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Friday 18 April 2014
Three Broward Residents Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns for Their ClientsRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announce that Steven Tidas, of Tamarac, Stenor Prosper, of Parkland, and Sylvanie Junior Pierre, of Lauderdale Lakes, were charged in a thirty-five count indictment for unlawfully enriching themselves by filing materially false and fraudulent tax returns for their clients for which they obtained fees. All of the defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and numerous counts of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2). All of the defendants had their initial appearances this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer.
The defendants served as officers of Value Tax Services, Inc. and/or Value Financial Group, Inc., both of Sunrise. The defendants prepared tax returns for individuals which falsely claimed tax credits for being a first time home buyer, when the defendants knew the taxpayers had not purchased a home and did not qualify for the credit. The defendants also prepared tax returns for individuals which falsely claimed that the taxpayers had household help income, or inflated household help income, and they falsely inflated other income or deductions in order to increase the amount of the taxpayers’ refunds.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and a maximum of three years in prison for each count of preparing false tax returns.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia R. Wood.
An indictment is only an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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.
Terry Friend Recognized for Service to Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Terry Friend, CNM, MSN, from Kyle, South Dakota, was awarded a Department of Justice Certificate of Appreciation as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2014.
Johnson’s staff presented the award to Friend in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The presentation took place at the Four Directions Clinic in Kyle on April 11, 2014.
Friend was recognized for her outstanding dedication, service, and contributions on behalf of crime victims. Originally from Massachusetts, Friend is currently a full time midwife at the Kyle Health Center’s Four Directions Clinic, where she manages two Domestic Violence Prevention Initiatives.
Terry Friend has lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation since 1981. She has provided an innovative approach to healthcare, as evidenced by many of the programs she has pioneered as a midwife for Indian Health Services (IHS). For instance, in 2001, she developed the first sexual assault program on the reservation, which now includes a community setting separate from the emergency room and hospital in Kyle.
One of her most notable accomplishments to date includes the opening of the Four Directions Clinic in Kyle in January of 2014. It provides a clinic based setting and comfortable environment to those needing care after a sexual assault or abuse, as well as offering other services. The 2,400 square feet clinic is located on the Kyle Health Facility Campus. Two clinical nurses work with Friend to provide sexual assault forensic exams, women’s health exams, prenatal care, sexually transmitted disease and HIV screening and treatment, family planning, and community education. The high-tech clinic has three exam rooms, a forensic interview room, reception desk, two staff offices, and a conference room.
“Terry Friend has made remarkable strides in providing quality, compassionate care to women and children on the Pine Ridge Reservation who have been victims of sexual abuse and violence,” said Johnson. “We are very fortunate to have someone of Terry’s caliber who is so committed to helping people on the reservation and who works diligently to ensure their healthcare needs are met.”
Friend has received several awards over the years which include Yale’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002 for improvement of healthcare to native women, the National IHS Director’s Award in 2005, and the IHS Prevention Award in 2009 for building partnerships aimed at health promotion and disease prevention.
Six Individuals Involved in A Prison Tax Refund Scheme Indicted and ArrestedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging six individuals with conspiracy to defraud the government. Laura Wright (70, Lecanto), Tiffani Manning (30, Jacksonville), Silvester Bowens (48, Jacksonville), Christopher Wyant (38, Morristown, TN), and Tabatha Dubois (33, Morristown, TN) were all arrested on April 15, 2014. Chad R. Heins was arrested this morning. Heins, Manning, Bowens and Dubois also face charges of theft of public money and aiding and abetting the theft of public money. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The theft of public money counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, as well.
According to the indictment, the above named individuals agreed, combined and conspired with each other and inmates Ronald Rodgers, a/k/a “Ronnie” and “Arthur Pellerin,” John Wright and others to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by obtaining and attempting to obtain the payment of false federal income tax refunds. The amounts claimed on the federal income tax returns included expected income tax refunds ranging between $5,762 and $24,794. It was part of the conspiracy that inmate Ronald Rodgers and other persons would cause the IRS to send fraudulently obtained income tax refunds via direct deposit, into several accounts opened and controlled by some of the conspirators, including Heins, Manning, Bowens and Dubois. The intended losses totaled approximately $6.8 million.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case was investigated by The Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Florida Department of Corrections. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase is handling the prosecution of this case.
Click HERE for indictment.
School Custodian Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore. – On April 17, 2014, Cecilio Galan, 45, of Metolius, Oregon, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised released for possession and distribution of child pornography.
Defendant possessed child pornography he located on the internet. He then made that pornography available to others on a file sharing site in the hopes that he could obtain additional child pornography himself. Defendant carried on his possession and distribution activities while serving as a custodian in a local school and after having served as a reserve police office and a bus driver. The investigation did not reveal any evidence that Galan had any inappropriate contact with the students at the school where he worked.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Riverview Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank/Mail Fraud Relating to Real Estate MortgagesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Alejandro Matos (43, Riverview) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire, mail, and bank fraud. Matos faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Matos worked as a mortgage broker and loan processor for a company in Tampa, Florida. In that capacity, he assisted in the preparation of loan documents and documentation to various mortgage lenders on behalf of clients. In October 2007, Matos assisted two clients in purchasing a residence at 2304 West Flora Street, Tampa, Florida. Matos assisted in the preparation and submission of a Uniform Residential Loan Application in aid of that purchase, which contained numerous false and fraudulent representations related to the purchaser’s place of employment and income. Matos submitted those statements to HSBC Mortgage Corporation in connection with that mortgage application.
In November, 2007, a Uniform Residential Loan Application was submitted to Washington Mutual Bank, N.A. (“WAMU) in support of an application by the same client, who was seeking to obtain financing for the purchase of a condominium unit at the Arbors, in Carrollwood. In support of that application, a number of false and fraudulent representations were made to the lender. At or about the same time, Matos also aided in the submission of other false or fraudulent documents to WAMU, in support of an application by another company client to purchase another condominium unit at the Arbors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Riverdale Marina Re-Developer Arrested on Federal Charges for Allegedly Defrauding the Village of $370,000 in Public FundsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago real estate developer was arrested today on federal charges alleging that he defrauded the south suburban Village of Riverdale of public funds provided for the redevelopment of the now closed-Riverdale Marina. The defendant, JOHN THOMAS, allegedly fraudulently obtained approximately $370,000 for himself from $900,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) payments in 2012 and used the public funds to repay personal loans and debts, legal fees, rent and other personal expenses.
Thomas, 51, of Chicago, was charged with three counts of wire fraud in a federal grand jury indictment that was returned Wednesday and unsealed today after his arrest. He is expected to be arraigned later today in U.S. District Court.
Thomas owned and controlled Nosmo Kings LLC, which had offices at 215 West Ontario St., in Chicago, and at the Riverdale Marina, 13100 South Halsted St., in Riverdale, which consisted of boat docks and a restaurant on 11 acres along the Little Calumet River.
Between February and April 2012, Riverdale paid Thomas’s company $900,000 in TIF funds for three phases of construction and reimbursement based on false supporting documents. Thomas used a portion of the money for legitimate renovations costs while fraudulently using approximately $370,000 for his personal benefit. The indictment seeks forfeiture of at least $370,000.
According to the indictment, Nosmo Kings entered into a TIF agreement with Riverdale in February 2012. Riverdale’s TIF program allowed taxpayer funds to be used to redevelop certain property in the village. Under the agreement, Riverdale agreed to reimburse Nosmo Kings’ expenses up to $1.2 million as long as the total renovation costs equaled or exceeded approximately $5.25 million. The TIF funds were to be disbursed in four phases, each capped at $300,000, after Nosmo Kings paid for and completed each phase of construction. To obtain TIF funds, Thomas was required to submit certain documents identifying completed construction expenses, including invoices from and checks paid to vendors.
In early 2012, Thomas allegedly created and submitted fake invoices for non-existent companies and for companies that never performed work at the marina in order to fraudulently obtain reimbursement from the village. The indictment alleges he submitted numerous false documents supporting reimbursement for expenses that he had not incurred. These included $132,000 and $8,815 in payments to contractors for construction work; $22,994 for an insurance policy that was later cancelled for non-payment; and $56,000 and $67,000 for construction supplies using the same supporting invoices and receipts to double-bill the village.
The indictment alleges that Thomas claimed $25,750 for construction supplies from a company that was actually a currency exchange he owed money, and he submitted other fraudulent documents to obtain payment of tens of thousands of dollars to law firms and an individual attorney for personal legal fees for himself and one of his employees. Thomas used other TIF funds to pay his apartment rent, the charges allege.
Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and restitution is mandatory. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The arrest and indictment were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunil Harjani.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Indictment
Radio Equipment Seized from Three Illegal Radio Stations in Greater BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Warrants were recently unsealed in U.S. District Court detailing the seizure of radio transmission equipment used by three pirate radio stations: 100.1 FM, broadcasting from Everett, Mattapan, and Brockton, with a studio in Dorchester; Touch 106.1 FM, broadcasting from Boston; and 88.7 FM, broadcasting from Brockton.
It is alleged that all three stations were operating without a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Separate civil actions were brought seeking forfeiture of the equipment because it was allegedly used in violation of federal law.According to affidavits filed with the court, the FCC issued multiple warnings to the illegal operators at the above addresses, but the radio stations continued to broadcast. The forfeiture actions were brought after complaints were received, including a complaint from a licensed broadcaster about interference with its radio signal.
“As prosecutors we work in conjunction with the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to identify violators of federal communications law,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “It is a public safety hazard for illegal radio stations to broadcast, potentially interfering with critical radio communications.
“Like any member of the community, the operators of these illegal stations could have applied for free low power radio licenses and operated their stations in compliance with the law. When they choose to operate illegally, and continue those operations after being warned multiple times, action must be taken,” added U.S. Attorney Ortiz.
Since 2011 the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed eight forfeiture actions against illegal radio stations in the greater Boston area, effectively shutting down all eight stations.
The Communications Act of 1934 prohibits the operation of radio broadcasting equipment above certain low-intensity thresholds without a license issued by the FCC. The Act authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of any electronic or radio frequency equipment used to broadcast without an FCC license. The number of available radio frequencies is limited, and unlicensed broadcasting can interfere with the broadcasting of legitimate licensed radio stations, potentially causing chaos in the radio spectrum.
Said Acting FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc, “Like driving a car, radio broadcasting requires a license, permit, or other government authorization. This week’s seizures by FCC agents and U.S. Marshals ensure that everyone who uses the public airwaves follows the same rules.”
Federal officials seized the equipment on April 16 and 17, 2014. Officials seized equipment operated by the radio station using frequency 100.1 MHz at the station’s last known addresses on Walnut Street in Everett, Outlook Road in Mattapan, N. Manchester Street in Brockton, and Gallivan Boulevard in Dorchester. Equipment operated by the radio station using frequency 106.1 MHz was seized at the station’s last known addresses on Cheney Street and Blue Hill Avenue in Boston. Lastly, equipment operated by the radio station using frequency 88.7 MHz was seized at the station’s last known address on Crescent Street in Brockton.
U.S. Attorney Ortiz and Chief LeBlanc made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Ortiz’s Civil Division. The seizures were conducted by the United States Marshals Service and the FCC.
President and Vice-President of Luxury Tax, Inc. Sentenced for Tax Refund Fraud Utilizing Stolen Personal Identifying Information of Identity Theft VictimsRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Scott J. Israel, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announce today that co-defendants Camilla Gonzalez, 29, and Patricia Alcime, 29, both of Lauderhill, were sentenced today before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas, in connection with their previous convictions relating to a tax refund scheme that used stolen social security and other personal identifying information to file false online tax returns that resulted in the issuance of hundreds of fraudulent tax refunds by the IRS totaling in excess of $1.5 million.
At today’s hearing, Judge Dimitrouleas sentenced Camilla Gonzalez to 102 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and sentenced Patricia Alcime to 94 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, they were each ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution to the IRS and were ordered to forfeit $511,801.28 in fraudulently obtained U.S. currency that had been frozen by SunTrust Bank and seized by the IRS.
Previously, on January 29, 2014, Gonzalez was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit false claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286, two counts of theft of public money, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. Co-defendant Alcime was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit false claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286, three counts of theft of public money, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, and three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, as well as from court documents, between January 15, 2011 and continuing until on or about October 20, 2011, Gonzalez and Alcime conspired to defraud the United States by obtaining and aiding to obtain the payment or allowance of false, fictitious, and fraudulent claims. It was the object of the conspiracy that the defendants unjustly enrich themselves, by obtaining and utilizing stolen means of identification to file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS claiming tax refunds to which they were not entitled.
In the instant case, Camilla Gonzalez and Patricia Alcime obtained personal identifying information of numerous identity theft victims, including their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. The defendants utilized this information to electronically file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns without the knowledge or authorization of the identity theft victims, utilizing the Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) assigned to Luxury Tax Inc. and their individually assigned Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTIN), claiming refunds to which they were not entitled from the IRS. Camilla Gonzalez and Patricia Alcime thereafter directed the IRS that the fraudulently claimed refunds be direct deposited into Luxury Tax, Inc. bank accounts at JP Morgan Chase Bank and SunTrust Bank or onto pre-paid reloadable debit card accounts.
Once the bank accounts or pre-paid reloadable debit cards had been funded by the Department of the Treasury, Gonzalez and Alcime would thereafter withdraw the funds by making withdrawals at local automated teller machines, transfers to other accounts under their control or to merchants directly, or would utilize the debit cards associated with the Luxury Tax Inc. bank accounts to make everyday purchases, including point of sale transactions at various local businesses and merchants.
In total, Camilla Gonzalez filed 621 fraudulent 2010 tax returns on behalf of unsuspecting identity theft victims, claiming $1,738,639.00 in fraudulent refunds. The IRS subsequently paid out $1,858,386.00 in refunds directly to accounts under her control. Patricia Alcime filed at least 92 fraudulent 2010 tax returns on behalf of unsuspecting identity theft victims, claiming $222,652.00 in fraudulent refunds. The IRS subsequently paid out $203,831.00 in refunds directly to accounts under the control of both Camilla Gonzalez and Patricia Alcime.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI and BSO. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton.
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.
Pill Mill Doctor Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that following a 14-day trial, a federal jury yesterday found Ronald John Heromin (58, Brandon) guilty of conspiracy to distribute and dispense Oxycodone and Alprazolam, not for legitimate medical purposes, and not in the usual course of professional practice. Heromin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, the forfeiture of his Florida Medical License, his DEA Registration and money seized during the investigation. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2014.
Heromin was indicted on October 26, 2011.
According to evidence presented at trial, from late 2009 through October of 2011, Heromin was the prescribing physician at several pain management clinics in the Tampa Bay and Miami areas, including Gulfshore Pain Management on Habana Avenue, the Tampa Bay Medical Center on Himes Avenue, and the Tampa Bay Wellness Centre on Martin Luther King Boulevard, in Tampa; the Hope for Life Wellness Center in Miami, and the St. Mary’s Medical Institute in Hialeah, Florida. During that time, Heromin issued thousands of prescriptions for very large doses of Oxycontin, Oxycodone and Alprazolam, to drug addicts and members of doctor shopping organizations who often traveled hundreds of miles from as far away as Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee to obtain the prescriptions. Over 500,000 Oxycodone pills and 230,000 Alprazolam pills, prescribed by Heromin during that time, were filled at a single pharmacy (“VIP Pharmacy”) on Martin Luther King Boulevard, in Tampa. Owners and operators of the Tampa Bay Wellness Centre and the VIP Pharmacy have previously been convicted of federal conspiracy and money laundering charges.
This case was investigated by a Joint Task Force, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Franklin County Sherriff’s Office in Columbus, Ohio. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathy J.M. Peluso.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Mailing Firearms to the U.S. Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Quem Stephen Clive Dixon (24, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to three counts of making a false statement to a firearms dealer, three counts of transferring a firearm across state lines, and one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon. Dixon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on each false statement count, 5 years in prison on each count of transferring a firearm to a nonresident, and 10 years’ imprisonment on the single count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon.
Dixon was indicted on February 5, 2014.
According to court documents, Dixon purchased firearms from Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) between the dates of October 18, 2012 and November 1, 2013. During these purchases, Dixon lied on multiple Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives forms (ATF Form 4473) so that he could obtain firearms for a convicted felon residing in the U.S. Virgin Islands, whom had recently been released from jail following a manslaughter conviction. Dixon mailed these firearms from Orlando to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Orlando, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Virgin Islands Police Department and Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Julie Leon, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline strategy to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in communities where law enforcement efforts are focused.Omaha Woman Sentenced for Making a False Statement to the Social Security Administration and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on April 17, 2014, United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon, sentenced Tina Angela Davis-Smith, age 44, to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment following her conviction for making a False Statement to the Social Security Administration, and 24 months imprisonment to be served consecutively for Aggravated Identity Theft. Davis-Smith was also ordered to serve a three year term of supervised release after serving her prison term.
An investigation conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, determined that in 2011 Davis-Smith made a false statement on a Social Security Administration Work Activity Report when she failed to report her previous employment. The Work Activity Report was relied upon by the Social Security Administration to determine Davis-Smith’s continued receipt of Social Security Administration Benefits. The investigation also determined that in 2010 Davis-Smith used the identification of another person for purposes of obtaining employment.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on April 18, 2014, Senior United States District Court Judge Richard G. Kopf, sentenced Tommy Vasser, age 50, to probation for a term of 2 years under special conditions, following his conviction for Assaulting, Intimidating, or Interfering with a Federal Employee. Vasser was also ordered to pay a $25 special assessment. An investigation conducted by the Veterans Affairs Police Department determined that on April 13, 2013, Vasser was at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, when he assaulted a Veterans Affairs Medical Center nurse.
This case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Police Department.
Oakland Resident Pleads Guilty in Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND, Calif. – Jonathan Davis pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.
According to the plea agreement, Davis devised a scheme to obtain money by preparing and filing false federal income tax returns in the names of other people. To carry out this scheme, Davis had friends obtain names, birthdates, and social security numbers of people who did not authorize use that information on the filed tax returns. Davis opened bank accounts in the names of these victims and linked those accounts to debit cards for the purpose of receiving the fraudulent tax refunds. Davis directed the banks to mail the debit cards to himself or his friends and paid his friends up to $200 for addresses that he could use for bank accounts, debit cards, and tax returns.
During 2011 and 2012, Davis caused 111 materially false federal income tax returns to be electronically filed. On those 111 returns, Davis falsely claimed refunds of $484,546, and successfully obtained $178,426 from the IRS.
Davis, 32, of Oakland, was indicted on August 22, 2013. He was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and 11 counts of aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Davis’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 24, 2014, before the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge, in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C § 1343, is 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Moore is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation.
Murphysboro Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Follow @SDILNewsOn April 17, 2014, Jaben S. Graff, 36, of Murphysboro, Illinois, was sentenced in United States District Court in Benton on a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced.
Graff, who had previously pled guilty to the methamphetamine offense, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, and fined $300. The offense occurred between March 2011 and March 2013 in Jackson County. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Graff was involved with others in the manufacture of methamphetamine. At sentencing, the district court found that Graff was responsible for obtaining over 76 grams of pseudoephedrine to be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Graff received an enhanced sentence because the district judge found that Graff created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to others when he fled from police on February 13, 2013.
The investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Missoula Resident Amber Tyler Sentenced for Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on April 17, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen, AMBER TYLER, age 31, was sentenced to a term of five years' probation. She was also ordered to pay $23,103 in restitution to the Missoula Housing Authority.
In a sentencing memorandum filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Spraker, the government described Tyler's conduct as the following:
From April 2006 to January 2012, the defendant, Amber Tyler, repeatedly lied to the Missoula Housing Authority as to whether Kenneth Weber, the father of one of her children, was living with her. Due to Tyler's false statements, the Missoula Housing Authority paid over $23,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) section 8 housing benefits to which the defendant was not entitled.
Tyler entered the Section 8 program in April 2004. Kenneth Weber began living with her in Missoula in April 2006. Weber, on probation at the time, stated to his probation officer on April 4, 2006, that he was moving in with his girlfriend, Amber. The same day Tyler signed an annual recertification making no indication that Weber was living with her.
Weber's monthly probation reports from April 2006 to September 2011 list the same residence as the defendant's address. In each year from 2006 to 2011 Tyler signed certification forms omitting any mention of Weber's presence or his financial resources. The only exception is a February 2009 "Recertification for Move," where Tyler lists Weber as a source of income but lists him as having a different address. In March 2009, Tyler moved to her current address in Missoula. Weber's probation reports also reflect the move.
On July 28, 2011, Missoula Housing Authority Program Specialist John Ellison wrote Tyler a letter stating that the authority received information that Weber was living in her household. The letter instructed Tyler to add him to the household. It further stated that the authority would use his income to calculate Tyler's rent. Missoula Housing Authority case notes state than on August 4, 2011, "Tenant" replied that "Kenneth Weber does not live there. Visits his child and helps but has his own place."
On January 5, 2012, T.J. Hanes, an agent with Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General and Weber's probation officer, Sandra Fairbank, interviewed Tyler and Weber at their residence. Tyler admitted that Weber had lived with her since 2006. Tyler stated that she did not list Weber as a household member because she believed he would not be allowed to live with her. Tyler also stated that she knew she was required to report all of Weber's income to the housing authority.
Missoula Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on April 17, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, VICTOR ANTHONY SCHWARTZ, of Missoula, was sentenced to a term of 120 months' imprisonment and 5 years supervised release.
Schwartz was sentenced in connection with his January 2014, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott, the government stated that in September 2013, Agents from the DEA received information from Russell County Drug Task Force (RCDTF) Detectives regarding methamphetamine trafficking activities of the defendant. According to the Detectives, an RCDTF Confidential Source (CS) provided information that the CS had purchased
Schwartz and had been present with Schwartz during five meth transactions that had totaled approximately six ounces. Schwartz had informed the CS that he receives large quantities of meth from Mexico and always has it available for sale. Beginning around September 2013, the CS was in contact with Schwartz and negotiated a three ounce meth transaction with Schwartz via telephone calls and text messages.
On September 12, 2013, law enforcement executed a state search warrant on Schwartz's residence in Missoula, Montana. During a search of the residence, a plastic baggie containing more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine was recovered.
The term pure methamphetamine refers to the purity contained in the transacted amount which is usually "cut" with inert ingredients that make the actual product less pure but more profitable as drugs are generally sold based on quantity not quality.
Mission Man Charged with First Degree Burglary and AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for First Degree Burglary, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Waylon Black Lance, Jr., age 24, was indicted on March 11, 2014. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 16, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 25 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and up to $700 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about July 2, 2013, at Soldier Creek, Black Lance and other defendants unlawfully entered and remained in two residences, and assaulted a victim in one of the residences with a metal object which resulted in serious bodily injury.
The charge is merely an accusation and Black Lance is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie H. Ruettgers is prosecuting the case.
Black Lance was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial which has been set for June 3, 2014.
Mission Man Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault by Strangulation and SuffocationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury and Assault By Strangulation And Suffocation.
Jacob Lee, age 30, was indicted on March 11, 2014. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 15, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on February 8, 2014, Lee assaulted the victim by strangling and suffocating her. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
The charges are merely accusations and Lee is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher is prosecuting the case.
Lee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Minnesota Woman Sentenced for BLM Mining Claim SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that on April 16, 2014, KIMBERLY ONUMA, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was sentenced to a term of 18 months' probation by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, for repeatedly making false statements to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over a two year period.
Onuma was sentenced in connection with her January 2014, guilty plea to false writings or statements. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson advised the court that Onuma acquired, located, and sold unpatented mining claims on federal land. The claims were recorded with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Montana, Oregon, and California. The BLM acts as a repository of ownership information about mining claims on federal land (including lands managed by other agencies like the U.S. Forest Service).
Between 2008 and 2010, Onuma filed 39 unpatented mining claims on federal land in Montana. In order to maintain the exclusive right to mine on any particular unpatented mining claim, the filer must pay an annual maintenance fee of $140. The BLM will waive that fee for small miners who own fewer than 10 claims.
In August of 2010, Onuma filed seven separate Maintenance Fee Waiver Certifications with the BLM in the Montana State Office. Onuma signed the fee waiver requests as agent for various mining companies that held the 10 or fewer listed mining claims. Each such form contained a notice of potential liability under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 for the filing of false information.
Upon review of the fee waiver requests, BLM informed Onuma's various mining companies that the fee waiver is only available to small miners with fewer than 10 claims, and that related companies and persons are not eligible. BLM requested additional information, including powers of attorney and other documents, to establish that Onuma was legitimately acting as the agent for the unrelated owners of the 39 claims.
Onuma responded on behalf of the companies stating that, aside from owning one of the companies, she was acting as agent for all of the remaining companies holding the various mining claims. To support those assertions, Onuma filed Limited Powers of Attorney (LPOA) from the various mining companies. Each such document purported to contain the notarized signature of the owner of one of the mining companies together with an attached list of mining claims (10 or fewer) that the mining company owned.
During the review process, the BLM heard from one of the purported mining company owners, Judith Scrase, who stated that she did not own the mining company or the claims listed. Further, she stated that she did not sign the power of attorney, and it was forged in her name.
BLM rejected the fee waiver requests on the ground that Onuma owned more than 10 mining claims. In some of the cases, Onuma appealed and reiterated that she did not own more than 10 claims and that she was acting as an agent for various owners who signed powers of attorney allowing her to act as agent. BLM again rejected the fee waivers on the same ground and on the additional ground that all of the claims appeared to be controlled by Onuma because she submitted all of the paperwork, she appeared as "incorporator" on all of the corporate documents for the various "unrelated" companies, and she did not include any information on the various owners who signed the LPOAs.
At the conclusion of the appeal process for the foregoing claims, Onuma filed an additional 30 claims.
The Department of Interior's Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation and found that, consistent with BLM's suspicions, several of the "owners" who signed the powers of attorney for the fee waiver requests denied any involvement in, or ownership of, the companies listed with their names.
Similar fee waiver requests were filed for mining claims in California and Oregon. Many of the same names appear on the LPOAs.
Mason City Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of A Firearm by A FelonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense was convicted by a jury yesterday, after a one-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Billy Douglas Thorne, 57, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned on April 17, 2014, following about one hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on July 24, 2012, Thorne traded his dog for a .22 caliber rifle which he intended to use to shoot his son. Fearing that police would arrive and find the gun in his residence, Thorne had others hide the gun in a Mason City park. After Thorne was arrested on harassment charges, the gun was turned over to the police. Thorne had previously been convicted in 1997 in the State of Florida of five counts of Burglary of a Dwelling and one count of Armed Burglary, all felony offenses.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Thorne remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Thorne faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Ankeny Police Department, and the Mason City Police Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-CR-3052.
Man Pleads Guilty to Interfering with Flight CrewRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska-U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that Nobuya Michael Ochinero pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with a flight crew.
On February 10, 2014, Ochinero, 38, was traveling on a flight from Tokyo, Japan to New York when he became intoxicated. When flight attendants refused to serve Ochinero additional alcohol, he became upset and yelled obscenities at the flight crew. He also became combative during the flight, pushing flight attendants, spitting on passengers, and throwing objects. His actions ultimately caused the flight to be diverted to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Courter, who is prosecuting the case, indicated that, as part of his plea, Ochinero agreed to pay restitution to the airline. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Anchorage Airport Police Department led the investigation in the case.
Ochinero is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2014 before United States District Court Judge Sharon Gleason.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was convicted yesterday for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Germaine M. Rivera, 20, pleaded guilty today to being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15, 2014. Rivera faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
On May 20, 2013, officers responded to a call of suspicious activity on Auburn Street in Methuen and observed two individuals approaching a previously parked white Toyota. One of the individuals, later identified as Rivera, was observed throwing a small black object into the bushes near the Toyota. The officers located a .22 caliber Beretta semi-automatic firearm which was loaded with six rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and had an obliterated serial number. Both the firearm and ammunition were manufactured outside of Massachusetts.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon, made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth G. Shine and Maxim Grinberg of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
Lantry Man Convicted of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Charg Hebb, age 20, of Lantry, South Dakota, appeared before District Judge Roberto A. Lange on April 15, 2014, and pled guilty to an Indictment that charged him with Involuntary Manslaughter.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 1 year and 1 day of custody, 2 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction arose from an incident on October 12, 2012, on County Road 50 near Lantry, on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation, when Hebb caused a car crash that killed a young man who was a passenger in his vehicle. Hebb was driving his 2005 Pontiac Bonneville in excess of the speed limit, driving recklessly and on the wrong side of the road, causing a head-on collision with a 2001 Chevrolet Blazer.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for July 2, 2014. The defendant was released on bond pending sentencing.
Kenmore Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul announced today that Marlon Johnson, Jr., 25, of Kenmore, N.Y., who was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was sentenced to 48 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Anthony M. Bruce, who handled the case, stated that on December 16, 2011, Buffalo Police responded to a call on Emerson Street. As officers approached the area, the defendant ran from the area and a foot chase ensued. Johnson was taken into custody inside a residence on Glenwood Avenue. Officers searched a garbage tote next to the door of the residence and found a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a defaced serial number. The defendant later admitted that he stole the gun from another individual.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Cannon, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force.
Today’s development is the latest in a continuing series of actions aimed at the Bailey Boys Gang allegedly operating in the City of Buffalo. A total of 10 alleged members and associates of the Bailey Boys have been indicted on racketeering charges, which include multiple murders, attempted murders, robberies and narcotics trafficking. Authorities believe that Johnson, the subject of today’s sentencing, in fact was a criminal associate of the Bailey Boys.Information: Federal Court ArraignmentsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office today announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Strong in Great Falls on April 17, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- CHARLES PATRICK FREETLY, a 29-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, FREETLY faces 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Missoula Police Department. PACER Case Reference: 14-07
- JAMES HENRY HERNANDEZ, JR., a 47-year-old resident of Renton, Washington, appeared on charges of conspiracy and making and possessing a counterfeited security of an organization. If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, HERNANDEZ faces 25 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations. PACER Case Reference: 14-02
- KELLY LORRAINE WATTS, a/k/a Kelly Lorraine Emge, a 46-year-old resident of Renton, Washington, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess a counterfeited security of an organization. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, WATTS faces 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations. PACER Case Reference: 14-01
The indictment is merely a formal charging document. It is not proof of guilt and all persons indicted are presumed to be innocent of any crime until proof of guilt is established by trial or guilty plea.
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.
Hudson Woman Sentenced to Three Years on Drug, Money Laundering and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced Alyssa
Farrington, 21, of Hudson, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A.
Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to
possess with intent to distribute and to distribute bath salts, money laundering conspiracy, and
aiding and abetting a felon’s possession of firearms.According to court records, between mid-2011 and April 4, 2012, Farrington assisted her
boyfriend, Ryan Orton, in illegally obtaining and distributing six kilograms of methylone, over
two kilograms of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), two of the most commonly abused
“bath salts,” and other drugs. Orton ordered the substances over the internet from China and had
them delivered to associates working with him. He paid for the shipments through wire transfers
made by Farrington and other associates. Once Orton obtained the drugs he and Farrington
distributed them throughout the Bangor area. On April 4, 2012, Orton and Farrington were
arrested and their residence, a storage unit and vehicle searched. Investigators seized, among
other things, drugs, firearms, a ballistic vest, night vision goggles, stun guns, and other
weapons. Orton was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony drug
convictions. Farrington purchased several of the firearms for Orton who, as a felon, was
prohibited from purchasing them himself.The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.Heroin Dealer Sentenced in Connection with Three Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Eugene Asomani Williams, also known as “Shine,” 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of this offense. At least three individuals died in Fairfax County, Va. as a result of heroin distributed by Williams.
Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Williams was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
“Williams peddled a dangerous drug and inflicted untold damage to the victims, their families, and our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boente. “This case exemplifies the cooperative efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement to combat this pernicious crime.”
Williams pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2014 to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Williams admitted to distributing more than one kilogram of heroin in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia between 2004 and Sept. 26, 2013. Williams also admitted that Joshua Pearson, 33, of Fairfax County, Va.; Timothy Huffman, 23, an active duty soldier at Fort Belvoir; and Kara Schachinger, 22, of Fairfax County, Va. all died as a result of their use of heroin distributed by the defendant.
“I have heard firsthand from families about the devastation brought by the loss of a loved one in this wave of heroin-related deaths, and about the strain placed on law enforcement and healthcare professionals as they work to respond to it,” said Attorney General Herring. “Education, prevention and treatment will play a major part in dealing with this emerging threat, but I will also ensure that my office is doing all it can to keep these dangerous drugs, and those who distribute them, off the streets.”
“Today’s sentencing of Eugene Williams closes the book on a drug trafficker who was responsible for trafficking heroin that led to the death of three individuals in Fairfax County, VA,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division. “Heroin is a drug that destroys lives, and tragically sometimes takes them. This case clearly demonstrates DEA’s commitment, by working with our law enforcement partners, to stop drug traffickers who profit from the harm (in this case deadly harm), they present to our community,” stated Colder.
"Fairfax County is safer today thanks to the robust partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement" said Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police. "Today’s sentencing is proof positive these partnerships work against drug traffickers and others who set up criminal enterprises in our region."
This case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Field Division and the Fairfax County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and Julia Martinez and Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum are prosecuting 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 Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
Heroin Dealer Endangering Children Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell yesterday sentenced Damion Rashaad Carder (36, Cocoa) to 18 years and 9 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of heroin. The court also ordered Carder to abandon any interest he had in firearms and ammunition recovered when he was arrested.
Carder pleaded guilty on December 20, 2013.
According to court documents and statements made during the sentencing hearing, Carder was on supervised release as a result of his 2006 conviction in federal court for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Despite being under supervision, Carder sold heroin from his home, which was approximately one block away from the Joe Lee Smith Park and Recreation Center, and has a children’s playground, baseball field, basketball court, gymnasium, and community center on the property. Carder would deal heroin when the Center was open. After thinking that he was going to be arrested, Carder placed two firearms and ammunition in a car with two children, approximately 8 and 10 years old, and told the driver to leave the area. Law enforcement stopped the driver and recovered the firearms shortly before arresting Carder, with more than 200 grams of heroin.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent A. Citro.
Henderson County, Kentucky, Woman Sentenced to 125 Months in Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
OWENSBORO, Ky. – A Henderson County, Kentucky woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court this week, by Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr., to 125 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for robbing a bank and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
Meiesha R. Sharp, 25, of Henderson, was sentenced after pleading guilty to brandishing a .380 caliber pistol while robbing the Fifth Third Bank located in Henderson of $29,068.95 on June 29, 2012. According to the charges, Sharp put the life of another person in jeopardy by the use of a firearm. In return for the guilty plea, the United States agreed to drop four additional charges in a Superseding Indictment. There was no order of restitution because the stolen money was recovered by the Henderson Police Department. Sharp was ordered to remain in custody. There is no parole from federal prison.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas W. Dyke and Sungtae Kang, and was investigated by the Henderson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Gregory Man Sentenced for Second Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Gregory, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Burglary was sentenced on April 15, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Roger King, age 46, was sentenced to 37 months of custody, 36 months of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
King was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 12, 2013. He pled guilty on February 10, 2014.
The conviction stems from an incident occurring on June 9, 2012, when King entered a house uninvited, distracted the owner, and stole a series of blank checks which he later cashed at local businesses.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
King was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Greenbush Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Postal FundsRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nicole
Dumond, 33, of Greenbush, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing postal
funds.According to court records, between November 2012 and January 2013, Dumond was
employed by the U.S. Postal Service as Postmaster Relief in Greenbush, Maine. Postmaster
Relief performs as a relief or leave replacement during the absence of a postmaster. In that
capacity, Dumond stole over $1,000 she received from customers for money orders and postage
stamps.Dumond faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. She will be
sentenced after completion of a pre-sentence report by the United States Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General of the United States
Postal Service.Georgia Man Convicted of Tax Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal jury found Mauricio Warner guilty of using the identities of thousands of unsuspecting individuals to file federal tax returns claiming over $5 million in bogus refunds.
“This verdict represents yet another conviction in a series of recent cases involving identity thieves who use the personal information of unsuspecting victims to file bogus tax returns and steal millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “We will continue to do all we can to stop these schemes and protect our citizens identities from theft.”
“Despite all of the notices from the IRS, financial institutions, and even criminal investigators, that his actions were criminal, Mr. Warner continued to steal from the government,” said Veronica Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation. “Today, a jury of his peers gave Warner his final notice; ‘guilty’ of committing fraud. IRS-CI is proud to have been a part of bringing justice to Mr. Warner, and to those who are victims of identity theft.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: From approximately January 2011 to April 2012, Warner filed over 5,000 false tax returns using the names and Social Security numbers of unsuspecting victims. Victims were told they could submit an application for an “Obama stimulus payment” or “Free Government Money” by providing their names and Social Security numbers. In addition to word-of-mouth marketing, Warner used toll-free telephone numbers to collect victims’ personal identifying information. He then used the victims’ names and Social Security numbers to claim millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds. On the returns, Warner claimed false income amounts and student credits to generate the bogus tax refunds, and directed the IRS to pay the refund amounts to bank accounts he controlled. The victims did not know tax returns were being filed in their names.
The United States has seized seven bank accounts controlled by Warner that contain $4,185,455.31 in funds derived from or involved in this scheme.
Warner was convicted on 16 counts of wire fraud, 16 counts of aggravated identity theft, 16 counts of filing false claims, and two counts of money laundering. He was taken into custody after the verdict. The United States is also seeking the forfeiture of all funds derived from or involved in this scheme.
Sentencing for Warner, 38, of Smyrna, Ga., is scheduled for June 25 at 2:00 p.m. before United States District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. If you believe you may be a victim of tax return-related identity theft please contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, extension 245 (Mon. - Fri., 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. local time).
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Thomas J. Krepp are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Gardiner Man Pleads Guilty to Pharmacy RobberyRead 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 Ryan
McLaughlin, 26, of Gardiner, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to pharmacy
robbery.According to court records, on November 13, 2013, McLaughlin entered the Shaw’s
Osco pharmacy in Augusta and handed a note to a pharmacy employee demanding two bottles of
Oxycodone. He was agitated as he spoke with the pharmacy staff, stating that he was in a hurry
and demanding that they move faster. He also kept one of his hands in his pocket during the
incident, as if he were concealing something. Pharmacy personnel provided him with two bottles
of Oxycodone and he left the store. In an interview after his arrest, McLaughlin admitted robbing
the store, and said he had committed the robbery to obtain pills to feed his severe addiction.McLaughlin faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. He will be
sentenced after completion of a presentence report by the United States Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Augusta Police Department and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on April 14, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Raynard Bad Moccasin, age 43, was sentenced to 18 months in custody, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bad Moccasin was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 17, 2013. He pled guilty on January 22, 2014.
The conviction stems from Bad Moccasin failing to register as a sex offender between May 1, 2013, and September 17, 2013, as he was required to do under federal law. Bad Moccasin was previously convicted of a sex offense in federal court, which requires him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Bad Moccasin was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Vancouver, Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A former Vancouver, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. JOSEPH SCHESSO, 36, now of Portland, Oregon, was indicted in May 2011. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he must be sentenced to twelve years in federal prison, or the plea agreement can be voided and the case could continue to trial. Sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on July 11, 2014.
According to records filed in the case, SCHESSO first came to the attention of authorities when investigators in Germany discovered an individual in the U.S. distributing child pornography through a file-sharing program. The information was passed from German law enforcement to investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who traced the computer’s internet protocol address to SCHESSO’s residence. In June 2010, agents executed a search warrant on SCHESSO’s Vancouver home. Investigators found more than 3,100 images and 500 movie files of child pornography on SCHESSO’s computers. They also located a media card for a digital camera. Forensic examination of the media card revealed photos of a young child in sexually explicit poses. Agents identified furniture and blankets in the photos as items in SCHESSO’s home, and identified the child as one who had visited SCHESSO’s home.
SCHESSO is required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison. SCHESSO has served almost three years of a 40-month sentence in state court for attempted child molestation. The 12-year federal prison term begins with the sentencing hearing in July and will run concurrent to the remaining state prison sentence.
The case was investigated by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci Ellsworth.
Former Bend Resident Sentenced for $311,000 Fruadulent Refund Scheme and for Filing Retaliatory Liens Against IRS EmployeesRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore. – On Wednesday, April 16, 2014, U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken sentenced Mark Timothy Ellis, 38, of Oregon City, Oregon, for making a fraudulent claim to the United States and for filing a false lien against a federal employee to serve 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $311,459 in restitution.
According to court documents, Ellis admitted that he made a false claim to the United States when he filed a series of fraudulent documents with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including false 1099s and false tax returns, and obtained a fraudulent $311,459 refund based on those false documents. Ellis also admitted that he filed a false and retaliatory lawsuit and false and retaliatory liens against the IRS employees who were investigating his illegal conduct, including the special agent who was investigating him for tax fraud, as a means of retaliation and intimidation.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Hobbs Act Robbery & CarjackingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced GREGORY JAMES BURGESS , 28, of Fayetteville to 168 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
BURGESS was named in an Indictment filed on April 13, 2013, charging him with six counts. The Indictment charged Hobbs Act Robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, carjacking, using and carrying firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, felon in possession of firearms, and possession of a stolen firearm. On June 5, 2013, BURGESS pled guilty to the Hobbs Act Robbery, carjacking, and using and carrying firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence charges.
According to the investigation, BURGESS and his co-conspirator, entered the Little Vegas Sweepstakes, an internet gaming business located in Fayetteville, which is now closed. BURGESS and his co-conspirator forced two victims at gunpoint from one room into another. BURGESS punched one victim in the face. BURGESS pilfered though the office of Little Vegas Sweepstakes and the cash register. He took $1,000 from the cash register, along with an employee’s wallet and $90 lying on the office desk. BURGESS struck a customer in the back of the head with a firearm after the victim stated he didn’t know where the keys to his vehicle were located. BURGESS pulled a video camera from the office ceiling and attempted to locate the surveillance tape. BURGESS and his co-conspirator fled the scene in a truck that they stole from one of the victims inside the store.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
Ivestigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department, the Hope Mills Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette prosecuted the case for the government.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter was sentenced on April 14, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Jared Slader, age 30, was sentenced to 51 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Slader was indicted for Second Degree Murder by a federal grand jury on September 10, 2013. He pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter on January 1, 2014.
The conviction arose from an incident that occurred on August 31, 2013, when Slader and the victim got into a physical altercation in Eagle Butte. At some point during the fight, Slader retrieved a knife and was stabbing and swinging the knife up and toward the victim’s body. Slader and the victim were pulled apart, but then resumed fighting. The victim was taken to the local hospital, and then transported to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he died due to multiple sharp force-type injuries, including stab wounds to the abdomen and shoulder, and multiple incised wounds.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Slader was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault with A Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on April 14, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Francis Thompson, a/k/a Sonny Thompson, age 26, was sentenced to 48 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, $163.20 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted by a federal grand jury on two separate cases. In the first case he was for indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and the second case for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. On January 22, 2014, Thompson pled guilty to both charges.
The first case occurred in September 2013 when Thompson became angry at the victim and without just cause or excuse, swung and punched the victim with his fist on the left side of the victim’s face. As a result of the unlawful assault, the victim required surgery to repair some of the facial fractures.
In the second case, Thompson got into an altercation with the victim. He chased the victim out of an apartment and when Thompson caught up to the victim, he hit him in the back of the head with a small child’s wooden chair, causing the victim to fall to the ground. Thompson then struck the victim several more times with the chair while the victim was on the ground.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Durant Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma to Pay $1.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act LawsuitRead the Press Release
Muskogee, Oklahoma - The Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma, located in Durant, Oklahoma, and its parent, Health Management Associates, Inc., have agreed to pay $1,065,000 to the United States and $435,000.00 to the State of Oklahoma to resolve allegations that the hospital billed SoonerCare, the Oklahoma Medicaid Program, for surgical procedures performed by Dr. Daniel Castro, and related hospital services, that were not medically necessary, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today. The settlement also resolves claims that the hospital billed for services related to surgical procedures that Castro did not perform. In January of this year, HMA was acquired by Community Health Systems, a nationwide acute care hospital chain. MCSO is an acute care hospital in Durant, Oklahoma, and Dr. Castro is an otolaryngologist who practiced at MCSO from 2005 to 2010.
Mark Green, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, stated: “Health Care Fraud is a tremendous problem in Eastern Oklahoma as well as across the nation. Fraud, such as billing for services that aren’t necessary, costs the taxpayers of Oklahoma thousands of dollars. The False Claims Act is a valuable weapon in the government’s arsenal to combat these types of abuses.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that MCSO submitted claims to SoonerCare for surgical procedures performed by Dr. Castro, and related hospital services that were not medically necessary. The surgical procedures in question were functional endoscopic sinus surgeries (FESS) performed by Dr. Castro on children who were SoonerCare beneficiaries. According to the United States, Dr. Castro performed FESS’s on children that were not medically indicated, and Dr. Castro and the hospital billed SoonerCare for the unnecessary surgeries and related hospital services. The settlement also resolves claims that MCSO billed SoonerCare for hospital services related to FESS’s that Dr. Castro did not actually perform.
The allegations that the government has settled with MCSO and HMA were raised in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower, Sandra Simmons, will receive $159,750 as part of today’s settlement.
This civil settlement and the government’s intervention illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and mark another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $19 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $13.6 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
This case was a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Sandra Simmons v. Health Management Associates, Inc., Durant H.M.A., LLC d/b/a Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma, Durant HMA Physician Management, LLC and Dan J. Castro, M.D., Case No. CIV-12-043-JHP (E.D. Okla.).
Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Brandon and Robert Gay Guthrie are assigned to the case.
The claims settled or pursued by the government are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Drug Violations Draw Prison Term for Billings WomanRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on April 16, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, MARY ROSE DAY, 31, of Billings, was sentenced to a term of 60 months' imprisonment and 5 years supervised release.
Day was sentenced in connection with her January 2014, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek, the government stated that in 2009, Day was convicted of distribution of dangerous drugs in Hill County. Day was on state supervision when she came to the attention of the Billings drug task force through the state probation and parole office during the spring of 2012.
On April 4, 2012, the drug task force was contacted by State probation and parole for assistance. Probation and parole were looking for a parolee, because they had a warrant for her arrest. At the house, officers found Day as well as others. In the house were multiple items of drug distribution and drug use - mirrors with residue, new small baggies, a digital scale, and syringes. Parole officers looked at Day's cell phone and read text messages that referenced illegal drug activity.
Again, on April 23, 2012, state probation and parole found Day in possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Day was arrested on new state drug charges and probation violations. She bonded out at some point before May 11, 2012.
On May 11, 2012, Deputy U.S. Marshals were assisting State probation and parole conduct a parole search of Day. Day was located at an apartment in Billings. The deputies were concerned that Day would try to escape out of a window of the apartment and, consequently, they positioned themselves around the apartment in the event that Day did attempt an escape. After the probation officers knocked on the door of the apartment and identified themselves, one of the deputies saw a female hand throw something out of the bathroom window into the window well. Day was the only female in the house. The plastic bag that Day threw out the window contained over 8 grams of actual methamphetamine (88% pure). Day also threw three pipes and a torch head out of the window with the methamphetamine. Also recovered were a scale, cash, and cell phones containing text messages referencing illegal drug activity.
The term pure methamphetamine refers to the purity contained in the transacted amount which is usually "cut" with inert ingredients that make the actual product less pure but more profitable as drugs are generally sold based on quantity not quality.
District Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison for Killing One Man and Wounding Another in 2012 Confrontation-Defendant Stabbed Victims During Fight in Southeast Washington-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donzell Butler, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years and four months in prison on charges stemming from an attack in which he fatally stabbed one man and wounded another, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Butler pled guilty in January 2014, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter and felony assault. He was sentenced by the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson. Upon completion of his prison term, Butler will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of July 7, 2012, the trouble began with a brief exchange of words between Butler and 20-year-old Charles Scott outside a carry-out restaurant at the corner of East Capitol and 53rd Streets SE. Mr. Scott and a friend, who had gone to the carry-out that night, then walked away, heading north on 53rd Street and turning onto Ames Street SE. Butler was walking in the same direction.
Once on Ames Street, Butler exchanged words with Mr. Scott’s friend, and a physical confrontation then ensued. Mr. Scott attempted to assist his friend in the fight, and another person came to assist Butler in the confrontation. As events continued, Mr. Scott fought Butler with his fists. At some point, Butler escalated the level of violence, stabbing Mr. Scott in the neck and shoulder and stabbing Mr. Scott’s friend in the upper body.
Mr. Scott fell to the ground, and Mr. Butler fled. Mr. Scott and his friend were transported to a local hospital, where Mr. Scott died from his injuries.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kendra Johnson and Sandra Lane and Victim/Witness Advocate Tamara Ince. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Bradford, who investigated the case, and Reagan M. Taylor, who prosecuted the matter.
14-091District Man Sentenced to 23-Month Prison Term for Accosting 10-Year-Old and 12-Year-Old GirlsSeparate Incidents Took Place in 2012Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Gantt, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 23 months in prison on charges stemming from his sexual abuse of two girls in separate incidents during the summer of 2012, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Gantt pled guilty in January 2014, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of attempted second-degree child sexual abuse and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Upon completion of his prison term, Gantt will be placed on three years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, in July 2012, Gantt molested a 12-year-old girl in the laundry room of an apartment building in Southeast Washington. Approximately one month later, Gantt inappropriately touched a 10-year-old girl who was visiting a friend who lived in Gantt’s apartment.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Jason Manuel and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-089District Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Shooting Store Manager During Attempted Robbery-Victim, Shot in the Back, Remains Partially Paralyzed-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ricky Vinston, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for shooting a store manager in the back during an attempted robbery of a drugstore in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Vinston pled guilty in October 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to aggravated assault while armed and assault with intent to rob while armed against two separate victims. The plea agreement, which called for a sentence of 13 to 17 years in prison, was contingent upon the approval of the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Upon completion of his prison term, Vinston will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 13, 2012, at approximately 12:25 p.m., Vinston entered a Rite Aid store in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE. He approached a clerk and asked about the price of a pack of candy. While the clerk worked to verify the price, Vinston brandished a handgun and demanded the money from the store’s cash register. The clerk fled, and Vinston began attempting to open the cash register himself.
At this point, the store’s manager walked towards the defendant to try and prevent any violence. Vinston told the manager he had two minutes to open the cash register. When the manager struggled to get it open, Vinston counted to three, cocked his firearm, and fired once at close range. The manager, hit in the back, fell to the floor. He was later rushed to the hospital, where he received emergency surgery to repair the damage to his spine caused by the bullet. Since the shooting, the manager remains partially paralyzed from the waist down and must use a wheelchair.
Vinston was arrested a week after the attack.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the efforts of the detectives and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, whose investigation revealed the defendant’s identity as the shooter. He also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialist Kalisha Clark. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Smith and Nicholas Cannon, who investigated and secured the indictment in the case, and James Ewing, who handled post-plea litigation and sentencing.
14-088District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed and Other Charges in 2012 Murder of Unarmed TeenagerDefendant and Two Accomplices Fired at Least 28 Shots at Group of Unarmed Young MenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Calvin Shaw, 24, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges for the July 4, 2012 shooting of a group of unarmed teenagers and young men, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today. Shaw also was convicted of charges stemming from a second shooting earlier that year.
Shaw, also known as Sharkim Sharp, was found guilty by the jury on April 17, 2014, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on June 20, 2014 by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson. Shaw faces a mandatory minimum of 67 years of incarceration and a maximum sentence of 290 years in prison for the various offenses.
In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Shaw guilty of five counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of aggravated assault while armed, and related weapons offenses for the July 4, 2012 shooting, which took place in the 5000 block of First Street NW. He also was found guilty of two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and related weapons offenses for an April 18, 2012 shooting that occurred in the same block.
According to the government’s evidence, the murder took place at about 7:55 p.m. on July 4, 2012, when Shaw and two accomplices walked into the 5000 block of First Street NW and opened fire on a group of unarmed teenagers and young men who were gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday and enjoy a cookout. As the teenagers and young man ran for cover, a gunshot pierced the back of 19-year-old Crevontai Key, severing his aortic arch and killing him. A second 19-year-old victim suffered serious injuries when he was shot in the abdomen. A 15-year-old victim was injured when a bullet grazed the top of the head. A fourth young man was shot in the back, with the bullet exiting his neck. Several other young men were shot at as they ran away. In total, Shaw and his two accomplices fired 28 times at the group of young men.
The jury also found Shaw guilty of the April 18, 2012 shooting of a young man in the same block, and of attempting to shoot another young man who rushed to that victim’s aid.In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the FBI. U.S. Attorney Machen also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Kwasi Fields; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Witness Security Specialist Debra Cannon; and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Michelle Parikh, who tried the case, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Hegyi and Heather Carlton, who investigated the case.
14-090Delray Beach Resident Sentenced in Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announce that Jeffrey Emil Groover, 53, of Delray Beach, was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenbaum to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Groover was ordered to pay $350,373.86 in restitution. Groover previously pled guilty to the indictment, which charged him with making and presenting false claims to the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287.
According to court documents, prior to March 2012, victims’ personal identification information was used to electronically file fraudulent federal tax returns and obtain tax refunds via U.S. Treasury checks and refund anticipated loan checks, payable to the victims whose tax returns had been fraudulently filed. Groover’s part in this scheme was to deposit the fraudulent tax refund checks into two business accounts, Affordable Pest Protection and Useful Products, companies he owned and controlled. Groover attempted to use those proceeds for himself and to pay others involved in the scheme.
Court documents state that in March 2012, Groover opened a merchant account at Telecheck Services, Inc. in the name of Affordable Pest Protection. Several large U.S. Treasury checks were processed through the defendant's business account. Groover stated to Telecheck that he met with each of the named payees on the tax refund checks in person to convert their tax refund checks into pre-paid extermination and disinfection services. Groover further explained that he was trying to “mimic” automobile dealerships’ promotions by allowing clients to bring him their tax refund checks and apply the refund amounts to pre-paid pest control services. When TeleCheck requested that Groover provide documentation to support his claim that the refund checks were provided to Affordable Pest Protection by customers as payment for services rendered, Groover provided Telecheck copies of Affordable Pest Protection invoices billing the payees of the tax refund checks for services he never provided. None of the payees received the tax refund checks issued in their names. Nor did the payees endorse the checks or authorize Affordable Pest protection or Groover to claim the tax refund check.
In sentencing the defendant to a sentence significantly above the sentencing guideline range, the judge noted the defendant’s extensive criminal history, his recent arrest for a new identity theft crime while on bond awaiting sentencing, and the large number of victims who suffered, some for years, as a result of his repeated commission of identity theft crimes. The judge also noted that while serving a 46 month sentence for identity theft in 2004, the defendant provided testimony to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, in which he explained how easy it was to commit identity theft using the internet and how his 46 month sentence would cause him to never commit such crimes again. Since the 46 month sentence had not deterred Groover from committing new crimes, the judge imposed a 60 month sentence.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Rabinowitz.
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.
Debary Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell sentenced Steven George Higbee (52, Debary) yesterday to 7 ½ years in federal prison for firearm and drug offenses, including possession of a firearm by a person subject to a domestic violence protection order, attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Higbee pleaded guilty on January 24, 2014.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2013 and September 12, 2013, in a store parking lot in Seminole County, Higbee possessed and sold a total of four firearms to another individual. Higbee also told this individual that he was interested in trading firearms for cocaine. On October 1, 2013, Higbee met this same individual a third time and gave him four firearms, including an AR-15 rifle, in exchange for approximately four ounces of cocaine. Shortly after receiving the cocaine, Higbee was arrested and the cocaine and firearms were recovered. During an interview following his arrest, Higbee admitted to law enforcement that he intended to sell the cocaine to individuals in Pennsylvania and New York.
At the time of these offenses, there was a valid domestic violence protection order issued against Higbee. As such, he was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition under federal law.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
It is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Julie Leon, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline strategy to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life where law enforcement efforts are focused.
Career Offender Bank Robber Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, OR. – On April 17, 2014, Chief United States District Judge Ann Aiken sentenced career offender Leodis Robert Roach, 31, of Multnomah County, Oregon, to serve fourteen years and four months in federal prison for robbing the Eugene downtown branch of the Bank of America, and a ten-year concurrent sentence for possessing a loaded pistol while he was a passenger in a car outside of Spokane, Washington. Roach will serve his federal sentences concurrently with state prison sentences he is presently serving in Oregon for first degree robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In 2001, Roach shot a person in Portland, Oregon, over an illegal drug debt and was convicted of assault in the first degree. He was released from prison in 2009, and attended classes at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon.
In April 2010, Roach was convicted of attempting to elude Portland police, a felony. In May 2011, Roach was arrested by U.S. Marshals for illegally possessing a loaded .45 caliber pistol near Spokane, Washington. Roach was released from custody pending his trial on the federal firearm charge.
On June 21, 2011, while committing a robbery, Roach exchanged gunfire with a drug dealer in a commercial area of Portland, Oregon. On July 22, 2011, Roach robbed the Bank of America in Eugene and, with the aid of an accomplice, returned to Portland, Oregon. On August 19, 2011, Roach was arrested by Portland police for the June 21, 2011, robbery. On March 20, 2013, an Oregon state judge sentenced Roach to ten years in prison after a jury found him guilty of first degree robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On November 14, 2013, Roach appeared in federal court in Eugene and pled guilty to robbing the Bank of America in Eugene as a career criminal. Roach earlier pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the loaded pistol in Washington. Today, Judge Aiken imposed the 14 year sentence for the federal offenses, and ordered them to be served concurrently with Roach’s state sentences.
The federal cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Portland Police Department, the Eugene Police Department and the Washington State Patrol. They were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank R. Papagni, Jr., and Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed.
Canton Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Years in Prison for Laundering Gambling ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Canton man was sentenced to nearly two years in prison and ordered to forfeit $28,000 in cash as well as cell phones and computers after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder illegal gambling proceeds, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Conrad (Smokey) Everett, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Cleveland Field Office.
Christos Karasarides, 48, was sentenced to 22 months in prison. He was also fined $25,000, in addition to the forfeiture ordered by U.S. District Judge James Gwin.
Kararsides conducted a sports bookmaking business by accepting wagers on sporting events, including NFL football, NCAA football, NBA basketball and NCAA basketball games, paying out winnings, collecting losses and collecting a percentage or “vigorish” for each wager placed, according to court documents
Kararsides used off-shore internet gambling services to record and process bets paid by gamblers. He also accepted payments of gamblers’ losses in the name of his business to facilitate the collection and hid the nature of the source of the sports bookmaking activities, according to court documents.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of Oxycodone and was sentenced to one year in prison for that offense, to be served concurrently to the money laundering sentence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Yannucci and Robert E. Bulford following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Secret Service Money Laundering Task Force, is a multi- agency group comprised of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Cleveland Police Department.
Butte County Sex Offender Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today charging Joshua Landon Klipp, 32, of Chico, with one count of production of child pornography, six counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, between May 13, 2013, and July 10, 2013, Klipp persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of those acts and for the purpose of transmitting live visual depictions of that conduct. Klipp received these images from the minor, as well as other images through the Internet between March 20, 2013, and September 18, 2013.
According to the indictment, Klipp was required to register as a sex offender under California Penal Code Section 290 after being convicted of sex offenses involving a minor in 2009 in Butte County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chico Police Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of producing child pornography, Klipp faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 to 50 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of receiving child pornography, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 to 40 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.