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23 January 2015
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Burglary of Office Complex-Defendant Intended to Steal Prescription Medications, Other Items-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Pitts, 38, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from an incident last year in which he broke into an office building in Northwest Washington after setting a series of fires, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Pitts pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree identity theft. The Honorable Zoe Bush scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2015. Pitts faces a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison for the burglary charge and up to 10 years for the identity theft charge, as well as potential financial penalties.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on Sept. 4, 2014, at about 12:50 a.m., Pitts set a chair and bottles on fire near the parking attendant booth of the parking garage at an office complex in the 3300 block of New Mexico Avenue NW. The fire destroyed the chair and caused damage to the attendant booth. He then walked to another part of the complex and twice lit some newspapers on fire on the ground; this caused no damage.
Minutes later, Pitts walked to a wooded area near the adjacent Embassy Park complex and set another small fire. This fire grew, and had to be extinguished by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.
After setting the fires, Pitts entered the office building on New Mexico Avenue, which houses doctors’ offices and a pharmacy, with the intent to steal prescription medications, controlled substances, and prescription pads. He was arrested at the scene. A subsequent search of the defendant’s apartment led to the recovery of over 5,300 pills, blank prescription pads from at least nine different doctors’ offices, and other items. Many of the blank prescription pads were for doctors who had offices in the complex. Additional blank prescription pads were found in a search of the defendant’s office.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, and the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. He also expressed appreciation for the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittain Shaw, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bruckmann, who is prosecuting the matter.
15-014Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to Hold Public Workshop on Examining U.S. Health Care CompetitionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a joint public workshop, Examining Health Care Competition, on Feb. 24 and 25, 2015, in the Constitution Center Auditorium located at 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C., 20024.
The workshop will study recent developments related to health care provider organization and payment models, with an emphasis on how they may affect competition in the provision of health care services. Specific discussion topics may include early observations regarding accountable care organizations; alternatives to traditional fee-for-service payment models; trends in provider consolidation; trends in provider network and benefit design strategies, as well as contracting practices and regulatory activity that may enhance or undermine these strategies; and early observations regarding health insurance exchanges.
The workshop will be webcast live on the FTC’s website. Registration information, an agenda, directions to the FTC Conference Center and a list of speakers will be available on the event web page. Advance registration is not required, but is strongly encouraged.
Public comments should be submitted by Feb. 16, 2015, to be considered for the workshop. Interested persons can continue to submit comments through April 30, 2015. Suggested comment topics, and instructions on how to submit comments online and by mail, can be found in the Federal Register notice.
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities who wish to attend the workshop in person are available upon request. Requests should be submitted via email to [email protected] or by calling Lara Kittelson at 202-326-3388. Requests should be made in advance. Please include a detailed description of the accommodation needed and provide contact information.
Press contacts:
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
Emily Pierce
202-514-2007Federal Trade Commission
Office of Public Affairs
Betsy Lordan
202-326-3707Staff contacts:
Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Office of Legal Policy
Patrick M. Kuhlmann
202-305-4639Federal Trade Commission
Office of Policy Planning
Stephanie A. Wilkinson
202-326-2084Dallas Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison on Obscenity ConvictionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Dallas man who admitted committing a federal obscenity offense was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, announced John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Jason Paul Roberts, 38, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in October 2013 to one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Roberts will be required to register as a sex offender. He has been in custody since his arrest in September 2012 on a related federal indictment.
According to documents filed in the case, on September 29, 2012, Roberts emailed a sexually explicit photo depicting a partially nude male to a minor girl whom he knew was under the age of 16.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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 sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Garland Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted.
Crete Resident Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Anthony Edward Jones, 30, formerly of Crete, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 23, 2015, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 90 months in prison by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for receiving child pornography. Jones was also ordered to pay $750 in restitution and complete a five-year term of supervised release after serving his prison sentence. Jones will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
On July 19, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security in Omaha, Nebraska, received a referral from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Phoenix, Arizona, relating to an investigation involving the possession and distribution of child pornography. HSI in Phoenix had information that another individual was logging into a Russian file sharing website and was making sexually suggestive comments on posted images of prepubescent girls. After serving a search warrant in Mesa, Arizona, agents discovered that this user’s account was on several mailing lists which focused on the trading and distribution of child pornography. Agents discovered over two-hundred e-mails that were receiving child pornography; one such e-mail was from Anthony Jones.
An HSI summons was subsequently issued to Google, who is the host provider for Jones’ e-mail account. Additional information identified the account was being accessed from an IP address assigned to Time Warner Cable who confirmed that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Anthony Jones.
On July 30, 2013, an HSI special agent along with a police officer with the Crete Police Department met with Anthony Jones, who allowed his computer to be reviewed by a forensic agent for any evidence of child pornography. A forensic investigation revealed 50 videos and 800 images of child porn on the computer, including images of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc for more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Crete Police Department.
Columbia County Attorney Charged in Internet "Bath Salts" and "Spice" Trafficking NetworkRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office announced the return of a four-count superseding indictment by the federal grand jury in Williamsport charging Lindsay Lee-Lampshire and attorney Clyde Kevin Middleton with conspiracy offenses involving mail fraud, distribution of controlled substance analogues, introduction of misbranded drugs, and money laundering.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the indictment alleges that from September 2009 through the present, Lee-Lampshire, Middleton, Paul Chomiak, Adam Stein, and Kyle Savitski marketed and distributed controlled substance analogues and misbranded drugs, commonly referred to as “bath salts” and “spice,” using Internet web sites and two stores in Bloomsburg operated as Symplegades Requiem and Reflectionz. The indictment alleges that the defendants fraudulently marketed the products as novelties not for human consumption, when in fact the products were being used to obtain the same physical effects as controlled substances.
Lee-Lampshire was previously charged with Chomiak, Stein, and Savitsky in the initial indictment returned in October 2013.
Middleton appeared in federal court in Williamsport yesterday afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson and was released on his own recognizance. Chomiak, Stein, and Savitsky have entered guilty pleas and are presently awaiting sentencing before United States District Judge Matthew Brann. Jury selection and trial for Middleton and Lampshire is set for April 6, 2015.
Lee-Lampshire, age 32, is a resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Middleton, age 55, is a resident of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
The mail fraud and conspiracy counts carry 20-year maximum prison terms and fines equal to the greater of twice the amount of the laundered funds or $500,000. The drug conspiracy count carries a maximum term of 20 years and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The misbranded drug distribution conspiracy has a five-year maximum prison term and a $250,000 fine and the distribution of misbranded drugs carries a three-year maximum prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Columbia County Drug Task Force. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney George J. Rocktashel.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Colorado Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney John Walsh of the District of Colorado and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle of the FBI’s Denver Division announced that Shannon Conley, 19, of Arvada, Colorado, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore to serve 48 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release with 100 hours of community service, for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Conley, who appeared at the hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.
Conley was first charged by criminal complaint on April 9, 2014. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on Sept. 10, 2014.
According to court documents, including the stipulated facts in the plea agreement, from about February 2014 and continuing through April 8, 2014, Conley and a co-conspirator unlawfully worked together and with other individuals to provide and attempt to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically Al-Qaeda (AQ) and Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), aka the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), aka the Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham (ISIS), aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The conspiracy was accomplished, in part, when Conley met the co-conspirator on the Internet. During their communications, they shared their view of Islam as requiring participation in violent jihad. The co-conspirator communicated to Conley that he was an active member of a group fighting in Syria known as ISIS. The two then decided to become engaged and worked together to have Conley travel to Syria to join her new fiancé. Before traveling to Syria, Conley refined and obtained additional training and skills in order to provide support and assistance to any AQ and/or ISIS fighter. Conley also intended to fight if it became necessary to do so.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Conley joined the U.S. Army Explorers (USAE) to be trained in U.S. military tactics and in firearms. She traveled to Texas and attended the USAE training. She also obtained first aid/nursing certification and National Rifle Association certification. Conley knew that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization. In fact, on numerous occasions, Special Agents with the FBI met with her in attempts to persuade her not to carry out her plans to travel overseas to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization and to engage in violent jihad. On March 29, 2014, the co-conspirator, together with others, arranged for an airline ticket to be purchased for Conley to travel to Turkey, departing from Denver on April 8, 2014. On April 8, 2014, Conley traveled to Denver International Airport and attempted to board the flight to Turkey. She was then arrested by FBI agents.
A subsequent search of Conley’s home revealed DVDs of Anwar Al-Awlaki lectures and a number of books and articles about AQ, other terrorist groups and jihad. Agents also recovered shooting targets labeled with the number of rounds fired and distances.
“Conspiring to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization is a serious federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “The defendant in this case got lucky. The FBI arrested her after determining that she had been radicalized and planned to travel to Syria to support the brutal foreign terrorist organizations operating there. Had she succeeded in her plan to get to Syria, she would likely have been brutalized, killed or sent back to the United States to commit other crimes. Today’s sentence underscores the seriousness of defendant’s conduct, but pales in comparison to the penalty she would have paid had she not been stopped.”
“This sentencing highlights the rapidly changing, shrinking nature of the world and the implications for law enforcement and public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle. “Terrorist groups now have the ability to directly attract and even recruit U.S. residents to commit violence or provide other support on their behalf. Anyone in our community who takes deliberate steps to commit federal crimes in support of a declared terrorist organization will have those steps disrupted and will be arrested and prosecuted whenever appropriate and necessary in order to preserve the safety of our community.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Arvada Police Department.
The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway of the District of Colorado, with the assistance of Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Prison for Distribution, Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On January 22, 2015, Ryan Lynn Nelson, age 31, of Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 144 months in prison for distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Nelson was also ordered to serve eight years of supervised release following the imprisonment, pay a fine of $10,000, pay restitution to victims in the amount of $2,500, and pay $300 to the Crime Victims Fund. The computers and contraband images were ordered to be forfeited.
On August 12, 2011, law enforcement officers of the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified an IP address associated with Nelson that had child pornography available for download, and obtained a list of files that the user was sharing, including numerous files that had names and labels associated with child pornography. Three files containing child pornography from the specific IP address were downloaded. A search warrant was later issued for Nelson’s residence on October 3, 2011, where police searched the residence and found two computers containing numerous images of child pornography.
On March 6, 2014, Nelson pled guilty to all three counts of the indictment charging unlawful receipt of child pornography, unlawful distribution of child pornography and unlawful possession of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force including the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department, the DeWitt, Iowa, Police Department, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
(Download Press Release)
Clay County Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Clay County man was sentenced on Thursday, January 22, 2015, to serve 192 months in a federal prison for producing, possessing and distributing child pornography, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered James Thomas Lifsey, 59, of Warne, N.C. to serve under court supervision the rest of his life upon release from prison and to register as a sex offender. Lifsey was also ordered to pay $ 46,057 as restitution to the victims.
Ryan L. Spradlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Georgia and the Carolinas joins U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement.
In July 2013, a federal criminal indictment charged Lifsey with one count of production, one count of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. Lifsey pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2013. According to court filings and proceedings, during the investigation detectives discovered Lifsey had an extensive collection of child pornography, as well as a computer hard drive, an email account, and online photo sharing accounts. Lifsey admitted to distributing child pornography internationally that he produced himself.
Lifsey has been in federal custody since July 2013 and will be transferred into custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The investigation into Lifsey was handled by HSI with assistance from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Michael Mitchell, a/k/a Max, 22, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to six counts of bank robbery, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that between October 2013 and January 9, 2014, Mitchell committed six bank robberies and aided another individual in committing a seventh robbery in the Buffalo and Rochester, NY areas.
In October 2013, the defendant planned then aided another individual in robbing the First Niagara Bank at 529 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo on October 23, 2013. Mitchell also committed the following robberies:
• December 3, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 529 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo
• December 16, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 805 Main Street, Niagara Falls
• December 26, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 70 Lyell Avenue, Rochester
• December 27, 2013, KeyBank, 201 Amherst Street, Buffalo
• January 3, 2014, M&T Bank, 130 Grant Street, Buffalo
• January 9, 2014, First Niagara Bank, 1248 Abbott Road, Lackawanna
During each of the robberies, Mitchell passed a note to the teller demanding money and threatened the use of a weapon.
“With this conviction, our investigation into one of the most prolific bank robbers of this era is over, said U.S. Attorney Hochul.”
Co-defendant Sheila L. Cassata pleaded guilty to bank robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15 at 12:30 p.m.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief Bryan DalPorto, and Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
Sentencing for Michael Mitchell is scheduled for April 23, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Buffalo Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft and Other ChargesRead 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 following a two week trial, a federal jury in Buffalo has convicted Clifton Jackson, 46, of Buffalo, N.Y., with conspiracy to unlawfully use Social Security numbers, conspiracy for the filing of false tax returns, filing false tax returns, aggravated identity theft, misuse of social security numbers and theft of government property. The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 when sentenced.
“This defendant attempted to defraud both the Government and individuals by his own version of a 'get rich quick scheme',” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “This case should serve as a warning that if someone offers something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The Government does not give money away to individuals for providing simple information such as name and date of birth.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Bishop said: “The Internal Revenue Service has made the investigation of identity theft tax refund fraud schemes a top priority. Today’s verdict sends a clear warning to anyone contemplating taking part in such crimes: These schemes will be uncovered and thoroughly investigated and the participants will face severe consequences. It should also reassure honest taxpayers that the government is committed to devoting resources to fighting this problem.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trini E. Ross and John E. Rogowski, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that the defendant devised a scheme to defraud individuals and the United States Government by obtaining and using the names, social security numbers and dates of birth issued to over 80 individuals. Jackson then used that information to file fraudulent tax returns for the tax year 2011with the IRS.
The defendant obtained the information by telling individuals that if they provided names, social security numbers and dates of birth, they could receive money from the Government. Jackson also recruited other individuals to provide additional names, social security numbers and dates of birth.
The Government presented more than 60 witnesses during the trial. These witnesses included over 20 individuals who were victimized by the defendant. Over the duration of the scheme, Jackson attempted to defraud the IRS of more than $550,000.
Jackson is currently serving a 10 year state sentenced in Ohio for a drug conviction. Three other defendants were charged and convicted in this case.
The verdict is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Buffalo Office, under the direction of Supervisory Special Agent Michael Rivera, and the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 11, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Geoffrey L. Crawford who presided over the trial.
Blaine Man Pleads Guilty to Bath Salts Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nate Brewer, 34, of Blaine, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute bath salts.According to court records, between about January 2012 and June 2014, Brewer conspired with others in Aroostook County to obtain and distribute bath salts. Specifically, Brewer helped purchase bath salts from China for personal use and to sell to other conspirators. He also helped to raise money to place bulk orders for multiple conspirators in order to receive discounted pricing.
The defendant faces up to 20 year in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department and the United State Postal Inspection Service.
Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Teacher Indicted for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Peter Flynn, age 61, of Silver Spring, Maryland on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 for distributing and possessing child pornography. Flynn was arrested today and is scheduled to have his initial appearance in federal court at 1:30 p.m. in Greenbelt today.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Lt. Colonel Anthony C. Satchell, Acting Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Flynn is a special education teacher at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School. According to the two count indictment, on April 3, 2014, Flynn distributed child pornography, and on September 30, 2014 he possessed child pornography.
Flynn faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison for distributing child pornography; and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Mulroe of the U.S. Department of Justice, who are prosecuting the case.
Bayonne Police Officer Charged with Use of Excessive Force During ArrestRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was arrested today and charged with violating a defendant’s civil rights by using excessive force during an arrest that took place in Bayonne, New Jersey, as well as falsifying records in an attempt to conceal the alleged crime, Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Police Officer Domenico Lillo, 44, of Bayonne, New Jersey, was arrested by federal agents this morning and after a federal grand jury in Newark returned an indictment charging him with the deprivation of civil rights under color of law and falsification of records. Lillo had his initial appearance and arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court. He was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the early evening of Dec. 27, 2013, Lillo and other police officers from the Bayonne Police Department went to an address in Bayonne to execute a Sussex County arrest warrant. Lillo allegedly struck the subject of the warrant with a flashlight while the individual was handcuffed and not resisting arrest, which resulted in bodily injury. Lillo allegedly falsified a Bayonne Police Department Use of Force Report related to the arrest with the intent to impede an investigation into the case.
The use of excessive force count with which Lillo is charged carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of falsifying records carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, with the continuing investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques S. Pierre of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven G. Sanders of the Appeals Division.
15-032
Defense counsel: Frank Arleo Esq. West Orange, N.J.Augusta Man Pleads Guilty to Pharmacy Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Dominic J. Pomerleau, 21, of Augusta, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to pharmacy robbery and attempted pharmacy robbery charges.Court records show that on the evening of September 2, 2014, Pomerleau attempted to rob the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta. He approached the pharmacy counter and handed the pharmacist a note that read, “I Have a gun don’t push the button or I’ll shoot give me Oxycodone 30 mg & 15 mg and Ridilin 20 mg Hurry make it a minute or less act normal.” As the pharmacist was getting the pills, the phone rang and another employee answered it. Pomerleau left the pharmacy before the pharmacist had time to give him the pills. About 20 minutes later, Pomerleau robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Hospital Street in Augusta. He approached the pharmacy counter with a note that demanded oxycodone and absconded with three bottles of oxycodone. Both encounters were captured on surveillance video and witnesses provided descriptions of Pomerleau and his distinctive arm and neck tattoos.
Pomerleau faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution on each charge. The defendant will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Augusta Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Arvada Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to A Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
DENVER – U.S. Attorney John Walsh of the District of Colorado and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle of the FBI’s Denver Division, and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, announced that Shannon Conley, 19, of Arvada, Colorado, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore to serve 48 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release, for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. During her supervised release, Judge Moore ordered her to serve 100 hours of community service. Conley, who appeared at the hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.
Conley was first charged by criminal complaint on April 9, 2014. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on Sept. 10, 2014.
According to court documents, including the stipulated facts in the plea agreement, from about February 2014 and continuing through April 8, 2014, Conley and a co-conspirator unlawfully worked together and with other individuals to provide and attempt to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically Al-Qaeda (AQ) and Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), aka the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), aka the Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham (ISIS), aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The conspiracy was accomplished, in part, when Conley met the co-conspirator on the Internet. During their communications, they shared their view of Islam as requiring participation in violent jihad. The co-conspirator communicated to Conley that he was an active member of a group fighting in Syria known as ISIS. The two then decided to become engaged and worked together to have Conley travel to Syria to join her new fiancé. Before traveling to Syria, Conley refined and obtained additional training and skills in order to provide support and assistance to any AQ and/or ISIS fighter. Conley also intended to fight if it became necessary to do so.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Conley joined the U.S. Army Explorers (USAE) to be trained in U.S. military tactics and in firearms. She traveled to Texas and attended the USAE training. She also obtained first aid/nursing certification and National Rifle Association certification. Conley knew that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization. In fact, on numerous occasions, Special Agents with the FBI met with her in attempts to persuade her not to carry out her plans to travel overseas to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization and to engage in violent jihad. On March 29, 2014, the co-conspirator, together with others, arranged for an airline ticket to be purchased for Conley to travel to Turkey, departing from Denver on April 8, 2014. On April 8, 2014, Conley traveled to Denver International Airport and attempted to board the flight to Turkey. She was then arrested by FBI agents.
A subsequent search of Conley’s home revealed DVDs of Anwar Al-Awlaki lectures and a number of books and articles about AQ, other terrorist groups and jihad. Agents also recovered shooting targets labeled with the number of rounds fired and distances.
“Conspiring to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization is a serious federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “The defendant in this case got lucky. The FBI arrested her after determining that she had been radicalized and planned to travel to Syria to support the brutal foreign terrorist organizations operating there. Had she succeeded in her plan to get to Syria, she would likely have been brutalized, killed or sent back to the United States to commit other crimes. Today’s sentence underscores the seriousness of defendant’s conduct, but pales in comparison to the penalty she would have paid had she not been stopped.”
“This sentencing highlights the rapidly changing, shrinking nature of the world and the implications for law enforcement and public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle. “Terrorist groups now have the ability to directly attract and even recruit U.S. residents to commit violence or provide other support on their behalf. Anyone in our community who takes deliberate steps to commit federal crimes in support of a declared terrorist organization will have those steps disrupted and will be arrested and prosecuted whenever appropriate and necessary in order to preserve the safety of our community.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Arvada Police Department.The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway of the District of Colorado, with the assistance of Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Anchorage Drug Traffickers Indicted by Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment against eight Anchorage-area individuals charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, multiple counts of distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and various firearms offenses. The indictment also contains multiple allegations seeking forfeiture of illegal items and proceeds acquired and used during the course of the alleged crimes.
According to the indictment filed on January 22, 2015, and documents filed in support of several arrest warrants issued in the case, Toa Ly (aka “Tony”) was the owner of the Fashion Nails salon on 500 Muldoon Road in Anchorage, Alaska. Between August 2014 and January 2015, law enforcement engaged in a series of undercover drug transactions with Ly, purchasing methamphetamine from him directly on at least two occasions. In other transactions, Ly would refer law enforcement to either Pao Lee (aka “Ninja”) or Murville Lavelle Lampkin (aka “Lamar”), who then distributed either methamphetamine or heroin at Ly’s direction.
On November 8, 2014, Robert Lee Rast Jr., Rennie Marie Davis, and Adam Michael Cornelison met with Ly at Fashion Nails. After leaving the business, law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicles driven by Rast and Davis, and Cornelison. Rast and Davis complied; Cornelison fled and was forced off the road by police after a chase.
Located in Rast and Davis’ vehicle was approximately one pound of methamphetamine, and two ounces of heroin. Deposit slips showing recent deposits into Ly’s Wells Fargo account were also located. In Cornelison’s vehicle was approximately one pound of marijuana and a Glock handgun. Possession of the handgun by Cornelison is illegal given his multiple prior felony convictions.
Payments for the drugs obtained from Ly or his associates were made either directly, or through deposits into bank accounts controlled by Ly that were opened in the name of the Fashion Nails salon, or other businesses registered in Ly’s name. The investigation revealed more than $200,000 in suspected drug proceeds deposited into Ly’s accounts by coconspirators and others between January 2014 and August 14, 2014.
Ly was arrested in Seattle, Washington on January 14, 2015. On that same day, law enforcement executed five search warrants at locations connected to this case. Agents seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine, approximately one-half pound of heroin, $148,000 in cash, and multiple firearms from a residence and storage locker connected to Mark Norman Hanes and Susan Jan Bradshaw.
Lee and Lampkin were also arrested on January 14, 2015. Lee was arrested after being stopped at a Wells Fargo with money to deposit into Ly’s account, and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine in his possession. Lampkin was arrested after being found in possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Both men made their initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Kevin F. McCoy on January 15, 2015, and were ordered detained.
Ly made his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate in Seattle, and was ordered detained pending his return to Anchorage by the United States Marshal.
The remaining defendants are not yet in United States custody.
The investigation is ongoing.
The case was the product of an extensive joint investigation by the Anchorage Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Anchorage Police Department’s Special Assignment Unit and Vice Unit, Alaska State Troopers, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and Criminal Investigators from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a term of supervised release of not less than five years, and a $10,000,000 fine. Each conviction for Distribution of Controlled Substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 carry sentences as high as life in prison, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine. Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense carries a mandatory five-year sentence that must be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A conviction for Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956 carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and a five-year term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anchorage Drug Traffickers Indicted by Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment against eight Anchorage-area individuals charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, multiple counts of distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and various firearms offenses. The indictment also contains multiple allegations seeking forfeiture of illegal items and proceeds acquired and used during the course of the alleged crimes.
According to the indictment filed on January 22, 2015, and documents filed in support of several arrest warrants issued in the case, Toa Ly (aka “Tony”) was the owner of the Fashion Nails salon on 500 Muldoon Road in Anchorage, Alaska. Between August 2014 and January 2015, law enforcement engaged in a series of undercover drug transactions with Ly, purchasing methamphetamine from him directly on at least two occasions. In other transactions, Ly would refer law enforcement to either Pao Lee (aka “Ninja”) or Murville Lavelle Lampkin (aka “Lamar”), who then distributed either methamphetamine or heroin at Ly’s direction.
On November 8, 2014, Robert Lee Rast Jr., Rennie Marie Davis, and Adam Michael Cornelison met with Ly at Fashion Nails. After leaving the business, law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicles driven by Rast and Davis, and Cornelison. Rast and Davis complied; Cornelison fled and was forced off the road by police after a chase.
Located in Rast and Davis’ vehicle was approximately one pound of methamphetamine, and two ounces of heroin. Deposit slips showing recent deposits into Ly’s Wells Fargo account were also located. In Cornelison’s vehicle was approximately one pound of marijuana and a Glock handgun. Possession of the handgun by Cornelison is illegal given his multiple prior felony convictions.
Payments for the drugs obtained from Ly or his associates were made either directly, or through deposits into bank accounts controlled by Ly that were opened in the name of the Fashion Nails salon, or other businesses registered in Ly’s name. The investigation revealed more than $200,000 in suspected drug proceeds deposited into Ly’s accounts by coconspirators and others between January 2014 and August 14, 2014.
Ly was arrested in Seattle, Washington on January 14, 2015. On that same day, law enforcement executed five search warrants at locations connected to this case. Agents seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine, approximately one-half pound of heroin, $148,000 in cash, and multiple firearms from a residence and storage locker connected to Mark Norman Hanes and Susan Jan Bradshaw.
Lee and Lampkin were also arrested on January 14, 2015. Lee was arrested after being stopped at a Wells Fargo with money to deposit into Ly’s account, and more than 5 grams of methamphetamine in his possession. Lampkin was arrested after being found in possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Both men made their initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Kevin F. McCoy on January 15, 2015, and were ordered detained.
Ly made his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate in Seattle, and was ordered detained pending his return to Anchorage by the United States Marshal.
The remaining defendants are not yet in United States custody.
The investigation is ongoing.
The case was the product of an extensive joint investigation by the Anchorage Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Anchorage Police Department’s Special Assignment Unit and Vice Unit, Alaska State Troopers, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and Criminal Investigators from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a term of supervised release of not less than five years, and a $10,000,000 fine. Each conviction for Distribution of Controlled Substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 carry sentences as high as life in prison, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine. Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense carries a mandatory five-year sentence that must be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A conviction for Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956 carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and a five-year term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Alleged Terrorist, Charged with Murder of Five American Soldiers, Extradited to United StatesRead the Press Release
Defendant Allegedly Aided Suicide Bomb Attack on U.S. Base in Iraq
U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner William J. Bratton of the New York City Police Department announced that tomorrow, Jan. 24, 2015, Faruq Khalil Muhammed ‘Isa, aka “Faruq Khalil Muhammad ‘Isa,” “Sayfildin Tahir Sharif,” and “Tahir Sharif Sayfildin,” will have his initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, on charges of conspiring to kill Americans abroad; and providing material support to a terrorist conspiracy to kill Americans abroad. ‘Isa was extradited to the United States from Canada.
According to court documents, the defendant is charged in connection with his support for a multinational terrorist network that conducted multiple suicide bombings in Iraq. According to the complaint, filed on Jan. 14, 2011, in the Eastern District of New York, the defendant assisted in orchestrating an attack on the United States Military’s Forward Operating Base Marez (FOB Marez) in Mosul, Iraq, on April 10, 2009. A truck laden with explosives drove to the gate of FOB Marez and exchanged fire with Iraqi police officers guarding the base and then with an American convoy exiting the base. The truck detonated alongside the last vehicle in the U.S. convoy, leaving a 60-foot crater in the ground. Five American soldiers were killed in the blast. They are: Staff Sergeant Gary L. Woods, 24, of Lebanon Junction, Kentucky; Sergeant First Class Bryan E. Hall, 32, of Elk Grove, California; Sergeant Edward W. Forrest Jr., 25, of St. Louis, Missouri; Corporal Jason G. Pautsch, 20, of Davenport, Iowa; and Army Private First Class Bryce E. Gaultier, 22, from Cyprus, California.
“Today’s extradition demonstrates to those who orchestrate violence against our citizens and our soldiers that there is no corner of the globe from which they can hide from the long reach of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch. “We will continue to use every available means to bring to justice those who are responsible for the deaths of American servicemen and women who paid the ultimate price in their defense of this nation.”
“Faruq Khalil Muhammed ‘Isa is alleged to have helped orchestrate an attack that killed five U.S. soldiers at the Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, Iraq, in 2009,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “The families of these five Americans and all who have lost loved-ones to acts of terrorism should know that we will never cease seeking to hold terrorists accountable for their acts. I want to thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this matter.”
“As alleged, Faruq Khalil Muhammad ‘Isa was involved in the most callous act: a suicide bombing murdering U.S. soldiers in Iraq,” said Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos. “Our memory is long, and our reach is longer. Today we hope to bring some measure of justice to the families of those five servicemen who sacrificed their lives in defense of this nation.”
“I want to commend the United States Attorney Loretta Lynch and her team for working closely with the NYPD and the FBI to extradite this individual who is allegedly responsible for the death of soldiers sworn to protect and serve,” said Commissioner Bratton. “We hope today’s extradition will bring some closure to the families.”
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zainab Ahmad, Alexander Solomon and Peter Baldwin, with assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section and Office of International Affairs. The department extends its grateful appreciation to the Canadian government for its assistance and cooperation in the extradition.
Faruq Complaint
Faruq Indictment
Alleged Terrorist, Charged with Murder of Five American Soldiers, Extradited to United StatesRead the Press Release
Tomorrow, January 24, 2015, Faruq Khalil Muhammed ‘Isa, also known as “Faruq Khalil Muhammad ‘Isa,” “Sayfildin Tahir Sharif,” and “Tahir Sharif Sayfildin,” will have his initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, on charges of conspiring to kill Americans abroad, murdering Americans abroad, and providing material support to a terrorist conspiracy to kill Americans abroad. ‘Isa was extradited to the United States from Canada.
The extradition was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John P. Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and William J. Bratton, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD).
According to court documents, the defendant is charged in connection with his support for a multinational terrorist network that conducted multiple suicide bombings in Iraq. According to the complaint, filed on January 14, 2011 in the Eastern District of New York, the defendant assisted in orchestrating an attack on the United States Military’s Forward Operating Base Marez (“FOB Marez”) in Mosul, Iraq, on April 10, 2009. A truck laden with explosives drove to the gate of FOB Marez and exchanged fire with Iraqi police officers guarding the base and then with an American convoy exiting the base. The truck detonated alongside the last vehicle in the U.S. convoy, leaving a 60-foot crater in the ground. Five American soldiers were killed in the blast. They are: Staff Sergeant Gary L. Woods, 24, of Lebanon Junction, Kentucky; Sergeant First Class Bryan E. Hall, 32, of Elk Grove, California; Sergeant Edward W. Forrest Jr., 25, of St. Louis, Missouri; Corporal Jason G. Pautsch, 20, of Davenport, Iowa; and Army Private First Class Bryce E. Gaultier, 22, from Cyprus, California.
“Today’s extradition demonstrates to those who orchestrate violence against our citizens and our soldiers that there is no corner of the globe from which they can hide from the long reach of the law,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We will continue to use every available means to bring to justice those who are responsible for the deaths of American servicemen and women who paid the ultimate price in their defense of this nation.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the Canadian government for its assistance and cooperation in the extradition.
“Faruq Khalil Muhammed ‘Isa is alleged to have helped orchestrate an attack that killed five U.S. soldiers at the Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, Iraq in 2009,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “The families of these five Americans and all who have lost loved-ones to acts of terrorism should know that we will never cease seeking to hold terrorists accountable for their acts. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this matter.”
“As alleged, Faruq Khalil Muhammad ‘Isa was involved in the most callous act: a suicide bombing murdering U.S. soldiers in Iraq,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos. “Our memory is long, and our reach is longer. Today we hope to bring some measure of justice to the families of those five servicemen who sacrificed their lives in defense of this nation.”
“I want to commend the United States Attorney Loretta Lynch and her team for working closely with the NYPD and the FBI to extradite this individual who is allegedly responsible for the death of soldiers sworn to protect and serve. We hope today’s extradition will bring some closure to the families,” stated NYPD Commissioner Bratton.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zainab Ahmad, Alexander Solomon, and Peter Baldwin, with assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section and Office of International Affairs.
The Defendant:
FARUQ KHALIL MUHAMMAD ‘ISA
Age: 36
Nationality: Canadian
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 11-CR-819
Aircraft Mechanic Sentenced to Federal Prison for Falsifying the Airworthiness of an Aircraft PartRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges has sentenced Clive Felix Ure (58) to 12 months in federal prison for falsifying the airworthiness of a propeller that he had sold to the owner of a private plane. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $67,772.14. Ure pleaded guilty on July 10, 2014.
According to court documents, Ure held Federal Aviation Administration licenses as an aircraft mechanic and a private pilot. In September 2012, he agreed to sell a propeller, which he had listed on eBay, to the owner of a private plane in Oregon. During negotiations regarding the sale, Ure represented that the propeller had been overhauled and that it had not been used since the overhaul.
In fact, an FAA-certified propeller repair station had told Ure that the propeller was not airworthy and could not be overhauled for use on an airplane. At the time Ure sold the propeller, it not been overhauled. To “prove” that the propeller had been overhauled, Ure sent the buyer a log book in which there was a false entry for the overhaul. He also stamped a false serial number on the propeller because the true serial number had been obliterated by the propeller repair station, at the direction of the FAA.
In addition, as part of his plea agreement, Ure agreed to pay restitution to another private plane owner and to a flight training school, both of whom had engaged Ure to overhaul aircraft engines. When he overhauled the engines, Ure used parts that had not been approved by the FAA, some of which were unairworthy. The engines subsequently had to be closely inspected and overhauled again, at significant expense. The court ordered Ure to pay restitution in the amount of $49,136.86 to the private plane owner and in the amount of $18,635.28 to the flight training school.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Federal Aviation Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Acoma Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Intimate Partner by StrangulationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Brian J. Juanico, 37, a member and resident of the Acoma Pueblo, N.M., pleaded guilty today to an indictment charging him with three counts of assault of an intimate partner by strangulation. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Juanico was arrested on Aug. 15, 2014, on a criminal complaint alleging that on April 6, 2014, he assaulted his intimate partner, an Acoma Pueblo woman, by strangulation. According to the complaint, Juanico committed the crime on the Acoma Indian Reservation in Cibola County, N.M. Court records reflect that Juanico was arrested on related tribal charges on May 1, 2014.
Juanico was indicted in Sept. 2014, in an indictment charging him with assaulting his intimate partner on April 6, 2014. The indictment alleged that Juanico strangled and attempted to suffocate the victim three separate and distinct times on that day.
Today Juanico pled guilty to all three counts of the indictment. He was remanded into federal custody after entering his guilty plea and will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing Juanico faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Laguna/Acoma Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Novaline D. Wilson and David Adams.
The case was brought pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Abilene Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — Reymundo Alejandro Sanchez, 21, of Abilene, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 10 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea in October 2014 to one count of possession of child pornography. The announcement was made today by John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
According to plea documents filed in the case, Sanchez used his cell phone to communicate with several persons using a mobile application called Kik, as well as through Facebook and other means. Many of those persons identified themselves to Sanchez as minors.
Sanchez engaged many of those persons in sexually oriented communication, which often included Sanchez sending one or more sexually explicit images of himself. In exchange, Sanchez sometimes received images or videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. One example of such child pornography was a video that Sanchez received on approximately April 30, 2014, which depicted a female minor, under age 18, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Sanchez’s pretrial release was revoked earlier this month when the Court found that he had violated conditions of his release.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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 sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The Abilene Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy prosecuted.
15th Member of Washington, D.C.-Based Identity Theft Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Defendant Admits To Targeting Parents Of Hospitalized Children, Among Others
A Maryland woman pleaded guilty today in connection with her involvement in a sophisticated identity theft ring that stole the identities of over 600 individuals in Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas with an estimated loss of well over $1 million. Fifteen members of the fraud ring—which targeted, among others, the parents of sick and injured kids receiving treatment at a children’s hospital in Washington, D.C.—have been convicted so far as a result of this investigation.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Kathy A. Michalko of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after the guilty plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton of the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Identity theft wreaks havoc on the lives of American citizens every year,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “But this group took the distress to a new level by targeting the parents of hospitalized children and stealing their identities, as well as those of other customers and members of businesses in the Washington, D.C., area. Along with our law enforcement partners, the Criminal Division is committed to protecting the privacy and financial security of the American people from both foreign and domestic thieves.”
Leah Shanae Elliott, 22, of Clinton, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, access device fraud and identity theft. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 24, 2015, before Judge Hilton.
In a statement of facts filed with her plea agreement, Elliott admitted that she was a member of a large-scale identity theft ring that operated in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and elsewhere. According to Elliott, members of the ring used their employment at local businesses and nonprofits—including banks, credit unions, medical and dental centers, employee associations, restaurants and stores—to access and steal personally identifiable information (PII) such as social security numbers, addresses, and dates of birth, as well as debit and credit card information. The conspirators then used this stolen information to manufacture fraudulent driver’s licenses and other identifications, as well as fraudulent debit and credit cards. Conspirators used the fake identifications and debit or credit cards to establish lines of credit, purchase merchandise at retail establishments, make unauthorized withdrawals from victims’ bank accounts and manufacture and cash counterfeit checks.
Elliott specifically admitted that that she stole PII and debit and credit card information at the restaurant at which she worked, and used stolen PII and fraudulent driver’s licenses to open lines of credit and obtain rental vehicles, computers, televisions, cameras, watches, jewelry and other items under victims’ names. She also admitted that she retrieved “skimming” devices loaded with stolen PII and debit and credit card information from other members of the conspiracy and used those devices to transfer the stolen information into fake identifications and debit and credit cards.
Further, Elliott admitted that she solicited her mother—a credit and collections representative at a children’s hospital in Washington, D.C.—to steal the identities of parents of sick or injured children, and that after a further request from one of the ring’s leaders, her mother ultimately provided 78 stolen “profiles” from the hospital.
Members of the fraud ring previously convicted include:
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Erin Lyles-Armstrong, 34, of Germantown, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft on Feb. 1, 2012;
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Justin Gatling, 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of exceeding authorized access to information stored in a computerized financial record of a financial institution on March 29, 2012;
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Segale Battle, 30, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to identity theft on Sept. 15, 2013;
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Rungnatee Pearson, 45, of Bronx, New York, who pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud on Sept. 18, 2013;
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Jamille Ferguson, 31, of Dumfries, Virginia, who pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 8, 2013;
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Christopher Bush, 30, of New York, New York, who pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 11, 2013;
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Jenaro Blalock, 31, of Clinton, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 29, 2013;
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Kevin Middleton, 32, of McClellanville, South Carolina, who pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud on Dec. 16, 2013;
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Adrienne Pritchett, 42, of District Heights, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 3, 2013;
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Tekia Thomas, 22, of Alexandria, Virginia, who pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud on Oct. 8, 2013;
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Elizabeth Monika Hunter, 20, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, who pleaded guilty to one account of access device fraud on Jan. 28, 2014;
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LaShawn Powell, 35, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements on April 15, 2014;
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Detrius Elliott, 43, of Clinton, Maryland, who pleaded guilty to one count of identity theft on May 29, 2014; and
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Chantel Thompson, 22, of Washington, D.C., who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, access device fraud, and identity theft on Jan. 9, 2015.
Most of the defendants have already been sentenced. Last year Judge Hilton sentenced Blalock and Bush, two of the leaders of the ring, to 12 years in prison and 10 years in prison, respectively. Blalock was also ordered to pay $614,685.58 in restitution.
The U.S. Secret Service led this investigation, with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General, Montgomery County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, City of Fairfax Police Department, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Prince George’s County Police Department’s Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement Unit and others. The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Counsels Matthew A. Lamberti and Peter V. Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamera Fine of the District of Maryland.
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22 January 2015
Youngstown Man Indicted for Narcotics and FirearmsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Daron Nesbitt, 35, of Youngstown, with distribution of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on or about October 20, 2014, Nesbitt distributed heroin and MDMA.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on or about November 5, 2014, Nesbitt distributed heroin and MDMA.
Count 3 of the indictment alleges that on or about November 12, 2014, Nesbitt possessed with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, MDMA and marijuana.
Count 4 of the indictment alleges that Nesbitt possessed a Raven Arms, model P25, .25 caliber pistol, and a Walther, model P22, .22 caliber pistol, and ammunition, after having been convicted on felonious assault in the Court of Common Pleas, Mahoning County, Ohio; trafficking in drugs in the Court of Common Pleas, Columbiana County, Ohio; and aggravated trafficking in drugs in the Court of Common Pleas, Trumbull County, Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
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.
Yogurt Entrepreneur Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Intentionally Setting Fire to His Dallas BusinessRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Dallas businessman was sentenced today for intentionally setting fire to his business, announced John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Edgar Dalmiro Diaz, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,508,533 in restitution. Diaz pleaded guilty in January 2014 to an indictment charging one count of malicious use of explosive materials. At the conclusion of today’s hearing, Judge Boyle remanded Diaz into federal custody.
Diaz is the creator of “Three Happy Cows” yogurt. That business was located in northwest Dallas at 2750 Northhaven Drive.
According to documents filed in the case, in mid-March 2013, Diaz intentionally set fire to that building. At that time, businesses located in the building were engaged in activities that affected interstate commerce, and the fire Mr. Diaz set damaged the building and its contents.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Dallas Fire-Rescue investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taly Haffar prosecuted.
Woman Sentenced for Stealing over 50K from Brockton Post OfficeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—The United States Attorney’s Office announces that Brockton, Montana, resident and ex-Postmaster Relief Jana Nygard was sentenced today to 14 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release for stealing over $50,000 from the Brockton post office. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris ordered Nygard to serve the first seven months in prison and the last seven months in home detention so she could begin paying back restitution. The court ordered her to pay $50,392.81 in restitution.
In an Offer of Proof filed with the court, Assistant United States Attorney Laura Weiss said that Nygard embezzled from the United States Post Office during the summer of 2013. She issued money orders for personal use and failed to provide payment for the money orders she stole. She also issued money orders to customers but failed to remit the funds received for the money orders. She repeated that process with approximately 145 money orders, valued at $43,213.98. She also stole $1,606.86 in stamp revenue. The shortage resulted from Nygard selling stamps but then using the money to cover the sale in the amount of $5,571.97. In total, she embezzled more than $50,300 while working as the Postmaster Relief. In October 2014, Nygard pleaded guilty to Embezzlement of Government Property.
“The majority of U.S. Postal Service employees are dedicated public servants who take great pride in ensuring the sanctity and security of U.S. Postal Service property and its funds,” U.S.P.S. Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Pete Gately said. “Unfortunately, Jana Nygard betrayed the trust placed in her by the Postal Service and the public she was sworn to serve. Her actions resulted in deserved consequences for such behavior.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Weiss prosecuted the case.
Wilkes-barre Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Stealing Department FundsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that John Yuknavich, age 51, former Chief of the Wilkes-Barre Township Volunteer Fire Department, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik to six months in federal prison for stealing $45,000 from the fire department and Wilkes-Barre Township in the course of his duties as Chief of that fire department between 2008 and 2011. Yuknavich was further ordered to serve six months of home confinement upon release from incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Yuknavich was responsible for ensuring the deposit of monthly funds received from Wilkes-Barre Township, as well as all other funds received either through charitable contributions or annual state aid received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Yuknavich allegedly deposited only part of the monthly $3500 check received from Wilkes-Barre Township intended to pay fire department bills, and took the remainder of the check in cash, most of which he used for his personal benefit.
Federal law prohibits theft or intentional misapplication of $5,000 or more from local government programs that receive more than $10,000 in federal funds annually.
The Government also filed an additional sentencing agreement wherein Yuknavich agreed to resign completely from the Wilkes-Barre Township fire department and the Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Hall in all capacities, effective immediately. He was also ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution.
The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police with the assistance of the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.
West Mifflin Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Ryan Henry Miller, 30, of West Mifflin, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about July 17, 2014, Miller knowingly possessed videos and images in computer graphic files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2015, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department and the West Mifflin Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Miller.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SAPP, 28, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watertown Police observed SAPP drive up to a residence on Franklin Avenue and conduct what appeared to be a narcotics transaction with another individual standing outside of the home. When officers attempted to stop his car, SAPP pulled away at a high rate of speed. In the ensuing pursuit, SAPP struck a police vehicle, exited his car and fled on foot. He was apprehended a short time later.
A search of the route through which SAPP had fled revealed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and a search of his car revealed three 9mm firearm magazines, 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 375 baggies heroin marked “Obsession.” SAPP also possessed approximately $990 in cash.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2015, at which time SAPP faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the narcotics offense, and a consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years for the firearm offense.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Watertown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni.
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(203) 821-3722 [email protected]Ville Platte Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Robbing St. Landry Parish Truck Stop CasinoRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Ville Platte man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for taking part in an armed robbery of a St. Landry Parish truck stop casino in which more than $11,000 was taken.
Arinskie Tryvon Orlandeze Jones, 25, of Ville Platte, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik for one count of interference with commerce by robbery. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,100 restitution.
Jones and two other Ville Platte men, Ronald James Doomes and Steven Dudley Nelson, were indicted on October 24, 2012, on charges that they took part in an armed robbery on April 8, 2011, at the Tiger Trax Truckstop #7 and Video Joker II Casino located in St. Landry Parish. A federal jury found Jones guilty on July 31, 2014 after a three-day trial. Doomes was found guilty of one count of armed robbery and one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after a federal trial that ended August 1, 2014. Doomes was sentenced on November 14, 2014 to 102 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Nelson pleaded guilty to the same charges on October 28, 2013. He was sentenced on September 19, 2014 to 105 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promoting firearm safety.
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force, ATF and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph T. Mickel and David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
United States Attorneys John F. Walsh and Richard S. Hartunian to Lead Attorney General’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
Attorney General Eric Holder announced today the appointment of United States Attorney John F. Walsh for the District of Colorado as chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC). Attorney General Holder also appointed United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian for the Northern District of New York to serve as vice chair. Both appointments are effective immediately.
“Throughout their respective tenures in Colorado and the Northern District of New York, John Walsh and Richard Hartunian have been thoughtful leaders of the United States Attorney community, fierce advocates for the citizens they serve, and champions of the cause of justice,” said Attorney General Holder. “Each of them has been instrumental in addressing sensitive legal issues, handling difficult cases, and shaping and implementing critical Smart on Crime reforms. I thank John and Richard for agreeing to lead the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee – and for lending their perspectives and deep experience to the pressing policy questions about which I, and Attorney General-designate Loretta Lynch, will surely look to them for guidance and counsel.”
U.S. Attorney Walsh previously served on the AGAC from February 2011 to January 2013 as the chair of the Medical Marijuana Working Group and co-chair of the White Collar/Fraud Subcommittee. He replaces U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Attorney General nominee Loretta E. Lynch.
U.S. Attorney Hartunian was appointed to the AGAC in April 2013 and has served as the chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee in addition to serving on several committees. He replaces Acting Deputy Attorney General and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Sally Quillian Yates.
Attorney General Holder also thanked U.S. Attorney Lynch and Acting Deputy Attorney General Yates for serving as chair and vice chair of the AGAC for the past two years.
“I want to express my heartfelt personal thanks to both Loretta Lynch and Sally Yates for their outstanding leadership of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” said Attorney General Holder. “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work closely with them on a range of critical issues over the years. I am both proud and deeply gratified that the American people will continue to benefit from their service in the new roles to which President Obama has nominated them. And I am confident that the Department of Justice will only grow stronger under their leadership as Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, respectively.”
The AGAC was created in 1973 to serve as the voice of the United States Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the United States Attorneys.
United States Attorneys John F. Walsh and Richard S. Hartunian to Lead Attorney General’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. announced today the appointment of United States Attorney for the District of Colorado John F. Walsh as chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC). Attorney General Holder also appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Richard S. Hartunian to serve as vice chair. Both appointments are effective immediately.
“Throughout their respective tenures in Colorado and the Northern District of New York, John Walsh and Richard Hartunian have been thoughtful leaders of the United States Attorney community, fierce advocates for the citizens they serve, and champions of the cause of justice,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Each of them has been instrumental in addressing sensitive legal issues, handling difficult cases, and shaping and implementing critical Smart on Crime reforms. I thank John and Richard for agreeing to lead the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee – and for lending their perspectives and deep experience to the pressing policy questions about which I, and Attorney General-designate Loretta Lynch, will surely look to them for guidance and counsel.”
U.S. Attorney Walsh previously served on the AGAC from February 2011 to January 2013, served as the chair of the Medical Marijuana Working Group and co-chair of the White Collar/Fraud Subcommittee. He replaces U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Attorney General nominee Loretta E. Lynch.
U.S. Attorney Hartunian was appointed to the AGAC in April 2013 and has served as the chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee in addition to serving on several committees. He replaces Acting Deputy Attorney General and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Sally Quillian Yates.
Attorney General Holder also thanked U.S. Attorneys Lynch and Yates for serving as chair and vice chair of the AGAC for the past two years.
“I want to express my heartfelt personal thanks to both Loretta Lynch and Sally Yates for their outstanding leadership of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work closely with them on a range of critical issues over the years. I am both proud and deeply gratified that the American people will continue to benefit from their service in the new roles to which President Obama has nominated them. And I am confident that the Department of Justice will only grow stronger under their leadership as Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, respectively.”
The AGAC was created in 1973 to serve as the voice of the United States Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the United States Attorneys.
United States Attorneys John F. Walsh and Richard S. Hartunian to Lead Attorney General's Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder announced today the appointment of United States Attorney John F. Walsh for the District of Colorado as chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC). Attorney General Holder also appointed United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian for the Northern District of New York to serve as vice chair. Both appointments are effective immediately.
“Throughout their respective tenures in Colorado and the Northern District of New York, John Walsh and Richard Hartunian have been thoughtful leaders of the United States Attorney community, fierce advocates for the citizens they serve, and champions of the cause of justice,” said Attorney General Holder. “Each of them has been instrumental in addressing sensitive legal issues, handling difficult cases, and shaping and implementing critical Smart on Crime reforms. I thank John and Richard for agreeing to lead the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee – and for lending their perspectives and deep experience to the pressing policy questions about which I, and Attorney General-designate Loretta Lynch, will surely look to them for guidance and counsel.”
U.S. Attorney Walsh previously served on the AGAC from February 2011 to January 2013 as the chair of the Medical Marijuana Working Group and co-chair of the White Collar/Fraud Subcommittee. He replaces U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Attorney General nominee Loretta E. Lynch.
U.S. Attorney Hartunian was appointed to the AGAC in April 2013 and has served as the chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee in addition to serving on several committees. He replaces Acting Deputy Attorney General and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Sally Quillian Yates.
Attorney General Holder also thanked U.S. Attorney Lynch and Acting Deputy Attorney General Yates for serving as chair and vice chair of the AGAC for the past two years.
“I want to express my heartfelt personal thanks to both Loretta Lynch and Sally Yates for their outstanding leadership of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” said Attorney General Holder. “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work closely with them on a range of critical issues over the years. I am both proud and deeply gratified that the American people will continue to benefit from their service in the new roles to which President Obama has nominated them. And I am confident that the Department of Justice will only grow stronger under their leadership as Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, respectively.”
“I’m deeply honored that the Attorney General has asked me to serve as chair of this crucial advisory committee,” said Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “And it is a great honor to represent the men and women of U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationally, who work tirelessly every day to protect the American people and pursue justice in the courts.”
The AGAC was created in 1973 to serve as the voice of the United States Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the United States Attorneys.
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that Judge Amy Totenberg of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia sentenced two defendants, Arturo Rojas-Coyotl, 28, and Odilon Martinez-Rojas, 43, both of Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, Mexico, to 192 months and 262 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in compelling three young women to prostitute in the Atlanta, Georgia., area. In imposing the sentences, United States District Court Judge Totenberg also ordered the defendants to pay $180,000 in restitution to the victims.
“Human trafficking is modern-day slavery-- period. No matter the label, the of use violence, intimidation, psychological coercion, deception, or fear to exploit fellow human beings is repugnant,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates. “The long sentences handed down today are just one of the latest examples of the Justice Department's unshakable resolve to dismantle human trafficking networks and prosecute those who would commit these unspeakable crimes against some of the most vulnerable in our society." Yates’ previous service as United States Attorney from 2010 to 2015 included making her district—the Northern District of Georgia—one of several key U.S. districts engaged in the Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative.
In October 2014, the defendants pleaded guilty to three counts of sex trafficking and three related immigration violations pertaining to three separate victims of their sex trafficking scheme. According to the indictment and documents filed in court, in early 2006, Rojas-Coyotl lured a young Mexican national of indigenous heritage using false promises of love, legitimate work and a better life to induce her to travel with him into the United States. Upon her arrival in the United States, Rojas-Coyotl and Martinez-Rojas used physical violence, threats, intimidation, deception and psychological manipulation to compel her to engage in prostitution, for the defendants’ profit, in Georgia and Alabama, for over a year and half until she escaped in November 2007.
In March 2007, Rojas Coyotl and Martinez started romancing two young Guatemalan women and lured them to the United States in October 2007, under the same false pretenses. The defendants then employed a nearly identical coercive scheme to compel the young women to prostitute in Georgia and Alabama before they escaped at separate times in early 2008.
The defendants made the young women fearful of law enforcement and thus, the victims did not immediately come forward. Once investigators did find and speak to them, the details of the trafficking emerged: the defendants ran a high volume, low cost business compelling the young women to have sex, at times with upwards of 20 men a night in 15 minute increments, for payment of $30- $35. The money earned by the victims was split between the defendants and others who drove the young women to the clients. One of the young women became ill and suffered great pain due to the repeated commercial sex acts she had to endure.
Since 2009, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have collaborated with Mexican law enforcement counterparts in a Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative, aimed at strengthening high-impact prosecutions under both U.S. and Mexican law, in order to more effectively dismantle human trafficking networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border, bring human traffickers to justice, restore the rights and dignity of human trafficking victims and reunite victims with their children held under the trafficking networks’ control. These efforts have resulted in successful prosecutions in both Mexico and the United States, including U.S. federal prosecutions of over 50 defendants in multiple cases in Georgia, New York, Florida, and Texas since 2009, in addition to numerous Mexican federal and state prosecutions of associated sex traffickers.
“These defendants targeted vulnerable individuals, preying on their hopes and dreams, dominating and deceiving them, and selling their bodies to strangers, all so the defendants could collect thousands of dollars in prostitution proceeds while the victims lived in fear, denied control over their own lives,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is unwavering in its commitment to bringing human traffickers to justice and restoring the rights and dignity of the courageous survivors of all forms of modern-day slavery.”
“Sex trafficking is a horrendous crime that robs the victims of their freedom and dignity, leaving them feeling isolated and powerless,” said Acting United States Attorney John Horn for the Northern District of Georgia. “This case hits new lows in depravity given the number of times these girls were victimized each day. These defendants are being held accountable by U.S. laws which protect all victims of human trafficking.”
A third co-defendant, Daniel Garcia-Tepal, pleaded guilty to related immigration offenses. A fourth co-defendant, Severiano Martinez-Rojas, remains a fugitive.
“This case represents one of the worst examples of human trafficking and why it is such a priority matter for not only law enforcement but for the many non-government agencies who help law enforcement in reporting human trafficking and providing assistance to those with nowhere else to turn,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Britt Johnson of the FBI’s Atlanta Office. “The FBI urges anyone with information regarding human trafficking activities to contact authorities and help put an end to modern day slavery.”
“The defendants mercilessly manipulated, abused and exploited these women in a criminal scheme that is all too common in our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. “Sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking are a scourge on our society that HSI is dedicated to ending.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Benjamin J. Hawk of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge of the Northern District of Georgia.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison in International Child Exploitation Enterprise CaseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – After being convicted at trial, two additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an international child pornography network operated online, which was targeted by state and federal investigators and prosecutors participating in Operation Kingdom Conqueror. Defendant Steven Grovo, 35, of Shirley, Massachusetts was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release. Defendant Joshua Petersen, 45, of Prescott, Arizona, was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by 15 years supervised release. Eleven additional co-conspirators were previously sentenced in October 2014 for their respective roles. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy of the District of Montana imposed the sentences.
According to court documents, in November 2009, an early participant in the conspiracy designed and created an online bulletin board that allowed members to exchange images, including child pornography. As the conspiracy progressed, additional members contributed to the design and operations of the board. Between Nov. 6, 2009, and March 19, 2012, members of the conspiracy used the online bulletin board to share pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. During that same time period, the participants agreed to use the online bulletin board to solicit additional images of child pornography, which they would then share and broadcast on the Internet. Thirteen defendants have been charged and convicted for their participation in this child pornography network. Defendant Steven Grovo has two prior convictions for failure to register as a sex offender.
All of the defendants were ordered to forfeit their computers and storage devices. All defendants are required to pay $29,859 restitution.
The investigation, referred to as Operation Kingdom Conqueror, is an ongoing cooperative effort between the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, FBI, Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, Helena and Polson Police Departments, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the States of Jersey Police Department, Isle of Jersey.
Trial Attorney Maureen C. Cain of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson of the District of Montana prosecuted the case.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
Two Columbia, Missouri Men Indicted on Federal Bank Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – CLARENCE LAMONT WILLIAMS and DANIEL MARK RUDROFF were indicted in connection with the August 22, 2014, armed robbery of the Bank Midwest in Randolph County.
Williams and Rudroff, both of Columbia, MO, were each indicted by a federal grand jury late Wednesday on one felony count of bank robbery and one felony count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
If convicted, bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. The firearm charge carries a minimum penalty of seven years consecutive to the sentence received in the bank robbery charge. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Kirksville Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kirksville Police Department, Moberly Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Tazewell County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from additional law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.Two Bluefield men appear in federal court on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Marvin Gillespie, 62, of Bluefield, West Virginia, was sentenced to six months in federal prison.
Gillespie pleaded guilty in September 2014, to distribution of hydromorphone. He admitted that on Feb. 6, 2014, he distributed two hydromorphone pills to a confidential informant in Bluefield.
The case was investigated by the Southern West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney John J. File was in charge of the prosecution.
Goodwin also announced that Samuel Miller, 60, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty to distribution of hydromorphone. Miller admitted that on Aug. 28, 2014, he distributed hydromorphone pills to a confidential informant in Bluefield.
Miller faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a $1 million fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2015.
The case is being investigated by the Southern West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney John J. File is in charge of the prosecution.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over both cases.
Both cases are part of the Bluefield Pill Initiative, one component of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
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Tucson AZ Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine, Marijuana DistributionRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that ISMAEL COBIAN MENDOZA, age 42, of Tucson, Arizona, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D).
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The defendant was indicted in November, 2014.
The Indictment alleges that on or about November 3, 2014, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance and less than fifty (50) kilograms of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the guilty plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion.
The statutory range of punishment is 10 years up to life imprisonment and/or up to a $10,000,000.00 fine. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Trial Jury Convicts South Carolina Man for Advertising Child Pornography on Web-Based Bulletin BoardRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – After a two and a half day jury trial, defendant Daniel Brown, 26, of Taylor, South Carolina, was convicted for his role in an international child pornography web-based bulletin board, which was targeted by state and federal investigators and prosecutors participating in Operation Moon Runner. The trial was presided over by the Honorable Dana L. Christensen in Missoula, Montana.
Five defendants previously pled guilty for their role in the conspiracy in October, 2014. Six additional defendants filed their notice to plead guilty in January, 2015.
According to court documents, the board was created in September, 2011 and specialized in the advertisement, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. The board was broken-up into subforums where members were required to post images that corresponded to specific child pornography studios. The rules of the board required members to posts images of minor females once every certain number of weeks. Failure to post images within the required time period resulted in suspension from the board. The board permitted members to leave comments and to request more images of child pornography from board members.
The investigation, referred to as Operation Moon Runner, is an ongoing cooperative effort between the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, FBI, Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, Helena and Polson Police Departments, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Northumbria Police Department in the United Kingdom.
Trial Attorney Maureen C. Cain of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson of the District of Montana prosecuted the case.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
Traffic Stop of Bakersfield Men Traveling in Stockton Yields to Seizure of over 600 Grams of HeroinRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment today against Hammurabi Hernandez, 47 and Jorge Medina, 25, both from Bakersfield, charging them with possession with intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to the criminal complaint, on December 31, 2014, a California Highway Patrol officer stopped the defendants’ vehicle in Stockton for traffic violations. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers found a backpack on the rear floorboard with a white plastic bag containing two smaller plastic bags that contained heroin. The gross weight of the packages containing the heroin was 1.37 pounds (621.42 grams).
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office, the San Joaquin Metropolitan Narcotics Taskforce (METRO), the San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Olusere Olowoyeye is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hernandez and Medina face a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Thirteen Commercial Fishermen Charged in North Carolina with Illegally Harvesting and Selling Atlantic Striped BassRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Thirteen commercial fishermen in North Carolina and Georgia have been charged in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina, for their role in the illegal harvest and sale, and false reporting of approximately 90,000 pounds of Atlantic striped bass from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina during 2009 and 2010, the Justice Department announced today. The average retail value of the illegally harvested Striped Bass is approximately $1.1 million dollars.
This investigation began as a result of the U.S. Coast Guard boarding of the fishing vessel Lady Samaira in February 2010, based on a complaint that multiple vessels were fishing Striped Bass illegally. The individuals have been charged with violating the Lacey Act, which is a federal law that prohibits individuals from transporting, selling, or buying fish and wildlife harvested illegally. Additionally, eleven of these fishermen also have been charged with filing false reports in connection with the illegally harvested fish. One of the fisherman is also charged with obstruction of a proceeding before a federal agency. Specifically, the indictments allege that the commercial fishermen transported and sold Atlantic striped bass, knowing that they were unlawfully harvested from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. In an effort to hide their illegal fishing activities, these fishermen falsely reported harvesting these fish from state waters, where it would have been legal.
“The illegal poaching of striped bass by commercial fishermen can have a huge collective impact on the fish resource and has the potential to devastate the future livelihoods of law abiding commercial fishermen,” said John C. Cruden, the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The vast majority of fisherman do respect the law and carefully monitor their harvest to ensure they stay within the well-researched limits. Those who deliberately break the law will be prosecuted.”
“The Atlantic Striped Bass fishery is extremely important to the economy of the State of North Carolina as well as our sister States along the Atlantic seaboard, and it represents a success in species recovery thanks to conservation, management, and law-abiding fishermen,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Thomas G. Walker. “Illegal harvesting of this protected species and submitting false reports to federal agencies undermine those efforts and adversely impact our entire coastal communities.”
All of the defendants are licensed by the state of North Carolina and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fish in state waters only for striped bass. The individuals charged are:
Gaston Saunders Jr., of Wanchese, North Carolina
Bryan Daniels of Belhaven, North Carolina
Ellis Leon Gibbs, Jr. of Engelhard, North Carolina
David Saunders of Poplar Branch, North Carolina
Michael Potter of Bayboro, North Carolina
Steven Daniels of Wanchese, North Carolina
James R. Craddock of Manns Harbor, North Carolina
James K. Lewis of Gloucester, North Carolina
Joseph H. Williams of Brunswick, Georgia
Dewey W. Lewis, Jr. of Newport, North Carolina
Dwayne J. Hopkins of Belhaven, North Carolina
Ronald W. Berry of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
John F. Roberts of Engelhard, North CarolinaIn early spring each year, wild coastal striped bass (Morone saxatilis), known regionally as “rockfish,” “striper,” or “rock,” enter the estuary or river where they were born to spawn, and then return to ocean waters to live, migrating along the coastline. They may live up to 30 years and reach 50 pounds or more. The population of coastal Atlantic Striped Bass depends heavily upon the capability of older, larger, female striped bass to successfully reproduce.
Under federal law, Atlantic striped bass may not be harvested from or possessed in federal waters. This ban on fishing for Atlantic striped bass in federal waters has been in place since 1990 due to drastic declines of the stock that occurred in the 1970’s. North Carolina allows fishermen to harvest fish from state waters, but often limits fishermen to no more than 100 fish per fishing trip. Commercial fishermen are required to report on a fishing vessel trip report the fish harvested from state waters; that report is then submitted to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). . NOAA uses the information on this report to assess the fishery and its sustainability throughout the eastern seaboard.
According to the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission, “Striped bass have formed the basis of one of the most important fisheries on the Atlantic coast for centuries. Early records recount their abundance as being so great at one time they were used to fertilize fields. However, overfishing and poor environmental conditions led to the collapse of the fishery in the 1980s.” The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, along with other states, has reduced, twenty-five percent, the catch limits for the 2015 striped bass commercial fishing season in the Atlantic Ocean and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River areas, citing a decline in stocks. The division cited 2013 surveys revealing that the female spawning stock has been steadily declining. The reduction applies to all commercial and recreational striped bass fishing for all the eastern coastal states.
A criminal indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Lacey Act makes it unlawful for a person to transport or sell fish that were taken in violation of any law or regulation of the United States and carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, plus the potential forfeiture of the vessels and vehicles used in committing the offense.
The charges are a result of the investigation by NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and its Investigative Service, the North Carolina Marine Patrol, and the Virginia Marine Police. These cases are being prosecuted primarily by Trial Attorneys Shennie Patel, Shane Waller, Lauren Steele, and Joel LaBissonniere, from the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan.
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez today sentenced Tony Jefferson Browne, 31, of St Thomas, to 372 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez. Judge Gomez also sentenced Browne to 360 months in prison for production of child pornography, 240 months for receipt of child pornography, both with a lifetime of supervised release, and 120 months for transfer of obscene materials to a minor, with three years of supervised release. Browne was ordered to serve his sentences concurrently.
On March 4, 2014, after a two-day trial in District Court on St. Thomas, the jury found Browne guilty of 12 counts of federal child exploitation offenses involving four girls ranging from ages 12 to 17. The jury found Browne guilty of four counts of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, four counts of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Browne first made contact with the minor girls on Facebook, where he pretended to be a female and befriended them. After befriending the minors, Browne persuaded them to send him nude and sexually suggestive photos of themselves. After receiving the photos, Browne then contacted the minors using his Facebook account “Billy Button,” and threatened to place the minors’ nude and sexually suggestive photos on the Internet if they did not send him additional photos and have sex with him.
Suspected child exploitation or missing children cases may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via its toll-free 24–hour hotline at 202-514-5678, or HSI at (340) 693-2250.
U.S. Attorney Sharpe commended the efforts of HSI, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard Potter, who prosecuted the case.
Skunkcap Ordered to Pay $30,000 in Restitution for Shooting Three Grizzly BearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announces that Everett Skunkcap, 75, of Browning, Montana, was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution for shooting three grizzly bears. U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston ordered that Skunkcap also be sentenced to six months jail, which was suspended on the condition that Skunkcap timely pay all restitution.
Skunkcap was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to one count of Taking a Threatened Species. In an Offer of Proof, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon stated it would have proved that Skunkcap shot three grizzly bears. Specifically, Skunkcap saw the grizzly bears, grabbed a .300 Winchester rifle, and shot the first two immediately. The third grizzly bear ran away but returned an hour later. Skunkcap also shot the third bear because he claimed it was going to “raise hell” later that night.
When questioned about the shootings, Skunkcap admitted that he indeed shot the bears. He then asked investigators if he could have the grizzlies back when the investigation was complete. Skunkcap stated he was going to “tan them and put them on the wall [as a] souvenir for what [he] did.”
Five months prior to the shooting, Skunkcap told Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Technicians that he shot a different grizzly bear last year, and, if any grizzlies were on his property, he would shoot them again. Skunkcap was instructed to call the office if there were bear management issues. Skunkcap responded that he would just shoot them anyway.
This case was investigated by the Fish and Wildlife Service and local law enforcement. All restitution payments are used to support law enforcement efforts toward investigating and prosecuting future wildlife crimes.
Six Persons Indicted for Possessing over 60 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Sonia Kim, Julius Caubat, Kamaljit Billen, Gurdeep Singh, June Chungil, and Justin Byun, charging them with conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating the defendants when a car rental company reported that 20 kilograms of cocaine had been found in the trunk of a rental car that had been returned on December 8, 2014, by Kim. Investigating officers learned that on December 21, 2014, Kim was present at a hotel in Yuba City with Byun, Chungil and Caubat. All the defendants were arrested by police after 60 kilograms of cocaine were transferred to Billen and Singh in the hotel parking lot.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sacramento County Sheriff Department’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Paul A. Hemesath is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sex Traffickers Sentenced for Smuggling Women into the U.S. and Then Forcing Them into ProstitutionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Odilon Martinez Rojas, a/k/a Chino, a/k/a Saul, and Arturo Rojas Coyotl, a/k/a Taco, a/k/a Jonathan have been sentenced for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion two young women from Guatemala and one young woman from Mexico.
“Sex trafficking is a horrendous crime that robs the victims of their freedom and dignity, leaving them feeling isolated and powerless,” said Acting United States Attorney John Horn. “This case hits new lows in depravity given the number of times these girls were victimized each day. These defendants are being held accountable by U.S. laws which protect all victims of human trafficking.”
“Human trafficking is modern-day slavery-- period. No matter the label, the of use violence, intimidation, psychological coercion, deception, or fear to exploit fellow human beings is repugnant,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates. “The long sentences handed down today are just one of the latest examples of the Justice Department's unshakable resolve to dismantle human trafficking networks and prosecute those who would commit these unspeakable crimes against some of the most vulnerable in our society." Yates’ previous service as United States Attorney from 2010 to 2015 included making her district—the Northern District of Georgia—one of several key U.S. districts engaged in the Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative.
“These defendants targeted vulnerable individuals, preying on their hopes and dreams, dominating and deceiving them, and selling their bodies to strangers, all so the defendants could collect thousands of dollars in prostitution proceeds while the victims lived in fear, denied control over their own lives,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is unwavering in its commitment to bringing human traffickers to justice and restoring the rights and dignity of the courageous survivors of all forms of modern-day slavery.”
J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “This case represents one of the worst examples of human trafficking and why it is such a priority matter for not only law enforcement but for the many non-government agencies who help law enforcement in reporting human trafficking and providing assistance to those with nowhere else to turn. The FBI urges anyone with information regarding human trafficking activities to contact authorities and help put an end to modern day slavery.”
“The defendants mercilessly manipulated, abused and exploited these women in a criminal scheme that is all too common in our communities,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. “Sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking are a scourge on our society that HSI is dedicated to ending.”
According to Acting United States Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: In February 2006, Rojas Coyotl romanced a young woman in Mexico City, Mexico, telling her he loved her and wanted a life with her. He told the young woman that she should travel with him to the United States to work in a legitimate job and make money for their future life together. After smuggling the young woman across the border, he sent her to his uncle and co-defendant, Martinez Rojas. Martinez Rojas informed the victim that she was here illegally, owed a large smuggling debt, and the only way to earn the money to repay her debt was through prostitution. Rojas Coyotl and Martinez Rojas used violence and threats, fear and intimidation, trickery and deception, and emotional and psychological manipulation to compel the victim to prostitute in the Atlanta, Ga., area, and in Alabama, until she managed to escape in November 2007.
In March 2007, Rojas Coyotl and Martinez started romancing two young Guatemalan women and lured them to the United States in October 2007, under the same false pretenses. The defendants then employed a nearly identical coercive scheme to compel the young women to prostitute in Georgia and Alabama before they escaped at separate times in early 2008. The defendants had made the young women fearful of law enforcement and, thus, the victims did not immediately come forward. Once investigators did find and speak to them, the details of the trafficking emerged: The defendants ran a high volume, low cost business compelling the young women to have sex, at times with upwards of 20 men a night in 15 minute increments, for payment of $30- $35. The money earned by the victims was split between the defendants and others who drove the young women to the clients. One of the young women became ill and suffered great pain due to the repeated commercial sex acts she had to endure.
Since 2009, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have collaborated with Mexican law enforcement counterparts in a Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative, aimed at strengthening high-impact prosecutions under both U.S. and Mexican law, in order to more effectively dismantle human trafficking networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border, bring human traffickers to justice, restore the rights and dignity of human trafficking victims and reunite victims with their children held under the trafficking networks’ control. These efforts have resulted in successful prosecutions in both Mexico and the United States, including U.S. federal prosecutions of over 50 defendants in multiple cases in Georgia, New York, Florida, and Texas since 2009, in addition to numerous Mexican federal and state prosecutions of associated sex traffickers.
Arturo Rojas Coyotl, 28, of Tenancingo, Mexico, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $600 special assessment. Odilon Martinez Rojas, 43, of Tenancingo, Mexico, has been sentenced to 21 years, ten months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $600 special assessment. Each defendant was ordered to pay restitution in amount of $190,000 which will be divided between three victims. Rojas Coyotl was convicted on these charges on October 27, 2014, after he pleaded guilty. Martinez Rojas was convicted on these charges on October 28, 2014, after he pleaded guilty.A third co-defendant, Daniel Garcia-Tepal, pleaded guilty to related immigration offenses. A fourth co-defendant, Severiano Martinez-Rojas, remains a fugitive.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. If anyone has information pertaining to human trafficking, they are encouraged to call the national human trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or the local office of the FBI at 404-679-9000.
Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Benjamin J. Hawk of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Second Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Growing More Than 5,000 Marijuana Plants in Lassen National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Daniel Gomez-Gonzalez, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years and one month in prison for growing marijuana in the Lassen National Forest, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on July 11, 2014, United States Forest Service agents and Tehama County Sheriff’s deputies raided a marijuana cultivation site near the North Fork Antelope Creek in Tehama County in Lassen National Forest. Law enforcement eradicated a total of 5,287 marijuana plants at the cultivation site. They also found a Remington shotgun, more than 1,000 pounds of trash and various types of fertilizers, insecticides, and animal poisons at the grow site. Gomez-Gonzalez was arrested on a forest trail west of the site. He told law enforcement that he was responsible for spraying, watering, and fertilizing the marijuana plants and that he expected to earn a portion of the profits generated from the marijuana grown at the site.
Co-defendant Eric Perez was arrested the same day in the marijuana cultivation site. Law enforcement had observed Perez watering marijuana plants. Perez pleaded guilty to manufacturing marijuana on October 16, 2014, and on January 15, 2015, Judge Nunley sentenced him to three years and one month in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Forest Service and Tehama County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christiaan Highsmith prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Drugs and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Hector Manuel Mendoza, 32, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and with being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on December 30, 2014, Mendoza possessed the methamphetamine and firearm in Sacramento County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jill Thomas is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mendoza faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine count and up to 10 years in prison for the firearm count. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Retired Air Force Sergeant Sentenced for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Ronald L. Bennett, 45, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in 2005 and 2006 with at least two boys while he was on active duty with the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, John A. Barrios, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation (AFOSI) 10th Field Investigations Squadron, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Timothy Black.
Bennett pleaded guilty on July 16, 2013 to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to court documents, while Bennett was on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, he began engaging in sexual activity with two boys who lived in the vicinity of the base. In 2006, Bennett was transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. He enticed one of the boys to travel with him to Louisiana and the two engaged in illicit sexual conduct. While in the Dayton area to pick up the victim, he engaged in similar illicit sexual conduct with another boy in a hotel room where other boys were also present.
After 22 years in the Air Force, Bennett retired as a Technical Sergeant (TSgt) with an honorable discharge in 2010. AFOSI and the FBI began investigating Bennett in 2012, after one of the victims came forward and revealed the illicit sexual conduct to a family member, who alerted law enforcement. The federal statute of limitations for crimes against children extends for the life of the child, or ten years after the crime, whichever is longer.
Bennett was also order to serve a term of 10 years under supervised release at the conclusion of his prison sentence. He will also be required to register as a sex offender anywhere he lives, works, or goes to school after his release from prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the agencies involved, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vipal Patel and Alex Sistla, who prosecuted the case.
Registered Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Harry K. Roche, age 44, of Millsboro, Delaware, was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in prison for Production and Transportation of Child Pornography, in violation of federal law. Roche also was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence. He also will continue to be required to continue to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction in which he lives, works, or attends school.
Roche was previously convicted in Delaware of Dealing in Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography in 2003, which involved Roche producing sexually explicit images of children in his Magnolia, Delaware apartment. In 1994, Roche had been convicted of sexual harassment of a minor boy. At the time of the instant offense, Roche was registered as a sex offender as required by Delaware and federal law.
According to statements made and documents filed in court, Roche came to the attention of the Delaware Child Predator Task Force after it received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cybertip reported that an AOL user, subsequently identified as Roche, had distributed files containing child pornography through an AOL server.
On January 31, 2013, Delaware Child Predator Task Force officers executed a search warrant at Roche’s apartment, which was located above the Bluewater Grill restaurant, in Millsboro, Delaware. Roche and a roommate were present for the search, during which officers seized numerous computers, cellular phones and external digital storage devices. A subsequent forensic examination of that computer equipment revealed that Roche had collected and distributed hundreds of pictures and movies of child pornography, virtually all of which featured prepubescent boys engaged in sexual acts. In a number of these images and movies, the child victims were bound, gagged or blindfolded as they were violently raped by adult males.
Also during the forensic examination of Roche’s iPhone, a forensic examiner discovered a series of photographs of Roche in the bedroom of his residence engaged in a sexual act with a young boy. The Delaware Child Predator Task Force and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, worked together to identify the child victim, who resided in Delaware at the time. Roche subsequently distributed the images that he had produced, along with other images of child pornography, to other child sex offenders.
Following the sentencing hearing, United States Attorney Charles M. Oberly, III stated: “Harry Roche is every child’s bogeyman and every parent’s worst nightmare. Stealing a child’s innocence, along with the physical and emotional damage associated therewith, is deserving of a severe sentence, as mandated by law. Harry Roche, hopefully, will never hurt another child as a result of today’s sentence. To those who are engaging in similar behavior, we are coming after you.”
“The safety of our children is of vital importance, and we do everything within our power to protect it,” said Abigail Layton, Commander of the Child Predator Task Force of the Delaware Department of Justice. “The link between those who possess child pornography and those who commit physical offenses against children is too strong to take lightly, and the Child Predator Task Force is proud to work with federal law enforcement officials to find these dangerous predators.”
“This criminal will be away from society for decades thanks to the collaborative efforts of HSI and local law enforcement,” said John Kelleghan, HSI Philadelphia special agent in charge. “Child predators can be assured we are focused and determined to flush them out and seek justice for the victims of their heinous crimes.”
This case is being investigated by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. McAndrew.
Reading Man Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Brandon Jones, 33, of Reading, Pennsylvania was charged today by indictment with one count of conspiracy, one count of wire fraud, and one count of bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
The indictment alleges that Jones participated into two related identify theft schemes. According to the indictment, Jones and his co-conspirators created and used false identities to make fraudulent credit card purchases and to purchase vehicles with fraudulent bank loans. The leader of the conspiracy, Damian Gasdaska, provided Jones and other co-conspirators with fraudulent credit cards, which Jones and the others used to purchase various items, including small, expensive electronic equipment. After the purchases, Jones and the co-conspirators provided these items to Gasdaska, who then sold them and paid the co-conspirators for their illegal services.
Among other things, the indictment also alleges that Jones, Gasdaska, and their co-conspirators used false identities to obtain fraudulent car loans in order to purchase vehicles. Specifically, the indictment alleges that in August 2012, Jones, with Gasdaska’s help, obtained a fraudulent loan in the name of J.O. from a credit union and then used this loan to purchase a 2007 BMW in this false name. As part of this fraudulent purchase, Jones used false personal identifying information in J.O.’s name, a false driver’s license with J.O.’s name and Jones’ photograph, and false employment information.
Several of members of this conspiracy have previously pleaded guilty in connection with the identify theft schemes. On April 28, 2014, John Cordero pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bank fraud. On November 6, 2014, both Damian Gasdaska and Johnnie Rhines pleaded guilty. Gasdaska pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, six counts of wire fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Rhines pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bank fraud.
INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFENDANTS
NAME
ADDRESS
YEAR OF BIRTH
Brandon Jones
Reading, PA
1981
Damian Gasdaska
Phillipsburg, NJ
1976
John Cordero
Breiningsville, PA
1978
Johnnie Rhines
Lindenwold, NJ
1954
If convicted, Jones faces a maximum possible sentence of 55 years imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, a $1,500,000 fine, a $300 special assessment, and the imposition of full restitution.
The case was investigated by United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Lehigh County Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray.