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12 November 2014
Penn Hills Man Charged with Violating Federal Drug and Gun LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident was charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with violations of federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The five-count superseding indictment named Montay King, 39, of Penn Hills, Pa., as the sole defendant.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about Dec. 20, 2012, King, being a convicted felon, knowingly possessed a Yugoslavian, Model 59/66, 7.62x39mm caliber rifle, a Bulgarian, Model SLR-107FR, 7.62x39mm caliber rifle, and a North American Arms, Model NAA22, .22 caliber revolver. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year to possess a firearm. Additionally, on or about Dec. 20, 2012, King possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, while possessing the three firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $3,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the superseding indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Peach Springs Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, – Having previously pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Jesus Fernando Navarro-Delgado, 20, of Peach Springs, Ariz. was sentenced on Nov. 3, 2014, by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbellto 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 10, 2014, Navarro-Delgado was with the minor victim at a residence located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation when he became enraged and stabbed the victim multiple times causing the victim to sustain serious and permanent injuries. The minor victim is a member of the Hualapai Indian Tribe.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hualapai Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-14-8089-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2014-062_Navarro-DelgadoFor more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Omaha Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Jeffrey S. Leslie, 31, was sentenced in the United States District Court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession of child pornography. The Honorable Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Leslie to a ten year term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison Leslie will begin a 15 year term of supervised release.
Leslie was previously convicted in Douglas County, Nebraska in 2002 of Third Degree Sexual Assault, a misdemeanor. Prior to April 2012 an Internet Protocol (IP) address at Leslie’s Southwest Omaha residence was observed by law enforcement hosting videos of child pornography.
A search warrant was executed at the residence on March 19, 2013. Forensic analysis revealed over 100 images of child pornography. Leslie admitted to being the sole user of the computer. He admitted to deleting child pornography from the computer. The images included prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who 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.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 15 Months for EscapeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska B U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a man from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for one count of Escape.
Jerome Dwight Dale, 41, was sentenced on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline. Dale received a sentence of 15 months in prison without a period of supervised release to follow.
On August 18, 2014, Dale was serving a federal sentence of imprisonment on a prior federal conviction and confined to the Cordova Center, a halfway house located in Anchorage, Alaska. Dale was in the Cordova Center to finish his federal sentence for his conviction for Escape in Georgia and then transition to living in Anchorage with family that relocated here. On August 18, Dale was not present at the Cordova Center and had not been given permission to leave. Dale was contacted by the U.S. Marshal Service on August 22, 2014, and was taken back into custody. When Dale walked away from the Cordova Center he only had 11 days left to serve on his prior sentence.
Before imposing a sentence, Judge Beistline commented that this offense was "senseless, stupid, and consistent with your prior history."
Ms. Loeffler commended the U.S. Marshal Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mr. Dale.Ohio Lobbyist Sentenced to 48 Months for Role in Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS – A former Ohio attorney and lobbyist was sentenced today for his role in a bribery and money laundering scheme involving the Ohio Treasurer’s Office.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. D’Alessandro of the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Kevin R. Cornelius of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine made the announcement.
Mohammed Noure Alo, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, appeared before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson of the Southern District of Ohio for sentencing today. Judge Watson sentenced Alo to 48 months in prison for honest services wire fraud and ordered he pay over $123,000 forfeited as a money judgment. A co-defendant, the former Deputy Treasurer for Ohio, Amer Ahmad, fled after his guilty plea to federal program bribery and conspiracy, and is currently in Pakistani custody pending an extradition request from the United States government.
Alo was a partner and founding member of a Columbus-based law firm and became a registered lobbyist to the State of Ohio in 2010. Court records state that from approximately January 2009 through January 2011, Alo admitted he conspired with his close personal friend Amer Ahmad, 38, of Chicago, and others to use Ahmad’s role as deputy treasurer to direct official State of Ohio broker services business to Douglas E. Hampton, 39, a securities broker from Canton, Ohio, in return for payments from Hampton. Hampton funneled bribe payments in excess of $123,000 through Alo. Ahmad and Joseph M. Chiavaroli concealed additional payments from Hampton by passing them through the accounts of a landscaping business in which Ahmad and Chiavaroli held ownership interests.
As a result of the scheme, Hampton received approximately $3.2 million in commissions for 360 trades on behalf of the Ohio Treasurer’s Office. Ahmad and his co-conspirators received in excess of $500,000 from Hampton. Alo entered a guilty plea in December 2013. Both Hampton and Chiavaroli entered guilty pleas in August 2013.
Hampton is scheduled for sentencing tomorrow at 10am. Chiavaroli is scheduled for sentencing at 10am on December 1, 2014.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Central Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents from the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas W. Squires and Trial Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Menaka Kalaskar of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Newburgh Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – On November 10, 2014, TOMAS BURGOS, age 45, of Newburgh, New York, was sentenced by the Honorable Gary L. Sharpe to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for filing a false claim with the Internal Revenue Service, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Shantelle P. Kitchen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office. BURGOS was also ordered to pay restitution of $88,979.71. The sentence follows BURGOS’ July 7, 2014 guilty plea.
In connection with his guilty plea, BURGOS admitted that, on April 21, 2011, he submitted a fraudulent U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts to the Internal Revenue Service. The return claimed, falsely, that the Tomas Burgos, Jr. Estate had received $900,000 in income for the 2010 tax year. In the return, BURGOS sought a refund of $300,000 from the Internal Revenue Service, based on the false claim that $300,000 of federal income tax was withheld from the $900,000 income. In fact, $300,000 of federal income tax had not been paid nor had $900,000 been received as income by the Tomas Burgos, Jr. Estate.
Special Agents with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey J.L. Brown and Wayne A. Myers.
Moscow, Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Theft of Crucifix from VA PatientRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that Warren T. Wells, age 43, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik today in Scranton to two years of probation, to include six months of home confinement. Wells previously pleaded guilty to a felony criminal information charging him with theft of a golden crucifix necklace from a veteran/patient of the VA Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on December 13, 2013.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Wells’s victim was admitted to the VA Medical Center as a critically ill patient; she died several hours after Wells, a nurse’s aide at the Center, stole the crucifix worn by her as a gift from her son. Wells has been dismissed from his job as a result of his conduct.
The investigation was conducted by the VA Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.
Montgomery Brothers Sentenced for Check Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - On November 6, 2014, Derrick Gadsden, 34 years old of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment followed by three-years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Derrick Gadsen’s brother, David Gadsden, 45 years old of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment followed by three-years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both of the brothers were ordered to pay $1,000,000.00 in restitution to the victims of their scheme.
From approximately 2006 to 2013, the Gadsden brothers ran a check fraud scheme from David Gadsden’s and Derrick Gadsden’s places of business in Montgomery, Alabama. David Gadsden’s place of business was supposedly an automotive garage, and Derrick Gadsden’s was a tire shop. However, these businesses were actually the nerve center of the scheme that the Gadsdens ran. The Gadsdens or their assistants would find vulnerable people, such as those who were in dire financial straits, and lure them into the scheme with the promise of money. These people were the “runners” in the scheme. The Gadsdens would enlist the runners to open bank accounts at different financial institutions, transport them to the banks, and provide the minimum amount to open up a checking account. After the initial deposit, no further deposits were placed into these accounts. The Gadsdens would then have the runners order checks for these accounts, and have the checks sent overnight to them.
The next members of the scheme were the “buyers” who placed orders with the Gadsdens to purchase large ticket items such as trailers, shingles, plywood, washers, and dryers. These buyers wanted to pay much less than market or wholesale price for these items. Once orders were placed, the Gadsdens or their assistants would take the runners to various merchants and they would pay for the merchandise with the checks the Gadsdens had acquired even though there were insufficient funds in the account. The checks were accepted by the merchants for sale of the items, and the Gadsdens were able to leave the businesses with their purchases. They would then resell or trade the items for a profit to their fraudulent buyers.
The scheme involved approximately two-hundred bank accounts, and at least seven different financial institutions. Over one hundred victims have been identified in this scheme. In addition to Alabama, the scheme also affected the states of Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Montgomery Police Department, Opelika Police Department, and the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise O. Simpson.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617Miami-Dade Man Sentenced to 175 Months in Prison for Extortion ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the sentencing of Eliezer Lazo, 41, of Miami-Dade County. U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard sentenced Lazo to 175 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, the Court ordered Lazo to pay a $17,500 fine, and to forfeit his right to $1.49 million in cash, several real properties and a vehicle.
Lazo pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit extortion for his role in an alien smuggling operation that moved approximately 1,000 Cuban migrants from Cuba to Mexico, and then the United States. According to court documents, many of the Cuban migrants pre-paid for their illegal journey to the United States. Other migrants were Cuban baseball players who paid for the journey by entering into a contract with Lazo’s company – Estrellas del Beisbol – in which the migrants agreed to pay Lazo a share of their respective earnings from U.S. baseball teams. A third group of migrants, comprising of approximately 100 migrants, did not pre-pay for their journey and were held and restrained in Mexico. These migrants were beaten during phone calls with family members who were forced to pay $10,000 for the release of their relatives.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys H. Ron Davidson and Evelyn Sheehan.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican National Convicted of Producing Unauthorized Driver’s LicenseRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistMARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Mexican national Jesus Ramon Garcia Campos, 57, was convicted today for his role in producing an unauthorized West Virginia driver’s license, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation revealed that Garcia Campos, also known as “Chicano,” conspired with a Department of Motor Vehicles employee to sell unauthorized identification documents to foreign nationals.
Garcia Campos, pled guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Unlawful Production of Identification Document.” He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Gina M. Groh presided.
NOTE: This press release was on 11/20/2014 to reflect the fact that the driver's license in question was produced without authorization.
Mescalero Apache Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
Defendant Prosecuted as Part of Federal Initiative to Address the Epidemic Incidence of Violence Against Native Women
ALBUQUERQUE – Sonny Roy Valdez, 19, a member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, entered a guilty plea today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to a federal assault charge. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Valdez was arrested on June 5, 2014, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the criminal complaint, Valdez assaulted his intimate partner, a Mescalero Apache woman, on May 27, 2014, by biting off part of her lip. The victim’s injuries required medical treatment and hospitalization. The offense occurred within the Mescalero Apache Reservation in Otero County, N.M.
Today Valdez pled guilty to a felony information charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and admitted assaulting the victim.
Valdez has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Valdez faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
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.Local Man Charged with Armed Robbery of Allegheny Valley Bank in GreentreeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of bank robbery and armed bank robbery, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The two-count indictment named Graling Arnold, 50, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about Aug. 30, 2014, Arnold robbed the Allegheny Valley Bank, located at 875 Greentree Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, with a dangerous weapon. The Allegheny Valley Bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 45 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Green Tree Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lebanon County Man Sentenced for Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Burhans, age 65, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner today to 37 months’ imprisonment, two years supervised release and $1,658,205 in restitution. Burhans is scheduled to surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons by January 8, 2015.
In sentencing Burhans, Chief Judge Conner said “these were not business mistakes. This was fraud; outright, clear, unmitigated fraud.”
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Burhans pled guilty in December 2013 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. As presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Terz, in 2003, Burhans started a private mortgage company known as Angelic Ventures. The stated business purpose was to solicit private investors to provide money for private mortgages. In about 2006, Burhans started a business known as Home Buyers Solutions, Inc. ("HBSI"). HBSI, like Angelic Ventures, was in the business of making private real estate loans financed with private investor funds. Burhans operated both businesses out of his home at 847 Maple Street, Lebanon, Pa.
Burhans carried out the scheme by placing advertisements in farming newspapers, including "Fish Wrapper," "Die Botschaft," and "Lancaster Farming," announcing an investment opportunity with Angelic Ventures and HBSI. In the advertisement, Burhans represented that the investments were insured, secured, and promised rates of return as high as 12%.
Burhans falsely represented to investors that their money would be solely used to make loans for the purchase of real estate.
In fact, Burhans misappropriated much of the money he received form investors. He diverted money to other businesses he owned and for his own personal needs and expenses, including payment of a salary for himself, his wife and son. Burhans also used investor money to purchase multiple timeshares he used for vacation.
In December 2009, Burhans wrote to the investors stating that, due to the downturn in the economy, Angelic Ventures and HBSI were no longer in business. In the December 2009 letter, Burhans misrepresented to investors that the business losses "ate up even our reserves and all our own personal belongings." Those statements were false.
At the sentencing, Burhans promised to pay back the lenders who lost money by investing in his company. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joesph Terz noted that those who lost their money were not “lenders” as Burhans repeatedly stated, but his victims.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Laguna Pueblo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Rob Sky City CasinoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Steven Paul Tharpe, 51, a member and resident of the Laguna Pueblo, was sentenced this morning to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his attempted robbery conviction.
Tharpe was arrested on May 15, 2014, on an indictment charging him with attempted robbery, and has been in federal custody since that time. According to the indictment, on July 21, 2012, Tharpe attempted to commit a robbery in Indian Country in Cibola County, N.M.
On July 9, 2014, Tharpe entered a guilty plea to the indictment and admitted that he attempted to rob the Sky City Casino, which is located in Acoma Pueblo, on July 21, 2012. In his plea agreement, Tharpe admitted that he attempted to rob the Casino by displaying a BB gun to a teller in a cashier’s cage at the Casino and demanding money.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Laguna/Acoma Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez.
Lafayette Man Pleads Guilty to Making a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –U.S. AttorneyStephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lafayette stockbroker and financial consultant pleaded guilty to not reporting more than $350,000 of income on his tax return.
Donald Domingues, 56, of Lafayette, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Richard Haik for one count of making a false tax return. According to the guilty plea, Domingues, who is a financial consultant and stockbroker in Lafayette, was paid a $351,000 commission in 2007 to help negotiate the sale of Powerhouse Inc., a Louisiana natural gas equipment supply service company. However, rather than take possession of the check in his own name, Domingues had Powerhouse make the check payable to Ray Chevrolet, a car dealership in which he maintained an ownership interest. The day after depositing the check into the dealership’s bank account, he caused the issuance of a check to himself for the same amount. When Domingues filed his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040 for calendar year 2007, he intentionally left out the $351,000 sales commission. The intended tax loss as a result of this transaction was calculated to be $121,050.75.
Domingues faces up to three years in prison, one year supervised release, a $100,000 fine and any applicable restitution. A sentencing date was not set.The IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard C. Parker and David C. Joseph are prosecuting the case.
Judge Sentences Washington County Man to 20 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Washington County man has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years imprisonment on his conviction of receipt and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on David Luke Cunningham, 42.
According to information presented to the court, Cunningham was detected sharing videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children by the Pennsylvania State Police in an undercover online investigation of peer-to-peer networks in May and June 2007. More than 50 videos, including sadomasochistic images and violent sexual assault of children appearing as young as two years of age, were later recovered from Cunningham's computer following a search warrant. Evidence presented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song at sentencing revealed that at the time of the investigation in 2007, Cunningham was on probation for a sexual offense involving a 4-year- old child in Washington County.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon emphasized that the defendant’s “actions speak louder than words,” noting that despite denials of a sexual interest in children, the defendant’s criminal conduct formed the basis for his state and federal convictions for sexual crimes against children.
Assistant United States Attorneys Soo C. Song and Jessica Leiber Smolar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Pennsylvania State Police, together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cunningham.
Jersey City, N.J., Fire Inspector Admits Accepting Bribes for Official Assistance with Prostitution BusinessesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City fire inspector admitted today to accepting bribes to provide prostitution businesses with certificates of occupancy and advance notice of inspections or law enforcement activity, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Phillip Procaccino, 56, of Belleville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of attempting to obstruct, delay and affect interstate commerce by extortion under color of official right.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Procaccino admitted that on Oct. 23, 2013, he accepted $2,500 in exchange for his official assistance in obtaining a certificate of occupancy for a massage parlor, which also operated as a prostitution business. Procaccino also offered to provide notice of impending inspections from Jersey City authorities so the owner and employees could preemptively hide evidence of prostitution.
In addition, Procaccino agreed to take 10 percent of a separate prostitution business’ future profits in exchange for a certificate of occupancy and one day’s advance notice of any police activity targeting the business. Both prostitution businesses were located in Jersey City.
The extortion count to which Procaccino pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb 23, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Fishman praised special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; and criminal investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, for their work leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vikas Khanna and Amy Luria of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
14-396
Defense counsel: Paul B. Brickfield Esq., River Edge, New Jersey
Procaccino, Phillip Information
Investment Fund Manager Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud for Operating A $17 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
On Monday, November 10, 2014, James M. Peister pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, to securities fraud for operating a $17.9 million Ponzi scheme. Peister deceived investors about the stability and performance of their investments in a fund that he founded and managed to prevent them from seeking to redeem their interests. Pursuant to his plea agreement with the government, Peister agreed to pay $9,657,218.65 in restitution to the victims of his fraud and consented to the forfeiture of $17.9 million, which includes his residence in St. James, New York, and his Hummer sport utility vehicle. When sentenced, Peister faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000.
The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and George Venizelos, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
“For nearly a decade, rather than make sound investment decisions as he had promised, James Peister fleeced dozens of investors and used their money to fund his own lavish lifestyle. When the financial crises struck in 2008 and his investor pool dried up, Peister’s carefully woven web of lies and deceit began to untangle and his scheme was revealed. Monday’s plea marks the end of Peister’s scheme and demonstrates this Office’s steadfast commitment to investigating and prosecuting fund managers who prey on the investing public,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the FBI, the agency responsible for leading this investigation, and to the United States Securities Exchange Commission and United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission for their cooperation and assistance in the investigation.
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, between January 2000 and June 2009, Peister raised more than $17 million from at least 74 investors in connection with his investment funds: Northstar International Group Inc., North American Globex Group, and North American Globex Fund, LP. Through representations in marketing materials and other disclosures to investors and potential investors, Peister promised to invest in a variety of securities, including stocks, futures and fixed income instruments. Contrary to his purported investment strategy, Peister used new investors’ money to pay out existing investors and to finance business and personal expenses, including payments on a personal residence and a Hummer luxury sport utility vehicle. To conceal the true nature of the use of his victims’ money, Peister grossly overstated the value of the assets under his management by providing bogus financial statements to investors and to auditors. As a result, investors believed that their accounts with Peister were performing satisfactorily, and they continued to invest with him. Peister’s Ponzi scheme collapsed in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008 when he could no longer keep up with demands for redemptions from nervous investors. Since Peister’s arrest this past June, the government has seized his Hummer sport utility vehicle and restrained rental payments owed to Peister in connection with the leasing of property that was purchased with proceeds of his fraud.
Monday’s plea took place before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Jonathan P. Lax and Brian D. Morris.
This prosecution was the result of efforts by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants, including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit http://www.StopFraud.gov.
The Defendant:
JAMES M PEISTER
Age: 62
St. James, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-328 (JFB)
Houma Man, Channing Christopher Miller, Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Drug ViolationRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CHANNING CHRISTOPHER MILLER, age 36, of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced today after having previously pled guilty to a one-count indictment for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.
U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced MILLER to 120 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on or about November 14, 2013, law enforcement officers established surveillance of the MEGABUS terminal on Bienville Street in New Orleans in order to conduct routine drug interdiction operations at the terminal. At approximately 5:45 p.m., officers observed MILLER exit the MEGABUS and retrieve a black duffel bag from the luggage area. Officers approached MILLER and smelled the aroma of marijuana coming from MILLER’s person. After telling officers that he was travelling from Houston, Texas, MILLER gave verbal consent to the officers to search his back pack and the black duffel bag. Immediately thereafter, officers seized 3½ bricks of powder cocaine from the back pack and a plastic bag containing marijuana and an off-white cutting agent. Officers then arrested MILLER. Subsequent laboratory analysis revealed a net weight of 4,469 grams of cocaine hydrochloride.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters is in charge of the prosecution.
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Harrison County Assistant Prosecutor Appointed as Special Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shawn Adkins, an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Harrison County, has been appointed to the position of Special Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II and Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph F. Shaffer announced today.
“We are thrilled to have Shawn Adkins designated as a federal prosecutor,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “He will primarily handle cases arising out of Harrison County, with an emphasis on drug trafficking and violent crimes. We are confident that he will leverage his significant criminal prosecution experience to strategically address crime and promote safety in Harrison County. This opportunity to collaborate with the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is just one example of innovative efforts to coordinate and strengthen local and federal law enforcement efforts.”
Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Shaffer is “very excited for the opportunity to forge an even better working relationship between the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia. The dual role of Shawn Adkins as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Harrison County and Special Assistant United States Attorney will serve as a working bridge between our agencies. The entire state and federal law enforcement community will benefit from our two agencies taking the lead in cooperating, on an even greater level, in the fight against crime in the area. Given the current climate of the illicit drug market in our area, it is more important than ever that state and federal law enforcement, on every level, work together for the betterment of public safety and in the best interest of justice. Mr. Adkins will represent our constituents professionally and capably. I am grateful to United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II for this opportunity.”
Adkins graduated from Marshall University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He earned a J.D. from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2011.
Glenville, WV Man Convicted of Manufacturing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James L. Ash, 44, of Glenville, West Virginia, was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.
A West Virginia State Police investigation revealed evidence of Ash’s involvement in an operation to produce methamphetamine. Ash frequently and repeatedly purchased pseudoephedrine, a decongestant often used as a component in methamphetamine. Ash also purchased other items typically utilized to create methamphetamine.
Ash pled guilty today to one count of "Aiding and Abetting Manufacture of Methamphetamine.” He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull presided.
Four People Sentenced in A Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice Near Storm Lake, IowaRead the Press Release
Three men and one woman have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Mark Hill, age 48, of Storm Lake, Iowa, was sentenced after an August 13, 2013, guilty plea; Brandon Hinesly, age 36, of Truesdale, Iowa, and Janelle Zoch, 48 of Storm Lake, Iowa, each received their prison terms after February 28, 2014, guilty pleas; and Darwin Lee Zoch, age 46, of Storm Lake, received his prison term after a March 3, 2014, guilty plea. Mark Hill, Brandon Hinesly, Janelle Zoch and Darwin Lee Zoch each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Evidence at the guilty pleas and sentencings revealed Janelle Zoch, Darwin Zoch, Mark Hill, and Brandon Hinesly reached an agreement to illegally obstruct and impede the due administration of justice. Darwin Zoch, who was then awaiting sentencing for his federal firearms conviction, with the help of his confederates, was able to abscond, fleeing all the way to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he had purchased a boat and planned to sail out of the United States.
Collectively, the coconspirators assisted Darwin Zoch by lying to federal agents and United States Probation Officers, concealing or destroying evidence, providing Darwin Zoch with comfort and support in the form of false identification and a phone, and helping him change his appearance and pre-position a vehicle to make his escape.
Hill was sentenced on April 3, 2014; Hinesly and Darwin Zoch were sentenced on July 9, 2014, and Janelle Zoch was sentenced on November 3, 2014, in United States District Court in Sioux City, Iowa by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Hill was sentenced to 3 months’ probation, Hinesly was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment, Darwin Zoch was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to an undischarged term of imprisonment in the Northern District of Iowa, Case No. 11-4031, and Janelle Zoch was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment. Hill, Hinsely, Darwin Zoch and Janelle Zoch were each ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Brandon Hinesly and Darwin Zoch must each serve a one-year term of supervised release after prison. Janelle Zoch must serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hill, Hinesly, and Janelle Zoch were released on the bonds previously set and each are to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons; Darwin Zoch is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-3047.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office, the Storm Lake, Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Four Men Sentenced on Charges of Participating in a Cargo Theft RingRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Ric L. Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, announce the sentencing of Eliesky Sanchez, 31, Reinaldo Garcia Suarez, 39, Alien Moya, 30, all of West Palm Beach, and Reinaldo Llabona, Jr. 26, of Miami.
Eliesky Sanchez was sentenced to 60 months in prison and Reinaldo Garcia Suarez was sentenced to 50 months in prison. Both defendants previously pled guilty to an Information that charged them with conspiracy to buy or receive goods stolen from an interstate and foreign shipment valued in excess of $1,000, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659; all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
Alien Moya was sentenced to 44 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to an Information charging him with conspiracy to steal goods valued in excess of $1,000, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659; all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Reinaldo Llabona, Jr., who was charged with Alien Moya, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The investigation revealed that Eliesky Sanchez and Reinaldo Garcia Suarez were actively selling and providing as samples property which bore identifying numbers that matched the identifying numbers on the products stolen from different tractor trailer thefts. Items sold and/or provided as samples included, but were not limited to, Liquid Crystal Display vehicle monitors, Invicta wrist watches, Ralph Lauren clothing items, Proctor & Gamble products, and Nestle brand products.
Alien Moya and Reinaldo Llabona, Jr. picked up a load of Nestle products in Georgia, which they were supposed to deliver to a Walmart in Winter Haven, Florida. The load of Nestle products had a wholesale price of approximately $376,000 and included Gerber Infant Formula. Llabona, Jr. and Moya did not make the delivery to Walmart, but rather, decided to steal the load of Nestle products and later delivered the load of Nestle products to co-conspirators in Palm Beach County.
Mr. Ferrer commended investigative efforts of the FBI and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William T. Zloch.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Four Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration ViolationsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), announced that separate criminal charges were filed today in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg against two illegal aliens.
Alfredo Lopez, age 36, was charged in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury alleging that Lopez, a Guatemalan citizen, who has previously been arrested and deported from the United States on November 18, 2009, reentered the United States unlawfully and was found in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Lopez faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Marvin Torres-Garcia, age 21, was charged in a one-count indictment alleging that Torres-Garcia, a Guatemalan citizen, who has previously been arrested and deported from the United States on February 3, 2012, reentered the United States unlawfully and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Torres-Garcia faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Jesus Puente-Silva, age 22, was charged in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury alleging that Puente-Silva, a Mexican citizen, who was convicted on March 27, 2012, for fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and subsequently arrested and deported from the United States on February 1, 2013, reentered the United States illegally and was apprehended in Dauphin County.
If convicted, Puente-Silva faces a maximum sentence of up to 6 months’ imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
Gonzalo Coronado, age 28, was charged in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury alleging that Coronado, a Mexican citizen, who was previously been arrested and deported from the United States on February 15, 2011, reentered the United States illegally and was apprehended in York County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Coronado faces a maximum sentence of up to 2 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The investigations were conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Alice Song Hartye.
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.
Former Sierra Army Depot Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Sophisticated Military EquipmentRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Devon Gregory Biggs, 38, formerly of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, while a civilian employee at the Sierra Army Depot (SIAD) in Herlong in Lassen County, Biggs stole numerous items of sophisticated military equipment, including: machine gun components, night vision goggles, laser GHOST Illumination technology, and low-light video recording equipment. On at least one occasion, Biggs sold the stolen equipment for marijuana.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Law Enforcement Division of the United States Army, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jean Hobler and Christiaan Highsmith are prosecuting the case.
Biggs is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on January 28, 2015. Biggs faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Chippewa Cree Tribal Chairman Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Embezzlement, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - Former Chippewa Cree Tribal Chairman Bruce Sunchild has pleaded guilty today to four felonies involving bribery, embezzlement, and tax evasion, according to the United States Attorney's Office. Sunchild had been charged in three indictments handed down by a federal Grand Jury investigating corruption in Indian Country. Sunchild appeared on Monday, November 10, 2014 before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in Great Falls to enter the guilty pleas.
Sunchild's sentencing on the four felonies is set for January 29, 2015, in Great Falls.
The case was brought by the federal agents of the Guardians Project and was investigated by the agents of the Offices of Inspector General of the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, and Environmental Protection Agency, as well as by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Florida Man Sentenced for Smuggling Albanian Citizens into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Enkeleon Manati has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in an alien smuggling operation based in Greece.
“It is imperative that we verify the true identities of those entering our country,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Two people with fraudulent Greek passports, which the defendant helped them obtain, attempted to enter the U.S. Thanks to the diligence and training of Customs and Border Protection agents at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, both were detained and Manati’s criminal conduct was discovered. Those who assist individuals in illegally entering the United States will be held accountable.”
“Preserving the integrity of our immigration system is a key aspect in upholding our national security,” said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Atlanta. “Thanks to some great screening work by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers we have now sealed off a potential vulnerability in the system.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in or about October 2012, Enkeleon Manati and co-conspirator Matrona Koulga began smuggling Albanian citizens into the United States using fraudulently obtained Greek passports issued under assumed identities. According to Koulga, Manati referred Albanian citizens to Koulga who wished to travel to the U.S. but could not lawfully obtain visas. Manati arranged for at least six Albanian citizens to meet with Koulga in Greece for this purpose. Albanian family members in New York had contacted Manati for help in smuggling relatives into the United States.
In October 2012, for instance, Koulga and an Albanian citizen using a fraudulently obtained Greek passport, traveled from Switzerland to Florida. In April 2013, Koulga and two Albanian citizens using Greek passports issued under assumed identities, traveled from Italy to France to Atlanta, Ga. They then attempted to enter the United States at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport using fraudulently obtained Greek passports that Manati and Koulga helped them acquire. According to these individuals, both of whom were called as witnesses during Manati’s trial, they each met Koulga in Greece, after which Koulga took them to Greek government offices to obtain officially issued Greek passports in assumed identities.
Manati traveled to Atlanta to meet with the family members of the Albanian citizens attempting to enter the United States. One family member testified that he brought $24,000 which he intended to pay Manati, once his relative, a nephew, was in the United States. But the plan was thwarted when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents realized that these Albanian individuals, attempting to enter the United States through Atlanta on Greek passports, were unable to speak Greek. The Albanian citizens were promptly detained, and Manati and Koulga were later arrested.
On September 30, 2013, Koulga pleaded guilty to alien smuggling. She received a sentence of seven months of confinement and agreed to testify at Manati’s trial. Law enforcement in Greece investigated the smuggling operatives in that country and have made arrests in the case as well.
Following a jury trial on August 29, 2014, Manati, a/k/a Keli, 41, of Jacksonville, Fla., was convicted of conspiracy to commit, and commission of, alien smuggling. He was sentence to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Manati was also sentenced to perform 150 hours of community service.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge 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/.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Defendant Falsely Told Investor Victim He Was a Former FBI Agent
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Mark Burgin, 44, of Tampa, Fla. appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today and pleaded guilty to securities fraud conspiracy for soliciting investor victims to invest in a fraudulent bond scheme, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Burgin’s conspirator, Charles Abrams, 52, of Huntersville, N.C., also faces wire fraud and securities fraud conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges in connection with the scheme.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division joins U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, Burgin and Abrams engaged in a securities fraud scheme, by promoting a fraudulent investment known as the Mexican “Pink Lady” Bonds (bonds), which the two men claimed were gold-backed bearer bonds issued in 1899 by the “United States of Mexico” and had a value of 5% interest compounded daily. According to court records, the two men induced victims to invest in their scheme by falsely claiming that they had purchased the rare bond during a trip to Los Angeles in 2010. Court records show that, in February 2011, Burgin and Abrams met with one victim investor, identified as “Individual 1” and falsely represented that they were putting the bond on a trading platform named “Euroclear.” At that meeting, the conspirators promised Individual 1 a return of over $1.1 million based on the victim’s $225,000 past investment.
Court records indicate that in April 2011, Burgin and Abrams solicited another victim investor, “Individual 2,” to invest in the bond. During their meeting with Individual 2, court records indicate Burgin falsely held himself out to be a former police officer with Gastonia and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments and a former Special Agent with the FBI. According to court records, Burgin and Abrams falsely represented to Individual 2 that the bond was under contract with a company named “Americana” for $2 billion, and that they were to receive $1.9 billion from its sale. Court records indicate over the next few days, the conspirators induced Individual 2 to invest in the bond by falsely claiming that a purchase of the bond by the U.S. Treasury Department was imminent, causing Individual 2 to wire transfer $10,000 to a bank account maintained by Abrams. In addition to defrauding the investor victims, Burgin also provided false statements to law enforcement about his knowledge and participation in the scheme, court records show.
Burgin was released on bond following his plea hearing. He faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, or both, and has agreed to pay restitution, the amount of which will be determined by the Court at sentencing. A sentencing date for the defendant has not been set yet.
Abrams has also been released on bond and is scheduled appear to before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler for his arraignment hearing on November 24, 2014 at 9:55 a.m.
The investigation was handled by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth M. Smith, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is handling the prosecution.
Florida Man Charged with Mailing Death Threats to Connecticut ResidentsRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GARRETT SANTILLO, 35, recently residing in Hollywood, Fla., has been charged by indictment with mailing numerous threatening letters to individuals in Connecticut, including two federal judges and Connecticut’s governor.
On September 23, 2014, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging SANTILLO with writing and mailing threatening letters. SANTILLO, who has been detained since his arrest on September 29, 2014, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on July 15, 2014, a federal judge received a threatening letter at his Connecticut residence via the U.S. Postal Service. The letter was postmarked on July 11, 2014, from Miami, but did not bear a return address. The letter writer made certain demands and stated “You (sic) home addresses in Conn. are public information and if you mask your identity by name or appearance, we can still track you to wherever you go and will kill you if you don’t follow what this letter instructs.”
Following the judge’s receipt of the threatening letter, approximately 14 other individuals in Connecticut, including another federal judge and the governor of Connecticut, also received letters containing death threats. All of the letters were handwritten, were mailed from the Miami area to the victims’ home addresses in Connecticut, did not bear a return address, contained a demand for action and threatened death if the recipient failed to comply with the writer’s request.
The indictment charges SANTILLO with two counts of impeding, intimidating, influencing or retaliating against a federal judge by threats, which carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, and seven counts of mailing threatening communications, one of which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and six of which carry a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut State Police, the Yale University Police Department and the Broward County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Department, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Dayton.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722 [email protected]- Federal Judge Sends Three to Prison for More Than 30 Years in “Operation El Patron”
Federal Indictment: Topeka Store Clerk Aided in Robbery, CarjackingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Topeka store clerk was indicted here Wednesday on federal charges of aiding and abetting an armed robbery and carjacking at the store where he worked, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Ahmad Salim Salti, 20, Topeka, Kan., was charged with one count of aiding and abetting armed robbery, one count of aiding and abetting carjacking and one count of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during the robbery.
The indictment alleged that Salti aided and abetted a Sept. 16, 2014, armed robbery and carjacking at the Low Cost Plus convenience store at 3101 S.E. 6th Avenue in Topeka.
In September, Pattrick J. Towner, 24, Topeka, Kan., was indicted on one count of armed robbery and one count of carjacking. According to court documents, on Sept. 16, 2014, Towner held at gunpoint a technician who was working on the ATM in the Low Cost Plus convenience store. Towner forced the technician to give him the keys to a Ford Freestar van containing cash used for restocking ATMs. Then Towner fled with the van.
If convicted, Salti faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the robbery charge, a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the carjacking charge, and a penalty of not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of brandishing a firearm. The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Leo Jimenez, 25, Adelanto, Calif., and Monica Sarenana, 25, Chino Hills, Calif., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, and one count each of traveling from California to Kansas in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Nov. 6, 2014, in Ellis County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties: Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million.
Interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Briand L. Welch, 33, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on a premises where children reside and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 22, 2013, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each of the drug charges and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Charles Taylor, 43, Wichita, Kan., is charged with escaping from federal custody at Mirror Inc., Incorporated, which is a halfway-house at 3820 N. Toben in Wichita. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 22, 2014.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
David E. Parker, 27, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in October 2013 and July 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
Toni R. Beerbower, 40, Redfield, Kan., is charged with one count of theft of federal funds and three counts of making false statements. The indictment alleges she fraudulently received more than $150,000 from the Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program that provides benefits to eligible survivors of U.S. military service members who die in the line of duty or from a military service related injury or disease. The crime is alleged to have occurred from April 2001 to September 2014 in Bourbon County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the theft charge, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. The Veterans Administration - Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Francisco Guadalupe Banuelas-Carpio, 30, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Oct. 22, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Brandon Thomas Finnesy, 25, Plainsville, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 7, 2014, in Ellis County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Lamont Alfonzo Ward, Jr., 24, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 8, 2013, in Geary County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge, a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and a penalty of not less than five years on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Junction City Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following: Piedmont Resident Indicted for Conspiring to Steal Mail
Emily D. Keller, age 34, of Piedmont, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with conspiracy to steal mail and possess stolen mail; a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The maximum penalty Keller could receive is five (5) years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.00. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Spartanburg Woman Charged with Embezzlement
Michelle P. Posey, age 43, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with embezzlement by a bank employee, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. The maximum penalty Posey could receive is thirty (30) years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Individual Indicted for Transporting Illegal Aliens
Adrian Flores was charged in a 4-count Indictment with transportation of illegal aliens, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324. The maximum penalty he could receive is ten years imprisonment. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Foreign Nationals Charged with Illegal Re-entry
Erlis Antonio Pineda, Magnolio Diaz-Lopez, and Roberto Montiel-Vasquez were each charged in Indictments with illegal re-entry to the United States, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty each could receive, depending on their prior criminal history, is two to twenty years imprisonment. These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and are assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Anderson Resident Charged with Possession of Counterfeit Money
Ivan Stanislavovich Nechitaylo, age 27, of Anderson, South Carolina, was charged in an Indictment with possession of counterfeit U.S. currency, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 472. The maximum penalty he could receive is twenty years imprisonment. This case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Individual Indicted for Social Security Fraud
Juana Padron-Padron was charged in an Indictment with social security fraud, a violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408. The maximum penalty he could receive is five years imprisonment. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Florida Men Charged with Aggravated Identity Theft
Steve Bryan Rojas, age 25, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, and Steven Rives, age 30, of Miami, Florida, were charged in a 2-count Indictment with conspiracy to use an unauthorized access device, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2); and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). The maximum penalty each could receive is five years imprisonment for the conspiracy charge and two years consecutive imprisonment for the identity theft charge. This case was investigated by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.Fairmont Woman Sentenced in Painkiller Distribution NetworkRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrea Nicole Shepard, 24, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today for her role in distributing prescription painkillers through the office of Dr. Edita Milan, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.
While employed in Dr. Milan’s Bridgeport, West Virginia office, Shepard used the text messaging functionality on her mobile phone to arrange the unlawful sale of prescription painkillers. She pled guilty in June 2014 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the use of a Communication Facility to Distribute Buprenorphine” after an investigation by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
The Task Force investigation began with citizen complaints surrounding prescription writing practices of Dr. Edita Milan’s practice. Milan is scheduled for trial on January 5, 2015.
Shepard was sentenced today to four months and twenty days in prison to be followed by one month and ten days of home detention. Shepard was given credit for time served and released.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Irene M. Keeley presided.
Director of Nursing Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Role in $7 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Director of Nursing was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison today for his participation in a $7 million health care fraud scheme involving defunct home health care company Anna Nursing Services Corp. (Anna Nursing).
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
Armando Buchillon, 42, of Hialeah, Florida, was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,896,739 in restitution following his July 29, 2014, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in the Southern District of Florida imposed the sentence.
According to Buchillon’s plea agreement and supporting factual proffer, Buchillon was a Director of Nursing at Anna Nursing, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Buchillon and his co-conspirators regularly falsified patient documentation in order to make it appear that beneficiaries qualified for and received home health care services, when, in fact, many of the beneficiaries did not actually qualify for or receive such services. This false documentation was submitted to Medicare to support the fraudulent reimbursement claims. In addition, Buchillon paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in return for the recruiters providing patients to Anna Nursing for services that were medically unnecessary or were not provided. Buchillon also worked as a patient recruiter for Anna Nursing and was paid kickbacks and bribes by the owner of Anna Nursing.
From October 2010 through April 2013, Anna Nursing was paid by Medicare approximately $7 million for fraudulent claims for home health care services.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Anne P. McNamara and A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 2,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Dallas Men Sentenced in Patriot Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Rictavious Butler, 20, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 30 months in federal prison. Butler, pleaded guilty in June 2014 to one count of Bank Robbery. U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas, made the announcement today.
Arlando Miller, 24, was sentenced on November 5, 2014 to 48 months in federal prison by Judge Kinkeade. He also pleaded guilty in June 2014 to one count of Bank Robbery.
According to documents filed in the case, on April 4, 2014, Miller and Butler entered Patriot Bank with a handgun. Miller climbed through one of the four teller stations and demanded money from the teller. Miller retrieved $2,652 from the teller’s drawer while Butler maintained control of the lobby area. In the process of exiting the bank, Miller dropped the handgun in the foyer. It was later determined that the handgun was a BB pistol.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mesquite Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson prosecuted.
Crystal Renee Dawn Poore Sentence to 27 Years in Prison for Photographing Sex Acts with Her DaughtersRead the Press Release
The Three Victims Were Between the Ages of Two and Eight
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On Nov.10, 2014, Crystal Renee Dawn Poore, 32, of Elizabethton, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 27 years in federal prison by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, for three counts of production of child pornography. Upon her release from prison, she will be on supervised release for the remainder of her life.
In July 2013 a three-count indictment outlining these charges was returned against Poore by a federal grand jury sitting in Greeneville, Tenn. Poore pleaded guilty in July 2014 to all three counts. A factual basis on file with the U. S. District Court in Greeneville describes the details of the abuse, which ended with the rescue of the girls from the home by the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes again Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from Carter County Sheriff’s Department and Tennessee Department of Children Services.
U.S. Attorney Bill Killian stated, “This lengthy sentence is a deterrent to others. This defendant will no longer harm these children, nor any others. Because of the dedication and investigative skills of the Knoxville Police Department ICAC, the crimes were detected and the children quickly rescued.”
This indictment was the result of an investigation by the Knoxville Police Department ICAC. Robert M. Reeves, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.
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.
College Park Tax Return Preparer SentencedRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ethel Elaine Daniels has been sentenced for filing false tax returns that claimed over $20 million in fraudulent refunds, including filing false tax returns in the names of over 1,000 stolen identity victims.
“This defendant victimized thousands of innocent citizens by misusing their identities to perpetrate her scheme,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “She also sought millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds from the U.S. Treasury over the course of three years. Those who try to profit by filing false returns will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Daniels perpetuated a scheme that was driven by greed and a blatant disregard for the tremendous damage it inflicted on innocent victims” said Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge. “Today's sentencing of Daniels should serve as a stark reminder to others that such greed based criminal behavior comes with a cost, prison time.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Daniels owned and operated two tax preparation businesses in the metro-Atlanta, Ga., area. The first, Elaine Taxes, was located in College Park, Ga. The second, Elaine Taxes #2, was located in Riverdale, Ga. Daniels carried out two schemes from both tax preparation businesses.
From November 2010 through May 2013, Daniels and her co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information, including names and Social Security Numbers, of thousands of individuals without their knowledge or consent. Daniels and her co-conspirators got the stolen identities by recruiting people to work as runners to bring in lists of the stolen identity information. Then, unbeknownst to the stolen identity victims, Daniels and her co-conspirators electronically filed fraudulent tax returns in the victims' names. The false tax returns contained fabricated information such as fake claimed-income amounts, business losses, and tax refunds due. Daniels and her co-conspirators fabricated the information to insure that a tax refund would be issued. Daniels and her co-conspirators then shared the fraudulently obtained tax refunds.
Daniels and her co-conspirators also filed fraudulent tax refunds on behalf of individuals who actually visited Elaine Taxes and Elaine Taxes #2 to have their tax returns prepared. Daniels was the leader, and trained new employees to prepare the tax returns for customers by adding false income information and business loss and expense information to the tax returns to insure that a tax refund would be due. Daniels and her co-conspirators would keep a portion of the fraudulently obtained tax refund as a tax preparation fee.
In all, Daniels’ conspiracy obtained over $20 million in fraudulent income tax refunds through their two false tax return schemes run out of Elaine Taxes and Elaine Taxes #2.
Daniels used her illegally gotten funds to do things like take her extended family on a gambling trip to Biloxi, Miss., go on spending sprees for thousands of dollars of clothes and electronics, and buy cars for family and friends.
Daniels, 46, of Riverdale, Ga., has been sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12 million. Daniels was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft on May 28, 2014, after she pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary L. Webb 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/.
Charleston Man Who Impersonated United States Marshal Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W. Va. - United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that John E. Swain II, 52, of Charleston, West Virginia pleaded guilty today to impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. On April 14, 2014, Swain chased a Ford Explorer on I-77, while the passenger in Swain’s car waived a badge that appeared to belong to a United States Marshal. The driver of the Ford Explorer was an undercover Kanawha County Detective. When the Detective pulled over at the Greenbrier Street exit, Swain sped away. The Detective followed Swain and directed him to stop. When the Detective approached the car, Swain asserted that he was a United States Marshal from Richmond, Virginia. Swain also advised that he asked his passenger to waive the badge because the Detective was driving too fast and Swain wanted him to slow down. The Detective contacted the United States Marshal in Richmond and learned that Swain had never been employed with the federal law enforcement agency. When confronted, Swain admitted that he had lied to avoid arrest for impersonating a federal officer. Swain claimed that he bought the fake badge on the internet.
Swain faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, when sentenced on February 23, 2015.
The United States Marshal Service and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for the prosecution.
Charleeston Man Sentenced for Selling OxycodoneRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Shannon Murray, 42, of Charleston, West Virginia was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston to one year and one day in federal prison. Murray previously pled guilty in August of 2014 admitting that he sold oxycodone pills to a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (“MDENT”) on February 25, 2013 at a home on Kirkwood Drive in Charleston. Following the drug deal, Murray was arrested with another individual believed to have been the Detroit source for the pills Murray sold.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of 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.
Careall Companies Agree to Pay $25 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
CareAll Management LLC and its affiliated entities (collectively “CareAll”) have agreed to pay $25 million, plus interest, to the United States and the state of Tennessee to resolve allegations that CareAll violated the False Claims Act by submitting false and upcoded home healthcare billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the Department of Justice announced today. CareAll is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and is one of Tennessee’s largest home health providers.
“Home health agencies may only bill Medicare and Medicaid for care that is necessary and covered by the programs,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement is another example of the department’s commitment to ensuring that home health care dollars – which are so vital to ensure the care of homebound patients – are spent for their intended purposes.”
This settlement resolves allegations that between 2006 and 2013, CareAll overstated the severity of patients’ conditions to increase billings and billed for services that were not medically necessary and rendered to patients who were not homebound.
“This case demonstrates that enforcement of the False Claims Act is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee,” said U.S. Attorney David Rivera for the Middle District of Tennessee. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the public and vigorously pursuing all those who knowingly submit false claims affecting the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
This is CareAll’s second settlement of alleged False Claims Act violations within the last two years. In 2012, CareAll paid nearly $9.38 million for allegedly submitting false cost reports to Medicare. As part of the settlement announced today, the companies agreed to be bound by the terms of an enhanced and extended corporate integrity agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) in an effort to avoid future fraud and compliance failures.
“Fraudulent home-based services are surging across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of HHS-OIG in Atlanta. “We will continue to protect both Medicare and taxpayers, and ensure that funds are not siphoned off by companies more concerned with the bottom line than patient care.”
Under the False Claims Act, private citizens, known as relators, can bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The relator in this case, Toney Gonzales, will receive more than $3.9 million as his share of the recovery.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Attorney General and the Secretary of HHS. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $23.1 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $14.8 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, HHS-OIG and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The case is docketed as United States ex rel. Gonzales v. J.W. Carell Enterprises, Inc., et al., No. 12-0389 (M.D. Tenn.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
CareAll Companies Agree to Pay $25 Millionto Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
CareAll Management, LLC, and its affiliated entities (collectively, “CareAll”) have agreed to pay $25 million, plus interest, to the United States and the State of Tennessee to resolve allegations that CareAll violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by submitting false and upcoded home healthcare billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee and Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. This is CareAll’s second FCA settlement within the last two years, having paid $9.375 million in 2012 relating to allegations of submitting false cost reports to Medicare. The company also agreed to be bound by the terms of an enhanced and extended Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) in an effort to avoid future fraud and compliance failures.
CareAll is based in Nashville, Tennessee and is one of Tennessee’s largest home health providers. This settlement resolves allegations that, between 2006 and 2013, CareAll improperly billed for services that were upcoded, not medically necessary, and rendered to patients who were not homebound.
“This case demonstrates that enforcement of the False Claims Act is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee,” said United States Attorney David Rivera. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the public and vigorously pursuing all those who knowingly submit false claims affecting Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
“Home health agencies may only bill Medicare and Medicaid for care that is covered,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement is another example of the department’s commitment to ensuring that scarce home health care dollars are spent for their intended purposes.”
Under the FCA, private citizens, known as relators, can bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The relator in this case, Toney Gonzales, will receive over $3.9 million as his share of the recovery.
“We are seeing a surge across the country in fraudulent home-based services,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of HHS-OIG in Atlanta. “This settlement demonstrates our commitment to protect the Medicare Trust Fund and ensure that funds are not siphoned off by companies that are more concerned with the bottom line than patient care.”
The United States’ investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, HHS-OIG and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Sabis and Trial Attorney Susan Lynch of the Civil Division - U.S. Department of Justice. The case is docketed as United States ex rel. Gonzales v. J.W. Carell Enterprises, Inc., et al., No. 12-0389 (M.D. Tenn.).
California Man, Zheng B. Ni, Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that yesterday, ZHENG B. NI, age 26, a resident of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to four counts of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the court documents, on or about September 3, 2012, NI fraudulently used credit cards belonging to three individuals without their consent or authorization. In one day, NI made or attempted to make purchases totaling over $67,000 at various stores in the Greater New Orleans area.
NI faces a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of access device fraud, followed by a mandatory minimum of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity offense, to run consecutive to any term of imprisonment he receives on the access device fraud charges. In addition, NI will be ordered to pay restitution for the amounts charged to the credit cards. His sentence is scheduled for September 3, 2014.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and prosecuted by Emily K. Greenfield.
(Download Factual Basis )
California Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
On November 12, 2014, Jose Antonio Garcia, 26, of Palmdale, California, was sentenced to five years and 10 months (70 months) in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garcia was ordered to serve three years on supervised release following the prison term. As part of his plea agreement, Garcia also agreed to forfeit any interest he had in a 2009 Freightliner semi-tractor.
In April of 2014, Garcia, a truck driver, agreed to transport a quantity of methamphetamine to Lincoln. On the evening of April 21, 2014, officers were conducting surveillance in the area of a motel near the Lincoln airport. Officers saw Garcia’s truck arrive at a location near the motel. They also saw a car which had been parked at the motel arrive at the same location. Persons were seen going back and forth between the truck and the car. The car then returned to the motel, and Garcia’s truck headed eastbound on Interstate 80. Garcia was contacted at the Ashland/Waverly scales on eastbound I-80. He admitted he had just delivered an air compressor which he believed contained money or drugs or both. Garcia said he had dropped off a different air compressor in Lincoln two days earlier, but was later told he had delivered the wrong one. As a result, Garcia said he returned to Lincoln on the evening of April 21, 2014, and delivered a second air compressor. He said he expected to be paid $5000 to $6000 for making the trip from California. In the early morning hours of April 22, 2014, officers executed a search warrant on the Lincoln motel room. Three individuals were found in the room along with an air compressor containing approximately 6 ¼ pounds or 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force with assistance from Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement officers.
Caldwell Man Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jose Louis Fernandez, 44, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for social security fraud, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. United States District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Fernandez to pay $196,409.33 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement, Fernandez maintained two separate identities for the purpose of working under a false name while simultaneously collecting social security disability benefits under his true name. In April of 2012, during a Title II benefit review, Fernandez falsely indicated that he had not worked since the date of his last disability decision in 2001. Contrary to this statement, Fernandez had been working at a home-building company from June 2003 until May 2012. As a result of this fraud, Fernandez received social security disability benefits to which he was not entitled. He also received Medicare insurance benefits and benefits directed toward his children. The benefits paid as a result of Fernandez’s fraudulent actions were nearly $200,000.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations; Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Caldwell Police Department and United States Marshals Service.
Buffalo Man Sentenced on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul announced today that Antwan Castleberry, 32, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to 101 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Alsup, who handled the case, stated that on April 5, 2013, a Buffalo Police Officer observed the defendant discard what was later determined to be Hi-Point .40 caliber pistol near the corner of Broadway and Woltz Avenues in Buffalo. A brief foot chase began and Castleberry was apprehended at a residence on Beck Street a short time later. At the time of his arrest, the defendant possessed both crack cocaine and marijuana pre-packaged for sale to drug customers. The defendant was also wearing a ballistic vest at the time of his arrest.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge James S. Higgins.- British National Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Against Hewlett-Packard Company
Boston-Area Real Estate Developer Charged in Insider Trading ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston-area real estate developer was arrested today and charged with participating in an insider trading conspiracy for buying – and later selling – shares of Wainwright Bank & Trust Company based on a tip that the company would be acquired. Prior to the acquisition, shares of Wainwright traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
Robert H. Bray, 77, of Watertown, was charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit securities fraud. As set forth in the complaint, Bray worked for, and at one time owned, R&B Construction, a construction and real estate development company.
According to the complaint, in June 2010, Bray was tipped by friend who was an executive at Boston-based Eastern Bank Corp. that Wainwright would be acquired. The tip – more than two weeks before the acquisition was publicly announced – occurred during a face-to-face encounter in a bar at the Watertown country club where both men are members. On the next trading day, Bray called his broker to ask how he could buy 25,000 shares of Wainwright stock, which he acknowledged “kinda sounds crazy,” given how thinly the stock traded. Bray ultimately purchased a total of 31,000 Wainwright shares over the next two weeks, at prices between $8.85 and $9.90 per share, single-handedly accounting for some 56 percent of the total trading volume in Wainwright shares during that period. On June 29, 2010, Eastern Bank announced its agreement to acquire Wainwright for $19 per share in cash, a premium of nearly 100% over the stock’s prior closing price. Bray ultimately sold his shares for a profit of more than $300,000.
“Whether overheard in a board room, bar room, or county club, trading on insider information is a federal felony,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “Today’s arrest makes clear our commitment to keeping the financial markets fair for everyone – and to protecting investors who put their money to work in the markets each and every day, without the benefit of well-placed friends willing to tip them off about pending deals.”
“As alleged, Mr. Bray engaged in the scheme to get rich quick,” said Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Time and time again FBI agents arrest those who trade on insider information. Today’s arrest is another example of the FBI’s efforts to protect the integrity and transparency of the financial markets.”
The maximum sentence under the statute is five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of the greater of $250,00 or twice the gross gain or loss. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ortiz and SAC Lisi made the announcement today. The United States Attorney’s Office received valuable assistance from the Securities & Exchange Commission in the course of investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank and Eric P. Christofferson of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Audiologist Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Michael Ryan Trythall pleaded guilty to tax evasion today, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon.
In pleading guilty, Trythall, 37, of Los Angeles, a professional audiologist, admitted to embezzling more than $750,000 between 2009 and 2012 from his employer at the time, a San Francisco audiology practice. During that period, Trythall performed bookkeeping services for his employer, and had access to the business’s financial records. He was authorized to print business checks for others to sign, but not to sign or issue checks on his own. Nevertheless, Trythall issued business checks payable to himself, forged the signature of an authorized signer onto the checks, and then deposited them into his personal bank accounts. Trythall also caused credit card payments made by clients to the business to be misdirected to an account he controlled. Trythall used the money he embezzled to pay for vacations and shopping at luxury retailers.
Trythall concealed his embezzlement by omitting payments to himself from the business’s books, making false entries into the business’s books, and failing to disclose his embezzlement, even when confronted by others. Trythall did not pay income taxes on any of the money he embezzled for calendar years 2009 through 2011, resulting in tax due and owing of over $230,000.
Trythall was charged by information on Sept. 25, 2014, with three counts of tax evasion, and pleaded guilty to one county. Trythall’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 11, 2015, at 2:30 p.m., before the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Court Judge, in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201, is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation.
(Trythall information )
Attorney and Real Estate Developers Sentenced in Wilmington-area Mortgage Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announces that today Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced numerous participants in a Wilmington area mortgage fraud scheme to prison. Senior Judge Howard also collectively ordered more than $1 Million in restitution judgments against the defendants. Those sentenced by the Court included a real estate closing attorney, two developers, and another conspirator.
United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker stated, “This is the second time within a month that courts of this district have sent attorneys and other real estate professionals to prison for mortgage fraud. Through these and other prosecutions the message should be absolutely clear. If you commit mortgage fraud, you will face time in prison.”
“Mortgage fraud is an incredibly destructive crime, where borrowers are burdened with bad loans, lenders incur significant losses, and neighborhoods are often destroyed through abandoned homes and rapidly declining property values” said Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, “Today’s sentencing of these defendants, delivers the message that we along with our law enforcement partners will not stand by idly while criminals enrich themselves, through victimizing others.”
The sentencings in Greenville today involved four participants in the Wilmington-area mortgage fraud scheme, including developer JUSTIN LEE ROOKS, 33, of Loris, South Carolina; developer MICHAEL THOMAS BARTLETT, 48, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; closing attorney ROBERT HAROLD MELVILLE, JR., 52, of Lake Waccamaw; and HOWARD MICHAEL TEW, 33, of Conway, South Carolina. On December 11, 2012, ROOKS and BARTLETT pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. MELVILLE pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
The charging documents in these cases collectively allege that between May of 2004 and August of 2008, ROOKS, BARTLETT, and others conspired to defraud banks and lenders in connection with the purchase, development, and resale of properties in Columbus, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties. It is further alleged that the conspirators solicited individuals at seminars in Raleigh and elsewhere to allow construction loans to be obtained in their names for the benefit of the conspirators in exchange for cash. The conspirators told the buyers that the buyers would not have to make a down payment or interest payments on the loans, and that the properties purchased in their names would be sold within twelve months. TEW and other conspirators also posted signs which included such representations as, “easy financing” and “no down payment required,” even though the buyer/borrowers were generally required to make down payments at the time of the closings. The buyers were told that if properties could not be sold in twelve months, the conspirators would buy the properties back.
The conspirators in fact enticed the buyers to participate in the transactions and engaged in various actions to make it appear to the banks and lenders that the buyers were qualified for the loans. The charges allege that TEW and other conspirators deposited money into the bank accounts of the buyers to make it appear that they had sufficient assets to conduct the transactions. To close the loans, the conspirators also referred the buyers to MELVILLE, who was at that time a North Carolina attorney who practiced real estate law. MELVILLE participated in the conspiracy by engaging in actions that made it appear to the banks and lenders that the buyers had given down payment money at the time of closing when, in fact, the buyers did not bring such money.
The banks and lenders who loaned funds to the buyers were not informed of the cash kickbacks to the buyers by the conspirators. The banks and lenders were also not informed that the buyers did not in fact have the cash to close the transactions, and that the down payment money, if any, was provided by the conspirators.
Ultimately, according to the charging documents, the conspirators were unable to sell many of the properties purchased in the names of the buyers. The buyers did not have the means to repay all of the loans obtained in the names of the buyers and, as a result, many of the loans went into default. The banks and lenders were forced to sell the properties at a substantial loss.
Today, Senior District Judge Howard sentenced MELVILLE to serve 31 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and further ordered MELVILLE to pay $1,333,020.00 in restitution.
Senior Judge Howard sentenced ROOKS to serve 30 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and further ordered ROOKS to pay $1,766,511.00 in restitution.Senior Judge Howard sentenced BARTLETT to serve 24 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and further ordered BARTLETT to pay $1,333,020.00 in restitution.
Senior Judge Howard sentenced TEW to serve 18 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and further ordered TEW to pay $883,420.00 in restitution.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.
Atlanta Man Sentenced for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Armed career criminal Tavares Keith has been sentenced to nineteen and a half years in prison for the armed robbery of a BB&T Bank in Riverdale, Ga.
“This defendant terrorized bank employees and customers during an armed bank robbery, leaving lasting psychological scars,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “His violent actions earned the lengthy sentence the court imposed on him today.”
J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: "The quick response by the officers of the Riverdale Police Department set in motion not only the apprehension and prosecution of a career violent offender, but also to today's sentencing and his removal from our streets for many years. The FBI commends those officers and prosecutors who ensured that Mr. Keith would be held accountable for his criminal career with today's lengthy prison sentence."
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: On March 10, 2014, Keith entered the BB&T Bank at 6375 Highway 85 in Riverdale, Ga., wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt and a black ski-mask. He pointed a loaded .40 caliber handgun into the bank manager’s stomach and yelled, “Give me all the money!” When the manager said he did not have any money, Keith forced the manager to take him to the teller line where Keith demanded that the tellers hand over the bank’s cash. While Keith pointed his weapon at the bank tellers, the bank manager ran into his office and called the police.
After robbing the bank of approximately $4,140, Keith ran from the bank. The police arrived quickly, and a witness pointed out the direction of Keith’s flight. The police pursued Keith on foot and apprehended him after a short chase. The police were able to recover all the money stolen from the bank, the black ski-mask, the brown hooded sweatshirt, a cell phone, a pair of gloves, and the loaded handgun.
Keith, 33, of Atlanta, Ga., has been sentenced to 19 years, seven months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Keith was convicted of these charges on July 25, 2014, after he pleaded guilty. Keith, originally of Charleston, S.C., is an armed career criminal who had been previously convicted of multiple crimes, including at least four felonies.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Riverdale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Suzette A. Smikle 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/.