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23 October 2014
Former Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Charges, Admits Diverting Money from Campaign's Bank AccountRead the Press Release
Hakim J. Sutton, 33, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to evading income taxes and violating campaign finance laws while working as the treasurer and custodian of records for a District of Columbia political campaign.
The guilty plea, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Larry J. Wszalek for the Department of Justice’s Tax Division, Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington Field Office.
Sutton pleaded guilty to one count of income tax evasion, a federal offense, and one count of knowingly filing a false and misleading campaign finance report, a violation of District of Columbia law. The Honorable Judge Richard J. Leon scheduled sentencing Feb. 4, 2015. Under the applicable sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that Sutton faces a likely range of 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of up to $30,000 for federal income tax evasion, and a likely range of six to 24 months in prison for knowingly filing a false or misleading campaign finance report. The plea agreement also calls for Sutton to pay full restitution of $18,231 in taxes and interest to the IRS.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Sutton was the principal owner of the Sutton Group, which performed political consulting services in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. In 2011 and 2012, Sutton served as the treasurer and custodian of records for the campaign of Michael A. Brown, a candidate seeking re-election to an at-large seat on the District of Columbia Council. Brown ultimately lost in the November 2012 election.
Between July 2011 and May 2012, Sutton diverted approximately $115,250 from the campaign bank account to himself by depositing the funds drawn from the campaign bank account into his own personal bank accounts and converting funds drawn from the campaign bank account to cash. All told, Sutton wrote 36 checks payable to himself.
According to the statement of offense, some, but not all, of the money that Sutton diverted was compensation for Sutton’s work on the campaign. However, Sutton failed to file income tax returns for calendar years 2011 and 2012. He owes a total of $17,180 in federal income taxes for those years along with an additional $1,051 in interest.
Sutton also omitted references to the checks that he had written to himself in a series of six reports he filed in 2011 and 2012 with the District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance.
This case was investigated by the MPD and IRS-CI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Last and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Seeley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Kenneth C. Vert of the Tax Division. Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, former Paralegal Specialist Nicole Wattelet and Criminal Investigator John Marsh, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges, Admits Diverting Money from Campaign’s Bank AccountRead the Press Release
-Defendant Worked on Unsuccessful Campaign of D.C. Council Candidate-WASHINGTON - Hakim J. Sutton, 33, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to evading income taxes and violating campaign finance laws while working as the treasurer and custodian of records for a District of Columbia political campaign.
The guilty plea, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Larry J. Wszalek, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division; Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Sutton pled guilty to one count of income tax evasion, a federal offense, and one count of knowingly filing a false and misleading campaign finance report, a violation of District of Columbia law. The Honorable Richard J. Leon scheduled sentencing for Feb. 4, 2015. Under the applicable sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that Sutton faces a likely range of 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of up to $30,000 for federal income tax evasion, and a likely range of six to 24 months in prison for knowingly filing a false or misleading campaign finance report. The plea agreement also calls for Sutton to pay full restitution of $18,231 in taxes and interest to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Sutton was the principal owner of the Sutton Group, which performed political consulting services in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. In 2011 and 2012, Sutton served as the treasurer and custodian of records for the campaign of Michael A. Brown, a candidate seeking re-election to an at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia. Mr. Brown ultimately lost in the November 2012 election.
Between July 2011 and May 2012, Sutton diverted approximately $115,250 from the campaign bank account to himself by depositing the funds drawn from the campaign bank account into his own personal bank accounts, and converting funds drawn from the campaign bank account to cash. All told, Sutton wrote 36 checks payable to himself.
According to the statement of offense, some, but not all, of the money that Sutton diverted was compensation for Sutton’s work on the campaign. However, Sutton failed to file income tax returns for calendar years 2011 and 2012. He owes a total of $17,180 in federal income taxes for those years, along with an additional $1,051 in interest.
Sutton also omitted references to the checks that he had written to himself in a series of six reports he filed in 2011 and 2012 with the District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Last and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Seeley, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Kenneth C. Vert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, former Paralegal Specialist Nicole Wattelet, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
14-238Former Boston Police Officer Charged with Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston Police Officer was charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with making false statements to the FBI relating to an investigation of the Academy Homes Street Gang (AHSG), a violent narcotics-trafficking gang that operated out of the Academy Homes housing development in Roxbury.
Mel Steele, 36, of Boston, was charged in an Information with one count of making false statements to the FBI during the course of a federal investigation. At the time, Steele was an officer with the Boston Police Department. Steele recently resigned from his position.
It is alleged that Steele, who was assigned to the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) Youth Violence Task Force (YVTF), was a long-time friend of an associate of the AHSG. During the course of joint FBI-BPD investigation of the AHSG from 2009 to 2011, Steele provided assistance to the AHSG associate. On one occasion, Steele allegedly used his BPD computer to run a license plate check on a vehicle which was later determined to be an unmarked BPD vehicle operated by a detective who was conducting surveillance on the AHSG. On another occasion Steele contacted a Massachusetts State Trooper to glean information about a gang member’s pending charges on another criminal case. In May 2011, Steele allegedly made false statements about these matters when confronted by FBI agents.
The charging statutes provide a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Ortiz, Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI Public Corruption Unit and the Boston Police Department Anti-Corruption Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao of Ortiz’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.
Female Gang Member Sentenced for Lying to FBI During Southeast Kidnapping InvestigationRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Stacey Haynes (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Chason Renee Chase, a/k/a “Lady Jamaica,” a/k/a “Lady J,” age 24, of Columbia, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced today in federal court to three (3) months imprisonment, which will be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. In August, Chase, who had no previous prior criminal record, plead guilty to making false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during a kidnapping investigation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. rejected Chase’s request for a probation sentence, citing the serious nature of the investigation during which Chase made false statements to the FBI.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on April 9, 2014, agents with the FBI’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force received information that Chase was affiliated with individuals, including North Carolina prisoner and gang member Kelvin Melton, that were allegedly involved in an on-going kidnapping of a North Carolina state prosecutor’s father on April 5, 2014. When FBI agents approached Chase in Columbia and advised her of the on-going kidnapping investigation, Chase denied knowing Melton, stated that she did not recognize a photograph of Melton, denied recognizing Melton’s telephone number, denied communicating with any gang members since last year, and denied communicating with Melton. Agents confirmed through phone records that Melton and Chase had recently been in contact. In fact, after FBI agents arrested Chase and while they were interviewing her that evening, one of Chase’s cellular phones showed that Melton was frantically attempting to contact her from his jail cell in North Carolina. At this point, the kidnapping victim had not been rescued, so FBI agents immediately forwarded information and documentation seized from Chase’s residence to FBI agents in North Carolina and Georgia to aid in their attempt to rescue the victim and identify and locate the kidnapping suspects. The investigation confirmed and Chase later admitted that she was a member of the Bloods gang and that she kept their membership records and dues. The kidnapping victim was rescued in Atlanta later that night. The kidnapping investigation/prosecution is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Haynes of the Columbia office handled the prosecution of the case.Eritrean National Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Sexually Abusing an 11-Year-Old Child
While Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderWASHINGTON – Abraham Ayele-Sium, 26, of Eritrea, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually abusing an 11-year-old child and committing a crime of violence while failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Michael Hughes, U.S. Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Ayele-Sium has one prior misdemeanor conviction in California for a sex offense involving minor victims, which requires him to register as a sex offender. According to the government’s evidence, Ayele-Sium moved from California to Maryland and registered as a sex offender in Maryland in 2012. However, he then moved to the District of Columbia and did not register his new address with the District of Columbia Sex Offender Registry. While failing to register as a sex offender in the District of Columbia, Ayele-Sium then committed a new sex offense involving a child who he molested while walking her to a District store to get a snack.
Ayele-Sium pled guilty in May 2014 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of failure to register as a sex offender with an enhancement for committing a crime of violence while failing to register as a sex offender in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). He also pled guilty to one count of second degree child sexual abuse. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a seven-year prison sentence. The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan accepted the plea agreement on Oct. 22, 2014, and sentenced Ayele-Sium accordingly. Upon completion of his prison term, Ayele-Sium is to be placed on five years of supervised release. He also is subject to deportation.
As part of an overall strategy to combat child exploitation, the U.S. Marshals Service launched a nationwide operation in 2010 to target sex offenders who violate SORNA by knowingly failing to comply with their sex offender registration requirements. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act also provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the U.S. Marshals Service, to assist states in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and U.S. Marshal Hughes praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), as well as Senior Inspector Floriano Whitwell and other members of the D.C. Superior Court Sex Offender Investigations Section of the U.S. Marshals Service, who investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metro as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heide Herrmann and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah McClellan, who prosecuted the case.
14-237Eight Defendants Charged with Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking and Murder for HireRead the Press Release
United States Attorney James L. Santelle of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that a federal grand jury recently returned an eleven-count indictment charging eight defendants with various drug-trafficking offenses, including conspiracy to distribute at least 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and charging one defendant with murder for hire. The defendants are identified as Jose Ponce de Leon (age: 29) Yandi Ponce de Leon (age: 30), Carlos Cornier-Nazario (age: 28), Louis Rodriguez-Ramirez (age: 29), Luis Rivera-Corales (age: 22), Mayra Johanna Palermo-Rodriguez (age: 29), Julio Ponce de Leon (age: 34), and Alex Cornier-Torres (age: 28). All of the defendants are residents of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The defendants are charged in the following counts:
Count Defendant Charges Penalty1
Jose Ponce de Leon
Yandi Ponce de LeonConspiracy to distribute cocaine and more than 1 kilogram of heroin
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) and 846
18 U.S.C. § 2Mandatory term of 10 years imprisonment, maximum of life imprisonment and $10 million fine
Cornier-Nazario, Palermo-Rodriguez, Rodriguez-Ramirez, Cornier-Torres
Rivera-Corales
Julio Ponce de LeonConspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine
18 U.S.C. § 2
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) and 84620 years maximum and $1 million fine
3-7
Rivera-Corales, Yandi Ponce de Leon, Cornier-Nazario, Jose Ponce de Leon, Rodriguez-Ramirez
Distribution of heroin and cocaine
18 U.S.C. § 2
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)20 years maximum and $1 million fine
8-10
Julio Ponce de Leon
Cornier-Torres
Palermo-RodriguezUse of the telephone to facilitate possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine
21 U.S.C. § 843(b)4 years maximum and $30,000 fine
11
Yandi Ponce de Leon
Murder for hire
18 U.S.C. § 2
18 U.S.C. § 195810 years maximum and $250,000 fine
This long-term investigation revealed that the defendants were involved in a drug trafficking organization lead by Jose Ponce de Leon that distributed at least 1 kilogram of heroin as well as large quantities of cocaine in and around the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. The investigation included court-authorized interception of wire communications to and from Yandi Ponce de Leon’s telephone, which lead to the interception of wire communications regarding the murder for hire.
The defendants were charged after a long-term investigation lead by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Milwaukee Police Department, Oak Creek Police Department, Cudahy Police Department, and West Allis Police Department. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura S. Kwaterski.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # # # #Dominican National Sentenced to 39 Months in Prison for Role in $65 Million Stolen Identity Income Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Dominican national who was extradited from Canada earlier this year was sentenced today to 39 months in prison for his role in one of the nation’s largest and longest-running stolen identity refund fraud schemes ever identified, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Alejandro Javier, 51, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to steal government funds and one count of theft of government funds. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
Javier evaded capture until July 2, 2013, when Canadian law enforcement authorities arrested him as he tried to illegally enter Canada. He had been incarcerated there until he was extradited to New Jersey on Jan. 10, 2014.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) is a common type of fraud committed against the United States government that results in more than $2 billion in losses annually to the United States Treasury. SIRF schemes generally share a number of hallmarks:
- SIRF perpetrators obtain personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers and dates of birth, from unwitting individuals, who often reside in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- SIRF perpetrators complete Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns using the fraudulently obtained information and falsifying wages earned, taxes withheld and other data. Perpetrators use data to make it appear that the “taxpayers” listed on the fraudulent 1040 forms are entitled to tax refunds – when in fact, the various tax withholdings indicated on the fraudulent 1040s have not been paid by the listed “taxpayers,” and no refunds are due.
- Perpetrators direct the U.S. Treasury Department to issue the refunds through checks generated by the fraudulent 1040 forms to locations they control or can access.
- With checks now in hand, SIRF perpetrators generate cash proceeds. Certain SIRF perpetrators sell refund checks at a discount to face value. In turn, the buyers then cash the checks, either themselves or using straw account holders, by cashing checks at banks or check cashing businesses or by depositing checks into bank accounts. When cashing or depositing checks, SIRF perpetrators often present false or fraudulent identification documents in the names of the “taxpayers” to whom the checks are payable.
Federal law enforcement agencies created a multi-agency task force in New Jersey composed of investigators from the IRS and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the U.S. Secret Service and with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (New Jersey Task Force).
An investigation led by the New Jersey Task Force, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, revealed that from at least 2007, dozens of individuals in the New Jersey and New York area have been engaged in a large-scale, long-running SIRF scheme that caused more than 8,000 fraudulent 1040 forms to be filed, seeking more than $65 million in tax refunds, with more than $12 million in losses to the U.S. Treasury.
Javier and others obtained personal identifiers, such as dates of birth and Social Security numbers, belonging to Puerto Rican citizens. They used those identifiers to create fraudulent 1040 forms, which falsely reported wages purportedly earned by the “taxpayers” and taxes purportedly withheld, to create the appearance that the “taxpayers” were entitled to tax refunds. The returns were filed electronically. By tracing the specific IP addresses that submitted the electronically-filed 1040s, law enforcement officers learned that just a handful of IP addresses created many of the fraudulent 1040 forms that lead to the issuance of tax refund checks.
Defense Counsel: David Oakley Esq., Princeton, New Jersey
Conspirators purchased mail routes, that is, lists of addresses covered by a single mail carrier. Conspirators applied for refunds, inserted addresses along the mail route as the purported home addresses of the “taxpayers,” and obtained the refund checks sent to the addresses. They also applied for checks using addresses otherwise controlled by, or accessible by, certain conspirators and collected the checks after they were delivered to those addresses. During the course of the scheme, hundreds of refund checks were mailed to just a few different addresses in a few different towns, including Nutley, Somerset and Newark, New Jersey, and Shirley, New York.
After receiving the refund checks, Javier and others cashed the checks at check cashing institutions and divided the proceeds among the conspirators.
During the course of the investigation, members of the task force identified certain “hot spots” of activity and intercepted more than $22 million in refund checks – that had been applied for fraudulently – before they were delivered to members of the conspiracy.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Javier to serve three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution and forfeiture of $1,379,464.
U.S. Attorney Fishman praised special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates; the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge James Mottola; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl Kotowski, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lakshmi Srinivasan Herman, Zach Intrater, and Danielle Walsman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark, and Mala Harker of the Special Prosecutions Division.
14-385- SIRF perpetrators obtain personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers and dates of birth, from unwitting individuals, who often reside in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Defendants Appear on Drug and Gun Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PACER Case Reference: 14-96
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney's Office announced that those persons listed below have been arraigned on an Indictment in "Operation Highline Crystal Highway." If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the Indictment, each defendant faces possible penalties of life in prison, five years supervised release and $10,000,000 in fines. The investigation is a cooperative effort between the Russell Country Drug Task Force which includes law enforcement officers from the Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol, as well as the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Terry Leroy Brasda
Age: 45
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Tyler Charles Bright-Goodsell
Age: 30
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a stolen firearm.
Samuel Cale Chapman
Age: 33
Hometown: Havre
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
John Edward Derry
Age: 35
Hometown: Havre
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
William Thomas Dixon
Age: 25
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
Lawrence George Griner, Jr.
Age: 43
Hometown: Butte
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jeffrey Edward June
Age: 45
Hometown: Augusta
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Corey James Lampert
Age: 25
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Martin Edward Leland
Age: 32
Hometown: Belt
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Jessica Margaret McKinlay aka Jessica Bright
Age: 26
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Eduardo Ocegueda-Ruiz
Age: 30
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, illegal alien in possession of a firearm, and illegal re-entry of a deported alien.
Joshua Alberto Rodriguez
Age: 28
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Megan Lynn Runstrom
Age: 31
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Justin Roland Turner
Age: 32
Hometown: Havre
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Katie Leann Wagner
Age: 27
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Michelle Renee Yallup
Age: 30
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Sarah Jane Young
Age: 35
Hometown: Great Falls
Charge: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html.
To access the district court's calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
@USAO_MT
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Twenty Years on Federal ChargesDefendant Also Sentenced to State Aggravated Rape Charges in Middlesex CountyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted Level II sex offender was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Boston for transportation and possession of child pornography.
George Shipps, 32, of Chelsea, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 20 years in prison. In May 2014, Shipps pleaded guilty to transportation and possession of child pornography. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Shipps also pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2014 to one count of aggravated child rape in Middlesex Superior Court and was sentenced to 10 years in state prison, to be served concurrently with the federal sentence. Shipps, a Level II registered sex offender based upon a 2006 state conviction for child pornography and enticement offenses, was on state court probation when he committed the federal offenses.
Shipps was sentenced on state charges for the sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in September 2012. The abuse was captured in photographs later recovered by the FBI.
While conducting an international investigation, federal law enforcement agents discovered that Shipps was sending and receiving child pornography via email. In February 2013, a search warrant executed at Shipps’ residence recovered a laptop computer, a compact disk, and a cell phone that had all been smashed to pieces. Forensic examination of those devices revealed 100 images of child pornography and child erotica, all of which had been deleted or were found in temporary internet history.
During the execution of the search warrant, Shipps admitted that he took sexually explicit photographs of three children, ages four, five, and six, on separate occasions and distributed those images.United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, and Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan made the announcement today. District Attorney Ryan thanked FBI investigators and Massachusetts State Police detectives for their cooperative efforts in this case.
The federal case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacy Dawson Belf of Ortiz’s Cyber Crimes Unit and the Middlesex case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Katharine Folger.The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division=s CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Clinton Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On October 22, 2014, Shane Roger Hoiland, age 22, formerly of Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Jarvey to 48 months in prison for bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Hoiland was ordered to serve three years supervised release following imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Hoiland was also ordered to pay restitution to the Clinton National Bank for an amount that included the funds taken by Hoiland during the robbery.
Just prior to noon on February 25, 2013, Hoiland entered the Lyons branch of the Clinton National Bank in Clinton, Iowa. He approached a teller and handed her a note demanding money. The teller placed all of the cash from her drawer in a paper bag, handed it to Hoiland, and he took the money from the teller and left the bank. At the time of the robbery the deposits of the Clinton National Bank were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Clinton, Iowa, Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
(Download Press Release)
Chicago Man Indicted for Making Bomb and Violence Threats Against Southern Illinois UniversityRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsThe United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Derrick Dawon Burns, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 22, 2014, on four federal charges stemming from a series of bomb and violence threats directed toward Southern Illinois University in Carbondale (SIUC) students, faculty, and staff on October 10, 2012, October 15, 2012, December 6, 2012, and October 1, 2013. The four federal charges of Willfully Making a Bomb Threat each carry maximum penalties of ten years in federal prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment.
Culminating a two year investigation, authorities arrested Burns in Chicago on September 29, 2014. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois in Benton ordered Burns held without bond pending his trial date (which date will be set by the Court in the near future).
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The return of an indictment by the grand jury is the product of an investigation on the part of the SIUC Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistance was provided by the Carbondale Police Department, the Illinois Secretary of State Bomb Squad, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Illinois State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Constance and Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Coonan.
Charleston Heroin Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Ricky Williams, 23, of Charleston, was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston, to four months in federal prison. Williams plead guilty on August 4, 2014, to the distribution of heroin.
Williams admitted that on September 17, 2013, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) for $100.00. Williams also admitted that he sold heroin to the same informant on September 25, 2013, and on October 28, 2013.
This case was investigated by the MDENT. 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 and heroin. 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 and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Caldwell Nightclub Owner Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOISE - Herminio Harro Sandoval, 60, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to attempt to evade and defeat tax, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. United States District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Sandoval to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He pleaded guilty on August 12, 2014.
According to court documents, Sandoval, over the past two decades, owned and operated various nightclubs in Canyon County, including El Tio Ponchos, Salon El Sureno, Fuego II, Blue Eye Club, Pachanga Nightclub, Club Fuego and La Copa. Sandoval admitted that beginning in 1998, and continuing to 2012, he conspired to fail to report $750,000 in income. At sentencing, Judge Lodge found that Sandoval derived much of his unreported income from illegal outdoor marijuana grows on public lands, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking, prostitution, and an illegal check cashing business. As part of his plea agreement, Sandoval agreed to civilly forfeit real property, bank accounts, a vehicle, and U.S. currency and coins, totaling approximately $315,335. Additionally, Sandoval agreed to a tax assessment of at least $210,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Idaho State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Nampa Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Bulgarian National Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Role in Largest Identity Theft Ring of Its TimeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. - A Bulgarian national was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his participation in the Shadowcrew forum, an online marketplace for hacking and identity theft that was the largest of its kind when dismantled by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Secret Service in 2004, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Aleksi Kolarov, 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit both identity theft and access device fraud. Judge Martini imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Kolarov evaded capture until June 14, 2011, when Paraguayan law enforcement authorities arrested him at a hotel in Asunción, Paraguay. He was found in possession of hundreds of thousands of dollars in various currencies, counterfeit payment cards and electronic implements to re-encode cards. Prior to his extradition, he had been incarcerated by Paraguayan authorities relating to that conduct. Kolarov was extradited and arrived in the United States on June 28, 2013, escorted by U.S. Marshals.
Shadowcrew.com was an illegal online marketplace that trafficked in at least 1.5 million stolen credit and bank card numbers and caused more than $4 million in losses to the institutions issuing the cards.
Kolarov, along with the other 18 individuals charged in the indictment, participated in the international conspiracy to operate the Shadowcrew site. As part of the organization, Kolarov served as a vendor, using the site to sell illicit merchandise and services to other members. At one time, Shadowcrew.com had approximately 4,000 members dedicated to facilitating malicious computer hacking and the dissemination of stolen credit card, debit card and bank account numbers and counterfeit identification documents, such as drivers’ licenses, passports and Social Security cards. The conspiracy to commit this activity, often referred to as “carding,” facilitated the use of account numbers and counterfeit identity documents to steal identities and defraud banks and retailers. Of the 19 international participants charged in the indictment, three remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Mottola, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Office of International Affairs in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for facilitating the extradition. U.S. Attorney Fishman also praised the Paraguayan authorities for their vital role.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shapiro of the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
14-384Defense counsel: Michael Koribanics Esq., Clifton, N.J.
Buffalo Woman Sentenced for Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Pauline Gichuri, 40, a Buffalo, NY resident and native and citizen of Kenya, who was convicted of conspiring to commit marriage fraud, was sentenced to one year probation by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who handled the case, stated that the defendant agreed to pay a United States citizen $5000 to enter into a sham marriage to allow Gichuri to remain in the United States. The defendant planned to apply for naturalization as a United States citizen. The sham marriage took place in Buffalo in 2004 and Gichuri was naturalized in 2010. Because citizenship was obtained by fraud, the defendant may be subjected to de-naturalization and removal from the United States.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.Baltimore Drug Ring Leader Sentenced to 19 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Leonard Benjamin, age 30, of Bowie, Maryland today to 19 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin. Judge Bennett also entered an order that Benjamin forfeit $39,387 seized on February 7, 2014.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts; and Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to his plea agreement, from no later than 2013, Benjamin was an organizer and leader of a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Baltimore area. Benjamin had others operate stash houses for him in the Baltimore area. Benjamin planned trips to New York City to buy heroin. Benjamin gave the heroin to couriers in New York who drove the heroin back to Baltimore.For example, on October 20, 2013, Benjamin arranged with a courier to drive to New York, where Benjamin planned to acquire heroin. Law enforcement agents saw Benjamin provide heroin to the courier in New York. The courier then left New York and returned to Maryland.
The Maryland State Police, in conjunction with the DEA investigation, stopped the courier in Cecil County, Maryland on the return trip. MSP troopers searched the courier’s vehicle and seized more than 400 grams of heroin.Thereafter, Benjamin continued to engage in drug-trafficking activities. Investigators overheard Benjamin regularly make drug deals by phone; arrange new supplies of heroin; and instruct others to receive, store or distribute heroin to customers. Benjamin made several calls to a co-conspirator who operated a stash house location at Benjamin’s direction.
On February 7, 2014, investigators executed a search warrant at one of the stash houses and recovered more than 600 grams of heroin. During a search of other locations, investigators seized cash, including $39,387 from Benjamin’s home.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office Major Investigation Unit, Baltimore Police Department, and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted the case.Attorney Pleads Guilty in Connection with Rothstein CaseRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that David Boden, 53, of Ft. Lauderdale, pled guilty today in West Palm Beach before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the operation of the former Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, P.A. (RRA). In 2009, it was discovered that RRA was being utilized by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Scott W. Rothstein, to commit a massive Ponzi scheme stemming from the sale of fictitious confidential settlements. At his sentencing, scheduled for January 9, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra, the defendant faces a maximum five years imprisonment.
In connection with his guilty plea, Boden, who was an attorney with the now defunct RRA law firm, admitted that he cooperated with co-defendant Richard L. Pearson, who agreed to act as a broker for Rothstein’s settlements. Pearson would receive a sales commission from Rothstein derived from the money paid by the investor, and would pay a portion of that sales commission to Boden for his assistance in the sale of these settlements. Beginning in September 2009, a group of investors (hereinafter referred to as “the Investor Group”) began investing in the confidential settlement agreements following a meeting with Rothstein. Boden and Pearson agreed that the Investor Group would pay a sales commission directly to Pearson. The Investor Group was not informed by Boden or Pearson that they were also receiving an additional undisclosed sales commission from the money paid by the Investor Group to Rothstein. The defendant further admitted that, through material misstatements and omissions made to the Investor Group, Pearson and Boden caused the Investor Group to incur a loss of approximately $2,400,000.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz, and Jeffrey N. Kaplan.
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.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – James Casaus, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for violating the federal firearms laws. Casaus will be on supervised release for three years after completing his term of incarceration.
Casaus was arrested in Nov. 2012, on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleged that Casaus unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on July 7, 2012, in Bernalillo County, N.M. At the time, Casaus was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of numerous felony offenses in the 2nd and 4th Fourth Judicial District Courts for the State of New Mexico. Casaus’ prior convictions included convictions for the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance.
On Aug. 21, 2013, Casaus entered a guilty plea to the indictment and admitted possessing a pistol and ammunition on July 7, 2012, despite his status as a convicted felon. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis E. Valencia.
The case was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
33 Defendants Charged in Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK - Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas; along with David Downing, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the arraignment of 27 defendants in a 78-count indictment charging 33 defendants with prescription drug charges. One defendant, Timmy Larvale McCain, 38, of Little Rock, was also charged with a weapons charge.
“According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, non-medical use of prescription drugs is higher than abuse of cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens combined,” stated Thyer. “Just because oxycodone is prescribed medically, doesn’t make it a safe drug to abuse. Arkansas has consistently ranked among the top 10 states with the highest rate of non-medical use of pain relievers by 12-25 year olds since state estimates first began in 2002. My office is committed to support the work of DEA and other law enforcement partners by prosecuting those who set-up and run illegal pill distribution networks. This 78-count indictment against distributors in a Little Rock-based network demonstrates that commitment.”
“The abuse of prescription drugs, such as oxycodone, is a serious problem in our communities. All too often, this abuse leads to addiction, shattered lives, and even death. For the health and safety of our citizens, DEA and our local law enforcement partners will continue to target those who illegally obtain and distribute these potentially dangerous drugs. We hope that the arrests in this case serve as a reminder to anyone who might illegally divert pharmaceuticals that they will be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Downing.
Thirty-one of the 33 defendants have been arraigned this week. Twenty-seven were arraigned today by United States Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray after being issued summonses and arrest warrants. These defendants have been released from federal custody. Four other defendants -- Charolda Walton, 41; Felicia Holmes, 51; William James Johnson, 31; and Timmy U.S. Attorney’s Office News Release Page 2 of 5 Larvale McCain, 38, all of Little Rock -- were arrested in an early-morning operation on Monday. Those four have since been released on bond with special conditions of release. Michael Carrier will be arraigned November 20, 2014. One defendant has not yet been located and served with an arrest warrant.
The DEA investigation, which began in June 2013, used multiple undercover operations and numerous other law enforcement actions. Charolda Walton was determined to be a primary distributor of these pills, and operated out of her home in Little Rock.
Working with the Little Rock Police Department and the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, the DEA made 22 controlled purchases of Schedule II narcotics in this case, including oxycodone, morphine, and hydromorphone. All told, in this investigation the DEA purchased or seized approximately 2,230 oxycodone 30 mg pills. In this organization these pills were being sold for anywhere for $22 to $28 per pill, giving these pills a street value of approximately $49,060-$62,440. In addition, agents seized 22 morphine pills, 178 hydromorphone pills, and more than $21,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
The indictment charges 33 defendants in 78 separate counts stemming from a large-scale investigation into prescription pill trafficking in central Arkansas. The indictment was handed down by a Federal Grand Jury on October 7, 2014. The indictment was unsealed by the court on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. The counts include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, distribution of oxycodone and morphine, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and hydromorphone, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and the use of telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone each defendant will face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department, the Benton Police Department, and the Saline County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Alex Morgan.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
10 Defendants Indicted for Operating A Prostitution Racketeering Enterprise Involving Approximately 40 Bay Area BrothelsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted 10 defendants for their alleged role in a far-reaching prostitution racketeering enterprise that recruited Asian women to work as prostitutes in approximately 40 brothels located throughout the Bay Area, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag, Tatum King, Acting Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco, and Police Chief Susan Manheimer of the San Mateo Police Department.
The defendants – Allen Fong, Ya Huai Hung, Leow Wan Ru Veron, Robert Chun, Jie Mu, Laurence Shu Kwan Lee, Kevin Hartig, Waylon Fong, Angelina Chuong, and Chonthicha Jaemratanasophin – are charged with Conspiring to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity; Use of Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution; Laundering of Monetary Instruments; Importation of Aliens for an Immoral Purpose; and Transportation in Interstate and Foreign Commerce for Prostitution.
According to the indictment, all 10 defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Conduct a Racketeering Enterprise for operating 40 brothels in the greater San Francisco Bay Area from at least August 2002 through July 2014. Members and associates of the Enterprise solicited, enticed, and persuaded adult females, primarily from Asian countries, to work for the Enterprise as prostitutes in the Northern District of California. The Enterprise rented the apartments used as brothels through nominee lessees for limited periods of time, and then opened other brothels, often with overlapping rental periods. The Enterprise used social networking websites such as MyRedbook.com, Craigslist.org, and Backpage.com to post advertisements for prostitution services, which included contact information and photographs of nude and partially nude women assuming provocative and suggestive poses. The Enterprise’s telephone operators answered the calls for telephone numbers posted on the website advertisements for prostitution services, coordinated the meeting place between the prostitutes and their customers (“Johns”), and directed the “Johns” to a particular brothel. The prostitutes kept approximately two-thirds of their earnings from the “Johns” and paid one-third to the Enterprise, primarily through Allen Fong, the alleged ringleader of the Enterprise.
The Enterprise allegedly operated brothels in the cities of Pinole, San Mateo, Redwood City, Sunnyvale, Belmont, Fremont, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Foster City, San Bruno, Colma, and South San Francisco.
The indictment further alleges that, from at least March 4, 2004, through Oct. 3, 2013, members of the Enterprise sent numerous outgoing international wire transfers to Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, including to known Enterprise members and prostitutes. Enterprise members sent at least twenty-three international wire transfers, totaling $179,218.00, to Leow Wan Ru Veron, the Enterprise’s recruiter of prostitutes in Singapore. Chonthicha Jaemratanasophin, an Enterprise prostitute, funded twenty international wire transfers, totaling $109,300.00, to Singapore and Thailand.
As set forth in the indictment, Allen Fong, 58, of San Mateo, is charged in all thirty-two counts of the Indictment with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity, Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution and substantive counts of Use of Facility in Interstate Commerce to Promote Prostitution, Conspiracy to Launder Money and substantive counts of Money Laundering, and Conspiracy to Transport for Prostitution and Importation of Alien for Immoral Purpose;
- Ya Huai Hung, 53, a citizen of Taiwan, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity, Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution, Conspiracy to Launder Money and substantive counts of Money Laundering, and Conspiracy to Transport for Prostitution and Importation of Alien for Immoral Purpose;
- Leow Wan Ru Veron, 53, a citizen of Singapore, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity, Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution, Conspiracy to Launder Money and substantive counts of Money Laundering, and Conspiracy to Transport for Prostitution and Importation of Alien for Immoral Purpose;
- Robert Chun, 54, of San Francisco, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity, Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution, and Conspiracy to Launder Money;
- Jie Mu, 43, of San Francisco, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity, Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution, Conspiracy to Launder Money, and Conspiracy to Transport for Prostitution and Importation of Alien for Immoral Purpose;
- Laurence Shu Kwan Lee, 36, of San Francisco is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Use Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution;
- Kevin Hartig, 58, of Daly City, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Launder Money;
- Waylen Fong, 70, formerly of San Mateo, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Launder Money;
- Angelina Chuong, 39, of San Francisco, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Launder Money; and
- Chonthicha Jaemratanasophin, 48, a citizen of Thailand, is charged with Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Launder Money.
Allen Fong, Robert Chun, Jie Mu, Laurence Shu Kwan Lee, Kevin Hartig, Angelina Chuong, and Chonthicha Jaemratanasophin were arrested today and made their initial appearances in federal magistrate court in San Francisco. Chonthicha Jaemratanasophin was detained. The other defendants were released on bonds ranging from $100,000 to $500,000.
Allen Fong’s next scheduled appearance is at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2014, before the Honorable Richard Seeborg, United States District Court Judge. The other defendants are scheduled to appear for continued proceedings in Magistrate Court at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2014.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment for Conspiracies to Conduct a Racketeering Enterprise and Money Laundering; ten years’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Import Alien for Immoral Purpose and Transportation in Interstate and Foreign Commerce for Prostitution; and five years’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Use a Facility in Interstate and Foreign Commerce to Promote Prostitution. The fines range from $250,000 to $500,000, or twice the gross profits or value of the funds, whichever is greater. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Deborah R. Douglas is the Assistant United States Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney David Countryman, Christine Tian, and Daniel Charlier-Smith. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by ICE HSI, and the San Mateo Police Department.
(Fong indictment )
22 October 2014
Wrangell Man Indicted for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Greg Alan Salard, 53, of Wrangell, Alaska, charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that on June 5, 2014, Salard distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct through the internet, and that on October 15, 2014, he was in possession of child pornography.
The case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of distribution of child pornography, Salard faces a maximum statutory penalty of not less than five and up to 20 years imprisonment. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Salard faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment. Both counts carry fines of up to $250,000, as well as the possibility of a lifetime period of supervised release following any sentence of imprisonment. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children, including distribution of child pornography. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has partnered with state and local agencies and non‑governmental organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Wilkinsburg Man Plead Guilty in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Brandon Thompson, aka “Mouser”, of Wilkinsburg, Pa., was convicted of conspiring to distribute in excess of 100 grams of heroin, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Thompson, 32, pled guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing to occur on Feb. 25, 2015, at 9:30 a.m.
In support of the guilty plea, the Court was informed that, between 2011 and 2013, Thompson was supplied with hundreds of bricks of heroin on credit by members of a drug trafficking organization based out of Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood. Thompson’s suppliers obtained the heroin from out-of-state sources of supply. After Thompson received the heroin, he r-distributed it and paid those who supplied him back.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least five and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Pittsburgh and New York, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, the Wilkins Township Police Department, the East Pittsburgh Police Department, the New York Police Department, the Blair County District Attorney's Office, and the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Webster Woman Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Janet Faticone, aka Janet Bixby, 50, of Webster, N.Y. was charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley E. Tyler, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant works at New York State Title and Abstract (NYSTA). Without proper authority, Faticone acted as a “settlement agent” for a national title insurance company, to facilitate the issuance of title insurance policies. However, as part of the alleged scheme, the defendant created forged and fraudulent mortgage loan insurance policies for which she received commission payments.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U. S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson. Faticone was released and is due back in court on December 5, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. for a status hearing.
This law enforcement action is part of President Barack Obama=s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Investigator Bill Fedrau of the New York State Department of Financial Services’ Financial Frauds and Consumer Protection Division, under the direction of Assistant Chief Sean Ralph, Director Frank Orlando, Executive Deputy Superintendent Joy Feigenbaum and Superintendent Benjamin M. Lawsky.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.Video Gambling Company Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that criminal charges were filed against Pennsylvania Coin, LLC, a Pennsylvania corporation, in U.S. District Court in Williamsport yesterday.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Pennsylvania Coin, LLC is charged in a one-count Information with conspiracy to commit money laundering between January 2007 and October 2012. Allegedly, Pennsylvania Coin, LLC maintained and operated illegal video gambling devices in establishments in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. Patrons at the establishments received cash payments based on credits; Pennsylvania Coin LLC received fees from the owners of the establishments and allegedly split proceeds from the use of the gambling devices with owners of establishments.
Pennsylvania Coin, LLC allegedly used its share of the proceeds to pay employees and maintain the devices, established accounts at financial institutions where the proceeds were deposited and co-mingled the illegal funds with legitimate business income to conceal the nature, source and amount of the proceeds from the illegal gambling activity, in violation of the federal anti-money laundering statute.
The charge arises out of the seizure of 288 illegal gambling devices and over $77,000 in U.S. currency from 180 business establishments in October 2012 by agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement as part of a joint investigation.
Filed simultaneously with the Information is a plea agreement which is subject to approval of the Court. The plea agreement provides that Pennsylvania Coin, LLC will enter a guilty plea and forfeit to the government $1,427,866 and the 288 seized gambling machines.
Assistant United States Attorney Wayne P. Samuelson is assigned to prosecute the case.
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 statues and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is a fine of $500,000 and a five-year term of probation. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors when sentencing. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces Sentence in Prison Assault CaseRead the Press Release
Inmate threw mixture of urine and feces at nurse in Terre Haute Federal Correctional Facility
TERRE HAUTE – Josh Minkler, the Acting United States Attorney, announced the sentencing of an inmate at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex who was found guilty of assaulting an employee of the facility. James Jackson, 32 was sentenced to 30 months (2 ½ years) by U. S. District Judge William T. Lawrence.
“Protecting the employees of the Bureau of Prisons is a responsibility we take very seriously,” said Minkler. “Maintaining order in the prison system is a dangerous job and we will do all we can to assist in that effort.”
Testimony at the plea hearing indicated Jackson is an inmate at the Correctional Complex serving a 76 month sentence for firearm and drug charges from the District of Columbia. On November 10, 2013, the victim, a registered nurse was dispensing medication to inmates housed in the Special Housing Unit (SHU). A correctional officer opened the food slot of Jackson’s cell so the victim could pass medication to Jackson’s cell mate. As the door was opened, Jackson threw a mixture of urine and feces which struck the victim in the face and her upper body.
The victim was examined by a doctor after she became ill a few days later. She had to undergo months of testing for infectious diseases. She did not develop any further complications from the incident.
According to James M. Warden who prosecuted the case for the government, Jackson’s sentence is as high as the U.S. sentencing guidelines allow and he will serve the 30 months consecutive to all other time.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces Sentence in Bank Robbery CaseRead the Press Release
Terre Haute man found guilty of robbing Farmersburg bank
TERRE HAUTE – Josh Minkler, the Acting United States Attorney, announced the sentencing of a Terre Haute man for the July 15, 2013, robbery of the First Financial Bank in Farmersburg Indiana. Kenneth E. Shelton, 44, Terre Haute, was sentenced to 160 months (over 13 years) in federal prison by U. S. District Judge William T. Lawrence.
“Protecting our communities from violent crime is the number one priority of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Minkler. “Our resolve to keep violent criminals in prison will never waiver.”
Shelton and an accomplice entered the First Financial Bank on Main Street in Farmersburg on July 12, 2013, to survey the bank. Shelton asked the teller to conduct an account inquiry to make certain he could access his account. On July 15, 2013, Shelton and his accomplice drove to Farmersburg to rob the bank. Shelton walked in and handed a teller a note demanding money. Shelton verbally threatened to shoot the tellers if they did not hurry up and further told them not to push any alarm buttons.
Shelton fled the bank with the money and was driven back to Terre Haute by his accomplice. During their flight, Shelton discarded clothing he wore during the robbery near McDaniel Road in Terre Haute. Law Enforcement soon identified the accomplice who implicated Shelton and recovered the clothing and nearly all the money stolen in the robbery at Shelton’s apartment. The accomplice is pending trial in U.S. District Court. He is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden who prosecuted the case for the government, Shelton must make full restitution on money that was not recovered and serve three years of supervised release after his sentence.
Two Wheeling Area Men Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistWHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned indictments charging two Wheeling area residents with unlawful possession of firearms, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.
Convicted felon Melvin B. Neff, 56, of Wheeling, West Virginia, is charged with one count of “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm” after he was discovered in possession of five rifles, two shotguns, and a pistol. Neff was previously convicted in the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County Pennsylvania for violating the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act.
Convicted felon Zachary M. Foster, 22, of Triadelphia, West Virginia, is charged with one count of “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm” after he was discovered in possession of two revolvers. Foster was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Ohio County, West Virginia of the felony offense of Attempted Burglary.
Neff and Foster each face up to 10 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 defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Vogrin is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Wheeling Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are leading the investigations.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Members of Newman Drug Gang Plead Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Seven Gang Members, Including Kenneth Newman, Have Already Entered Guilty Pleas
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that two defendants pled guilty today in federal court in Huntington to charges stemming from their roles in the Kenneth Newman drug conspiracy. Marshall Lee Graves II, also known as “Bro Marsh,” age 30, of Huntington, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On January 20, 2014, a search was conducted at Graves’ Collis Avenue residence during which agents found 53.9 grams of cocaine powder, 34.5 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” a loaded SKS rifle and $1,100 in cash.
Curtis Rollins, age 34, of Huntington also pled guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate drug trafficking. On December 31, 2013, Rollins made a phone call to Kenneth Newman to arrange the purchase of cocaine. During the call, Rollins told Newman that he had two people who needed something and they were “about to come through.” This call was part of a series of calls on the afternoon and early evening of the same day in which Rollins requested “2 extra things,” specifically powder cocaine, at least part of which he intended to provide to others.Graves faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. Rollins both face a sentence of up to 4 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Both will be sentenced by Chief Judge Robert C. Chambers on February 9, 2015.
Six additional defendants previously pled guilty to charges stemming from their involvement with Kenneth Newman, including Tonda Click, Brandon Appleton, Ariell Varney, Kamel Burris, William Petties, and George Newman, Kenneth Newman’s brother. Burris and Petties have both been sentenced to 60 and 46 months imprisonment, respectively. The remaining four await sentencing. Kenneth Newman also entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty possession with intent to distribute various controlled substances. Newman’s plea agreement was set aside because he failed to cooperate as required by the agreement. Because the plea agreement was set aside, Newman still faces twenty additional drug and gun charges.
Marcus Graves, the brother of Marshall Graves is scheduled to plead guilty tomorrow in federal court in Huntington.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Huntington Police Department, Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The 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 and heroin. 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 and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Two FCI Gilmer Inmates Convicted of Unlawful Possession of HeroinRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer were convicted and sentenced after they were discovered in possession of heroin, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.
Antonio Whitehead, 27, of Macon, Georgia, and Brian Carnegie, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, each pled guilty today to one count of “Possession of a Prohibited Object - Heroin” after an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Special Investigative Services Unit at FCI Gilmer. Whitehead and Carnegie, who are both currently incarcerated on drug trafficking charges, were each sentenced to an additional six months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Morgan prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Toy Manufacturer Employee Indicted, Arraigned on Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Christi Romano, aka Christi Machala, 35, of Smithfield, R.I., was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence today on a federal indictment which alleges that she stole more than $274,000 from a toy manufacturer and distributor in Smithfield where she was employed, and that she allegedly lied to the FBI during an investigation into the theft, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the FBI.
A federal indictment returned on October 15, 2014, charges Romano with seven counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements.
The indictment alleges that on at least seven occasions between February 16, 2010, and March 26, 2012, Romano transferred $274,751.06 from bank accounts belonging to Chrisha Creations, a toy manufacturing and distribution business located in Smithfield, R.I., to pay personal credit card debt. The indictment also alleges that Romano made false statements to the FBI, by falsely stating to the FBI that she did not steal or misapply funds belonging to Chrisha Creations.
Appearing for arraignment today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan, a not guilty plea was entered on Romano’s behalf. Romano was released on $10,000 unsecured bond.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Wire fraud is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Making false statements is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
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To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Three MS-13 Members Sentenced for Gang-Related Murder and Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Three members of La Mara Salvatrucha – also known as the “MS-13” gang – were sentenced to 27 years in prison for the June 21, 2010, murder of Alexander Temaj-Castanon and to racketeering conspiracy charges today, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Tatum King, Acting Special agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Francisco.
According to court documents, Davie Jimmy Mejia-Sensente, a/k/a “Crazy” or “Loco,” 31, Carlos Mejia- Quintanilla, a/k/a “Sleepy” or “Dormido,” 25, and Luis Amilar-Zanas, a/k/a “Trucha,” 35, were all members of MS-13. MS-13 is a transnational street gang with local chapters, or “cliques,” throughout the world, including El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States. MS-13 members engage in crimes such as murder, narcotics trafficking, and obstruction of justice.
One of principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must seek out and kill rival gang members. In the San Francisco Bay Area, MS-13’s principal rival has been and remains the Norteños, gang members who have roots in Northern California and who claim allegiance to the Nuestra Familia prison gang.
According to court documents, Mejia-Sensente, Mejia-Quintanilla, and Amilar-Zanas were all MS-13 members since at least 2002, originally joining the gang in their native El Salvador. During the late evening of June 20, 2010, the three were together on a Muni 14 Mission bus heading from San Francisco to Daly City. Alexander Temaj-Castanon got on the bus and sat near Mejia-Sensente, Mejia-Quintanilla, and Amilar-Zanas, and the three thought that Temaj-Castanon looked like a Norteño gang member. As a result, they decided to kill him.
Amilar-Zanas left a backpack containing a loaded gun for Mejia-Sensente and Mejia-Quintanilla to use, and then exited the bus. When the bus stopped on Mission Street in Daly City, Mejia-Sensente and Mejia-Quintanilla exited along with the victim. Mejia-Sensente was carrying the backpack with the gun, and after waiting until no one else was around, Mejia-Quintanilla took the gun from the backpack and shot Temaj-Castanon at least once, knocking Temaj-Castanon to the street. Mejia-Sensente then took the gun from Mejia-Quintanilla and shot Temaj-Castanon again. Temaj-Castanon died from his gunshot wounds. He was not affiliated with any gang.
All three of the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct the affairs of MS-13 through a pattern of racketeering, which included murder, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), as well as to using a firearm during and in relation to the racketeering conspiracy, causing the murder of Alexander Temaj-Castanon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j) and 2. The defendants were each sentenced to a term of 27 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole for federal sentences.“The brutal and senseless murder of Alexander Temaj-Castanon is an outrage that demonstrates the danger gangs pose to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. “I commend the outstanding work of our federal and local law enforcement partners who collaborated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring these violent criminals to justice. We hope Alexander Temaj-Castanon’s family and loved ones are brought some measure of closure by the sentences handed down today.”
“We’re gratified by today’s sentences because they represent another important stride in our ongoing effort to combat gang-related crime in the Bay Area,” said Tatum King, Acting Special Agent in Charge for ICE, HSI San Francisco. “Working with the Daly City Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we’ve successfully brought to justice three dangerous gang members who ruthlessly murdered a member of our community. Rest assured, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to pursue transnational criminal organizations like MS-13, who show no regard for the law or human life.”
In addition to the gang-related charges, Mejia-Sensente also pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5), while Amilar-Zanas also pled guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been deported, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2).
The sentences were imposed by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, United States District Court Judge, in San Francisco.
Andrew M. Scoble and Matthew L. McCarthy are the Assistant United States Attorneys who are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Erica Doerr, Ponly Tu, Ana Guerra, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Daniel Charlier-Smith. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Daly City Police Department, working with Homeland Security Investigations.Three Defendants Sentenced in Cocaine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH, age 35, ANDREW BROWN a/k/a “Tank,” age 35, and MEGAN TONTH, age 25, all of New Orleans, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Helen G. Berrigan, after having previously pled guilty on July 16, 2014, to a cocaine trafficking indictment.
JOSEPH had pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 235 months, a $20,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of 10 years.
BROWN and TONTH had pled guilty to distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. BROWN was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 97 months and a term of supervised release of 4 years. TONTH was sentenced to 3 years of probation.
The other three defendants charged in the case, CHARLES HERRON, ISAAC THOMPSON, and DOMINIQUE HANDY have pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in December 2014.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Michael B. Redmann is in charge of the prosecution.
Ten-Time Drug Felon Involved in Stand-Off with U.S. Marshals Sent to Federal Prison for over Thirty YearsRead the Press Release
A man who was arrested after a six-hour stand-off with the U.S. Marshal’s Service was sentenced on October 20, 2014 on his tenth felony drug conviction to more than 30 years in federal prison.
Brandon Thompson, 44, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 16, 2014 guilty plea to possession with intent to deliver 500 grams or more of methamphetamine after a prior felony drug offense.
At the guilty plea, Thompson admitted he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to distribute it to another person. Information disclosed at the plea and sentencing hearings indicates that Thompson was arrested in North English, Iowa, in March 2013, in a vehicle that contained pounds of nearly 100-percent pure methamphetamine, almost $10,000 in cash, and a stun-gun that was disguised as a cellular phone.
Thompson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Thompson was sentenced to 380 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thompson’s sentence was increased based on his extensive criminal history, which included nine prior felony drug convictions, along with convictions for burglary, being armed with a dangerous concealed weapon, theft, eluding, and others. Chief Judge Reade also discussed Thompson’s history of escaping from custody, the most recent of which ended with a six-hour long standoff with the U.S. Marshal’s Service and other law enforcement agencies at an Iowa City area motel on March 25, 2014. Thompson refused to surrender and was forced out of the motel room with tear gas.
Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; the Clinton Police Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services; and the Iowa National Guard. The DEA Task Force was assisted by the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/ login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-12.
Sentencing HearingRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Stacey Haynes (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney’s Office announces today that there will be a sentencing hearing tomorrow (October 23, 2014) in United States v. Chason Renee Chase. The hearing will be held at 10:00 am on October 23, 2014, before United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. (courtroom # 4) at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia, South Carolina.
- San Antonio Woman Falsely Claims $204,188 in Unemployment Benefits and Ordered to Prison
Ridgeway Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Manufacturing OffensesRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsRyan Earl Bess, 33, of Ridgeway, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiring with two other individuals to grow more than 100 marijuana plants and one count of actually growing more than 100 marijuana plants, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on September 5, 2012, alleged that the offenses occurred in Gallatin County between April 2012 and August 29, 2012. Ryan fled Illinois following his indictment and was arrested in Colorado earlier this year.
Sentencing was set for February 11, 2015, at the United States District Courthouse in Benton. At that time, Bess faces between 5 and 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5 million fine, and 4 years to life on supervised release to follow his incarceration on each count.
The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Providence Felon Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison on Heroin Trafficking, Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Jose Fuentes, 43, of Providence, was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison for trafficking heroin and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Divisionof the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi also ordered Fuentes to serve three years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Fuentes pleaded guilty on June 2, 2014, to three counts of distribution of heroin and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to information presented to the court at the time of Jose Fuentes guilty plea, on three occasions Fuentes sold various amounts of heroin to ATF undercover agents. The third sale of heroin to ATF agents included the exchange of a firearm as partial payment for heroin.
According to information presented to the court, on March 5, 2012, Fuentes sold to an ATF undercover agent 4.4 grams of heroin for $325.00; on March 16, 2012, Fuentes sold to an ATF undercover agent 9.9 grams of heroin for $650; and on October 12, 2012, Fuentes sold to an ATF agent .77 grams of heroin in exchange for a .380 semi-automatic pistol and $100 in cash.
Fuentes was taken into custody by ATF agents immediately after he took possession of the firearm and the drug transaction was completed. He has been detained since his arrest.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.###
To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Private Investigator and Former NYPD Officer Arrested in Bribery Scheme to Obtain Reports from Federal Law Enforcement DatabaseRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and William J. Bratton, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrest of JOSEPH P. DWYER and RONALD G. BUELL on charges that DWYER, a private investigator often retained by Court-appointed attorneys in the Southern District of New York, paid bribes to BUELL, then an NYPD Officer, so that BUELL would access a confidential federal law enforcement database to obtain personal information about potential witnesses in federal criminal cases. DWYER was also charged with mail fraud for improperly billing the Criminal Justice Act fund – which provides public funds for indigent defendants – in connection with the bribery scheme. DWYER and BUELL were arrested this morning, and presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, private investigator Joseph Dwyer bribed NYPD officer Ronald Buell for confidential reports from a federal law enforcement database, and, at least in some instances, asked the public to foot the bill. Private investigators assisting criminal defendants can – and should – do many things to serve their clients, but bribing law enforcement officials for confidential data is not one of them. Any private investigator who pays such a bribe, and any law enforcement officer who accepts one, should expect to be prosecuted.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said: “As alleged, Dwyer and Buell conspired to access a database containing sensitive law enforcement information, abusing their positions of trust for personal gain. In addition to robbing us of taxpayer money, corrupt practices rob us of trust in government, particularly with respect to those who take an oath to enforce and obey the law, not break it. The FBI will continue to investigate those in public positions who engage in corrupt activities.”
Commissioner of the NYPD William Bratton said: “These two individuals are charged with crimes that involved the abuse of their positions for monetary gain. By illegally accessing confidential information, they undermined the integrity of law enforcement operations and data systems. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau for their commitment in pursuing this case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation operates the National Crime Information Center database (“NCIC”), which allows federal, state and local law enforcement the ability to access confidential personal information about individuals in connection with their law enforcement duties. The database is not accessible to the general public, and the disclosure of certain information in the database can jeopardize law enforcement operations and safety.
Between at least October 2011 through at least in or about November 2013, BUELL, while an active-duty member of the New York City Police Department, accessed the NCIC using a New York state computer system on at least 15 occasions to obtain criminal history information and other personal information related to witnesses and other individuals associated with at least 11 federal criminal prosecutions in the Southern District of New York on which DWYER had been retained as a defense investigator and paid with public funds pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act (“CJA”), Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A.
During the same time period, BUELL deposited into his personal bank account at least 17 checks issued by DWYER’s private investigations firm, totaling nearly $9,000. In addition, DWYER submitted billing invoices to the CJA administrative office in the Southern District of New York seeking payments and reimbursements for purported investigative work performed to obtain criminal histories of the individuals associated with the federal criminal prosecutions, when, as alleged, DWYER had illegally obtained the criminal history information through bribes paid to BUELL. The United States Treasury Department issued checks on these invoices, which were mailed from a location outside the State of New York to DWYER’s office on Long Island, New York.
DWYER, 46, is charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit bribery and to access a federal database without authorization, one count of bribery, one count of unauthorized database access, and one count of mail fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
BUELL, 48, is charged with one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit bribery and to access a federal database without authorization, one count of bribery, and one count of unauthorized database access. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Criminal Investigators at the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau. Mr. Bharara noted that the investigation is ongoing.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hadassa Waxman and Brooke E. Cucinella are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Dwyer and Buell Complaint
Press Release by United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler Relating to November 2014 ElectionsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2014, general elections. Mr. Cavanaugh has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Alaska and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Loeffler said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose. To ensure that complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Loeffler stated that Kelly Cavanaugh, Assistant U.S. Attorney/District Election Officer, will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The public can reach Mr. Cavanaugh by telephone at 907-271-5071.
Pottawattamie County Resident Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On October 21, 2014, Craig Duane Ellis, a 35 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge James E. Gritzner to 70 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Ellis was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release following the imprisonment.
On July 18, 2014, Ellis pled guilty to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ellis was pulled over for a traffic stop on February 14, 2014, in Fremont County, Iowa, and two 12-gauge shotguns were found in the vehicle. Ellis was prohibited from possessing a firearm after he pled guilty in 2001 to third degree kidnapping.
The investigation was conducted by the Fremont County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
(Download Press Release)
Postal Clerk Pleads Guilty to Stealing Prescription Painkillers from Mail and Burglarizing Post OfficeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM -- A former U.S. Postal Service clerk in Tuscaloosa pleaded guilty today to stealing prescription painkillers from the mail and to breaking into the Skyland Post Office, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Max Eamiguel, of the Southern Area Field Office, and Postal Inspection Service Team Leader Frank Dyer.
NICHOLAS STEVEN DAVIS, 42, of Tuscaloosa, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler. Davis admitted stealing a medical parcel containing about 180 tablets of hydrocodone from the mail on July 6, 2012, while he worked as a distribution clerk at the Skyland Post Office. The parcel was addressed to someone on Lake Lurleen in Coker, Ala.
Davis also pleaded guilty to breaking into the Skyland Post Office on June 15, 2014, intending to commit theft, after he was fired from the Postal Service.
The maximum penalty for the charges Davis pleaded guilty to is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. No sentencing date has been set.
The Postal Service OIG and the Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Salter is prosecuting.
Portsmouth Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Heroin and Crack DistributionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. –Antwan Black, a/k/a “Twizzy,” 31, of Portsmouth, Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release for the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine. He was further sentenced to an additional consecutive 5 years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior United States District Judge Robert G. Doumar.
According to court documents, Black was the leader of a drug trafficking organization out of Portsmouth, Virginia. Between 2009 and July, 2013, Black sold heroin, cocaine-base and cocaine in the Portsmouth area. In 2012 and 2013, Black began using other individuals to man hotel rooms in the downtown Portsmouth area to sell drugs. Black furnished the room with ounces of heroin and crack cocaine daily. He paid for the hotel rooms, cell phones and other costs for his dealers. At the end of the day, Black retrieved the money from sales and would re-supply the room. Black carried a firearm with him during most of his drug deliveries. He and his co-conspirators also used homes of drug users to sell their narcotics. Drug users were given free drugs for access to their homes. As part of the investigation, authorities recovered two loaded firearms – a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a MK99 assault rifle – from residences used by Black. Both firearms were loaded.
Black was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 10, 2014 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine on March 17, 2014.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portsmouth Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Cross prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EasternDistrict of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:14-cr-15.
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Polk City Man Sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On October 22, 2014, Domenic “John” Pighetti, age 70, of Polk City, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge James E. Gritzner to five years in prison for knowingly possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Pighetti was ordered to serve five years supervised release following the imprisonment, to pay a $17,500 fine, and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund. Pighetti was also ordered to forfeit the computer equipment and media involved in the offense.
Evidence in this case included the fact Pighetti started collecting child pornography in 2006, after reading in the newspaper about someone else being caught doing so by law enforcement, and the fact that Pighetti sought out and collected child pornography from 2006 until caught by law enforcement authorities in 2013.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children.
Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
(Download Press Release)
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Michael Kurnik, 25, of York, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods.According to court records, Kurnik regularly purchased what purported to be OtterBox cell phone cases from suppliers in China and resold them to individuals in the United States.
These individuals in turn often sold the cases on eBay and other online sites. One of the resellers, who lived in Maine, told Kurnik in May 2013 that he had been contacted by OtterBox and told that he was going to be sued for selling counterfeit cases on eBay.Despite being told of the OtterBox lawsuit, Kurnik continued to buy the phone cases from China and resell them in the United States. In December 2013, he sent a shipment of counterfeit cases to the reseller in Maine, who by that point was cooperating with law enforcement. A search warrant was executed at a warehouse in Manchester, Pennsylvania used by Kurnik and agents seized about 6,700 counterfeit OtterBox cases. Kurnik admitted in an interview that by May 2013 he knew the cases he was selling were counterfeit, but he continued buying cases from China to resell in the United States until December 2013.
Kurnik faces up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s
Homeland Security Investigations.Penn Hills Man Found with Heroin During Turnpike Traffic Stop Gets 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Penn Hills resident has been sentenced in federal court to five years imprisonment and five years supervised release, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, on his conviction of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Anthony Lucas, 43.
According to information presented to the court, Lucas conspired to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. On June 22, 2013, Lucas was stopped on the Pennsylvania Turnpike by the Pennsylvania State Police. A consent search of the vehicle revealed 350 bricks of heroin (164 grams) in a back pack located in the trunk.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Somerset County District Attorney for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lucas.
Oak Island Man Indicted for Aiming Laser Pointer at an AircraftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh, North Carolina returned an indictment charging CHRISTOPHER LEE FUNK, 34,with knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in flight (a helicopter), in violation of the provisions of Title 18, United States Code, Section 39A.
If convicted, the maximum penalty for this charge is 5 years imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Oak Island Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Eric D. Goulian is prosecuting the case for the government.
North Tonawanda Woman Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Calvina Myles, 28, of North Tonawanda, who was convicted of bank fraud, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution totaling $28,512.78 by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who handled the case, stated that between September 2012 and March 2013, Myles and co-defendant David Johnson used the names and personal identification information of two individuals to apply for two Capital One credit cards in those names. The defendants, and a third co-conspirator, Avery Gill, purchased merchandise and gift cards from retail stores using the credit cards. As a result of this conduct, Capital One suffered a loss of $29,429.16.
Avery Gill was sentenced to time served on October 14, 2014 and David Johnson will be sentenced on November 5, 2014.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge, Shelly A. Binkowski.North Augusta Man Pleads to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Day (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that James O'Neal Arthur, Jr., age 57, of North Augusta, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia, to Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252S(a)(5)(B). United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Arthur was an employee of a government contractor, near Aiken, when an internet audit was conducted on April 1, 2014. The audit revealed Arthur had been visiting inappropriate websites so he was sent home while a review was conducted. While at home, Arthur contacted co-workers in an effort to get them to hide laptop computers and hard drives he had in his office. A forensic examination of the material found in his office uncovered thousands of images of minor females engaged in sexually suggestive/explicit conduct. Further investigation revealed that Arthur had been producing child pornography for years by making videos, and then producing thousands of pictures by making still photos from the films.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty for Possession of Child Pornography is imprisonment for 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.New Castle Man Admits Producing Child Porn Videos Found on Computer He Sold at Flea MarketRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of New Castle, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Donald A. Miller, 43, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, on Dec. 22, 2013, Miller employed, used, and coerced an eight-year-old victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing videos depicting her sexual exploitation. The child victim was identified and Miller arrested after the sexual videos were discovered on a used Samsung Galaxy Tablet that Miller sold to a New Castle resident at a flea market in Ohio the day before Christmas 2013. The resident immediately notified the New Castle Police Department when she happened upon the videos depicting Miller and the child stored in the Galaxy’s memory. The witness was able to identify Miller as the individual who sold her the electronic device.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2015, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The defendant remains in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Miller.
Navajo, N.M., Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Mervin Ervin Charley, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Navajo, N.M., was sentenced this afternoon to ten years in federal prison for his voluntary manslaughter conviction. Charley will be on supervised release for two years after completing his prison sentence.
Charley was arrested on Jan. 21, 2014, on an indictment charging him with second degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. According to the indictment, Charley killed a two-year-old child on May 30, 2013, by placing the victim in a situation that endangered the victim and resulted in the victim’s death.
On July 18, 2014, Charley entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with voluntary manslaughter, and admitted killing the victim in the heat of passion on May 30, 2013.
This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback.