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9 April 2015
Career Offender Sentenced to 220 Months for Heroin Conspiracy in NewportRead the Press Release
COVINGTON — A federal judge has sentenced a Cincinnati man to 220 months in federal prison, for his role in a conspiracy that distributed heroin in Newport, Ky.
U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar sentenced Carlos Massengill, 45, for conspiracy to distribute heroin. Judge Thapar enhanced Massengill’s sentence because Massengill qualified as a career offender, due to his significant criminal history.
Massengill admitted that he and a co-defendant, Anquan Williams, 35, distributed heroin in Newport, on several occasions between April 2014 and July 30, 2014.
Williams was sentenced to 120 months in prison on April 2. Williams and Massengill pleaded guilty in December of 2014.
Under federal law, Massengill must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence, and he will be on supervised release for 10 years following his prison term.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Stuart L. Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (Louisville Field Division), jointly made the announcement today.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Campbell County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke prosecuted the case on behalf of the federal government.
Butler Man Distributed Child Pornography to Undercover New Jersey FBI AgentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Butler County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Justin Ellenberger, 26, of Butler, Pa., pleaded guilty on April 8 to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on March 10, 2014, Ellenberger distributed, to an a FBI agent working in Newark, New Jersey, in an undercover capacity, 19 photographs and a video contained in computer graphics files which depicted minors, some under the age of 12 years, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A search warrant later executed at Ellenberger’s residence resulted in the seizure of two computers and an external hard drive, in which thousands of still images and videos had been stored by Ellenberger.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2015, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years nor more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court released Ellenberger on a bond which requires, among other things, that he be confined to his home and that he not have access to minor children.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Justin Ellenberger.
Bronx Man Pleads Guilty in Counterfeit Currency SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of New York City pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
John Viloria, 25, of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that during the period from July 1, 2014, through July 28, 2014, Viloria conspired with codefendants Barry Robert Youger, Jr., Eric Seighman and Cheryl Leigh Johnson, to pass thousands of dollars of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes at various retail store locations in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2015 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Viloria on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation that lead to the prosecution of Viloria.
Beaver County Men Charged with Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Two residents of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and using and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on April 7 and unsealed yesterday, named Timothy Paul Brown, Jr., 34, of Rochester, Pa., and Daniel Thomas Nolder, Jr., 25, of New Brighton, Pa., as the defendants.
According to the Indictment, from in and around June 1, 2014, through Dec. 15, 2014, Brown Jr., who has previously been convicted of Burglary and Robbery, possessed, bartered, and disposed of 53 stolen firearms, aided and abetted by Nolder, Jr. Brown, Jr. was also charged with using and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense during this time period. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm.
This case involves the theft of firearms from a licensed gun store which, according to the government’s theory of the case, were ultimately traded for heroin.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Sam Rabadi said, “A thief who steals firearms from a licensed gun store endangers our neighborhoods. The stolen guns are quickly unloaded onto the streets for fast cash or illegal drugs, and later are often recovered by law enforcement after use in crimes of violence. This investigation and indictment is a reminder that ATF remains persistent tracking and arresting gun thieves and bringing an end to their criminal conduct.”
The law provides for a maximum total sentence for Brown of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Nolder faces the same possible fine, as well as a potential sentence of incarceration of up to 10 years. 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and communities to prevent, deter, and prosecute gun crimes. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Rochester Police Department, Aliquippa Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and, Pennsylvania State Police – Beaver Barracks, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attorney General Holder Statement on the Departure of John Kacavas as the United States Attorney of the District of New HampshireRead the Press Release
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement on the departure of U.S. Attorney John Kacavas:
“For nearly six years as United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, John Kacavas’ impressive record of public service has reflected his dynamic leadership, his consummate skill and his unshakeable devotion to justice in the face of pressing concerns and daunting challenges. Through his outstanding efforts, he has safeguarded the people of New Hampshire and left an indelible mark on the nation.
“As Chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee’s Forensic Science Working Group, John has been an indispensable advisor to me, guiding the Justice Department’s use of forensic science to ensure that we rely on it knowledgeably, responsibly and effectively. Through his critical work as part of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Working Group, John has helped uphold the Department’s promise to protect and defend the most vulnerable members of our society. In every case and every circumstance, John has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to public service, to professional integrity and to the cause of justice. I thank John for his exemplary service, I wish him the best of luck and I look forward to all that he will continue to achieve.”
Armed Career Criminal from Albuquerque Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Paul Anthony Turrieta, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Turrieta received an enhanced sentence due to his status as an armed career criminal. He will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Turrieta was being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Turrieta was arrested in Feb. 2014, on an indictment charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 24, 2013, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to court filings, Turrieta was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of numerous felony offenses, including three residential burglaries.
On Oct. 27, 2014, Turrieta pled guilty to the indictment and admitted possessing a revolver and ammunition which were discovered in the vehicle he was driving when an officer pulled him over on a traffic stop on Oct. 24, 2013. Turrieta acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm or ammunition because he was a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department, with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Synthetic Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Iman Al-Washah, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., entered a guilty plea in federal court this morning to a “spice” trafficking charge. Iman Al-Washah is one of three men arrested in the District of New Mexico in May 2014, as part of Project Synergy Phase II, a nationwide investigative effort by the DEA, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, IRS and other federal, state, and local partners. Project Synergy Phase II targeted every level of the dangerous global synthetic designer drug market. From Jan. 2014 through May 2014, nationwide enforcement operations took place targeting the drug trafficking organizations that have operated in communities across the country.
Iman Al-Washah and his co-defendants, Sabah Al-Washah, 48, and Amjad Al-Washah, 26, both Albuquerque residents were charged with “spice” trafficking charges in criminal complaints. Amjad Al-Washah was charged with distribution of a controlled substance analogue based on his sale of synthetic cannabinoid to an undercover officer at Carlos’ Smoke Shop at 806 Old Coors Drive SW in Albuquerque on Dec. 4, 2013. Iman Al-Washah was charged with conspiracy and distribution of a controlled analogue based on his participation in the sale of synthetic cannabinoid to an undercover officer at Carlos’ Smoke Shop on Jan. 7, 2014. Sabah Al-Washah, the owner of Carlos’ Smoke Shop, was charged with conspiracy and aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance analogue based on a sale of synthetic cannabinoid to an undercover officer at the smoke shop on Jan. 7, 2014. Sabah Al-Washah also was charged with maintaining drug-involved premises.
The three men subsequently were charged in a four-count indictment filed on May 21, 2014. Count 1 charged the three men with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue from Dec. 4, 2013 through May 7, 2014. Count 2 charged Sabah Al-Washah and Amjad Al-Washah with distributing a controlled substance analogue on Dec. 4, 2013. Count 3 charged Sabah Al-Washah and Iman Al-Washah with distributing a controlled substance on Jan. 7, 2014, and Count 4 charged Sabah Al-Washah with maintaining a place, Carlos Smoke Shop, for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using a controlled substance analogue. The indictment also called for the forfeiture of multiple vehicles and cash obtained through the drug offenses charged in the indictment.
During today’s proceedings, Iman Al-Washah pled guilty to Count 3 of the indictment and admitted that Sabah Al-Washah and he sold 30 packets of “spice” to an undercover law enforcement officer. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Iman Al-Washah will be sentenced to a prison term not to exceed six months and will be required to forfeit a 2011 Cadillac, a 2006 BMW and a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. His sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
Amjad Al-Washah pled guilty on Feb. 11, 2015, to Count 2 of the indictment and admitted that on Dec. 4, 2013, he sold ten packets of “spice” to an undercover law enforcement officer for $200.00 at Carlos’ Smoke Shop. At his sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled, Amjad Al-Washah faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison followed by a minimum of three years of supervised release.
Sabah Al-Washah has entered a not guilty plea and is pending trial, which is currently scheduled for May 11, 2015. Charges in criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer M. Rozzoni and Stephen R. Kotz.
The controlled substance analogues charged in the complaints and indictment are commonly referred to as synthetic marijuana or “spice.” According to the DEA, over the past several years, there has been a growing use of synthetic cannabinoids. Smoke-able herbal blends marketed as being “legal” and providing a marijuana-like high have become increasingly popular because they are easily available and, in many cases, more potent and dangerous than marijuana. These products consist of plant material that has been coated with dangerous psychoactive compounds that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. These substances, however, have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human consumption, and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process. Synthetic cannabinoids often are labeled as incense to mask their intended purpose.
Arizona Woman Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Mercedes Sanchez, 34, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on April 2, 2015 by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 240 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced.
Sanchez was found guilty on January 15, 2015 by a jury after a four day trial in U.S. District Court in Jackson. She received the statutory maximum sentence for her crime.
Sanchez entered the United States on October 13, 2013, in Nogales, Arizona and was traveling to Atlanta, Georgia. She was stopped by the Richland Police Department on October 16, 2013 for speeding. A search of the vehicle revealed 47 pounds of methamphetamine with a purity of 99.8% concealed in the muffler of her Ford -F150. She was 8 and ½ months pregnant at the time and was also traveling with her 9 year old daughter. Sanchez had multiple border crossings into Mexico and then returning into the United States over a nine month period.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Richland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Chalk and Darren LaMarca.
"C-S.T.A.N.D.": Four Conway Men Indicted in Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2100
COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles, stated today that four Conway men, Marcus Dalton Hemingway, a/k/a “Face,” age 36, Marco Delton Hemingway, a/k/a “Co-Teezy,” a/k/a “Co,” age 36, Albert Tyrone Mayes, a/k/a “JT,” age 40, and Robert Hemingway, Jr., a/k/a “Booda,”age 34, indicted earlier this year by a federal grand jury in a sealed indictment charging a cocaine and crack cocaine conspiracy, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, appeared in federal court in Florence this afternoon for arraignment. During the hearing, the government requested that all four defendants be detained. All four defendants entered not guilty pleas, waived their right to a detention hearing, and remain in federal custody.
Mr. Nettles stated the penalty for conspiracy to possess cocaine and crack cocaine is a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of $1,000,000, a term of supervised release of at least three years in addition to any term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100.
This indictment, unsealed today, follows a year-long undercover investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement. The undercover operation yielded multiple drug purchases by undercover officers from dealers in the Conway community. The indictment is part of the “C-S.T.A.N.D.” program launched in Conway in late 2013. The program, an acronym for “Conway—Starting Toward a New Direction” is an application of the Drug Market Intervention program, coordinated by the United States Attorney’s Office and most recently utilized in the Charleston Farms community in North Charleston beginning in 2011. The initiative is a unified, proactive approach that bands together local, state, and federal law enforcement with community partners in an effort to eradicate open drug dealing in a multiple block area of Conway. In addition to the federal and state arrests effected today, several letters, in lieu of arrest warrants, were delivered today by law enforcement to lower level targets notifying them of a “call-in meeting” to be held next Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at the Conway Recreation Center located at 1515 Mill Pond Road, Conway, South Carolina, 29526. This meeting is open to the public.
Members of the law enforcement team involved in this initiative include the Conway Police Department, the 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit, the Horry County Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Florence Police Department, the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Lance Crick of the Greenville office and Assistant United States Attorney Chris Taylor of the Florence office.
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8 April 2015
Women Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Aiken Law FirmRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Winston Holliday (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Tonya M. Hair, age 43, of Jackson, South Carolina, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia to Uttering Forged Securities, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 513, and Access Device Fraud, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(1). United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Hair at a later date.Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Hair worked as an administrative assistant in an Aiken law firm. She used various credit cards and bank accounts of the law firm to divert money to herself, starting in mid-2006 and lasting through early 2013. Investigators identified approximately $270,000 in unlawful transactions attributable to Hair.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty for both Uttering Forged Securities and Access Device Fraud is imprisonment for ten years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr. of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ryan Abbott, 23, of Plymouth, Wisconsin, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to transporting child pornography.
According to court records, in October 2014, Abbott, who was in Wisconsin, sent several email messages to the undercover email account of a federal agent in Maine. Some of the messages contained links to folders of child pornography images stored on a cloud storage website. Other messages attached video files depicting sexually explicit conduct involving young children. Abbott was arrested in Wisconsin in December 2014 and brought to Maine to face charges filed in this district.
Abbott faces between five and 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and between and five years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.Warren man indicted on heroin and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging a Warren man with heroin distribution and illegal possession of a firearm, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ricardo B. McKinney, 29, faces two counts of distribution of less than 100 grams of heroin, one count of possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The alleged crimes took place earlier this year, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offenses and the unique characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Riedl. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Youngstown Resident Office, and the Warren Police Department, which recovered approximately 1657.2 grams of heroin and two handguns.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Vallejo Man Arrested for Falsely Claiming More Than $3 Million in Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal agents arrested Kenneth Knockum, 46, today at his home in Vallejo, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on April 24, 2014, charging Knockum with making false claims for tax refunds on federal income tax returns.
According to the indictment, in 2009, Knockum filed three tax returns claiming fictitious income that he did not receive, withholdings that he did not make and refunds to which he was not entitled. One return was filed electronically for tax year 2008 claiming a refund of $522,786. Two returns were submitted to different IRS locations for the tax year 2007, both claiming a $1,435,813 refund.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Vallejo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sherry Hartel Haus is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Knockum faces a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Seeks Extradition of Former Salvadoran Military Officer to Spain to Face Charges for Participation in 1989 Jesuit MassacreRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina today seeking the arrest and extradition of a former colonel in the Salvadoran army to face charges in Spain related to the murder of five Spanish Jesuit priests in El Salvador in 1989.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Inocente Orlando Montano Morales, 72, formerly of Everett, Massachusetts, and 19 other former Salvadoran military officials have been indicted in Spain for the 1989 murders of five Spanish Jesuit priests during the 10-year Salvadoran civil conflict. An arrest warrant for Montano was issued by a Spanish magistrate.
According to allegations in the complaint filed in U.S. District Court today, between 1980 and 1991, El Salvador was engulfed in a civil conflict between the military-led government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). During this conflict, in the early morning hours of Nov. 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran military allegedly murdered six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s 16-year old daughter at the Universidad Centroamericana. Five of the Jesuit priests were Spanish nationals, and the remaining victims were from El Salvador. The Jesuit priests were allegedly advocates for discussions between the FMLN and the military-led government to end the strife.
At the time, Montano Morales was a colonel in the Salvadoran army, and he also served as Vice Minister of Defense and Public Safety. The complaint alleges that he shared oversight responsibility over a government radio station that, days before the massacre, issued threats urging the murder of the Jesuit priests. The day before the murders, Montano Morales also allegedly participated in a series of meetings during which one of his fellow officers gave the order to kill the leader of the Jesuits and leave no witnesses. The following day, members of the Salvadoran army allegedly executed the six priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s daughter.
Montano Morales is currently serving a 21-month federal prison sentence in the United States for his 2013 conviction in the District of Massachusetts for immigration fraud and perjury in connection with false statements he made to immigration authorities to remain in the United States. He will be released from that prison sentence on April 16, 2015.
The allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and any finding of guilt or innocence will be made by Spanish courts upon Montano Morales’s extradition.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Goulian and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Capin of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Roberto Iraola of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
Montano Morales Complaint
United States Attorney and California Attorney General Partner Present the Second in A Series of Awareness Trainings on Labor TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, a training aimed at combatting the serious crime of labor trafficking was held, organized by U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner in partnership with California Attorney General Kamala Harris. This training, held at the Attorney General’s offices in Sacramento, was the second in a series of awareness trainings focused on forced labor and labor-related human trafficking. The first training was held in Fresno on October 24, 2014, and additional trainings are planned throughout the district and California.
U.S. Attorney Wagner stated: “Labor trafficking can be an invisible crime, because it so often goes unreported. The federal and state laws that forbid the practice have no effect when law enforcement is unaware of the violations that occur. Our goal is to train government workers, who may visit various worksites for other purposes, to recognize the signs of forced labor and to be aware of how to report it.”
“Human trafficking is the world's fastest growing criminal enterprise,” said Special Assistant Attorney General Jeff Tsai. “Labor trafficking is the most prevalent form, but it is still under-reported and under-investigated. Training our first responders and government agencies to recognize the signs of labor trafficking is an important step in helping victims and going after the traffickers. Attorney General Harris has made fighting human trafficking a priority and is proud to partner with U.S. Attorney Wagner to provide this critical training.”
The training was attended by federal, state, and local workers who visit worksites as part of their duties, including employees from the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, California’s Employment Development Department, Department of Industrial Relations, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Contractors State Licensing Board, and representatives from El Dorado County and Yolo County, and the cities of Rancho Cordova, Folsom, and Elk Grove.
Speakers from the FBI, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and California’s Department of Industrial Relations described key indicators of labor trafficking and how to report the crime. Speakers from the International Rescue Committee presented information about labor trafficking from the trafficking survivor’s perspective, and representatives of Opening Doors Inc. led an interactive discussion of the signs of labor trafficking.
Raymond D. Greenlee, the assistant special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations who oversees Sacramento Homeland Security Investigations stated: “Human trafficking, including forced labor trafficking, amounts to modern day slavery and represents one of the most deplorable crimes HSI investigates. Sadly, the egregious exploitation of workers by unscrupulous individuals and businesses occurs more frequently in the Central Valley than many people realize. Our hope is that by vigorously enforcing trafficking laws and raising public awareness, we can reduce the level of exploitation and bring those responsible to justice.”
If you or anyone you know is a victim of labor trafficking, you may call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at any time at 1 (888) 373-7888. You may also text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733, or visit www.traffickingresourcecenter.org. You may also use these resources to report suspected human trafficking.
US Seeks Extradition of Former Salvadoran Military Officer to Spain to Face Charges for Participation in 1989 Jesuit MassacreRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina today seeking the arrest and extradition of a former colonel in the Salvadoran army to face charges in Spain related to the murder of five Spanish Jesuit priests in El Salvador in 1989.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Inocente Orlando Montano Morales, 72, formerly of Everett, Massachusetts, and 19 other former Salvadoran military officials have been indicted in Spain for the 1989 murders of five Spanish Jesuit priests during the 10-year Salvadoran civil conflict. An arrest warrant for Montano was issued by a Spanish magistrate.
According to allegations in the complaint filed in U.S. District Court today, between 1980 and 1991, El Salvador was engulfed in a civil conflict between the military-led government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). During this conflict, in the early morning hours of November 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran military allegedly murdered six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s 16-year old daughter at the Universidad Centroamericana. Five of the Jesuit priests were Spanish nationals, and the remaining victims were from El Salvador. The Jesuit priests were allegedly advocates for discussions between the FMLN and the military-led government to end the strife.
At the time, Montano Morales was a colonel in the Salvadoran army, and he also served as Vice Minister of Defense and Public Safety. The complaint alleges that he shared oversight responsibility over a government radio station that, days before the massacre, issued threats urging the murder of the Jesuit priests. The day before the murders, Montano Morales also allegedly participated in a series of meetings during which one of his fellow officers gave the order to kill the leader of the Jesuits and leave no witnesses. The following day, members of the Salvadoran army allegedly executed the six priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s daughter.
Montano Morales is currently serving a 21-month federal prison sentence in the United States for his 2013 conviction in the District of Massachusetts for immigration fraud and perjury in connection with false statements he made to immigration authorities to remain in the United States. He will be released from that prison sentence on April 16, 2015.
The allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and any finding of guilt or innocence will be made by Spanish courts upon Montano Morales’s extradition.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Goulian and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Capin of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Roberto Iraola of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
UA Student Charged with Unauthorized Access to University ComputerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM -- The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged a Childersburg woman with unauthorized access to a University of Alabama computer to steal student loan funds from fellow students, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton and University of Alabama Police Chief Tim Summerlin.
Federal prosecutors on Friday filed a one-count information in U.S. District Court charging BRIANA JACKSON, 22, with one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer. The government, today, filed a plea agreement with Jackson in which she acknowledges the criminal activity and agrees to plead guilty to the charge and to pay $9,598 in restitution.
"Breaches in computer security are a fact of life in today's Internet world and quick response to an intrusion is imperative to minimize the damage," Vance said. "An alert and committed investigator in the University of Alabama Police Department, working with the FBI, prevented large financial loss in this case and led to the charges and plea agreement with the defendant," she said.
“Cybercrime is a top priority for the FBI, and everyone needs to understand that if they have a computer that is connected to the Internet, that computer is, at some point, going to be under attack," Stanton said. "This case highlights the need to always be wary of e-mails and attachments -- even from people you think you know, as it may be a phishing scheme or contain malicious code.”
The FBI offers tips to protect against computer intrusions at: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/computer_protect.
"The successful outcome in this case is a direct result of the diligent and tenacious efforts of UA and federal law enforcement personnel working collaboratively to solve this crime and limit the loss to the victims," Summerlin said. "It highlights the strength of the relationships that exist between UA, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to Jackson's plea agreement, she conducted the intrusion into the university's computers as follows:
On April 15, 2011, Jackson created the e-mail address, [email protected], and began using that account and others to send e-mails to Alabama students, falsely claiming the message was from the University of Alabama Housing Department. She sent the e-mails to about 60 students, many of them her friends or acquaintances, asking that they reply with their "My Bama" university account username and password. More than 40 students responded with that information.
Jackson used the information she collected with her phishing e-mails to access at least 25 user accounts between July 27, 2013, and Aug. 13, 2013. In doing so, Jackson obtained information from a protected computer in order to illegally obtain money from others' federal and state student loan funds.
Jackson tried to get the money by changing direct bank deposit information for seven accounts and reroute those students' loan funds to Green Dot reloadable money cards she controlled. Two of her attempts were successful and she transferred $9,598 to a Green Dot card she registered in the name of another student whose personal identifying information she had obtained without permission. Jackson used that same student's information to establish a Western Union account.
Jackson got $1,001 in cash from the Green Dot card through an ATM withdrawal and a Western Union transfer. The University of Alabama was able to freeze the account before more was removed.
The maximum sentence for accessing a protected computer is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI and UA Police investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Williamson Barnes is prosecuting.
Two Indicted for Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Christie Joseph, 24, and Naromie Joseph, 28, were arrested on April 3, 2015 after a federal grand jury indicted them for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Kennedy. The defendants appeared in federal court in Plattsburgh on April 6, 2015 and were detained pending a detention hearing set for April 9, 2015 at 8:30 am. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence that includes 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
According to the indictment, the Josephs picked up money which elderly people had sent believing that they were sending money to benefit their grandchildren who were in trouble. As alleged in the indictment, the elderly victims had been contacted by people who told them that their grandchildren needed money for bail and other purposes; once the money arrived at various addresses in Plattsburgh, the Josephs picked it up and delivered it to others.
"As alleged, these two defendants preyed upon the love of relatives and manufactured an emergency situation to get money," explained United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. "Citizens should confirm the existence of a family emergency before taking financial steps to assist a loved one."
"These types of scams, while nothing new, are becoming increasingly pervasive and sophisticated," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kennedy. "And more often than not, these unscrupulous scammers are targeting the elderly, which is why HSI is urging the public to act as their first line of defense by taking some very basic precautions." Prevention tips are listed below.
The United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations would like to remind the public of the following:
- Be suspicious of anyone who calls unexpectedly asking for cash.
- Verify any supposed emergency, by calling friends and family, before sending money.
- Develop a secret code or "password" with family members that can be used to verify a true emergency.
- Resist the pressure to act quickly.
- Try to contact another family member to determine whether or not the call is legitimate.
- Never wire money based on a request made over the phone or in an e-mail...especially overseas. Wiring money is like giving cash-once you send it, you can’t get it back.
Contact Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or submit at ice.gov/tips or contact local authorities or state consumer protection agency if you think you’ve been victimized.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Kopita is prosecuting the case. The Plattsburgh Police Department originated the investigation and partnered with Homeland Security Investigations throughout. The United States Postal Service, Clinton County Sheriff's Office, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Project COLT also participated.
Two Fairmont, WV residents convicted for role in manufacturing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brittany Thompson, 26, and Raymond Leonard, 33, both of Fairmont, West Virginia, were convicted in federal court today for their role in manufacturing methamphetamine in Marion County, West Virginia in October 2014, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Thompson and Leonard each pled guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Possession of Material Used in the Manufacturing of Methamphetamine.” They each face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Three Rivers Drug Task Force led the investigation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull presided.
Two Charged in Alleged Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Providence, R.I., men have been charged by way of federal criminal complaints with allegedly trafficking and transporting a 14-year old female for sex in Rhode Island and Massachuetts, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security (HSI) Investigations for New England, Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney and Seekonk, Mass., Police Chief Craig A. Mace.
It is alleged in court documents that Franklin Liberto, 20, and Mackenzy Scott, a/k/a Bangazz, a/k/a Mackenzy Chandler Scott, a/k/a Banks, 19, participated in a conspiracy to traffic and to transport a 14 -year-old Rhode Island girl with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in December 2014, and in January and February 2015.
Liberto and Scott are charged with one count each of sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity and conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, it is alleged that the victim was trafficked for sex at motels in Warwick, R.I., and Seekonk, Mass., and was driven to several locations in Rhode Island for the purpose of being trafficked for sexual activity. It is alleged that advertisements depicting the teenage girl and offering her for sexual activity were placed on the website Backpage.com.
The victim, who had been reported missing by her family, was located by a family member at a Warwick motel on December 31, 2014. The victim was rescued by responding officers and detectives from the Warwick Police Department.
On February 6, 2015, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and Warwick Police Department detectives who were jointly investigating this matter became aware that the victim was missing from her Rhode Island residence. Among the steps taken by HSI agents and Warwick detectives to attempt to locate the young girl was to provide a photograph of the missing teenager to the Seekonk, Mass., Police Department, who began checking local hotels and motel for the missing girl. The missing girl was located at a Seekonk motel and was removed by Seekonk police.
Franklin Liberto, who had been detained in custody in Massachusetts since his arrest in February, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence before Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on April 2, 2015, and was ordered detained. Liberto was ordered released by the court on April 7, 2015, on home confinement with GPS monitoring.
Mackenzy Scott, who had been detained in custody in Massachusetts since his arrest in February, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and was ordered detained in federal custody.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela E. Chin.
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To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Two Allen Gang Members SentencedRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that GIE PRESTON, age 39, and EMANUAL CASAME, age 26, both residents of New Orleans, were sentenced today for federal drug and gun violations. PRESTON was convicted by a federal jury in November 2014 of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base “crack,” being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. CASAME pled guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base “crack.”
U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced PRESTON to 228 months incarceration; 168 months for the various drug and gun violations and 60 consecutive months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, to be followed by five years of supervised release. CASAME was sentenced to 60 months incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of the metro area’s Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MAG) in investigating this case. As an integral component of NOLA FOR LIFE’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, the MAG Unit consists of a partnership with New Orleans Police Department (NOPD); Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (DA); Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO); Louisiana State Police (LSP); Parole Board of the Louisiana Department of Corrections; United States Attorney’s Office (USAO); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); United States Marshal’s Service (USMS); and the United States Probation & Parole Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Toomey and Andre Lagarde were in charge of prosecuting this matter.
Treasure Hunter, Girlfriend Plead Guilty to Criminal ContemptRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thomas “Tommy” G. Thompson, 62, and Alison L. Antekeier, 47, both formerly of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to criminal contempt, specifically disobedience or resistance of the court, stemming from a civil lawsuit.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Peter C. Tobin, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, Thompson disobeyed and resisted a lawful order of U.S. District Chief Judge Sargus, who ordered Thompson to personally appear at an August 13, 2012 hearing related to a civil case involving the defendant. Specifically, Thompson had been ordered to appear at a hearing to provide an accounting of certain funds and the location of 500 re-strike commemorative gold coins as part of a lawsuit over the treasure that Thompson found from the SS Central America shipwreck. A bench warrant for Thompson’s arrest was issued the same day.
Antekeier was also ordered to appear in U.S. District Court as a witness in the civil lawsuit. She was to appear in court to give testimony related to the civil case on November 7, 2012; a bench warrant for her arrest was issued when she failed to appear.
In March 2013, an arrest warrant based on a criminal complaint alleging criminal contempt was authorized against Thompson.U.S. Marshals found and arrested Thompson and Antekeier on January 27, 2015 in Boca Raton, Florida. Thompson and Antekeier – Thompson’s former assistant and current girlfriend – had been living in a Hilton hotel room under fake names and paying with cash.
“Deputy U.S. Marshals in Columbus were relentless in their pursuit of Thompson and Antekeier,” U.S. Marshal Tobin said. “Thompson and Antekeier were very sophisticated in avoiding capture and had access to nearly unlimited funds, enabling them to stay completely off the radar for years. The U.S. Marshals Service with Deputy U.S. Marshals across the country can cast a wide net in apprehending fugitives. In this instance, Deputy U.S. Marshals from the West Palm Beach, Florida office stepped up and played a major role in the capture of the treasure hunter and his companion.”
As part of their plea, the couple has agreed to forfeit the more than $425,000 in cash that was seized at the time of their arrest.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as Senior Litigation Counsel Douglas W. Squires, who is representing the United States in this case.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and IRS remind people that violating tax laws can bring serious consequencesRead the Press Release
Several people have been found guilty and sentenced for violating federal tax laws over the past few months, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Cincinnati Field Office.
As the 2015 tax filing deadline approaches, these cases serve as reminders that there are civil and sometimes criminal penalties to filing erroneous tax returns.
“Tax day is not fun, but the vast majority of Americans who properly report and pay their fair share need to know that we will aggressively prosecute those who shirk or flaunt their obligations,” Dettelbach said.
“The April 15th tax deadline is fast approaching and to build faith in our nation’s tax system, honest taxpayers need to be reassured that everyone is paying their fair share as our system of taxation depends on voluntary compliance by each and every citizen,” Enstrom said. “IRS Criminal Investigation, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will investigate and prosecute those who violate our tax system. The joint announcement of these criminal cases should serve as a warning to anyone who might consider evading their federal tax obligations.”
Details on a few cases over the past year:
Brian D. Krantz, 48, of Twinsburg, was sentenced last year to nearly five years in prison for his role in a $8.8 million conspiracy in which he filed false income tax returns claiming refunds to which he was not entitled. Based on those false claims, the U.S. Treasury issued 17 refund checks totaling approximately $3.6 million payable to Krantz and various corporations he controlled, according to court documents.
Sean Houston, 46, of Cleveland, was charged in a 33-count indictment with preparing dozens of false tax returns and falsely claiming more than $133,000 in refunds. In 2010, Houston prepared false tax returns, listing fictitious wages and income-tax withholdings when he knew no wages had been earned and no taxes withheld. The returns also claimed “making work pay” tax credits to which the claimants were not entitled, according to the indictment.
John J. Manore III, 58, of Toledo, was indicted this year on three counts of filing false tax returns. Manore filed tax returns from 2009 through 2011 in which he significantly underreported the amount of taxable income he earned, according to the indictment.
Ghana Johnson, 45, of Pepper Pike, was indicted for claiming $476,000 in fraudulent tax refunds for herself and others. She electronically filed 106 tax returns for 2010 and 2011 in which she falsified wage income, federal income tax withholdings, dependents, exemptions and tax credit information in order to obtain income tax refunds for which neither Johnson nor the individuals she prepared the income tax returns for were entitled, according to the indictment.
Zinara M. Highsmith, 35, of Fayetteville, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced in June for filing approximately 2,750 tax returns containing false refund claims of more than $4.8 million. Highsmith ran the Atlanta-based tax-preparation business WE XL LLC. In 2011, Highsmith partnered with a minister in Arkansas in a scheme to file false tax returns. The minister’s role was to recruit and obtain personal identification information from claimants and to provide the information to Highsmith, who was responsible for the preparation of the false returns. The minister did this by inducing other ministers and church leaders in various states, including Ohio, to solicit members of their congregations to apply for benefits under the so-called government stimulus program. Nearly 1,000 false claims were made on behalf of people living in Northeast Ohio, resulting in false claims of nearly $1.7 million, according to court documents.
Walter Berkovic, of Monsey, N.Y. pleaded guilty last month to one count of failing to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with the IRS disclosing that he had a financial interest in an UBS financial account in a foreign country for the 2004-2008 income tax years. Citizens and U.S. residents are obligated to report their income from any source, including dividends and interest, regardless of whether the source of their income is from within or outside the U.S. In addition, on Schedule B of the IRS Form 1040, the taxpayer must indicate whether at any time during the calendar year the taxpayer had an interest in or signature authority over a financial account in a foreign country. If this is the case, the taxpayer must indicate the name of the particular country in which the account was located and the taxpayer must file a FBAR for an account with a value of more than $10,000. UBS is a bank with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Between 1991 and 2008, Berkovic had a financial interest in or signature authority over two undeclared accounts at UBS with a value of approximately $713,000. The IRS Criminal Investigation Office in Akron investigated the Berkovic case.
Tax Preparer Convicted of Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – A federal jury, yesterday, convicted tax preparer David Nixon, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of 63 counts of fraud related to the preparation of federal income tax returns. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 7, 2015.
Nixon, as the owner of Economy Tax Services at 3731 Stanton Street in Philadelphia, prepared materially false federal income tax returns for his clients for tax years 2007 through 2009. The fraudulent returns included credits for children, earned income credit, tuition and fees, residential energy efficiency credits, incorrect filing status, and false or falsely inflated Form 1040 Schedule A deductions for charitable contributions and employee business expenses. More than 25 of the taxpayers testified during at trial that Nixon changed their filing status from married to head of household, inflated their charitable contributions, and/or created employee business expenses. The jury also heard a recorded meeting between Nixon and an undercover IRS agent during which Nixon said, “I cheated to get them [other taxpayers] two, three thousand,” “I had a 99.9% record of people who’ve got refunds,” and “my rule of thumb, let me get you some money before I get mine.” The tax returns that Nixon prepared and filed increased the amount of the refunds his clients received. As a result of the false and fraudulent income tax returns prepared by Nixon, the IRS was defrauded of more than $200,000 in fraudulently obtained refunds.
Nixon faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of 33 to 41 months in prison, a fine of up to $21 million, up to one year of supervised release, and a special assessment of $6,300.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Tahlequah Man Sentenced to 41 Months for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JOSHUA ALLEN BARNETT, age 24, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years Supervised Release for Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3) and 2.
The charge is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney. The defendant was indicted in July, 2014 and pled guilty in December, 2014.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 29, 2013, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, traveled in interstate commerce from the State of Oklahoma to Bella Vista, Arkansas, and attempted to purchase Oxycodone from Cornerstone Pharmacy with a false prescription with the intent to promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on of an unlawful activity, that is, a business enterprise involving narcotics or controlled substances in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), and thereafter performed or attempted to perform an act to promote, manage, establish and carry on, and to facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on, of such unlawful activity.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
St. Louis Woman Indicted for Tax Scheme to Obtain "Free Money"Read the Press Release
A Missouri woman was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 7, 2015, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Ebonyi Blakely, 28, of St. Ann, Missouri, was charged in a lengthy indictment that alleges Blakely conspired with and assisted a dishonest tax preparer who filed false tax returns to claim inflated refundable tax credits for low-income tax filers.
The indictment charges Blakely with conspiracy to obstruct or impair the Internal Revenue Service in the lawful assessment and collection of income taxes and distribution of tax refunds.
The scheme to defraud was described as an ongoing federal income tax refund scheme where Blakely
recruited individuals to have their returns prepared by a dishonest tax preparer. The indictment also alleges that Blakely had her own federal income tax return prepared by the dishonest tax preparer who prepared fraudulent income tax returns for individual tax filers in order to generate "refundable tax credits," such as the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, which were refunded to the filer. The false information contained in the income tax returns prevented the IRS from making an accurate ascertainment, computation, and assessment of tax liabilities. It also prevented the IRS from making a correct distribution of income tax refunds. The false tax returns generated a larger tax refund than the filer was entitled to receive.
Conspiracy is punishable by not more than 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
The investigation is being conducted by agents from the Internal Revenue Service / Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
St. Louis Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Frederick Buettner, 42, of St. Louis, MO, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois to 24 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. His sentence was ordered to run consecutively, that is, in addition to his sentence for violating the terms and conditions of mandatory supervised release on his Illinois sex offense.
Evidence showed that Buettner was convicted of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child in Madison County in 2005, sentenced to ten years in prison, and released on mandatory supervised release on May 24, 2013. Buettner was placed in a halfway house in East St. Louis, Illinois. In July 2013, Buettner cut his electronic leg monitor off and absconded. On June 30, 2014, he was apprehended in St. Louis, Missouri.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Reppert.
Six Individuals Indicted for Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Six individuals, from Miami and Brazil, were indicted for participating in a mortgage fraud conspiracy.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Raul Enrique Quintana, 48, of Miami, Maura Barbosa Lopes, a/k/a “Maura Quintana,” 55, of Brazil, Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, 33, of Brazil, Evelyn Lara, 47, of Miami, Luis Enrique Sosa, 43, of Miami, and Juan Osiel Gonzalez, 54, of Miami, were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and various counts of bank fraud offenses, punishable by up to thirty years in prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2004 to 2007, the defendants conspired to perpetrate a complex mortgage fraud scheme against various FDIC-insured lenders, including Chevy Chase Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and Washington Mutual Bank.
The indictment alleges that the defendants Raul Enrique Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto purchased and refinanced residential properties in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties, including a number of properties on Fisher Island, using mortgage loans that they obtained through false and fraudulent misrepresentations on their loan applications and related documents.
According to the indictment, the fraudulent loan applications were originated by Raul Enrique Quintana’s mortgage brokerage company, Brickell Financial Corporation (“BFC”). Title Closing Partners, LLC (“TTP”), a company controlled by Raul Enrique Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Evelyn Lara, served as the closing agent for the loans.
According to the indictment, the defendants’ misrepresentations to the banks included fictitious verifications of false and fraudulent employment and bank deposit information set forth on loan applications. The indictment alleges that Maura Barbosa Lopes and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, as borrowers, falsely and fraudulently declared that they were employed by defendant Luis Sosa’s company, CWW, and were earning substantial salaries. It is further alleged that Raul Quintana and Luis Sosa agreed that when lenders contacted CWW the employees would provide fraudulent verifications of Barbosa Lopes and Prado Neto’s employment with the company.
The indictment also alleges that Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto submitted loan applications that fraudulently listed fictitious or inflated bank account balances as assets, and that in some instances they provided lenders with falsified bank account statements in support of those claims. It is alleged that defendant Juan Gonzalez, who was an employee at Wachovia Bank, provided lenders with false and fraudulent verifications of deposit for fictitious and inflated Wachovia Bank accounts that were listed as assets by Raul Quintana and Maura Quintana on their loan applications.
The indictment alleges that Evelyn Lara prepared and signed HUD-1 Settlement Statements for loans to Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, which falsely and fraudulently stated that they had paid earnest money deposits and cash due at the closing of their loans.
On April 6, 2015, Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto, Luis Sosa, and Juan Gonzalez appeared for their initial hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Chris M. McAliley. Luis Sosa and Juan Gonzalez were granted bond. Raul Quintana, Maura Barbosa Lopes, and Arnaldo Almeida Prado Neto remain in custody pending their pretrial detention hearings, which are currently set for April 9, 2015, before Magistrate Judge McAliley in Miami.
Mr. Ferrer commends the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne E. Williams.
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Shreveport resident pleads guilty to failing to update his sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport resident pleaded guilty Monday to failing to register his correct address for his sex offender identification.
Joseph Kelly Parson, 31, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of failure to update his sex offender registration. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Parson did not update his sex offender registration when living at a Shreveport address from October 8, 2013 until November 12, 2014. Parson originally pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape in Liberty County, Ga., in 2004. Upon release from prison, he was informed that he was required to register as a sex offender. He was later found living in Texas in 2010 and served a term of imprisonment for failure to register as a sex offender in Texas. After his release, Parson later moved to Shreveport but did not register in Louisiana as a sex offender.
Parson faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 6, 2015 has been set.
The U.S. Marshals Service and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Second Tahlequah Man Sentenced to 41 Months for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that ERIC STANFIELD COCHRAN-CLINE, age 27, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years Supervised Release for Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3).
The charge is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney. The defendant was indicted in July, 2014 and pled guilty to an Information in September, 2014.
The Information alleged that on or about August 10, 2012, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant traveled in interstate commerce from the State of Oklahoma to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and purchased Oxycodone from Walgreens Pharmacy with a false prescription with the intent to promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on of an unlawful activity, that is, a business enterprise involving narcotics or controlled substances in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), and thereafter performed or attempted to perform an act to promote, manage, establish and carry on, and to facilitate the promotion, management, establishment and carrying on, of such unlawful activity.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
San Jose Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ana Lilia Angulo, 30, of San Jose, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute nine pounds of heroin, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2013, Angulo was stopped for a traffic violation while driving a vehicle northbound on I5 near Highway 198 by Fresno County Sheriff detectives. During the stop, detectives became suspicious that Angulo was involved in transporting drugs and found several packages of heroin weighing nine pounds behind the arm rest panel of the rear passenger seat near where Angulo’s infant child was sitting in a car seat.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Angulo is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on August 18, 2014. Angulo faces a statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Reno Residents Plead Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Counterfeit Currency and over 1,000 Access Devices in Angels CampRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —William Theodore Lewis, 50, and Lori Marie Dahl, 50, a married couple of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to possessing counterfeit U.S. currency and counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2013, the Angels Camp Police Department received a call from a Save Mart employee, reporting that a man had attempted to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. The chief of the department responded to the scene, identified a man matching the description the caller gave, and arrested Lewis. A search of Lewis’s person produced three additional counterfeit $20 bills.
After Lewis’s arrest, law enforcement searched the hotel were Lewis and Dahl were staying and the stolen rental vehicle they had driven from Reno. Law enforcement found evidence of counterfeiting activity including wholly and partially printed counterfeit U.S. currency in various denominations, a printer, and various solvents and equipment associated with the manufacture of counterfeit currency. Law enforcement personnel also found evidence of access device fraud and identity theft in Lewis and Dahl’s room at the motel and in the vehicle. They possessed over 1,000 unauthorized or counterfeit access devices such as credit, debit, and prepaid cards. Additionally, law enforcement found access device-making equipment including blank plastic cards, seals, and hologram stickers, and a card printer to be used for printing credit cards. They also possessed several lists with personal identifiers and information of many individuals.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Angels Camp Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nirav Desai is prosecuting the case.
Both Lewis and Dahl remain in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on December 10, 2014. Lewis and Dahl each face a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Red Lake Man Convicted After Jury Trial of Stabbing His Cousin on the Red Lake Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the conviction of BENJAMIN ONE DEER HART, 28, a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, for stabbing one of his cousins and attempting to stab another cousin on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. On April 7, 2015, following a two-day trial, a federal jury deliberated for only 50 minutes before finding HART guilty of the entire indictment against him, which included two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
As proven at trial, on the morning of July 10, 2014, HART got into an argument with three of his cousins and his aunt at the defendant’s father’s house on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Hart and his family members were arguing that HART should leave the house because he was not welcome there. During the argument, HART refused to leave and pulled a knife from a wooden knife block in the kitchen. While the cousins were trying to disarm him, HART attempted to stab one of his cousins. A second cousin intervened to protect the first and HART stabbed him in the stomach. The victim had to have surgery to repair the stab wound and was hospitalized for several days.
“Violence in Indian Country continues at a more aggressive pace than in other parts of Minnesota,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw. “Aggressively prosecuting these kinds of cases is an important tool for reducing such violence.”
Because the Red Lake Indian Reservation is an exclusive federal criminal jurisdiction reservation, some of the crimes that occur there are investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. Those cases are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw
Defendant Information: BENJAMIN ONE DEER HART, 28
Red Lake, Minn.
Convicted: • Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, 2 counts
• Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, 1 countRantoul Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A federal grand jury in Springfield today returned an indictment charging Edward C. Brown, 35, of the 1200 block of Sycamore Street, Rantoul, Ill., with distribution and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that from January 2015 to March 2015, Brown distributed and possessed images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of computers and related materials allegedly used to commit or promote the offenses.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for each count of distribution of child pornography (two counts) is a mandatory minimum five years in prison to 20 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to life following any term of imprisonment. If a defendant has a prior child sex abuse or child pornography conviction, the statutory penalty is not less than 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. For possession of child pornography (one count), the penalty is up to 10 years in prison.
Brown was arrested on March 11, 2015, and charged in a criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography. During a court appearance on March 12, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, in Urbana, Brown was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Urbana Police Department, the Rantoul Police Department, and the Illinois Secretary of State.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Rancho Cordova Man Indicted for Passport and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Satnam Singh, 54, of Rancho Cordova, charging him with passport fraud, unlawful procurement of naturalization and citizenship, making a false statement under oath in a matter relating to naturalization and citizenship, and use of a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Satnam Singh immigrated to the United States from India in the 1980s and naturalized as a United States citizen in 1996. However, in 1993, Satnam Singh filed an application for asylum under a fake identity “Rupinder Singh,” and also was naturalized under that second, false identity in 2012. Also in 2012, Satnam Singh successfully filed an application for a U.S. Passport in the false name “Rupinder Singh,” using the naturalization certificate issued to Rupinder Singh as proof of U.S. citizenship; He traveled internationally using the Rupinder Singh passport at least twice in 2013.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nirav Desai is prosecuting the case.
Singh was released on a $150,000 bond and will be arraigned on the indictment on December 10, 2014.
If convicted, Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prison Inmate Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband into the Taft Correctional InstitutionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Gerardo Alvarez-Montanez, 32, an inmate at the Taft Federal Correctional Institution, was sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii today to five years in prison for conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in prison, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, between November 2013 and February 27, 2014, Alvarez-Montanez recruited and then conspired with correctional officer Ramon Cano 28, of Bakersfield, to smuggle cellphones, cash, alcohol and controlled substances into the prison in return for cash.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
On August 25, 2014, Cano pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide and possess contraband in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2014. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Portland Area Drug Dealer Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison Following Federal Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – April 8, 2015, Pedro Cervantes-Urbina, 34, originally from the State of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 80 months in prison after his federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. When the defendant is released from prison he will serve an additional three years of supervised release.
In March 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau requested the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and then later the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, in investigating a large-scale methamphetamine and heroin drug trafficking organization operating in the greater Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Between the spring of 2011 and the summer of 2012, law enforcement authorities investigated the organization using informants and conducting controlled drug purchases from members of the organization. In September 2012, the government sought and received permission to start using the first of eight federal wiretaps targeting the organization.
Wire intercepts confirmed that the defendant purchased pound level quantities of methamphetamine from the drug trafficking organization for purposes of further distribution within Oregon. On February 15, 2013, as a result of this investigation, federal agents arrested the defendant in the parking lot of a Portland hotel. Subsequent searches of the defendant, his hotel room, his residence and a storage shed found $4,814 in cash, cocaine, four handguns, a rifle, a shotgun, drug packaging materials, scales, ammunition, drug ledgers and bags containing methamphetamine residue. The defendant was interviewed and admitted that he sold drugs to support himself and his family. At the time of the crime, the defendant had a prior 2008 state conviction for the delivery of a controlled substance.
“The combination of drugs and firearms is a lethal mixture that threatens the safety of our community,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Billy Williams. “Our office will continue to work with law enforcement to find and prosecute the members of these criminal organizations who profit by selling drugs within our community."
This case resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by HSI, DEA, the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division, the Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Scott Kerin, Chief of the District of Oregon’s OCDETF program.
Phillips County Man Indicted on Weapons ChargeRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK – Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Grover Crossland, Resident Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that a Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging Dentrel Maurice Bragg, 20, of Helena-West Helena, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The one-count indictment, returned on April 8, 2015, charges that on February 6, 2015, Bragg possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson, model SD40VE, .40 caliber pistol, and a loaded Colt, model Mustang, .380 caliber pistol.
“For more than four years my office, working in partnership with all federal law enforcement agencies, has focused significant attention on the entire Arkansas Delta region,” Thyer said. “While I am committed to continuing that focused attention in the Delta, today’s announcement highlights an additional commitment to support state and local law enforcement efforts to make Phillips County and the entire Arkansas Delta a safer place to live and work. Removing weapons from the streets in Phillips County is a high priority for all law enforcement.”
On February 6, 2015, a Helena-West Helena patrol officer initiated a traffic stop on a cream-colored four door Lincoln town car for no vehicle tags. The Lincoln Town Car stopped in a parking lot, and as the officer approached the vehicle, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana. The officer asked the driver and sole occupant, Bragg, to step out of the vehicle. While conducting a pat-down of Bragg, another officer found the loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol in Bragg’s pocket. The loaded Colt .380 caliber pistol was located inside the vehicle. The Helena-West Helena Police 425 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 500 (501) 340-2600 Post Office Box 1229 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-1229 Department determined that the Colt .380 caliber pistol had been reported stolen out of Jonesboro.
Bragg was previously convicted of Battery First Degree and Terroristic Act, felony offenses, on October 22, 2012, in Phillips County Circuit Court Case No. 2012-123. The offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), carries the following penalties: Not more than 10 years imprisonment; not more than 3 years supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.
Bragg will appear before United States Magistrate Judge Beth Deere for plea and arraignment later this month, at which time a trial date will be set.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program—a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF, in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. This investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Helena-West Helena Police Department, along with the Arkansas State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Convicted of Eight Robberies Throughout Central PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maurice Lebron Davis, age 40, of Brooklyn, New York was convicted yesterday of eight counts of robbery or attempted robbery following a four day jury trial in Harrisburg. U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III presided over the trial, which included testimony from 10 victims and 5 experts. The defendant also testified, denying his involvement in the robberies.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Davis was charged in an Indictment by a grand jury on February 20, 2013. Davis robbed or attempted to rob fast food restaurants located in Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties between December 2011 and February 2012. For some of the robberies, Davis broke the drive thru window and crawled inside, waiting for the opening employees to arrive. For others, Davis accosted the employees in the parking lot as they walked up and forced them to let him into the restaurants. He would then demand they give him money, before fleeing the scene.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the police departments of Upper Allen Township, Middlesex Township, Harrisburg, Carroll Township, Swatara Township, Lower Allen Township and Silver Spring Township. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment for each count, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
No sentencing date has been set by the court.
Murphysboro Resident Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
On April 8, 2015, Martell L. Brown-Wright, a/k/a "Low Key," 29, of Murphysboro, pled guilty to a four-count indictment charging distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
The indictment asserts that the offenses occurred on September 4-5, 2014, at the New Horizons Housing Complex, in Murphysboro, Jackson County. Evidence at the plea hearing established that Brown-Wright sold crack cocaine to a confidential source working for law enforcement. When agents executed a search warrant at the New Horizons apartment where the drug sales had occurred, they located multiple firearms, crack cocaine, a large amount of U.S. Currency, ammunition, and drug packaging materials.
The crack cocaine offenses carry a penalty of up to 40 years in federal prison, to be followed by 6 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $2,000,000. The firearm offense carries a penalty of 5 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Federal law requires that any term of imprisonment imposed on the firearm offense must be served in addition to any term imposed on the drug offenses.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphysboro Police Department. The Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Monroe County Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 24-year-old Tobyhanna Township man pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. in Wilkes-Barre, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine in Monroe and Wayne Counties between 2011 and 2014.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Brandon Cruz, admitted to distributing heroin and cocaine on several occasions between 2011 and 2014, in drug transactions that were arranged by other members of his family. Three other Cruz family members—Tiffanyann Cruz, Rubie Cruz, and Carlos Cruz—were charged in the case. Tiffanyann Cruz previously entered a guilty plea to participating in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Rubie Cruz and Carlos Cruz are awaiting trial.
Brandon Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2014, as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $1 million fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy will schedule sentencing at a later date.
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Modesto Man Pleads Guilty in Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Heath Lee Roberson, 39, of Modesto, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring to defraud the United States, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, from about December 2010 to May 2011, Roberson and his former spouse obtained personal identifying information from more than 40 individuals. After this information was used to generate false tax returns, Roberson and his former spouse funneled the tax refunds into accounts they controlled. The false tax returns sought over $121,000 in tax refunds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. Tierney is prosecuting the case.
Roberson is currently in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on July 7, 2014. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Missouri Man Indicted for Robbery of Smithton BankRead the Press Release
On April 7, 2015, a federal grand jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, indicted Jonathon M. Ford, 38, of Fenton, Missouri, for Bank Robbery, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The indictment charges that on March 19, 2015, Ford took proceeds, amounting to $3,872, from Regions Bank in Smithton, Illinois, which is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, by "force and violence, and intimidation."
If convicted of Bank Robbery, Ford faces a term prison of up to 20 years, a $250,000 fine, or both, three years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment and restitution.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak for prosecution.
Midlothian Man Pleads Guilty to Steroid Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Illegally imported and distributed steroid products to individuals in over 30 states
RICHMOND, Va. – Carl E. Macchiarulo, 43, of Midlothian, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
Macchiarulo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 19, 2015. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Macchiarulo admitted that he operated an illegal steroid distribution business known as CK Labs out of his home in Midlothian between December 2012 and September 2014. In operating the business, Macchiarulo imported raw steroid powders and pills from China and other foreign countries, manufactured finished steroid products at his home, and distributed them to his customers through the mail. Macchiarulo advertised his business on various internet sites known to serve as a marketplace for the distribution of anabolic steroids. During the course of the conspiracy, Macchiarulo imported at least 16 kilograms of raw steroid powders and thousands of steroid pills, and distributed steroids to customers located in over 30 states, including to at least one amateur athlete. As part of the plea agreement, Macchiarulo agreed to forfeit $163,455 in U.S. currency that was seized by law enforcement as proceeds of the conspiracy.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division; and David M. McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace and Erik S. Siebert are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15CR00050.
Middletown Registered Sex Offender Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting A Minor via FacebookRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that DANIEL COONS, 35, a registered sex offender, was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison by United States District Judge Cathy Seibel for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl via Facebook. COONS coerced the girl into taking sexually explicit photographs of herself and sending them to him online. The sentencing followed COONS’s guilty plea on September 3, 2014.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As this sentencing demonstrates, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “Crimes of this nature rob children of their innocence, creating long-lasting negative effects on our nation’s most vulnerable. Our children deserve to live in a society free from the advances of predators. This sentence is a reminder of our commitment to protect their most basic rights.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
On March 24, 2005, COONS was convicted in Orange County Court of Sexual Abuse in the 1st degree, Engaging in a Course of Sexual Conduct in the 2nd degree, and Sexual Abuse in the 3rd degree. He was sentenced to six months in prison and ten years’ probation. In addition, as a result of that conviction, he was required to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.
From at least January 29, 2013, through May 14, 2013, COONS, using the Facebook names “mike.storms.77715,” “nicholas.mathew.7,” and “jacod.davis.9,” communicated with a 14-year-old girl in Kentucky on Facebook and convinced her to take and send sexually explicit photographs. COONS used the different identities to make her believe she was speaking to three different people and tricked her into thinking that her photographs were being shared. COONS threatened the girl that, if she did not send additional sexually explicit photographs, the photos she had already sent would be posted on Facebook.
COONS used an iPhone to access Facebook notwithstanding the fact that the terms of his probation prohibited his use of Facebook. After his arrest, COONS admitted to using multiple Facebook accounts to entice underage girls to send sexually explicit images of themselves to him. COONS said that he used the different Facebook names to convince the girls that they were speaking to more than one male and to convince them that their pictures were being shared with other users. COONS admitted that he engaged in this conduct with at least 10 underage girls. In addition, COONS identified the girl in Kentucky as one of the girls with whom he communicated via Facebook and indicated that he knew the Victim was 14 years old.
Mr. Bharara praised the efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County Computer Crimes Task Force, the Middletown Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in connection with this investigation.
In sentencing COONS, Judge Seibel underscored the “particularly cruel” nature of the offense and stated that the 30-year sentence was necessary to protect the public from further crimes by the defendant.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican national indicted for illegally transporting seven undocumented peopleRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging a Mexican national with illegally transporting seven undocumented people, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Enrique Luis Lopez-Rodriguez, 29, was found transporting six Mexican citizens and one Guatemalan citizen on March 17 in Richland County, according to the indictment.
He was charged with illegally reentering the country after officials had previously deported him from the United States.
If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations – Immigrations and Custom Enforcement and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Methamphetamine distribution ring dismantledRead the Press Release
Law enforcement served 10 warrants early this morning in Marion, Vigo and Morgan Counties
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis--United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today 14 defendants have been arrested on various gun and drug-related charges after federal agents along with state and local officers served warrants in Marion, Vigo and Morgan counties early this morning. Most defendants face charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine.
“The violence and social devastation that methamphetamine brings to our communities is a problem that law enforcement needs to address.” said Minkler. “Preventing violent crime through dismantling drug trafficking organizations, remains a top priority of my office and I will use every available federal resource to help keep our communities safe.”
According to the indictment, the conspiracy began in June 2014 and continued until today. The defendants used mobile phones to facilitate the methamphetamine distribution and often used coded messages and texts to discuss prices and quantities of the drug. The defendants frequently received and distributed methamphetamine on consignment, meaning they were “fronted” the drug from a source without paying for it at the time-or making only partial payment. The expectation was, they would pay the provider in full after having distributed the methamphetamine and received payment from their customers.
Those arrested today include:
Honan M. Rivera Bonilla, 25, Indianapolis
Ramon E. Rivera Bonilla, 21, Indianapolis
Charles G. Talley, 33, Mooresville
Thresa A. Talley, 44, Mooresville
Larry A. Key, 27, Indianapolis
Amanda S. Sims, 34, Martinsville
Brian E. Ridener, 42, Martinsville
Brandon L. Ross, 33, Terre Haute
Amanda M. Dill, 30, Dubois, IN
Osman R. Diaz-Reyes, 41, El Salvador, Central America
Joshua B. Camplin, 34, Martinsville
Michael A. Bones, 39, Terre Haute
Martin Gonzalez, Jr., 26 Indianapolis
Ronald L. Woods, 42, Indianapolis
The indictment further alleges that Charles and Thresa Talley received large quantities of methamphetamine from Honan and Ramon Rivera Bonilla and Key. The Talley’s then distributed the methamphetamine to Sims, Ridener and Ross for redistribution throughout the Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Mooresville and Martinsville areas. Diaz-Reyes, Camplin and Woods were also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of their methamphetamine-related crimes.
As a result of this investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Indiana State Police, Vigo County Drug Task Force, Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morgan County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement seized 24 firearms and 13 pounds of methamphetamine.
“The FBI will continue to combat drug trafficking organizations with our local, state and federal partners in order to keep the citizens of Indiana safe,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott.
“Attacking drug organizations is what we do best,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Dennis A. Wichern. “DEA remains steadfast in partnering with all law enforcement to protect our communities and bring criminals to justice.”
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Lasher who is prosecuting this case for the government, all defendants face decades in prison if convicted.
An Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Marysville Man Sentenced for Racially Motivated Assault on White Man and African-American WomanRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Perry Sylvester Jackson, 28, of Marysville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to five years and 10 months in prison for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act for his role in a 2011 racially motivated attack on a white man and an African-American woman, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Jackson, who previously pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2013, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay $175 in restitution. Jackson is the second of three defendants to be sentenced in the case.
According to court documents, on April 18, 2011, around 10:45 p.m., a white man and an African-American woman parked their car at a convenience store in Marysville. Shortly afterward, Jackson, Billy James Hammett, 30, of Marysville, and Anthony Merrell Tyler, 33, of Olivehurst, initiated an unprovoked attack on the man and woman based on race. Jackson punched the male victim twice in the head through the open passenger window. Co-defendant Hammett kicked the woman in the chest, and Tyler smashed the car’s windshield with a crowbar. As the attack continued, the woman managed to take refuge inside the convenience store, and the three assailants then beat the male victim in the parking lot. He sustained abrasions on his right forearm and knees, while the woman suffered bruising to her chest.
On March 25, 2014, Hammett, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison in connection with the incident. Parole has been abolished in the federal system, and defendants are required by law to serve at least 85 percent of the prison sentence.
Tyler is scheduled for sentencing on July 8, 2014. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Wagner and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains of the Civil Rights Division.
Man indicted for armed robbery of the same Richmond Heights bank he robbed years earlierRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging two Northeast Ohio men with multiple criminal counts related to a bank robbery in Richmond Heights last year, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The grand jury charged Larry Hewitt, 47, of Garfield Heights, with armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in commission of a bank robbery, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The grand jury charged Marcus Wright, 33, of Cleveland, with armed bank robbery. The charges stem from the November 6, 2014, robbery of the Ohio Saving Bank branch located at 720 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights, Ohio
In 2000, Defendant Larry Hewitt pleaded guilty to robbing the same bank.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richmond Heights Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial where it is the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill Two Federal Judges in Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who told federal homeland security officials on June 3, 2014, that he had placed explosives under the desks of two federal district court judges in Las Vegas and planned to blow them up, has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Clifford James Schuett, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on April 7, 2015. Schuett pleaded guilty in December 2014 to one count of threatening to kill or cause damage by explosive.
“We take all threats to federal officials and federal buildings very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the threats in this case, and the perpetrator has been convicted and sentenced and is in federal custody for a lengthy period of time.”
According to the plea agreement, on June 3, 2014, Schuett entered a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Las Vegas and stated that he had placed explosives in the courtrooms and under the desks of two U.S. District Judges in the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse with the intent to kill them. Law enforcement agents detained Schuett, and notified federal courthouse security of the threat. The courthouse was searched and cleared of any threats, and no explosives were located. Schuett told the agents that he wanted to blow up one of the judges because the judge had sent him to prison, and wanted to blow up the other judge because the judge had turned down his court case. Schuett also said that if he were released from custody, he would shoot a federal judge and would first go after the judge who had sent him to prison. Schuett was previously convicted in March 2010 of threatening to blow up Nellis Air Force Base, and sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. When Schuett was released from prison on that conviction, he failed to report to his probation officer and was sentenced in June 2013 to one additional year in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ICE, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith, Jr.