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29 January 2015
Air Force Contractor Pays $380,000 to Settle Allegations of False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma -- Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, announces that Computer Sciences Corporation (“CSC”), a government contractor, has agreed to pay $380,000 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the United States Air Force.
CSC contracted with the Air Force to provide aircraft maintenance services at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. As part of the contract, CSC agreed to perform maintenance on hydraulic actuators in Air Force aircraft. Hydraulic actuators power various systems and functions in the aircraft such as the landing gear, vertical/horizontal stabilizers and flaps.
The United States contends that CSC submitted false claims for payment to the Air Force during the period from February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2013. More specifically, the false claims for payment were for painting, non-destructive inspections and pressure tests of hydraulic actuators in T-38 aircraft that were not performed. In order to resolve the allegations brought by the United States, CSC agreed to pay $380,000.
In reaching this settlement, CSC did not admit liability and the government did not make any concessions regarding the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
This case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gallegos.
Acoma Pueblo Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Robert Lucero, 45, a member and resident of Acoma Pueblo, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Santa Fe, N.M., to 24 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for his assault conviction.
Lucero was arrested on May 21, 2014, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Lucero subsequently was charged in a two-count indictment with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to court filings, Lucero assaulted the victim, also an Acoma Pueblo man, with a wooden bat or stick on May 1, 2014 within the boundaries of the Pueblo of Acoma Reservation.
On Sept. 29, 2014, Lucero entered a guilty plea to Count 2 of the indictment, and admitted assaulting the victim with a wooden axe handle on May 1, 2014. Court filings reflect that the victim sustained several lacerations to the head that required medical stapling and stitching.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson.
28 January 2015
Woman Charged in A Multi-state Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an indictment was returned by a grand jury charging a New York woman with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Njeri Bowen, age 26, a resident of New York, defrauded a PNC Bank in State College and more than 25 PNC Bank customers of approximately $138,000.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Bowen and her co-conspirators operated out of New York City and as part of the scheme, Bowen obtained PNC Bank customer names and account numbers. Bowen traveled to PNC Bank branches located in several states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, and Alabama, where she impersonated bank account holders and made cash withdrawals from the customers' accounts. In each fraudulent withdrawal, Bowen withdrew between $4,500.00 to $6,500.00 in cash.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Maryland State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph J. Terz.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal bank fraud statute is 30 years' imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty under the federal aggravated identity theft statute is a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Waxahachie Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Disbursing Funds in Bankruptcy CaseRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Waxahachie, Texas, man, James Derek Howard, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve one year and one day in federal prison, following his guilty plea last year to a bankruptcy fraud offense. In addition, Judge Kinkeade ordered that Howard pay $13,283 in restitution to Southwest Securities, FSB. The announcement was made today by John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Howard, 39, pleaded guilty on October 14, 2014, to one count of fraudulent transfer of property of the bankruptcy estate. He has been in federal custody since October 1, 2014, when a U.S. Magistrate Judge revoked his pretrial release based on a government motion to revoke his bond.
According to documents filed in the case, Howard filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition for Waxahachie Heritage Partners, LLC in October 2011. Waxahachie was the named corporate debtor listed in the bankruptcy petition, and Howard signed the petition in his capacity as a member of Waxahachie Heritage Partners, LLC.
Howard was on the signature card of the Debtor in Possession (DIP) account and had access to all the funds in the account. Pursuant to Court order, Howard could only disburse funds from the DIP account with the Court’s prior authorization. From March 2011 through March 2012, the Bankruptcy Court conducted several hearings and issued several orders in an attempt to compel Howard to provide a full accounting to the Court for all funds in the DIP account. Howard admitted that in January 2012, without Court authorization, he knowingly fraudulently transferred $10,000 from the DIP account by writing a $10,000 check to himself.
This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the recent Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative within the Northern District of Texas. From May 2013 to the present, nine debtors have been charged with various felony offenses. To date, five of these defendants have entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced, three defendants are set for trial and one charged defendant remains in fugitive status with an outstanding arrest warrant.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis prosecuted.
Walsenburg Police Officer Sentence to Federal Prison for Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
DENVER – Gloria Evangeline Suazo, age 32, of Pueblo, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore to serve 60 months (5 years) in federal prison for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely heroin, U.S. Attorney John Walsh and ATF Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey announced. Following her prison term, Suazo, a Walsenburg Police Officer at the time of her crime, was ordered to serve 3 years on supervised release. As a convicted felon, she will never be legally allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition. Suazo’s ex-husband, Jeromy Ray Suazo, age 33, also of Pueblo, was a codefendant in the case. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and for conspiracy to distribute and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and was sentenced by Judge Moore to 120 months (10 years) in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Gloria and Jeromy Suazo were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2014. Jeromy Suazo pled guilty on September 23, 2014 and was sentenced on December 16, 2014. Gloria Suazo pled guilty on October 29, 2014 and was sentenced on January 23, 2015.
According to court documents, Jeromy Suazo was contacted while leaving a Pueblo area bar. During that contact law enforcement noticed a Glock firearm. As the defendant was a felon he was taken into custody for being a felon in possession of a firearm. After his arrest, he called Gloria Suazo, his ex-wife, who happened to be a Walsenburg Police Officer, from the Pueblo County Jail, asking her to retrieve a large amount of cash and heroin which he had hidden in his apartment. Suazo went to the apartment, and while there Jeromy called again and described the exact location and appearance of the heroin so she could recover it along with the cash. Law enforcement officers, who were monitoring the jail house call, arrived at Jeromy’s apartment too late to catch Gloria Suazo in the act. They later obtained consent to search Gloria Suazo’s home, and located and seized the cash and heroin. She was arrested soon after.
While out on bond on the federal indictment, and the day after she pled guilty in the federal case, Gloria was arrested in Pueblo for distributing cocaine. Her children were with her at the time she was selling the cocaine and when she was arrested. That case is pending in state court.
“When a government official abuses his or her position to provide cover for illegal conduct, we will hold that official responsible,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “In this case a sworn law enforcement officer chose to help her ex-husband instead of following her legal law enforcement obligations, and for that she will now be incarcerated.”
“ATF and our partners from the Pueblo Police Department will continue to target those who possess firearms while distributing narcotics as well as anyone who assists them in the criminal activity,” said Denver ATF Special Agent in Charge Luke Franey. “This includes those who hold a position of trust with the public.”
This case was investigate by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pueblo Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Bohn.
WV man sentenced to two years for heroin traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tony Calvin Collins, 20, of Maysville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for heroin trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Collins was discovered in possession of heroin in January 2014 in Moorefield, West Virginia during an Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigation. The Task Force is a HIDTA-funded initiative. Collins pled guilty in November 2014 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Virginia Man Faces Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging David W. Vickers, 41, of Leesburg, Virginia, with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, enticement, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after 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. Attorney Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the United States Secret Service.
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.
Two Mexican Nationals Get Significant Sentences for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Carlos Aragon-Carrillo, 30, and Juan Garcia-Rodriguez, 49, both of Mexico, have been handed lengthy sentences following their convictions of illegal re-entry after deportation or removal in separate cases, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Aragon-Carrillo and Garcia-Rodriguez both entered guilty pleas May 13, 2014.
Today, U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Aragon-Carrillo to 77 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Aragon-Carrillo’s extensive criminal history. As he was on supervised release for another illegal re-entry conviction when committing this offense, the court also revoked that term and ordered he serve an additional 21 months to be served consecutively for a total of 98 month of imprisonment.
Judge Jack also sentenced Garcia-Rodriguez today, ordering him to serve 120 months in federal prison.
Following completion of their prison terms, both will once again be expected to face deportation proceedings.
On March 8, 2014, U.S. Border Patrol (BP) agents discovered Aragon-Carrillo in Laredo and soon determined he was a Mexican national and illegally present in the United States. Aragon-Carrillo has a long and extensive criminal history including four separate felony convictions involving firearm and fleeing from law enforcement. He had been deported to Mexico in 2011 following his release from prison for the prior illegal re-entry conviction.
In a separate, but similar case, Garcia-Rodriguez was arrested by BP after being found in Laredo on Feb. 16, 2014. Agents learned he had prior felony convictions for second degree murder, assault and assault on a peace officer and had been deported just five days prior to being found by law enforcement in the U.S.
HSI and BP investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Sonah Lee prosecuted the case against Aragon-Carrillo, while AUSA Christopher A. dos Santos handed the case against Garcia-Rodriguez.
Two Checotah Men Plead Guilty to Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced the guilty pleas of MICHAEL A. METZKER and MICHAEL W. METZKER. The two pled guilty to Conspiracy To Possess With Intent To Distribute And Distribute Five Hundred (500) Grams Or More Of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 8411(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
MICHAEL A. METZKER, a/k/a Lurch, age 36, of Checotah, Oklahoma was indicted in June 2014, along with MICHAEL W. METZKER, a/k/a Chic, age 59, of Checotah, Oklahoma, LACEY RENEE PARK, age 29, of Checotah, Oklahoma, DEREK PARK, age 31, of Checotah, Oklahoma, MARGARET CASEY, age 45, of Checotah, Oklahoma, SHAWNA VANZANT, age 33, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, JACKIE DALE BRUMLEY, age 44, of Noble, Oklahoma, CORNELL TYLEIZ HARVEY, age 29, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, SCOTT WESLEY DUNCAN, age 38, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, SUNNY ANN MARTINEK, age 38, of Norman, Oklahoma and STEVEN D. CARR, age 43, formerly of Checotah, Oklahoma. All have previously pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The Indictment alleged that from in or about April 2003 to on or about April 15, 2014, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants, knowingly conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of Methamphetamine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance.
Michael A. Metzker, a member of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood (UAB), was incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections from December 24, 2009, until January 8, 2014. Beginning in or before April 2013, up to an including January 8, 2014, Michael A. Metzker utilized cellular telephones, illegally smuggled into the prison, to coordinate the acquisition and distribution of methamphetamine in Eastern Oklahoma. Upon release from incarceration up to and including April 14, 2014, Michael A. Metzker and his co-conspirators continued to acquire and distribute methamphetamine within Eastern Oklahoma.
The charges arose from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, McAlester Police Department, the Muskogee Police Department, the Checotah Police Department, the Eufaula Police Department, the Stigler Police Department, Districts 18, 23, and 25 District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, United States Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Marshal Service. The investigation was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the guilty pleas and ordered the completion of presentence reports. Sentencings will be scheduled following their completions. The defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
The statutory range of punishment is not less than 10 years imprisonment and/or up to a $10,000,000.00 fine.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Traverse City Man Pleads Guilty to Willfully Failing to Timely File Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Scott Edward Carroll, 49, of Traverse City, Michigan, pled guilty on January 28, 2015, in United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan to a misdemeanor information filed on January 13, charging him with willfully failing to timely file an income tax return for the 2008 tax year, U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles announced today. Carroll will be sentenced on May 19, 2015, at which time he will face up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000.00. As part of his plea agreement, Carroll has agreed to pay restitution of $103,466.65, plus fraud penalties totaling an additional $44,241.00.
“In 2006 and 2007, Carroll underreported the gross sales from his business by over $180,000.00 on his federal tax returns, and then willfully failed to file tax returns in 2008, 2009 and 2010. This office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who willfully choose to cheat the tax system to avoid paying the same fair share of the tax burden dutifully paid by the taxpayers of this district,” said U.S. Attorney Miles.
From 2006 through 2010, Carroll operated a training and consulting business in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2006 and 2007, he substantially underreported his gross sales from that business on Schedule C of his federal tax returns, resulting in an underreporting of his tax liability in each year. Despite the fact that the Internal Revenue Service began an audit of his tax returns, Carroll willfully failed to timely file any personal tax returns for tax years 2008, 2009, and 2010, by the required deadlines. Instead, he did not file his income tax returns and pay his taxes for those years until 2012, long after the Internal Revenue Service informed him that it had commenced a criminal investigation of his conduct. As part of his guilty plea to the misdemeanor information for willfully failing to timely file his tax return for 2008, Carroll has also agreed to pay his corrected tax liabilities ($65,666.00), along with fraud penalties ($44,241.00) and interest ($37,800.65), associated with tax years 2006 and 2007.
"IRS Criminal Investigation directs its efforts at the portion of taxpayers that willfully violate their known legal duty to timely file accurate income tax returns,” said Jarod J. Koopman, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “Identifying and investigating these types of crimes is vital to maintaining public confidence in our tax system.”
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Stella is the prosecutor.
Traverse City Man Pleads Guilty to Willfully Failing to Timely File Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Scott Edward Carroll, 49, of Traverse City, Michigan, pled guilty on January 28, 2015, in United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan to a misdemeanor information filed on January 13, charging him with willfully failing to timely file an income tax return for the 2008 tax year, U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles announced today. Carroll will be sentenced on May 19, 2015, at which time he will face up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000.00. As part of his plea agreement, Carroll has agreed to pay restitution of $103,466.65, plus fraud penalties totaling an additional $44,241.00.
“In 2006 and 2007, Carroll underreported the gross sales from his business by over $180,000.00 on his federal tax returns, and then willfully failed to file tax returns in 2008, 2009 and 2010. This office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who willfully choose to cheat the tax system to avoid paying the same fair share of the tax burden dutifully paid by the taxpayers of this district,” said U.S. Attorney Miles.
From 2006 through 2010, Carroll operated a training and consulting business in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2006 and 2007, he substantially underreported his gross sales from that business on Schedule C of his federal tax returns, resulting in an underreporting of his tax liability in each year. Despite the fact that the Internal Revenue Service began an audit of his tax returns, Carroll willfully failed to timely file any personal tax returns for tax years 2008, 2009, and 2010, by the required deadlines. Instead, he did not file his income tax returns and pay his taxes for those years until 2012, long after the Internal Revenue Service informed him that it had commenced a criminal investigation of his conduct. As part of his guilty plea to the misdemeanor information for willfully failing to timely file his tax return for 2008, Carroll has also agreed to pay his corrected tax liabilities ($65,666.00), along with fraud penalties ($44,241.00) and interest ($37,800.65), associated with tax years 2006 and 2007.
"IRS Criminal Investigation directs its efforts at the portion of taxpayers that willfully violate their known legal duty to timely file accurate income tax returns,” said Jarod J. Koopman, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “Identifying and investigating these types of crimes is vital to maintaining public confidence in our tax system.”
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Stella is the prosecutor.
Three Defendants Sentenced to over 32 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Leonel Padilla, Andres Diaz and Jonni Diaz were sentenced yesterday in Northwest Arkansas to a total of over 32 years in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses. Padilla, age 27, of Springdale, was sentenced to 87 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for Distribution of Methamphetamine; Andres Diaz, age 49, of Barstow, California, was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for Distribution of Methamphetamine; and Jonni Diaz, age 47, of Barstow, California, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
United States Attorney Eldridge commented, “These sentences handed down represent significant prison time for those that brought methamphetamine onto our streets and into our communities. Drug trafficking and the violence it brings will not be tolerated in Northwest Arkansas, or anywhere across the Western District. We remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping our children and our communities safe from drugs and other illegal activities by assuring that those responsible for this type of criminal behavior will be brought to justice.”
“Methamphetamine brings turmoil into the lives of those who are addicted to or live around it,” stated David Downing, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Little Rock District Office. “The sentences imposed in this case should be a warning to anyone thinking of polluting our communities with this addictive substance. DEA, along with our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating illegal organizations that profit from the distribution of methamphetamine and other illegal and dangerous narcotics,” said Downing.
According to court records, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were conducting an ongoing narcotics investigation known as “West End Gambler” into an organization that was involved in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas when they determined Leonel Padilla to be a suspect. During the investigation, DEA agents arranged a controlled purchase of approximately one ounce of methamphetamine on August 9, 2013 in Siloam Springs, Arkansas from Padilla in exchange for $1,500.00. DEA agents recovered the methamphetamine and sent it to the DEA Crime Laboratory where testing confirmed the substance contained actual methamphetamine. Padilla entered a plea of guilty to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine on April 7, 2014.
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration began another investigation in March of 2014 after learning that large quantities of methamphetamine were being distributed out of the Springdale, Arkansas area by an individual named Andres Diaz. DEA agents utilized a confidential informant to conduct a recorded conversation with Diaz on March 11, 2014, where Diaz agreed to meet with the informant’s friend who was looking to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine. As a result, a Task Force Officer with the DEA, acting in an undercover capacity, placed several phone calls and exchanged text messages with Diaz where Diaz agreed to meet with the undercover officer and provide him or her with an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $1,400.00. A few days later, agents with the DEA watched and listened as the undercover officer met with Diaz at a local business in Springdale, Arkansas where Diaz provided the undercover officer with approximately one ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $1,400.00. Diaz then provided an additional two ounces of methamphetamine to the undercover officer with the agreement that the undercover officer would pay Diaz at a later date. The methamphetamine was sent to the DEA Crime Laboratory where it was determined that the substance sold did contain actual methamphetamine. Andres Diaz was arrested on April 18, 2014, and at that time agreed to provide a statement to officers regarding his drug trafficking activities. During the interview, Andres Diaz admitted to the distribution of methamphetamine in Springdale, Arkansas. Andres Diaz pleaded guilty to one charge of Distribution of Methamphetamine on September 22, 2014.
While investigating Andres Diaz, and as a result of the same recorded conversation that took place on March 11, 2014, a Task Force Officer with the DEA, acting in an undercover capacity, placed several phone calls and exchanged text messages with Andres Diaz. Through the text messages, Diaz agreed to meet with the undercover officer on March 26, 2014, and provide him or her with two ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $2,400.00. On March 26, 2014, other agents with the DEA watched and listened as the undercover officer went to a local business in Springdale, Arkansas to meet with Andres Diaz. Once there, the officer noticed Diaz’s vehicle in the parking lot. Andres Diaz was driving the vehicle and Jonni Diaz was sitting in the front passenger seat. During the transaction, Andres Diaz placed two ounces of methamphetamine onto Jonni Diaz’s purse, which was sitting in her lap. Jonni Diaz then picked up the methamphetamine and handed it to the undercover officer. The undercover officer then paid Andres Diaz for the methamphetamine. The substance was sent to the DEA Crime Laboratory where it was determined the substance did contain actual methamphetamine. Jonni Diaz was arrested on April 18, 2014, and agreed to provide a statement regarding her drug trafficking activities. During the interview, Jonni Diaz then admitted to aiding and abetting in the distribution of methamphetamine. Jonni Diaz pleaded guilty to one charge of Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Methamphetamine on July 31, 2014.
These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Springdale Police Department, and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Fowlkes prosecuted the cases for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Second Defendant Sentenced for Laundering over $400,000 in Currency from Purported Narcotics TransactionsRead the Press Release
A Miami Dade County resident was sentenced today to 51 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiring with another defendant to launder money from purported narcotics transactions.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
On November 20, 2014, Pavel Sosa Medina, 46, of Miami, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
According to court documents, from January 2014 through August 2014, Sosa Medina conspired with defendant Amado Vazquez to launder money from purported narcotics transactions. In January 2014, Vazquez met with an IRS undercover agent (UCA). The UCA said he was in the business of laundering money for Mexican drug dealers from the sale of cocaine. The UCA advised Vazquez that he needed help moving $15,000 to $20,000 in cash a day, and Vazquez indicated that he could assist with the laundering of these proceeds.
On several occasions, according to court documents, from March 2014 through July 2014, the UCA provided Vazquez with over $400,000 in currency that represented purported narcotics transactions proceeds. Vazquez provided the UCA with checks to various shell companies or returned the money to the UCA via wires to the bank accounts of shell corporations.
Court documents further explain that on August 21, 2014, Vazquez admitted his involvement in the scheme and explained that he and Sosa Medina split a 15% fee for laundering this money. On that same day, Vazquez contacted Sosa Medina and advised in code that Vazquez had several hundred thousand dollars in cash. Sosa Medina arrived at Vazquez’s residence where he was arrested by law enforcement. ln Sosa Medina’s car, law enforcement found approximately twenty to thirty thousand dollars in cash and a large number of blank checks from a construction company.
On November 6, 2014, Vazquez pled guilty to the one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. On January 14, 2015, Vazquez was sentenced to 34 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael N. Berger.
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.
Rogers Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Fayetteville - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Craig Goettsch, 53, of Rogers, Arkansas was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place before the Honorable Timothy L. Brooks in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
U. S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “Today’s sentence is a reminder that we will not rest in our efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who commit crimes against our children. Every time a video or image involving sexual abuse of children is downloaded or viewed, those children are re-victimized. We appreciate the hard work of law enforcement to bring these sexual predators to justice.”
According to court records, in May 2013, members of the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children taskforce identified a computer that was engaging in the distribution of child pornography via an internet file sharing program. A subsequent investigation revealed that the subscriber information related to the suspect internet user account returned to a residence in Rogers, Arkansas, and a subscriber name of Craig Goettsch. In response, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the Goettsch’s residence. The warrant was executed in January of 2014, at which time law enforcement seized numerous computers and other digital storage devices. Goettsch was later interviewed and admitted to using the internet to download and view child pornography. A subsequent forensic examination of the confiscated items revealed thousands of images of child pornography. On October 2, 2014, Goettsch pleaded guilty in Federal Court to possessing child pornography. At sentencing, the Government presented the Court with evidence that some of the minors depicted in the images were as young as 8 years old.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and their Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Sections (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Related court documents may be found on Public Access to Electronic Records Website @www.Pacer.gov
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead 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 Michael Debardlabon, 32, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory term of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any penalty imposed for bank fraud conspiracy.Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2012 and September 2013, Debardlabon and a co-conspirator, using the name, social security numbers and dates of birth of two different Florida residents, obtained financing to purchase used automobiles (including an Infinity, a Lexus and a BMW) through financial institutions to include ESL and Ally Financial. The Florida residents never authorized the financial transactions to occur. In addition, on one occasion, the personal information of a third Florida resident was used to open an American Express card. Charges to the card included air fare for Debardlabon.
Charges are pending against co-conspirator Maria English. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
Repeat Alien Trafficker Sentenced to Prison After Failed EscapeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Daniel Mata, 28, of Rio Bravo, has been ordered to federal prison for transporting illegal aliens for profit, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Mata pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2014.
Today, U.S. Senior District Judge George Kazen ordered he serve a total of 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court noted his previous convictions for similar conduct and admonished Mata, stating that “you’ve packed a lot crime into a short amount of time…you’re not a career criminal, but a career and a half criminal!” Mata apologized to BP agents and their families.
On Feb. 28, 2014, U.S. Border Patrol (BP) agents learned of illegal aliens that had entered the United States via a resident’s backyard in Rio Bravo. Agents responded and noticed a suspicious Grand Marquis vehicle in the area and followed it to a local convenience store.
Mata was the driver of the vehicle. He then exited the car and entered the store. Agents continued surveillance of the vehicle and determined the four passengers were Mexican nationals that were illegally within the United States. The aliens admitted paying $5,000 as a transfer fee and identified Mata as their driver.
Agents entered the store in search of Mata. Inside, Mata engaged in a physical confrontation with law enforcement and fled the scene. He ran outside of the store and was pursued by BP agents on foot and through air surveillance by the National Guard Air Unit. After an exhaustive pursuit, he was eventually apprehended.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The charges were the result of an investigation by BP, the National Guard Air Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker is prosecuting the case.
Reading Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Role in Monroe County-Based Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 30-year-old Reading, Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 66 months in prison yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani in Scranton, for participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and other drugs in the Monroe-Berks County area of Pennsylvania.According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Luis Linarez , previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others between 2010 and 2013, to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, more than 100 grams of heroin, and Oxycontin (oxycodone).
Linarez was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2013, as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigators from the Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and Berks County Detectives.
Judge Mariani also ordered Linarez to serve four years on supervised release following his prison sentence. Linarez must also pay a $100 special assessment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
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Prior Sex Offender from Albuquerque Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Kyle Morrow, 30, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty this morning to possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Morrow’s plea agreement requires that he be sentenced to 120 months in prison because of his prior child pornography conviction.
Morrow was arrested on federal child pornography charges on Mar. 7, 2014, based on a criminal complaint alleging possession of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Morrow was residing in a half-way house in Albuquerque as he was transiting from a federal prison for a child pornography conviction. According to the criminal complaint, FBI initiated an investigation into Morrow after staff at the half-way house found child pornography on his cellular phone and confiscated it. The FBI seized Morrow’s phone in Feb. 2014 pursuant to a search warrant and submitted the phone for forensic examination by the New Mexico Regional Forensic Laboratory. A forensic examination revealed that Morrow’s phone contained more than 1000 images consistent with child pornography.
Today Morrow entered a guilty plea to a federal information charging him with possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In his plea agreement, Morrow admitted that on Feb. 4, 2014, he possessed visual depictions of child pornography while residing in a halfway house and while still in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons completing a 37-month sentence for a prior child pornography conviction. More specifically, Morrow admitted possessing child pornography images on his cellular phone.
Morrow has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Morrow will be sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. As part of the conditions of release Morrow will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the New Mexico Regional Forensic Laboratory, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 74 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.
Pinedale Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Voluntary Manslaughter ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alvin Charley, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Pinedale, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning to a voluntary manslaughter charge. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Charley will be sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
According to court filings, Charley killed another Navajo man on Aug. 15, 2014, by stabbing him in the chest. The crime occurred on the Navajo Indian reservation in McKinley County, N.M., during a fight between Charley and the victim.
During today’s proceedings, Charley pled guilty to a felony information charging him with voluntary manslaughter. In entering his guilty plea, Charley admitted stabbing the victim in the chest during a fight that began after the two men had been drinking alcohol and arguing.
Charley has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque and Gallup offices of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting this case.
Perry County Pharmacist Arrested on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK – Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas; and David Downing, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced unsealing of a Complaint and the arrest this morning of Christopher Watson, a Perry County pharmacist, charging him with illegal distribution of a controlled substance. Watson turned himself in to the DEA this morning and was taken into custody. Watson made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge H. David Young this afternoon and is being held pending his bond hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Young.
“Arrests such as the arrest of pharmacist Christopher Watson today are never taken lightly by this office,” stated Thyer. “While we recognize the impact this will have on people who have legitimate prescriptions, it was nonetheless necessary to stop the flow of prescription medications to persons who obtained them without a valid prescription. When a pharmacist knowingly fills a falsified prescription, medications are dispensed without appropriate oversight by medical professionals and subsequently are not used according to precise instructions meant to protect the user. Without these protections, the risk of side effects, addiction, and even death are greatly multiplied. It is imperative that we take action to ensure that controlled medications are not putting lives at risk.”
“It is disheartening when trusted professionals like your local pharmacist are engaged in the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Downing. “All DEA Registrants have an obligation to ensure that medications are getting into the hands of legitimate patients. Any registrant who violates or blatantly ignores their obligations will be held accountable for allowing these good medicines to get into the hands of drug dealers and addicts. The arrest of Christopher Watson and the issuance of an Immediate Suspension Order for the Perry County Food and Drug store is the result of DEA’s continued commitment to hold accountable those who participate in illegally dispensing controlled substances in our communities,” stated Downing.
According to the Affidavit filed with the Complaint, beginning in the Fall of 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in connection with state and local law enforcement agencies, began an investigation into the unlawful distribution of Schedule II and III pharmaceutical narcotics by pharmacist Christopher Watson at the Perry County Food and Drug store in Perryville, Arkansas. Information received was that Mr. Watson was distributing Scheduled narcotics to individuals who had no prescriptions or false prescriptions.
On November 7, 2014, based on the information received during the investigation, DEA agents fabricated a prescription for Hydrocodone and Alprazolam (Xanax) tablets. The prescription was utilized during an undercover operation at Perry County Food and Drug. A DEA agent, working in an undercover capacity, presented a fabricated prescription to Mr. Watson at the Perry County Food and Drug store pharmacy. Mr. Watson reviewed the prescription and acknowledged that it was a forged prescription by informing the undercover agent to “work on” the official DEA registration number, and giving him specific instructions of how to make the prescription look like a valid prescription. Mr. Watson filled the fabricated prescription with (120) Hydrocodone tablets and (60) Alprazolam (Xanax) tablets.
The operation resulted in the issuance of an Immediate Suspension Order to the Perry County Food and Drug store. This Order was issued by the Administrator of DEA on the grounds that the pharmacy constitutes an imminent danger to public health and safety, and it immediately suspends the DEA Registration of the Perry County Food and Drug store required to dispense controlled substances. As a result of this Order, the Perry County Food and Drug store is prohibited from possessing and/or dispensing controlled substances pending a federal administrative hearing.
The investigation is ongoing and is conducted by DEA. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Anne Gardner.
The charges set forth in a Complaint are merely allegations. A federal Grand Jury will decide whether to indict on these charges. Watson is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years for Stealing Retirement Funds and Insurance Proceeds and for Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Joseph Witchard (56, Orlando) to 27 years and 7 months in federal prison for mail fraud, filing false claims against the United States, theft of government property, and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $145,673.83 to his victims. A federal jury found Witchard guilty on November 4, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, Witchard orchestrated two mail fraud schemes, one to steal retirement funds and life insurance proceeds, and another to file fraudulent tax returns. During both schemes, he used identities that had been stolen from a variety of sources. The personal identifying information of more than 60 victims was found during a search of Witchard’s residence in February 2010. Witchard, and others, negotiated the retirement, life insurance, and tax refund checks at local businesses, including car dealerships.
IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett said, “Individuals who commit refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude and with this degree of dishonesty and deceit, deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Mr. Witchard has been victimizing the citizens of Florida and the United States for decades as shown by his previous convictions for tax related crimes. IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office, remain vigilant in identifying, investigating and prosecuting these types of individuals.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, IRS - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.
Orange Park Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Ronald Boike (51, Orange Park) to three years and four months in federal prison for possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty on September 10, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, Boike was involved in an online relationship with a minor for at least two years. Boike sent sexually explicit pictures of himself to the minor in order to coax her to produce and send him pornographic pictures and videos of herself. During ongoing conversations with the minor, Boike saved pornographic pictures and videos of the minor on his family’s computer. His wife learned of his relationship with the minor after discovering the videos on the family’s computer. Boike’s wife subsequently filed a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Malisa Chokshi.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Opening Statement of Attorney General-Designate Loretta E. Lynch at U.S. Senate Confirmation HearingRead the Press Release
Attorney General-Designate Loretta E. Lynch released the following statement today at the opening of the U.S. Senate confirmation hearing:
“Thank you, Chairman Grassley, Senator Leahy, and distinguished members of the Committee. I am honored to appear before you in this historic chamber, among so many dedicated public servants. I want to thank you for your time this morning – and President Obama for the trust he has placed in me by nominating me to serve as Attorney General of the United States.
“It is a particular privilege to be joined today by members of my family – including my husband, Stephen Hargrove, my father, Rev. Lorenzo Lynch, my brother, Rev. Leonzo Lynch and his wife NiCole, as well as several other family members who are here today.
“Mr. Chairman, one of the privileges of my position as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York is welcoming new attorneys into the office and administering to them the oath of office. It is a transformative moment in the life of a young prosecutor. As they stand before me, prepared to pledge their honor and their integrity, I remind them that they are making their oath not to me, not to my office, or even to our Attorney General, but to our Constitution, the fundamental foundation for all that we do. It is that document and the ideals embodied therein to which I have devoted my professional life. Senators, if confirmed as Attorney General I pledge to you and to the American people that the Constitution, the bedrock of our system of justice, will be my lodestar as I exercise the power and responsibility of that position.
“I owe much to those who have worked to make its promise real for all Americans, beginning with my own family. All of them – and so many others – have supported me on the path that has brought me to this moment, not only through their unwavering love and support, but through their shining examples, and the values that shaped my upbringing.
“My mother, Lorine, who was unable to travel here today, is a retired English teacher and librarian for whom education was the key to a better life. She recalls people in her rural community pressing a dime or a quarter into her hands to support her college education. As a young woman she refused to use segregated restrooms because they did not represent the America in which she believed. She instilled in me an abiding love of literature and learning, and taught me the value of hard work and sacrifice. My father, Lorenzo, is a fourth-generation Baptist preacher who in the early 1960’s opened his Greensboro church to those planning sit-ins and marches, standing with them while carrying me on his shoulders. He has always matched his principles with action – encouraging me to think for myself, but reminding me that we all gain the most when we act in service to others.
“It was the values my parents instilled in me that led me to the Eastern District of New York, and from my parents I gained the tenacity and resolve to take on violent criminals, to confront political corruption and to disrupt organized crime. They also gave me the insight and compassion to sit with the victims of crime and share their loss. Their values have sustained me as I have twice had the privilege of serving as United States Attorney, leading an exceptional office staffed by outstanding public servants, and these values guide and motivate me even today.
“Should I be confirmed as Attorney General, my highest priorities will continue to be to ensure the safety of our citizens, to protect the most vulnerable among us from crime and abuse, and to strengthen the vital relationships between America’s brave law enforcement officers and the communities they are entrusted to serve.
“In a world of complex and evolving threats, protecting the American people from terrorism must remain the primary mission of today’s Department of Justice. If confirmed, I will work with colleagues across the executive branch to use every available tool to continue disrupting catastrophic attacks against our homeland and bringing terrorists to justice. I will draw upon my extensive experience in the Eastern District of New York, which has tried more terrorism cases since 9/11 than any other office. We have investigated and prosecuted terrorist individuals and groups that threaten our nation and its people – including those who have plotted to attack New York City’s subway system, JFK airport, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and U.S. troops stationed abroad, as well as those who have provided material support to foreign terrorist organizations. And I pledge to discharge my duties always mindful of the need to protect not just American citizens but also American values.
“If confirmed, I intend to expand and enhance our capabilities in order to effectively prevent ever-evolving attacks in cyberspace, expose wrongdoers, and bring perpetrators to justice. In my current position, I am proud to lead an office that has significant experience prosecuting complex, international cybercrime, including high-tech intrusions at key financial and public sector institutions. If I am confirmed, I will continue to use the combined skills and experience of our law enforcement partners, the department’s Criminal and National Security Divisions, and the United States Attorney community to defeat and to hold accountable those who would imperil the safety and security of our citizens through cybercrime.
“I will also do everything I can to ensure that we are safeguarding the most vulnerable among us. During my tenure as U.S. Attorney, the Eastern District of New York has led the prosecution of financial fraudsters who have callously targeted hard working Americans, including the deaf and the elderly, and stolen their trust and their hard-earned savings. We have taken action against abusers in over one hundred child exploitation and child pornography cases, and have prosecuted brutal international human trafficking rings that sold victims as young as 14 and 15 years old into sexual slavery. If confirmed as Attorney General, I will continue to build upon the department’s record of vigorously prosecuting those who prey on those most in need of our protection and I will continue to provide strong and effective assistance to survivors who we must both support and empower.
“Throughout my career as a prosecutor, it has been my honor to work hand in hand with dedicated law enforcement officers and agents who risk their lives every day in the protection of the communities we all serve. I have served with them. I have learned from them. I am a better prosecutor because of them. Few things have pained me more than the recent reports of tension and division between law enforcement and the communities we serve. If confirmed as Attorney General, one of my key priorities would be to work to strengthen the vital relationships between our courageous law enforcement personnel and all the communities we serve. In my career, I have seen this relationship flourish – I have seen law enforcement forge unbreakable bonds with community residents and have seen violence-ravaged communities come together to honor officers who risked all to protect them. As Attorney General, I will draw all voices into this important discussion.
“In that same spirit, I look forward to fostering a new and improved relationship with this committee, the United States Senate, and the entire United States Congress – a relationship based on mutual respect and constitutional balance. Ultimately, I know we all share the same goal and commitment: to protect and serve the American people.
“Now, I recognize that we face many challenges in the years ahead. But I have seen – in my own life and in my own family – how dedicated men and women can answer the call to achieve great things for themselves, for their country, and for generations to come.
“My father – that young minister who carried me on his shoulders – has answered that call. As has my mother, that courageous young teacher who refused to let Jim Crow define her. Standing with them are my uncles and cousins who served in Vietnam – one of whom is with me here today - and my older brother, a Navy SEAL, who answered that call with their service to our country.
“As I come before you today in this historic chamber, I still stand on my father’s shoulders, as well as on the shoulders of all those who have gone before me and who dreamed of making the promise of America a reality for all and worked to achieve that goal.
“I believe in the promise of America because I have lived the promise of America.
“If confirmed to be Attorney General of the United States, I pledge to all of you and to the American people that I will fulfill my responsibilities with integrity and independence. I will never forget that I serve the American people, from all walks of life, who continue to make our nation great – as well as the legacy of all those whose sacrifices have made us free. And I will always strive to uphold the trust that has been placed in me to protect and defend our Constitution, to safeguard our people, and to stand as the leader and public servant that they deserve.
“Thank you all, once again, for your time and your consideration. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today. I look forward to your questions – and to all that we may accomplish in the days ahead, together, in the spirit of cooperation, shared responsibility, and justice.”
North Carolina Man Indicted for Transporting a Minor for the Purpose of Engaging in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Ronnie Travis Hall, III (27, Charlotte, NC) with transportation of a minor with the intent that she engage in prostitution. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on or about April 9, 2014, Hall knowingly transported a minor victim from Georgia to Florida with the intent that she engage in prostitution. For approximately two months, Hall allegedly forced the minor to work as a prostitute by having her walk the streets and by advertising her services on the Internet. During this time, he transported the minor victim from Charlotte, to Atlanta, and ultimately to Orlando. Hall kept all of the money earned by the victim and used it for himself and the victim’s expenses.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Transporting A Minor for the Purpose of Engaging in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Ronnie Travis Hall, III (27, Charlotte, NC) with transportation of a minor with the intent that she engage in prostitution. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on or about April 9, 2014, Hall knowingly transported a minor victim from Georgia to Florida with the intent that she engage in prostitution. For approximately two months, Hall allegedly forced the minor to work as a prostitute by having her walk the streets and by advertising her services on the Internet. During this time, he transported the minor victim from Charlotte, to Atlanta, and ultimately to Orlando. Hall kept all of the money earned by the victim and used it for himself and the victim’s expenses.
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 This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Non-Indian Man from Isleta Pueblo Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sexual Abuse ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE—Gabriel Chavez, 32, a non-Indian residing in Isleta Pueblo, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning to a child sexual abusive charge. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Chavez will be sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. He will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence.
Chavez was arrested on July 29, 2014, on a five-count indictment alleging that he sexually abused two Indian children between Aug. 2012 and July 2013, in Indian Country in Bernalillo County, N.M. Counts 1 through 3 charged Chavez with abusive sexual contact involving a child victim between the age of 12 and 16 years. Counts 4 and 5 charged Chavez with abusive sexual contact involving a second child victim under the age of 12 years.
Today Chavez entered a guilty plea to Count 1 of the indictment charging him with abusive sexual contact involving a child victim between the age of 12 and 16 years. Chavez admitted engaging in sexual contact with the child victim which included touching the victim’s genitals and other parts of her body.
Chavez remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Muskogee Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that RALPH TYRONE CARUTHERS, age 49, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
Charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The defendant was indicted in August, 2014.
The Indictment alleged that on or about July 8, 2014, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, RALPH TYRONE CARUTHERS, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the guilty plea and ordered a presentence report to be completed. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Millbrook Man Arrested on Federal Drug, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - Freddie Lee Parker, Jr., 37 years old, of Millbrook, Alabama was arrested yesterday following grand jury indictments for distribution of crack cocaine and for using and carrying a firearm while distributing the drug, announced George L. Beck, Jr., United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Parker was arrested at his residence yesterday in an area of Millbrook known as “Sandtown.”
The indictments are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, along with the Central Alabama Drug Task Force, Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, Millbrook Police Department, and Wetumpka Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Verne Speirs.
The FBI’s Central Alabama Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force has been created to combat the increase in violence in Central Alabama. The Central Alabama Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force was created to identify, target, arrest, and convict criminals who commit drug trafficking, money laundering, alien smuggling, murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and other violent crimes. This Safe Streets Task Force combines federal, state, and local resources and using these resources to most effectively investigate, arrest, and convict these dangerous criminals.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JUAN CARLOS SALAZAR-GARCIA, age 34, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to a one-count Bill of Information for illegal reentry of removed alien.
According to the Bill of Information, on or about November 20, 2014, SALAZAR-GARCIA was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about February 7, 2014.
SALAZAR-GARCIA 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 Martin L.C. Feldman set sentencing for April 8, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Growing 3,724 Marijuana Plants in the Plumas National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Alejandro Soto-Silva, 22, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to cultivation of marijuana and depredation of public lands and resources, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on July 30, 2014, United States Forest Service agents and Plumas County Sheriff’s deputies entered a large marijuana cultivation site on the Plumas National Forest near the Soda Creek drainage. Officers located more than 3,700 marijuana plants at the site. Soto-Silva was arrested after attempting to flee. The marijuana cultivation caused significant damage to the land and natural resources of the Plumas National Forest. Law enforcement observed irrigation piping running from a water source to man-made reservoirs used to water the thousands of marijuana plants under cultivation. Rehabilitating and remediating the National Forest habitat injured by the marijuana cultivation will cost the U.S. Forest Service at least $9,500.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Forest Service and the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case.
Soto-Silva is in custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on April 15, 2015. Soto-Silva faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the marijuana cultivation charge. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years and a $250,000 fine on the depredation of public lands and resources charge. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
McAllen Man Admits to Attempting to Use Government Vehicle to Deliver CocaineRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas ‐ Mario Guadalupe Saenz, 27, of McAllen, has pleaded guilty to attempting to possess with intent to distribute approximately nine kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
On Oct. 9, 2014, Saenz was observed driving a white Dodge Ram with U.S. government license plates registered to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Saenz drove the USDA-owned vehicle through an opening in the border fence and retrieved a bag from the brush near the Rio Grande River in Hidalgo County. He used the government vehicle to transport the bag to a business parking lot in McAllen.
He was subsequently arrested as investigators discovered the bag contained approximately 9.39 kilograms of a suspected controlled substance, 1.1 kilograms of which tested positive for the properties of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for April 9, 2015. At that time, he faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison.
Saenz will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, USDA-OIG and the McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rees is prosecuting the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder on the Meskwaki Nation SettlementRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
A man who used a knife to kill another man on the Meskwaki Nation Settlement pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jonathan Youngbear, 21, from the Meskwaki Nation Settlement, Iowa, was convicted of one count of second degree murder in “Indian Country.”
In a plea agreement, Youngbear admitted that he stabbed Severn Jefferson twice in the neck and chest with a knife. Youngbear further admitted that the victim bled to death as a result of the stab wounds. At the time he stabbed the victim, Youngbear was under the influence of alcohol and also had methamphetamine in his system.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Youngbear remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Youngbear faces a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tony Morfitt and Pete Deegan and was investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police Department, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-00046.
Last of Three Deming Drug Traffickers Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Sylvia Grado, 31, of Deming, N.M., pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Sylvia Grado was arrested in July 2014, together with co-defendants Juan Grado, 34, and Carlos Magallanes, 34, also of Deming, N.M., on a seven-count indictment alleging methamphetamine trafficking charges. Count 1 charged the three defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Luna County, N.M., between Oct. 2012 and May 2013. Counts 2 through 6 charged Juan Grado and Magallanes with distributing methamphetamine in Luna County on several occasions. Count 7 charged Sylvia Grado with distributing methamphetamine on May 14, 2013.
During yesterday’s hearing, Sylvia Grado pled guilty to Counts 1 and 7 of the indictment. In her plea agreement, Sylvia Grado admitted that between Oct. 2012 and May 2013, she conspired with Juan Grado and Magallanes to distribute methamphetamine. She further admitted that on May 14, 2013, she distributed approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Juan Grado pled guilty on Jan. 2, 2015, to Counts 1, 3, and 6 of the indictment, and admitted distributing approximately 453 grams of pure methamphetamine. Magallanes pled guilty on Jan. 16, 2015, to Counts 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the indictment, and admitted to conspiring with Juan Grado and others to distribute methamphetamine from Oct. 2012 through Jan. 2013.
At sentencing, Sylvia Grado and Juan Grado each face a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison. Magallanes faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison at sentencing. Sylvia Grado remains on conditions of release and under pretrial supervision pending her sentencing hearing, while Juan Grado and Magallanes remain in federal custody pending their sentencing hearings.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Martinez of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Laredo Resident Sentenced for Distributing Controlled Substances Near SchoolRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - Romeo Serna Sr., 52, has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions on multiple conspiracies related to the distribution of narcotics within 1,000 feet of school, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Serna pleaded guilty June 17, 2013, to multiple conspiracies to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana as well as multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of school.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia-Marmolejo handed the Laredo resident a total sentence of 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by six years of supervised release. In upwardly departing as she imposed the sentence, the court noted Serna’s under-represented criminal history, his aggravating role in the conspiracy and the proximity of his house to the school, which was less than 1000 yards away. The court also ordered Serna’s residence be forfeited to the government having found it was used to further the criminal activity.
The government presented testimony from the case agent and the undercover agent who testified they received information in March 2012 that drugs were being sold from the Serna residence on Bartlett Avenue, which was located just a block away from a public middle school and a public high school. Subsequent to receiving the information, they conducted surveillance on the residence where they observed several individuals engage in what appeared to be drug transactions.
An undercover agent then conducted several controlled buys of cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana from Serna Sr., and his sons - Romeo Serna Jr. and Randy Serna - at their residence throughout the course of several months.
On March 7, 2013, after attempting another controlled buy of cocaine base (crack cocaine), law enforcement then arrested Serna Sr. and his two sons. A search warrant was also executed, resulting in the discovery of marijuana on the kitchen counter, in the attic and in the living room as well as cocaine in the kitchen along with various drug paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. Serna Sr. and Serna Jr. admitted they had been selling marijuana and cocaine out of their residence for several years.
Serna Jr. and Randy Serna pleaded guilty in the case and have also been ordered to prison.
Serna Sr. has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated with assistance from the Laredo Independent School District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonah Lee and Mary Ellen Smyth prosecuted the case.
Laplace Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Pass Fictitious ChecksRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ELLIS RANSON, III, age 28, of Laplace, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to pass fictitious obligations.
U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced RANSON to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Special Agents from the United States Secret Service, New Orleans Field Office, investigated an attempted pass of a counterfeit payroll check that occurred at the Wal-Mart store located on Veterans Boulevard in Kenner. Through their investigation, the agents discovered that RANSON had produced the counterfeit payroll check. RANSON manufactured the counterfeit checks for negotiation at different Wal-Mart retail stores. He worked with others who would cash the counterfeit checks at Wal-Mart stores and then return to him in order to split the proceeds.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service, New Orleans Field Office for investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Loan "Mimi" Nguyen was in charge of the prosecution.
Kentucky Man Charged with Carjacking, Victim Forced to Travel Across State Before EscapingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Danville, Ken., man who carjacked a vehicle in Kansas City, Mo., and forced its owner to accompany him as he drove across the state has been arrested and charged in federal court.
Robert C. Caldwell, 25, of Danville, was charged in a criminal complaint that was filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. Caldwell was arrested in Kentucky on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, following a pursuit by officers with the Kentucky State Police and the Lincoln County, Ken., Sheriff’s Department.
The federal criminal complaint charges Caldwell with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of carjacking and one count of using a firearm during a violent crime.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Caldwell and an accomplice approached a 67-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, as he was leaving his home. They allegedly threatened the victim at gunpoint to give them money and a vehicle. He was forced to hand over his keys to his van, his wallet and cash. The victim was ordered into his garage, the affidavit says, where he was beaten by Caldwell and his accomplice and struck in the head with the handgun, a Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. The victim was then ordered into his van, a 1998 Chevrolet C/K 1500.
The victim told law enforcement officers that he was driven around to multiple ATMs, but he was covered with a blanket most of the time and was unable to see the locations where the carjackers attempted to use his debit card. He couldn’t remember his PIN number so they were unable to get cash, which made them angry. According to the affidavit, the carjackers pretended to be on the phone with an accomplice who was holding his wife hostage; at one point after another failed ATM attempt, they informed him they had killed his wife, which was false.
They continued to drive and stopped at a drive-through restaurant, the affidavit says, where one of the men sat next to the victim and shoved the barrel of the gun into his mouth, breaking his teeth, and told him that he would kill him if he moved. After getting food, they allegedly tied his hands together with a boot strap and had him lying in the floor with a blanket over his face so he couldn’t see. They continued driving and made several stops for purchases with the victim’s credit and debit cards. Law enforcement authorities, who had been contacted by the victim’s wife, were tracking the use of the victim’s credit and debit cards as they were used or attempted to be used along I-70 eastbound. Investigators obtained surveillance photos and video from some of the locations.
When they arrived at a rest stop, the affidavit says, one of the carjackers told the other to watch the victim while the carjacker slept. The victim managed to untie his hands and retrieve a homemade 45-pound weight from under the seat of the van. He struck both of the carjackers in the head (causing a gash above the eye of one of them) and made an attempt to escape, but was unsuccessful. He was then beaten heavily by both men, according to the affidavit.
They began driving again, the affidavit says, and the victim pretended to be knocked out. The driver of the van was having trouble maneuvering the large van while holding the gun, so he sat the gun on the floorboard so he could use both hands to steer the vehicle. The victim lunged for the handgun and pointed it at the two carjackers as he demanded they pull over. When the vehicle pulled over, the driver made a move towards the victim, who pulled the trigger of the loaded gun, but it failed to fire. The victim quickly racked the slide to chamber a round, but both men had fled from the vehicle with the keys.
The victim also ran from the vehicle. As he ran down the street in Jennings, Mo., the affidavit says, he turned and saw the two carjackers had returned to the vehicle and were slowly driving in his direction. The victim hid between several houses as he watched them drive away in his van. He then contacted the police.
The stolen van was recovered on Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, in Nelson County, Ken. The Nelson County Sheriff’s deputy who recovered the vehicle recognized Caldwell from the surveillance photographs and video. A captain with the Boyle County, Ken., Sheriff’s Department also recognized Caldwell. An anonymous call to the TIPS Hotline also identified Caldwell as one of the carjackers. Caldwell’s father contacted law enforcement authorities on Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, and informed them that he recognized his son in the surveillance video and photographs.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this complaint 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 David Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jury Convicts Box Elder Man of Multiple Rapes, AssaultsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Following a three-day trial, Dallas Lawrence, 32, of Box Elder, Montana, was convicted by a Montana jury of two rapes, two strangulations, two assaults with intent to commit murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided over the trial. Lawrence now faces a maximum of life in prison for the rapes, twenty years on the assaults with intent to commit murder, and ten years for the strangulations and assault with a dangerous weapon. He also faces a $250,000 fine on each count, and up to five years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at trial by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Weiss, showed that Lawrence and the victim were in a relationship where Lawrence became increasingly physically and verbally abusive. In September 2013, Lawrence stabbed the victim in her calf. She was found walking around Havre, Montana, and was taken to the ER, where doctors observed the stab wound. The victim told the doctors her boyfriend had stabbed her in the leg and that she was in an abusive relationship. She said Lawrence had also tried to break her arms and legs to keep her from leaving.
The evidence also showed that in March 2014, Lawrence strangled the same victim with a humidifier cord after asking her, “How do you want me to do you in, fast or slow?” The victim was able to slip two fingers under the cord, but she still couldn’t breathe. She managed to escape the cord. Lawrence continued to control the victim after that by making her stay in her room, and controlling where she went and who she was around. He kept the keys to the car, and made threats to her about trying to leave him.
In May 2014, the defendant again strangled the victim after beating her. He asked her again if she wanted to die fast or slow. He gripped both hands around her neck and began to strangle her. She tried to slide away, but he kept strangling her to the point that she blacked out. Lawrence later told her he thought he had killed her and was going to hide her body in a crawlspace until he could find a place to bury it. During the same time period in early summer 2014, Lawrence forced the victim to have sex with him on two occasions.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Laura B. Weiss prosecuted the case.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Meth Conspiracy, FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in Jasper County, Mo., and for illegally possessing firearms.
Jose DeLeon Cazares, 29, of Joplin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 22 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 5, 2014, Cazares pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from July 16, 2012, to June 14, 2013, and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Law enforcement authorities noticed a significant increase in the availability of methamphetamine in the Joplin area beginning in June 2012. A confidential source stated there was a drug-trafficking organization in Joplin that was importing very pure methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States, then transporting it by automobile to Joplin.
Cazares admitted that he was the local leader of the drug-trafficking organization. Starting in July 2012, federal and local agents conducted numerous undercover buys with various co-defendants in this conspiracy.
A cooperator told law enforcement investigators that he traded stolen firearms and other stolen items to Cazares in return for methamphetamine. He stated that he had traded 10-to-12 firearms to Cazares between September 2012 and July 2013. Cazares gave him between one to one-and-a-half grams of methamphetamine per firearm. Cazares then took the firearms to Mexico. He also traded stolen flat-screen TV's, power tools and computer items (like laptops and Ipads) to Cazares for methamphetamine.
On June 14, 2013, members of the Joplin Police Department SWAT team and members of various federal agencies entered Cazares’s home. They found a box of Winchester 20-gauge 2-3/4-inch rifled slug hollow point ammunition in the bedroom. Cazares was under state charges at the time and prohibited from receiving and possessing ammunition. Officers also found a drug ledger in the living room on the television stand, and multiple Moneygram receipts in his vehicle.
His mother and father, Gerardo Hernandez Cazares, Sr., 53, and Leticia Cazares, 53, as well as his brothers, Gerardo Cazares Jr., 30, and Eric Eziquel Cazares, 32, all of Joplin, are among the co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Jasper County Drug Task Force, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Miami, Okla., Police Department.
Jefferson Hills Man Charged with Selling Adulterated Poultry ProductsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Jefferson Hills resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of selling and transporting adulterated and misbranded poultry and selling and transporting poultry without inspection, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The two-count indictment, returned on January 27, named Xia Vue, 83, of Finleyville, PA.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, the defendant sold in commerce adulterated poultry products which had not been inspected pursuant to regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of six years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced in Synthetic Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsBEAUMONT, Texas – A 46-year-old Port Arthur, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Michael Williams pleaded guilty on July 9, 2014, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on Jan. 27, 2015 by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.
According to information presented in court, from May 2013 to November 2013, Williams conspired to receive synthetic marijuana from individuals in the Syracuse, New York area for distribution in the Port Arthur, Texas area. Williams was shipped boxes containing packages labeled with brand names such as: “Caution,” “Scooby Snax,” “Kush,” “WTF,” “Masterkush,” “Mr. Niceguy,” and “Klimax” on credit for approximately $4.50 per package. Williams would then sell the packages of synthetic marijuana to others for $8 to $10 per package and then either send money orders to Syracuse or deposit money into a Bank of America account in the name of another defendant.
In November 2013, a search warrant executed on Williams’ residence and vehicle revealed a phone, cash, and deposit slips linking Williams to the drug trafficking organization out of Syracuse. A federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York returned an indictment on Nov. 20, 2013 charging nine individuals in that organization with drug trafficking violations. Southeast Texans named in the NDNY indictment are Ali Bedwan, Joe Aref and Arafat Khdour. Bedwan pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in Beaumont in 2014 and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison. Aref and Khdour are awaiting trial in Syracuse. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in Beaumont in May 2014.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Receiving Medicaid Benefits and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Georgia Bowen, a/k/a Georgia Bennett, 39, of Lackawanna, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. The health fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Aggravated identity carries a mandatory two years in prison to be served consecutive to any term imposed on the health care fraud conviction.Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant, a native and citizen of Jamaica, applied for Medicaid benefits through the Erie County Department of Social Services on three separate occasions: in December 2010, November 2011, and June 2013. Bowen claimed to be a United States citizen and utilized social security numbers assigned to other persons. As a result, Medicaid paid over $19,000 in benefits to health care providers for services provided to the defendant, benefits she was not entitled to receive.
In August 2010, Bowen was sentenced in federal court to two years in prison after being convicted of identity theft in connection with her fraudulent use of the name and social security number of another person which caused over $13,000 in Medicaid benefits to be paid through the Erie County Department of Social Services for medical services she had received. As a result of that conviction, removal proceedings against Bowen were initiated by the Department of Homeland Security.
The plea is the result of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge and the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward Ryan.
Sentencing will be scheduled before Chief U.S. District Court Judge William M. Skretny.
Inmate Convicted of Threatening A Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - George Yarbrough, 42, a former resident of Houston, has entered a guilty plea to a one-count criminal indictment charging him with mailing a threatening communication, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
As part of his plea, Yarbrough has admitted that on or about Sept. 26, 2014, he knowingly mailed a communication threatening to kill a specific federal judge in Houston. The communication was received at the Bob Casey U.S. Courthouse at 515 Rusk St. in Houston and had a return address implicating Yarbrough, who was an inmate serving a sentence within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
In the letter, Yarbrough warned the judge that he intended to kill him as soon as he got out of TDCJ. Yarbrough claimed the judge had ruined Yarbrough’s life and that he had lost of his loved ones. Yarbrough repeated the threat throughout the letter with a final note that “…I’m coming to get you and your family!”
Yarbrough was interviewed on two occasions and never denied sending the letter.
Yarbrough indicated the basis for the threat was because the judge had had dismissed a civil rights lawsuit Yarbrough filed against TDCJ personnel several years earlier.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for April 15, 2015. At that time, Yarbrough faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the TDCJ-Office of Inspector General investigated the case which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mel Pechacek.
Hunting Guides Sentenced for Violating Migratory Bird Act in Reno CountyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - Two hunting guides were sentenced Wednesday for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act during hunts in Reno County, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Each of them pleaded guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by exceeding the daily bag limit. They were sentenced to one year unsupervised probation and a fine of $1,000. In addition, they are prohibited from hunting, fishing, trapping or accompanying anyone in those activities for one year.
Both men were working for Misty Morning Outfitters of Haven, Kan., at the time they violated federal law.
Sentenced were:
Lane Hensley, 28, Liberal, Kan.
Tanner Cox, 25, Wichita, Kan.
In his plea, Hensley admitted the crime occurred Dec. 15, 2011, when he took two undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents on a hunt in Reno County, Kan. He exceeded the daily bag limit of three Canada geese.
In his plea, Cox admitted the crime occurred Sept. 1 and 2, 2011, on a hunt in Reno County. He exceeded the daily bag limit of 15 mourning doves.
Grissom commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ELVIS CANO-MORALES, age 33, a native of Honduras, was sentenced today on a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced CANO-MORALES to time served, which was 6 months incarceration. CANO-MORALES will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, CANO-MORALES was found in the United States on August 1, 2014, after having been previously removed from the United States on June 10, 2011.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri handled the prosecution.
Honduran National Guilty of Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JAIRO ALMENDAREZ-DUARTE, age 47, a native of Honduras, pled guilty today to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, ALMENDAREZ-DUARTE was found in the United States on January 10, 2014, after having been previously removed from the United States on August 28, 2003.
ALMENDAREZ-DUARTE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, as well as a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman set sentencing for April 8, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Hiawatha Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Cook Meth That Started Mobile Home FireRead the Press Release
Contact: Steve Young
A man whose attempt at cooking methamphetamine resulted in a fire that damaged several mobile homes in Hiawatha pled guilty on January 27, 2015, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Landon Monroe Lala, age 28, from Hiawatha, Iowa, was convicted of attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Lala admitted that he manufactured methamphetamine many times between April 2012 and May 2014, and that he recruited others to purchase pseudoephedrine for him so he could make meth. Lala also admitted that on November 13, 2013, he was in the process of cooking meth via the “one-pot” method when the bottle he was using in the manufacturing process tipped over, causing a fire. A 14-year-old and the owner of the mobile home in Hiawatha where Lala was cooking the meth were also present in the mobile home when the fire started. The mobile home where the fire started was destroyed, and five neighboring mobile homes were also extensively damaged. Three of the other damaged mobile homes were occupied at the time of the fire. One of those residences was occupied by two adults and four minor children, another by one adult, and a the third residence by two adults.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Lala remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Lala faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR14-100-LRR.
Goldsboro Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution and Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced PHILLIP HARDY , 30, of Goldsboro, North Carolina to a total of 180 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
HARDY was named in a seven count Indictment filed on February 18, 2014. On July 14, 2014, HARDY pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 1 Kilogram or More of Heroin; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
According to the investigation, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office began utilizing a confidential informant in May 2013 to investigate the heroin trafficking activities of HARDY. On June 5, 2013, agents simultaneously executed a search warrant at HARDY’s apartment in Goldsboro and the residence he shared intermittently with his grandparents in Goldsboro. With regard to the search of the defendant’s apartment, agents encountered HARDY upon entry and immediately detained him. A search of HARDY’S bedroom resulted in the recovery of a pistol and a 50-round drum pistol magazine, ammunition, 68.43 bundles (27.372 grams) of heroin, bags used to package heroin and a total of $13,686 in U.S. Currency. From HARDY’S vehicle agents recovered 1 bundle (0.4 grams) of heroin.
During the search of the defendant’s grandparents’ residence, agents recovered five firearms (two of which were determined to be stolen), assorted ammunition, several firearms magazines, a digital scale and plastic bags used to package narcotics
It was determined that between 2007 and February 25, 2014, HARDY possessed/distributed more than 33 kilograms of heroin. He also possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. On July 25, 2014, the defendant provided a written statement to the probation office wherein he acknowledged his involvement in the instant offense and expressed remorse for the harm his actions have caused him, his family, and society.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer E. Wells represented the government.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Stealing Deceased Persons' Identities to Gain $2.3 Million in State Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Georgia man was sentenced in federal court today for a wire fraud scheme in which he used the identity information of deceased persons to obtain more than $2.3 million in tax refunds from several states.
Sirhon Rivers, also known as “Ron,” 40, of Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to eight years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Rivers to pay $2,358,612 in restitution.
On Sept. 14, 2014, Rivers pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Rivers admitted that he unlawfully obtained $547,000 from the Missouri Department of Revenue from January 2008 to August 2012 by filing fraudulent tax returns. Rivers used the same scheme in others states – including Kansas, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Virginia – to unlawfully acquire a total of $2,365,617 in fraudulent state tax refunds.
Rivers obtained personal identification information – including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth – from deceased persons. He submitted state tax returns using that information, adding false and fraudulent information such as employment and wages earned. State tax returns were submitted electronically, with the refunds electronically transferred to bank accounts that Rivers opened at several financial institutions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Department of Revenue Criminal Tax Investigation Bureau.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty in Wire Fraud Scheme That Bilked Airlines by Obtaining Free ‘Non-Rev’ Tickets for Non-EmployeesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Georgia man who fraudulently booked airline reservations by pretending to be a flight crew member pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud offense.
Gilbert Myers Jr., 38, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty this afternoon to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a charge that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
Myers admitted orchestrating a conspiracy to defraud air carriers in which travelers would illegally board aircrafts while pretending to be employees of other airlines. In exchange for arranging their travel as “non-rev” employee travelers, Myers typically charged approximately $2,000 for one year of unlimited free flights.
Myers fraudulently booked hundreds of flights on victim airlines that include AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines.
The fraudulent travelers utilized Myers’ services to fly in and out of Los Angeles County airports by pretending to be in-flight crew members employed by other airlines. To obtain boarding passes and stand-by tickets (for which airline employees pay little or nothing, hence non-revenue), Myers called the victim airline’s reservation call center and gave the victim airline’s representative the name of a traveler, the airline he supposedly worked for, a bogus employee identification number, and a date of hire. Myers typically lied to the victim airline and said he worked on a flight crew for another airline, according to court documents.
Myers advised the fraudulent travelers to avoid detection by dressing appropriately and how to respond to questions about their employment at another airline. With the fraudulently obtained boarding pass and their real photo identification, the fraudulent travelers went through Transportation Security Administration security screening. The fraudulent travelers boarded planes listed as employees of other airlines. All of the travelers were subject to full security screenings by the Transportation Security Administration.
In the plea agreement, Myers admitted to several specific, fraudulent booking calls. As part of the conspiracy, Myers acknowledges that he “fraudulently booked these and hundreds of other flights with victim airlines.”
Myers pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Dean D. Pregerson, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 30.
In his plea agreement, Myers agrees that Judge Pregerson may order him to pay restitution to the victims. The fair market value of the fraudulently obtained plane tickets was more than $277,000, and attorneys in the case agree that the applicable amount of restitution is approximately $91,660.
All of the victim airlines fully cooperated in the investigation.
The case against Myers is the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office’s Contribution to the Mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice RecognizedRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner is pleased to announce the 2014 winner of the Eastern District of California Law Enforcement Award for the Fresno Division’s Outstanding Law Enforcement Agency. This award is one of four awards presented annually to a law enforcement agency and an officer in each of the Sacramento and Fresno divisions of the Eastern District of California to recognize outstanding collaboration between federal state and local law enforcement in addressing public safety issues in this region. Other winners of the 2014 United States Attorney’s Office-Eastern District of California Law Enforcement Awards will be announced at a later date.
The winner of Fresno Division’s Outstanding Law Enforcement Agency Award is the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable contribution to an investigation into a major national drug trafficking organization that manufactured and sold synthetic drugs. Synthetic drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids, are illegal and unregulated, and can be highly dangerous. There have been numerous reports of consumers being seriously harmed or even dying as a result of ingesting synthetic cannabinoids.
U.S. Attorney Wagner stated: “Congratulations to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on being chosen for this award for their efforts to address an emerging public safety threat. Sheriff’s detectives recognized the significance of a seizure of 12 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids and contacted federal authorities. The Fresno Sheriff’s Office partnered with federal agencies throughout the intensive long-term investigation that followed. As a result, we were able to identify key members of the organization and dismantle it.”
Narcotics detectives conducted several undercover purchases from head shops in the Fresno area that were distributing synthetic cannabinoids. They worked closely with federal law enforcement agents to investigate a network of persons and businesses that were producing the substances and selling them across the country. The Sheriff’s Office also participated in a nationwide takedown targeting synthetic drug traffickers in June 2013. That effort included multiple search warrants and the seizures of large quantities of illegal substances, cash, and assets.
The investigation focused on Victor Nottoli, who pleaded guilty in federal court here in Fresno in May of last year to conspiracy and causing at least 24 tons of misbranded synthetic cannabinoids to be introduced into interstate commerce. Over $6.4 million in cash and nearly $200,000 worth of other assets were seized. He is expected to be sentenced to federal prison in the near future.
In related cases arising from the investigation, four more persons were indicted on federal felonies in this district last year, and to date, five persons have pleaded guilty to federal felonies in the Southern District of Alabama, one has pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York, and another has been indicted in the District of Arizona. More federal prosecutions are expected.