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Thursday 8 January 2015
Monroe County Man Sentenced for Possession with the Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL-- United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown announces that Rickey Lorenzo Vaughn was sentenced on January 8, 2014 to five months and one day confinement by United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade. Vaughn was sentenced for the federal felony offense of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Heroin. Vaughn would have received a twelve month sentence but the Court structured his sentence to give him credit for the seven months he had already served.
The case was investigated by the 35th Judicial Circuit Task Force.
Moldovan National Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Vasile Leu, 34, of Chisinau, Moldova, who was convicted of using a fraudulent Czech Republic passport to open bank accounts, was sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles P. Siragusa. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution of $147,850 to victims of a related fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who handling the case, stated that in 2012, Leu entered the United States and, over a period of months, opened bank accounts at different banks in Wisconsin and California using false Czech Republic passports issued to him under various aliases. The bank accounts were used to receive proceeds from an internet fraud that targeted online purchasers of motor vehicles. The defendant then transferred the proceeds of the fraud back to Eastern Europe.
Upon completing his prison sentence, Leu is expected to be immediately deported from the United States back to Moldova.
This sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.
Miami-Dade County Residents Sentenced in Identity Theft and Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
Two brothers and Miami residents were sentenced for identity theft and unemployment insurance fraud. These brothers used over 600 fraudulently obtained identities to fraudulently receive approximately $815,700 in unemployment claims.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Brian McGlamery, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Regional Office, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director, State of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity, and J.D. Patterson, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.
Stanley Fertil, 20, and Steven Fertil, 19, were sentenced to 111 months and 148 months, respectively, in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The brothers were also ordered to pay $815,700.00 in restitution. According to court records, the Fertil brothers conspired to possess the personal identifying information (PII) of over four thousand unwitting individuals. The PII included individuals’ names, dates of birth and social security numbers. During the course of the scheme, the brothers used over 600 identities to fraudulently receive approximately $815,700 in unemployment claims. The individuals victimized included public and private sector employees. The defendants each previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, the State of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity and the MDPD Public Corruption Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Kobrinski.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican Woman Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Marcela Vallin Barajas, age 42 of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced after having previously pled guilty to providing a false statement in an application for a passport and falsely representing a Social Security number to be hers. The Honorable Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Barajas to time served, after she had been in custody since August 21, 2014. She will be deported.
Barajas is in the United States illegally. She first applied for and obtained a passport using a Texas woman’s name and Social Security number in 2002. From 2002 through 2011 she used the passport for travel from the United States to Mexico 10 times. On November 26, 2012, Barajas applied for a renewal passport in the same name using the same number and a passport was subsequently issued to her. As part of the application, she stated the Texas woman’s name was hers and declared under penalty of perjury that she was a citizen or non-citizen national of the United States.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that MOISES VAZQUEZ-ALVARADO, age 31, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to a one-count Indictment for illegal entry of a removed alien.
According to court documents, VAZQUEZ-ALVARADO was found in the United States on May 16, 2014, after having been previously removed from the United States on July 18, 2007.
VAZQUEZ-ALVARADO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 2 years, as well as a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier set sentencing for March 19, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
A man who sexually exploited a child and possessed child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Micheal Jones, age 40, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Jones admitted that, in April 2013, he sexually exploited a child by producing sexually explicit depictions of that child. He also admitted that, between April 2013 and September 2014, he possessed child pornography.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jones remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Jones faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, a $200 special assessment, and supervised release for 5 years to life following his imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Mason City Police Department.
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.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 14-3060.Marion Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography While Being Required to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
A man who produced child pornography while being legally required to register as a sex offender pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Kevin Andrew Jauron, age 39, from Marion, Iowa, was convicted of one count of production of child pornography and one count of committing an offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender.
At the plea hearing, Jauron admitted that, between no later than 2013 and continuing to about May 10, 2014, he persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the conduct. Jauron also admitted that, at the time, he was required by law to register as a sex offender.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jauron remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Jauron faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and at least 5 years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-128.Man Who Fled Newark Bank Robbery in Taxi Sentenced to Two Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. - An Essex County, New Jersey, man who robbed a New York Community Bank in Newark and fled by hailing a cab was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Willie Chestnut Jr., 62, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of bank robbery. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Chestnut robbed the New York Community Bank in Newark on Oct. 11, 2013, by intimidating the teller and another bank employee who attempted to intercede. He approached the teller and told her he needed to make a withdrawal. After the teller handed him a withdrawal slip, Chestnut demanded bills from the top teller drawer.
Chestnut was arrested by officers of the Newark Police Department shortly after fleeing the scene in a taxi cab, wearing the same clothes he wore during the robbery and with the stolen money and the withdrawal slip in his pocket.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Hayden sentenced Chestnut to serve three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Newark Police Department for its contribution.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cari Fais of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
15-006
Defense counsel: Lisa Mack Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Madill Woman Sentenced to 36 Months Probation, $15,900 Restitution for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that KRISTEN RENEA BROWN, age 19, of Madill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 3 years of probation and restitution of $15,923.60 for WIRE FRAUD, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
BROWN pled guilty in September, 2014 to an Information alleging that from on or about September 23, 2013 to on or about October 1, 2013, KRISTEN RENEA BROWN, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant herein, did execute a scheme to defraud Victim #1, an account holder at Landmark Bank in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, to-wit: the defendant transferred money from the bank account of Victim #1 into Defendant’s own bank account at Landmark Bank, and by means of debit card used said money to purchase items for her own use and benefit and the use and benefit of others. As part of the scheme to defraud, the defendant transmitted and caused to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds, for the purpose of executing and attempting to execute the aforesaid scheme and artifice to defraud.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wilson represented the United States.
Lincoln County Man Sentenced on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – PETER GIAMBALVO was sentenced to 16 months in prison for filing false tax returns from 2003-2010.
According to testimony presented at trial, Giambalvo was an employee of The Boeing Company. For eight years beginning in 2003 through 2010, Giambalvo claimed zero earnings, when in fact he had earned wages, salaries, tips, etc. of approximately $498,540 for those years.
"The legality of our income tax laws has been challenged time and time again and the courts have consistently upheld these laws," said Tanya Brewer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation.
Giambalvo, Hawk Point, MO, was convicted last August on one felony count of interfering with the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, and eight felony counts of filing false tax returns. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Muchnick handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Leaders of Violent Gang Sentenced to Life in Racketeering and Murder CaseRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Antoine Mayes was sentenced before Judge Allyne Ross in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York, to 110 years in prison, and on December 23, 2014, Anthony Mayes, Jr. was sentenced before Judge Ross to life plus 30 years in prison, for charges of racketeering, murder (against Anthony Mayes, Jr.), attempted murder (against Antoine Mayes), murder conspiracy, and firearm- and narcotics-related offenses. The defendants were convicted after trial in May 2014.
The sentences were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and George Venizelos, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
“The Mayes brothers led a violent and lucrative drug organization that instilled fear and destroyed lives in the East New York community for more than a decade. They expanded their operation to the State of North Carolina and came to dominate the drug trade in a community there as well. Violence was the organization’s calling card – led by the defendants, the organization killed or sought to kill those who threatened their income or their reputation on the street,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “The sentences imposed appropriately reflect the seriousness of the crimes of conviction, which include murder and attempted murder, the defendants’ long histories of crime, and their complete disregard for human life.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the FBI’s New York Field Office, the New York City Police Department, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding work in this case.
Between 1998 and 2010, the Mayes brothers led a group of violent drug dealers that sold crack cocaine and was based on Ashford Street in East New York. The criminal enterprise used violence and the threat of violence to maintain its source of income. Specifically, on June 18, 1999, Anthony Mayes, Jr. shot and killed Dave Martin at a party in East New York, in retaliation for Martin having previously stabbed Mayes. This, and other acts of violence, were well known in the community and allowed the enterprise to dominate the local drug trade. After the Martin murder, Anthony Mayes, Jr. moved to Williamston, North Carolina, where, using the alias Gus Rascoe Jr., he quickly came to dominate the drug trade in that area, selling crack cocaine that he transported from New York and elsewhere. On January 27, 2003, Anthony Mayes, Jr. murdered Eric Rayshawn Keel, and on February 29, 2004, he murdered Keith Cofield, both in North Carolina. Keel was murdered for purportedly stealing drugs belonging to the Mayes brothers’ criminal enterprise. Cofield was murdered because he owed a drug-related debt to the enterprise. His corpse was dumped into a river.
Antoine Mayes was convicted of three separate counts of attempted murder based on the enterprise’s drug and turf-related disputes in Brooklyn.
The government’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Berit W. Berger, Richard M. Tucker, and Alicyn Cooley.
The Defendants:
ANTHONY MAYES, JR.
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New York
ANTOINE MAYES
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 12 CR 385 (ARR)
Leader of Multi-State Scheme to Obtain Real Driver's Licenses with Fraudulent Documents Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Criminal Enterprise Provided Illegal Aliens and Others with Stolen Immigration Documents, Falsified Visas, Passports, Utility Bills and Bank Statements
NEWARK, N.J. – The leader of a criminal organization who ran a multi-state scheme to fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses for illegal aliens and other ineligible individuals was sentenced today to 72 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Young-Kyu Park, 58, formerly a resident of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and later a resident of Los Angeles, California, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Faith S. Hochberg to Counts One through Three of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to produce identification and false identification documents; conspiracy to steal government property and transport stolen property in interstate commerce, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Hochberg imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Park was the leader of a criminal enterprise (the Park Criminal Enterprise) operating in Palisades Park, New Jersey, Fort Lee and in other states. He was one of 22 people charged in June 2012 with allegedly providing a suite of unlawful services to individuals illegally residing in the United States, including fraudulently obtaining driver's licenses, and investor and student visas. Federal agentsarrested defendants in New Jersey, New York, California, Nevada, Virginia, and Georgia B including a contract employee of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charged with and later convicted of stealing and providing forms used to aid in the scheme.
The Park Criminal Enterprise illegally obtained driver's licenses genuinely issued by New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Nevada, and elsewhere. To do so, it acquired, created, and counterfeited a variety of documents for sale to customers. Members of the Park Criminal Enterprise also escorted customers to various state motor vehicle agencies and coached them on obtaining the licenses. In return, customers each paid the Park Criminal Enterprise a fee of $3,000 to $4,500 for the unlawful services.
Park fraudulently obtained, completed and sold genuine I-797 forms for customers to get licenses. An I—797 form is used by the federal government B including USCIS, a division of the Department of Homeland Security B to communicate with others or convey an immigration benefit. State agencies that issue driver’s licenses rely on these forms to verify the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign passport and to verify the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States. One version of this form can be used to show eligibility for in-state college tuition.
The Park Criminal Enterprise also altered and counterfeited other immigration documents, including passports, and created and provided fictitious documents to customers B such as fictitious utility bills and bank statements used to establish residency requirements.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hochberg sentenced Park to two years of supervised release, fined him $10,000 and ordered forfeiture of $1.2 million.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge John P. Woods; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Gregory K. Null of the Philadelphia field office; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, under the direction ofNew Jersey District Director John E. Thompson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Fishman noted the work of the N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission, under the direction of Chief Administrator Raymond P. Martinez; the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John L. Molinelli; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Colonel Joseph R. Fuentes, for their assistance.
He also thanked the FBI field offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Atlanta, and Richmond, Va., as well as U.S. Attorney's Offices for the District of Nevada and the Central District of California for their support.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Moscato, Lisa M. Colone and David M. Eskew of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division in Newark.
15-004
Defense counsel: Mark Waecker, Los Angeles, Calif.
Las Vegas "Cinched Hoodie Robber" Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who robbed 13 convenience stores and a small casino in the Las Vegas area during 2013, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to multiple life terms in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Abdul Howard, 49, was convicted by a jury last June of one count of felon in possession of a firearm, 14 counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence. A number of the life terms were ordered to be served consecutively. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This defendant, who has a lengthy criminal history, terrorized convenience store employees in Las Vegas over a four month period during 2013, and it is fortunate that no one was killed,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “With his federal sentence of life in prison, Mr. Howard’s violent crime reign on Nevada streets and in our community is now over and done.”
Howard robbed 13 convenience stores and one casino in the Las Vegas area between January 15 and April 16, 2013. Howard robbed most of the businesses late at night using a semi-automatic handgun which he used to threatened store employees and some customers. In some of the robberies, Howard pointed the handgun at an employee or stuck a gun into the employee’s body or head. In one instance, Howard fired a handgun at an employee, and in another, Howard shot an employee in the neck. Investigators dubbed Howard the “Cinched Hoodie Robber,” because he typically entered the businesses wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood “cinched” up around his face in an effort to conceal his identity.
Howard has at least five prior felony convictions in New York, Florida, and Nevada related to robbery, burglary, cocaine distribution and sexually motivated coercion.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and North Las Vegas Police Department, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith, Jr. and Cristina D. Silva.
Jon Harder Former CEO of Sunwest Management, Enters Guilty Pleas to Federal Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
Government’s Evidence Shows This Is the Largest Investor Fraud Case in Oregon historyPORTLAND, Ore. – Jon Michael Harder, 49, a resident of North Dakota, plead guilty today before the Honorable Michael Simon to one felony count of mail fraud and one felony count of money laundering.
Harder controlled a network of companies which bought, constructed, and managed a nationwide collection of assisted living facilities. At its height, the corporate organization that Harder controlled, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities, serving over 15,000 residents with an average age of 85. Harder admitted in federal court today that beginning in late 2007 through February 2008, he lied to more than 50 investors to obtain more than five million dollars. In committing his fraud, Harder promised the investors that their money would go towards specific assisted living facilities when in fact the money was going to pay Harder’s personal expenses and the business expenses of other Sunwest entities.
The entire scope of the defendant’s fraud will be determined by the court following a multi-day sentencing hearing set to begin on May 12, 2015. The government believes and intends to prove to the court that, beginning no later than 2006 and continuing through 2008, Harder defrauded more than 1,000 investors out of approximately $130 million, making this the largest investor fraud prosecution in Oregon history. The scheme to defraud was based on materially false promises made to investors, including that they would be investing money in specific assisted living facilities and that the Sunwest enterprise was a successful business. In reality, the money that investors thought was going into specific facilities was commingled with money coming in from all investors and banks and Harder laundered the proceeds of this fraud by diverting large amounts of money to support his lavish lifestyle. Additionally, at least as far back as 2006, Sunwest was losing millions of dollars despite Harder’s representations that Sunwest was a successful business.
“The scope of the defendant’s fraud is truly staggering, as are the effects it has had on the victims of his crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall. “This conviction demonstrates that no one – regardless of title or position – is above the law and that individuals who steal and defraud investors will be held accountable.”
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government will ask the Court to impose a sentence of not less than 15 years in prison and have the Court order the defendant pay full restitution to his victims.“The FBI's investigation has proven that, over a number of years, Jon Harder was responsible for running one of the largest frauds in Oregon history,” said Greg Bretzing, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “A fraud of this size brings with it many victims – more than 1,000 in this case. Today represents an important step as we work to bring justice to those victims, many of whom watched their life savings disappear.”
“Investment frauds such as the one perpetrated by Harder undermine the integrity of our economy causing a rippling effect of financial ruin and distrust,” stated Special Agent in Charge Teri Alexander of IRS Criminal Investigation. “But as destructive as this scam was to the overall economy, the untold harm to the victim investors is simply heartbreaking. IRS Criminal Investigation is devoted to fighting alongside our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those like Harder whose greed erodes the trust and pilfers the resources of would-be investors.”
This case was investigated by the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the United States Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Allan M. Garten, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Assistant U. S. Attorney Michelle Holman Kerin
Jicarilla Apache Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Involuntary Manslaughter ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Isaiah Dean Trujillo, 24, a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation who resides in Dulce, N.M., was sentenced this morning to eight years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Chief Kendell Vicenti of the Jicarilla Apache Tribal Police Department.
Trujillo was arrested on May 6, 2013, on a criminal complaint alleging involuntary manslaughter charges arising out of a single motor vehicle collision occurring on April 24, 2013, in Dulce, N.M., within the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Two women, both members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, died as a result of injuries sustained during the collision. Trujillo, the driver of the vehicle, was intoxicated at the time of the collision.Trujillo entered a guilty plea to two involuntary manslaughter charges on March 12, 2014. In his plea agreement, Trujillo admitted that on April 24, 2013, he drove a vehicle in excess of 70 miles per hour on a road with a 35 mile per hour speed limit after consuming a large amount of alcohol. Trujillo further admitted that he lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle flipped over. Two of the four passengers in the vehicle were killed and the other two suffered serious bodily injuries. Trujillo further admitted that his blood alcohol concentration was .29 following the collision.
This case was investigated by the Jicarilla Apache Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rozzoni.International Wildlife Investigation Results in Felony Conviction and Loss of Guiding and Hunting PrivilegesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that John Katzeek, 65, a Haines area big game guide was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess for a felony violation of the Lacey Act to four years of probation along with the loss of hunting and guiding privileges. The felony conviction resulted from a trial in Juneau, Alaska last January where a jury convicted the guide for falsifying paperwork in order to conceal illegal hunting activity.
In 2014, the United States filed charges against Katzeek, a long-time big game guide in the Haines area, for the illegal take of wildlife and concealing the illegal nature of guided hunts by falsification of paperwork to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Katzeek went to trial and was convicted for providing false information to the state of Alaska on guide-required paperwork. Specifically, Katzeek falsified the paperwork by intentionally failing to list the assistant guide who actually conducted the hunt, provided the name of another assistant guide who did not participate on the hunt, and claimed that he guided the hunt when he remained in town while the hunt took place. Katzeek also falsified the amount of meat that was harvested from the animal when in fact little to no meat was harvested.
The guided hunt occurred in May 2011, in the Haines, Alaska area. As part of his felony conviction, Katzeek was sentenced to four years of probation due to his age and certain medical reasons, fined $2,000 and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. During the term of probation, Katzeek is prohibited from guiding big game hunters and is prohibited from hunting game anywhere in the world, including for subsistence in Alaska and Canada. Because of the felony conviction, Katzeek is precluded from possessing any firearms.
The conviction was the result of an extensive joint United States-Canadian investigation. Starting in January 2013, Canada Crown prosecutors in Alberta, and Yukon Territory Canada, charged approximately 17 subjects with 55 violations under Wild Animal and Plant Protection and the Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA). As of this date, eight defendants have been charged and sentenced in Canada, Alaska, and federal court, which resulted in the issuance of over $146,000 in fines, the forfeiture of 10 wildlife trophies, $6800 in restitution to the state of Alaska, the forfeiture of a Piper Supercub aircraft, and over $100,000 in forfeited equipment. Several Canadian trials and United States trials are scheduled for the spring and summer of 2015.
Ms. Loeffler commends the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; Alaska Wildlife Troopers; Environment Canada; Yukon Conservation Officer Service; Alberta Fish and Game; Parks Canada; British Columbia Conservation Officer Service; and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for the international cooperation extended in the investigation of these cases.
Insurance Adjuster Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Defrauding NJ Turnpike Authority, Insurance Companies, of $900,000Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of a New Jersey-based insurance adjusting company was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the N.J. Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and various insurance companies of at least $900,000, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Robert Napolitano, 55, of Clifton, New Jersey, owner of Dawn to Dusk LLC, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with using the mail to facilitate a scheme to defraud the NJTA and insurance companies through false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In October 2011, Napolitano reached an agreement with Gerardo Blasi, 56, of Clifton, New Jersey, a claims manager for the NJTA. It was Blasi’s job to negotiate and recover the costs of repairs from insurance companies of motorists who caused damage to property belonging to the NJTA. As part of the agreement, it was Napolitano’s responsibility to evaluate the damage caused by the insured motorist, create an estimate of the cost to repair the damage, and negotiate with the particular insurance company to arrive at the repair amount. Napolitano would request that the checks issued by the insurance companies for the costs of repairing the damage be made payable to Dawn to Dusk and mailed to Napolitano’s business.
Once Napolitano received these checks he would keep a portion of the proceeds for himself, provide Blasi with a share of the proceeds, and sometimes send the remaining amount to the NJTA as payment for the damages caused by the insured motorist. However, on several occasions, he and Blasi simply kept all of the proceeds. As a result of this scheme, Napolitano and others defrauded the NJTA and various insurance companies of approximately $900,000.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Napolitano to serve three years of supervised release.
Blasi previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and was sentenced on Nov. 12, 2014, to 45 months in prison and three years of supervised release.U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents from the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked the N.J. Turnpike Authority, under the direction of Veronique Hakim, for its cooperation during the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Foster of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Special Prosecution’s Division.
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Defense counsel: John Yauch Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, NewarkInmate Accused of Threatening the PresidentRead the Press Release
An indictment was filed charging Michael D. Vaughn II, 26, an inmate at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown with threatening the President of the United States and the First Family, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the United States Secret Service, Toledo, Ohio. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Freeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Illegal Criminal Alien Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Repeat Illegal Reentry Offender Caught During I-5 Traffic Stop and Drug SeizureMEDFORD, Ore. –Julio Gonzalez-Zamudio, 44, from Mexico was sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. Senior United States District Judge Owen M. Panner sentenced Gonzalez-Zamudio to 72 months in prison following earlier deportations and his recent arrest by Oregon State Police for drug trafficking.
On January 30, 2014, the Oregon State Police stopped a vehicle during the early morning hours for a traffic violation on I-5 in Douglas County, Oregon. Gonzalez-Zamudio, a passenger in the vehicle, initially identified himself with a false name and Mexican driver’s license. Following the arrest of the driver for possessing a methamphetamine pipe, defendant took off running across I-5 when the officer attempted to arrest him. He was subsequently tackled by police and arrested. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of over two and a half pounds of methamphetamine.
Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents found Gonzalez-Zamudio lodged in the county jail. They determined that he had been deported from the United States on four previous occasions. During the various times he has been in the United States, he has repeatedly committed various drug offenses and crimes of violence including residential burglaries and menacing with a firearm and he served a 65 month sentence in state prison. Following his release from prison in 2006, he was again deported. In 2010, he was found in the United States in the Washington County Jail, Oregon and was later convicted of illegal reentry in Federal District Court in Portland. Defendant received a lower 27-month fast-track sentence and was warned about not illegally returning again to the United States. He was deported in November 2011. In sentencing Gonzalez-Zamudio, the Court sentenced him to 57 months for his current illegal reentry conviction and 15 months for violating the terms and conditions of his release from custody in 2011, both sentences served consecutively.
The case was investigated by the Oregon State Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Chatfield.
High-Speed Chase Results in Extensive Prison for Alien TraffickerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - Felipe Pena, 40, of Laredo, has been ordered to prison for 67 months for transporting illegal aliens for profit, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Pena pleaded guilty Aug. 27, 2014.
Pena was arrested at the Border Patrol (BP) Checkpoint on US 83 near the 35-mile marker for alien smuggling on Aug. 14, 2014. At that time, Pena had approached the checkpoint in a Ford F-150 vehicle where a BP canine alerted to the presence of humans inside his vehicle.
Pena then accelerated his vehicle and fled the scene, nearly injuring on-duty BP agents. Pena led authorities on a high-speed chase for three miles, reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. Upon apprehension, agents discovered one female hiding behind the driver’s seat and one male hiding underneath a tool box. Both subjects were illegal aliens and citizens of Honduras and Mexico who had paid Pena for their transportation.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo previously accepted the plea and sentenced Pena to 67 months today, which included an upward variance for almost injuring the officers. The court further noted that Pena is a violent individual and should show respect to law enforcement and the United States of America.
BP, Homeland Security Investigations and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker is prosecuting the case.
Haskins Man Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A criminal information was filed charging Nicholas W. Bradley, 34, of Haskins, Ohio, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and filing a false tax return from March 2006 and through December 2008, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Internal Revenue Service, Toledo, Ohio. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Get Away Driver Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Three Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Committed Three Bank Robberies While on Supervised Release for Previous Gun Convictions
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Dillian Nathaniel Tucker, age 36, of Greenbelt, Maryland, today to 92 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for three bank robberies. Judge Messitte also ordered Tucker to pay restitution of $10,108.
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 Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Tucker’s plea agreement, on April 6, Tucker drove himself and co-defendant Reginald Lasley to a SunTrust bank in Landover, Maryland. Lasley entered the bank, presented the teller with a note demanding money and took $4,810. Lasley got into the black van being driven by Tucker and they left the scene. On April 9 Tucker drove himself and Lasley to a Sun Trust Bank in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in the same black van. Lasley again presented the teller with a note demanding money and stole $5,370, leaving the area in the van driven by Tucker.Two days later, on April 11, 2012, Tucker drove himself and Lasley in the same black van to the M&T Bank, in Largo, Maryland. Tucker entered the bank, approached a teller window, and asked for change. Tucker then exited the bank and advised Lasley to enter the bank to rob it. Several minutes later, Lasley entered the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller complied and Lasley stole $1,390. Lasley exited the bank, got into the black van, and Tucker drove away from the bank.
Later on April 11, 2012, Prince George’s County police officers saw the black van and attempted to pull it over. Tucker, who was still driving the van, made a quick U-turn and attempted to flee. After a short chase, Tucker stopped the van, and Tucker and Lasley attempted to run away. Police officers caught and arrested Tucker immediately. Lasley was caught later that day, and law enforcement officers recovered from Lasley a robbery demand note and the money stolen earlier from the M&T Bank. Officers also recovered from the black van another robbery demand note and the hat and shirt that Lasley wore during the M&T bank robbery.
Tucker committed each of the robberies while on supervised release in connection with firearm convictions in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte previously sentenced Reginald Anthony Lasley, age 42, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to a total of 18 years in prison - 16 years for the robbery of a store and three bank robberies and an additional two years in prison for violating his supervised release in connection with previous federal bank robbery convictions. Judge Messitte also ordered Lasley to pay restitution of $29,150.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case.
Georgia Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) with failing to register as sex offender after traveling from Georgia to Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Neal has been in custody since his arrest on related state charges on October 10, 2014.
According to the indictment, in May 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing two criminal offenses, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, in Macon County, Georgia. Subsequent to his conviction, Neal traveled from Georgia to Florida and failed to register in Florida as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Gang Member Sentenced to 40 Years for Participating in Drive-By MurderRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that LAVELL STOVALL, 22, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to federal drug and firearms charges. STOVALL was one of seven defendants that were charged in a gang indictment that was returned on October 4, 2013.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced STOVALL to 480 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On August 7, 2014, STOVALL pled guilty to Counts 1 and 2 of a superseding Bill of Information. As part of the written plea agreement, STOVALL acknowledged his participation in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
According to court documents, STOVALL admitted that on June 14, 2010, he participated in a drive-by shooting which resulted in the murder of Ms. Eula Mae Ivey. STOVALL admitted that he, CHARLES JOHNSON, CAREY JONES, NORMAN RATCLIFF, THERON GOLSTON, and CHARLES CANNON used two vehicles to search with the intent to kill a rival gang member. As they drove past the rival gang member’s house the defendants saw their rival and opened fire. The defendants missed their target and hit Ms. Ivey, who was standing in her driveway. Ms. Ivey was pronounced dead at the scene. To date, JONES, GOLSTON AND RATCLIFF have all pled guilty to participating in this murder. JONES and GOLSTON were each sentenced to life in prison, RATCLIFF was sentenced to serve 396 months, and CANNON pled guilty in state court. CHARLES JOHNSON is scheduled to go to trial in February 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the MAG Unit in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
Four Marijuana Dealers, Including Colorado Pilot, Sentenced After Extensive Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
Four individuals, including a man who grew marijuana in his Breckenridge, Colorado home and flew it to Eastern Iowa in his private airplane were each sentenced this week for their roles in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy. They are the latest defendants to be sentenced as a result of an extensive DEA wiretap investigation.
James Allen, Matthew Fritz, Mark Swanson, and Cory Kintzel all pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade.
- Allen, 53, from Belton, Missouri, was sentenced on January 8, 2015 to six months’ imprisonment followed by three months’ home detention. Allen pled guilty on August 18, 2014 and will report to the Bureau of Prisons on a later date.
- Fritz, 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced on January 8, 2015 to five years’ probation. Fritz was also fined $3,000. Fritz pled guilty on August 18, 2014.
- Kintzel, 39, from Vinton, Iowa, was sentenced on January 6, 2015 to 12 months’ imprisonment. Kintzel pled guilty on September 16, 2014 and will report to the Bureau of Prisons on a later date.
- The pilot, Swanson, 55, from Breckenridge, Colorado, was sentenced on January 7, 2015 to 24 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000. The fine was in addition to a $35,000 money judgment that Swanson was required to pay. Swanson’s airplane was also forfeited.
In addition to their sentences and fines, all five were ordered to pay special assessments of $100. Those serving prison sentences must also serve three-year terms of supervised release after their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
The four individuals were among a group of about a dozen persons federally charged for their involvement in a marijuana trafficking organization that moved large quantities of high-grade marijuana from Colorado and California to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area from November 2011 through April 2013. The organization was dismantled through a DEA investigation that involved court-authorized wiretaps on multiple cellular phones. During the latter stages of the conspiracy, Swanson was the source for most of the marijuana. In March 2013, he flew a load containing 25 pounds of marijuana from Colorado into the Iowa City airport. Swanson was accompanied by Shannon Ehlts, who along with Matthew Fritz was going to sell the marijuana to customers in the Cedar Rapids area. Swanson grew most of this marijuana at his home. The marijuana was sold at a price of $3,450 or more per pound. Swanson admitted that he alone had made at least $35,000 from growing and selling marijuana.
Five other individuals have already been sentenced by Chief Judge Reade as a result of the investigation:
- Nels Nelson, 34, from Cedar Rapids, was sentenced on April 21, 2014 to 41 months’ imprisonment.
- Chad Straub, 40, from Salinas, California, was sentenced on May 29, 2014 to 13 months’ and one day imprisonment.
- Robert Leonard, 55, from Oak Run, California, was sentenced on September 25, 2014 to 46 months’ imprisonment.
- Brenda Leonard, 51, from Oak Run, California, was sentenced on September 25, 2014 to two years’ probation.
- Tyler Scheer, 26, from Cedar Rapids, was sentenced on December 22, 2014 to nine months’ imprisonment and fined $3,000.
Three participants in the conspiracy still await sentencing:
- Jesse Tolen, 36, from Castella, California, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. Tolen pled guilty on July 1, 2014 to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Corey Marx, 29, from Cedar Rapids, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2015 at 4:15 p.m. Marx pled guilty on September 16, 2014 to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
- Shannon Ehlts, 38, from Lowden, Iowa, awaits sentencing on his August 18, 2014 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute marijuana. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Cole and Justin Lightfoot, and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/ login.pl. The case file numbers are as follows: Swanson 14-CR-66; Nelson 14-CR-6; Straub 14-CR-20; Robert and Brenda Leonard 14-CR-37; Tolen 14-CR-39; Fritz 14-CR-78; Ehlts 14-CR-79; Scheer 14-CR-82; Marx 14-CR-85; Allen 14-CR-86; and Kintzel 14-CR-92.Former state employee sentenced for fraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Shannon Collins, 41, of Logan, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years of probation, with a condition that she spend one year in home confinement.
Johnston also ordered Collins to pay restitution of $58,264 to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
In 2009, Collins, also known as Shannon Varney, was a caseworker in the Logan DHHR office. She used the social security numbers of two deceased individuals to set up false accounts from which she claimed benefits from a state fund established to transport children to and from medical care. Collins also fraudulently charged expenses to two Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Mountain State cards (also known as food stamp cards) to which she was not entitled.
The investigation was conducted by the West Virginia DHHR, assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Offices of Inspector General, DHHR, Social Security Administration and the Department of Agriculture.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik Goes handled the prosecution of this case.
Former V.i. Army National Guard Major Indicted for Theft of Public Funds and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – A federal grand jury has returned a 38-count indictment charging former Virgin Islands National Guard Major Sherrymae Morales, 54, with theft of public money, wire fraud and false statements, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced today. The indictment was returned on December 4, 2014, but was unsealed Wednesday when Morales appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and entered a plea of not guilty. She was released on an unsecured $25,000 bond.
According to the indictment, from 2010 until 2011, Morales was employed as a full-time employee with the Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) on St. Croix. At the same time she was employed as a full-time VING employee, Morales also held a full-time contract position with the Military Personnel Services Corporation (MPSC), which provides employee support services to members of the VING. The indictment alleges that Morales submitted time sheets to both the MPSC and VING for the same 40-hour work weeks over a period of 14 months. If convicted, Morales faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
The case is being investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command-Major Procurement Fraud Unit, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Former Savannah-Chatham Police Officer Indicted on Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Savannah, GA: Derrick Andre Fullmer, 27, of Pooler, Georgia, was indicted this week by a federal grand jury sitting in Savannah on charges related to a conspiracy involving the illegal possession and distribution of the controlled substance MDMA, more commonly known as “ecstasy” or “molly.” Fullmer was charged with conspiring to distribute molly as well as aiding and abetting other conspirators. During much of the time of the charged conspiracy, Fullmer was an officer with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD).
Fullmer was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge G.R. Smith today. The charge against Fullmer carries a 20-year maximum prison sentence. U. S. Attorney Ed Tarver emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI, the Chatham Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) and SCMPD. Assistant United States Attorney Scarlett S. Nokes is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.
Former International Program Director of Adoption Agency Pleads Guilty to Ethiopian Adoption Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The former International Program Director of International Adoption Guides Inc. (IAG), an adoption agency, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others to defraud the United States by submitting fraudulent documents to the State Department for adoptions from Ethiopia and paying bribes to foreign officials.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles of the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
James Harding, 55, of Atlanta, Georgia, admitted as part of his guilty plea that, between 2008 and 2009, he and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent documents to the State Department to facilitate adoptions of Ethiopian children by U.S. parents. Harding admitted that, in support of U.S. visa applications for the Ethiopian children, he and others submitted false documentation, including contracts of adoption signed by orphanages that could not properly give the children up for adoption because, for example, the child in question was never cared for or never resided at the orphanage.
In entering his guilty plea, Harding also admitted that he and others paid bribes to two Ethiopian officials so that those officials would help with the fraudulent adoptions. Specifically, Harding admitted that an audiologist and teacher at a government school was given money and other valuables in exchange for non-public medical information and social history information for potential adoptees. Additionally, Harding and his co-conspirators provided cash and all-expense paid travel to the head of a regional ministry for women’s and children’s affairs in exchange for his approval of IAG’s applications for intercountry adoptions and ignoring IAG’s failure to maintain a properly licensed adoption facility.
Harding pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sol Blatt Jr. of the District of South Carolina, and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The department appreciates the assistance of the Office of Children’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John W. Borchert of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the District of South Carolina.
Former International Program Director of Adoption Agency Pleads Guilty to Ethiopian Adoption Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Contact: (202) 514-2007
Washington ---- The former International Program Director of International Adoption Guides Inc. (IAG), an adoption agency, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others to defraud the United States by submitting fraudulent documents to the State Department for adoptions from Ethiopia and paying bribes to foreign officials.
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Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles of the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
James Harding, 55, of Atlanta, Georgia, admitted as part of his guilty plea that, between 2008 and 2009, he and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent documents to the State Department to facilitate adoptions of Ethiopian children by U.S. parents. Harding admitted that, in support of U.S. visa applications for the Ethiopian children, he and others submitted false documentation, including contracts of adoption signed by orphanages that could not properly give the children up for adoption because, for example, the child in question was never cared for or never resided at the orphanage.
In entering his guilty plea, Harding also admitted that he and others paid bribes to two Ethiopian officials so that those officials would help with the fraudulent adoptions. Specifically, Harding admitted that an audiologist and teacher at a government school was given money and other valuables in exchange for non-public medical information and social history information for potential adoptees. Additionally, Harding and his co-conspirators provided cash and all-expense paid travel to the head of a regional ministry for women’s and children’s affairs in exchange for his approval of IAG’s applications for intercountry adoptions and ignoring IAG’s failure to maintain a properly licensed adoption facility.
Harding pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sol Blatt Jr. of the District of South Carolina, and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The department appreciates the assistance of the Office of Children’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John W. Borchert of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the District of South Carolina.
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DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE USE THE CONTACTS IN THE MESSAGE OR CALL THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT 202-514-2007Financial Advisor Charged with Structuring Financial Transactions, Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS – A federal grand jury has charged Jason W. Cox, 39, of Dublin, with structuring cash withdrawal transactions, and with mail and wire fraud in an indictment returned in Columbus.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation announced the indictment returned today.
The indictment alleges that Cox structured cash withdrawals of $10,000 or under to avoid currency transaction reports between January 3, 2014 and March 30, 2014. He is charged in eight counts of aggravated structuring of $ 107,000 total.
In late 2012 through early 2013, the defendant also allegedly used his position as a financial advisor with a national financial services company to defraud an investor. Cox allegedly obtained funds for his own purposes while fraudulently representing that the funds were an investment in a business and that the investment had a guaranteed 10% rate of return. The defendant allegedly convinced the investor to give him a $10,000 check for the “off the books” investment.
Cox allegedly used the same fraudulent business scheme to obtain $10,000 via wire transfer from a second investor on or about March 15, 2013.
Structuring financial transactions is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Mail fraud and wire fraud are crimes punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.
Cox was arrested on December 11, 2014.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah A. Solove, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Federal Court Prohibits Georgia Tax Preparers from Preparing Tax Returns for OthersRead the Press Release
A federal court in Columbus, Georgia, has permanently barred Natashia and Detrick Tucker and their business, T&T Express Tax, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil injunction order, to which the defendants consented, was signed by Chief Judge Clay D. Land of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
According to the complaint, the Tuckers prepared federal income tax returns for customers that understated the taxes due or generated inappropriate tax refunds. The understatements were caused by improper earned income tax credits and education credits that the Tuckers claimed for their customers. According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examined 337 returns of the 2,239 returns prepared by the Tuckers for the tax years 2009 through 2011. Of those returns, the IRS determined that adjustments were needed on more than 87 percent of the examined returns.
On Jan. 9, 2014, Natashia Tucker pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States in the assessment and collection of federal income taxes and Detrick Tucker pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Natashia Tucker was later sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $1,483,025 in restitution to the IRS. Detrick Tucker was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay $66,235 in restitution to the IRS.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2014. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Former Chancery Judge and Nephew Sentenced for Federal Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. -- Joe Dale Walker, 61, a former chancery judge from Monticello, and his nephew Chad Teater, 42, of Magee, were each sentenced in federal court today to 5 months in prison followed by 5 months home confinement for federal obstruction of justice, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special in Agent in Charge Donald Alway. In addition, the defendants will be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.
Beginning in 2010, Walker was the elected Chancellor for the Thirteenth Chancery Court District of Mississippi, covering Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Simpson and Smith Counties. In June 2011, Walker directed the attorney he had appointed for a conservatorship to solicit bids from local contractors for the construction of a home for the ward. Five bids for construction of the home were obtained, including a bid from Walker’s nephew, Chad Teater doing business as C.T. Construction. Walker reviewed the bids in his chambers and, upon discovering that Teater’s bid was much lower than the other bids, Walker instructed Teater to raise his bid. Teater subsequently submitted another bid which was $23,500 more than his original bid but still lower than the other bids. Due to his nephew’s involvement as a bidder for the Newsome house, Walker transferred the case to another Chancellor for the limited purpose of accepting and approving bids for the construction of the Newsome home. After signing an order awarding the contract to Teater, the case was transferred back to Walker.
Prior to August 7, 2013, a grand jury subpoena was served upon a witness to appear before a Federal Grand Jury and to bring any and all documents relating to the Conservatorship. On August 7, 2013, Walker met with the witness and was informed of the Federal Grand Jury subpoena. During this meeting, Walker and the witness discussed the original bid from Teater, the fact that it was lower than the other bids and that Walker had instructed the witness to tell Teater to raise his bid. Walker also asked the witness about the original bid and any existing copies. Walker then told the witness that Teater’s original bid needed to be "somewhere else" in response to the Federal Grand Jury subpoena. When interviewed by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on March 25, 2014, Walker denied ever talking with the witness about two bids submitted by Teater and denied ever telling the witness to get rid of the bid. Teater likewise was subpoenaed to the federal grand jury, where he proceeded to lie about the incident, and he subsequently lied to FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
Eden Prairie Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Buying and Selling Smokeless Tobacco ProductsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the guilty plea of DMITRI SOUDAKOV, 41, for the illegal purchase and transport of smokeless tobacco. The defendant pleaded guilty on January 5, 2015, before Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn., to one count of Shipment, Transport, Receipt, Possession, Sale, Distribution and Purchase of Contraband Smokeless Tobacco.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-St. Paul Field Division Special Agent in Charge James C. Modzelewski stated, “The trafficking in contraband tobacco is all about the money and the substantial profits that are obtained. With our outstanding relationship with the Minnesota Department of Revenue, we are accomplishing what we are mandated to do, prosecuting these offenders and taking away their profits.”
“The transportation and sale of unstamped tobacco products is illegal and unfair to distributors and businesses who comply with the state’s tobacco laws,” said Revenue Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly. “We appreciate the collaboration with our federal partners and we take our role of enforcing these tax laws very seriously.”
According to his guilty plea and documents filed in court, on June 27, 2011, SOUDAKOV purchased at least 938 containers of contraband smokeless tobacco from a wholesaler in Chicago, Ill. The defendant purchased the smokeless tobacco free of any state taxes and intended to resell it without paying any state taxes in Illinois, Minnesota or elsewhere. SOUDAKOV knew he was not a licensed distributor, manufacturer or carrier and, therefore, was unauthorized to purchase, sell, distribute, possess or receive smokeless tobacco products.
Between April 2011 and July 2011, SOUDAKOV purchased and transported at least 4,760 containers of smokeless tobacco from Illinois to Minnesota, where he resold the products without paying any state taxes. On June 28, 2011, while transporting the containers of smokeless tobacco from the Chicago area to Minnesota, SOUDAKOV’S vehicle was stopped by law enforcement officers who discovered the containers of smokeless tobacco stashed in the rear of the vehicle.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed in court, SOUDAKOV also purchased and resold additional tobacco products without paying Minnesota state taxes. SOUDAKOV purposely evaded the payment of state taxes and is ordered to pay a total of $47,753.77 in restitution to the state of Minnesota.
This case is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minnesota Department of Revenue.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Langner is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
DMITRI SOUDAKOV, 41
Eden Prairie, Minn.
Convicted:
• Shipment, Transport, Receipt, Possession, Sale, Distribution and Purchase of Contraband Smokeless Tobacco, 1 countDeported Illegal Alien Sentenced to Time Served for Re-entering U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - An alien found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served and one year supervised release on his charge of illegal re-entry after deportation, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on German Cardenas-Leon, 42, of Mexico.
According to the information presented to the court, German Cardenas-Leon, a/k/a Eduardo Hurieta, an alien, was formally removed from the United States by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on July 1, 2003. German Cardenas-Leon was found by agents of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be illegally present in Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 26, 2014.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Hull prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Pittsburgh Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of German Cardenas-Leon, a/k/a Eduardo Hurieta.
Denver Man Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term for Being A Felon in Possession of A Firearm and Possessing A Firearm During A Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
DENVER – Archie Poole, age 38, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 130 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney John Walsh and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey announced. Following his prison sentence, Judge Martinez ordered Poole to serve 3 years on supervised release. Poole, who appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, was remanding at the hearing’s conclusion. Poole also faces drug charges in a separate multi-defendant federal drug trafficking prosecution.
Poole was first charged by Criminal Complaint on May 6, 2014. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on May 19, 2014. He pled guilty before Judge Martinez on October 8, 2014. Poole was sentenced on January 7, 2015.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 11, 2014, at a hotel on Colfax in Denver, Poole sold a confidential informant crack cocaine. On April 17, 2014, Poole again sold crack cocaine while knowingly possessing a .40 caliber handgun. The next day the Denver Police Department executed a search warrant of Poole’s hotel room. They found crack, a digital scale, a box containing plastic baggies, a baking soda box, and receipts for the hotel and a cell phone.
On May 4, 2014, Poole was arrested on a warrant by law enforcement following a traffic stop. Officers located a loaded ..40 caliber pistol in the vehicle. Poole possessed the firearm despite the fact that he had multiple felony convictions, included: Possession/Sale of a Controlled Substance in Denver District Court -- 1995; Possession/Sale of a Controlled Substance in Denver District Court – 1997; Controlled Substance Possession More than 1 gram – Adams County Court – 2003; Possession of Contraband – Bent County Combined Court – 2006. When a person as felony convictions, it is illegal to possess a firearm.
During the sentencing hearing, it was established that Defendant Poole was a member of a local gang and had substantial alcohol and other substance abuse issues.
“The lengthy prison sentence handed down is appropriate given the fact that the defendant not only trafficked in dangerous drugs but he also carried a weapon dangerous weapon during his drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “Thanks to the ATF and the Denver Police Department, another gang member involved in drugs and guns has been taken off of our streets.”
“ATF and our partners will continue to make it a priority to arrest and seek convictions of armed drug traffickers,” said ATF Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Denver Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Sibert.
Cruise Line Crew Member Sentenced on Charges of Attempted Murder and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Female PassengerRead the Press Release
A Holland America cruise line crew member was sentenced to 30 years and five months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for his brutal attack and attempted murder of a female passenger.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
On February 14, 2014, Ketut Pujayasa, 29, Indonesian national, brutally attacked a female passenger, CLW, 32, United States citizen. During the attack, Pujayasa, choked, strangled, and beat the victim repeated with various objects. CLW continually attempted to scream for help and resist the violent attack but Pujayasa was relentless with his assault and attempts to silence her. Pujayasa strangled CLW with several items including a telephone cord and the cord to her curling iron.
The attack continued onto the stateroom’s balcony. While on the balcony, Pujayasa attempted to throw CLW overboard. The violent encounter then proceeded back to the interior of the state room where the violent assault continued. Pujayasa rendered CLW unconscious at least once during the attack, at which time he sexually assaulted her. CLW was eventually able to flee her stateroom and run down the corridor until she encountered an unknown passenger who rendered aid.
On September 29, 2014, Pujayasa pled guilty to the attack. He is expected to be deported after serving his sentence.
Mr. Ferrer commended the FBI for its investigation of this matter and thanked the Broward Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis Viamontes and Cathy Koontz.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) with failing to register as sex offender after traveling from Georgia to Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Neal has been in custody since his arrest on related state charges on October 10, 2014.
According to the indictment, in May 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing two criminal offenses, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, in Macon County, Georgia. Subsequent to his conviction, Neal traveled from Georgia to Florida and failed to register in Florida as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Coatesville, Pa., Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking A MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Chester County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of sex trafficking of a child, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Rasul Abernathy, 33, formerly of Coatesville, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, in and around December of 2012, to in and around March 2013, Abernathy knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided and obtained a minor, John Doe, to engage in a commercial sex acts.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allegheny County Police Department and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Abernathy.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Cicero Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Arson That Killed Man Sleeping in Adjacent Apartment in 2012Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Cicero man was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison for setting fire in January 2012 to his estranged girlfriend’s southwest side apartment that resulted in killing a man sleeping in the apartment next door. The defendant, JUAN ADAME, was convicted of federal arson in October 2013 after a week-long trial in U.S. District Court.
Adame, 41, who has been in federal custody since he was arrested in March 2012, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. He is subject to two years of court supervision and deportation after any release.
Citing Adame’s history of domestic violence, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said the “tragic consequences” of the case called for Adame to be incapacitated to prevent him from committing future crimes. Adame was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $306,006.
According to court records and the evidence at trial, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2012, Adame used gasoline to start a fire in the second-floor rear apartment of a building at 4246 West 63rd St., which contained two one-bedroom apartments on the second floor and commercial space on the ground floor. Adame had an ongoing domestic dispute with a woman who occasionally occupied the apartment where the fire began but who was not there at the time of the fire. The victim, James “Jimmy” Maca, 60, the sole occupant of the front apartment unit, died as a result of carbon monoxide intoxication and inhalation of smoke and soot.
“Jimmy Maca left behind friends and loving family members, including two siblings and a niece who attended every day of [Adame’s] trial. The lifelong impact of [his] crime on Jimmy Maca’s friends and family is indescribable,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Nasser and Bethany Biesenthal argued in seeking a sentence of at least 40 years in prison. Maca’s brother, sister, and landlord each provided victim impact statements at today’s sentencing hearing.
The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Carl J. Vasilko, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Chicago Fire Department’s Office of Fire Investigation and the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Division of Arson Investigation assisted the Chicago Police Department’s Bomb and Arson Section and ATF in the investigation.
Chambersburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Impersonate an Irs Agent and Interference with Commerce by ThreatsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maria Colvard, age 49, of Chambersburg, has pled guilty to aiding and abetting impersonation of an employee of the United States, and interference with commerce by threats. Colvard entered her plea before United States Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner, in federal court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on January 6, 2015.
According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, between February and May 2013, Colvard convinced an employee at Tax Max LLC, a tax preparation service owned by Colvard, to claim to be a criminal investigator with the Internal Revenue Service to get money and a client list from a rival tax preparation business and to ultimately shut down the rival business.
Colvard was indicted in June 2013, arrested and released pending trial. A superseding indictment was filed in November 2013. While trial was pending, Colvard allegedly offered her employee $50,000 if she would take sole responsibility for the crimes without cooperating with law enforcement or involving Colvard. On January 6, 2014, Colvard attempted to get her co-defendant not to testify against Colvard. Part of the conditions of Colvard’s pre-trial release required Colvard not to have any contact, direct or indirect, with her co-defendant. The second superseding indictment was filed on January 15, 2014, additionally charging Colvard with two counts of witness tampering. Colvard was re-arrested and has been detained since January 16, 2014.
Judge Conner tentatively scheduled sentencing for April 14, 2015.
This case is being investigated by the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom.
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 particular case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is five 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.
Camden, N.J., Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Making Fake Green CardsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in a scheme to produce and sell fake government documents, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Domingo Luna, 34, aka “Morro,” previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of making fake identification documents and one count of willfully entering the United States illegally. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
Luna was arrested by special agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) on Dec. 12, 2013. A Mexican citizen not legally in the United States, he has been held in ICE administrative custody since that time.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Luna, who previously convicted of theft in 2001 and later convicted of aggravated assault with bodily harm in 2011, was deported from the United States on May 29, 2012. During his plea hearing Luna admitted to willfully entering the United States after his 2012 deportation.
Federal law enforcement officers learned that a man nicknamed “Morro” was producing and selling false and fraudulent U.S. Social Security cards, permanent residence cards and driver’s licenses from a location in Camden. From early to mid-December 2013, “Morro,” who was later identified as Luna, sold an undercover law enforcement officer two fake Social Security cards, a fraudulent permanent residence card and a Pennsylvania driver’s license. Luna took pictures of the officer with a digital camera and produced the documents at the Camden address. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement officers found evidence of a sophisticated fraudulent document-making operation, including computer equipment, a digital camera, a laminating machine and at least 25 fake cards in Luna’s residence.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Luna to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of ICE HSI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge John P. Woods with the investigation leading to today’s arrests.The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Tom Young Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
15-007Bronx Man Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that ELFEGO BOYD, a/k/a “Kush da Dawn,” 29, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 10 years in prison in connection with the sex trafficking of a teenage girl (“Minor Victim-1”). BOYD was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to Minor Victim-1. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert P. Patterson. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Dolinger presided over BOYD’s guilty plea on June 25, 2014.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Sex trafficking is a heinous crime, but it is particularly reprehensible where perpetrators target vulnerable, minor runaways as Elfego Boyd did in this case. This investigation and prosecution sends the message that individuals who target the vulnerable will themselves become targets for prosecution.”
FBI Assistant Direct-in-Charge George Venizelos said: “Boyd engaged in the act of prostituting a minor, contributing to a rapidly spreading epidemic that projects its poison onto the most vulnerable members of society. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and today’s sentencing should send a message to those with similar intentions of targeting minors: the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating allegations of sex trafficking and sending those responsible for such heinous acts to prison.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made at various proceedings in this case:
In approximately September 2010, Minor Victim-1, who was 15 years old at the time, met BOYD in Times Square, New York after running away from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City. BOYD, who introduced himself as “Kush da Dawn,” asked Minor Victim-1 if she wanted to prostitute for him and she agreed. BOYD then provided food and shelter to Minor Victim-1. While staying with BOYD, Minor Victim-1 also met Norman Darby, BOYD’s co-defendant, who introduced himself as “Black.” Both BOYD and Darby placed advertisements Offering Minor Victim-1 for sex using an online classifieds website. The ads did not receive any responses and Minor Victim-1 left New York City and returned to Pennsylvania a short while later.
In the spring of 2011, Minor Victim-1 traveled from Pennsylvania to New York City where she again encountered BOYD and stayed at his apartment in the Bronx, New York. BOYD told Minor Victim-1 that he loved her and that they were boyfriend-girlfriend. BOYD then posted online advertisements offering Minor Victim-1 for sex in exchange for money. At BOYD’s direction, Minor Victim-1 had sex in exchange for money with multiple men who responded to those ads, after which BOYD took all the money.
Later, BOYD took Minor Victim-1 to a house in Long Island where she stayed along with BOYD, Darby and others, for several months. During that period, Darby and Minor Victim-1 posted advertisements offering Minor Victim-1 for sex online in exchange for money. At BOYD and Darby’s direction, Minor Victim-1 had sex in exchange for money with several men who responded to those ads at hotels (where she was driven by BOYD and Darby).
Eventually, BOYD returned to New York City with Minor Victim-1. At BOYD’s direction, Minor Victim-1 continued to have sex in exchange for money with multiple men who responded to online advertisements, after which BOYD took all the money.
Minor Victim-1, who turned sixteen years old during the several-month period she was being offered for sex by BOYD and Darby, told BOYD her age.
In November 2011, after getting into an argument with BOYD, Minor Victim-1 ran away.
In his plea allocution, BOYD acknowledged that he knew Minor Victim-1 was underage at the time he offered her for commercial sex in exchange for money.
In addition to the prison term and restitution, BOYD was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
BOYD’s co-defendant, Norman Darby, pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month before Judge Patterson.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department in investigating this case.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Griswold and Gina Castellano are in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. v. Elfego Boyd Indictment
Bridgeport Grocery Store Operator Pleads Guilty to Illegal Use of Food Stamp BenefitsRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMILA ABOUTAYEB, 54, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of unlawful use of food stamp benefits.
On May 14, 2014, a grand jury in New Haven returned indictments charging ABOUTAYEB and her brother, Khalid Aboutayeb, with engaging in food stamp fraud at the M&J Deli Market, a grocery and convenience store they operated at 988 State Street in Bridgeport.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (“SNAP”) is administered by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and utilizes federal tax dollars to subsidize low-income households to provide them with the opportunity to achieve a more nutritious diet by increasing their food-purchasing power. SNAP recipients purchase eligible food items at retail food stores through the use of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, and SNAP benefits may be accepted by authorized retailers only in exchange for eligible items. Items such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, paper goods and soaps are not eligible for purchase with Food Stamp benefits, and it is a violation of the rules and regulations governing the food stamp program to allow benefits to be used to purchase ineligible items. SNAP benefits may not lawfully be exchanged for cash under any circumstances. The program is designed so that the total amount of each purchase is electronically transferred to the retailer’s designated bank account.
In pleading guilty, ABOUTAYEB admitted that she unlawfully exchanged customers’ food stamp benefits for ineligible items and cash at M&J Deli Market between approximately June 2013 and March 2014.
On December 17, 2014, Khalid Aboutayeb pleaded guilty, admitting that he and others unlawfully exchanged food stamp benefits for ineligible items and cash at the store between approximately December 2011 and February 2013.
The investigation has revealed that more than $285,000 in illegal SNAP benefits were redeemed at the store.
ABOUTAYEB is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on March 23, 2015, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine and an order of restitution.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Felice M. Duffy.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Boston Woman Convicted of Stealing $135,000 in Public Housing BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing over $135,000 in public housing benefits, which she obtained by lying about her living situation and employment.
Astride Dubuisson, 42, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with stealing public money. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 9, 2015.
In 2006, Dubuisson applied to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing benefits, claiming that she needed help paying rent for an apartment on Vernon Street in Hyde Park. In fact, Dubuisson owned the entire Vernon Street building, which would disqualify her from receiving benefits. Based on her falsehoods, HUD approved her application and began sending benefits checks to a fabricated landlord. From 2006 to 2013, Dubuisson cashed those government checks, which totaled more than $135,000, and repeatedly lied about her ownership of the property and her income.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss, 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.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Cary Rubenstein, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, New York Regional Office, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Eric P. Christofferson of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.
Beckley man sentenced on federal drug chargesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Raymond Edmonds, 43, of Beckley, West Virginia, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Edmonds pleaded guilty in September 2014, to distribution of oxycondone. He admitted that on March 18, 2014, he distributed a quantity of oxycodone to a confidential informant on Burmeister Avenue in Beckley.
This case was investigated by the Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force under the Beckley Pill Initiative, part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the sale of heroin and the illicit sale of 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 pills and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
Bank Robber Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for A Series of 2013 RobberiesRead the Press Release
Committed at least five Bank Robberies Between June 7 and June 24, 2013
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Dallas Eric Dunmore, age 48, of Washington, D.C., today to 163 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for bank robbery.
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; Assistant Director in Charge Andrew G. McCabe of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh.
According to their plea agreements, Dallas Dunmore, Derrick Hart and Teddy McCain robbed or attempted to rob banks in Maryland and Virginia. In each robbery Dallas Dunmore entered the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. On one occasion, the note also stated that he had a gun, while on two other occasions Dunmore told the teller that he or another conspirator had a gun. McCain waited outside during each robbery. Hart also waited outside during the robberies, except on June 19, 2013, when Hart entered the bank with Dallas Dunmore and another conspirator.The total proceeds from the five robberies in which Dunmore participated are $5,370; and the total proceeds from the six robberies in which Hart and McCain participated are $8,437.
Co-conspirators Derrick Hart, age 43, of District Heights, Maryland, and Teddy McCain, age 55, of Germantown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to bank robbery and McCain was sentenced to six years in prison. Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2015, at 9:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI; Prince George’s and Montgomery County Police Departments; the Arlington, Fairfax, and Alexandria, Virginia Police Departments; and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Mitchell and Special Assistant United States Attorney Gerald A. A. Collins, a cross designated Maryland Assistant Attorney General, who are prosecuting the case.Arkansas Man Gets 20-Year Prison Term for Role in Multi-Million Dollar Cocaine Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Arkansas man has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years imprisonment followed by 10 years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Anthony London, of El Dorado, Arkansas, and formerly of Los Angeles and Oakland, Calif.
The IRS Criminal Investigations section joined the DEA as major partners in the investigation of the current case with the valuable assistance of multiple other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. In part, the investigation relied upon search warrants, court orders, consensually recorded conversations, surveillance and information supplied by confidential sources, as well as records and documents obtained by Grand Jury and Administrative subpoenas. The investigation revealed a major cocaine distribution conspiracy which resulted in cocaine being transported to Pittsburgh and other areas from 2000 through 2010. Defendant Robert Russell Spence, Jr. was a local fulcrum of the conspiracy, which was supplied by various cocaine sources over time. In brief, the investigation revealed that the conspiracy involved over 2000 kilograms of cocaine and millions in laundered drug money. Over time, the conspiracy involved enough cocaine for every current man, woman and child resident of Pennsylvania to have their own $20 rock of crack cocaine. Conspiracies commonly change both members and mechanisms to adapt to changes, and this conspiracy is no different. Aside from changing cocaine sources over time, the conspiracy also changed its common manner of doing business over time as well. For example, prior to the summer of 2007, the conspiracy utilized packages of cocaine being shipped by the US mail or various common carriers from California to recipients such as Spence in Pittsburgh. Documents and evidence reveal the large number of packages of cocaine shipped to the conspirators, as well as the packages of drug money being shipped back. Multiple seizures of both money and cocaine packages occurred. For example, on June 7, 2007 Postal Inspectors intercepted six kilograms of cocaine from the mail that was earmarked for the conspiracy. On Aug. 5, 2007, Postal Inspectors also seized a package containing $99,850.00 intended for a co-defendant.
The conspiracy began using couriers to transport cocaine to Pittsburgh and money back to California. The investigation has revealed that between 2007 and 2010 at least 11 different couriers took approximately 100 flights for the conspiracy. These involved the transportation of cocaine to the Pittsburgh end of the conspiracy and the transportation of drug money back to California. Again, multiple packages of both money and cocaine were intercepted. For example, in February of 2008 co-defendant Ruben Mitchell boarded a plane in Oakland bound for Pittsburgh with cocaine in his luggage. Since the flight attendant had trouble getting the carry-on bag into the overhead bin, an airline employee called a “ramper” put a tag on the bag mistakenly causing it to be removed from the plane during a layover in Las Vegas. There, airline employees opened the bag and discovered it to contain 19 kilograms of cocaine. Mitchell was observed, along with others, looking for the bag in Pittsburgh and he also filed a claim for the bag. On Aug. 8, 2009, over $335,000 in cash, just one part of approximately $700,000 that was sent on this occasion, was seized from the luggage of a conspirator.
During other times, the conspiracy arranged transportation of cocaine or money by means such as chartered private flights and vehicles including tractor trailers. Individuals indicted thus far involve many different roles within the conspiracy. Some conspirators are suppliers, couriers or recipient drug dealer/distributors. Other conspirators played a variety of roles such as: shipping or receiving packages; arranging for couriers, flights and flight payments; money launderers; and those who circumvented security procedures at airports.
The evidence revealed that London took at least six roundtrip airline flights between California and Pittsburgh for this massive drug conspiracy between Nov. 3, 2007 and March 7, 2008. On that later date, federal agents stopped defendant London and co-defendant Anthony Walker in the Oakland airport after they flew from Pittsburgh. Police located a total of $234,000 in heat-sealed drug money in their luggage. London continued to deny knowing Walker during his sentencing hearing, although the evidence revealed that they: took the same flight from the same starting location; walked together from the plane; waited as the other was using the restroom; had receipts from the same Harley Davidson shop in Pennsylvania; and London’s telephone number was used as the contact number when Walker’s flight was booked. During his sentencing, London agreed that he had taken multiple flights, for an agreed upon payment of $4000 each trip, using tickets paid for by others, as a result of the money problems caused by losing his job as a funeral attendant/driver. District Judge Cercone noted the connections between London and other defendants and held that London’s actions make him responsible for 123 kilograms of cocaine. Testimony from a narcotics expert has revealed that this much cocaine would be worth over $12 million on the street and results in over a million doses of cocaine or crack. Judge Cercone held that London’s 20-year jail sentence and 10-year period of supervision was sufficient, but not greater than necessary, considering London’s prior felony cocaine conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the IRS-CI, DEA, Pennsylvania Attorney General and many other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Anthony London.
Area Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – BRYAN BINKHOLDER pled guilty to multiple fraud charges involving his financial planning and investment strategy businesses.
According to court documents, Binkholder labeled himself "The Financial Coach" and provided investment and financial planning advice to the general public through his affiliated websites, YouTube channel, published books and articles and an investment related talk-radio show that aired on local radio stations. In 2008, he developed a real estate investment he termed "hard money lending." Using his platform as an investment advisor and financial talk show host, Binkholder solicited his clients and others to invest in the hard money lending program. As part of his sales pitch, he represented that he had relationships with developers in the real estate community who wanted to purchase, renovate and sell residential real estate in the St. Louis area, but were not able to secure financing from traditional banks. As part of the hard money lending program, Binkholder told investors that they would invest money with him, and he would act as a bank and provide short-term loans to these developers at a high rate of interest, which would be shared with the investor. Instead of exclusively making hard money loans as promised, he used millions of dollars of investor money, made only a small number of hard money loans and caused investors to lose more than $3,000,000.
Binkholder, Wentzville, MO, pled guilty to four felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of bank fraud before United States District Judge Ronald L. White. Sentencing has been set for April 10, 2015.
Each of these charges carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Casey is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.Alderson man sentenced in federal drug caseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Seth Allen Carr, 24, of Alderson, West Virginia, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of heroin.
Carr pleaded guilty in August 2014, admitting that on April 9, 2014, he set up a drug deal during a telephone conversation with a confidential informant. Shortly after the conversation, Carr distributed a quantity of heroin to the informant in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
The case was investigated by the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force under the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative, part of an ongoing effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the sale of heroin and the illicit sale of prescription drugs. The United States Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecution of this case.