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Thursday 5 February 2015
Co-Conspriators Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW BERN - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flannagan sentenced JOSEPH GRECCO, 52,of DuBois, Pennsylvania, to 30 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. GRECCO previously pled guilty to this charge on March 12, 2014. On August 8, 2014, Judge Flannagan sentenced GRECCO’S co-defendant, EDWARD A. YATES, 50, of Wilmington, North Carolina, to 12 months and 1 day in prison and 3 years of supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. On January 8, 2015, another co-defendant RONALD DOERRER, 67 of Kure Beach, North Carolina was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for the same charge, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. A fourth co-defendant, and the leader of this conspiracy to commit bank fraud, RONALD HAYDEN KOTLER, remains at large.
“Fraud in any form harms every consumer, and identity theft in particular is a devastating crime for the victim”, said Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation. “With these sentencings, these defendants are now forced to bear the consequences of their criminal activity. I would encourage the public to take the appropriate measures to safeguard their personal information, so as not to fall victim to identity theft.”
These criminal charges grew out of the activities of KOTLER, DOERRER, GRECCO, and YATES in connection with a company in Wilmington known as Commercial Loan Solutions (CLS), which operated from 2006 until 2009. CLS, which was run by KOTLER and DOERRER, offered its services as a broker who could provide bank financing for individuals and companies, in exchange for hefty fees, ranging from 15% to 25% of the loan amount.
The way in which KOTLER and DOERRER were able to procure financing for individuals and businesses was by helping their clients, including GRECCO, YATES, and other unindicted conspirators, to falsify loan application by submitting false tax returns, and vastly inflating these individuals’ business income and assets.
GRECCO received in excess of $360,000.00 in financing based upon falsified loan applications that CLS helped him prepare and submit, while YATES received approximately $350,000.00 in financing based upon falsified loan applications that CLS helped him prepare and submit.
The co-conspirators defrauded various financial institutions, including, but not limited to, Bank of America, Chase, CitiBank, National City Bank, PNC Bank, and Tri Counties Bank. The scheme involved obtaining money, funds, credits, and other things of value from these financial institutions by providing them with materially false information and making fraudulent representations and promises. These financial institutions suffered losses in excess of $4,500,000.00 as a result of KOTLER’S scheme to defraud.
Any person having knowledge of KOTLER’S whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations office in Wilmington, or United States Secret Service office in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.
Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm as A FelonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kenneth Johnson, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 84 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Sharonville Police Chief Aaron Blasky and Donald J. Soranno, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, announced the sentence handed down yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
According to court documents, on or about May 25, 2014, Johnson, a previously convicted felon, possessed a pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. On that date, officers on foot patrol observed marijuana on the floorboard in the defendant’s vehicle and the smell of fresh marijuana on his person. When officers asked the defendant to move so they could search his vehicle, he drove away.
During the pursuit, Johnson slowed his vehicle while driving over a bridge. After being stopped at a hotel across the street, officers called in the K9 unit to search the bridge area. The search resulted in the recovery of a firearm.
Johnson pleaded guilty on September 30, 2014 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to forfeit all firearms and ammunition within his possession.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the Sharonville Police Department and ATF, as well as Cincinnati Branch Chief Anthony Springer, who prosecuted the case.
Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Dealing Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Vernon Warner II, 29, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 54 months in prison for dealing in firearms without a license.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell and Donald J. Soranno, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, announced the sentence handed down yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
According to court documents, beginning on or about January 9, 2014 until April 2014, Warner engaged in the business of dealing six firearms without being a licensed dealer. The weapons included a rifle, handguns, a revolver and two semi-automatic pistols.
Warner pleaded guilty on October 29, 2014 to one count of dealing in firearms without a license. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to forfeit all firearms and ammunition within his possession.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the Cincinnati Police Department and ATF, as well as Cincinnati Branch Chief Anthony Springer, who prosecuted the case.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
A man who was carrying a stolen firearm in a car pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Hicks, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
At the plea hearing, Hicks admitted that in January 2010, at a time when he was an unlawful user of marijuana, he possessed a stolen handgun. Hicks was a passenger in a car pulled over by police officers during a traffic stop in Benton County, Iowa. During the traffic stop the sheriff’s deputy discovered a handgun in defendant’s possession.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hicks remains free on bond pending sentencing. Hicks faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney C.J. Williams and was investigated by the FBI, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The investigation and prosecution is part of the ongoing operation of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Court file information is available at ttps://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-cr-8-LRR.
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Canton Man Indicted on Charges Relating to Drug MisbrandingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Canton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Causing Introduction of Misbranded Drug into Interstate Commerce with Intent to Defraud, and Receipt and Offered Delivery of a Misbranded Drug.
Stanley Dean Brower, age 68, was indicted on February 3, 2015. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on February 4, 2015, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 3 years in custody and/or a $10,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each count.
The charges are merely accusations and Brower is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Brower was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
California Woman Sentenced for Port Arthur Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsBEAUMONT, Texas – A 57-year-old Rialto, CA woman living in Port Arthur, Texas has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Angie Dang pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2014 to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
According to information presented in court, in March 2014, Dang was observed by law enforcement conducting a drug transaction in the parking lot of the apartment complex where she lived in Port Arthur, Texas. Shortly afterwards, Dang left her apartment and was pulled over by law enforcement and a canine partner was employed to examine the outside of the vehicle. The canine alerted to the presence of drugs and a search revealed a rock of crack cocaine in the center console of the vehicle. Additionally, Dang had $2,550 in her pants pocket. She was transported to the police department where a more thorough search was conducted. More crack cocaine was found in the vehicle, along with $453 cash. A total of 14.290 grams of crack cocaine was found in the vehicle. A state search warrant was obtained and officers searched the apartment where Dang lived. A cookie of crack cocaine, which weighed 22.585 grams, was found in the dining room. Twenty-five, one-ounce bags of powder cocaine weighing 663.925 grams was found hidden in various places in Dang's closet. Officers also found $97,700 cash. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 14, 2014, charging Dang with drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls.California Man who Fraudulently Obtained and Sold Computers Destined for Schools and Non-Profits Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Palmdale, California resident who defrauded a federal government program designed to provide computers to needy schools and non-profits was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 10 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and filing a false income tax return, announced Acting United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. STEVEN ALEXANDER BOLDEN, 51, pleaded guilty in January 2014. His sentencing was delayed while criminal charges in California were resolved. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez ordered BOLDEN to pay $7.2 million in restitution. Judge Martinez said, “You’ve been a con man for a long, long time. . . You committed a very serious crime . . . Stealing from children . . . Children all across America.”
“Thousands of kids would have benefitted from the equipment this defendant stole,” said Acting United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. ”The Computers for Learning program’s goal has always been to put computer technology in more classrooms, so that more kids have the opportunity to be educated to their full potential. Stealing education opportunities from needy kids makes this fraud particularly egregious.”
According to court records, between 2007 and 2013, BOLDEN defrauded a Government Services Administration (GSA) program called “Computers for Learning,” that transfers excess government computers and related peripheral equipment directly to qualified schools and educational non-profit organizations. BOLDEN posed as 14 different non-profits to obtain the computers for free, and then sold them for his personal profit. Over the course of the scheme, BOLDEN obtained 19,442 items through the program with an original purchase price of $30.3 million. Based on its “fair market value,” the computer equipment that BOLDEN fraudulently acquired was worth about $7.2 million.
According to records in the case, BOLDEN became acquainted with a person operating a legitimate non-profit in Southern California. BOLDEN convinced the head of the non-profit to let him review the paperwork for the organization. Using the non-profit organization’s information, BOLDEN created an account in the Computers for Learning program, and in July of 2010, obtained 41 Dell and HP computers that were made available by the Border Patrol at Blaine, Washington. BOLDEN claimed the computers and later sold them for his own benefit. BOLDEN was convicted of aggravated identity theft because he used the identities of the non-profit organization and his acquaintance to further his scheme.
BOLDEN failed to report any income from the sale of the computers. In fact, records from a computer recycler in Santa Ana, California show it paid BOLDEN more than $64,892 in 2012. BOLDEN failed to report any of that income on his tax return.
BOLDEN was sentenced in California in September 2014, to a seven year prison sentence for a domestic violence crime which occurred in October 2013.
The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement partners led by the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG), the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Reese Jennings.
Broward County Resident who Falsely Represented she was a Licensed Medical Professional Was Sentenced to 17 Years Imprisonment for Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
A Pembroke Pines resident who falsely represented that she was a Medical Doctor and owned and operated Vortex Medical Center & Management Services, Inc. (“Vortex”), located in Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 17 years for defrauding Medicare. Her co-defendant was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment for his role in the scheme.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and Derrick Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement.
According to the indictment and statements made at the sentencing hearing, Alejandra Collazo, 43, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, and Ricardo Corria, 49, of Miami, Florida, defrauded the Medicare program through Vortex. At Vortex, Collazo used the stolen identities of physicians to forge prescriptions that prescribed home health services. Collazo and Corria later sold these forged prescriptions to patient recruiters for $100 each. Home health agencies located in Miami-Dade County then submitted these forged prescriptions to Medicare, which represented millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims.
During the course of this conspiracy Collazo represented that she was a State of Florida Licensed Nurse Practitioner. In previous corporate filings Collazo had represented to the State of Florida that she was a Medical Doctor. Collazo has never been a licensed medical professional in the State of Florida or any other jurisdiction. Collazo has a number of criminal convictions and has been sentenced to state prison on multiple occasions. Corria was previously convicted of cocaine trafficking and served time in federal prison.
The court also ordered each of Collazo and Corria to pay restitution to the Medicare program in the amount of $8,459,664. On December 5, 2014, Collazo pled guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as one count of aggravated identity theft. On the same date, Corria pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive health care kickbacks, and one substantive count of receipt of health care kickbacks.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and HHS-OIG. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Larsen.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Broward County Resident Sentenced Today for Selling Counterfeit XanaxRead the Press Release
A Parkland man was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment for conspiring to traffic in counterfeit Xanax and illegally distributing steroids.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, David W. Bourne, Special Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office, and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made by the parties at the sentencing hearing, Frank Fiore, 60, sold counterfeit Xanax and Viagra to undercover officers, as well as, to a cooperating source. Fiore also sold them steroids and offered to sell them counterfeit U.S. currency. In addition, Fiore tried to help his co-defendant Anthony Carbone, 31, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, buy a kilogram of cocaine. During the course of the drug dealings, Fiore also asked an undercover officer to kill two of Fiore’s associates and to beat up Fiore’s brother-in-law.
Carbone was previously convicted of conspiracy to traffic in a counterfeit drug and distribution of controlled substances and was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment. Co-defendant Gary Lee Jones, 55, of Boca Raton, Florida, was convicted of conspiracy to traffic in a counterfeit drug and possession of a firearm after conviction for a felony and also sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Osborne.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
British Man Found Guilty in O’Fallon High School Heroin Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsThe United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Richard J. Klemis, 41, a native and citizen of Great Britain, was found guilty on Wednesday, February 4, 2015, of selling the heroin which killed Tyler P. McKinney, 19, an O’Fallon, Illinois High School student, on February 23, 2011.
United States Attorney Wigginton stated, “This successful prosecution is yet another step in our anti-heroin initiative. Our anti-heroin effort is designed to slow down and reverse the epidemic of heroin overdose deaths among young people in the Southern District of Illinois. The penalties for drug dealers who choose to prey on young heroin users are very severe, and rightly so. Richard Klemis is a middle-aged man who preyed on O’Fallon teenagers and eventually killed one of them. I am proud to have played a role in removing Klemis from society.”
Klemis is a British citizen who resided in O’Fallon in 2010-2011. Klemis sold heroin to several dozen current and former O’Fallon Township High School students during 2010-11, while he was residing with his mother in O’Fallon. Klemis fled the United States when he learned that he was a suspect in McKinney’s death. Eventually, Klemis was extradited from Great Britain.
Klemis will be sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis on May 8, 2015. Klemis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 20 years in federal prison, with a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment. In addition to McKinney’s death, Klemis was found guilty of selling the heroin which nearly killed a second man; of selling heroin to four young people under the age of 21, and of employing a 16-year old man to assist Klemis with his heroin distribution operation. Klemis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin as well.
Klemis was convicted following an 8-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge David R. Herndon.
The investigation which resulted in Klemis’ arrest and conviction was conducted by the O’Fallon, Illinois, Police Department, the Millstadt, Illinois, Police Department, and by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case was tried by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Drucker.
Belleville ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Sentenced to Prison for Making False Income Tax Claims and for Failure to Appear for SentencingRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsDestry Marcotte, 48, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to a total of seventy-eight months in federal prison, a fine of $25,000, and three years of supervised release, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
“Being dissatisfied with the government does not give a person the right to try to steal from it or to try to disrupt its functions. The sad fact is that if Marcotte had tried half as hard to be an agent of productive change as he did to be an enemy of the system, he might well be a free and prosperous man rather than another prisoner number.” noted United States Attorney Wigginton.
Marcotte had been convicted in 2013, following a jury trial, of making false claims against the United States by submitting false claims for tax refunds. Marcotte filed tax returns, as part of the sovereign citizen movement, claiming that the I.R.S. owed him more than $600,000. The Court determined the intended loss of his conduct to the United States government was nearly a million dollars. He was released on bond with electronic monitoring, but then fled prior to sentencing. Evidence showed that he filed numerous obstructive pleadings with the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal District Court and the Clerk of St. Clair County. His filings included a local lawsuit attempting to sue the President of the United States. Marcotte's extensive obstructive pleadings were noted to be calculated to be extremely wasteful of precious governmental resources as well as being a "monumental pain in the neck." His obstructive pleadings included false lien releases. He attempted to release a federal tax lien by falsely stating he was a government official. A Special Agent with Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations testified at sentencing of a false lien release on a Ford F-350 truck which caused a financial institution to write off of the principle amount of over $25,000. The fraudulently obtained truck was then used to acquire another truck without cost. The Court noted that even illegally obtained funds must be reported as income.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Norman Smith.
Baltimore Man Admits to Four Armed Robberies Committed in Less Than A MonthRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Derek Roberts, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit three armed robberies and using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In total, Roberts admitted to acting as the gunman in four armed robberies.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to Roberts’ plea agreement, from September 2013 through October 11, 2013, Roberts conspired with Rodney Smith to commit armed robberies at a fast food restaurant, a drug store and a gas station. Roberts also admitted robbing another store with co-conspirator Richard Bruzdzinski.
According to their plea agreements, on the morning of September 15, 2013, Roberts and Smith went to a fast food restaurant in Rosedale, Maryland, and waited for an employee to arrive. When the employee arrived to open the store Roberts and Smith approached him. Roberts pointed a loaded gun at the employee and pushed him into the store. Roberts tied up the victim and demanded money from the cash register. Roberts and Smith stole approximately $200 from the restaurant. On September 27, 2013, Roberts and Smith robbed a drug store in Havre de Grace. When two employees began closing the store, Roberts pointed a loaded gun at the employees and forced them into the store, where he and Smith tied up the victims and demanded money. One of the victims opened the store safe and Roberts took money from the safe. Roberts and Smith stole $3,400 from the store, several cartons of cigarettes and a purse belonging to one of the victims. On October 3, 2013, Roberts and Smith drove from Maryland to a gas station in Fredericksburg, Virginia. An employee let Roberts and Smith into the store and Roberts pointed a loaded gun at the victim. Roberts instructed the victim to go to a back room and lay on the ground, and demanded money. Roberts and Smith stole approximately $200, cartons of cigarettes and beer from the gas station.
In addition to the robberies with Smith, on October 2, 2013, Roberts robbed a store in Timonium, Maryland, with Richard Bruzdzinski. The owner of the establishment recognized Brudzinski, who had been a customer of the store a few weeks earlier. The owner opened the electronic door for Roberts and Bruzdzinski. Immediately, Roberts drew a handgun, pointed it at the owner, and stated that a robbery was occurring. Bruzdzinski drew a stun gun from his pocket. The two men directed the owner and an employee to go to the office in the back of the store, then ordered the victims to the ground. Roberts and Bruzdinski tied the hands of the victims with plastic zip ties. Roberts and Bruzdzinski stole money, gold jewelry, coins, the owner’s Glock pistol, and the victims’ cell phones.
Roberts and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea, Roberts will be sentenced to 228 months in prison. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Roberts remains detained.
Rodney Smith, age 51, and Richard Bruzdzinski, age 43, both of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to their roles in the robberies. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. and Bruzdzinski is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Cecil County State’s Attorney Ellis Rollins, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby, and their offices for their assistance in the prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Lemmon and Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Heroin Dealer Marlow Bates, Jr. Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Marlow Bates, Jr., age 33, of Baltimore, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Bates was one of fourteen defendants indicted for conspiracy on September 24, 2013.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Marlow Bates, Jr., did not get the message after he was convicted in 2009,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Now he will spend the next decade in federal prison.”
According to Bates’ plea agreement, Bates was intercepted over court-authorized wiretaps and other recordings arranging heroin transactions. In one of the recordings, Bates provided the co-conspirator with $7,000 for payment for heroin; in another, Bates stated that he distributed 50 grams of heroin a day. Bates was responsible for distributing between one and three kilograms of heroin. Bates participated in the conspiracy while he was being supervised by a probation officer following his release from prison for a previous federal drug conviction.
In 2009, Bates was one of 24 defendants, including four correctional employees, indicted on federal charges for participating in the Black Guerilla Family gang. He pleaded guilty, admitting that he had conspired to distribute heroin and smuggle controlled substances into Maryland prisons, and was sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison. Bates was released from federal custody on September 20, 2012. On August 10, 2013, Bates was caught once again dealing heroin.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano and Seema Mittal, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Atlanta Man Sentenced in Fraud Conspiracy for Submitting Fraudulent Car Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nicholas L. Thomas has been sentenced to serve three years and ten months for conspiring to commit bank fraud by submitting fraudulent loan applications to a local car dealer.
“Thomas’s scheme represents a classic fraud conspiracy where false paperwork for car loans enabled him to steal the bank’s money and walk away with the cars,” said Acting United States Attorney John Horn.
“The United States Secret Service will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate and arrest those who commit bank fraud. Today’s sentencing shows that those who ignore the law for their personal gain will face the consequences in court,” said Reginald G. Moore, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office.
According to Acting United States Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: In September 2013, Thomas and unindicted coconspirator C.W. met with a salesman at a Ford dealership in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and agreed to purchase three 2013 Ford Fusions in the name of a Georgia company whose identity they had stolen. During the negotiations, Thomas and C.W. fraudulently represented that Thomas owned the company and was authorized by the company to purchase the vehicles. Thomas and C.W. provided false information and fraudulent documents to the dealership and submitted false credit applications to a federally insured bank in order to obtain financing for the vehicles.
In reliance upon the false information and documents provided by Thomas and C.W., the bank made three loans totaling approximately $75,000, and the dealership delivered the vehicles to Thomas. The evidence showed that Thomas and C.W. had engaged in similar conduct prior to this, and that the total loss to various banks as a result of the conspiracy exceeded $400,000.
Thomas, 31, of Atlanta, Ga., has been sentenced to three years, ten months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $400,518.19. Thomas was convicted on these charges on October 10, 2014, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorney J. Russell Phillips prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Allentown Man Charged with Threatening the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - Glen Joseph, 45, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Superseding Indictment with making threats against the President of the United States, threats against law enforcement officers, and the interstate communication of threats, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 55 years in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $2.25 million fine, and a $900 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney V. Paige Pratter.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Allentown Man Charged with Making Threats Against the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
Defendant Glen Joseph, 45, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Superseding Indictment with making threats against the President of the United States, threats against law enforcement officers, and the interstate communication of threats, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 55 years in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $2,250,000 fine, and a $900 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney V. Paige Pratter.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Air Force Staff Sergeant to Ten Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven today sentenced Air Force Staff Sergeant Timothy Ray Oliver, II (36, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sex acts. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the computers and phone he had used while committing the offense. Oliver pleaded guilty on June 12, 2014.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2013, Oliver posted an advertisement on a public website soliciting members of the public for sex and advising that he was interested in “any age, size, or race.” An undercover law enforcement officer, posing as a 15-year-old “child” responded to Oliver’s ad. Oliver and the “child” subsequently communicated via email and Oliver told the “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse. Oliver repeatedly attempted to elicit personal information from the “child,” including naked photos. In addition, Oliver sent images of sex toys, graphically describing sexual acts that he wished to perform on the “child,” and repeatedly made plans for a meeting.
On November 5, 2013, Oliver arrived at an agreed upon location in the Ballast Point area of Tampa to meet the “child” and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
10th Street Associate Sentenced on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
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BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Chazity Fluellen, 27, of Buffalo, N.Y., who was convicted of maintaining a drug involved premises, was sentenced to time served and two years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The judge also ordered the defendant to forfeit the residence at 23 10th Street in Buffalo and a Ford Explorer.Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that the defendant and co-defendant, 10th Street Gang member Desmond Ford, used and maintained the premises at 23 10th Street in Buffalo for the purpose of storing and distributing cocaine and crack cocaine. During a search of the property on June 18, 2010, officers recovered quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine, packaging material, a scale, and cellular phones.
Fluellen is one of 44 members or associates of the 10th Street Gang who have been convicted as a part of this federal investigation.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Michael Cerretto, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge, Delano A. Reid, New York Field Division.
10 Area Residents Among 19 Defendants Indicted for Drug-trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 19 defendants have been indicted for their roles in related conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine in Boone County, Mo., and elsewhere.
Miguel Flores-Ramirez, 31, his wife, Kena Marie Flores-Ramirez, 31, and Nina Marie Maabrey, 36, all of Clark, Mo.; Francisco B. Pedroza, also known as “Paco,” 35, Adrian Guerra-Duarte, 28, Timothy Wiyrick, 64, Dustin Matthew Short, 30, Samantha Roseann Stone, 33, Carlos Rodolfo Aguilar, 35, and Shepel Maurice Davis, 39, all of Columbia, Mo.; Alfredo Tanguma, Jr., 36, and his sister, Lissette Tanguma, 33, both of La Monte, Mo.; Dustin Tyler Kinnard, 29, of Park Hills, Mo.; Natashaw Lynn Hughes, 43, and Gregory Lee Killebrew, 52, both of Malden, Mo.; Tommie Jason Lovelace, 32, and Tonee Nikkole Jarrett, 21, of Springfield, Ill.; and Robert Eric Eugene French, 34, and Lakhram Paul Khelawan, 32, addresses unknown, were charged in a 40-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Oct. 1, 2014. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
The federal indictment charges various defendants in five separate drug-trafficking conspiracies.
The federal indictment alleges that Miguel and Kena Flores-Ramirez, Guerra-Duarte, Khelawan, Davis and Mabrey participated in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in Boone County and elsewhere from September 2013 to May 23, 2014.
The federal indictment alleges that Miguel and Kena Flores-Ramirez, Alfredo Tanguma, Guerra-Duarte, Wiyrick and Lissette Tanguma participated in a conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in Boone County and elsewhere from September 2013 to March 2014.
The federal indictment alleges that Miguel Flores-Ramirez, French and Guerra-Duarte participated in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine in Boone County and elsewhere from January 2010 to June 14, 2014.
The federal indictment alleges that Miguel Flores-Ramirez, Short, Kinnard, Stone and Aguilar participated in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Boone County and elsewhere, beginning on an unknown date and continuing until Jan. 23, 2014.
The federal indictment alleges that Miguel Flores-Ramirez, Davis, Jarrett, Lovelace, Hughes and Killebrew participated in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Boone County and elsewhere, beginning on an unknown date and continuing until June 3, 2014.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracies, various defendants are charged in eight counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and 25 counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Wednesday 4 February 2015
Wheeling man charged with cocaine traffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returnedindictments today charging Cornelius Johnson, Jr., 38, of Wheeling, with cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Johnson is alleged to have repeatedly sold crack cocaine near Wilson Playground in Wheeling throughout October and November 2014. Following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, HIDTA-funded initiative, Johnson is charged with:
• Four counts of “Use of a Telephone to Facilitate the Distribution of Cocaine Base.” He faces up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000.00 on each count.
• Four counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 feet of a Protected Location.” He faces between one and forty years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000.00 on each count.
• One count of “Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises” for which he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.00.
• One count of “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm” for which he faces 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 defendant.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Wesley Chapel Woman Sentenced to Five Years for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Tavia Lamonica Ball to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of her sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $405,169, the proceeds of fraudulently obtained tax refunds.
Ball pleaded guilty on August 4, 2014.
According to court documents, Ball was an employee of Amerigroup, a managed health care company operating in approximately 19 states nationwide. The company serves more than 4.5 million beneficiaries of state-sponsored health plans, including Medicaid. In her capacity at Amerigroup, Ball had access to the company’s member database, as well as members’ personally identifying information (PII), including dates of birth and Social Security numbers.
Beginning on an unknown date, Ball and others conspired to steal PII and electronically file fraudulent federal income tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which they were not entitled. The conspirators directed some of the fraudulently obtained refunds to be deposited onto reloadable debit cards and then purchased money orders and goods for their own benefit and the benefit of others, including an automobile. The government estimates that the actual loss associated with this conspiracy is at least $405,169. The conspirators filed false tax returns claiming at least $657,087.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Virginia Beach Man Sentenced to 20 Years and Ten Months in Prison for Distribution of Heroin Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Stephen Ron Martin II, 21, of Virginia Beach, was sentenced today to 250 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of heroin resulting in death.
United States Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia; Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C.; and Police Chief Jim A. Cervera, Virginia Beach Police Department, made the announcement after Martin was sentenced by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson of the Eastern District of Virginia.
Martin pled guilty on October 10, 2014. According to court documents, on October 27, 2013, Martin distributed heroin to Steven Bradley Nichols. On October 29, 2013, Virginia Beach Police found an unresponsive Nichols while they were conducting a well-being check that had been called into 9-1-1. Police also found evidence of recent heroin use in plain view inside Nichols’ apartment. A depressed syringe was found on top of a desk within an arm’s length of Nichols’ body. A needle mark was on Nichols’ arm. An open plastic bag containing an off-white powder was found on the kitchen counter. The substance was later tested and found to contain heroin. An autopsy confirmed that Nichols had injected heroin and subsequently died as a result of acute heroin intoxication.
This case was investigated by HSI Norfolk and the Virginia Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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. 2:14-cr-78.Two sex offenders charged with failing to update registrationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned indictments today charging two convicted sex offenders with failing to properly update their registration, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Ronald Kisner, II, 29, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was convicted in November 2011 of “Abusive Sexual Assault” in the Northern District of West Virginia. Kisner is alleged to have moved from West Virginia to Frederick County, Virginia without updating his sex offender registration. He is charged with one count of “Failure to Register,” for which he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
Robert Bruno Davis, 31, was convicted in 2002 of “Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor” in Ohio. Davis moved to Wheeling, West Virginia in September 2014 to live with Angela S. Goolie, 36. He allegedly failed to update his Ohio registration or to register in West Virginia. Davis is further alleged to have repeatedly discouraged potential witnesses from cooperating with authorities and providing information on his true living arrangements. In December 2014, Goolie expressly told authorities that Davis had not been living with her in Wheeling.
Davis is charged with one count of “Failure to Register and Update Registration as a Sex Offender,” for which he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. He is further charged with two counts of “Attempted Tampering with a Witness.” He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00 on each count. Goolie is charged with one count of “False Statement to Law Enforcement,” for which she faces up to five 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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri is prosecuting Davis and Goolie and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Camilletti and Anna Krasinski are prosecuting Kisner on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service investigated both cases.
Two Wheeling area men indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned indictments today alleging that two Wheeling area men, including a local high school teacher, were discovered in possession of child pornography, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Duane David Will, Jr., 33, of Moundsville, West Virginia, is alleged to have repeatedly downloaded images of child pornography in April 2014 while employed as a teacher at John Marshall High School in Marshall County, West Virginia. Will is charged with one count of “Possession of Child Pornography” following an investigation by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
An investigation by the Wheeling, West Virginia Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Bernie George Baier, 51, of Wheeling, obtained a wireless Internet password from his neighbor. Baier is alleged to have repeatedly used the neighbor’s wireless Internet connection to download images of child pornography throughout late 2014. Baier was previously convicted in September 1995 of the felony offense of “Gross Sexual Imposition” in the Court of Common Pleas of Belmont County, Ohio. Baier is charged with one count of “Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography,” for which he faces between 15 and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. He is further charged with one count of “Possession of Child Pornography,” for which he faces between 10 and 20 years in prison and 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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Vogrin is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
Two Springfield Residents Plead Guilty to Distributing Tons of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Springfield, Mo., residents pleaded guilty in federal court today to their roles in a conspiracy that distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana in southwest Missouri.
Brian D. Hanson, 30, and Brenda Swearingin, 56, both of Springfield, pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charges contained in a Nov. 6, 2013, federal indictment.
By pleading guilty today, Hanson and Swearingin admitted that they and co-defendant Sean Bond, 39, of Republic, Mo., and others participated in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Greene County, Mo., and elsewhere from April 1, 2010, to June 19, 2013.
Hanson admitted that he was responsible for transporting between 1,000 kilograms and 3,000 kilograms of marijuana into southwest Missouri. Swearingin pleaded guilty to distributing less than 50 kilograms of marijuana in the conspiracy and to illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Bond pleaded guilty on Oct. 16, 2014.
Bond arranged for Hanson and others to pick up marijuana from individuals outside of Springfield, then transport the marijuana to Springfield for Bond to distribute to other persons. Hanson and Bond also traveled together to Texas to obtain marijuana that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Swearingin admitted that she purchased marijuana from Bond and distributed it to others. Swearingin admitted that she purchased pound amounts of marijuana from Bond each month for about two years. She received approximately 10.872 kilograms of marijuana from Bond during her involvement in the conspiracy. When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Swearingin’s residence, they discovered a Hefty Freezer bag that contained approximately 173 grams of marijuana under a mattress in the guest bedroom. They also found a loaded Taurus .22-caliber handgun in Swearingin’s purse.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Hanson and Bond each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of marijuana sales. For example, Hanson gave Bond a 2002 BMW 745i and a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle to pay a drug debt. Hanson purchased a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria at an auto auction, using proceeds from the sale of marijuana. Hanson then used this vehicle to transport marijuana from Houston and Kansas City, Mo., to Springfield.
Bond also admitted that he purchased a Wellcraft 3200 Martinique boat (which he registered in his father’s name), in part with drug proceeds, and a 2007 Cadillac Escalade that he used to distribute marijuana to customers in the Springfield area. Bond also used drug proceeds to purchase a 2002 BMW 725i, a 2002 Firebird pro-mod race car, a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, three go karts, a 2006 Haulmark trailer and a 2004 Ford F350. That property has been seized by law enforcement officers and is subject to be forfeited to the government.
Under federal statutes, Hanson and Bond are each subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Swearingin is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole for the drug-trafficking conspiracy and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of five years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and COMET (the Combined Ozark Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Team).
Two Highlands County Men Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Two Highlands County men who shot two law enforcement officers during the execution of the arrest warrants were sentenced for firearm and drug trafficking offenses.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, A.D. Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Miami Field Division, Amos Rojas, Jr., U.S. Marshal, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Hugo Barrera, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), John Burke and Troy Walker, Special Agents in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Ft. Myers and Miami Regional Offices, respectively, Susan Benton, Sheriff, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Paul C. May, Sheriff, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), and Ken J. Mascara, Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office (SLCSO), made the announcement.
Alex Guerrier, 29, and Robin Jean Guillaume, 28, were sentenced for their convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in Fort Pierce, Florida. Guerrier was sentenced to 330 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release and Guillaume was sentenced to 308 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Guerrier and Guillame were part of a drug trafficking organization which operated in Highlands, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties within the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere. The drug trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine hydrochloride, cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine, and other illegal narcotics. During the execution of the arrest warrants for Guerrier and Guillaume, two law enforcement officers were shot.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the DEA, USMS, ATF, FDLE, HCSO, OCSO, and SLCSO. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Sebring Police Department for their assistance in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Two Bergen County, New Jersey, Men and a New York Man Admit Roles in Cross-Country Drug Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Bergen County, New Jersey, men and a New York man today admitted their roles in a scheme to transport more than 20 kilograms of cocaine from California to New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Melvin Feliz, 48, of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey; Irving Olivero-Pena, 42, of Edgewater, New Jersey; and Robert Crawford, 39, of Long Island City, New York; each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Feliz, Olivero-Pena, and Crawford were arrested on March 11, 2014.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Feliz, Olivero-Pena and Crawford admitted that from January 2011 through March 2014, they conspired to purchase narcotics for distribution in New Jersey. On Oct. 22, 2012, they met a courier in Bergen County. They admitted that they gave the courier $549,950 in currency to transport to California via tractor trailer, where it would be used to purchase approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine. Afterwards, the courier would transport the cocaine to New Jersey for distribution. The currency was ultimately seized by law enforcement officers in California.
The conspiracy charge to which Feliz, Olivero-Pena and Crawford pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for May 6, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Newark Division, under direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski; and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, New Jersey, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian L. Urbano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Foster of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Special Prosecution’s Division in Newark.
15-045
Defense counsel:Melvin Feliz: Patrick Joyce Esq., New York
Irving Olivero-Pena: David Touger Esq., New York
Robert Crawford: Rubin Sinins Esq., Springfield, New JerseyTreasurer of Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue Organization Admits Embezzling $150,000Read the Press Release
Follow @USAO_CT
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS RECCK, 50, of New Britain, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in Bridgeport to fraud and tax charges stemming from an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, RECCK was the Treasurer for Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue, Inc. (“CCSAR”) in Kensington, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the search and rescue of missing and lost persons in the United States by using trained search and rescue dogs. In his capacity as the treasurer, RECCK had access to the bank accounts of CCSAR. From approximately January 2008 to August 2012, RECCK transferred $150,329.57 from CCCSR accounts into a separate account that he controlled and used the funds to gamble and for other personal expenses.
RECCK also failed to report the stolen funds on his federal tax returns.
RECCK pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for April 29, 2015.
RECCK also has agreed to full restitution, as well as back taxes, penalties and interest for the 2008 through 2012 tax years.
Following his guilty plea, RECCK was released on bond.
This investigation is being conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and the Greenwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
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[email protected]Todd County, Kentucky, Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Coercing Minors to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Todd County, Kentucky man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Greg Stivers to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a 20-year term of supervised release, for persuading, inducing and coercing two minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct and for receiving child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
“The predatory conduct of Williams was despicable,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney John Kuhn. “The coercion of these girls for his own gratification was not a harmless, inconsequential act to these victims. That he put the child of one of his friends through this is almost unimaginable. This case is a sad but powerful reminder that every parent everywhere must be vigilant against sexual predation, especially in the virtual world. This lengthy sentence is well deserved.”
“This type of crime is especially egregious since he coerced several underage girls, by producing and trading sexually explicit images of them on the internet,” said Howard S. Marshall, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division. “These predators exploit the innocence of our children and this sentence should send a message that these acts will not be tolerated.”
Jesse Sanford Williams, age 34, pleaded guilty to all charges of the federal indictment on October 20, 2014. Williams was arrested on March 7, 2014, by federal agents in Kentucky, following an investigation that began in the state of Washington on March 28, 2013. In court, Williams admitted to blackmailing, by threat, at least two minor, teen girls, in order to receive sexually explicit images of them, by means of multiple Gmail and Yahoo internet accounts. Only two of the victims could be identified by authorities. After receiving initial images from the girls, Williams demanded additional sexually explicit images or videos and coerced the girls by threatening to post the initial images on the internet or send them to the girls’ parents. These activities took place between June 2011 and March 2013.
Victim-1 lived in Washington, and was 13 years of age at the onset of the Internet threats. Victim-1 appeared in court today and testified during sentencing. At one point during the time Williams coerced Victim-1, she attempted suicide.
Victim-2 lived in Todd County, and was approximately the same age as Victim-1. According to testimony offered in court today, Williams had very long and close personal relationships with the family of Victim-2, and was known by Victim-2 as “Uncle Jesse.” In his internet communications with both victims, Williams concealed his age and identity from the victims, pretending to be a much younger boy.
During the investigation, a subpoena of email accounts determined all email accounts shared the same Internet Protocol (IP) address from an account located at Logan Aluminum, a large manufacturing facility located near Russellville, Kentucky. The FBI was able to identify Williams from shift schedules, IP login times and other materials obtained in the investigation. Further, Williams admitted to knowingly receiving child pornography between June 2011 and March 2013.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marisa Ford and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville and Seattle Divisions and police in Washington State.
Timeshare Owners Revictimized by Florida TelemarketerRead the Press Release
New Scam Promised Restitution for Those Already Victimized in Earlier Theft
Follow @SDILNewsStephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on February 3, 2015, Rance White, 25, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced in the United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois on one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. White was sentenced to 18 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release.White was also ordered to pay $10,919.57 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.
“White truly felt no shame.” said United States Attorney Wigginton. “Instead, White had the gall to steal from people already victimized in a timeshare re-sale scam. Let us all hope that his time in federal prison will put an end to his thievery.”
The investigation determined that White participated in a "recovery scheme," that is, a scheme to re-victimize timeshare owners who had already been victimized in a timeshare resale fraud through the false promise of a restitution award. In a timeshare resale scam, timeshare owners are contacted by someone who claims to have a buyer for the person’s timeshare property. In exchange for an upfront fee (typically in excess of $1,000), the telemarketer promises that the sale will be finalized within a certain period of time and that a check for the sale price (typically in excess of $20,000) will then be delivered to the customer. No sale ever occurs, and the fraudulent company simply pockets the money. Thousands of timeshare owners across the country have fallen victim to this scam. Using that, White would call these victims and claim, that for a fee, he could secure restitution for the earlier scam. “As I have said, do not agree to part with your funds to persons or businesses that you do not carefully check out. The old adage is always true – if it sounds too god to be true, it is not true. I urge consumers, no matter how desperate, to use judgment and common sense before agreeing to give up your hard-earned dollars.” noted United States Attorney Wigginton.
South Florida is a hotbed for timeshare resale fraud, and in recent years, several major timeshare resale operations located in Palm Beach County, Florida, have been investigated and prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois, including companies called Universal Marketing Solutions (UMS), Creative Vacation Solutions (CVS), and American Marketing Group (AMG). One of the most publicized of these prosecutions was the case against former CVS CEO Jennifer Kirk: United States v. Kirk, No. 3:11-CR-30093-GPM. Kirk was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison, but victims were unable to be made whole, thus creating the opportunity for the instant scam.
This prosecution is one of nearly 75 timeshare resale fraud prosecutions brought in the Southern District of Illinois over the past four years. The case is part of an ongoing investigation by the St. Louis Field Office of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Florida Attorney General’s Office and the Florida Department of Agriculture. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Reppert and William Coonan, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hallock.
Three charged with unlawful possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned indictments today charging three convicted felons with unlawful possession of firearms, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Michael Northcraft, 41, of Weirton, West Virginia, was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Hancock County, West Virginia of the felony offense of “Entering a Building Other than a Dwelling.“ As a result of that conviction, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Northcraft is alleged to have been in possession of multiple firearms in December 2014, including three pistols, one revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles. He is charged with one count of “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm” following an investigation by the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
Timothy William Cook, 30, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was previously convicted in the Northern District of West Virginia of the felony offense of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.” Cook is alleged to have been in possession of both a pistol and a quantity of heroin in May 2014 in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Cook is charged with one count of “Felon in Possession of Firearms,” for which he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. He is further charged with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin,” for which he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
William Gene George, Jr., 43, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Berkeley County, West Virginian of “Felony Child Neglect” in June 2007. George is alleged to have been in possession of a stolen rifle. He is charged with one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm” and one count of “Possession of a Stolen Firearm.” He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00 on each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated Cook and George.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Vogrin is prosecuting Northcraft and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Camilletti and Anna Krasinski are prosecuting Cook and George on behalf of the government.
Texas National Guard Recruiter and Assistant Convicted in Bribery and Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Army National Guard recruiter and recruiting assistant were convicted today for their roles in a bribery and fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.
Jammie T. Martin, 37, and Michelle H. Davis, 34, both of Katy, Texas, were convicted today of conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendants were indicted on Aug. 7, 2013, and will be sentenced on May 7, 2015, by U.S. District Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas.
From February 2009 through April 2011, Martin served as an Army National Guard recruiter. Davis served as a recruiting assistant with the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), which was a recruiting program that offered monetary incentives to soldiers of the Army National Guard who referred others to join the National Guard. Both defendants worked out of a Texas National Guard Armory known as the Westheimer Armory.
According to evidence presented at trial, Martin—who, as a recruiter, was ineligible for the G-RAP incentives—provided the personal identifying information of potential soldiers to Davis and at least three other National Guard soldiers. Davis and the others then falsely claimed they were responsible for referring the potential soldiers to join the military and fraudulently received referral bonus payments through the G-RAP program. Davis and the others paid approximately half of each fraudulent bonus payment to Martin as a kickback.
To date, this investigation has led to the conviction of 26 individuals, including Martin and Davis.
This case is being investigated by the San Antonio Fraud Resident Agency of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit and prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sean F. Mulryne and Mark J. Cipolletti of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Pearson of the Southern District of Texas.
Texas National Guard Recruiter and Assistant Convicted in Bribery and Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – An Army National Guard recruiter and recruiting assistant were convicted today for their roles in a bribery and fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Jammie T. Martin, 37, and Michelle H. Davis, 34, both of Katy, were convicted today of conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendants were indicted on Aug. 7, 2013, and will be sentenced on May 7, 2015, by U.S. District Judge David Hittner.
From February 2009 through April 2011, Martin served as an Army National Guard recruiter. Davis served as a recruiting assistant with the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), which was a recruiting program that offered monetary incentives to soldiers of the Army National Guard who referred others to join the National Guard. Both defendants worked out of a Texas National Guard Armory known as the Westheimer Armory.
According to evidence presented at trial, Martin - who, as a recruiter, was ineligible for the G-RAP incentives - provided the personal identifying information of potential soldiers to Davis and at least three other National Guard soldiers. Davis and the others then falsely claimed they were responsible for referring the potential soldiers to join the military and fraudulently received referral bonus payments through the G-RAP program. Davis and the others paid approximately half of each fraudulent bonus payment to Martin as a kickback.
To date, this investigation has led to the conviction of 26 individuals, including Martin and Davis.
This case is being investigated by the San Antonio Fraud Resident Agency of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Pearson and Trial Attorneys Sean F. Mulryne and Mark J. Cipolletti of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Statement of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on the Conviction of Ross William UlbrichtRead the Press Release
"As a unanimous jury has found, Ross William Ulbricht operated Silk Road – a clandestine global marketplace that offered buyers and sellers of illegal goods and services a promise of anonymity. Ulbricht built this black market bazaar to exploit the dark web and the digital currency Bitcoin to allow users to conduct illegal business beyond the reach of law enforcement. Ulbricht’s arrest and conviction – and our seizure of millions of dollars of Silk Road Bitcoins – should send a clear message to anyone else attempting to operate an online criminal enterprise. The supposed anonymity of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution."
Porcupine Woman Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Porcupine, South Dakota, woman convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance to a Person Under Age Twenty-One was sentenced on January 26, 2015, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Ardis Good Shot, age 41, was sentenced to 1 year of probation, 25 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from Good Shot providing marijuana to a person under the age of 18 on multiple occasions between October 2011 and January 2012.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty in Two-State Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man admitted robbing five banks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over four months, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced today.
Nathaniel Stroud, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in Camden federal court to an information charging him with two counts of bank robbery in connection with robbing a Roma Bank in Delran, New Jersey, on Nov. 8, 2013, and robbing a 1st Constitution Bank in Hightstown, New Jersey, on Jan. 9, 2014. Stroud also admitted robbing a PNC Bank and a TD Bank in Philadelphia and a TD Bank in Willingboro, New Jersey.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Between September 2013 and January 2014, Stroud robbed the five banks by presenting a demand note to the bank tellers, in which he stated that he had a gun.
The two counts of bank robbery charged in the information are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for May 14, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Welling, in Newark; the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi: and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini, with the investigation. He also thanked the Delran, Willingboro and Hightstown police departments for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Skahill of the U.S. Attorney's Office Special Prosecutions Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Maggie Moy Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
Palm Bay Man Convicted of Internet Solicitation of MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Jean Roussel Eloi (30, Palm Bay) guilty of using the Internet to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in sexual conduct. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 17, 2015.
Eloi was indicted on November 5, 2014.
According to testimony presented at trial, on the night of July 20, 2014, Eloi started an online chat session with an 11-year-old female who lived in Palm Bay. The next day, the girl reported the chats to her mother. After the mother contacted law enforcement, an undercover detective began engaging in a series of chats with Eloi, who explicitly detailed the sexual acts he wanted to perform with the “girl.” Eloi eventually asked the “girl” to meet him. When he arrived at the prearranged location, deputies arrested him.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Bay Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce S. Ambrose.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Owner of Hobbs Gun Shop Sentenced to Twelve Months for Federal Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The owner of a gun shop in Hobbs, N.M., was sentenced this morning in in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., twelve months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Carlos Jonathan Cruz, 32, the owner of Hobbs Satellite Company Guns & Ammo, and his parents who assisted their son in operating the gun shop, Carlos Carlon Cruz, 61, and Norma M. Cruz, 57, were indicted in June 2013. The three defendants were charged with violating federal firearms laws by making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser” and buying firearms on behalf of others. Carlos Jonathan Cruz also was charged with unlawfully selling thousands of rounds of ammunition to an alien illegally in the United States, unlawfully possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, and unlawfully possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
On Jan. 7, 2014, Carlos Jonathan Cruz pled guilty to a felony information charging him with (1) making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser,” and (2) unlawfully possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers. In entering his guilty plea, Carlos Jonathan Cruz admitted that on April 23, 2013, he knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false statement by a straw purchaser who bought two firearms at his gun shop for an individual who was working as a confidential informant for the ATF. Cruz also admitted possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number on May 29, 2013.
Carlos Jonathan Cruz’s parents each pled guilty to a felony information charging them with (1) making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser,” and (2) unlawfully selling ammunition to a prohibited person. In entering their guilty pleas, Carlos Carlon Cruz and Norma Cruz admitted that on April 9, 2013, they sold 2,500 rounds of ammunition to an alien who was illegally in the United States. They also admitted that on April 23, 2013, they knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false statement by a straw purchaser who bought two firearms at his gun shop for an individual who was working as a confidential informant for the ATF.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Carlos Carlon Cruz will be sentenced to a prison term not to exceed 41 months of imprisonment and Norma Cruz will be sentenced to a prison term not to exceed 30 months of imprisonment. They also are required, along with Carlos Jonathon Cruz, to forfeit approximately 165 firearms, 25,703 rounds of ammunition and six silencers. Their sentencing hearings have yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the DEA and the Hobbs Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kotz is handling the related forfeiture proceedings.
One Labor Union Officer and Three Labor Union Members Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Labor Union MembershipsRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Cheryl Garcia, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations (“DOL-OIG”), and William J. Bratton, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an Indictment charging ADAM FORESTA, CHRISTOPHER LUPINO, JAMES SHEERAN, and KELWYN BENJAMIN with conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud in connection with their accepting bribes in exchange for memberships in Steamfitters Local 638, a New York City labor union. The defendants were arrested in November 2014 on the same charges, pursuant to a criminal Complaint. The case is assigned to United States District Judge William H. Pauley, III, in Manhattan federal court.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, the defendants – Adam Foresta, Christopher Lupino, James Sheeran, and Kelwyn Benjamin – disgraced the idea of union membership and disserved the interests of the plumbing and pipefitting industry workers of Steamfitters Local 638 when they concocted a scheme to sell Union memberships for thousands of dollars in cash bribes to fill their personal coffers. This Office remains committed to protecting the integrity of unions from this type of alleged misconduct and ensuring that those who would engage in it face justice.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “For a bribe, the defendants granted membership to the highly sought-after Steamfitters union. Ironically, the defendants’ actions didn’t protect their two key constituents: union members and those with leaky pipes. The FBI continues to police this city’s labor organizations for corruption at all levels.”
NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton said: “I would like to thank the members of the NYPD’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force and our Federal partners who built this case and made these indictments possible.”
According to allegations contained in the Indictment, the underlying criminal Complaint unsealed on November 5, 2014, and statements made during court proceedings:
FORESTA, LUPINO, SHEERAN, and BENJAMIN were all members of Steamfitters Local 638, a local division of a labor union that represents workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in New York City (the “Union”). SHEERAN was an organizer for the Union and worked on membership recruitment. In that capacity, he owed fiduciary duties to Steamfitters Local 638.
In December 2013, an individual who has not been charged (“Applicant-1”) told a cooperating witness (the “CW”) that Applicant-1 had been offered membership in the Union – what is known as a “Union book” – in exchange for a $35,000 bribe. Applicant-1 asked the CW to help him/her pay for the Union book.
Over the next several months, FORESTA, LUPINO, and BENJAMIN each had conversations, which were recorded by the FBI, with the CW about buying Union books for Applicant-1 and another individual who has not been charged (“Applicant-2”). During these calls, the CW was told that each Union book would cost $40,000 – $5,000 for the typical Union application fee and a $35,000 cash bribe.
In October 2014, Applicant-1 met with SHEERAN, who coached Applicant-1 to provide answers to questions from Union officials to enable him to secure approval from the interviewing officials, including by misleading the Union officials. Applicant-1 and Applicant-2 met with the Union committee later that month in connection with their applications. After that meeting, LUPINO told the CW that approvals from the Union would come soon.
On November 3, 2014, a few days before Applicant-1 and Applicant-2’s memberships were to be issued, LUPINO and FORESTA arranged for FORESTA to meet with the CW to pick up the bribes for the two Union books. LUPINO told the CW to bring $70,000 in cash and that the other $10,000, which would go to the Union for application fees, should be paid for by check or money order. On November 4, 2014, FORESTA and the CW met in Manhattan. The CW gave FORESTA $35,000 in cash for one Union book – telling him he would pay for the second Union book the next day. Thereafter, the agents arrested FORESTA; LUPINO, BENJAMIN, and SHEERAN were arrested in the following days.
FORESTA, 45, of Staten Island, New York, LUPINO, 51, of New Monmouth, New Jersey, SHEERAN, 49, of Jackson, New Jersey, and BENJAMIN, 41, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Naftalis and Jordan Estes are in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Adam Foresta, et al Indictment
Northwest Arkansas Man Found Guilty on Four Counts Related to Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Fernando Canales-Mendoza, age 52, a Mexican citizen living in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was found guilty on two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine, one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than fifty (50) grams of Methamphetamine, and one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine following a two day jury trial in Fort Smith. The Honorable Robert T. Dawson presided over the trial in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “Children in Carroll County and across the Western District of Arkansas deserve to grow up in communities free from illegal drug trafficking and the violence and other crime that comes with it. With the defendant’s conviction today, another positive step forward has been taken for Arkansans. Our office remains devoted to aggressively prosecuting those responsible for bringing methamphetamine and other drugs into our communities.”
According to evidence presented to the jury, on April 30, 2014, as part of an ongoing investigation, an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) purchased one ounce of methamphetamine from the defendant, Canales-Mendoza, in his home in exchange for $1,400.00, and was provided an additional ounce to be paid for at a later time. On May 7, 2014, the undercover agent paid the defendant $1,500.00 for that ounce, and purchased an additional ounce of methamphetamine for $1,400.00. On August 27, 2014, the undercover agent met with the defendant again, and requested an additional four ounces of methamphetamine. The defendant then showed the undercover agent approximately three to three and a half ounces of methamphetamine he did have, which prompted the agent to respond that he would leave in order to get additional funds to purchase the methamphetamine. Once the agent left the meeting with the defendant, DEA agents executed an arrest warrant on Canales-Mendoza and a search warrant on his place of business, where they confiscated approximately 137 grams of methamphetamine.
The defendant faces a sentence of ten years to life in prison, up to a $10,000,000 fine, or both. The 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 offense, and
the characteristics of the violations. The sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum for each count in this case, and in most cases will be less than the maximum.This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Carter and Sydney Butler prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
North Ridgeville Man Faces Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Sean M. Barnhill, 36, of North Ridgeville, was charged with distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment charges that from on or about August 1, 2014, through on or about August 30, 2014, Barnhill knowingly received and distributed, by computer, numerous computer files, which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. It is further alleged that between the dates of September 1, 2013 and January 8, 2015, Barnhill accessed with intent to view images of child pornography on his computer.
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 Carol M. Skutnik. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Elyria Office.
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.
Naples Man Indicted for Additional Million Dollar FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Jeffrey Ihm (47, Naples) with 14 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of aggravated identity theft. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft offense, to be served consecutively to any wire fraud conviction. The indictment also notifies Ihm that the government intends to forfeit $315,000 that has been seized from a Suncoast Credit Union checking account, in addition to a house in Naples that is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $2,297,664.74, representing the alleged proceeds of the fraud scheme.
According to the superseding indictment, Ihm assumed the identities of and posed as executives of a number of companies, including Roper Industries, Inc., Kinetic Technologies, LLC, CSX Corporation, and Convergence Consulting Group, Inc. He then generated false and fraudulent emails and other documents in the names of the companies’ executives in order to defraud Wells Fargo Bank, CIT Group, and Key Bank, causing those financial institutions to transfer to him $2,297,664.74 to which he was not entitled.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Economic Crimes Unit of the Collier County Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David G. Lazarus and Dale R. Campion.
Mom Admits Distributing Her Incarcerated Son’s HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Carrie Robinson of Pittsburgh has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Robinson, age 45, pled guilty on Feb. 1, 2015, in front of United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. In support of the guilty plea, Robinson admitted that, in late March and early April 2014, she agreed to distribute her son’s remaining heroin while he was incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail on a heroin distribution charge. Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2015, at 9:30 a.m.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Baldwin Police Department, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on February 2, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Vernon Robert Schmidt, Jr., a/k/a Sonny Bob Schmidt, age 29, was sentenced to 46 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, $900 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from a May 26, 2014, incident when, during an argument, Schmidt pointed a Stoeger 9mm caliber pistol at the victim and waved it around. Schmidt was brandishing the firearm when it discharged. A 9mm slug from the Stoeger firearm hit the victim in the chest and neck area, causing serious bodily injury to the victim. Schmidt fled the scene.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Schmidt was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Michael Ronald Garant Charged with Illegally Acquiring Firearms on Behalf of Another PersonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced a criminal complaint charging MICHAEL RONALD GARANT, 42, for acting as a straw purchaser of three firearms for Ray Kmetz. GARANT is charged by complaint with making a false statement to acquire firearms on behalf of another person. GARANT will appear today before Magistrate Judge Steven Rau in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn.
“Background checks are only as good as the accuracy of the information collected,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “Honestly answering questions about the intended recipient of a firearm is an important component of responsible gun ownership and key to public safety, which is why it is a crime to act as a straw purchaser. This defendant is charged with committing that very crime – buying guns for another person and lying about it.”
According to the criminal complaint and documents filed in court, on August 21, 2014, Ray Kmetz was the highest bidder for three shotguns in an online auction, which were actually purchased by GARANT on August 23, 2014, at Full Metal Gun Shop in Princeton, Minn. The defendant informed the owner of the gun shop that he used the alias “Ray Kmetz” during the online auction to hide his true identity. GARANT produced a driver’s license to the store owner to verify that he was, in fact, GARANT.
According to the criminal complaint and documents filed in court, a National Instant Criminal Background Check was performed on GARANT, and was returned “clear.” One of the forms completed by GARANT as part of the background check contained the following question:
Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form? Warning: You are not the actual buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are not the actual buyer, the dealer cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you.
GARANT responded “yes” to this question by checking the corresponding box. GARANT paid $659.29 in cash for the three shotguns, one of which was a Stoeger Model 2000 12-gauge shotgun bearing serial number 915191.
According to the criminal complaint and documents filed in court, on January 26, 2015, Ray Kmetz entered New Hope City Hall, in New Hope, Minn., during a meeting of the city council. He was armed with the same Stoeger Model 2000 12-gauge shotgun that GARANT had purchased. Kmetz fired one round from the shotgun in the direction of the council chambers. New Hope Police Officers responded with fire and killed Kmetz.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nate Petterson and Benjamin Bejar are prosecuting this case.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL RONALD GARANT, 42
Golden Valley, Minn.
Charges:
• Making a false statement to acquire firearms on behalf of another person, 1 countGarant Complaint & Affidavit
The charges contained in the criminal complaints are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Miami-Dade County Resident Arrested in Connection with Jamaica Based Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
A Miami-Dade County resident was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint in connection with a Jamaica based lottery scam.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ronald J. Verrochio, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), made the announcement.
Rowan George Hemmings, 46, was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud for his role in a Jamaica based telemarketing fraud scheme.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in or about December 2012, Hemmings’ co-conspirators are alleged to have contacted victims in the U.S. and falsely informed them that they had won a lottery. The co-conspirators told victims they had to pay several thousand dollars in order to collect their purported lottery winnings. The co-conspirators then allegedly instructed the victims on how to send this money, and to whom, including to Hemmings. According to the complaint, the victims never received any lottery winnings.
In January 2013, Hemmings was contacted in Miramar, Florida, by law enforcement regarding a package, which was sent through the mail, containing money from a victim of this fraud. At that time and after being confronted with the fact that he was participating in a lottery fraud scheme, Hemmings signed a “Consent Agreement to Cease and Desist” whereby he voluntarily agreed to stop receiving money from victims of telemarketing fraud.
In January 2015, law enforcement identified a package mailed by another victim of this lottery fraud, addressed to Hemmings in Homestead, Florida. According to the complaint, Hemmings made multiple attempts to receive this package thereby continuing his participation in the lottery fraud and violating the terms of his agreement to Cease and Desist with this activity.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the USPIS, ICE-HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, Broward Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Interdiction Task Force, Miami Dade Police Department Economic Crimes Unit and the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha R. Mitrani.
In 2008, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force established the Project JOLT (Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing) taskforce in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance’s Financial Investigative Unit, and Jamaica Customs (hereinafter, JOLT taskforce). The JOLT taskforce is focused on identifying, disrupting and dismantling the severe increase in Jamaican based telemarketing fraud operations that prey on U.S. senior citizens. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Marshal Service are domestic partners of the JOLT taskforce.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Distributing Meth After Attempt to Steal from Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm after he attempted to rob an undercover police detective during a drug buy and led authorities on a high-speed chase.
Luis Alberto Vasquez-Pena, 24, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to two counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Vasquez-Pena admitted that he intended to rob the undercover officer when he agreed to sell five ounces of methamphetamine for $4,500. Vasquez-Pena admitted that he sold the undercover officer methamphetamine on two occasions in June 2014, and agreed to sell five ounces of methamphetamine for $900 per ounce on Aug. 14, 2014.
According to today’s plea agreement, Vasquez-Pena met the undercover officer near the corner of St. John Avenue and Hardesty Avenue in Kansas City; he got into the officer’s vehicle and instructed the officer to drive to a house near East 9th Street and Bales Court in Kansas City. Vasquez-Pena asked the undercover officer for the money; the officer confirmed having the money but wasn’t going to pay without getting the methamphetamine. Vasquez-Pena explained that he would have to walk two or three houses up the street to get the drugs, and that the dealer would not let five ounces of methamphetamine “walk out the door” without getting paid first. The undercover officer gave Vasquez-Pena $4,500. He got out of the vehicle, walked north on Bales Court, got into his Dodge Durango (which was occupied by a woman) and immediately left the area.
Law enforcement officers attempted to stop the Durango, but Vasquez-Pena refused to stop and a high-speed chase ensued that eventually led into Kansas City, Kan. Officers briefly lost sight of the Durango but soon found it abandoned in a business parking lot. A few minutes later, federal agents discovered Vasquez-Pena hiding under a car in a nearby salvage yard. Officers also found the woman passenger in the salvage yard and recovered the $4,500 in pre-recorded buy money. Agents searched the Durango and found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber pistol and another loaded handgun concealed under the driver’s seat.
“I know the game,” Vasquez-Pena told the arresting officers, adding that he “should have shot” the undercover officer after taking the money.
Vasquez-Pena, who admitted that he was born in Mexico and is illegally in the United States, told officers that he could not get the five ounces of methamphetamine and intended to take the money from the undercover officer. Vasquez-Pena also admitted that he had traded an eight-ball of methamphetamine for the Ruger pistol two or three weeks earlier.
Under federal statutes, Vasquez-Pena is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 90 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Davids. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Mentor Man Charged with Stealing $86,000 from Social SecurityRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury today returned an indictment in U.S. District Court charging Harley J. Hervey, 63, of Mentor, with theft of public money, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The alleged theft of Social Security funds, occurring between 2007 and 2014, totaled approximately $86,926, according to the indictment.
The United States Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
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 offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An 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.
Members of Atlantic City 'Dirty Block' Gang Sentenced for Participating in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - An Atlantic City, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin with Mykal Derry, a leader of the “Dirty Block” criminal street gang that allegedly used threats, intimidation and violence to maintain control of the illegal drug trade in Atlantic City.
Raymond Mack, a/k/a “Bread,” 21, of Atlantic City, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in Camden federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of public housing, 100 grams or more of heroin. Judge Irenas imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
Mack was arrested on March 26, 2013. He acted as a heroin dealer on behalf of Mykal Derry, 34, of Atlantic City, helping Dirty Block distribute heroin in and around the public housing apartment complexes of Stanley Holmes, Carver Hall, Schoolhouse, Adams Court and Cedar Court in Atlantic City.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Irenas sentenced Mack to serve eight years of supervised release.
Mack’s sentencing follows the sentencings last week of two conspirators: Kasan Hayes, 28, was sentenced to 108 months in prison and eight years of supervised release; and Dwayne Townsend, 21, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and eight years of supervised release. Both Hayes and Townsend previously pleaded guilty before Judge Irenas to charges of conspiring to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin, within 1,000 feet of a public housing complex.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Welling; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor James P. McClain; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Henry White; and the South Jersey Safe Streets Violent Incident and Gang (Safe Streets) Task Force, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
He also thanked the N.J. State Police; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Northfield Police Department; the Vineland Police Department; the Brigantine Police Department; the Millville Police Department; the Mullica Township Police Department; the South Jersey Transportation Authority; and the U.S. Secret Service for their contributions.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Askin and Justin Danilewitz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmund Burgos of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Defense counsel: Paul Hetznecker Esq., Philadelphia, P.A.Member of “Traveling Group” of Fraudsters SentencedRead the Press Release
BOISE — Myron Pardon, 26, from Southfield, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to six month in prison for aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Pardon to serve six months in a half-way-house after his release from prison, followed by six months of home detention and three years of supervised release. During his supervised release, Pardon can have only one credit card in his possession. Pardon pleaded guilty to the charges on November 13, 2014.
Pardon, co-defendant Brandt Stewart and others were part of a “traveling group” from Detroit, Michigan, that traveled to southern Idaho in December, 2013, and February, 2014, to make purchases at large “box stores” using counterfeit credit cards. Pardon knowingly and with intent to defraud used counterfeit credit cards to purchase “general use” charge cards at ten stores in Twin Falls, Boise and Meridian causing losses in the amount of $4,340.15. Some of the credit cards fraudulently used by Pardon belonged to actual account holders, thus constituting aggravated identity theft.
Stewart has entered a plea of guilty to similar charges and will be sentenced on April 28, 2015. A second co-defendant, Matthew Lane, will be transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, in Detroit, where Lane will plead guilty. No hearing date has been set in Detroit.
“Vigorous prosecution of those who travel here to carry out schemes to defraud Idaho citizens and businesses is a priority of this United States Attorney’s Office,” said Olson. “My office will work effectively and aggressively with local police departments and federal law enforcement agencies to put a quick end to these schemes.”
The case is the result of a joint investigation result of the Boise Police Department, United States Secret Service, and U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).