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Tuesday 3 February 2015
Former DMV Official Guilty of Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Alva Benavidez pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to accept bribes stemming from her employment at the California Driver Safety Office at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford, Benavidez admitted that she accepted more than $5,000 in cash and gifts from attorneys and their law firms in exchange for helping their clients obtain positive results in DMV hearings and unauthorized temporary licenses.
According to court records, Benavidez was an employee of the DMV since August 2000, where she worked as a Driver Safety Officer (“DSO”). As a DSO, Benavidez’s duties included presiding over hearings to determine whether a person charged with Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) should have their license suspended. As an employee of the DSO, Benavidez had access to files, records and information of the DMV, including temporary licenses. In her plea agreement, Benavidez admitted that between 2005 and August 2014, she entered into an agreement with six different attorneys and six of their staff or representatives (collectively “co-conspirators”) to aid the attorneys in obtaining favorable treatment for clients who were charged with DUIs. In exchange for the favorable treatment for the clients of the co-conspirators, Benavidez accepted goods and services of value, including cash, meals, and luxury items such as designer purses, from the co-conspirators.
Some of the activity Benavidez admitted to in her plea agreement included stealing arrest packets from the DSO before the information about a DUI arrest could be entered into the DSO database, setting aside driver license suspensions, and providing unauthorized temporary driver licenses for people who had been arrested for DUIs. In exchange for her participation in the conspiracy, Defendant accepted gifts and bribes worth over $5,000 total, including cash, gift certificates, sunglasses, purses and other items of value.
Benavidez retired from the DMV in December 2014 after search warrants were executed at her home and office. She has been released on bond pending sentencing. The guilty plea is not final until it has been accepted by the district court. Benavidez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2015 at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant.
Anyone with information about corruption at the DMV is asked to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-877-NO-BRIBE (662-7423), or the DMV’s Investigations Branch-Office of Internal Affairs at (951) 653-5357.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 15CR0233-BAS Alva Garrido Benavidez Age: 51 San Diego, California CHARGESConspiracy to Accept Bribes – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fineFederal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigations Division, Special Operations Command, Office of Internal AffairsFormer Cobb County Parks and Recreation Employee Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ryan Hornback, a former Cobb County Parks and Recreation employee who also ran a photography business as a second job, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography.
“Hornback desired access to more child pornography, and his solution was to produce more on his own to trade in the online community,” said Acting United States Attorney John Horn. “Victimizing the children he viewed online wasn’t enough, so he tragically brought yet another innocent victim to face the horrors of child porn on a personal level. This office devotes significant resources to combat child pornography, and will always focus on those offenders who take the despicable step of producing it.”
J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Our community and its children are much more safe with this lengthy prison sentence handed down to Mr. Hornback. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Program will continue to provide significant investigative resources toward those individuals like Mr. Hornback who choose to prey on and exploit our nation’s children.”
According to Acting United States Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: On April 18, 2014, a federal search warrant was executed at Hornback’s residence in Kennesaw, Ga., based on information that he was actively trading child pornography. During a search of the home, Hornback acknowledged he used a Google email address to send child pornography he produced to another suspect in the state of Washington. He confessed he liked to trade the images with other people to get more child pornography for himself. He also acknowledged that he produced sexually explicit images of a minor victim over Thanksgiving in 2013, keeping these pictures on a thumb drive he owned. FBI agents were later able to identify the minor victim in the case through interviews and other investigative steps.
Hornback, 28, of Kennesaw, Ga., has been sentenced by United States District Court Judge Thomas W. Thrash to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Hornback was convicted on these charges on October 7, 2014, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kurt R. Erskine prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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/.
Former Bridgeport, WV mayor sentenced to 3 years for prescription painkiller traffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Licensed pharmacist and former mayor of Bridgeport, West Virginia, Mario Blount, 52, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for unlawfully distributing prescription painkillers, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
An investigation by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, revealed that Blount repeatedly distributed prescription painkillers, including oxycodone and oxymorphone, outside the scope of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. In June 2013, he failed to report filling a prescription for 150 oxymorphone pills. In September 2013, he distributed oxymorphone pills without a physician’s prescription.
Blount pled guilty in September 2014 to a criminal Information charging him with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substances,” one count of “False or Fraudulent Material Omission,” and one count of “Distribution of Oxymorphone.”
As part of the sentenced issued today, Blount will also be required to forfeit his interest in $15,000.00 in U.S. currency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr and U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Former Berkshire Power Employees Charged in Air Pollution SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former operations manager and a control technician at Berkshire Power Plant were charged today with tampering with environmental monitors in violation of the Clean Air Act.
Fred Baker, 51, of Southampton, Mass., the former Operations and Maintenance Manager at Berkshire Power Plant in Agawam, Mass. and Scott Paterson, 44, of Manchester, Conn., the former Instrument and Control Technician were charged today in Informations with conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, and other criminal violations of that statute. Both Baker and Paterson have agreed to plead guilty to the charges.
“Air pollutants emitted in the western part of our state can have a profound impact on our urban environments in and around Boston, as well as into coastal Maine,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “Protecting New England’s airshed, through the criminal enforcement of the Clean Air Act, plays an important role in preserving human health and the environment. Berkshire Power Plant’s managers and a compliance worker deliberately sought to deceive regulators about the release of air pollutants, and fittingly now face criminal prosecution for that conduct.”
According to the Informations, from 2008 until March 2011, Baker instructed Paterson and other operators at Berkshire Power Plant to tamper with the plant’s Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS). The CEMS is an environmental monitoring system, required by federal law, which continuously samples, measures and records the concentration of regulated pollutants. Baker, Paterson and others at Berkshire Power Plant, tampered with the CEMS to save money, delay repairs and to avoid reporting to federal and state regulators that the plant, at times, was releasing pollutants – in this case, nitrogen oxides -- in excess of regulatory limits.
Initially, the defendants lowered the CEMS monitors by approximately .5 parts per million (ppm). In the summers of 2009 and 2010, when the plant underwent required independent audits of the pollution monitoring equipment, Baker instructed Paterson to take out the fraudulent adjustments in the monitors prior to the audit and re-introduce them after the auditors had left. Paterson made the fraudulent adjustments prior to, and after, each independent audit. Berkshire Power Plant was required to and did report the results of these audits to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2010, the .5 ppm adjustment was not sufficient to allow the plant to run at full power and comply with the facility’s Clean Air Act permit. Rather than doing the necessary repairs to the plant and its environmental pollution control equipment, or running the plant at lower power levels, Baker instructed staff, including Paterson, to lower the CEMS readings even more to avoid reporting pollution emissions.
“Berkshire Power Plant management and staff had institutionalized a deliberate scheme to evade compliance with the Clean Air Act by altering their emission monitoring equipment as it suited them and not the law. This not only creates an unfair advantage over competitive energy and utility sources, but underscores how our environment suffers at the hand of criminal greed,” said Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Boston.
“These employees intentionally cut corners and violated environmental laws intended to monitor pollution emissions,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “These charges are the result of a collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, and we will continue to investigate cases in which people seek to take shortcuts at the expense of the environment.”
“This complex technical investigation and resulting plea agreement, involving fraudulent practices related to air pollution monitoring, is the result of state and federal officials combining resources and working together to find the truth,” said Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “Through partnership with our federal law enforcement and environmental protection counterparts, MassDEP increases its ability to fulfill our mission to protect our air and the public health.”
The statutory maximum penalties for the conspiracy charge are five years in prison and three years of supervised release. The statutory maximum penalties for each of the Clean Air Act charges are two years in prison and one year of supervised release. Both statutes provide for a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss or gain per count, whichever is greater. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ortiz, Attorney General Healey, and EPA SAC Amon, made the announcement today. The case was investigated with the assistance of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Strike Force, the Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Sara Miron Bloom of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit and Daniel Licata, Assistant Attorney General with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office working as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
The details contained in the Informations are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida man, two others, sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Stephen Rokisky, 37, of Tampa, Florida, along with two additional individuals, was sentenced in federal court today on drug trafficking charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Rokisky was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for distributing hydrocodone in Marion County, West Virginia throughout 2013. He pled guilty in March 2013 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Hydrocodone.”
Amber McCormick, 29, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for selling oxycodone near the Harrison Street Playground in Clarksburg in April 2013. She pled guilty in October 2014 to one count of “Distribution of Oxycodone Within 1000’ of a Protected Location.”
The Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated Rokisky and McCormick.
David Jensen, 37, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution Gilmer, was sentenced to an additional six months in prison today for unlawful possession of heroin. He was discovered in possession of heroin within FCI Gilmer in October 2014. He pled guilty today to one count of “Possession of a Prohibited Object – Heroin.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr prosecuted Rokisky and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Morgan prosecuted McCormick and Jensen on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Federal Judge Sentences Three Methamphetamine TraffickersRead the Press Release
A total of 57 defendants have been prosecuted federally in connection with Operation “Dixie Crystal”
STATESVILLE, N.C. – On Monday February 2, 2015, U.S. District Judge Richard L. Voorhees handed down prison sentences to three men for their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking ring, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Kenneth Herman Bennett, 53, of West Jefferson, N.C. was sentenced to 188 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Bennett pleaded guilty in December 2013 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Bennett was the one of the conspiracy’s leaders and a supplier of crystal methamphetamine smuggled in to the United States from Mexico.
Judge Voorhees also sentenced Troy William Yount, Jr., 49, of Hudson, N.C. to 51 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and Isaac Andrew Waters, 38, of Charlotte, to 33 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Yount and Waters each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in November 2013 and April 2014, respectively.
The prosecutions stem from Operation “Dixie Crystal,” a joint drug task force operation which began in 2012, targeting significant methamphetamine traffickers in Ashe, Allegheny, Caldwell, Watauga, Wilkes Counties, and Johnson County in Tennessee. To date, at total of 57 defendants have been prosecuted federally in connection with this investigation.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, beginning in 2003 and continuing through 2011, the drug trafficking conspiracy was responsible for the sale of more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine, with a street value of more than $4,000,000. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 30 firearms, five vehicles, 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and $150,000 in U.S. currency.
The following 30 defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and were sentenced as follows:
1. Larry Mitchell Snyder of Trade, Tenn., was sentenced in July 2014 to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
2. Earl Butler Potter of Todd, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 37 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
3. Stephanie Lynn Shatley of Lansing, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
4. Jared William Pardue of Zionville, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
5. Tawana M. Sparks of Hudson, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
6. Ricky Allen Latham of Creston, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 46 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
7. Baxter Smith James of Boone, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to time served and eight years of supervised release.
8. Courtney Wayne Patterson of Todd, N.C., was sentenced in August 2014 to 110 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
9. Deborah Phillips Lewis of Todd, N.C., was sentenced in October 2014 to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
10. James Foy Parsons of West Jefferson, N.C., was sentenced in August 2014 to 33 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
11. Tina Ann Wheeler (a/k/a Tina Ann Miller) of Crumpler, N.C., was sentenced in July 2014 to 108 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
12. Mauricio “Mario” Baltazar of Lake City, Ga., was sentenced in June 2014 to 169 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
13. Jose Francisco Jimenez Pina of Mexico, was sentenced in April 2014 to 180 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, he also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and aiding and abetting.
14. Jason Michael Benfield of Laurel Springs, N.C., was sentenced in June 2014 to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, he also pleaded guilty to carrying of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
15. Ernest Monroe Parlier, Jr. of Crumpler, N.C., was sentenced in April 2014 to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, he also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
16. Jeremy Keith Nunnenkamp, of North Wilkesboro, N.C., was sentenced in July 2014 to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
17. Jeffrey Dale Watson of Fleetwood, N.C., was sentenced in June 2014 to 15 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
18. James Thomas Hawkins of Laurel Springs, N.C., was sentenced in August 2014 to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
19. Chad Morgan Yates of Chattahoochee Hills, Ga., was sentenced in July 2014 to 97 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
20. Christy Lee Latham of Warrensville, N.C., was sentenced in June 2014 to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
21. Melanie Virginia Osley of Chattahoochie Hills, Tenn., was sentenced in April 2014 to 108 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
22. Luis Enrique Garcia, of Mexico, was sentenced in December 2013 to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
23. Jose Francisco Jimenez Pina, of Mexico, was sentenced in April 2014 to 180 months in prison and five year of supervised release. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, he also pleaded guilty to unlawful use and carry of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
24. Jose Humberto Jimenez Pina, of Mexico, was sentenced in April 2014 to 50 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, he also pleaded guilty to unlawful use and carry of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
25. Bobby Giles Shore, of Lansing, N.C. was sentenced in April 2014 to 24 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
26. Danny Eller of West Jefferson, N.C., was sentenced in April 2014 to 21 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
27. Cristie Aldridge Dollar of Foscoe, N.C., was sentenced in December 2013 to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
28. Pamela Ann Corum, of Zionville, N.C. was sentenced in March 2014 to 63 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
29. Tammy Wynette Woody, of West Jefferson, N.C., was sentenced in June 2014 to 30 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
30. Javier Sanchez Chavez of Mexico, was sentenced in March 2014 to 21 months in prison and one year of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to withholding information on a crime.Seventeen additional defendants have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and are currently awaiting sentencing.
31. John Dale Darden, of Jefferson, N.C..
32. Larry Curtis Hooks of Lenoir, N.C.
33. William Clyde Townsend of Mountain, Tenn.
34. Victor Javier Hernandez (address unknown).
35. Terri Elaine Clark of Lenoir, N.C.
36. Michael Wayne Jenkins of Bloomer, N.C.
37. Bradley Eugene Goble of Lenoir, N.C.
38. Karl Albert Blanton of Lenoir, N.C.
39. Christopher Everett Triplett of Hudson, N.C.
40. Anthony Dwayne Byers of Jefferson, N.C.
41. Toni Leigh Wilson of Stanley, N.C.
42. Jesse Lawrence Burkett of Fleetwood, N.C.
43. John Paul Caudill of Laurel Springs, N.C.
44. Shannon Marie Williams Greene of Hickory, N.C.
45. Stephen Roger Dean (address unknown).
46. Lisa Dawn Wentworth of Lenoir, N.C.
47. Yee Thor of Newton, N.C.The following three defendants have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and are expected to appear in federal court to formally accept their pleas once their hearings have been scheduled:
48. Anthony Lee Day of Crumpler, N.C.
49. Donald Ray Newton of Byron, Ga.
50. Marixa Dawn Hart of Jefferson, N.C.Three more defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine:
51. Roger Dale Franklin of Lenoir, N.C. (via federal criminal indictment).
52. Brian Ledford of Newton, N.C. (via federal criminal complaint).
53. Heather Renee Miller of Hickory, N.C. (via federal criminal complaint).Another defendant, Martin Martinez Saldana, 43, of West Jefferson, N.C. was convicted by a jury in March 2014 of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and of receipt and possession of a firearm that was not registered to him. He is currently awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Tompkins recognized the following federal, state and local agencies which partnered in Operation Dixie Crystal, and thanked them for their continued cooperation and support:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI); Ashe County Sheriff’s Office; Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office; Boone Police Department; Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office; Watauga County Sheriff’s Office; Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office; Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee; Lenoir Police Department; Hickory Police Department; and Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.
The prosecutions are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
United States v. Jose Humberto Pina; Case Number 5:12-cr-48-RLV.
United States v. Saldana et al; Case Number 5:12-cr-49-RLV.
United States v. Shore; Case Number 5:12-cr-50-RLV.
United States v. Eller; Case Number 5:12-cr-51-RLV.
United States v. Corum; Case Number 5:12-cr-52-RLV.
United States v. Dollar; Case Number 5:12-cr-53-RLV.
United States v. Garcia et al; Case Number 5:12-cr-54-RLV.
United States v. Chavez; Case Number 5:13-cr-12-RLV.
United States v. Osley; Case Number 5:13-cr-15-RLV.
United States v. Parlier; Case Number 5:13-cr-18-RLV.
United States v. Latham; Case Number 5:13-cr-19-RLV.
United States v. Benfield; Case Number 5:13-cr-26-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-83.
United States v. Hawkins; Case Number 5:13-cr-27-RLV.
United States v. Yates; Case Number 5:13-cr-28-RLV.
United States v. Woody; Case Number 5:13-cr-36-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-132.
United States v. Nunnenkamp; Case Number 5:13-cr-39-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-132.
United States v. Watson; Case Number 5:13-cr-40-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-132.
United States v. Bennett; Case Number 5:13-cr-41-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-132.
United States v. Baltazar; Case Number 5:13-cr-42-RLV; Complaint Number 3:13-mj-137.
United States vs. Hartley; Case Number 5:13-cr-46-RLV.
United States vs. Lewis; Case Number 5:13-cr-47-RLV.
United States vs. Parsons; Case Number 5:13-cr-48-RLV.
United States vs. Yount; Case Number 5:13-cr-49-RLV.
United States vs. Snyder et al; Case Number 5:13-cr-50-RLV.
United States vs. Patterson; Case Number 5:13-cr-51-RLV.
United States vs. Wheeler; Case Number 5:13-cr-52-RLV.
United States vs. Darden, 5:14-cr-23-RLV.
United States vs. Hooks, 5:14-cr-30-RLV.
United States vs. Townsend, 5:14-cr-36-RLV.
United States vs. Hernandez, 5:14-cr-40-RLV.
United States vs. Clark, 5:14-cr-41-RLV.
United States vs. Jenkins, 5:14-cr-43-RLV.
United States vs. Goble, 5:14-44-RLV.
United States vs. Blanton, 5:14-cr-45-RLV.
United States vs. Triplett, 5:14-cr-50-RLV.
United States vs. Byers, 5:14-cr-51-RLV.
United States vs. Wilson, 5:14-cr-52-RLV.
United States vs. Burkett, 5:14-cr-63-RLV.
United States vs. Caudill, 5:14-cr-68-RLV.
United States vs. Greene, 5:14-cr-71-RLV.
United States vs. Dean, 5:14-cr-76-RLV.
United States vs. Wentworth, 5:14-cr-86-RLV.
United States vs. Thor, 5:15-cr-1-RLV.
United States vs. Day, 5:15-cr-5-RLV.
United States vs. Newton, 5:15-cr-10-RLV.
United States vs. Hart, 5:15-cr-7-RLV.
United States vs. Franklin, 3:14-cr-81-RLV; Complaint Number 3:14-mj-248.
United States vs. Ledford, 3:15-mj-30-DSC.
United States vs. Miller, 3:15-mj-30-DSC.Fargo Man Pleads Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FARGO - U. S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Feb. 3, 2015, Devon Cole Reed, 27, Fargo, N.D., pleaded guilty before U. S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson to two counts of receiving and distributing child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.
This case came to the attention of law enforcement after the electronic service provider Google notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a specific Gmail account contained child pornography. Law enforcement traced the account to Devin Reed residing in Fargo, North Dakota. A search warrant of Reed’s email accounts revealed that he was using them for the purpose of trading child pornography with other users located throughout the country. Law enforcement also recovered various media from Reed’s residence which also contained child pornography.
The maximum penalty for Counts One and Two is 40 years’ incarceration and the maximum penalty for Counts Three, Four, and Five is 20 years’ incarceration including a term of supervised release for up to life.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Fargo Police Department.
Assistant U. S. attorney Jennifer Puhl is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) help Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations and criminal prosecutions. Project safe childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Eight Defendants Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Operation Three AmigosRead the Press Release
Camden, Arkansas - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas; David Resch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI; David Downing, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA; David Butler, Prosecuting Attorney for the 13th Judicial District of Arkansas; and the Arkansas State Police, announced today that eight (8) individuals have been charged with state and federal crimes involving large scale drug trafficking of methamphetamine and crack cocaine in Camden, Arkansas, and surrounding areas.
The investigation, known as Operation Three Amigos, resulted in five arrests today by local, state, and federal law enforcement as part of a roundup of the charged defendants. Previously, three defendants were arrested and charged in the operation. The investigation has resulted in the seizure of two firearms and several rounds of ammunition, four vehicles and over $10,000.00 in United States currency from members of the organization.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI Task Force Officers began their investigation into drug trafficking in Ouachita County in 2011. The investigation included controlled purchases of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, surveillance and monitoring, and other investigative techniques.
U. S. Attorney Eldridge stated, “The members of this drug trafficking operation brought methamphetamine and crack cocaine into Camden and surrounding areas. I thank our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for continuing to work with this office to pursue and prosecute those who bring criminal activity and the fear and violence that come with it into our communities in the Western District of Arkansas.”
“The arrests today are a result of concentrated efforts from the Camden Police Department, Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force, United States Attorney’s Office, Arkansas State Police, and the FBI,” states David T. Resch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Together, we are committed and focused to stopping the movement and sale of drugs on the streets of Arkansas.”
“We have taken another step in our fight against drug trafficking”, said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Downing. “Thanks to the cooperative success of this investigation with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we have identified a significant drug trafficking organization and disrupted their ability to operate throughout Arkansas and beyond. Our citizens are now safer as this organization lies in shambles,” said Downing.
David Butler, Prosecuting Attorney for the 13th Judicial District of Arkansas commented, “In addition to praise for the officers associated with federal, state, and local agencies who
participated in the joint drug investigation, thanks to the many officers from across the state who assisted local law enforcement officials in apprehending the suspects and executing the search warrants.Each defendant was charged with at least one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance - namely cocaine base, a schedule II controlled substance. They are all from Camden. The defendants arrested on federal charges today are as follows:
Sheldon “Yak” Mitchell, age 34 - 3 counts
Kim “2Lou” Williams, age 39 - 3 counts
Willie “Will” Williams, age 41 - 3 counts
Jeffrey “Woodchuck” Haywood, age 51 - 2 counts
Other defendants that are part of this operation are as follows:
Carlos “Li’l Gafford” Morgan, age 32 - of Camden was previously arrested and arraigned on 4 counts of same.
Senica Howard, age 36 of El Dorado was previously arrested and arraigned on 2 counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
Mario “Hoolie” Thomas, age 36 - Thomas is currently set for trial and charged with 2 counts of Distribution of more than 28 grams of a Controlled Substance - namely cocaine base, a schedule II controlled substance.
An additional defendant was arrested on state charges today, Calvin Williams, age 42 of Camden, Arkansas.
The most serious charges for distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and for conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine have maximum penalties of life in prison. 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 violations.
Operation Three Amigos was a joint operation between the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force, the Camden Police Department, the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office, the Little Rock FBI Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ouachita County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Arkansas State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff is prosecuting the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
An indictment is merely an accusation. An arrest warrant represents a finding of probable cause. A person is presumed innocent unless or until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Duval County Man Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit ChecksRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jasper Lee Shields (59, Jacksonville) to 57 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the attempted passing of counterfeit checks and for violating his supervised release. He pleaded guilty on October 29, 2014.
According to court documents, on February 26, 2014, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Shields was driving on Interstate 95, in Duval County, Florida. Larry Bernard Taylor was a passenger in the vehicle. When asked for a driver’s license, Shields stated that he did not have one. Shields subsequently provided consent for the FHP to search the vehicle, during which officers located 12 counterfeit business checks purportedly issued from Walgreens. The checks were made out to three different payees, in various amounts.
Taylor pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme in November 2014. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 9, 2015.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service North Florida High-Tech Crime Task Force and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against New Hampshire Company and Senior Executives to Stop Distribution of Adulterated and Misbranded ProductsRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Atrium Medical Corporation (Atrium), Maquet Holding B.V. & Co. KG (Maquet), Maquet Cardiovascular LLC (Maquet CV), Maquet Cardiopulmonary AG (Maquet CP), Heinz Jacqui and Gail Christie to prevent the distribution of adulterated and misbranded medical devices, the Department of Justice announced today.
The department filed a complaint on Feb. 3 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), alleging that defendants introduced adulterated and misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce. According to the complaint, Atrium manufactures medical devices for cardiovascular-related uses, including chest drains, surgical meshes, vascular grafts and stent systems.
The FDA’s Quality System (QS) regulation sets forth current good manufacturing practice requirements for medical devices. The QS regulation governs the methods used in, and the facilities and controls used for, the design, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, installation and servicing of all finished devices intended for human use. The regulation is intended to ensure that finished devices will be safe and effective and otherwise in compliance with the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). A medical device that has been manufactured, packed, stored or installed in violation of the QS regulation is deemed to be adulterated.
“The American public needs to have the confidence that medical devices on the market are safe and effective,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The failure to comply with the quality system regulation for medical devices can pose a serious risk to the public health.”
According to the complaint, Atrium manufactures its medical devices at a facility in Hudson, New Hampshire. As set forth in the complaint, Maquet CV has a manufacturing facility in Wayne, New Jersey; Maquet CP has manufacturing facilities in Hechingen and Rastatt, Germany; and Maquet manages quality operations for the corporate defendants: Heinz Jacqui has been Maquet’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director since April 2012 and Gail Christie has been Maquet’s Corporate Chief Quality Assurance/Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Officer since October 2013.
According to the complaint, FDA inspections of Atrium’s New Hampshire facility revealed deviations from current good manufacturing practice requirements for medical devices. Specifically, the complaint alleges that during a 2013 inspection, FDA observed numerous deviations from regulations for medical devices, including a failure of the company to establish and maintain procedures for implementing corrective and preventive action. As alleged in the complaint, the violations of the QS regulation observed in 2013 were similar to observations FDA made in separate inspections in September 2012, March 2010, and March 2009.
In addition, according to the complaint, as part of the 2013 inspection of Atrium’s manufacturing facility, FDA documented a violation of the Medical Device Reporting regulation given the company’s failure to submit a medical device report within 30 days of receiving or otherwise becoming aware of information that reasonably suggested that a marketed device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury.
The complaint also alleges that FDA performed inspections at the Maquet CV’s and Maquet CP’s manufacturing facilities, and documented numerous violations of the QS regulation for medical devices.
In conjunction with the filing of the complaint, all of the defendants agreed to settle the litigation and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction, which requires the defendants to come into compliance with the FDCA and remedy past deficiencies in their current good manufacturing practices. The consent decree requires that Atrium’s manufacturing facility in Hudson, New Hampshire, be shut down (with limited exceptions) until corrective actions described in the consent decree are completed. Corrective actions include addressing the deficiencies previously identified by FDA.
Under the consent decree, Atrium is permitted to continue to manufacture and distribute certain medical devices deemed to be medically necessary. In order to do so, the defendants must comply with specific notification and other provisions in the consent decree. The consent decree also provides that the corporate defendants shall pay the United States $6 million in equitable disgorgement within 28 days after the entry of the consent decree.
“Patients must be assured that medical devices are safe, effective and high quality,” said Jan Welch, Acting Director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The FDA will remain vigilant in bringing companies that do not meet our regulatory requirements back to a sustainable state of compliance.”
The government is represented by Trial Attorney Dan Baeza of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCormack of the District of New Hampshire and Assistant Chief Counsel Shannon Singleton of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel’s Food and Drug Division.
Distributor and Enforcer for Atlantic City "Dirty Block" Gang Admits Role in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Also Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offense
CAMDEN, N.J. - An Atlantic City, New Jersey, man today admitted 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.
Kamal Allen, a/k/a “Geez,” a/k/a “Maly Geez,” 27, 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, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a previously convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
Allen acted as a distributor and enforcer on behalf of Derry, helping Dirty Block to distribute heroin in and around the public housing apartment complexes of Stanley Holmes, Carver Hall, Schoolhouse, Adams Court and Cedar Court, in Atlantic City. Allen was arrested on March 26, 2013. Allen said in court that he and others travelled with Derry to a shooting range in Lakewood, New Jersey, on Jan. 20, 2013, where Allen – a previously convicted felon – used, possessed, and discharged a firearm. Allen and other members of the group also participated in a violent altercation with rival drug traffickers at an Atlantic City casino in December 2012.
The charge of drug conspiracy in a protected zone, to which Allen pleaded guilty, carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a maximum potential fine of up to $20 million. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2015.
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 guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Justin C. Danilewitz, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Malqui-Burgos of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Defense counsel: Jerome A. Ballarotto Esq., Trenton, N.J.
15-042Detroit man pleads guilty to heroin crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Derrick Wayne Goodwin, 25, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the possession of heroin with the intent to distribute.
Derrick Goodwin admitted that between the fall of 2013 and February 2014, he conspired with other individuals to distribute heroin in the Huntington, West Virginia, area. He stated that he and his co-conspirators arranged for the transportation of the heroin from Detroit to Huntington.
Derrick Goodwin utilized an apartment in the 1000 block of 12th Avenue in Huntington to store and distribute heroin. On Feb. 13, 2014, agents with the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the apartment, where they recovered around 41 grams of heroin, two firearms and $2,411.
That same day, agents executed a search warrant at the Super 8 Motel on 16th Street Road in Huntington. Agents found Derrick Goodwin and another man in one of the rooms, with a search uncovering around 203.6 grams of heroin and $2,915. Goodwin stated he jointly possessed the heroin with a partner for the purpose of distribution.
Derrick Goodwin faces up to 40 years in federal prison, and a $5 million fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2015.
Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
The case is being investigated by the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Adams is in charge of the prosecution.
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Detroit man pleads guilty to heroin chargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Christopher Jermaine Taylor, 29, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Taylor admitted that between the summer of 2012 to February 2014, he conspired with other individuals to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in the Huntington, West Virginia area. Taylor said he and his co-conspirators arranged for the transportation of the heroin from Detroit to Huntington.
During the conspiracy, Taylor and the others utilized residences in Huntington as locations to distribute heroin. He stated they agreed to provide heroin to the residents’ occupants in exchange for utilizing them for the distributions.
Taylor leased an apartment in the 600 block of 22nd St. in Huntington in February 2013. In April 2013, Huntington Police Department officers seized around 23.6 grams of heroin and $7,380 from the apartment.
In February 2014, agents with the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in Detroit. Agents located Taylor, and seized a firearm.
Taylor faces up to 40 years in federal prison, and a $5 million fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2015.
Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
The case is being investigated by the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Adams is in charge of the prosecution.
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Denver Man Indicted for the Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography Ordered Held in Custody Without BondRead the Press Release
DEFENDANT WAS A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER DUE TO A PREVIOUS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CONVICTION
DENVER – Shawn Cheever, age 44, of Denver, Colorado, was ordered detained without bond today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen M. Tafoya, U.S. Attorney John Walsh and FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle announced. The detention order came today following a hearing where at its conclusion Magistrate Judge Tafoya found that the defendant was a danger to the community and a risk of flight.
Cheever was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on January 27, 2015. He was arrested by special agents with the FBI soon thereafter. He then made his initial appearance on January 29, 2015, where he was advised of his rights and the charges pending against him. In addition to today’s detention hearing, Cheever was arraigned, where he entered a pro-forma not guilty plea.
According to the indictment, count one alleges that on October 28, 2014, the defendant knowingly received child pornography via his computer. Count two alleges that on January 6, 2015, the defendant knowingly possessed any computer disk or other material that contained child pornography.
During today’s detention hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Colleen Covell argued that Cheever should be held without bond because he was a danger to the community and a risk of flight. To bolster her argument, AUSA Covell told the court that Cheever was a danger to the community because, in part, he was a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction in a child pornography case. Further, the defendant had 23 prior convictions (11 of which were felonies). Arguing the defendant is a risk of flight, Covell told the court that Cheever failed to appear in court 14 times. Finally, the defendant is a documented methamphetamine user.
If convicted of receipt of child pornography, the defendant faces not more than 20 years imprisonment, but if there is a similar conviction, the defendant faces not less than 15 years, and up to 40 years in federal prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possession of child pornography, the defendant faces not more than 10 years in federal prison, but if there is a similar conviction, the defendant faces not less than 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigate by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Covell.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
David Cote Pleads Guilty to Theft from South Burlington Car DealershipRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that David Cote, 44, of Essex Junction, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2015, in United States District Court in Brattleboro to a charge of access device fraud. U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha released Cote on conditions pending sentencing, which is set for May 19.
On January 13, 2015, the United States Attorney filed a criminal information charging Cote with access device fraud. According to the information, from about 2009 until his firing in 2012, Cote was employed as the parts manager at Freedom Nissan, a car dealership in South Burlington. As parts manager, Cote was responsible for ordering parts and accessories for use in the business. Freedom Nissan purchased some parts and accessories through vendors on e-Bay. Freedom Nissan paid for many of these Internet purchases with a company credit card.
For some period of time prior to his termination, Cote defrauded Freedom Nissan of thousands of dollars by ordering parts and accessories from vendors on e-Bay, paying for the parts and accessories with the company credit card, then selling the parts and accessories in private sales, and pocketing the proceeds of these sales without reimbursing Freedom Nissan.
Cote faces up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the South Burlington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cote is represented by Richard Goldsborough. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Dallas-Area Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Traffic Minor into the New Orleans Area for Purpose of Prostitution and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that TAUREAN JACKSON, age 25, from Dallas, Texas, pled guilty today to conspiring to traffic a minor from the Dallas area into the New Orleans area for the purposes of that minor engaging in prostitution and obstructing a federal investigation into his conduct.
According to court documents, JACKSON created and operated “Star City Vixens,” an escort agency that was a front for prostitution activity. Star City Vixens advertised “upscale adult entertainment” that would travel around the country to “major social events.” JACKSON initially recruited his “bottom” prostitute, A.B., to join “Star City Vixens,” in 2012. JACKSON became A.B.’s pimp and arranged for her to engage in sexual acts with others in exchange for money.
JACKSON was responsible for advertising and scheduling prostitution calls with A.B. JACKSON kept all, or most, of the proceeds from the prostitution calls. As a means of controlling A.B.’s behavior and ensuring her compliance, JACKSON beat and choked her on multiple occasions, often in front of others. On several occasions, JACKSON burned A.B. with lit cigarettes to discipline her.
In mid-June 2013, JACKSON and A.B. met the victim, who was then 16-years-old, in the Dallas-area and recruited her to begin working for JACKSON as a prostitute. As part of his recruitment process, JACKSON showed the victim a video he recorded and uploaded to Youtube.com that depicted the purportedly glamorous life of a prostitute and showed JACKSON and A.B. in a hotel room, riding in a stretch limousine, drinking champagne, and eating a heaping plate of nachos.
Over the course of the next several weeks, JACKSON and A.B. drove the victim throughout Texas and Louisiana for the purpose of A.B. and the victim engaging in prostitution, which JACKSON advertised, arranged, and scheduled using an online classified advertisement. JACKSON arranged for the victim to watch A.B. engage in prostitution acts as a means of educating her on the best way to perform sexual acts. JACKSON required A.B. to turn over all, or most, of the proceeds she earned from prostitution calls.
JACKSON disciplined A.B. in front of the victim and told the victim that he would do the same to her if she ever tried to leave him. Additionally, the victim was prepared to testify that on at least one occasion JACKSON struck her across the legs and buttocks with an extension cord.
On July 10, 2013, A.B. and the victim were arrested in a Metairie hotel room by undercover law enforcement officers who responded to an online classified advertisement offering a prostitution date.
A.B., who pled guilty in September 2014 for her role in traffic the victim, faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. She may also be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for April 8, 2015.
JACKSON faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for May 20, 2015.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office – Vice Division, with assistance from the FBI Dallas Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Dallas Police Department High Risk Victims Unit in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg and Brandon Long are in charge of the prosecution.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Attempting to Illegally Re-Enter the U.S.Read the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Fernando DeAzevedo Melo, 46, a citizen of Portugal, who was convicted of attempting to re-enter the United States following a subsequent felony conviction, was sentenced to time served (seven months) by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who handled the case, stated that on June 30, 2014, Melo attempted to re-enter the United States at the Rainbow Bridge. Because the defendant had previously been removed from the United States for a previous felony conviction, he needed permission to reapply for admission into the United States.
The investigation is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Randy Howe, Director of Field Operations.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking Charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Martin Pelayo, 39, of Colorado Springs, Colo., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to a heroin trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Pelayo was arrested on Sept. 29, 2014, at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque, N.M., after a consensual search of his baggage by DEA agents revealed that he was carrying more than a kilogram of heroin concealed in a sleeping bag. Pelayo subsequently was indicted on Oct. 21, 2014, and charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
During today’s proceedings, Pelayo pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Pelayo admitted that on Sept. 26, 2014, he was traveling on a Greyhound Bus from Los Angeles, Calif., to Charlotte, N.C. During a stop in Albuquerque, Pelayo had a conversation with a law enforcement officer during which he permitted the officer to search his luggage. The search revealed two bundles of heroin which were concealed within Pelayo’s sleeping bag. Pelayo admitted that he was planning to deliver the heroin to another person in exchange for money.
At sentencing, Pelayo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Pelayo was remanded into federal custody after entering his guilty plea. He will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Interdiction Unit of the DEA’s Albuquerque office which focuses on disrupting the flow of narcotics, weapons, and the proceeds of illegal activities as they are smuggled into or through New Mexico in passenger buses, passenger trains, commercial vehicles and automobiles. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Wishard is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative is a collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center that is partnering with the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative with the overriding goal of reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in the District of New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. The law enforcement component of the HOPE Initiative is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.
Bulgarian Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Use Counterfeit Access DevicesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Petar Petrov, 42, a citizen of Bulgaria who resides Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess and use counterfeit access devices with intent to defraud, was sentenced to three months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,176.27 to the Royal Bank of Canada and $66,795.74 to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who handled the case, stated that the defendant was arrested on September 2, 2013, as he entered the United States from Canada at the Lewiston Bridge. A Customs and Border Patrol officer found ten counterfeit access devices in Petrov’s car. The devices were gift cards which had been altered by having legitimate credit card numbers imbedded in the magnetic strips on the back of the cards. Agents determined that all 10 cards were counterfeit. The defendant and a co-conspirator placed “skimming devices” on ATMs in Canada to obtain account information.
The scheme also involved the use of a surreptitiously placed camera to record the personal identification numbers (PINS) used by customers to transact business on the ATM’s. The account information was then placed on the magnetic strips of various gift cards, creating counterfeit access devices. Petrov also used several counterfeit access devices in the Buffalo area between July and September 2013 to withdraw money from various bank accounts in Canadian Banks.
“This case is yet another reminder of how important it is to protect your personal accounts and credit cards,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “Criminals will go to any lengths, including the use of cameras, to steal your personal information. Information on how to protect one’s identity and finances can be found at www.stopfraud.gov.”
Co-conspirator Evgeniy Bandarmiliev is also charged with conspiracy to possess and use counterfeit access devices with intent to defraud. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge.
Brothers Sentenced for Food Stamp Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Two brothers, one a resident of Carnegie, Pa., and the other a resident of Greentree, Pa., have each been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation with six months of home detention on their convictions of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution of $199,605.38 pursuant to related Civil Settlement Agreements entered into by the defendants and the United States.
Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill imposed the sentences on Wesam Ibrahim, 41, of Carnegie, Pa., and Hadi Ibrahim, 43, of Greentree, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, the Ibrahim brothers co-own and operate City News & Arcade, a convenience store located on Wood Street in Pittsburgh, Pa. City News participated in the United States Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as the food stamp program. Food stamp recipients could purchase eligible food items using food stamp benefit cards at City News. As owners and operators of City News, the defendants were aware that food stamp program rules prohibited the exchange of food stamp benefits for cash and/or ineligible items. Despite this knowledge, on multiple occasions, the defendants exchanged customers’ food stamp benefits for cash on a discounted basis, usually giving customers only .50 cents on the dollar for food stamp benefits. The defendants also permitted food stamp customers to purchase ineligible non-food items, such as cigarettes, with food stamp benefits.
Judge Cohill stated that the sentences imposed were sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the ends of justice.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government. Assistant United States Attorney Colin Callahan litigated these cases on behalf of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney's Office.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Agriculture along with Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of the Ibrahim brothers.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Murder to Obstruct Bank Fraud InvestigationRead the Press Release
Yesterday, Naquan Reyes pled guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, to murdering Nicole Thompson to prevent her from communicating with federal law enforcement officials who were investigating a bank fraud conspiracy. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Reyes paid another individual to murder Ms. Thompson to prevent her from cooperating with law enforcement and undermining a lucrative and long-standing scheme to defraud banks in the New York area. During yesterday’s proceeding, Reyes also pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy.
The plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Robert J. Sica, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Secret Service, New York Field Office.
“The murder of Nicole Thompson was the result of a truly shocking combination of greed and violence,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We hope her family can take some measure of solace in knowing that the individual who is responsible for their daughter’s murder has been brought to justice. This Office and our law enforcement partners will do anything in our power to hold accountable those who use violence to silence witnesses or otherwise obstruct justice.” Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, New York City Police Department, and Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their significant cooperation and assistance in the investigation.
As alleged in the detention memorandum and during a detention hearing, between 2008 and his arrest in 2014, Reyes perpetrated a scheme to defraud various banks. As part of the scheme, Reyes secured employment at more than half a dozen banks and, relying in part on knowledge he acquired from his employment, Reyes created counterfeit checks and recruited others to deposit those checks into their and others’ bank accounts. Reyes and his coconspirators then attempted to withdraw the funds from the bank accounts before the banks learned the checks were counterfeit. Among those he recruited to make the deposits was Nicole Thompson. On July 16, 2010, Thompson was arrested by the New York City Police Department in connection with her role in the scheme, and she immediately decided to cooperate with law enforcement. When Reyes learned of Thompson’s plans to cooperate and thereby jeopardize his ongoing fraud scheme, Reyes paid another individual to murder her and then traveled from New York to Maryland to dispose of her body. On July 24, 2010, Thompson’s body, duct taped and wrapped in garbage bags, was found in a dumpster in Landover, Maryland. Thompson was 24 years old at the time of her murder.
Yesterday’s plea took place before United States District Judge Sandra L. Townes. When sentenced, Reyes faces up to life in prison, as well as forfeiture and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Kramer, Elizabeth Geddes, Samuel Nitze, and Karin Orenstein.
The Defendant:
NAQUAN REYES
Age: 29
Brooklyn, NY
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-0227
Bronx Man Sentenced for Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – HECTOR MORALES, 36, of the Bronx, was sentenced today by the Honorable Gary L. Sharpe to thirty years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt. Additionally, the judge imposed a term of twenty years of supervised release upon release from incarceration. MORALES has a prior drug felony conviction and, therefore, was subject to increased penalties.
In November 2011, a jury convicted MORALES of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine. At the trial, the government offered evidence that between January and September 2010, MORALES conspired with several individuals to sell large quantities of cocaine and crack in Troy and Plattsburgh. Two co-defendants, Nelson Cordero and Anthony Cordero, pled guilty prior to the trial, and were sentenced in 2012.
"The scourge of illegal drugs in our communities is intolerable," said United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. "Use of addictive drugs like crack cocaine is devastating. My office will work with our federal, state and local partners to continue our efforts to rid our streets of these substances."
The investigation of this case was the result of a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Plattsburgh Police Department, the New York State Troopers and the Rensselaer Country Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Elizabeth R. Rabe.
Bronx Man Convicted for Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Conspired to sell cocaine and crack in the Troy and Plattsburgh areas
ALBANY, NEW YORK – HECTOR MORALES, 36, of the Bronx, was sentenced today by the Honorable Gary L. Sharpe to thirty years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt. Additionally, the judge imposed a term of twenty years of supervised release upon release from incarceration. MORALES has a prior drug felony conviction and, therefore, was subject to increased penalties.
In November 2011, a jury convicted MORALES of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine. At the trial, the government offered evidence that between January and September 2010, MORALES conspired with several individuals to sell large quantities of cocaine and crack in Troy and Plattsburgh. Two co-defendants, Nelson Cordero and Anthony Cordero, pled guilty prior to the trial, and were sentenced in 2012.
"The scourge of illegal drugs in our communities is intolerable," said United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. "Use of addictive drugs like crack cocaine is devastating. My office will work with our federal, state and local partners to continue our efforts to rid our streets of these substances."
The investigation of this case was the result of a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Plattsburgh Police Department, the New York State Troopers and the Rensselaer Country Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Elizabeth R. Rabe.
Attorney General Holder to Hold Building Community Trust Roundtable Discussion in OaklandRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, Attorney General Eric Holder will travel to Oakland on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015, to participate in a Building Community Trust roundtable discussion. The roundtable will serve as an opportunity to bring law enforcement, elected officials and members of the community together to discuss next steps that the administration will take to improve relationships between law enforcement and the community, address concerns about violence directed at law enforcement, increase the integrity within our justice system and share best practices for policing. In the afternoon, Attorney General Holder will meet with students, police academy recruits, and local police officers on building community trust at the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club. Following the meeting, the Attorney General will tour the Boys & Girls Club, which is known for community-based programs that foster mentorship, collaborative relationships between young people and law enforcement.
The roundtable in Oakland marks the Attorney General’s sixth Building Community Trust roundtable discussion. The other roundtables were held in Atlanta, Cleveland, Memphis, Chicago and Philadelphia.
ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDS BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION IN OAKLAND:
WHO: Attorney General Eric Holder
U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for the Northern District of California
U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland WHEN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
9:30 a.m. PST WHERE: Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
1301 Clay Street
North Tower Entrance – 5th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612 PHOTO SPRAY AT THE TOP (Media Access/Check-in: 8:30 a.m. PST. Media Pre-Set: 8:45 a.m. PST. Final Access: 9:00 a.m. PST. All media must proceed to the 5th Floor for check-in and pre-set.)NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license as well as valid media credentials). Members of the media must RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Media planning to cover the event should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. PST. Space is limited and not guaranteed. Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Kevin Lewis at [email protected] and Meki Bracken at [email protected].
ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDS MEETING WITH STUDENTS AND POLICE OFFICERS ON BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST AND TOURS THE WILLIE MAYS BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO:
WHO: Attorney General Eric Holder WHEN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
2:30 p.m. PST WHERE: Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco
195 Kiska Road
San Francisco, CA 94124 PHOTO SPRAY AT THE TOP (Media Access/Check-in: 1:30 p.m. PST. Media Pre-Set: 1:45 p.m. PST. Final Access: 2:00 p.m. PST.)NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license as well as valid media credentials). Members of the media must RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Media planning to cover the event should arrive no later than 2:00 p.m. PST. There will be limited access to the tour following the meeting. Space is limited and not guaranteed. Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Kevin Lewis at [email protected] and Meki Bracken at [email protected].
Army National Guard Official Pleads Guilty for Accepting $30,000 BribeRead the Press Release
An Army National Guard official pleaded guilty today for accepting a $30,000 bribe in exchange for steering a $3.6 million contract to a retired sergeant major of the Minnesota Army National Guard and his consulting company. Today’s guilty plea is the eighth in connection with an investigation into corruption within the National Guard Bureau related to the awarding of millions of dollars of Army National Guard marketing, retention and recruitment contracts.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge Andrew McCabe of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office and Director Frank Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (Army-CID) made the announcement.
Jason Rappoccio, 39, of Hampton, South Carolina, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery. Rappoccio was indicted on Sept. 25, 2014, and will be sentenced on May 22, 2015.
According to plea documents, Rappoccio, who was an active duty sergeant first class in the Army National Guard, admitted to accepting a $30,000 bribe from Timothy Bebus, a retired sergeant major of the Minnesota Army National Guard and owner of Mil-Team Consulting and Solutions LLC (Mil-Team). In exchange, Rappoccio agreed to recommend the award of a $3.6 million contract to Mil-Team and to steer the contract to a Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified company, chosen by Bebus, that would sub-contract the work to Mil-Team.
Rappoccio admitted that he received the $30,000 bribe in installments to conceal the payment. Bebus gave $6,000 in cash directly to Rappoccio at a meeting in Arlington, Virginia. The remaining $24,000 was paid in a cashier’s check in the name of Rappoccio’s wife.
Rappoccio also admitted that days after receiving the $30,000 bribe, he solicited and received airline tickets for two of his family members from Bebus. Three months later, Rappoccio also received NFL tickets worth $1,328 from another co-conspirator. At the time that he accepted these additional benefits, Rappoccio agreed to steer an additional $4 million contract to Bebus and his company.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office and Army-CID’s Expeditionary Fraud Resident Agency’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alison L. Anderson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fahey of the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Seifan and Martin Coffey of the Eastern District of New York.
Army National Guard Official Pleads Guilty for Accepting $30,000 BribeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Army National Guard official pleaded guilty today for accepting a $30,000 bribe in exchange for steering a $3.6 million contract to a retired sergeant major of the Minnesota Army National Guard and his consulting company. Today’s guilty plea is the eighth in connection with an investigation into corruption within the National Guard Bureau related to the awarding of millions of dollars of Army National Guard marketing, retention and recruitment contracts.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge Andrew McCabe of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office and Director Frank Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (Army-CID) made the announcement.
Jason Rappoccio, 39, of Hampton, South Carolina, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery. Rappoccio was indicted on Sept. 25, 2014, and will be sentenced on May 22, 2015.
According to plea documents, Rappoccio, who was an active duty sergeant first class in the Army National Guard, admitted to accepting a $30,000 bribe from Timothy Bebus, a retired sergeant major of the Minnesota Army National Guard and owner of Mil-Team Consulting and Solutions LLC (Mil-Team). In exchange, Rappoccio agreed to recommend the award of a $3.6 million contract to Mil-Team, and to steer the contract to a Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified company, chosen by Bebus, that would sub-contract the work to Mil-Team.
Rappoccio admitted that he received the $30,000 bribe in installments to conceal the payment. Bebus gave $6,000 in cash directly to Rappoccio at a meeting in Arlington, Virginia. The remaining $24,000 was paid in a cashier’s check in the name of Rappoccio’s wife.
Rappoccio also admitted that days after receiving the $30,000 bribe, he solicited and received airline tickets for two of his family members from Bebus. Three months later, Rappoccio also received NFL football tickets worth $1,328 from another co-conspirator. At the time that he accepted these additional benefits, Rappoccio agreed to steer an additional $4 million contract to Bebus and his company.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office and Army-CID’s Expeditionary Fraud Resident Agency’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alison L. Anderson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fahey of the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Seifan and Martin Coffey of the Eastern District of New York.
Monday 2 February 2015
“Operation Yeti ICE” Defendants Enter Guilty Pleas in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Seven individuals who were indicted as a result of DEA’s "Operation Yeti Ice" investigation have entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan III, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced today.
AOperation Yeti Ice@ is an extensive Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, which began as an operation targeting illegal narcotics distribution in central Mississippi. The drug network involved the distribution of over 100 Kilograms of Methamphetamine and encompassed the states of California and Mississippi.
Jennifer Higgins McLemore, 35, of Pearl, pled guilty on January 28, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. She will be sentenced on April 21, 2015 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.
Walter Pernillo, 42, of San Bernardino, California, pled guilty on January 28, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on April 21, 2015 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.
Terry Garth, 35, of Newton, pled guilty on January 28, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. He will be sentenced on April 21, 2015 and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison for the conspiracy charge, ten years in prison for the firearm charge, and a maximum fine of $1 million.
Steven Ochoa, 29, of San Bernardino, California, pled guilty on January 29, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on April 20, 2015 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.
Jennifer Toole Kidd, 30, of Newton, pled guilty on January 30, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She will be sentenced on April 20, 2015 and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Jakeivia Fairley, 24, of San Bernardino, California, pled guilty on January 30, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She will be sentenced on April 20, 2015 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
Beatrice Williams McEntee, 56, of Forest, pled guilty on February 2, 2015 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She will be sentenced on April 23, 2015 and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
This OCDETF operation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Leake County Sherriff’s Office, Madison County Sherriff’s Office, Carthage Police Department, Forest Police Department, Newton County Sherriff’s Office, Lauderdale County Sherriff’s Office, Decatur Police Department, Richland Police Department, Pearl Police Department, Ridgeland Police Department, and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Chalk is prosecuting the case.
The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
York Men Affiliated with Latin Kings Street Gang Enter Guilty Pleas to Puerto Rico-York Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District Pennsylvania announced that three men have entered guilty pleas to drug trafficking and firearms offenses for their roles in the importation from Puerto Rico and distribution of kilograms of heroin and cocaine into York, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, on January 29, 2015, Angel Mendez-Castro, age 27, of Puerto Rico and York, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to import and distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and heroin from 2010 to 2013. Mendez-Castro also admitted to using threats of violence against witnesses and firearms to protect the trafficking between Puerto Rico and York. The maximum penalty for the offense is a ten-year mandatory sentence and a maximum punishment of life in prison.
The Mendez-Castro guilty plea is the culmination of multi-year investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police and the York County Drug Task Force, conducted with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The investigation involved hundreds of purchases of heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine made from over one hundred individuals in York. Many of the individuals involved in the conspiracy were arrested in a sweep that began on February 6, 2013, in York County. Thereafter, 15 individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg for leadership roles in the heroin and cocaine trafficking.
On January 29, 2015, Angel Mendez-Castro’s brother and cousin entered guilty pleas. Christian Mendez-Castro, a/k/a “King Rampage,” age 22, of Puerto Rico and York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking conspiracy. Hector Castro-Padro, a/k/a “Fernando,” age 29, of York, entered a plea to drug trafficking and firearms offenses. A sentencing date for these three defendants has not been set by the U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane.
As part of the overall investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office charged others affiliated with the distribution of heroin and cocaine in York. The status of the other cases is as follows:
William Ortiz, age 53, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On August 21, 2014, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Luis Angel Ortiz, a/k/a “C Lo,” age 31, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On April 15, 2014, he was sentenced to twelve (12) years and six (6) months in prison.
Jose Cartegena, Jr., a/k/a “Warrior,” age 35, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On April 28, 2014, he was sentence to 60 months in prison.
Marcus Garcia, a/k/a “King Paradise,” age 28, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On September 5, 2014, he was sentenced to six (6) years and five (5) months in prison.
David Ramsey, a/k/a “King Knuckles,” age 32, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On December 9, 2014, he was sentenced to five (5) years in prison.
Carlos Villalongo-Martinez, age 38, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On July 29, 2014, he was sentenced to two (2) years in prison.
Brandon Jones, age 27, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On June 3, 2014, he was sentenced to six (6) years in prison.
Antonio Navarro-Garcia, a/k/a “King Trigger,” age 22, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On November 25, 2014, he was sentenced to five (5) years in prison.
Michael Enriquez, a/k/a “King Rage,” age 30, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. On January 27, 2015, he was sentenced to ten (10) years in prison.
Hector Rengifo, age 40, of York, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking on August 4, 2014. He is awaiting sentencing.
August Ranalli, age 31, and Daniel Pacheco-Morels, age 41, both of York, are scheduled for trial on March 31, 2015.
Prosecution of the cases is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In these particular cases, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is life imprisonment for the defendants and a term of supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Each defendant also faces a mandatory minimum period of incarceration of ten years. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Man was Sentenced to Serve 6 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States Following RemovalRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ryszard Lachowicz (57, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada) was sentenced Thursday, January 29, 2015, to serve 6 months in prison by Senior United States District Court Judge Lawrence E. Kahn announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Patrol Agent in Charge Dennis O’Neill of United States Border Patrol, Burke Station. In November, Lachowicz pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following removal, a felony under federal law. Following the completion of the term of imprisonment, the Department of Homeland Security will process Lachowicz for removal from the United States.
In October 2014, Lachowicz was arrested by United States Border Patrol Agents after he was detected riding a moped around the Chateaugay Port of Entry thereby avoiding immigration and customs inspection. Lachowicz had been previously removed to Canada twice in 1999 and again in May 2014.
The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, Burke, NY, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Wheeling, WV woman sentenced for selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Krista Dennis, 28, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 11 months in prison for selling crack cocaine near a protected location, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
An investigation by the Benwood, West Virginia Police Department, the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force revealed that Dennis sold crack cocaine in July 2014 within 1,000 feet of a protected location. Both task forces are HIDTA-funded initiatives.
Dennis pled guilty in December 2014 to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base Near a Protected Location.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McWilliams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp presided.
West Fargo Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FARGO - U. S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Feb. 2, 2015, Peter Alan Karl, 52, West Fargo, N.D., was sentenced before U. S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson to serve six years in prison for the receipt of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Judge Erickson also sentenced Karl to a lifetime period of supervised release following his incarceration and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.
This case came to the attention of Law Enforcement after it was discovered that the defendant was communicating with individuals who had a sexual interest in children via a website hosted outside the United States. Eventually, Law Enforcement obtained search warrants for Karl’s email accounts and residence where investigators found both electronic and hard-copy images of child pornography depicting prepubescent children.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations and West Fargo Police Department.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) help Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations and criminal prosecutions. Project safe childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Utica Man Indicted on Two Counts of Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - On January 30, a grand jury in the Northern District of New York returned an indictment charging CALVIN STEPHON MOORE (49, of Utica) with two counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If convicted, MOORE faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and special assessments of $200.
According to the indictment, on November 17, 2014, Moore told a KeyBank employee at 1610 Eastern Parkway in Schenectady, New York that he was holding up the bank and took $5,035. The indictment also alleges that on November 18, 2014, Moore gave an Adirondack Bank employee at 185 Genesee Street in Utica, New York a note that said in part “THIS IS A ROBBERY. I HAVE A GUN AND WILL SHOOT IF YOU TRY ANYTHING. PUT ALL THE LOOSE BILLS (EVERY DENOMINATION) IN THE BAG … NO DYE PACK OR TRACERS OR I WILL SHOOT!,” and took $1,647.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Moore was arrested on December 30, 2014 in Cayce, South Carolina, by police officers from the Cayce Police Department, with assistance from the Columbia, South Carolina Police Department and the Columbia Division of the FBI. The U.S. Marshals Service is in the process of transporting Moore back to the Northern District of New York.
This prosecution resulted from an investigation conducted by the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Schenectady and Utica Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Barnett.
Urbana Man to Serve 25 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – An Urbana, Ill., man, Shannon Logan, 35, of the 1400 block of Scovill St., today was ordered to serve 25 years in prison for distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, as announced by U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis, Central District of Illinois. In addition, Logan was ordered to register as a sex offender for natural life and to remain on supervised release for an additional 30 years following completion of his prison sentence.
U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Logan has engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse of a minor. Logan was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 240 months (20 years) in prison for count one of the indictment, distribution of child pornography, and 120 months (10 years) for possession of child pornography. For receipt of child pornography, Logan was also ordered to serve the statutory maximum 240 months in prison, to be served as 180 months concurrent and 60 months (five years) consecutive to the imposed sentence.
Logan pled guilty on Oct. 2, 2014, to trading images, via the internet, of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and retaining the images and videos he traded on computer storage devices. Logan has remained in the custody of law enforcement since he was arrested on May 30, 2014, on state child pornography charges.The charges were investigated by the Urbana Police Department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson in cooperation with the office of Champaign County State=s Attorney Julia Rietz.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Two sentenced for selling heroin, other drugsRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two individuals were sentenced in federal court in Martinsburg today on drug trafficking charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Christopher Michael Walls, 30, of Clarksburg, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for selling oxycodone in Harrison County in January 2014. He pled guilty in July 2014 to one count of “Distribution of Oxycodone – Aiding and Abetting” following an investigation by the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Joshua Rollyson, 31, of Sutton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for selling heroin in Braxton County in November 2013. He pled guilty in October 2014 to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” following an investigation by the West Virginia State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted Rollyson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted Walls on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Two Williamson County Residents Charged with Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsOn January 6, 2015, a Benton grand jury returned drug indictments against Corinthus Bevely, a/k/a “Rent,” 45, of Marion, and Krystle N. Statler, 24, of Johnston City, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Bevely is charged in a one-count indictment alleging conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. The offense occurred between March 2014 and December 2014, in Williamson County. Bevely’s offense carries a penalty of 5-40 years in federal prison, to be followed by 4 years’ supervised release, and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Bevely made his initial appearance in federal court on January 9, 2015, and was ordered held without bond pending a March 9, 2015, jury trial.
Statler is charged in a two-count indictment alleging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of pseudoephedrine knowing that it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. The offenses occurred between 2012 and November 2014, in Williamson, Jackson, and Franklin Counties. Statler’s offenses carry a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Statler made her initial appearance in federal court on January 30, 2015. She is being held without bond pending a February 3, 2015, detention hearing.
Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The ongoing investigations are being conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The Williamson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigations.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
St. Albans felon gets 15 years for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Desmond Ra’Keesh White, 26, of St. Albans, West Virginia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
In October 2014, White pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On July 9, 2014, White was arrested by Charleston Police Department officers following a vehicle stop on Charleston’s West Side. The arrest led to the recovery of a firearm inside White’s car, which he admitted on the scene belonged to him.
White had previously been convicted in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, in 2007 of armed robbery, grand larceny and three counts of burglary. He was on parole for the robbery conviction when arrested in July. White was sentenced as an armed career criminal, which provided for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
The case was investigated by the Charleston Police Department, with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Monica Coleman were in charge of the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to reduce gun crime by networking existing local programs.
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Point Pleasant man sentenced for heroin distributionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Steven Libertore, 50, of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
In October 2014, Libertore pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin. He admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential informant Feb. 27, 2013, in the parking lot of a Dollar General in Point Pleasant. He further admitted to assisting others in distributing heroin in the Mason County area from the summer of 2012 to March 2013.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
The case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney John Frail was in charge of the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of heroin and prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets and curtailing the spread of heroin and opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
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Pike County Man Charged with Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that an Information was filed today charging a Dingman’s Ferry man with receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the Information alleges that Daniel Decker, age 29, used a computer between January 2, 2015 and January 20, 2015, to receive and distribute images of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The charge stems from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lackawanna County district Attorney’s Office.
Decker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if he is convicted of the charge.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Robert M. McCord Charged with Two Counts of Attempted ExtortionRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a criminal Information was filed against Pennsylvania State Treasurer Robert M. McCord charging him with two counts of attempted extortion in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1951(a). Each count is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and fine of up to $250,000. In addition, a plea agreement was filed indicating that Mr. McCord will plead guilty to both charges when he appears in federal court for his arraignment.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, and the arraignment is scheduled to occur on February 17, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.According to the Information filed today, Mr. McCord attempted to extort campaign contributions from a law firm and a property management company while he was running for Governor by threatening economic harm to the potential donors if they failed to make sufficient campaign contributions. In particular, McCord threatened to use his position as State Treasurer to interfere with the business that the law firm and property management firm were conducting with the state if they did not make the contributions.
Attached to the plea agreement is a joint statement of facts agreed to by the parties. The statement outlines the facts underlying the criminal charges in greater detail.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt was designated United States Attorney for this case because United States Attorney Peter J. Smith recused himself. Mr. Smith previously worked for Mr. McCord for a short period of time at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department.
Mr. Pfannenschmidt stated that “public corruption cases are some of the most serious cases our office handles and this case indicates a serious breach of the public trust. Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in holding public officials responsible for their violation of the public trust.”
“The citizens of the Commonwealth expect and deserve public officials who perform their duties free of deceit, favoritism, bias, self-enrichment, concealment and conflict of interest,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Hanko of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI. “Public corruption is an erosion of the public’s trust in our system of government, and the FBI stands committed to holding public officials accountable when they violate their oaths of office and betray that trust.”
"The abuse of power by elected officials tears at the fabric of society, undermines the rule of law and weakens public confidence in government," said Major Andrew Ashmar, Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation. "The Pennsylvania State Police is steadfast in our commitment to bring to justice those who use the power of their office for personal gain rather than serving the best interest of the public."
“When our public officials fail to uphold the integrity of the office to which they were elected, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division is committed to working with our fellow law enforcement agencies to restore the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Akeia Conner.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio, William S. Houser, and Gordon A. D. Zubrod.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
(Information)
(Plea Agreement)
(Joint Statement of Facts)
Parkville Man Sentenced in Plot to Export Industrial Products and Services to IranRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Ali Saboonchi, age 34, a U.S. citizen residing in Parkville, Maryland, today to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy and seven counts of exporting American manufactured industrial products and services to Iran.
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 and Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
In 1995, the President of the United States imposed economic sanctions against Iran, including a trade embargo (the Iran Trade Embargo). In order to implement the Iran Trade Embargo, the U.S. Department of the Treasury promulgated regulations that prohibit the export, sale or supply to Iran of any goods or services from the United States without prior authorization.
According to evidence presented during the two week trial, from November 2009 to 2013, Saboonchi conspired with others to evade the Iran Trade Embargo by exporting American manufactured industrial goods and services to Iranian businesses. A co-conspirator, located in Iran, had Saboonchi in Maryland create and operate Ace Electric Company to obtain goods to be sent to Iran. The co-conspirator, who operated businesses in Tehran, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), solicited purchase orders and business from customers in Iran for industrial parts and components manufactured in America, including:
- two cyclone separators, which are used in pipelines to separate impurities such as sand from liquids;
- six thermocouples, which are used to measure temperatures of liquids and gasses in industrial applications in the chemical and petrochemical fields;
- 10 stainless steel filter elements, which are used primarily in the oil and gas industry and can be used in water plants, hydrocarbon plants and nuclear plants;
- four bypass filters;
- three flow meters, which are used primarily in industrial applications to measure the flow of water but could be adjusted to measure other liquids and gasses;
- three actuator springs, which are used to control the flow rate of a liquid;
- numerous industrial parts, including hydraulic valves and connectors; and
- liquid pumps and valves, which have oil, gas, energy, aerospace and defense applications.
Trial evidence showed that Saboonchi obtained price quotes and paid for these items, and took delivery of most of the goods, which he then shipped to entities in the UAE and China provided by his co-conspirators in Iran. The co-conspirators would repay Saboonchi for the goods and further arrange for the entities in the UAE and China to send the goods on to them and their customers in Iran. Saboonchi did not obtain authorization to export the products.
Co-defendants Arash Rashti Mohammad, Mehdi Mohammadi, and Ehsan Naghshinea are citizens and residents of Iran. They were indicted, along with Saboonchi, on charges arising from the conspiracy, and are currently fugitives.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Manuelian and Kristi O’Malley, who prosecuted the case.
Parkersburg woman sentenced on heroin, cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Gerri Raye Parker, 30, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
In October 2014, Parker pleaded guilty to using a communications device to facilitate a drug trafficking crime. She admitted that on Oct. 24, 2013, she received a call from a known heroin dealer warning her that police were conducting a roundup and arresting members of the dealer’s organization. The dealer told Parker to remove drugs and other evidence he had hidden in her apartment.
Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force personnel were conducting surveillance of Parker’s apartment when they observed her carry a bag to the rear of the building. Upon recovering the bag, police found approximately 100 grams of heroin, 62 grams of cocaine, scales and packaging material.
This case was part of a larger investigation that has resulted in the arrest and prosecution of several individuals involved in heroin trafficking between Marion, Ohio, and Parkersburg. Those prosecuted include Marion Felder, sentenced to 84 months for distribution of heroin; Keith Irons, 18 months for distribution of heroin; Cordaro Robert Johnson, 44 months for distribution of heroin; Zina Wakefield, three years’ probation for aiding and abetting heroin distribution; and Daquarri Tamara Coats, eight months’ time served and three years’ probation for distribution of heroin.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This case was investigated by the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Josh Hanks was in charge of the prosecution.
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Owner of ACS Herbal Tea Company Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A resident of Middletown, Ohio pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and one count of Introduction of Misbranded Drugs into Interstate Commerce, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
David Neal, 61, pleaded guilty to a two-count Information before Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Neal is the owner ACS Herbal Tea Company, a national Internet business located in Middletown, Ohio. Neal, using ACS Herbal Tea Company and the Internet websites www.123zip.com and www.passthetest.com, conspired to defraud the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Heath and Human Services by obstructing and interfering with the lawful governmental functions of SAMHSA in overseeing, monitoring and establishing scientific and technical guidelines for federal workplace drug testing programs, and standards for certification of laboratories engaged in urine drug testing for federal agencies and federally-regulated industries, under the Federal Agency Drug-Free Work Place Program. For the past eight years, through the Internet websites www.123zip.com and www.passthetest.com, Neal sold, in interstate commerce, products such as the “Magnum Unisex Synthetic Urine-Never Fail a Urine Drug Test” and “Urine Luck” to customers who intended to use the products for the purpose of defeating federal, and federally regulated, employment drug urine tests overseen by SAMHSA. Some of the products sold through Neal’s websites were drugs, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration, but did not bear appropriate labeling.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2015. The law provides for a total sentence of 6 years in prison, a fine of $350,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court released the defendant an unsecured $10,000 bond
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Neal.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Juan Carlos Vargas-Garcia was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp to 135 months incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Mr. Vargas-Garcia was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mr. Vargas-Garcia also agreed to forfeiture of proceeds or facilitating property of the violation, including $11,400 seized from his residence during the investigation.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Oakland Man Convicted on Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Kevin Fuqua was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition by a federal jury last week, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Joseph Riehl.
Evidence at trial showed that Kevin Fuqua, 29, of Oakland, possessed a firearm loaded with eleven rounds of ammunition. Specifically, Oakland Housing Authority Police Officers responding to reports of suspected drug dealing near Manzanita Park in East Oakland, encountered the defendant sleeping in a parked car. The defendant gave a false name and birthdate to the officers and tried to run away. During the struggle that followed, the officers recovered a loaded semiautomatic firearm. The guilty verdict followed a jury trial conducted before the Honorable James Donato, U.S. District Court Judge.
Mr. Fuqua was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 22, 2014. He was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On December 4, 2014, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding a count of felony possession of ammunition in addition to the original firearm charge.
Mr. Fuqua is currently being held in federal custody pending sentencing.
The defendant's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 8, 2015, before Judge Donato in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, Section 922(g)(1), is 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Brigid Martin, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Roger Dinh, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, are the attorneys who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Noble Hughes, Melissa Dorton, Katie Turner, and Tim Kingwell. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the Oakland Housing Authority Police Department.
Norwalk Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on Friday, January 30, ALAN R. PAGANO, 64, of Darien, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for tax evasion. He also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, PAGANO is the president and majority owner of Pagano’s Retail, Inc., a wholesale seafood distribution business based in Norwalk. From 2006 to 2010, PAGANO diverted a total of $780,608 in cash that the business received, deposited the money into his personal bank account, and failed to pay $238,739 in federal taxes on the income.
Over the five year period, PAGANO structured cash deposits in amounts of less than $10,001 in order to evade his bank’s currency transaction reporting requirements. For example, in 2007, PAGANO made 16 currency deposits in amounts ranging from $9,000 to $9,900.
On October 29, 2013, PAGANO pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
PAGANO has paid restitution of $238,739 to the Department of Treasury, but still owes substantial penalties and interest. As part of his sentence, Judge Underhill ordered PAGANO to cooperate with the Internal Revenue Service concerning his taxes, stay current with filing his tax returns, and pay the penalties and interest the IRS assesses for tax years 2006 to 2010.
PAGANO also forfeited an additional $90,000 in relation to the structuring of cash deposits.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
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[email protected]Nigerian Sentenced for East Texas Health Care Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsTYLER, Texas — A 44-year-old woman, formerly of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, has been sentenced to federal prison for a health care fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Vivian Yusuf pleaded guilty on Sep. 17, 2014, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider.
According to information presented in court, from June 2007 to May 2009, Yusuf, the former owner of Ivy Health Care Supply, a Houston-area medical supply company, and Aghaegbuna “Ike” Odelugo, James Reese, and others carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare through the marketing of power wheelchairs and accessories, as well as “ortho kits,” which primarily consisted of a bag of orthotic items, including braces, wraps, and supports, and a heat lamp or heat pad. As part of the scheme, the defendant and her co-conspirators illegally obtained protected health information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare numbers from elderly individuals. Yusuf and her co-conspirators supplied beneficiaries with kits and power wheelchairs which were not prescribed or otherwise authorized by a physician and which were not wanted by the beneficiaries. Claims were submitted by the defendant and her co-conspirators for approximately 790 beneficiaries located primarily in Texas and Louisiana. In some instances, physicians’ signatures were forged and false claims were submitted to Medicare in the names of Medicare beneficiaries who were deceased. By means of fraudulent billing practices, the defendant and her co-conspirators unlawfully submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare of more than $3.4 million and obtained more than $1.6 million.
Yusuf was a fugitive for several years before her arrest June 3, 2014 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Yusuf had been indicted for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft on Jan. 12, 2012.
Odelugo and Reese were indicted for their involvement in similar health care fraud schemes. Odelugo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and money laundering and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison. The loss to Medicare as a result of Odelugo’s scheme was approximately $9.9 million. Reese pleaded guilty to health care fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. The loss to Medicare as a result of Reese’s scheme was approximately $8.6 million.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Texas Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken McGurk prosecuted the case.New York City Employee Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court for Million-Dollar Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that AKIM MURRAY was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a substantial Medicaid fraud. MURRAY, a former employee of the Medicaid Reimbursement Unit of the New York City Human Resources Administration (“HRA”), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. MURRAY pled guilty in September 2014 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud for abusing his access as an HRA employee in order to have dozens of checks amounting to over a million dollars issued to his friends and criminal associates, who in turn gave him a substantial cut of the proceeds.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Bharara said: “Taking money meant for people in need, Akim Murray used his position as a New York City employee to divert over a million dollars to himself and his friends. City employees who abuse their access in similar ways should heed the lesson in his deserved prison sentence: this office and its law enforcement partners will not tolerate such conduct.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and other documents, and statements made in Manhattan federal court:
Medicaid is a federally funded program designed to provide low-income families with affordable health care. The New York City Human Resources Administration oversees the program and processes applications from New York City residents. Under Medicaid, individuals who successfully apply for Medicaid coverage can be reimbursed for eligible expenses submitted in the approximately three-month period prior to the application (“Pre-Enrollment Services”). In order to be reimbursed for Pre-Enrollment Services, the successful Medicaid applicant requesting reimbursement must provide proof that he or she made eligible health care payments out of pocket before applying for Medicaid. City employees known as Eligibility Specialists, working for HRA’s Medicaid Reimbursement Unit, receive and process requests for reimbursement using a computer system, and make recommendations for HRA supervisors as to whether a request should be approved.
From at least July 2009 until September 2010, MURRAY, an HRA Eligibility Specialist, exploited loopholes in HRA’s computer systems to both recommend and then separately approve the issuance of Medicaid reimbursement checks without meaningful oversight. MURRAY used the personal identifying information of his co-conspirators to create and unilaterally approve requests for reimbursement checks in their names. When the checks were sent to his friends and other associates, MURRAY demanded that they cash the checks and give him between 50-70% of the proceeds. MURRAY approved over $1 million in Medicaid reimbursement requests without proper oversight.
MURRAY, 53, of New York, New York, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,383,501.15 in restitution and $100,000 in forfeiture.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the FBI’s Health Care Fraud Task Force and the DOI for their assistance in this investigation, which he noted is ongoing. The New York FBI Health Care Fraud Task Force was formed in 2007 in an effort to combat health care fraud in the greater New York City area. The task force comprises agents, officers, and investigators from the FBI, NYPD, the New York State Insurance Fraud Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Inspector General, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, New York State Attorney General’s Office, New York State Office of Medicaid Inspector General, New York State Health and Hospitals Inspector General, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Martin S. Bell is in charge of the prosecution.
New London Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on Friday, January 30, MAURICE L. MILLIGAN, 36, of New London, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on April 22, 2013, New London Police received reports of shots fired in the vicinity of a convenience store located on Ocean Avenue near the intersection of Evergreen and Sherman Streets. Responding officers did not find any victim of the shooting, but did locate and seize four spent 9mm Winchester shell casings in the immediate area. The investigation determined that two males had had a verbal altercation inside the convenience store and, shortly thereafter, a number of shots had been fired outside the business. Review of video from inside and outside the store led to the identification of MILLIGAN as the probable shooter.
On April 25, 2013, New London Police observed MILLIGAN sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. Officers ordered MILLIGAN to exit the car and saw that he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. Officers then searched the vehicle and recovered from under the driver’s seat a Glock, Model 17, 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number. The handgun was loaded with 19 rounds of Winchester 9mm ammunition. Further examination of the gun revealed that the serial number on the frame of the weapon had been removed.
A ballistics comparison made of the shell casings recovered on the night of April 22 with the Glock seized from under the driver’s seat of the car MILLIGAN was driving on April 25 established that the Glock was the weapon that fired the shots.
Prior to April 2013, MILLIGAN had been convicted in the Queens County (N.Y.) Supreme Court of third degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm and second degree robbery.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. It is also a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to wear protective body armor, and for an individual who has been convicted of a violent felony offense to possess body armor.
MILLIGAN has been detained since his arrest on April 25, 2013. On June 23, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New London Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New London. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
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[email protected]Minebea Co. Ltd. Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay a $13.5 Million Criminal Fine for Price Fixing on Small Sized Ball BearingsRead the Press Release
Minebea Co. Ltd., a small sized bearings manufacturer based in Nagano, Japan, has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $13.5 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices for small sized ball bearings sold to customers in the United States and elsewhere, the Department of Justice announced today.
According to a one-count felony charge filed today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati, Minebea conspired to fix the prices of small sized ball bearings in the United States and elsewhere. In addition to the criminal fine, Minebea has agreed to cooperate in the department’s ongoing investigation. The plea agreement is subject to court approval.
According to the charge, Minebea and its co-conspirator discussed and agreed upon prices to be submitted to small sized ball bearings customers. Minebea’s participation in the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as early-to-mid 2008 and continued until at least October 2011.
“Because of the unlawful price-fixing by the defendant and its co-conspirators, American businesses paid more for small-sized bearings than they otherwise would,” said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and our other law enforcement partners, the Antitrust Division will continue our efforts to ensure American businesses and consumers benefit from competitive markets.”
“Any agreement that restricts price competition violates the law,” said U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart of Southern District of Ohio. “We will continue to work to protect consumers’ right to free and open competition.”
Bearings are used in industry in numerous products to reduce friction and help parts roll smoothly past one another; they “bear” the load. Small sized ball bearings are those ball bearings whose outside diameter is 26 millimeters or less.
Minebea is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of a $100 million criminal fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
The charge today is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the bearings industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office and the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to the bearings industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html, or call the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office at 513-421-4310.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Time-Served for Re-entering U.S. After RemovalRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A citizen of Mexico, has been sentenced in federal court to time served (four months) on his conviction of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Adan Fiscal-Fino, 29, of Mexico.
According to information presented to the court, on or about Sept. 12, 2014, Fiscal-Fino was found in Pittsburgh after having unlawfully re-entered the United States following removal on or about Jan. 19, 2008.
Assistant United States Attorney Margaret E. Picking prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fiscal-Fino.