The jury awarded damages to the United States in the amount of $13,000, which pursuant to the FCA will be trebled to $39,000. In addition, the FCA provides for a civil penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 for each violation. The Court will determine the amount of SAAVEDRA’s civil penalty at a later date. The verdict was returned yesterday following a one-week trial before United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Federally funded services such as SEEDCO’s career centers are meant to help people find jobs and achieve the American dream. Unfortunately, SAAVEDRA cared more about reporting big numbers than being honest. This fraudulent conduct resulted in the misappropriation of federal funds, and made it appear that more New Yorkers were getting help than actually were. Prior to the trial, the Government reached settlements with SEEDCO and six of its former managers for the same fraudulent conduct. Now a jury has found the last defendant, the highest ranking Workforce1 Center employee, liable as well. This Office will not hesitate to pursue companies and individuals who fraudulently exploit public funding. This verdict and this case underscore that individuals, as well as entities, responsible for fraud must be held accountable.”
According to the evidence presented at trial:
SEEDCO received federal funding to operate Workforce1 Career Centers (the “WF1 Centers”) in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. These WF1 Centers provided, among other things, employment training and job placement assistance. In order to receive federal funding for its WF1 Centers, SEEDCO was required to report its job placement performance through a database maintained by the New York City Department of Small Business Services (“SBS”), called WorkSource1. The information was necessary for the calculation of performance-based payments under the federal program.
From 2009 to 2011, SAAVEDRA, as WF1 Center director, caused the entry of false placements into WorkSource1 to make it appear that job candidates had obtained jobs by or with the involvement of SEEDCO when, in fact, they had not. These false placements resulted in performance payments, with federal funds, that SEEDCO had not earned. SAAVEDRA was present at internal all-staff meetings during which this scheme was discussed and, on at least one occasion, instructed a SEEDCO employee to report false placements.
Mr. Bharara thanked the United States Department of Labor, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, for its assistance in the case. He also thanked the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, the New York City Department of Investigation, and the New York City Department of Small Business Services.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Carina H. Schoenberger and Ellen Blain are in charge of the case.
Houston Man Sentenced in Galleria Mall Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Emiliano Trevino, 25, has been ordered to prison following his conviction of one count of bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Trevino pleaded guilty Jan, 29, 2015.
78 months; $2927.51 in restitution; supervised release 4 years
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Trevino a 78-month sentence to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release.
On Oct. 16, 2014, Trevino robbed the BBVA Compass Bank at gunpoint located inside the Houston Galleria Mall on Westheimer Road in Houston. The robbery occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. during normal shopping hours.
Trevino entered the bank and asked for a withdrawal of 20s, 50s and 100s. As he demanded the money, he pulled out a black revolver from his jacket, displaying the gun to the teller.
Trevino will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Searle is prosecuting.
Houston Man Convicted of Embezzling from Labor UnionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Henry Shuler, 65, of Houston, has admitted to stealing from United Transportation Union (UTU), Local 1982, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Shuler was the secretary/treasurer of UTU.
Agents received information from an internal UTU International auditor that Shuler embezzled union funds by writing checks to Sam’s Club for personal items not authorized by the union. Further investigation by Department of Labor (DOL) investigators revealed Shuler also disguised some of the stolen funds as repayment of union dues to nonexistent members.
The total amount of union funds stolen is approximately $40,000 over the course of six years.
He is set for sentencing July 17, 2015, at which time he faces up to five years imprisonment and a possible $10,000 maximum fine.
The case was investigated by DOL-Office of Labor Management Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Cook is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan Woman Extradited to the United States to Face Human Smuggling ChargesRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan national appeared in federal court in the Southern District of Texas, after being extradited to the United States from Guatemala to face criminal charges for her role in smuggling undocumented migrants to the United States for profit, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas and Director Sarah R. Saldaña of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Rosa Umanzor-Lopez, 35, of Guatemala, was arrested in Guatemala on Feb. 5, 2014, on a provisional arrest warrant based on a superseding indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas in December 2012. The indictment charges her with one count of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented immigrants into the United States, three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain and three corresponding counts of encouraging and inducing an alien to come to the United States. Three individuals also charged in the indictment have previously been convicted and sentenced.
The indictment alleges that Umanzor-Lopez and her co-defendants established a network to recruit individuals from India and elsewhere who wished to be smuggled into the United States. The defendants then allegedly arranged for aliens to be transported to the United States through South America and Central America by various means including by air travel, automobiles, water craft and foot.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in McAllen and Houston, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Alien Smuggling Interdiction Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christina Giffin of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Leo III and Casey MacDonald of the Southern District of Texas. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition.
The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Guatemalan Woman Extradited to the United States to Face Human Smuggling ChargesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas - A Guatemalan national appeared in federal court in McAllen after being extradited to the United States from Guatemala to face criminal charges for her role in smuggling undocumented migrants to the United States for profit, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Director Sarah R. Saldaña of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Rosa Umanzor-Lopez, 35, of Guatemala, was arrested in Guatemala on Feb. 5, 2014, on a provisional arrest warrant based on a superseding indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas in December 2012. The indictment charges her with one count of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented immigrants into the United States, three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain and three corresponding counts of encouraging and inducing an alien to come to the United States. Three individuals also charged in the indictment have previously been convicted and sentenced.
The indictment alleges that Umanzor-Lopez and her co-defendants established a network to recruit individuals from India and elsewhere who wished to be smuggled into the United States. The defendants then allegedly arranged for aliens to be transported to the United States through South America and Central America by various means including by air travel, automobiles, water craft and foot.
The investigation was conducted by agents with ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in McAllen and Houston with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Alien Smuggling Interdiction Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Leo III and Casey MacDonald and Trial Attorney Christina Giffin of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition.
The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Greenville Inmates Face New ChargesRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on April 23, 2015, Anthony Cunningham, 28, and Anthony Johnson, 25, were both indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for Possession of Contraband by a Federal Inmate. Both Cunningham and Johnson were inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Greenville, Illinois (FCI-Greenville), at the time the offenses were committed. Shelia Hatfield, 51, was also indicted on April 23, 2015, for Escape. Hatfield was an inmate at the Federal Prison Camp in Greenville, Illinois (FPC-Greenville), at the time she committed the charged offense.
If convicted, Cunningham, who is charged with possessing marihuana while at FCI-Greenville, faces a prison term of not more than five years, a fine up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.
Johnson, who is charged with possessing heroin while at FCI-Greenville, faces a prison term of not more than twenty years, a fine up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.
Hatfield, who is charged with escaping from FPC-Greenville, faces a prison term of five years, a fine up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.
Court dates for the three inmates have not yet been set.
An indictment is merely the method by which federal charges are lodged. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigation Section and are assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
Former Clinical Care Technician Charged with Stealing Pain Medication from Patients in Intensive CareRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former clinical care technician at Tufts New England Medical Center was charged yesterday with stealing pain medication from patients in intensive care.
Michelle R. Tomlinson, 29, of Somerville, was charged in an Information with acquiring and obtaining a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.
According to the charging document, on Jan. 1, 2014, Tomlinson, who worked as a clinical care technician at Tufts New England Medical Center, diverted Dilaudid, also known as hydromorphone, from IV bags. Specifically, it is alleged that Tomlinson entered the rooms of three patients in the surgical intensive care unit under false pretenses and surreptitiously extracted Dilaudid from their IV bags through a syringe.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than four years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. 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; Jeffrey Ebersole, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Food and Drugs, Drug Control Program, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxim Grinberg of Ortiz’s Health Care Fraud Unit.
Former Bookkeeper of Labor Union Charged with Embezzling Union DuesRead the Press Release
Carolyn Hall, 53, of McLeansboro, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis, Illinois, for embezzlement and theft from a labor union. The indictment alleges that Carolyn Hall was the bookkeeper for Laborer's Local 1197, part of the Laborer's International Union of North America and from July of 2012 through February of 2014 she took $26,491 of cash receipts from members' dues payments and used the funds for personal use. Carolyn Hall faces a prison sentence of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years’ supervised release if convicted of the charges.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards, with the assistance of Laborer's Local 1197. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Former Attorney Clark Holesinger Charged with Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced today the filing of a two-count information charging Clark Holesinger, 53 of Valparaiso, Indiana, with one count wire fraud and one count money laundering.
These charges relate to Holesinger’s practice of law in Porter County, Indiana, and his alleged fraudulent use of clients’ funds. A Petition to Enter a Plea of Guilty was filed in conjunction with the Information.
A change of plea hearing is set for Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 1:15pm (EST) before Honorable Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr in South Bend District Court.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an Information is merely an allegation and not proof of guilt. All persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara Z. Brook and William T. Grimmer.
Final Members of Port Angeles Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
The final three defendants in an Olympic Peninsula drug distribution ring were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in and around Port Angeles and Sequim, Washington, announced Acting United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The group’s criminal activity centered around the ‘Sellin Style’ car dealership near Sequim. The former owner of the dealership, Timothy P. Smith, was sentenced earlier this month to 11 years in prison. Today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, HOLLI A. BELL, 35, of Port Angeles was sentenced to five years in prison for her involvement in two different criminal schemes involving distribution of methamphetamine. At the sentencing hearing today U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan noted that the amount of drugs distributed in this case was so large that long prison terms were needed to protect the public and deter other criminal conduct. Two other co-conspirators were sentenced this week by Judge Bryan. JACOB E. DAVIS, 26, of Port Angeles, was sentenced today to three years in prison for his role as a methamphetamine distributor. And yesterday, Judge Bryan sentenced CHARLES D. ASLIN, 40, of Sequim, to five and a half years in prison for his methamphetamine distribution. Law enforcement moved in to arrest members of the drug distribution ring in February 2014. Lead defendant Timothy Smith was arrested following a high speed chase. During that same time period, law enforcement targeted and arrested a second drug ring in the Tacoma area that was supplying methamphetamine to Smith’s organization. The case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET), a task force containing officers from Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Port Angeles Police Department, Sequim Police Department, Neah Bay Department of Public Safety, Elwha Klallam Police, LaPush Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, the Washington Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol and the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team (WestNet). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory A. GruberFederal Jury Convicts Sex Trafficking Ring LeaderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Hortencia Medeles-Arguello aka Raquel Medeles Garcia, Raquel Medeles Garcia or “Tencha,” 71, has been found guilty on all counts for her leadership role in a 16-defendant sex trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. The verdict was returned today following a 10-day trial and approximately four hours of deliberations.
She is the 14th defendant to have been convicted. 13 others have pleaded guilty, while two remain at large.
This is believed to be the first sex trafficking case of this magnitude tried in the United States involving both minors and women who were forced to engage in prostitution against their will. 12 rescued victims testified at trial regarding the horrors of their ordeal beginning with being recruited in their home country and ending with their rescue here in the United States. Some girls were recruited as young as 14 years of age.
Testimony revealed that pimps recruited the young girls by convincing them they were in love, making threats to their families as well as threatening the girls themselves. Testimony revealed Tencha should have known that the girls prostituted at their establishment were either underage or victims of the beatings by their pimps.
On the first full day of trial, the jury heard from one of the victims in the case. She detailed the horrific conditions she faced at the hands of the defendant and others, to include being forced into having sex at age 14 after she had come to this country in search of a better life. She described how she was forced to comply with demands at gunpoint and locked in a room. She was eventually impregnated by a “customer” and was moved to another area of the bar. Following the move, she found a way to escape.
Evidence at trial indicated that Tencha made more than $1.6 million in a 19-month period by supplying the upper floor of her cantina for prostitutes to ply their trade. The evidence further revealed that many of the prostitutes were either minors or forced to engage in sex acts at the defendant’s bar. The jury heard that Tencha had engaged in harboring illegal aliens for 13 years and sex trafficking for six years.
The jury found her guilty on all counts as charged to include conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to harbor aliens, aiding and abetting to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. She faces up to life in prison. U.S. District Judge David Hittner, who presided over the trial, has set sentencing for July 22, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. She will remain in custody pending that hearing.
In addition, 15 real properties and other assets for a value of about $2.5 million will be forfeited to the United States having been found to have been purchased with sex trafficking proceeds with the intent to use the proceeds from their sale to make restitution to the victims of this horrible crime
The 13 others who were previously convicted include Lilia Medeles Cerda aka Lilly, 66, Diana Medeles Garcia aka Diana Garcia Marquez, 50, Graciela Medeles Ochoa, 37, Abel Medeles aka Chito, 67, Odelia Hernandez, 47, Delia Diaz, 51, Guadalupe Valdez Lugo aka Lupe, 58, and Talat Crippin aka Chacho, 27, all of Houston; Eduardo Guzman Gonzales aka Miguel Rojas or El Pantera, 33, Alberto Mendez Flores aka Ardilla, 27, Jose L. Uraga aka Wicho, 36, and Jorge Antonio Teloxa-Barbosa aka Eli, 31, all Mexican citizens illegally residing in the U.S. David Garcia, 46, Techa’s son, was also convicted. All had pleaded to varying charges to include alien harboring and money laundering.
Marco Antonio Pulido aka Marco Antonio Salazar or Marco Antonio Pulido, 58, Alfonso Diaz-Juarez aka Ponco or El Grenas are fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asking to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The investigation leading to the filing of criminal charges was the result of a three year investigation conducted by members of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) in Houston, which includes the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Department of State, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Houston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruben R. Perez and Joe Magliolo are prosecuting the case.
FAA Inspector Charged with Bypassing TSA Passenger Screening in Violation of TSA's Security RequirementsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ernest E. Abbott has been arraigned on federal misdemeanor charge of unlawfully entering Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and an airplane without submitting to the security requirements for all passengers as administered by Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“The security of all airline passengers is of paramount concern,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn. “Neither FAA employees who travel for work nor any other passenger is exempt from the consequences when they fail to submit to the airport security screening process.”
“Protecting the traveling public and maintaining public confidence in the safety of commercial air travel is of utmost importance,” said Marlies Gonzalez, Special Agent-in-Charge for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. “Working with our Federal, State and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will vigorously pursue those who violate the law designed to protect the safety of travelers.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: Abbott, a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, flew from Atlanta, Georgia, to New York on January 12, 2015. Prior to boarding his flight, Abbott used his Hartsfield Jackson International Airport employee access card to bypass TSA passenger screening. Abbott came to the attention of TSA the very next day after a firearm was detected in his carry-on luggage when he attempted to fly back to Atlanta. He was subsequently charged in New York with unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Ernest E. Abbott, 69, of Sugar Hill, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. He was charged in a Criminal Information filed on April 15, 2015.Members of the public are reminded that the Criminal Information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Tracia M. King is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Elmira, New York Men Sentenced on Drug Related OffenseRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Howe, age 27, of Elmira, New York, was sentenced April 22 by U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for a drug related offense.
Judge Kosik sentenced Howe to 21 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute Alpha-PVP, commonly known as “bath salts.”
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Howe was initially charged in a Criminal Indictment on December 10, 2013. Howe pled guilty on July 24, 2014.
The case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Athens Borough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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Egyptian Citizen Charged with Helping Collierville Company Defraud Government of over $500,000Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – An Egyptian citizen was arrested Thursday evening for his alleged role in defrauding a U.S. foreign aid program, which resulted in the distribution of defective water pumps by a Collierville establishment to the Egyptian Water Authority. The illegal acts accounted for more than $500,000 in fraudulent sales.
Mustafa El Shehaly, 55, of Cairo, Egypt, was apprehended outside Chicago O’Hare International Airport for his alleged role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In December 2011, an indictment was filed in the Western District of Tennessee, alleging that El Shehaly conspired with American Marsh Pumps, Inc. (AMP), a Tennessee corporation headquartered in Collierville, to make false statements to a government agency, costing U.S. taxpayers $536,750.
According to the indictment, the conspirators violated several regulations established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its Commodity Import Program (CIP), an initiative that was designed to provide economic stimulus in the U.S. and Egypt. The program was responsible for financing the purchase of the water pumps.
To utilize the program, companies were required to select industrial water pumps that were tested and solely manufactured in the United States. However, the water pumps distributed by AMP were not only defective, they were manufactured in China. The defendants made the fraudulent misrepresentation that the water pumps were of U.S. source and origin.
Under the USAID CIP guidelines, potential beneficiaries also had to consider offers from three different companies before making a selection. El Shehaly, however, presented
USAID with an actual bid from AMP, along with fraudulent bids from two additional companies. The pre-arranging of the bidding process guaranteed that AMP would be selected to provide industrial water pumps to the Egyptian Water Authority.
After arriving in Chicago, IL, from Cairo Thursday, El Shehaly was apprehended by agents from USAID’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with Homeland Security Investigations assisted with the arrest.
El Shehaly faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. His arrest culminates more than six years of investigation, planning, and coordination by the USAID OIG, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of State.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Cotten is representing the government in this case.
East Tennessee Wildlife Poisoning ConvictionRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Rickie D. Cloyd, 61, of Fall Branch, Tenn., was convicted of violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act related to his unlawful use of a restricted use pesticide. Cloyd was convicted following a bench trial in front of the Honorable Dennis H. Inman, U.S. Magistrate Judge, in April 2015 and was sentenced to pay a total of $5,000 in fines.
The case began as an investigation into the cause of death of numerous deceased animals found near Cloyd’s farm in Washington County, Tenn. The investigation revealed that Carbofuran, a restricted use pesticide marketed under the name Furadan, had been placed on corn baits in several locations around the Cloyd farm. Furadan is highly toxic to wildlife and is no longer available for commercial purchase. Furadan was once commonly used on crops such as alfalfa and tobacco, but was outlawed because of its toxicity. According to the evidence presented at trial, Cloyd used Furadan in an attempt to control pests but unintentionally caused the primary and secondary poisonings of a variety of animals, including several species of migratory birds.
This investigation was the result of the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Lampe represented the United States.
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East St. Louis Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Jerrod Jones, 27, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced in federal district court in East St. Louis, to ten years in federal prison, 3 years’ supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a fine of $500, following his plea of guilty, on January 14, 2015, for the crime of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Jones’ sentence stemmed from charges relating to an incident that occurred on May 22, 2013, in East St. Louis, Illinois, when law enforcement agents went to Jones’ home to execute a state arrest warrant for a separate case. When the agents executed the warrant, they found a fully loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Jones was previously convicted of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance on February 12, 2007, in St. Clair County. He was on parole when arrested on the charges for which he was sentenced today. The sentencing judge also ordered forfeiture of the firearm and the ammunition contained therein.
The case was investigated by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Clark.
East Hill Man Charged with Federal Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kandel Markie Whiting, 35, of Pensacola, with receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Counts one and two of the indictment allege that, between October 2014 and January 2015, Whiting knowingly received and distributed images and videos of child pornography. Count three alleges that, on or about March 24, 2015, Whiting knowingly possessed child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor younger than 12. Whiting’s conduct came to light based upon his use of the social media applications Twitter and Kik. The indictment, which was unsealed today, was announced by Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Whiting was arraigned in federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge Miles Davis at the United States Courthouse, in Pensacola, Florida.
The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Pensacola Police Department, and the other agencies that are part of the Northwest Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose joint investigation led to the charges in this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. The office strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Earlham Man Sentenced to Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA - On April 23, 2015, Cory Lee Daugherty, age 30, of Earlham, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Judge James E. Gritzner. to 77 months in federal prison for possession of firearms in the Madison county courthouse, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Daugherty will also be required to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Daugherty’s sentence will run consecutively with his ten years prison sentence in State court for possession of controlled substances, and concurrently with his five year State sentence for escape.
In a written plea agreement filed January 20, 2015, Daugherty admitted that on March 24, 2014, he entered the Madison county courthouse to be sentenced in State court for a drug-related felony, and that after he was sentenced, a Madison county deputy attempted to take him into custody at which time he struggled with the deputy sheriff in the court room. Daugherty pulled a firearm from the deputy sheriff during the struggle and was able to escape from the Madison county courthouse while deputies pursued. A short time later, Daugherty was taken into custody. At the time of his sentencing in State court, Daugherty was a prohibited person who could not possess firearms.
This investigation was conducted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and this case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on April 20, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Kenna Marie Bridwell, age 28, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in custody, 18 months of supervised release, $58.08 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bridwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 15, 2014, for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. On April 28, 2014, she pled guilty to the Indictment.
The conviction arose from an incident that occurred on November 16, 2013, near Eagle Butte, when Bridwell, who was intoxicated, used her vehicle to run from a Cheyenne River Sioux Police Officer. After the police officer activated his lights and siren, Bridwell traveled west on Highway 212 at a high rate of speed and, while attempting to avoid arrest, drove her vehicle into the back of another vehicle. Both vehicles rolled and went into the ditch. As a result of the car crash and assault, the victim, who was a passenger in the vehicle Bridwell ran into, was seriously injured.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson prosecuted the case.
Bridwell was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving her sentence.
District Man Sentenced to 16-Year Prison Term for 2012 Murder in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donald Dubose, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 16-year prison term on a charge of second-degree murder while armed stemming from a fatal shooting in Southeast Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. announced.
Dubose pled guilty in December 2014, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent on the Court’s approval, called for a sentence between 15 and 17 years of incarceration. The Honorable Jennifer Anderson accepted the plea today. Following the 16-year prison sentence, Dubose will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 12, 2012, at approximately 5:35 a.m., the victim, Michael Smith, 34, and another man left Northwest Washington in a gray Mercedes Benz. They headed towards the Barry Farm community in Southeast Washington. The other man drove while Mr. Smith sat in the front passenger seat. Dubose followed behind them in a black Ford Fusion with the intention of causing physical harm and injury to Mr. Smith and the other man in the Mercedes Benz. At least two of Dubose’s associates were in the car with him.
When they reached Stevens Road SE, in Barry Farm, the other man pulled the Mercedes to the side of the road in the 1100 block of Stevens Road. Dubose stopped the Ford Fusion beside the Mercedes, on the driver’s side of the Mercedes. The individuals in the Ford Fusion shot at Mr. Smith and the other man with multiple guns. Mr. Smith was shot twice in the head and died shortly thereafter. The other man survived the gunfire, but suffered a gunshot wound to his arm. Though injured with a gunshot wound, he attempted to drive the Mercedes away. He crashed the Mercedes into the side of a nearby house across the street. Dubose and the shooters, meanwhile, fled from the shooting in the Ford Fusion, which Dubose drove.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and the Seventh Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Marcia Rinker, M. Laverne Forrest, Tanya Via and Michael Hailey of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; former Paralegal Specialists Fern Rhedrick and Marian Russell; Paralegal Specialist Vanessa Trent-Valentine; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Brittin; and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Dillon. He also praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana L. Fulton, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.
Cordova Man Receives 57 Months for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A 26-year-old Cordova man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison yesterday for filing false income tax returns that garnered over $161,000 in refunds.
Between August 2011 and April 2013, Jeremy Tate obtained the names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers of numerous individuals without their knowledge or consent, and then used the information to file over 120 false tax returns. This resulted in Tate claiming over $161,000 in refunds.
According to the indictment and facts discussed in court, Tate recruited others to open bank accounts and directed the false tax return refunds to be electronically deposited into those accounts.
"Tate’s actions were an affront to the tens of millions of honest citizens who play by the rules and file their taxes in a timely and accurate manner," said U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton III. "Anyone who participates in such a scheme should understand there is a price to be paid and that we and our law enforcement partners will collect in full."
In addition to serving 57 months in prison, Tate will be required to pay $161,021.48 in restitution.
"Investigating refund fraud and identity theft is a priority for IRS-Criminal Investigation," said Christopher A. Henry, Special Agent in Charge for the IRS-Criminal Investigative Division. "Stealing identities and filing false tax returns is a serious crime that hurts innocent taxpayers. Today’s sentencing should serve as a strong warning to those who are considering similar conduct. Law enforcement is serious about
investigating these crimes and holding those who would defraud the government accountable."
The sentencing was conducted by U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson. The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and IRS-Criminal Investigative Division. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hall prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Comcast Corporation Abandons Proposed Acquisition of Time Warner Cable After Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission Informed Parties of ConcernsRead the Press Release
Comcast Corporation (Comcast) abandoned its plans to acquire Time Warner Cable Inc. (Time Warner Cable) for approximately $45.2 billion after the Department of Justice informed the companies that it had significant concerns that the merger would make Comcast an unavoidable gatekeeper for Internet-based services that rely on a broadband connection to reach consumers.
"The companies' decision to abandon this deal is the best outcome for American consumers," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "The Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice has demonstrated, time and again, that it can and will defend the interests of the American consumer no matter the complexity of the issue or the size of the opponent. This is a victory not only for the Department of Justice, but also for providers of content and streaming services who work to bring innovative products to consumers across America and around the world. I commend the Antitrust attorneys and investigators whose outstanding work led to this outcome, and I know that the Department of Justice will continue to fight for fair access and free competition in every industry and every market."
“I want to thank our colleagues at the Federal Communications Commission for their close and productive cooperation throughout this investigation,” said Renata Hesse, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The collective expertise of the career staff at both agencies enabled us to analyze the complex issues presented by this transaction and to deliver a consistent message regarding the impact of the transaction on competition and the broader public interest. We are also grateful for the close cooperation we had with teams from many State Attorneys General offices during the course of our investigation.”
Comcast is a Pennsylvania corporation headquartered in Philadelphia. With approximately 21.7 million video subscribers and 20.7 million broadband subscribers, Comcast is both the largest video and wired broadband Internet-access provider in the nation.
Time Warner Cable is a New York corporation with headquarters in New York. With approximately 11.4 million video subscribers and 11.6 million broadband subscribers, Time Warner Cable is the fourth-largest video and the third-largest wired broadband Internet-access provider in the nation.
Chicago Man Charged in Williamson County Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
On February 3, 2015, David T. Walls, Jr., a/k/a "Gun," 36, of Chicago, Ill., was charged by indictment with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
The offense occurred between 2012 and October 2014, in Williamson County. Walls was arrested in northern Illinois on March 26, 2015, and made his initial appearance in federal court in Benton on April 21, 2015. He is being held with bond pending an April 27, 2015, bond hearing.
The crack cocaine and heroin offense carries a penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison, to be followed by 6 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $2,000,000.
Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Williamson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Carthage Man Receives Maximum Federal Prison Sentence for Producing and Possessing Child PornRead the Press Release
Today in Austin, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks sentenced 40–year-old James Randall Farmer of Carthage, TX, to a maximum 50 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing and possessing child pornography announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
According to court records, an FBI agent discovered approximately 18 images of child pornography posted on the internet on April 28, 2013, by an unknown individual. Upon further investigation, authorities determined that Farmer was, in fact, responsible for making those visual images, as well as several videos of a 4-year-old girl and 6-year-old girl engaging in sexually explicit conduct, available online. Investigators were also able to confirm that some of the videos depicted a room inside his victims' mother’s residence in Austin where he was residing at the time.
On November 6, 2014, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s current residence in Carthage. Evidence gathered included an assortment of computer related equipment and a cell phone belonging to the defendant. A subsequent search of the defendant’s phone revealed the presence of several videos depicting child pornography produced by the defendant, including the videos referenced above which involved the same girls. The defendant also possessed other images and videos of child pornography.
On February 11, 2015, Farmer pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography. Today, Judge Sparks sentenced Farmer to 30 years imprisonment for the production charge and 20 years imprisonment for the possession charge to run consecutive.
The case was investigated by the FBI Austin Child Exploitation Task Force. Members of that task force include the FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit and the Austin Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin.
Brothers Convicted in Synthetic Drug Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to Lengthy Federal Prison TermsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Two brothers who were convicted by a federal jury in Dallas in October 2014 on multiple felony offenses stemming from their operation of a dangerous, designer synthetic drug trafficking organization, were sentenced yesterday, announced John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Barry Bays, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 425 months in federal prison, and Judge Boyle sentenced his brother, Jerad Coleman, 28, to 188 months in federal prison. In addition, Bays and Coleman were ordered to forfeit: a residence on Tillman Road in Fort Wayne, Indiana, $437,000 in funds seized by the government during the investigation, and multiple vehicles and a motorcycle. In addition, the defendants were ordered to pay a personal money judgment of approximately $7.3 million, which constituted the proceeds obtained during the course of the conspiracy.
Residents of Fort Wayne, Bays and Coleman were convicted on all counts of a fourth superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in July 2014. The charges stemmed from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Project Synergy that targeted these synthetic drug trafficking organizations.
Bays and Coleman were each convicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud; and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue. In addition, Bays was also convicted on one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony.
Seven other defendants charged in the case have pleaded guilty to their respective roles and have been sentenced as follows:
Samuel Madeley, 23, of Denton, Texas, 57 months
David Muise, 23, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, 36 months
Holden Bownds, 23, of Denton, Texas, 90 months
Aaron Parrish, 31, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, 51 months
Jennie Miller, 41, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, 12 months and one day
Brandon Zerler, 26, of Fort Wayne, Indiana 60 months
Defendant Kyle Boyer, 31, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2015.
Bays owned Little Arm, Inc., that did business as B&B Distribution (B&B) in Fort Wayne and then later in Defiance, Ohio. B&B sold products marketed as “incense,” “potpourri,” “air freshener,” or “aroma therapy products,” which claimed to be “not for human consumption,” to businesses in at least 38 states. Coleman served as a corporate officer for B&B and held various positions within the business.
During the conspiracy, Bays, Coleman and others conspired together to defraud the FDA by introducing or delivering an adulterated or misbranded drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. As part of the conspiracy, Bays, Coleman and others possessed, packaged, labeled, marketed, distributed and sold substances containing various synthetic cannabinoids throughout the U.S. Synthetic cannabinoids are defined as “drugs” under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
After acquiring the synthetic cannabinoids, Bays and B&B had them mixed with a green leafy (smokable) plant material to create a product commonly referred to as “spice.” That substance was then packaged and labeled with brand names such as “B2 Da Bomb,” “V8,” “Roses,” and “Street Legal.” The products were then sold to customers throughout the U.S. as “incense,” “potpourri,” “air freshener,” or “aroma therapy products,” and “not for human consumption,” when in fact, they were intended for human consumption as a drug.
Bays had contracted with Muise for Muise to create multiple YouTube videos, reviewing Bays’ “spice” products. Muise’s reviews documented the intended use of Bays’ products as drugs.
Madeley and Bownds collaborated and collectively brokered the sale of Scheduled I controlled substance analogues. They solicited customers via the internet and knew the chemicals they were brokering were being used to produce “spice” intended for human consumption. Madeley and Bownds made multiple sales to Bays and B&B, where he made his own brands of synthetic “spice” and distributed it to various “smoke shops” and convenience stores throughout the U.S.
The DEA led the investigation with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department, Indiana State Police, and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Poe and Brandon McCarthy prosecuted.
Boston Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Credit Card ScamRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Laura A. Minot, 52, of Mattapan, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit access device fraud in connection with her participation in a fraudulent credit card scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Minot admitted that on April 16, 2014, she conspired with others to purchase gift cards and high value merchandise at retail box stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts using retail credit card accounts and lines of credit that she and/or her co-conspirators opened in the names of other actual persons without their authorization or knowledge. Minot and her co-conspirators opened the credit card accounts and lines of credit using misappropriated personal identifying information and false identification cards. Minot is facing up to 25 months in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2015.
This investigation was lead by the Boston office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Medway and Cambridge, Massachusetts Police Departments, the Massachusetts State Police and local police departments in Acton, Ayer, Bedford, Boston, Brookline, Cohasset, Dover, Groton, Lincoln, Littleton, Medfield, Medford, Norton, Plymouth, Reading, Sudbury, Sutton, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston and Westwood. The Hollis, New Hampshire police Department also assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.
Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Meth and Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOISE – Rodolfo Antonio Ortega, 29, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine for distribution, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.
According to court proceedings, Ortega was arrested in a Boise hotel parking lot on October 21, 2014. When the officers searched his car they found a loaded .357 Colt revolver, 9.5 ounces of methamphetamine, scales, baggies, and about $4,774 in cash. Ortega admitted that he is a convicted felon and knowingly possessed the firearm. Ortega has two prior felony convictions. He also admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. According to his plea agreement, Ortega acknowledges that he is a Career Offender, which will enhance the sentencing guideline range applicable to his case.
The penalty for possession of meth with intent to distribute it is not less than 5 years, and not more than 40 years. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years. Punishment as a Career Offender increases the punishment range. Ortega’s sentencing is set for July 7, 2015 before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
The Indictment was handed down on November 13, 2014. The case was investigated by the Boise City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Belpre, Ohio man pleads guilty to federal drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Belpre, Ohio man is the latest member of a large-scale marijuana trafficking organization to plead guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. Brent J. Sidwell, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court in Charleston to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.
At today’s plea hearing, Sidwell admitted that he and others operated a drug trafficking organization in and around Wood County, West Virginia and Washington County, Ohio. In the fall of 2013, members of the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force (PNTF) and the Washington County Major Crimes Task Force (WCMCTF) began working with a confidential informant who began purchasing marijuana and cocaine from Sidwell and other members of the organization. The drug deals took place primarily at the former 5th Street Pub in Parkersburg, but also occurred at numerous locations in Wood and Washington Counties. Eventually, police obtained a wiretap on Sidwell’s phone and executed search warrants at various locations.
Sidwell admitted that he provided marijuana on consignment and recruited others to deliver marijuana and pick up money for the fronted marijuana from previous deals. Evidence given at earlier court proceedings revealed that Sidwell and others, at his direction, would pick up large marijuana shipments delivered by U.S. Mail to various locations within Wood and Washington Counties. Sidwell would then direct members of the organization to package the marijuana in smaller multi-pound quantities and deliver it to street-level distributors and collect the proceeds of drug sales. The money would then be delivered to Sidwell’s suppliers, either by bulk cash delivery, wire transfer, or by depositing the money into a local branch of a national bank to be withdrawn at a different location by the supplier.
Timothy Fields, 38, of Vienna previously pleaded guilty in federal court and admitted distributing more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana and smaller quantities of cocaine. He was sentenced in January 2015 to six years in federal prison. David A. Naylor also pleaded guilty in federal court and admitted distributing more than 700 kilograms of marijuana. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 30, 2015.
Sidwell faces at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 7, 2015.
This case represents the ongoing cooperation between the PNTF, WCMCTF, the Wood County, WV Prosecuting Attorney, the Washington County, OH Prosecuting Attorney and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney, Joshua Hanks is in charge of the prosecution.
Belleville Woman to Serve Two Years for Illegally Transferring FirearmRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Danielle Edwards, 38, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison following her guilty plea on January 21, 2015, to Transfer of a Firearm to a Previously Convicted Felon. There is no parole in the federal system. Edwards was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Edwards was allowed to remain on bond and self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons.
According to court documents, Edwards purchased a Glock, model 30, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and an extended, 27-round magazine for the firearm, from Ron & Jo’s Firearms and Sporting Supplies in Fairview Heights, Illinois, which she then transferred to her boyfriend, Donnie Dontez Russell, a convicted felon, who she knew to be a convicted felon. Russell was previously convicted in the case and is serving a sentence of 70 months in federal prison. Evidence at sentencing established that Edwards also assisted Russell in obtaining a Sig Sauer P556 semi-automatic pistol in Tennessee from a man Russell contacted through the internet, and she purchased ammunition for that weapon. The Sig Sauer P556 was recovered during the course of the investigation.
Information leading to the charges against Edwards was obtained in an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.
Belleville Man Indicted for Workers' Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Martese O. Temple, Sr., 48, of Belleville, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he unlawfully obtained disability benefits from the United States Postal Service.
The indictment alleges that, from September 2009 through July 2014, Temple misrepresented the severity of a foot injury to obtain permanent disability benefits from the U.S. Postal Service. The indictment charges Temple with Theft of Government Funds, Workers’ Compensation Fraud, and Making a False Statement to a Government Agency. The charge of Theft of Government Funds carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, and the charges of Workers’ Compensation Fraud and Making a False Statement to a Government Agency carry maximum penalties of five years in prison. All three counts also carry maximum penalties of a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Coonan.
Ashburn Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Kouame “Innocent” Tanoh, 53, of Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in operating a longstanding fraudulent scheme used stolen personal identifying information and claimed over $400,000 in false tax refunds.
The investigation was initiated in August 2014, when the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police stopped Tanoh on a traffic violation. A subsequent search yielded several financial documents and fraudulent identification cards to include a driver’s license and Social Security card in the name of other individuals. Tanoh advised that he was in possession of the documents because he was a tax preparer, and the documents belonged to his clients. From there, several law enforcement agencies initiated an investigation into Tanoh’s illegal activities.
According to court documents, from April 2008 through February 2015, Tanoh obtained individuals’ names and personal identifying information, including their Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Tanoh acquired some of this information by holding himself out as being in the business of preparing tax returns, in part through a Virginia corporation called Alpha and Omega Financial Services. Some of the individuals who provided their personal information to Tanoh were clients of this business. Tanoh would then use peoples’ names and personal identifying information for several different purposes, including the preparation and filing of false and fraudulent federal and state tax returns that made false claims for tax refunds. To increase the amount of the refund requested by the fraudulent returns, Tanoh would add items to the returns, including false dependents, false businesses on the taxpayer’s Schedule C, false education expenses, and false moving expenses. The actual loss to the IRS and state departments of revenue as a result of the returns prepared and filed by Tanoh is over $400,000.
In addition to filing false tax returns, Tanoh also used and lived other people’s identities, in part because he had no legal status to work or remain in the United States. From at least 2009 through 2015, Tanoh used the names and personal identifying information of at least 8 individuals to seek and obtain employment, housing, and other items of value, such as bank accounts. To facilitate his use of these stolen identities, Tanoh would obtain false means of identification in these person’s names, including driver’s licenses and Social Security cards.
Tanoh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge when he is sentenced on July 31, 2015. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, DC; Stephen L. Holl, Chief of Police, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigations, Washington Field Office; David M. McGinnis, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; John Phillips, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Washington Field Office of the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Field Division of the Inspector General’s Office of the Social Security Administration, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police; IRS-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of the Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine L. Wong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Kimball are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-99.
Arlington Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for the Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Produced and possessed images of minors met on the Internet
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Patrick Joseph Friedel, 29, of Arlington, Virginia, was sentenced today to 192 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for the production and possession of child pornography.
Friedel pleaded guilty on January 16, 2015. According to court documents, Friedel met five young teenagers over the Internet and exchanged sexually explicit images with them. Friedel used persuasion, which included sending the minors depictions of other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and coercion, which included threats to post images online and tell parents about the minor’s activities. On three occasions, Friedel picked up one of the minors and engaged in sexual activity with her. He took pictures and videos of this activity, which included sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C.; and Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Chief of Police, Fairfax County Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fairfax County Police Department with the assistance of the Northern Virginia/DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Gardner and Tracy Doherty-McCormick prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:14-cr-383.
April Grand JuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 26 indictments charging 28 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Jose Jaime Alburez, age 29, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about April 7, 2015, following deportation. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Vicente Beltran Barraza, age 40, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning on or about November, 2012, and continuing to on or about December, 2014. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Carlos Roberto Canales Gavarrete is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 13, 2015, following deportation. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Carrillo, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about April 15, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* David Dieguez, age 40, of Fresno, California, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender from on or about July 31, 2014 to March 20, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Santos Gaytan-Leal, of Carter Lake, Iowa, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment alleges that on or about June 20, 2014, the defendant falsely represented a Social Security account number as belonging to him for the purpose of obtaining a benefit to which he was not entitled. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment alleges on or about June 20, 2014, Gaytan-Leal made a false claim to be a United States citizen with the intent to receive Federal and State benefits and to be employed in the United States. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III of the Indictment alleges that on or about June 20, 2014, the defendant used a Social Security card and a State of Nebraska Non-Driver License knowing said documents were not issued lawfully for his use. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Fredy Hernandez-Castillo, age 33, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 13, 2015, following deportation after conviction for a felony offense. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Joshua Koenig, age 30, and Marco Trejo-Hernandez, age 34, both of Omaha, are charged in a five-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges both defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning on or about December, 2014 and continuing to on or about February 25, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Koenig with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about February 25, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III of the Indictment charges Koenig with felon in possession of a firearm on or about February 25, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV of the Indictment charges Trejo-Hernandez with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about March 4, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V of the Indictment charges Trejo-Hernandez with felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 4, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The Indictment also contains an allegation to forfeit proceeds of the offense or property used to commit the offense, including $11,094.00 in U.S. currency.
* Gerald J. Lachner, age 43, of Papillion, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about January 27, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Rodrigo Lozoya-Portillo, age 31, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about April 1, 2015, following deportation after conviction for a felony offense. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Pedro Lugo-Gamboa, age 29, of Omaha, is charged in a seven-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a mixture containing cocaine, beginning on or about December 1, 2008, and continuing to on or about March 24, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II and III of the Indictment charge Lugo-Gamboa with distribution of a mixture containing cocaine on or about January 14, 2015 and on or about January 26, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count . Counts IV, V, and VI of the Indictment charge the defendant with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about February 5, February 20, and March 13, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. Count VII of the Indictment charges Lugo-Gamboa with possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing cocaine on or about March 24, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The Indictment also contains an allegation to forfeit proceeds of the offense or property used to commit the offense, including $4,624.00 in U.S. currency.
* Rosa Medina, age 45, and Rafael Echeverria-Silva, age 28, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning on or about February 1, 2014 and continuing to on or about April 16, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Medina and Echeverria-Silva with possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana on or about April 16, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Marco Mejia-Ramirez, age 32, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about April 13, 2015, following deportation. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Andres Montejo Mateo, age 42, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 18, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Gilberto Morales-Garcia, age 41, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 18, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Marco Torres Nuno, age 32, is charged with failure to appear on or about April 6, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Raul Perez-German, age 46, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 16, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Richard L. Pitman, age 23, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with production of child pornography on or before October 11, 2014. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years and up to Life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Pitman with receipt and distribution of child pornography on or about October 11, 2014. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years and up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III of the Indictment charges the defendant with possession of child pornography on or before March 19, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment.
* Alondra M. Rebolledo, age 32, of Stockton, California, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing cocaine on or about January 23, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Richard E. Rinker, age 60, of Gering, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with receipt and distribution of child pornography from on or about January 1, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 16 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Rinker with possession of child pornography on or about February 18, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than ten years and up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, supervised release for Life, and a $100 special assessment. The indictment also alleges any and all property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the violation alleged in the indictment should be forfeited to the United States.
* Julian Anacleto Manjarrez-Sanchez, age 19, and Juan Manjarrez-Sanchez, age 26, both of Fremont, Nebraska, are charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges both defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning on or about December 1, 2014, and continuing to on or about March 25, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges both of the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about December 14, 2014. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III of the Indictment charges Julian Anacleto Manjarrez-Sanchez with distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about February 23, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV of the Indictment charges both defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containg methamphetamine on or about March 25, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The Indictment also contains an allegation to forfeit proceeds of the offense or property used to commit the offense, including $16,856.00 in U.S. currency.
* Frank A. Sanchez, Jr., age 41, is charged with theft of government funds from the Railroad Retirement Board totaling $92,064.00 beginning on or about August, 2009, and continuing to on or about March, 2012. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Roberto Tercero-Bautista, age 37, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about September 6, 2014. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Scott T. Tran, age 44, of Waterloo, NE, is charged in a twelve-count Indictment. It alleges from on or about May 18, 2009, and continuing until on or about February 16, 2015 the defendant executed a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program. Scott Tran submitted false and fraudulent claims to the Nebraska Medicaid program seeking payment for providing a prescription drug to certain Nebraska Medicaid recipients when the defendant well knew the prescription drug had not been provided to those recipients. During the course of the scheme these claims totaled approximately $2,476.402.00. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. The indictment also alleges any and all property, real or personal, that constitutes or is derived, directory or indirectly, from gross proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense, should be forfeited to the United States.
* Esteban Vargas, a/k/a Tereso Cabrera, age 46, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 18, 2015, following deportation after conviction for a felony offense. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Danielle Zelazny, age 30, of Bellevue, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with obstructing justice by retaliating against an informant on or about April 8, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Zelazny with felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 9, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Anthony, N.M., Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Fernando Garcia, 30, of Anthony, N.M., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Garcia and his co-conspirator Eddie Velarde-Carmona, 34, of San Luis, Ariz., were arrested on May 8, 2014, after attempting to sell methamphetamine to undercover FBI agents. According to the criminal complaint, Garcia and Velarde-Carmona had previously sold approximately 564 grams of methamphetamine to the undercover agent for $8,000.00 on April 17, 2014. On the date of the arrest, FBI agents uncovered approximately 1019 grams of methamphetamine in Garcia’s vehicle.
The two men were subsequently indicted on Aug. 20, 2014. Garcia and Velarde-Carmona were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. Velarde-Carmona also was individually charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Garcia pled guilty to a felony information on Oct. 28, 2014, and admitted that on April 17, 2014, he and Velarde-Carmona sold approximately 564 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent, and on May 8, 2014, the two men agreed to sell a kilogram of methamphetamine to the undercover agent but was arrested prior to the transaction. He further admitted that officers found approximately 1019 grams of methamphetamine mixture in his vehicle.
Velarde-Carmona pled guilty on Dec. 19, 2014, to the indictment. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force/Metro Narcotics Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
The HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force/Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of officers from the Las Cruces Police Department and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
2010 Congressional Candidate and Campaign Manager for His Opponent Jointly Charged with Election ViolationsRead the Press Release
A 2010 Congressional candidate for Florida’s 25th Congressional District, along with the campaign manager for an opposing candidate from a different party, have been charged jointly with violating federal election laws.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, First Assistant United States Attorney, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Jeffrey Garcia, 42, and Jose Rolando Arrojo, 41, of Miami, were charged, by criminal information, with conspiring to make and accept excessive contributions to the 2010 Roly Arrojo for Congress Committee, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
According to the information, during the 2010 election cycle, Garcia was the campaign manager for a candidate (“Candidate A”) opposing Arrojo in the general election. The information alleges that the objective of the conspiracy was to benefit Candidate A by splitting the general election votes of his opponents, by causing and funding the existence of Arrojo’s campaign. The information also alleges the conspirators used third party checks to conceal the contributions. A $12,000 check signed by Garcia, and drawn from the campaign account of Candidate A, was made payable to Palm Media, LLC, a company that was also owned and operated by Garcia. Garcia then signed two checks, made payable to cash in the amounts of $5,000 and $5,500, drawn from the Palm Media, LLC account. These checks were deposited by Arrojo into a personal account. Arrojo subsequently wrote a $10,500 check from the personal account made payable to “Roly Arrojo for Congress” which was deposited into the bank account for the Roly Arrojo for Congress Committee. Arrojo then caused a $10,440 check to issue from the Committee’s account to the Department of State, in order to cover his filing fee expenses. Arrojo submitted this check, along with an Oath of Candidate form, to the Department of State in order to be placed on the ballot in 2010 for Florida’s 25th Congressional District.
In 2010, the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, established a $2,400 per election limit on contributions from any individual to a federal candidates’ authorized campaign committee. Therefore, because the contributions alleged in the information did not exceed the permissible amount by more than $25,000, Garcia and Arrojo face a maximum possible sentence of one year in prison.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Selmore.
A criminal information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attachment:
Information - Garcia, Jeffrey (PDF)
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.