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Thursday 8 January 2015
Alabama Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firearm, Impersonating A Federal Officer, Interstate Stalking, and Tampering with A WitnessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Alabaster, Alabama, man convicted of Felon in Possession of Firearm, Impersonating a Federal Officer, Interstate Stalking, and Tampering with a Witness, was sentenced on January 6, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. In October of 2014, Thetford was found guilty by a federal jury, following a 5-day trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
Michael Thetford, a/k/a Russ LNU, age 37, was sentenced to 70 months in custody, to be served consecutively to his sentence imposed in a separate Alabama case, 3 years of supervised release, and a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit a firearm he used when he impersonated a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officer.
On December 14, 2011, Thetford was indicted by a federal grand jury on a three-count Indictment. On February 12, 2014, a Superseding Indictment was filed adding the Tampering with a Witness charge.
The South Dakota convictions stem from an incident occurring on May 28, 2010, when the victims, William Jack Winslett and Shirley Winslett, a married couple, were living at their home in rural Hughes County. The victims also own property and other assets in Alabama. That afternoon, Thetford came to their door posing as a Special Agent with the FBI. Thetford was wearing a dark suit, displayed FBI and military credentials, had a pistol on his hip, and identified himself as “Agent Russ.” Thetford accused the victims of being involved in drug trafficking and other criminal matters. The victims believed he was an actual FBI Agent. Thetford informed the victims they needed to accompany him to a polygraph examination in Sioux City, Iowa, indicating they could be arrested at the end of the interview. Thetford told them they would need to bring their computers, so they produced their computers for the trip to Sioux City. Thetford directed the victims into the back seat of his vehicle, which had locked back-seat doors.
Thetford drove the victims toward Sioux City, but stopped at Humboldt, South Dakota, where he informed the victims that he had received a cell phone call which cleared them of the drug investigation. He said a different arrest was in the process of being made, and he would return them home. On the drive home, there was friendlier talk with the victims. Thetford learned both victims were shooting sport enthusiasts, and learned Mr. Winslett had a knack for gunsmithing. Ultimately, Thetford left his pistol with the victims, asking that Mr. Winslett do some repair work on the trigger. On June 4, 2010, Thetford, posing as “Agent Russ” sent the Winsletts an email indicating an arrest had been made and he would enter them into a victim compensation program.
Over the course of several following months, the Winsletts had trouble maintaining contact with “Agent Russ” and began to doubt he was an actual FBI Agent. The FBI began to track Thetford’s travel to and from South Dakota between May 25 and May 29, 2010.
Around November 16, 2011, federal search warrants were obtained for Thetford’s home in Alabaster, Alabama. Numerous items of evidence were found, including fake FBI badges, fake military credentials, fake credentials for surgeons, fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniforms and credentials, pepper spray, handcuffs, computers, and molds and materials to make other law enforcement badges and credentials.
Thetford was tracked over three days and arrested on November 19, 2011, after he fled on foot from pursuing FBI agents through a rural wooded area known as Confederate Memorial Park in Alabama. After his arrest, Thetford sent a letter to a family member asking the family member to track down a laptop computer that he did not want law enforcement authorities to find. The laptop computer, and other computer media seized from his home, connected Thetford to a plot to defraud the Winsletts by illegally transferring their Alabama real estate and other property and assets to himself and his land surveying business. Thetford unlawfully used fake notary credentials to make transfer paperwork look legitimate. Thetford’s associate testified at trial that Thetford wanted to take and sell the victims’ Alabama property, so Thetford traveled to South Dakota in May of 2010 to investigate the victims and determine if they had plans to come back to Alabama.
Though incarcerated on other Alabama charges, around February 13, 2013, Thetford sent a letter to the Winsletts that served to threaten and intimidate the victims. The letter sought to have the Winsletts stop cooperating with federal law enforcement authorities and withhold testimony.
Based upon the investigation that began in South Dakota and continued in Alabama, as well as searches of his home computers, Alabama authorities pursued charges for child pornography, illegal possession of several firearms at his Alabama home, and wire fraud. On June 27, 2013, Thetford was sentenced in the Northern District of Alabama to 26 and 1/2 years for four charges: production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, felon in possession of firearms, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Lange ordered that Thetford shall serve his 6 year South Dakota sentence consecutively to, or after, he completes his Alabama sentence.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pierre FBI office, the Birmingham, Alabama FBI office, the United States Marshals Service, the FBI’s Science and Technology Branch Investigative Analysis Unit, and other local law enforcement agencies in Alabama. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Thetford was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Alabama Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firearm, Impersonating A Federal Officer, Interstate Stalking, and Tampering with A WitnessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Alabaster, Alabama, man convicted of Felon in Possession of Firearm, Impersonating a Federal Officer, Interstate Stalking, and Tampering with a Witness, was sentenced on January 6, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. In October of 2014, Thetford was found guilty by a federal jury, following a 5-day trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
Michael Thetford, a/k/a Russ LNU, age 37, was sentenced to 70 months in custody, to be served consecutively to his sentence imposed in a separate Alabama case, 3 years of supervised release, and a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit a firearm he used when he impersonated a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officer.
On December 14, 2011, Thetford was indicted by a federal grand jury on a three-count Indictment. On February 12, 2014, a Superseding Indictment was filed adding the Tampering with a Witness charge.
The South Dakota convictions stem from an incident occurring on May 28, 2010, when the victims, William Jack Winslett and Shirley Winslett, a married couple, were living at their home in rural Hughes County. The victims also own property and other assets in Alabama. That afternoon, Thetford came to their door posing as a Special Agent with the FBI. Thetford was wearing a dark suit, displayed FBI and military credentials, had a pistol on his hip, and identified himself as “Agent Russ.” Thetford accused the victims of being involved in drug trafficking and other criminal matters. The victims believed he was an actual FBI Agent. Thetford informed the victims they needed to accompany him to a polygraph examination in Sioux City, Iowa, indicating they could be arrested at the end of the interview. Thetford told them they would need to bring their computers, so they produced their computers for the trip to Sioux City. Thetford directed the victims into the back seat of his vehicle, which had locked back-seat doors.
Thetford drove the victims toward Sioux City, but stopped at Humboldt, South Dakota, where he informed the victims that he had received a cell phone call which cleared them of the drug investigation. He said a different arrest was in the process of being made, and he would return them home. On the drive home, there was friendlier talk with the victims. Thetford learned both victims were shooting sport enthusiasts, and learned Mr. Winslett had a knack for gunsmithing. Ultimately, Thetford left his pistol with the victims, asking that Mr. Winslett do some repair work on the trigger. On June 4, 2010, Thetford, posing as “Agent Russ” sent the Winsletts an email indicating an arrest had been made and he would enter them into a victim compensation program.
Over the course of several following months, the Winsletts had trouble maintaining contact with “Agent Russ” and began to doubt he was an actual FBI Agent. The FBI began to track Thetford’s travel to and from South Dakota between May 25 and May 29, 2010.
Around November 16, 2011, federal search warrants were obtained for Thetford’s home in Alabaster, Alabama. Numerous items of evidence were found, including fake FBI badges, fake military credentials, fake credentials for surgeons, fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniforms and credentials, pepper spray, handcuffs, computers, and molds and materials to make other law enforcement badges and credentials.
Thetford was tracked over three days and arrested on November 19, 2011, after he fled on foot from pursuing FBI agents through a rural wooded area known as Confederate Memorial Park in Alabama. After his arrest, Thetford sent a letter to a family member asking the family member to track down a laptop computer that he did not want law enforcement authorities to find. The laptop computer, and other computer media seized from his home, connected Thetford to a plot to defraud the Winsletts by illegally transferring their Alabama real estate and other property and assets to himself and his land surveying business. Thetford unlawfully used fake notary credentials to make transfer paperwork look legitimate. Thetford’s associate testified at trial that Thetford wanted to take and sell the victims’ Alabama property, so Thetford traveled to South Dakota in May of 2010 to investigate the victims and determine if they had plans to come back to Alabama.
Though incarcerated on other Alabama charges, around February 13, 2013, Thetford sent a letter to the Winsletts that served to threaten and intimidate the victims. The letter sought to have the Winsletts stop cooperating with federal law enforcement authorities and withhold testimony.
Based upon the investigation that began in South Dakota and continued in Alabama, as well as searches of his home computers, Alabama authorities pursued charges for child pornography, illegal possession of several firearms at his Alabama home, and wire fraud. On June 27, 2013, Thetford was sentenced in the Northern District of Alabama to 26 and 1/2 years for four charges: production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, felon in possession of firearms, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Lange ordered that Thetford shall serve his 6 year South Dakota sentence consecutively to, or after, he completes his Alabama sentence.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pierre FBI office, the Birmingham, Alabama FBI office, the United States Marshals Service, the FBI’s Science and Technology Branch Investigative Analysis Unit, and other local law enforcement agencies in Alabama. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Thetford was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Wednesday 7 January 2015
Westwego Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CYNTHIA HEFLER, age 67, of Westwego, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents, HEFLER, worked as the office manager for A & H Armature Works, Inc. In her capacity as office manager, HEFLER handled the company’s accounts receivable and embezzled from the company business bank accounts at First American Bank. HEFLER conspired with another to steal A & H Armature Works, Inc. funds in order to help pay off her credit card debt accrued through gambling.
HEFLER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of $250,000 and 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment for each count. U.S. District Judge Kurt K. Engelhardt set sentencing for April 1, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work for the United States Secret Service, New Orleans Field Division for investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Loan AMimi@ Nguyen is in charge of the prosecution.
Westville Woman Sentenced to 60 Months for Drug Conspiracy (Methamphetamine Distribution)Read the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that AMANDA JO JONES, age 24, of Westville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release for Conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371.
The charge arose from an investigation by the District 16 District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
JONES pled guilty in August, 2014 to an Information filed alleging that from in or about June 2013 until on or about April 9, 2014, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did, knowingly and intentionally conspire, confederate and agree with others both known and unknown to commit offense against the United States, namely, possession with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine, and in furtherance of said conspiracy the defendant committed the following Overt Act: On or about June 17, 2014, caused $13,300 in United States Currency to be transferred to individuals in California to pay for methamphetamine received and distributed by Michael A. Cooper.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which she will serve her nonparolable sentence.
First Assistant United States Attorney Doug Horn represented the United States.
Virginia Beach Man Indicted for Trafficking Child Pornography ImagesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Dwight McEachin, 19, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after the return of the indictment by the grand jury.
McEachin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The indictment alleges that McEachin was using both KIK messenger and e-mail to trade images of child pornography with numerous people. McEachin was originally arrested by HSI on December 15, 2014.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15-cr-3.United States Departments of Justice and Education Release Joint Guidance to Ensure English Learner Students Have Equal Access to a High-Quality EducationRead the Press Release
The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) today released joint guidance reminding states, school districts and schools of their obligations under federal law to ensure that English learner students have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential.
“The diversity of this nation is one of its greatest attributes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Civil Rights Division at DOJ. “Ensuring English learner students are supported in their education supports all of us. Today’s guidance – 40 years after passage of the landmark Equal Educational Opportunities Act – will help schools meet their legal obligations to ensure all students can succeed.”
“Four decades ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Lau v. Nichols that all students deserve equal access to a high-quality education regardless of their language background or how well they know English,” said ED Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “Today’s guidance not only reminds us of the court’s ruling, but also provides useful information for schools as they work to ensure equity for students and families with limited English proficiency.”
In addition to the guidance, the departments also released additional tools and resources to help schools in serving English learner students and parents with limited English proficiency:
- A fact sheet in English and in other languages about schools’ obligations under federal law to ensure that English learner students can participate meaningfully and equally in school.
- A fact sheet in English and in other languages about schools’ obligations under federal law to communicate information to limited English proficient parents in a language they can understand.
- A toolkit to help school districts identify English learner students, prepared by the Education Department’s Office of English Language Acquisition. This is the first chapter in a series of chapters to help state education agencies and school districts meet their obligations to English learner students.
This is the first time that a single piece of guidance has addressed the array of federal laws that govern schools’ obligations to English learners. The guidance recognizes the recent milestone 40th anniversaries of Lau v. Nichols and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA), as well as the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. The EEOA, similar to Lau, requires public schools to take appropriate action to help English learner students overcome language barriers and ensure their ability to participate equally in school.
The guidance explains schools’ obligations to:
- identify English learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner;
- offer all English learner students an educationally sound language assistance program;
- provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instructing English learner students;
- ensure English learner students have equitable access to school programs and activities
- avoid unnecessary segregation of English learner students from other students;
- monitor students’ progress in learning English and doing grade-level classwork;
- remedy any academic deficits English learner students incurred while in a language assistance program;
- move students out of language assistance programs when they are proficient in English and monitor those students to ensure they were not prematurely removed;
- evaluate the effectiveness of English learner programs; and
- provide limited English proficient parents with information about school programs, services, and activities in a language they understand.
Almost 5 million students in the United States are English learners - about 9 percent of all public school students. From 2002 to 2011, the percentage of English learners in public schools increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and currently three out of every four public schools enroll English learner students.
The mission of the ED Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is to ensure equal access to education and promote educational excellence throughout the nation through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights. OCR is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by educational institutions on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex and age, as well as the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001. Additional information about OCR is available here and additional resources, including previous guidance released on this topic, is available here.
The enforcement of the EEOA and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ensure that English learner students and limited English proficient parents receive the services to which they are entitled is a top priority of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information on DOJ’s efforts to provide equal educational opportunities to all students is available here.
U.S. Attorney Hickton to Address Fordham/FBI International Conference on Cyber SecurityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - United States Attorney David J. Hickton will address the Fifth International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) today at 5:45 p.m. in New York City. During his presentation, Unprecedented: The Real Life Experience of Economic Espionage, U.S. Attorney Hickton will discuss theMay 2014 indictment of five members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on charges of hacking into computers and stealing valuable trade secrets from Westinghouse, United States Steel Corporation, several other companies and a trade union. He will also discuss how prosecutors worked with the victim entities.
ICCS is the premier global cybersecurity event spanning three days with more than 70 distinguished speakers from government, the private sector, and academia. Each brings unique insights from their expertise in the disciplines of emerging technologies, operations and enforcement, academic and pragmatic experience. The sold out conference is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – New York Division and Fordham University.
WHAT: U.S. Attorney Hickton Presentation
Unprecedented: The Real Life Experience of Economic Espionage WHEN: Wednesday, January 7, 2015
5:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. WHERE: International Conference on Cyber Security
Costantino Room
Fordham University at Lincoln Center
150 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023Two Men Sentenced for Robbery and Shooting of Postal Truck DriverRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Kendrick Watkins and Charles Jackson have been sentenced to 18 years, 4 months, and 19 years in federal prison for their respective roles in the robbery and near-fatal shooting of a postal truck driver on December 20, 2013, during a routine pick-up at the Conley, Ga. post office.
“These defendants shot the victim, tied up his legs and threw away his cell phone so that he could not run or call for help,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Watkins and Jackson’s callous disregard for human life nearly cost the victim his for simply doing his job. The lengthy sentences imposed are an appropriate response for this heinous crime.”
“Protecting the employees of the Postal Service is a top priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. When someone attempts to take the life of one of our employees, we stop at nothing to identify those responsible,” stated Inspector in Charge Tom Noyes. “We extend appreciation to the DeKalb Police Department for their assistance and would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for their continued support in the prosecution of those who assault postal employees.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: Kendrick Watkins and Charles Jackson worked together with co-defendant Latonya Evans, a former postal employee in Jackson, Ga., to develop a scheme to rob a postal truck just before Christmas in 2013, when postal volume was at its highest. Evans provided Watkins and Jackson with non-public information that enabled them to plan and carry out the robbery.
On December 20, 2013, at the post office in Conley, Ga., Watkins and Jackson approached the postal truck they had targeted and demanded keys from the truck’s driver as Jackson brandished a loaded pistol. When the driver did not immediately comply with these demands, Jackson shot the driver through the torso, lacerating the victim’s internal organs and nearly taking his life. The robbers then bound the victim’s feet with zip-ties and took his cell phone, leaving him for dead. Watkins and Jackson drove away with the stolen truck and all its contents. The victim struggled to reach the nearest road where he eventually flagged down a passerby for help, after waiting almost 20 minutes. Watkins met with Evans later that same evening to discuss the robbery and how to divide up the proceeds.
Kendrick Watkins, 40, of Rex, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., to 18 years, four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,888. Watkins was convicted on these charges on August 13, 2014, after he pleaded guilty to armed postal robbery and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.
Charles Jackson, 56, of Griffin, Ga., was sentenced by Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., to 19 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He also has been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,888. Jackson was convicted on these charges on August 5, 2014, after he pleaded guilty to armed postal robbery and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.
Latonya Evans, 44, of Jackson, Ga., was sentenced by Judge Thrash on November 21, 2014, to 15 years, eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Evans was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,888. Evans was convicted on September 9, 2014, after pleading guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery, pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the DeKalb County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Kruger, John Ghose, and Angela Garland prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Two Joplin Men Charged with Illegal Firearms Following Car Chase, K-9 SearchRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two Joplin, Mo., men have been charged in federal court, in separate but related cases, with illegally possessing firearms after they attempted to hide and flee from law enforcement officers.
Franklin McLean, 34, and Theodore Lane, 36, both of Joplin, were charged in separate criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015. McLean and Lane were each charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The federal criminal complaint alleges that McLean was in possession of a Ruger .223-caliber rifle, a Keltec 9mm pistol and a round of .45-caliber ammunition. Another federal criminal complaint alleges that Lane was in possession of a loaded Panther Arms .223-caliber rifle.
According to affidavits filed in support of the federal criminal complaints, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for McLean's residence on Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. Due to the presence of firearms at the residence, the Jasper County Sheriff's Department SWAT team assisted in the execution of the search warrant. When the SWAT team arrived at McLean's residence at about 10:30 p.m., the affidavit says, Lane was sitting in a truck that was idling next to McLean's mobile home. Officers ordered him to get out of the truck, the affidavit says, but Lane drove in the direction of the SWAT team in an effort to flee in the vehicle. Lane allegedly drove the vehicle through a barbed wire fence and traveled south on Blackcat Road.
Joplin police officers pursued Lane on numerous residential streets through Joplin, according to the affidavit, eventually traveling south of town into Newton County. Officers made several attempts to deploy stop sticks to flatten the tires of the truck, however, Lane was able to avoid them. While still being pursued in Newton County, Lane made a turn onto Apricot Drive from Coyote Drive and, while doing so, caused one of the tires to come off the rim. Once this happened, sparks began coming from the truck.
According to the affidavit, the pursuit continued in the Greenwood area with Lane leading officers to the outer road on the north side of I-44. Lane drove off the roadway and his truck became stuck in the field. Lane made several attempts to get the vehicle unstuck but was unsuccessful. When the pursuing officers arrested him, the affidavit says, they found a loaded Panther Arms .223-caliber rifle with a noise suppressor in a black rifle case inside the truck, as well as ammunition.
In the meantime, officers entering McLean's mobile home heard glass shatter on the north side of the residence. They saw shattered glass on the ground from a window, and noticed a small opening in the skirt around the bottom of the mobile home. Officers entered the residence, where they detained two females and discovered numerous firearms -- including three shotguns, a sawed-off shotgun, six rifles and two handguns -- and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A window had been broken in the bathroom on the north side of the residence.
A K-9 unit was called to the scene and the dog dragged McLean out from underneath the mobile home. Officers searched McLean and found a round of .45-caliber ammunition, two cell phones and a large amount of cash. McLean's hands were bloody and he had blood on his clothes, according to the affidavit. He told officers that he had been bitten by the dog and had glass in his hands, and he was treated for his injuries and transported to the Jasper County jail.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition. McLean has prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, creating/altering chemicals into a controlled substance and distributing/manufacturing a controlled substance. Lane has prior felony convictions for aiding and abetting the unlawful possession of equipment, chemicals and materials used to manufacture methamphetamine, tampering with a motor vehicle and stealing a motor vehicle.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these complaints are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.
Two Joplin Men Charged with Illegal Firearms Following Car Chase, K-9 SearchRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two Joplin, Mo., men have been charged in federal court, in separate but related cases, with illegally possessing firearms after they attempted to hide and flee from law enforcement officers.
Franklin McLean, 34, and Theodore Lane, 36, both of Joplin, were charged in separate criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015. McLean and Lane were each charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The federal criminal complaint alleges that McLean was in possession of a Ruger .223-caliber rifle, a Keltec 9mm pistol and a round of .45-caliber ammunition. Another federal criminal complaint alleges that Lane was in possession of a loaded Panther Arms .223-caliber rifle.
According to affidavits filed in support of the federal criminal complaints, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for McLean's residence on Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. Due to the presence of firearms at the residence, the Jasper County Sheriff's Department SWAT team assisted in the execution of the search warrant. When the SWAT team arrived at McLean's residence at about 10:30 p.m., the affidavit says, Lane was sitting in a truck that was idling next to McLean's mobile home. Officers ordered him to get out of the truck, the affidavit says, but Lane drove in the direction of the SWAT team in an effort to flee in the vehicle. Lane allegedly drove the vehicle through a barbed wire fence and traveled south on Blackcat Road.
Joplin police officers pursued Lane on numerous residential streets through Joplin, according to the affidavit, eventually traveling south of town into Newton County. Officers made several attempts to deploy stop sticks to flatten the tires of the truck, however, Lane was able to avoid them. While still being pursued in Newton County, Lane made a turn onto Apricot Drive from Coyote Drive and, while doing so, caused one of the tires to come off the rim. Once this happened, sparks began coming from the truck.
According to the affidavit, the pursuit continued in the Greenwood area with Lane leading officers to the outer road on the north side of I-44. Lane drove off the roadway and his truck became stuck in the field. Lane made several attempts to get the vehicle unstuck but was unsuccessful. When the pursuing officers arrested him, the affidavit says, they found a loaded Panther Arms .223-caliber rifle with a noise suppressor in a black rifle case inside the truck, as well as ammunition.
In the meantime, officers entering McLean's mobile home heard glass shatter on the north side of the residence. They saw shattered glass on the ground from a window, and noticed a small opening in the skirt around the bottom of the mobile home. Officers entered the residence, where they detained two females and discovered numerous firearms -- including three shotguns, a sawed-off shotgun, six rifles and two handguns -- and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A window had been broken in the bathroom on the north side of the residence.
A K-9 unit was called to the scene and the dog dragged McLean out from underneath the mobile home. Officers searched McLean and found a round of .45-caliber ammunition, two cell phones and a large amount of cash. McLean's hands were bloody and he had blood on his clothes, according to the affidavit. He told officers that he had been bitten by the dog and had glass in his hands, and he was treated for his injuries and transported to the Jasper County jail.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition. McLean has prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, creating/altering chemicals into a controlled substance and distributing/manufacturing a controlled substance. Lane has prior felony convictions for aiding and abetting the unlawful possession of equipment, chemicals and materials used to manufacture methamphetamine, tampering with a motor vehicle and stealing a motor vehicle.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these complaints are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.
Two Brandon, Mississippi, Men Plead Guilty for Committing Hate Crimes Against African Americans in Jackson, MississippiRead the Press Release
Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis for the Southern District of Mississippi announced that John Louis Blalack, 20, and Robert Henry Rice, 24, both from Brandon, Mississippi, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Jackson to federal hate crime charges in connection with their roles in a series of assaults on African Americans in Jackson, Mississippi. Blalack and Rice are the ninth and 10th individuals associated with a group of people who conspired to target and assault African Americans based on their race in the spring of 2011.
“Justice has been served,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “The hate crimes to which these defendants have pleaded guilty were as shocking as they were reprehensible—targeting innocent people for racially-motivated acts of violence that inflicted grievous harm and even claimed a life. The Justice Department will never rest in our pursuit of those who victimize their fellow citizens. This landmark case should send a clear message: that anyone who commits an act of bias-motivated violence, or who violates the civil rights to which all Americans are entitled, will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Prior to today's guilty pleas, Deryl Paul Dedmon, 22; John Aaron Rice, 21; Dylan Wade Butler, 23; Jonathan Kyle Gaskamp, 22; and Joseph Paul Dominick, 23, all from Brandon, Mississippi, and William Kirk Montgomery, 25, from Puckett, Mississippi, Shelbie Brooke Richards, 21, from Pearl, Mississippi, and Sarah Adelia Graves, 21, from Crystal Springs, Mississippi, pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in these offenses. The conspiracy culminated in the death of James Craig Anderson, who was assaulted and killed on June 26, 2011.
Blalack pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Matthew Shepard – James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Rice pleaded guilty to one count of violating the same act. The statutory maximum sentence for these violations is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing for Blalack is set for April 23, 2015, and sentencing for Rice is set for April 30, 2015.
The federal investigation revealed that beginning in the spring of 2011, Blalack, Robert Rice and others conspired with one another to harass and assault African-American people in and around Jackson. On numerous occasions the co-conspirators used dangerous weapons, including beer bottles, sling shots and motor vehicles, to cause, and attempt to cause, bodily injury to African-American people. They would specifically target African Americans they believed to be homeless or under the influence of alcohol because they believed that such individuals would be less likely to report an assault. The co-conspirators would often boast about these racially motivated assaults.
On June 25, 2011, Blalack and others attended a birthday party/bonfire for a mutual friend in Puckett, Mississippi. During the party, Blalack and others talked about going to Jackson to harass and assault African-American people. By the early morning hours of June 26, 2011, Blalack, Montgomery, Dedmon, John Aaron Rice, Butler, Richards and Graves agreed to carry out their plan to find, harass and assault African-American people. Robert Rice did not go to Jackson on June 26, 2011.
At around 4:15 a.m., Blalack, Montgomery, John Aaron Rice, and Butler drove to Jackson in Montgomery’s white Jeep with the understanding that Dedmon, Richards and Graves would join them a short time later. Blalack and the other three occupants of the Jeep then drove around Jackson and threw beer bottles from the moving vehicle at African-American pedestrians they encountered. At approximately 5:00 a.m., Blalack and the other three occupants of the Jeep spotted Anderson in a motel parking lot off of Ellis Avenue. The occupants of the Jeep decided that Anderson would be a good target for an assault because he was African-American and appeared to be visibly intoxicated. Blalack and John Aaron Rice decided to get out of the Jeep to distract Anderson while they waited for Dedmon, Richards and Graves to arrive.
After Dedmon Richards, and Graves arrived in Dedmon’s Ford F250 truck, Dedmon and John Aaron Rice physically assaulted Anderson. Rice first punched Anderson in the face with sufficient force to knock Anderson to the ground, and then Dedmon punched Anderson in the face multiple times while he was on the ground. After the assault, Blalack, Montgomery, Rice and Butler left the motel parking lot in the Jeep. As they left, one of the occupants of the Jeep yelled, “White Power!” Prior to getting back into his truck, Dedmon responded by also yelling “White Power!”
Once back in his Ford F250 truck, Dedmon deliberately used his vehicle to run over Anderson, causing injuries which resulted in his death. Blalack’s guilty plea includes his role in this offense.
On a previous occasion, Blalack, Montgomery, Butler and Dominick drove around west Jackson to find and assault African Americans. Blalack and the other occupants of the vehicle purchased bottles of beer to drink and then threw the beer bottles at African Americans. The occupants of the vehicle also purchased a sling-shot. Some of the occupants of the vehicle, including Blalack, threw beer bottles and shot metal ball bearings out of the moving vehicle at African American pedestrians. Blalack pleaded guilty for his role in this offense.
Another previous occasion involved a racially motivated assault at or near a golf course in Jackson. On this particular evening, Robert Rice, Blalack, Montgomery, Gaskamp, Dedmon and John Aaron Rice were in a vehicle, searching for, and eventually finding, a vulnerable African-American man to assault. The vehicle was stopped so Dedmon, John Aaron Rice and Gaskamp could chase the victim down. The three men beat the man to the point that he begged for his life. Robert Rice’s guilty plea includes his role in this offense.
“Today’s guilty pleas are the culmination of an extensive federal investigation into this violent hate crime conspiracy,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Gupta. “Ten defendants have now pleaded guilty to crimes associated with this conspiracy. We hope that today’s guilty pleas provide closure to the victim’s family and to the community that has mourned Mr. Anderson’s tragic death and been shocked by the scope of the conspiracy to commit racially motivated assaults in Jackson by a group of ten co-conspirators.”
“There can be no tolerance for acts of gratuitous violence targeting innocent persons simply because of their race,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “This case is a testament to the United States Attorney’s Office’s dedication to vigorously investigate and prosecute violations of federal hate crime laws. I commend not only Mr. Anderson’s family for their continued cooperation throughout this investigation, but our law enforcement partners, including the FBI and Jackson Police Department, who worked tirelessly in this case to ensure our hate crime laws are strictly enforced.”
“With today's guilty pleas, the FBI and its law enforcement partners have identified and brought to justice all those individuals who conspired to deprive Mr. Anderson and other citizens of their civil rights simply because of the color of their skin,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway for the FBI in Mississippi. “The FBI remains dedicated to protecting the cherished freedoms of all Americans, including aggressively investigating allegations of hate crimes and working to prevent them.”
These guilty pleas were the result of a cooperative effort between the Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi and the Hinds County District Attorney’s office. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson Division and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sheldon L. Beer and Deputy Chief Paige M. Fitzgerald of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Tulsa Woman Sentenced to 48 Months Probation, $112,800 Restitution for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JANET CAROLYN JONES, age 65, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 4 years of probation and restitution of $112,865 for Theft Of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The defendant JONES pled guilty in September, 2014 to an Information alleging that from in or about September 2000 through September 2013, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Defendant did willfully and knowingly embezzle, steal and convert to her own use, money and things of value from the Social Security Administration, an agency of the United States, which had been paid to Ora Dell Dixon, a/k/a, Ora Dell Trento, as retirement benefits, to which the defendant knew she was not entitled and having a value in excess of $1,000.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, 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.
Three Permian Basin Business Owners and Title Company Executive Sentenced for Their Roles in Multi-Million Dollar Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
In Midland, three former Permian Basin business owners and a title company executive were sentenced this afternoon for their roles in a mortgage fraud scheme that involved approximately 800 real estate properties and about $45 million in loans announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division.
This afternoon, United States District Judge Robert A. Junell sentenced:
- Stephen Mark Hilliard, age 59, owner of Comeback Properties, LLC, Hilliard Properties, LLC, SMH Properties, LTD, and Katpast Enterprises, LP, to three years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. On August 12, 2014, Hilliard pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering;
- Michael Duraine Cowan, II, age 43, owner of TLC Properties, LLC, and MCBW Properties, LTD, to three years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. On August 5, 2014, Cowan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering;
- Berta Laura McFaddin, age 56, former Division Vice President of Administration for Stewart Title Company in Midland, to one year and one day in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. Judge Junell also ordered McFaddin to pay a $25,000 fine. On July 29, 2014, McFaddin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and,
- Cynthia Gayle Hirsch, a 62-year-old Odessa real estate agent, to five years probation including one year of home confinement and ordered to complete 300 hours of community service. On August 12, 2014, Hirsch pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
As part of the plea agreements, Judge Junell ordered Hilliard to pay a $1 Million money judgment; Cowan to pay a separate $1 Million monetary judgment; and, Hirsch to pay a $100,000 monetary judgment. Also, Hilliard forfeited to the Government a 2009 Lincoln MKX, 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500R, 2004 GMC Yukon, and two 2006 Yamaha Waverunners. These monetary amounts and property represented the proceeds derived from their fraudulent scheme.
According to court records, from March 2003 until August 2011, the defendants were involved in a fraudulent “same-day property flip” scheme. Admittedly, Hilliard and Cowan purchased a property utilizing one of their respective investment companies, and then re-sold the same property on the same day at an “inflated” sales price to another one of their investment companies.
In order to substantiate inflated prices, Hirsch admittedly created a Broker’s Price Opinion for each property in the amount directed by Hilliard or Cowan. McFaddin, admittedly, assisted in the completion of HUD-1 forms on the same-day property flips. Hilliard and/or Cowan obtained mortgage loans by submitting to the bank fraudulent and misleading documentation created by the defendants and without disclosing to the bank the initial sale of the property.
“Today’s sentencings culminate a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme which was investigated over several years. The success of this investigation relied heavily on interagency cooperation between the FBI, Texas Department of Insurance and various private sector entities. The diligence displayed by investigators and professional staff proved to Midland area residents this type of crime will not be tolerated during the economic growth being experienced in the surrounding communities,” stated FBI SAC Douglas E. Lindquist.
Assistant United States Attorney Austin Berry prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Three Members of Mexican Cartel Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy Involving Liquid MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Three drug traffickers have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine stemming from their roles in the delivery of liquid methamphetamine to residences in Austell, Ga., and Mableton, Ga.
“Over a period of many months, these defendants shipped liquid methamphetamine to Atlanta from the Mexican border and then distributed it throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Given that law enforcement seized record amounts of methamphetamine at the Mexican border in 2014, this case reflects both a disturbing trend in trafficking methamphetamine produced in Mexico and our efforts to disrupt this trend.”
“Methamphetamine continues to ravage many communities in our nation,” said Harry S. Sommers, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Because of the positive results yielded in this case, other methamphetamine traffickers in the Atlanta metropolitan and surrounding areas are being put on notice that DEA and its law enforcement partners will not tolerate their continued efforts to manufacture and distribute this insidious drug.”
“The attack on money laundering is an essential front in the war on narcotics,” stated Veronica Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We are proud to have contributed our financial expertise in order to dismantle the drug-trafficking operation that has been targeting the metro Atlanta citizens.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In October 2012, DEA and IRS agents were investigating Gabriel Jimenez-Antunez, a known local distributor for a Mexican drug trafficking cartel, who was coordinating the delivery of shipments of liquid methamphetamine to the metro-Atlanta, Ga., area and laundering the proceeds of that drug trafficking activity to Mexico. In early spring 2013, agents learned that Jimenez recruited his brother-in-law, Pablo Saucedo Aparicio, and associate Martin Ascencio, to carry out the day-to-day activities of the organization, including receiving methamphetamine shipments from couriers at residences in Mableton, Ga., and depositing drug proceeds at local banks.
In the early morning hours of May 12, 2013, agents tracked the delivery of liquid methamphetamine to a residence in Austell, Ga. Agents determined that the liquid methamphetamine was stored inside the gas tank of a Ford F-350 vehicle. That evening agents observed Jimenez, assisted by Saucedo, arrive at the residence with thermoses, which were to be used to transfer and store the liquid methamphetamine before it was further distributed. Ascencio was in the process of removing the gas tank containing approximately 75 liters of diesel fuel and liquid methamphetamine when agents arrested the defendants and seized the drugs. Agents executed search warrants at this and related residences, recovering another ten pounds of crystal methamphetamine and other evidence.
Three defendants, who pleaded guilty in 2014, have been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Orinda D. Evans:
- Gabriel Jimenez-Antunez, a.k.a. “Negrito,” 39, of Mexico, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Pablo Saucedo-Aparicio, 38, of Mexico, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Martin Ascencio, 49, of Mableton, Ga., was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by agents at ICE-Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Laurel R. Boatright prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman Edward Walsh Charged with Scheme to Defraud the Suffolk County Sheriff’s OfficeRead the Press Release
Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman Edward M. Walsh, Jr. was arrested today on charges that he engaged in a scheme to steal wages for regular and overtime hours in connection with his employment with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office (“SCSO”). He was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson at the federal courthouse in Central Islip.
The charges 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).
As alleged in the criminal complaint unsealed today, from January 2011 to April 2014, Walsh, a SCSO Correction Officer III Investigator, falsely represented to the SCSO that he had worked certain regular and overtime hours when, in fact, he did not. Contrary to his representations, Walsh was, among other things, playing golf, gambling at Foxwoods Casino, or performing work on behalf of the Suffolk County Conservative Party. In reliance on Walsh’s false representations, the SCSO paid Walsh approximately $80,000 in wages for regular and overtime hours he did not work. To conceal his scheme, Walsh allegedly lied to FBI agents, claiming that he worked flex time or was on the telephone regarding his work at the SCSO even while at the golf course.
“Instead of upholding the law, Edward Walsh abused his position and authority and robbed from taxpayers to fund his personal and political activities,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We and our partners in the FBI will continue to root out government fraud wherever we find it.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Venizelos stated, “Mr. Walsh shook down county government for hours he never worked. In reality, he was often on the ninth hole practicing his putting, among other things. Mr. Walsh today finds himself in serious trouble with the law for allegedly defrauding Suffolk County.”
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile and Raymond A. Tierney.
The Defendant:
EDWARD M. WALSH, JR.
Age: 48
East Islip, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-MJ-0002 (AKT)
Stockbroker Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud in Scheme to Defraud Clients of More Than $2.6 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Gary Clark Steciuk, age 39, of Buffalo Grove, Illinois and Heber Springs, Arkansas, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud his clients of more than $2.6 million.The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to his plea agreement, Steciuk was a stockbroker, who worked primarily out of his home in Buffalo Grove. Steciuk was authorized to sell securities, such as stocks, bonds, option, mutual funds and variable annuities. In approximately 2009, Steciuk established a business, College Funding Solutions, ostensibly to provide investment advice to clients interested in investing and saving for college expenses, and opened a business bank account in the name of the business.
Steciuk admitted that from May 2008 through August 2014, he embezzled funds from his clients’ investment accounts. These accounts were established and funded with client retirement funds and were maintained by the issuers of the annuities. Steciuk used a variety of methods to embezzle the funds. For example, Steciuk submitted forged forms to change his clients’ address at the firm that issued the annuities to a post office box in Hampstead, Maryland that Steciuk controlled. Steciuk then directed the firm to send funds from his clients’ accounts by check to the Maryland post office box. Steciuk forged the clients’ signatures on the back of the check, which were in the clients’ names, and deposited the checks into bank accounts he controlled. In addition, Steciuk created fraudulent and unauthorized loans from the clients’ annuities for his benefit; used forged transfer forms and forged checks to make unauthorized withdrawals; and in some cases, liquidated the annuities in their entirety and stole the proceeds.
Steciuk used the proceeds of the scheme to support a lavish lifestyle, including purchasing multiple homes for himself and others, as well as to support his extramarital affairs.
There were at least 18 victims of the scheme, including Steciuk’s step-grandmother and mother-in-law, as well as elderly and vulnerable victims. The total loss resulting from the fraudulent scheme is approximately $2,686,025.07. Steciuk’s plea agreement requires him to pay restitution in that amount and to forfeit all money, property, or assets of any kind derived from or acquired as a result of his illegal activities.
Steciuk and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Steciuk will be sentenced to 105 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Steciuk remains detained.
Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since the inception of FFETF in November 2009, the Justice Department has filed more than 12,841 financial fraud cases against nearly 18,737 defendants including nearly 3,500 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Bockin, who is prosecuting the case.
Salina Man Sentenced to 10+ Years for Trafficking in MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Salina man has been sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for trafficking in methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Wednesday.
Lofton H. Clark, 30, Salina, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted that Feb. 27, 2013, members of the I-70 Drug Task Force arranged to purchase 26 grams of methamphetamine from him during a transaction in a vehicle at a location in Salina.
Grissom commended the I-70 Drug Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot for their work on the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced for Robbing Three Tops SupermarketsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr., announced today that Tyrelis Austin, 23, of Rochester, N.Y., who was convicted of robbing three Tops Marketplace stores in 2012, 2013 and 2014, was sentenced to 54 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,030.Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory, who is handling the case, stated that on November 25, 2012, Austin robbed the Tops store located at 1100 Jefferson Road in Henrietta; on July 29, 2013, the defendant robbed the Tops store located at 3507 Mt. Read Boulevard in Greece; and, on March 28, 2014, he robbed the Tops store located at 270 East Main Street in Avon, New York. According to the complaint, on each occasion, the defendant threatened to shoot store employees if they did not comply with his request to empty the cash registers located at the service desks of each store.
After robbing the Tops store in Avon, Austin led deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department on a high speed chase on Route 390 northbound. Ultimately, the defendant’s vehicle crashed into a ditch on Route 390 near the Chili Avenue exit. Deputies arrested Austin at the scene and discovered a large amount of cash, as well as the black hooded sweatshirt, wig and baseball cap that he wore into the store. Deputies also discovered two handwritten notes which stated “put all the money in the bag or I will shoot you.” In a post-arrest statement to police, Austin admitted his involvement in all three robberies.
In November 2014, Austin’s cousin, Derek Stanin, was sentenced to 51 months on similar charges, including the robbery of three Tops Supermarkets located in the Rochester, New York area.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Patrick O’Flynn, the Avon Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gary Benedict, and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan.
Pipeline Corrosion Monitor Pleads Guilty to Pipeline Safety Violations and False StatementsRead the Press Release
Randy Jones, 44, a former corrosion coordinator for Shell Pipeline Company L.P. (Shell), pleaded guilty in Milwaukee today to failing to conduct bi-monthly voltage readings and an annual survey of a pipeline used to transport jet fuel in violation of the Pipeline Safety Act (PSA) and making a false statement to the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA).
Jones, a resident of Louisiana, pleaded guilty to knowingly failing to conduct required safety test between January and December 2011 and submitting false data to PHMSA. The violations were in connection with a pipeline owned by Shell that delivered commercial aviation jet fuel to General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In January 2012 a hole was discovered in the pipeline at Mitchell Airport after jet fuel began showing up in soil surrounding the airport and in nearby Wilson Creek. Fuel eventually reached and melted asphalt on airport property. Shell reported that approximately 9,000 gallons of jet fuel was released. The response and cleanup cost for the spill was approximately $19.3 million.
Jones was employed by Shell from 1992 through 2012. From 2010 until 2012, Jones was employed as a corrosion coordinator and was responsible for Shell pipelines servicing Mitchell and Chicago O’Hare airports. Jones failed to conduct the required testing for 2011 and when advised of an audit by PHMSA scheduled for December 2011, he submitted false data indicating the required test had been conducted.
Consistent with requirements of the PSA, which establishes standards for the safe operation of the hazardous materials in pipelines, buried or submerged metal pipelines must be protected to prevent corrosion. This involves the use of a device called a rectifier which applies a negative current to soil near the pipeline to keep corrosion away from the pipe. The operator of the pipeline is required to conduct bi-monthly readings of the voltage generated from a rectifier and conduct an annual survey of the pipeline to insure that the pipeline is adequately protected from corrosion. PHMSA is the primary agency responsible for regulating and enforcing the PSA.
An information charging Jones with two counts of violating the PSA and one false statement violation was filed on Nov. 14, 2014. Under the terms of the plea agreement, each offense charged carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. The sentencing is set for April 30, 2015.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and FBI, with assistance from PHMSA. The case was prosecuted by Jennifer A. Whitfield of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice and Tracy M. Johnson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Pinellas Pain Management Doctor Indicted for Distributing Controlled Substances Outside Usual Course of Professional Practice, Which Resulted in Deaths of PatientsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Edward Neil Feldman, M.D. (75, Tampa) and his wife, Kim Xuan Feldman (65, Tampa), with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Dr. Feldman is also charged with three counts of dispensing controlled substances that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Kim Xuan Feldman faces a maximum of 70 years’ imprisonment. The indictment notifies the Feldmans that the government intends to forfeit real property located in Tampa and Pinellas Park, two investment accounts, and three bank accounts, all of which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses and/or property used to facilitate the offenses. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, from at least October 2009 through the date of the indictment, Edward Neil Feldman, Kim Feldman, and others used Feldman Orthopedic and Wellness Center, located at 6100 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, to dispense controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Methadone, Alprazolam (Xanax), and Diazepam, outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The indictment alleges that Dr. Feldman’s dispensing of those controlled substances resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The Feldmans also allegedly conspired to conduct financial transactions using funds derived from their drug conspiracy to promote the conspiracy, conceal the source of the funds, and avoid transaction reporting requirements. The indictment further alleges that the couple used criminal proceeds to purchase their personal residence and the office building where the pain clinic is located, as well as to fund an investment account.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case results from an ongoing joint investigation conducted by (name the agencies involved) and the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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Palm Beach County Gastroenterologist Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Palm Beach County resident and licensed physician in the State of Florida specializing in gastroenterology pled guilty today to filing corporate and personal income tax returns in which his income was underrepresented, representing a tax loss over the course of four years in excess of $6,000,000.00.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, made the announcement.
Krishna Tripuraneni’s, 56, primary place of business is Palm Beach Gastroenterology Consultants LLC (PBGC), located at 1157 South State Road 7, Wellington, Florida. Tripuraneni also operates two other businesses from this same address identified as Palm Beach Surgery Center (PBSC) and PB Anesthesia Associates, LLC (PBA). According to Florida corporate records, Tripuraneni is the listed owner of record of PBGC and the Manager and Registered Agent for PBSC and PBA.
For the tax years 2004 to 2008, Tripuraneni knowingly and willfully underreported his income from the above mentioned entities. Tripuraneni received income in the form of direct compensation, distributions, and corporate funds used to pay for personal expenditures. This resulted in the filing of false corporate and personal tax returns by Tripuraneni.
Tripuraneni utilized funds from the above companies to pay for expenses of a home he built in Manalapan, Florida, to service mortgage payments on condominiums he owned, interior design improvements to his residences, and tuition payments for his children. Some of these payments were then classified as professional consulting, building repairs, and miscellaneous expenses by the companies listed above.
These payments resulted in falsified profit and loss statements being provided to the tax return preparer. These profit and loss statements were used for the preparation of the corporate tax returns and the personal tax returns for Tripuraneni. By providing the return preparer with the false profit and loss statements, Tripuraneni caused the preparation and filing of a false 2006 U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation, IRS Form 1120S; a U.S. Return of Partnership Income, IRS Form 1065 and a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, IRS Form 1040. These returns were false in that the corporate returns included fraudulent business expenses which reduced the corporations’ income and failed to include the diverted corporate income and to correctly report the defendant’s share of the income generated by these companies, thereby understating the defendant’s total income and the tax due and owing on his personal return.
The false returns described herein resulted in a tax loss detailed below:
Tax Year Underreported Income Additional Tax Due & Owing 2004 $3,256,616 $1,139,815 $3,940,641 $1,369,581 2006 $4,158,162 $1,533,048 2007 $3,688,283 $1,291,940 2008 $3,084,364 $1,049,593 TOTALS $18,128,066 $6,383,977U.S. Attorney Ferrer stated, “An individual cannot avoid his income tax obligations by creative labeling. Today’s plea demonstrates our commitment to every American taxpayer that we will identify and prosecute those who use corporations as shields to evade the payment of personal income taxes.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Jackson stated, “As we approach tax filing season, those Americans who file accurate, honest and timely returns can be assured that the government will hold accountable those who don't. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to investigating individuals who use their corporations as personal piggy banks to live an untaxed lavish lifestyle and evade their corporate and personal income taxes. We will remain diligent in enforcing the laws to protect our nation’s tax system.”
“As citizens of this country, we have a responsibility to pay our fair share of taxes,” said Kelly M. Darden, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Do not, as in this case, attempt to knowingly and willfully underreport income - you will be caught. I especially want to thank all the law enforcement agencies of the Greater Palm Beach County Healthcare Fraud Task Force who investigated this case.”
DCIS Special Agent in Charge Khin stated, “This guilty plea is the result of a multi-agency effort to investigate this physician who defrauded the American taxpayer for personal gain. His criminal activities also defrauded the health care system intended to serve US military members.”
Tripuraneni is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, FBI and DCIS. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Clark.
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.
Owner of Local Payroll Services Company Sentenced on Fraud and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – BRADLEY FERGUSON, owner of Fenton-based Paymaster Business Solutions, Inc., was sentenced to 54 months in prison on mail fraud and money laundering charges involving his failure to remit federal, state and local taxes to the proper taxing authorities that had been deducted from victim client bank accounts. Ferguson also failed to remit FICA withholding to the IRS on behalf of his business clients. Ferguson’s clients included churches, youth organizations, child daycare facilities, law firms and other businesses throughout the St. Louis area. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay restitution of $3,067,137.
According to court documents, from January 2005 through January 2014, Ferguson drafted funds directly from Paymaster business clients’ bank accounts in order to pay their federal, state and local tax liabilities. However, Paymaster, at Ferguson’s direction, failed to forward the Paymaster business clients’ funds to the taxing authorities in order to pay their tax liabilities then due and owing. Paymaster drafted in excess of $2,700,000 from Paymaster business clients’ bank accounts to pay client’s federal, state and local tax liabilities, as well as FICA liabilities, for the period July 2013 through December 2013, but were not forwarded to the proper taxing authorities. Additionally, Ferguson,as Power of Attorney for Paymaster business clients, was contacted directly by the IRS and questioned as to the failure of the payments of client federal tax liabilities. Fergusondid not tell his clients about the IRS inquiries. When clients occasionally learned that Paymaster had not forwarded their funds to the taxing authorities, Ferguson lied to them and told them Paymaster had made the payments. In December 2013, Ferguson retained the services of a commercial shredding company and directed that the Paymaster business client records be shredded and removed from the Paymaster offices.
Ferguson, Washington, MO, pled guilty last August to one felony count of mail fraud and one felony count of money laundering, He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge E. Richard Webber.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Postal Inspection Service and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Ohio man sentenced for heroin possessionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Joseph Lee Church, 36, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for possession of multiple controlled substances with intent to distribute by United States District Court Judge Thomas E. Johnston in Charleston.
Church pleaded guilty in May 2014, to possession of, with the intent to distribute, heroin, hydromorphone, oxycodone, hydrocodone and amphetamine. He previously admitted this to Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies when arrested in the Rand, West Virginia, area on Dec. 10, 2011. Church said the drugs had been brought to the area from Columbus.
The case was investigated by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney John Frail handled the prosecution of this case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of heroin and prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
New York Man Indicted for Cyberstalking FBI AgentRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Ronald Bergrin, 56, of New York, New York, with cyberstalking, threatening in retaliation, and threatening in an interstate communication, an FBI agent from on or about December 2012 through on or about December 18, 2014, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
On Dec. 18, 2014, Bergrin threatened to assault a federal law enforcement officer, sending an email from the Northern District of Ohio in which he wrote the following: “She thinks she’s living in a safe place. A place where nobody can find out where she lives and nobody could get her. I’m going to teach her that I could crush her like the bug she is…She will never sleep at night again. She will have nightmares,” according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Matthew Shepherd, following an investigation by agents of the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Newark FBI.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
New Bern Drug Dealer Receives 9 Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Lomachael Antonio Grice , 32, of New Bern to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release.
District Attorney Scott Thomas said, “This is another case in our ongoing effort to fight illegal drug activity in our district. CNET has been very proactive in identifying and investigating drug dealers operating in our area. We have had a good working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as we work together to prosecute drug dealers in state and federal courts.”
Grice was named in a Criminal Information filed on March 18, 2014, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and a quantity of cocaine from 2006 until August 30, 2013. On July 17, 2014, Grice pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, law enforcement agencies in the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina worked together to identify GRICE’s source of supply who was traveling from the Chatham County area to deliver large amounts of cocaine to GRICE and other drug dealers in the Craven County area. After GRICE’s supplier was arrested, further investigation lead to GRICE’s arrest following a controlled delivery operation where GRICE handed money to a confidential informant in exchange for cocaine. Further investigation revealed that GRICE was responsible for the distribution of multiple kilograms of powder and crack cocaine in the Craven County over a time period spanning from 2006.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Coastal Narcotics Enforcement Team, a multi-agency task force comprised of agents from the Bridgeton Police Department, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Havelock Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, River Bend Police Department, and Trent Woods Police Department. These agencies were assisted by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Augustus Willis represented the government. Mr. Willis is a prosecutor with the District 3-B District Attorney’s Office encompassing Carteret, Craven and Pamlico Counties. District Attorney Scott Thomas has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters. Mr. Wills’ position is funded through a grant provided by the Governor’s Crime Commission.
Navasota Woman Sentenced to Prison for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Glenda Hamilton, 38, of Navasota, has been ordered to prison following her plea of guilty to aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Today, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison, who accepted the plea, ordered Hamilton to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release.
At the time of her plea on Oct. 16, 2014, Hamilton admitted she fraudulently applied for income tax refunds using the stolen identities of others. Court records indicate she unlawfully acquired the name and Social Security numbers of others and used that information to file a fraudulent tax return on their behalf. Hamilton requested the refund checks be mailed to post office boxes under her control.
She then fraudulently endorsed the name of the victim onto the refund checks and used a counterfeit power of attorney to cash the checks.
Hamilton will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The charges are the result of an investigation by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman he case is prosecuting the case.
Muskogee Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Firearm Possession in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JAMES DEWAYNE MARSHALL, 23, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A).
The charges arose from an investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Department, The Ardmore Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The defendant was indicted in August, 2014 and pled guilty in September, 2014.
The Indictment alleged that on or about February 5, 2014 within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, JAMES DEWAYNE MARSHALL, did knowingly possess a firearm, to wit: One Ruger, model P95, 9mm caliber pistol, bearing serial number: 318-87182, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Muskogee Man Sentenced to 110 Months for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that TOMMY LOUIS TAYLOR, 35, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 110 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1).
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. The defendant was indicted in June, 2014 and was found guilty in August, 2014 by a federal jury.
The evidence presented at trial proved that on or about December 19, 2013, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, the following firearm, to-wit: one H&R .32 caliber revolver, bearing serial number BA021273, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal prison at which he will serve his sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Multiple Arrests Announced in Large Drug RingRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton of the Southern District of Illinois announced today that 16 people were arrested for offenses relating to the production and distribution of methamphetamine in Marion and Clinton Counties on Jan. 6, 2015, following their indictment by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in the Southern District of Illinois. The 16 arrested are: Daniel L. Gazdik, 50, Sara Rose Davis, 33, Brian Fear, 40, Misty Fear, 31, Katelyn Woolever, 21, Joseph Smith, 34, James Horton, 48, Destry Wood, 51, Shelonda Shackleford, 26, Craig Heitkamp, 50, and Rachel Reeve, all of Centralia; Michael Flanagan, 41, and Kathy Tomes, 61, of Sandoval; Dusty Gambill, 39, of Central City; and David Altom, 41, and Jayme Barnes, 35, of Odin.
Gazdik and Davis are charged in a seven-count indictment. Count 1 charges both with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine; Counts 2 and 3 charge Gazdik with distribution of methamphetamine; Counts 4 and 6 charge Gazdik, and Counts 5 and 7 charge Davis, with possession of a listed chemical knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than five years in federal prison and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least four years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for Counts 2 and 3 is 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and at least three years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
Brian and Misty Fear, Woolever, Smith, and Reeve are all charged in an eight-count indictment. Count 1 charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine; Count 2 charges the fears with possession of equipment, chemicals, products and materials with intent to manufacture methamphetamine; Counts 3 and 5 charge Misty Fear, Counts 3 and 4 charge Brian Fear, Counts 3 and 6 charge Smith, Count 7 charges Woolever, and Count 8 charges Reeve, with possession of a listed chemical knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than five years in federal prison, and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least four years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for Count 2 is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Flanagan, Gambill, Tomes, Altom, Barnes, and Horton are charged in an 11-count indictment. Count 1 charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine; Counts 2 and 7 charge Gambill, Counts 3 and 8 charge Tomes, Counts 4 and 9 charge Barnes, Counts 5 and 10 charge Altom, and Counts 6 and 11 charge Horton with possession of a listed chemical knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than five years in federal prison, and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least four years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release.
Wood and Shackleford are charged in a 15-count indictment. Count 1 charges both with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine; Count 8 charges Wood with attempt manufacture of methamphetamine; Counts 12 and 13 charge Shackleford, and Counts 14 and 15 charge Wood, with possession of a listed chemical knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than five years in federal prison, up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least four years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release.
Heitkamp is charged in a two-count indictment. Count 1 charges him with possession of a listed chemical knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance; Count 2 charges him with unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for Count 2 is up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Information leading to the charges was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, the Centralia Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Mt. Vernon Police Department. Assisting in the arrests were the United States Marshal Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Illinois Department of Corrections. All of these cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.
Multiple Arrests Announced in Large Drug RingRead the Press Release
Sixteen Individuals Charged in Multiple Indictments
Follow @SDILNewsStephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that 16 people were arrested for offenses relating to the production and distribution of methamphetamine in Marion and Clinton Counties on January 6, 2015, following their indictment by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in the Southern District of Illinois. The 16 arrested are: Daniel L. Gazdik, 50, and Sara Rose Davis, 33, both of Centralia; Brian Fear, 40, Misty Fear, 31, Katelyn Woolever, 21, Joseph Smith, 34, and Rachel Reeve, all of Centralia; Michael Flanagan, 41, Sandoval, Dusty Gambill, 39, Central City, Kathy Tomes, 61, Sandoval, David Altom, 41, Odin, Jayme Barnes, 35, Odin, and James Horton, 48, Centralia; Destry Wood, 51, and Shelonda Shackleford, 26, both of Centralia; and Craig Heitkamp, 50, Centralia.
Gazdik and Davis are charged in a seven-count Indictment. Count 1 charges both with Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine; Counts 2 and 3 charge Gazdik with Distribution of Methamphetamine; Counts 4 and 6 charge Gazdik, and Counts 5 and 7 charge Davis, with Possession of a Listed Chemical Knowing it Would be Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than 5 years in federal prison and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for Counts 2 and 3 is 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and at least 3 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release.
Brian and Misty Fear, Woolever, Smith, and Reeve are all charged in an eight-count Indictment. Count 1 charges all defendants with Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine; Count 2 charges the Fears with Possession of Equipment, Chemicals, Products and Materials with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine; Counts 3 and 5 charge Misty Fear, Counts 3 and 4 charge Brian Fear, Counts 3 and 6 charge Smith, Count 7 charges Woolever, and Count 8 charges Reeve, with Possession of a Listed Chemical Knowing It Would Be Used to Manufacture a Controlled Substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than 5 years in federal prison, and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for Count 2 is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release.
Flanagan, Gambill, Tomes, Altom, Barnes, and Horton are charged in an 11-count Indictment. Count 1 charges all defendants with Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine; Counts 2 and 7 charge Gambill, Counts 3 and 8 charge Tomes, Counts 4 and 9 charge Barnes, Counts 5 and 10 charge Altom, and Counts 6 and 11 charge Horton with Possession of a Listed Chemical Knowing It Would Be Used to Manufacture a Controlled Substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than 5 years in federal prison, and up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release.
Wood and Shackleford are charged in a 15-count indictment. Count 1 charges both with Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine; Count 8 charges Wood with Attempt Manufacture of Methamphetamine; Counts 12 and 13 charge Shackleford, and Counts 14 and 15 charge Wood, with Possession of a Listed Chemical Knowing It Would Be Used to Manufacture a Controlled Substance. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is not less than 5 years in federal prison, up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for each of the remaining counts is up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release.
Heitkamp is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count 1 charges him with Possession of a Listed Chemical Knowing It Would Be Used to Manufacture a Controlled Substance; Count 2 charges him with Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of Firearms. The maximum penalty for Count 1 is up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years’ supervised release. The maximum penalty for Count 2 is up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Information leading to the charges was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, the Centralia Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Mt. Vernon Police Department. Assisting in the arrests were the United States Marshal Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Illinois Department of Corrections. All of these cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.
Missouri Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsDemarcus A. Buford, a 37-year old Jefferson City, Missouri, man was sentenced on January 7, 2015, in federal district court, in East St. Louis, Illinois, on one count of failure to register as a sex offender, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Buford was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison; five years supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and a $150 fine.
Buford moved from Illinois to Missouri, after signing an Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act Notification Form on January 15, 2013, acknowledging his requirement to either update his sex offender registration in Illinois to reflect his change of address, or register as a sex offender in Missouri. He neither registered in Missouri, nor updated his registration in Illinois as required by law. Buford had been previously convicted of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse on August 27, 2008, in St. Clair County, Illinois.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
Milford Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling $108k from EmployerRead the Press Release
Follow @USAO_CT
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID LIPTAK, 50, of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in Bridgeport to 10 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling $108,000 from his employer. LIPTAK also was ordered to pay full restitution and a fine of $3,000.
According to court documents and statements made in court, LIPTAK was employed by Consolidated Management Group (“CMG”) of Westport. CMG provided management services to condominium associations, including managing the bank accounts and expenses of the associations. From approximately June 2008 to March 2012, LIPTAK embezzled approximately $108,000 from CMG.
On May 14, 2014, LIPTAK pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud. He was ordered to report to prison on February 23, 2015.
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Westport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Richard J. Schechter.
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Tom Carson
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[email protected]Mailman Sentenced for Throwing Away MailRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that an Anchorage man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for one count of obstruction of mail.
Alfonso Pitpit, 36, of Anchorage, pled guilty and was sentenced yesterday by United States Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith to one year of probation and a fine of $1,000.
Pitpit was an employee of the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier at the Russian Jack facility in Anchorage. On October 4, 2014, a witness observed Pitpit empty two trays of first class mail into two different garbage cans along his mail route. The witness notified the Post Office and the mail was recovered and delivered. Pitpit admitted that he threw the mail away.
Magistrate Judge Smith noted the importance of reliable mail delivery and the need to deter others from cutting corners as Pitpit had done.
Ms. Loeffler commends the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for the investigation of this case.Los Departamentos de Educación y Justicia Publican una Guía para Garantizar que los Estudiantes que Aprenden Inglés Tengan Igual Acceso a una Educación de Alta CalidadRead the Press Release
Los departamentos de Educación (ED) y Justicia (DOJ) publicaron hoy una Guía de orientación para recordar a los estados, distritos escolares y escuelas que tienen la obligación, según la ley federal, de asegurar que los estudiantes en proceso de aprender inglés tengan igual acceso a una educación de alta calidad y la oportunidad de lograr su pleno potencial académico.
“La diversidad de nuestra nación es uno de nuestros mayores atributos”, dijo Vanita Gupta, fiscal general auxiliar (en fuciones) en la División de Derechos Civiles del DOJ. “Cuando apoyamos la educación de los estudiantes que aprenden inglés, nos apoyamos a nosotros también. La Guía publicada hoy —40 años después de que se promulgó la Ley de Igualdad de Oportunidad Educativa— ayudará a las escuelas a cumplir con su obligación legal de asegurar que todos los estudiantes puedan triunfar”.
“Hace cuatro décadas, la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos sostuvo en el caso Lau v. Nichols que todos los estudiantes merecen igual acceso a una educación de alta calidad, independiente de su origen lingüístico o lo bien que saben inglés”, dijo Catherine E. Lhamon, subsecretaria para derechos civiles de ED. “La orientación que hoy publicamos no sólo nos recuerda la sentencia del tribunal, sino que también proporciona información útil a las escuelas que trabajan para asegurar la equidad para los estudiantes y las familias con dominio limitado del inglés”.
Además de la Guía, ED y DOJ también han proporcionado herramientas y recursos adicionales para ayudar a las escuelas a prestar servicio a los estudiantes que aprenden inglés y a los padres con dominio limitado del inglés:
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Una hoja informativa en inglésy en otros idiomas sobre las obligaciones que tienen las escuelas, según la ley federal, de asegurar que los estudiantes que aprenden inglés puedan participar de manera significativa e igual en la escuela.
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Una hoja informativa en inglés y en otros idiomas sobre las obligaciones que tienen las escuelas, según la ley federal, de transmitir a los padres con dominio limitado del inglés información en un idioma que puedan entender.
Un paquete de herramientas preparado por la Oficina de Adquisición del Inglés de ED para ayudar a los distritos escolares a identificar a los estudiantes con dominio limitado del inglés. Este es el primer capítulo de una serie de capítulos para ayudar a las agencias de educación estatales y distritos escolares a cumplir sus obligaciones con los estudiantes que aprenden inglés.
Esta es la primera vez que una guía trata solo sobre las varias leyes federales que rigen las obligaciones que tienen las escuelas con los estudiantes de inglés. La guía reconoce el 40 aniversario de Lau v. Nichols y la Ley de Igualdad de Oportunidad Educativa de 1974 (EEOA), y también el 50 aniversario de la Ley de Derechos Civiles. Igual que la EEOA, Lau requiere que las escuelas públicas adopten medidas apropiadas para ayudar a los estudiantes de inglés a superar las barreras lingüísticas y asegurar su capacidad de participar por igual en la escuela.
La Guía explica las obligaciones que tienen las escuelas de:
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identificar a los estudiantes con dominio limitado del inglés de una manera oportuna, válida y fiable;
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ofrecer a todos los estudiantes que aprenden inglés un programa sólido de ayuda con el idioma;
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proporcionar personal calificado y recursos suficientes para instruir a los estudiantes que aprenden inglés;
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garantizar que los estudiantes que aprenden inglés tengan un acceso equitativo a los programas y actividades de la escuela;
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evitar que los estudiantes que aprenden inglés sean segregados o apartados sin necesidad de los demás estudiantes;
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vigilar el progreso de los alumnos en el aprendizaje del inglés y el trabajo en el aula a nivel de grado;
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remediar cualquier falta académica que los estudiantes que aprenden inglés incurrieron mientras que asistían a programas de ayuda con el idioma;
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sacar a los estudiantes de los programas de asistencia de lenguaje cuando ya sean competentes en inglés y darles seguimiento para asegurar que no sean retirados de esos programas antes de tiempo;
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evaluar la eficacia de los programas para los estudiantes que aprenden inglés; y
- proporcionar a los padres con dominio limitado del inglés información sobre los programas escolares, servicios y actividades en un idioma que comprendan.
Casi cinco millones de estudiantes en Estados Unidos están aprendiendo inglés, y constituyen el nueve por ciento de todos los estudiantes en las escuelas públicas del país. Del 2002 al 2011, el porcentaje de estudiantes que aprenden inglés en las escuelas públicas aumentó en 40 estados y el Distrito de Columbia. En la actualidad, tres de cada cuatro escuelas públicas tienen estudiantes que aprenden inglés.
La aplicación de la Ley de Igualdad de Oportunidad Educativa y del Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, que asegura a los estudiantes que aprenden inglés y a los padres con dominio limitado del inglés acceso igual a los servicios que tienen derecho, es una prioridad de la División de Derechos Civiles del DOJ. Hay más información aquí sobre los esfuerzos de DOJ para brindar igualdad de oportunidad en la educación a todos los estudiantes.
La misión de la Oficina para Derechos Civiles de ED (OCR) es garantizar la igualdad de acceso a la educación y promover la excelencia educativa en todo el país mediante la aplicación rigurosa de las leyes de derechos civiles. La OCR es responsable de aplicar las leyes federales de derechos civiles que prohíben la discriminación por las instituciones educativas por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, discapacidad, sexo y edad, así como la Ley de Igualdad de Acceso para los Boy Scouts of America de 2001. Hay información adicional sobre la OCR aquí, y hay recursos adicionales, incluido las guías publicadas anteriormente sobre este tema, aquí.
- Asegurar que los estudiantes aprendices del inglés participen de forma significativa y equitativa en programas educativos
- Tools and Resources for Identifying all English Learners
- Estimado colega
- Información para padres y tutores con dominio limitado del idioma inglés (LEP) y para las escuelas y distritos escolares que se comunican con ellos
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Local Woman Arrested for Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Nicole Dette Perkins has been arrested on charges of making false claims for tax refunds in returns she prepared for other taxpayers and for falsifying her own tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Lucy Cruz, special agent in charge of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
A federal grand jury returned the sealed 14-count indictment on Dec. 16, 2014. It was unsealed today upon her arrest. Perkins is expected made her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith at 2:00 p.m.
According to the indictment, Perkins prepared and filed tax returns on behalf of other tax payers for the 2009 tax year that claimed false refund amounts. The indictment further alleges she falsified her own tax returns for the years 2008 and 2009 by reporting false tax withholdings on fabricated W-2 Forms.
If convicted, Perkins faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine for each of the 12 counts of making false claims for tax refunds. For each of the two counts of falsifying her own tax returns, she faces up to three years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Corso is prosecuting.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Last Defendant Sentenced in Drug Trafficking and Violent Crime Sweep on and Near the Yavapai-apache Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Jan. 5, 2015, almost 20 months following a large drug and violent crime sweep on and near the Yavapai-Apache Indian Reservation, the last of 22 defendants was sentenced in federal district court. Raul Valdez Hernandez, 55, of Seligman, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 10 years imprisonment for distributing methamphetamine. A list of related court numbers appear below.
This coordinated multi-agency community impact initiative spanned over a year and resulted in the successful prosecution of 22 defendants, several are active members of the Yavapai-Apache Indian Reservation, for various charges, including drug trafficking and firearms violations, as well as assault and domestic violence related charges. The individual sentences ranged from time served with supervised release up to 15 years imprisonment.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Arizona Safe Streets Task Force, Yavapai County’s Partners Against Narcotics Traffickers (P.A.N.T.), and the Yavapai-Apache Tribal Police Department. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The prosecution was handled by Dimitra H. Sampson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-13-8066-PCT-DGC
CR-12-8258-PCT-GMS
CR-12-8259-PCT-JAT
CR-13-8054-PCT-PGR
CR-13-8055-PCT-NVW
CR-13-8056-PCT-GMS
CR-13-8057-PCT-GMS
CR-13-8058-PCT-PGR
CR-13-8059-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8060-PCT-NVW
CR-13-8061-PCT-PGR
CR-13-8062-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8063-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8065-PCT-NVW
CR-13-8066-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8067-PCT-GMS
CR-13-8068-PCT-PGR
CR-13-8069-PCT-NVW
CR-13-8070-PCT-GMS
CR-13-8118-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8119-PCT-NVW
CR-13-8120-PCT-DGC
CR-13-8121-PCT-DGCRELEASE NUMBER: 2015-002_Hernandez et al.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE –Eddie Gallardo, 31, of Las Cruces, N.M., entered a guilty plea yesterday afternoon in Las Cruces federal court to cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking charges. The guilty plea was entered pursuant to a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gallardo was arrested on May 22, 2014, on a criminal complaint charging him with a methamphetamine trafficking charge and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The complaint alleged that on May 13, 2014, Gallardo sold a handgun and methamphetamine to an undercover FBI agent. At the time, Gallardo was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of a drug trafficking offense.
Gallardo subsequently was charged in a seven-count indictment filed in Aug. 2014. Counts 1, 2 and 3 of the indictment charged Gallardo with distributing cocaine in Doña Ana County, N.M., on three separate occasions between Aug. 7, 2013 and Oct. 30, 2013. Counts 3, 5 and 6 charged Gallardo with distributing methamphetamine on three separate occasions between Aug. 2013 and May 2014. Count 7 charged Gallardo with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
During yesterday’s change of plea hearing, Gallardo pled guilty to Counts 1 through 6 of the indictment. In entering his guilty plea, Gallardo admitted selling cocaine and methamphetamine to a law enforcement officer who was acting in an undercover capacity between Aug. 7, 2013 and May 13, 2014.
Gallardo has been in federal custody since his arrest. He remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Gallardo faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by not less than four years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This is one of many cases generated by a 15-month investigation by the FBI’s Las Cruces Southwest Border/Safe Streets Task Force and the New Mexico HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force (Metro Narcotics Task Force). The investigation, which concluded in Aug. 2014, initially targeted methamphetamine manufacturers and traffickers operating out of Doña Ana County, but expanded to include individuals trafficking in other drugs and using firearms to facilitate their drug trafficking crimes. The investigation identified sources of drug supply in Los Angeles, Calif., Tucson, Ariz., and El Paso, Texas, who were supplying drug traffickers in southern New Mexico with high-grade methamphetamine, and led to the filing of criminal charges against 75 individuals, including 42 federal defendants and 33 state defendants. Law enforcement officers seized more than 29 pounds of methamphetamine, 37 pounds of cocaine, 4.5 ounces of heroin, 30 pounds of marijuana, 74 firearms and 17 vehicles during the course of the investigation.Keene Man Sentenced on Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Daniel Erickson, 39, of Keene, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas
The investigation began in March, 2014, when the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that images of child pornography being traded via email. The Task Force traced the images to a computer associated with the defendant’s address. After further investigation by the Department of Homeland Security and the Hinsdale Police Department, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s home in May of 2014. An external computer storage device seized from the defendant was found to contain images of child pornography which had been downloaded through the internet.
The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender in any state in which he lives or works and will be supervised by United States Probation for five years after he is released from prison.
The charge was the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Hinsdale Police Department and the New Hampshire ICAC Task Force and is being prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.Joliet Area Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing Hundreds of False Returns, Causing IRS to Lose More Than $5.3 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Joliet area tax preparer pleaded guilty today to filing hundreds of false federal income tax returns for clients, causing the Internal Revenue Service to lose more than $5.3 million. The defendant, JEFFREY SHELBY, JR., 31, of Joliet, pleaded guilty at his arraignment after being charged last week in U.S. District Court.
With the 2014 tax season just getting underway, IRS officials said the case serves as a reminder to tax preparers and taxpayers alike to comply with their tax obligations. “While most return preparers are honest and provide excellent service, others file false returns to defraud their clients and the United States government,” said James C. Lee, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago.
The guilty plea was announced by Mr. Lee and Zachary T. Fardon, United States
Shelby pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false federal income tax returns. He faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis scheduled a status hearing for March 24 to set a sentencing date.
Between at least 2009 and 2012, Shelby owned Shelby Investment LLC, which had two
locations, one in Crest Hill and the other in Joliet, and he worked primarily in the Crest Hill office. Shelby admitted that for tax years 2009 through 2012, he filed hundreds of individual income tax returns for clients, each of which fraudulently and intentionally reduced the tax liabilities and increased the tax refunds for those taxpayers. Among other ways, Shelby overstated and misrepresented taxpayers’ eligibility to claim tax credits, including education credits and the Earned Income Credit; misrepresented taxpayers’ business income and expenses; and overstated and misrepresented his clients’ gifts to charity. As a result, he caused the IRS to lose approximately $5,350,243 in tax revenue.Shelby is subject to an order to pay full restitution. The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker.
Plea Agreement
Jefferson County Inmate Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
DENVER – Patrick James Murray, age 50, formerly an inmate of the Jefferson County Jail, but now in federal custody, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Y. Daniel to serve 40 months in federal prison for threatening to kill the President of the United States. The sentence is to run consecutively with a 7 year state prison sentence the defendant is already serving regarding the illegal possession of a weapon and eluding police. Once released from prison, Murray was ordered to serve 3 years on supervised release.
Murray was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on March 22, 2012. He pled guilty to Threats against the President of the United States before Judge Daniel on September 3, 2014. He was sentenced yesterday, January 6, 2015.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on or about February 3, 2012, a letter addressed to a United States District Judge was delivered via U.S. Mail to the Alfred Arraj Courthouse in downtown Denver. The envelope had as a return address: Patrick J. Murray, with his registration number at the Jefferson County Detention Facility. In the enclosed letter, Murray stated that he was no longer intending to kill the particular U.S. District Judge to whom he had sent the letter, but instead, that he now planned to kill the President.
On February 5, 2012, a special agent with the United States Secret Service met with the defendant at his place of incarceration. After acknowledging that he understood his rights and agreeing to speak with the agent, the defendant admitted that he wrote and mailed the letter threatening the President. He also stated his intention to kill the President when he got out of jail. After the interview with the Secret Service agent, the defendant mailed two additional letters to the same U.S. District Judge. The first was a letter addressed to the President, expressing his intent to assassinate him. The second letter was addressed to Judge Krieger asking that she forward the first letter to the President.
“As today’s prison sentence demonstrates, threats against any public official, and especially a threat against the President of the United States, are serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “In this day and age, threats to public officials – whether to law enforcement, to state or local officials, or to federal officials – will draw a quick, determined and effective response.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Allison, Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado.
Irondequoit Man Sentenced for Possessing and Distributing Child Pornography, Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Robert Cavigliano, 56, of Irondequoit, N.Y., who was convicted following a jury trial of distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and making a false statement to federal agents, was sentenced to 27 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller, Craig R. Gestring and Tiffany H. Lee, who handled the case, stated that in October and November 2011, undercover agents in both Rochester, N.Y. and Montana received child pornography from the defendant, through a peer-to-peer software program. Agents executed a search warrant at Cavigliano’s residence in January 2012, at which time they located items of digital media, including a laptop computer. That computer was later discovered to contain images and videos of child pornography. The defendant also made a false statement to federal agents when he stated to members of the FBI that he did not own or possess any laptop computers, during an interview with agents prior to the execution of the warrant.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Geraci stated that the images distributed by the defendant were terrible and very disturbing. The judge added that each photo is a child who was raped and victimized and those photos were shared with the world and are out there forever because of Cavigliano’s actions. Judge Geraci also stated that the defendant’s conduct destroys children, families, and communities and calls for the most severe sentence. The judge also noted that Cavigliano accepted no responsibility for his actions and is a risk to society.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Task Force, consisting of Special Agents of the FBI, deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn, and investigators with the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli. Assistance was also provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department in Montana, under the direction of Roger Thompson.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Local RobberiesRead the Press Release
Southside businesses robbed at gunpoint, suspect then led law enforcement on high-speed chase
PRESS RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS - Josh J. Minkler, Acting United States Attorney, announced today an Indianapolis man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for robbing two Indianapolis businesses at gunpoint in October of 2013. Joseph Dale Hamilton, 48, was sentenced in federal court by U.S. District Judge William T. Lawrence after being found guilty of using a firearm during a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by an armed career criminal.
“Keeping our communities safe by prosecuting the worst-of-the-worst, has been, and will remain a top priority for this office,” said Minkler. “If you are a felon and choose to illegally carry a firearm, you can expect the full wrath of federal prosecution.”
Evidence from the sentencing indicated Hamilton robbed a Phillips 66 gas station on Madison Avenue on October 18, 2013, and a Walgreens pharmacy two miles south of that location on October 21, 2013. During both robberies, Hamilton menaced employees of the victim businesses with a shotgun and demanded money from their cash registers. Hamilton obtained approximately $150 from the Phillips 66 and approximately $45 from the Walgreens. Law Enforcement officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department obtained surveillance video from the two businesses and were able to identify Hamilton as the suspect.
On October 25, 2013, FBI agents and IMPD officers attempted to arrest Hamilton as he drove a vehicle along I-65 on the south side of Indianapolis. Hamilton did not stop, however, and instead led police on a high speed chase which ended after Hamilton’s vehicle left the interstate at the I-65 / I-70 interchange, crossed a grass embankment, and came to rest in a parking lot in the 900 block of South East Street. Hamilton attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended a short distance away.
Hamilton, who was convicted of three counts of robbery in 1987, possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon in 2000, possession of cocaine in 2006, and residential entry in 2013, is considered an armed career criminal under federal law and received an enhanced sentence for the firearm possession charge due to his violent criminal history. He also received a consecutive five year sentence for using that firearm during a crime of violence.
Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott stated, “This case demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to identify, investigate, and prosecute violent criminal organizations in the Indianapolis area. The sentence imposed, as a result of our investigation, should send a powerful message to violent criminals that they will be held accountable for their actions.”
“We are encouraged by the continuous dedication and efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our law enforcement partners and the detectives involved in this case in making our communities safe,” said Chief Rick Hite of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. “By seeking the maximum sentence allowable by law, we are sending the message that these violent individuals will no longer be allowed to pose a threat or continue to instill fear in our communities.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Rinka, who prosecuted the case for the government, Judge Lawrence also imposed a $1,000 fine and ordered Hamilton to serve five years of supervised release upon discharge from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Hurricane man pleads guilty in federal court to theft of government moneyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Vallas Paul Bell, 31, of Hurricane, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to fraudulently taking $24,660 in Social Security benefits to which he was not entitled, in a hearing before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston in Charleston.
Bell admitted to receiving and cashing his deceased mother’s Social Security benefits beginning June 2011. The funds were deposited in the mother’s City National Bank checking account. Bell continued to withdraw the benefits through April 2013.
The Social Security Administration turned off the benefits in April 2013, after receiving a fraud alert from City National Bank.
Bell faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He has also agreed to pay $24, 660 in restitution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, 2015.
The investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Blair L. Malkin and Erik S. Goes are in charge of the prosecution.
Houlka, MS, Woman Sentenced to 21 Months for Failure to Report and Concealment of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that DEJA MONET PHILLIPS, age 18, of Houlka, Mississippi, sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, followed by 1 year of supervised release for Misprison of a Felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 6.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Information alleged that on or about March 6, 2014, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant assisted another individual in concealing a large quantity of methamphetamine and failed to report it to law enforcement when the opportunity arose.
The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remaining in custody of the United States Marshal Service pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which time she will serve her nonparolable sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Waters represented the United States.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ELIAZAR GUSTAVO GARCIA-GARCIA, age 30, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced GARCIA-GARCIA to time served. GARCIA-GARCIA will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.According to court documents, GARCIA-GARCIA was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about March 11, 2014.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Custom Enforcement and Removal in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González was in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JASON GUZMAN-URQUIA, age 36, a native of Honduras, pled guilty today to a one-count indictment for illegal entry of a removed alien.
According to court documents, GUZMAN-URQUIA was found in the United States on October 22, 2014, after having been previously removed from the United States on August 2, 2007.
GUZMAN-URQUIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 2 years, as well as a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood R. Duval set sentencing for April 22, 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.
Herndon Man Indicted in Drug Related MurderRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Saul Pacheco Mejia, 48, of Herndon, Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime resulting in death.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement.
Pacheco Mejia faces a maximum penalty of death, or up to life imprisonment if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The determination as to whether or not to seek the death penalty has not been made in this case.
According to the indictment, Pacheco Mejia and two conspirators traveled to Reston, Virginia, to sell cocaine to Colvin Morris. After Morris attempted to rob them of the cocaine, Pacheco Mejia and his co-conspirators chased Morris from the apartment, shooting and killing him as he attempted to flee. Pacheco Mejia and his co-conspirators fled the scene and later fled to Honduras.
This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Fahey and Michael Ben’Ary are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No.1:15cr2.Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegally ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ISIDRO OROZCO-LOPEZ, age 34, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
According to the Bill of Information, on or about November 8, 2014, OROZCO-LOPEZ was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about November 25, 2013.
OROZCO-LOPEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine of $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant, one year supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance set sentencing for April 29, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
Greenville Men Sentenced for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced DERRICK HOWARD, 46,of Greenville, North Carolina, to 108 months in prison and 4 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. HOWARD previously pled guilty to this charge on August 4, 2014. On December 17, 2014, Judge Boyle sentenced another member of the conspiracy, CHAUNCEY GREEN, 46, of Greenville, North Carolina, to 131 months in prison and 4 years of supervised release for the same charge. HOWARD and GREEN are from New Jersey and moved to Greenville, N.C., in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
The investigation revealed that between July 2011 and February 20, 2013, GREEN arranged for over 40 shipments of heroin to be brought from New Jersey to Greenville, N.C., for resale to street-level heroin dealers. HOWARD delivered many of the shipments of heroin from New Jersey and was involved in many of the sales to the street-level dealers. On January 23, 2013, the Greenville Regional Drug Task force used an informant to buy 150 bags of heroin (1.97 grams) from HOWARD. Surveillance officers saw GREEN drive HOWARD to meet the informant and GREEN pick up HOWARD after the sale. During a traffic stop on February 20, 2013, HOWARD was found to be in possession of 21 grams of heroin that he was transporting from New Jersey to Greenville.
HOWARD and GREEN received enhanced sentences as career offenders based on their multiple New Jersey convictions for distributing controlled substances.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force. The Greenville Regional Drug task force is comprised of officers from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, Farmville Police Department, East Carolina University Police Department and the Winterville Police Department. The federal prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry. Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office. Pitt County District Attorney Kimberly Robb has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters. Mr. Perry’s assignment to the United States Attorney’s Office has been made possible by grants funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.
Gila River Man and Woman Sentenced to Prison for Lying to the Grand JuryRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Jan. 5, 2015, Logan Keenan Brown, 21, of Chandler, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa to 40 months in prison, having previously plead guilty to the offense of making a false declaration before a grand jury. On Dec. 8, 2014, Georgina Holguin, 44, of Bapchule, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes to 24 months in prison for a false declaration in front of the same grand jury.
As part of an investigation of an Aug. 29, 2013 shooting of a man at the home of Holguin on the Gila River Indian Community, both defendants were called to testify before the grand jury and asked who was at the house at the time of the shooting. Both defendants intentionally lied to the grand jury in their responses.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan and Melissa Karlen, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-14-00502-PHX-DJH and CR-14-00503-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-001_Brown et alFor more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.