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Thursday 10 April 2014
Norfolk Man Faces More Prison TimeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Lawrence Leo Hawkins, Jr., 35, of Norfolk, Va., was convicted today by a federal jury of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of heroin; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and felon in possession of a firearm.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charles E. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Hawkins faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on July 17, 2014.
Hawkins was previously indicted on December 19, 2012. According to court records and evidence at trial, the police executed a search warrant at a residence in Norfolk based on the robbery of a cellphone. GPS indicated that the cellphone was located in or near that residence. While conducting a search regarding the robbery, the police found significant quantities of cocaine, quantities of heroin, three guns, packaging material, grinders, sieves, scales and other drug related materials. Several forms of the defendant’s identification were found with these items. The defendant, who was present at the location, was placed under arrest. A key found in the defendant’s pocket opened a safe that contained cocaine, heroin, and two firearms. The robbery of the cellphone was conducted by the son of the defendant’s girlfriend who lived at the residence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney William D. Muhr is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States 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.
New London Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Heroin, Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE MORALES, 53, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and illegally possessing firearms.
In early 2012, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the U.S. Secret Service and the New London Police Department initiated an investigation to combat the large-scale trafficking of heroin and cocaine from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico into and around southeastern Connecticut. The investigation revealed that Luis Ariel Capellan Maldonado, also known as “Ariel,” and his associates were receiving heroin from sources in the Dominican Republic and distributing it throughout New London County. MORALES purchased raw heroin from Maldonado’s associate and sold it to his own customers, typically in quantities of five to ten grams at a time.
MORALES was arrested on April 3, 2013. A search of his Willets Avenue residence on that date revealed a shotgun, a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, several rounds of ammunition, heroin packaging material and $940 in cash.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
MORALES has been detained since his arrest. On January 6, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.
MORALES has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for sexual assault, violating a protective order, threatening, robbery and larceny.
More than 100 individuals have been charged with federal and state offenses as a result of this investigation. Maldonado has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine; Connecticut State Police; New London Police Department, Norwich Police Department, Waterford Police Department, Groton Town Police Department, East Lyme Police Department and Putnam Police Department. The United States Marshals Service; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; HSI Assistant Attaché, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; HSI Arecibo, Puerto Rico Resident Office; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services; and the Groton City, Willimantic, New Haven and Bristol Police Departments have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alina P. Reynolds, Sarah P. Karwan and Henry K. Kopel. The state cases are being prosecuted by the State’s Attorney for the New London Judicial District and Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Paul Narducci and Stephen Carney.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
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Tom Carson
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[email protected]NYC Contractor Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Kathryn Keneally, the Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division of the Department of Justice, and Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced that NICK A. JODHA, a/k/a “Nick Persaud,” the owner of a contracting business that provided heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) services throughout the New York City metropolitan area, pled guilty today for his role in a tax evasion scheme. JODHA pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Sullivan.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Nick Jodha has admitted to hiding income and to filing false corporate and personal tax returns, not once but for four consecutive years. His dishonesty cost the government more than $200,000 in tax revenue, and it now will likely cost him his liberty.”
Assistant Attorney General Kathy Keneally said: “Taxpayers who own businesses and seek to evade paying their fair share of taxes, whether through failing to report all of their business’s proceeds or falsely treating personal expenses as business deductions, will be held accountable. The Department of Justice remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who choose to violate the tax laws.”
IRS-CI Chief Richard Weber said: "Jodha's attempt to evade tax by hiding income and filing false returns was a theft from the American public. It is a felony offense that carries severe consequences. The overarching principle of IRS's enforcement strategy is simply this: We protect the integrity of the tax system by ensuring everyone pays the right amount of tax."
According to the allegations contained in the Information and statements made at the plea proceeding:
JODHA operated and was a 50% owner of United HVAC Services, Inc. (“United HVAC”), an HVAC contracting firm based in South Ozone Park, New York, with operations throughout New York City. From 2007 through 2010, JODHA cashed more than $2.3 million in checks made payable to United HVAC at a check cashing service in Manhattan, rather than depositing the business checks into the business’s corporate bank account. JODHA used the proceeds from the cashed checks for business and personal purposes.
During the same time period, in order to prepare both personal and corporate income tax returns, JODHA provided his accountant with the statements from the business bank account of United HVAC. However, JODHA failed to inform his accountant of the checks he cashed at the check cashing service, which were not reflected in the statements of United HVAC’s business bank account. Moreover, JODHA failed to advise his accountant that he used a portion of the cashed checks for business and personal expenses.
JODHA admitted to filing false S-Corporation income tax returns on behalf United HVAC for the tax years 2007 through 2010, which omitted any business activity and flow-through income concerning the cashed business checks, and to filing false individual income tax returns for the tax years 2007 through 2010, which understated his true taxable income and the taxes due on that income. As a result of his conduct, JODHA admitted to causing the government a tax loss of approximately $214,529.
JODHA, 43, of South Ozone Park, New York, and Kissimmee, Florida, pled guilty to one count of tax evasion and faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, JODHA has agreed to pay the IRS restitution in the amount of $214,529. JODHA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Richard J. Sullivan on July 24, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the efforts of IRS-CI in the investigation. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division for their significant assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Almonte of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division is in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. v. Nick A. Jodha Information
Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to 20 Years for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Curtis Lee Dallas (32, Orlando) to 20 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing that firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Dallas to forfeit the Taurus pistol and 9mm ammunition he possessed at the time of his arrest. A federal jury found Dallas guilty on April 30, 2013.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on the evening of February 16, 2012, officers with the Orlando Police Department pulled Dallas over for a suspected window tint violation. When one of the officers approached Dallas’ vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana and saw that Dallas, seated in the driver’s seat, had marijuana sprinkled across his lap. The officer also realized that Dallas was hiding something in his mouth. Dallas refused to get out of the car and struggled with the officer. After removing Dallas from the car, the officer located a loaded 9mm pistol tucked into a holster, clipped to his pants. During a subsequent search of Dallas and the vehicle, officers found several plastic bags filled with marijuana, a plastic bag filled with crack cocaine, almost $1,000 in cash, and a 50-count box of 9mm bullets. After Dallas was arrested, he also spit out a plastic bag filled with powder cocaine that he had hidden in his mouth.
At the time of his arrest, Dallas had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
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.
Mountain City and Boone Residents Sentenced for Conspiring to Manufacture MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Two individuals involved in a methamphetamine conspiracy were sentenced on Apr. 9, 2014, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge. Amber R. Coffey, 31, of Boone, N.C., was sentenced to serve 148 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Crystal E. Potter, 30, of Mountain City, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
A total of 20 individuals, including Coffey and Potter, were indicted in May 2013 for conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine and possessing equipment, chemicals, materials, and products to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. All individuals charged in this case have been adjudicated guilty and have either been sentenced or will be sentenced later this year.
The charges against these individuals stemmed from a lengthy investigation spanning from August 2006 to May 2013. The investigation revealed that they conspired to obtain pseudoephedrine and other products needed to manufacture methamphetamine from various sources in the Eastern District of Tennessee, Western District of North Carolina, and Western District of Virginia. The pseudoephedrine and other products were then used to manufacture methamphetamine utilizing the “shake and bake” method. The methamphetamine was used and distributed in the Eastern District of Tennessee.
This investigation was a result of the collaborative efforts of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, First Judicial District Drug Task Force, Tennessee Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Task Force, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Kerney-Quillen and Caryn Hebets represent the United States.
Mobile County Meth Cook Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. –Clarence Ray Lee, 31, of Irvington, was sentenced today in federal court to 72 months imprisonment. Lee pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in connection with and in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony in 2013. Court documents reflect that Lee was arrested after DHR workers responded to a welfare check at a trailer on Judge Irwin Drive and discovered what appeared to be a methamphetamine lab. Mobile Count Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene, and Lee and his co-defendants Miles Alexander and Cecily Colvin, approached the residence in a vehicle while the deputies were investigating. When they were detained, sheriff’s deputies discovered additional components of a meth lab, gasoline cans, propane tanks and a gun in the car. The gun was discovered under Lee’s seat in the vehicle. Also present in the vehicle was one of Colvin’s two minor children. The other child was at the trailer when DHR workers arrived for the welfare check.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the sentence, consisting of a mandatory consecutive 60-month sentence on the gun charge, and a 12-month sentence on the methamphetamine manufacturing conspiracy. Judge Steele did not impose a fine, but ordered that Lee pay a special mandatory assessment of $200.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney's Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Mobile County Meth Cook Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. – Thomas McThaniel Turner, 31, of Wilmer, was sentenced today in federal court to a term of 59 months imprisonment for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Turner pled guilty to the charge in 2013 and has been held in federal custody pending the imposition of sentence. United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade imposed the sentence this morning and ordered that Turner undergo drug treatment while in prison and after his release on a four-year term of supervision, which will follow his imprisonment. She did not impose a fine, but ordered that Turner pay the $100 special mandatory assessment.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney=s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Meth Cook Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. – Joseph Thomas Plamann, 28, of Robertsdale, was sentenced today in federal court to a term of 48 months imprisonment for his participation in a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the sentence, and ordered that Plamann undergo drug treatment both during his term of imprisonment and after his release on a five-year term of supervision. The judge did not impose a fine, but ordered that Plamann pay $100 in mandatory special assessments. The sentence was imposed pursuant to a guilty plea entered earlier.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Loxley Police Department. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney's Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Melvin Taylor Indicted for Crack Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a one-count indictment on Mar. 4, 2014, against Melvin Taylor, 41, of Jefferson City, Tenn., for distribution of crack cocaine. Taylor appeared in court on Apr. 9, 2014, before U.S. Magistrate Judge C. Clifford Shirley, Jr., and pleaded not guilty. He was detained pending trial, which has been set for Jun. 17, 2014, in U.S. District Court in Knoxville.
The indictment alleges that in December 2013 Taylor distributed a quantity of crack cocaine to another individual. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every defendant is presumed innocent until his or her guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Massachusetts Man Convicted of Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Jermaine Whindleton, 28, formerly of Worcester, Massachusetts, was found guilty yesterday in
U.S. District Court in Portland, following a two-day jury trial, of being a felon in possession of a
firearm.According to trial evidence and court documents, in 2009, Whindleton was convicted in
Massachusetts of felony drug and assault charges. Several years earlier, he had also been
convicted in New York of felony drug and assault charges. On June 12, 2012, Whindleton used a
Mossberg 16 gauge pump-action shotgun in Porter, Maine to assault a drug associate by striking
him on the back of his head with the butt end of the firearm during an argument over a drug debt
owed to Whindleton.Whindleton is subject to an enhanced sentence as an Armed Career Criminal. He faces a
mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He will be
sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Martin Woman Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Martin, South Dakota, woman convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter was sentenced on April 4, 2014, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Stephanie Red Willow, age 26, was sentenced to custody until April 11, 2014, for a total of over 6 months' custody, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Willow was indicted for Felony Child Abuse and Neglect and Involuntary Manslaughter by a federal grand jury on September 24, 2013. She pled guilty to the Involuntary Manslaughter charge on November 27, 2013.
The charge related to Red Willow consuming alcohol and then falling asleep while holding her infant child on a couch on July 23, 2013, in Martin. She awoke to find the child face down and unresponsive. The child was later pronounced dead at the Martin hospital.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Red Willow was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Loxahatchee Pair Sentenced in Government Benefit Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Lester Fernandez, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Caul, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of Inspector General, Atlanta Field Division, Karen Citizen-Wilcox, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General, and Brian P. Martens, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announce that Gloria Nereida Valle-Clas, 49, and Alexander Gonzalez, 41, of Loxahatchee, were sentenced today in West Palm Beach before United States Senior District Judge Kenneth L. Ryskamp.
Valle-Clas was sentenced to 51 months in prison, three years supervised release, and restitution of $283,359.43. Gonzalez, her husband, was sentenced to 364 days in prison, three years supervised release, and $9,999 in restitution.
Valle-Clas previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and one count of making a false statement to HUD, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. Gonzalez pled guilty to one count of aiding and abetting Valle-Clas in making a false statement to HUD, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
According to the indictment, and as made public at the plea and sentencing hearings, Valle-Clas obtained two social security numbers (SSN), one which was originally associated with her birth name, “Nereida Valle,” and one which was originally associated with the name “Gloria Lopes Clas.” From at least December 2003 to January 2013, she used the SSN for “Nereida Valle” to obtain almost $500,000 in federal housing, social security, food, cash, and medical benefits from HUD, SSA, USDA and HHS. At the same time, she used the SSN for “Gloria Lopes Clas” to obtain mortgage loans and buy real estate in both Broward and Palm Beach Counties. As “Gloria Clas,” she sold two Broward properties for a profit of over $200,000. She also purchased over an acre of property in Loxahatchee on which she built an approximately 2,700 square foot residence. After the residence was built, she received a $200,000 HELOC collateralized by the property, but defaulted on it owing over $150,000. At various times, her husband, Gonzalez, assisted her in obtaining housing benefits.
Valle-Clas, who formally changed her name from “Nereida Valle” to “Gloria Nereida Valle-Clas” in 2003, used approximately 12 aliases in perpetrating the scheme, most of which were variations on “Nereida Valle” and “Gloria Lopes Clas.”
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of HUD-Office of Inspector General, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, SSA-Office of Inspector General, USDA-Office of Inspector General, and the HHS-OIG. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Bell.
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.
Local Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Failure to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – JAMES T. MAHONEY pled guilty to failing to file tax returns.
According to court documents, Mahoney was an accountant and had been preparing tax returns since 1987. He became self-employed in 1997 and originally ran his business from his residence in Kirkwood, Missouri. Mahoney provided professional tax preparation services and prepared tax returns for individual and business entities.
Mahoney earned a substantial income for the tax years of 2007, 2008 and 2009. As a result of that income he owed a total tax of more than $180,000. Mahoney admitted with his plea that he purposely failed to file income tax returns for those tax years, and has not paid his taxes for those years.
"With the April 15 tax deadline looming, it is important for people to have confidence that when they pay their taxes, their neighbors and co-workers are doing the same," said Sybil Smith, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the St. Louis Field Office.
Mahoney, Kirkwood, MO, pled guilty to one count of failing to file tax returns before United States Magistrate Judge Terry I. Adelman. Sentencing has been set for July 9, 2014.
He now faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and/or fines up to $25,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Howard Marcus is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Local Man Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Sentence on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – ROBERT HENNINGS was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. Hennings was sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal under 18 U.S.C. Section 924(e).
According to court documents, on April 14, 2013, St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers received a 911 call from a man reporting that his mother's neighbor was threatening his mother with a handgun. Officers arrived at the scene where they found the victim, who informed officers that Hennings pointed a handgun at her. While officers were still at the apartment, Hennings returned and was arrested. A search of the area revealed Hennings' coat under a bush in the front yard of the apartment building with a loaded semi-automatic pistol in the coat pocket. They also found a second magazine loaded with six rounds. The victim identified Hennings' coat and the pistol. A review of Hennings' criminal history revealed that he previously was convicted of multiple violent felonies, and as a convicted felon is forbidden by law to own or possess firearms.
Hennings, St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty in January to one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Carol E. Jackson.This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Cristian Stevens is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Last Defendant Sentenced for Counterfeiting GuitarsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Randy Gray, 27, of Fort Worth, TX, was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to traffic in counterfeit guitars carrying the marks of C.F. Martin and Company Guitars, Guild Guitars Incorporated and Gibson Guitar Corporation. The counterfeit goods bore marks that were identical with and substantially indistinguishable from genuine marks in use and registered for those goods on the principal register in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and which are found on genuine guitars, and the use of which was meant to deceive. The scheme resulted in 165 counterfeit guitars being sold to unsuspecting pawn shops which paid a total of approximately $56,000 for the items.
Gray is one of four defendants charged in the case, each of whom pleaded guilty. In addition to one day in jail and three years of supervised release, the judge ordered the following: Gray was ordered to pay $7,617 in restitution; co-defendant Bruce Alford, 41, of Fort Worth, TX, was ordered, on December 5, 2013, to pay $8,701 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Co-defendant Josh Davis, 39, of Galveston, TX, was ordered, on January 15, 2014, to pay $22,047.60 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement; co-defendant Romeo Rondeau, 44, of Fort Worth, TX, was ordered, on November 7, 2013, to pay $7,133.93 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement.
The case was investigated by the FBI – Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gallagher.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Last Defendant Sentenced for Counterfeiting GuitarsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Randy Gray, 27, of Fort Worth, TX, was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to traffic in counterfeit guitars carrying the marks of C.F. Martin and Company Guitars, Guild Guitars Incorporated and Gibson Guitar Corporation. The counterfeit goods bore marks that were identical with and substantially indistinguishable from genuine marks in use and registered for those goods on the principal register in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and which are found on genuine guitars, and the use of which was meant to deceive. The scheme resulted in 165 counterfeit guitars being sold to unsuspecting pawn shops which paid a total of approximately $56,000 for the items.
Gray is one of four defendants charged in the case, each of whom pleaded guilty. In addition to one day in jail and three years of supervised release, the judge ordered the following: Gray was ordered to pay $7,617 in restitution; co-defendant Bruce Alford, 41, of Fort Worth, TX, was ordered, on December 5, 2013, to pay $8,701 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Co-defendant Josh Davis, 39, of Galveston, TX, was ordered, on January 15, 2014, to pay $22,047.60 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement; co-defendant Romeo Rondeau, 44, of Fort Worth, TX, was ordered, on November 7, 2013, to pay $7,133.93 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement.
The case was investigated by the FBI – Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gallagher.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A local man who was convicted by a jury in September 2013 of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his involvement in a scheme to obtain $35 million in fraudulent mortgage loans, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Jabari L. Marshall, 36, of Las Vegas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. Marshall was also ordered to pay approximately $250,000 in restitution and to forfeit up to $6.1 million in assets that were gained as a result of the crimes. Marshall has been in custody since his arrest in January 2012, and has a lengthy criminal history, including two prior federal convictions in Nevada for bank fraud/check fraud type crimes. Marshall was also on federal supervised release when he committed this crime.
“Since 2008, hundreds of persons have been prosecuted by the Nevada United States Attorney’s Office for this type of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “By now, the message should be clear that if you get convicted of committing a mortgage fraud offense, you will spend a significant time in federal prison.”
From about 2005 to 2007, Marshall and nine co-conspirators obtained mortgage loans through the use of straw buyers and by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications to federally insured financial institutions. Once the mortgage loans were approved, the conspirators caused money from the loan transactions to be disbursed to their own use and benefit. The conspirators typically rented the homes and re-sold them for a profit, using the same scheme. Some of the homes were “flipped” or sold twice within short periods of time. The conspirators then defaulted on the loans, causing approximately $15 million in losses to the lenders. The conspirators used this fraudulent scheme to purchase 30 homes in Las Vegas between 2005 and 2007. The total value of the mortgages was approximately $35 million.Defendant Lloyd Gardley was considered to be the leader of the conspiracy. Lloyd Gardley, Candis Gardley, and Marshall recruited straw buyers, loan officers and others into the scheme. Marshall also provided false Social Security numbers and false documents for some of the loans. The other conspirators included two loan officers, two real estate agents, an escrow assistant, an accountant, and an individual who provided false verifications of rent. All nine co-conspirators were convicted and have been sentenced.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Pugh and Sarah E. Griswold.
This case was handled in connection with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.Las Vegas Man Indicted for Interstate Transportation of A Minor for Prohibited Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Donald J. Peel, 63, of Las Vegas, Nev., charging him with interstate transportation of a minor for prohibited sexual contact, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Peel initiated a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl in Las Vegas in late 2013. In February 2014, Peel and the minor began a five‑state trip throughout the Western United States that included Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and California. Peel and the minor engaged in sexual conduct in each of the five states. On March 19, 2014, Peel was arrested in Weed, Calif., with the minor still accompanying him. Peel has been in custody since his arrest and is scheduled for arraignment on April 16, 2014.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Weed Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew G. Morris is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Peel faces a sentence of at least 10 years, and up to life 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.
Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Forged and Counterfeited Postage StampsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – James H. Clark, Jr., 61, of Las Cruces, N.M., pleaded guilty this afternoon to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to use forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Clark, the owner and operator of a business selling books through internet websites, was indicted on Feb. 19, 2014, and charged with possession with intent to use forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps with an aggregate value of $9,142.98.
Today Clark entered a guilty plea to the indictment. In his plea agreement, Clark admitted that on Oct. 19, 2010, he knowingly possessed 1,527 forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps that he created by copying original postage meter stamps that he purchased from stamps.com. Clark further admitted that he intended to use the forged and counterfeited stamps to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service. He acknowledged that the total face value of the forged and counterfeited stamps was $9,142.98.
In the plea agreement, Clark and the United States stipulated that the U.S. Postal Service sustained $365,827.00 in losses as a result of Clark’s criminal activities. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Clark will be required to pay restitution to the U.S. Postal Service in that amount.
At sentencing, Clark faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Shapiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
La Jolla-Based Luxury Car Dealer Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance CrimesRead the Press Release
San Diego, CA – Marc Alan Chase, the proprietor of a La Jolla-based luxury car dealership, pleaded guilty today to eight misdemeanor counts of campaign finance crimes, including conspiracy, aiding and abetting contributions by a foreign national and making a conduit or “straw” contribution in connection with a federal campaign. He faces up to eight years in prison and $800,000 in fines for his conduct.
At the same hearing, two of Chase’s corporations – South Beach Acquisitions, Inc., and West Coast Acquisitions, Inc. – consented to the filing of felony charges of conspiracy, and entered into deferred prosecution agreements with the government.
As part of his plea agreement, Chase admitted that he conspired with Jose Susumo Azano Matsura, Ravneet Singh, Ernesto Encinas and Marco Polo Cortes (all of whom were indicted on February 18, 2014) to make several illegal campaign contributions in connection with various campaigns for elective office during the 2012 primary and general election cycles. Chase confessed to helping make a series of donations by Azano, a foreign national who by law cannot provide financing to American political campaigns. In addition, Chase admitted to facilitating a conduit contribution in connection with a federal campaign—which is illegal even if the source is a citizen.
In acknowledging his participation in the conspiracy, Chase admitted that he acted to cover up the illegal activity, ensuring that Azano’s name did not appear in any public record or filing.
In addition, Chase detailed one of the earliest incarnations of the illegal campaign finance scheme, admitting that, in 2011, Azano told him to recruit friends and relatives so that each would make the maximum possible donation to “Candidate 1,” a candidate for the office of mayor of San Diego during the 2012 primary election cycle. After giving Chase this instruction, Azano “caused one of his employees” to hand Chase approximately $10,000 in cash. Chase admitted that, just as Azano had instructed him, he distributed the cash among employees, contractors and acquaintances, asking them to make the maximum allowable donation to Candidate 1. Chase told many of them that he was reimbursing them with Azano’s money.
Also as part of the plea, Chase admitted to making three large contributions totaling $180,000 in September and October 2012. According to the plea agreement, Azano told Chase to make the contributions and promised to provide financing for them. In particular, on October 2, 2012, Azano wrote a $380,000 check to “Symbolic,” which Chase deposited into one of his corporations’ bank accounts. Chase admitted that, as agreed with Azano, $180,000 of this money would be used to make campaign contributions in connection with the campaigns of “Candidate 2,” a candidate for federal office, and “Candidate 3,” who was running for mayor. The remaining $200,000 was used to pay for one Andy Warhol serigraph, depicting dollar signs, which Chase had previously sold to Azano.
Incorporated into Chase’s plea agreement was a chart detailing the transactions in September and October 2012, which is reproduced in an appendix to this news release.
Chase’s sentencing hearing has been set for November 13, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Bartick.
Plea Agreement (click HERE)
Information 14CR0926 (click HERE)
DEFENDANT Case Number:Marc Alan Chase
Age: 52 Solana Beach, CA CHARGESCount 1: Conspiracy to Commit Offenses against the United States – 18 U.S.C. § 371.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Count 2-5 and 7-8: Contribution by a Foreign National – 2 U.S.C. §§ 437g(d)(1)(A)(ii) and 441e(a)(1)
Count 6: Conduit Contribution – 2 U.S.C. §§ 437g(d)(1)(A)(ii) and 441f
Maximum penalties for all counts, total: 8 years in prison (one year per count), 1 year of supervised release, and $800,000 in fines ($100,000 per count)Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation
San Diego Police Department*Charging documents, including indictments and informations, are not evidence that the defendant committed the crime charged. All defendants are presumed innocent until the United States meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission Issue Antitrust Policy Statement on Sharing Cybersecurity InformationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today issued a policy statement on the sharing of cybersecurity information that makes clear that properly designed cyber threat information sharing is not likely to raise antitrust concerns and can help secure the nation’s networks of information and resources. The policy statement provides the agencies’ analytical framework for information sharing among private entities and is designed to reduce uncertainty for those who want to share ways to prevent and combat cyberattacks.
“The Department of Justice is committed to doing all it can to protect the security of our nation’s networks. Through the FBI and the National Security and Criminal Divisions, the department plays a critical role in preventing and prosecuting cybercrime,” said Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole. “Private parties play a critical role in mitigating and responding to cyber threats, and this policy statement should encourage them to share cybersecurity information.”
“Cyber threats are increasing in number and sophistication, and sharing information about these threats, such as incident reports, indicators and threat signatures, is something companies can do to protect their information systems and help secure our nation’s infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “With proper safeguards in place, cyber threat information sharing can occur without posing competitive concerns.”
“Because of the FTC’s long experience promoting data security, we understand the serious threat posed by cyberattacks,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “This statement should help private businesses by making it clear that antitrust laws do not stand in the way of legitimate sharing of cybersecurity threat information.”
In the policy statement, the federal antitrust agencies recognize that the sharing of cyber threat information has the potential to improve the security, availability, integrity and efficiency of the nation’s information systems. The policy statement also emphasizes that the legitimate sharing of cyber threat information is very different from the sharing of competitively sensitive information such as current or future prices and output or business plans, which may raise antitrust concerns. Cyber threat information is typically technical in nature and covers a limited type of information, and disseminating that information appears unlikely to raise competitive concerns.
The joint Department of Justice/Federal Trade Commission “Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors” provide an overview of the agencies’ analysis of information sharing as a general matter. The agencies consider whether the relevant agreement likely harms competition by increasing the ability or incentive to raise price above or reduce output, quality, service or innovation below what likely would prevail in the absence of the relevant agreement.
Previous antitrust analysis on cyber threat information sharing was issued in October 2000, when the Antitrust Division issued specific guidance in a business review letter to Electric Power Research Institute Inc. Under the Justice Department’s business review procedure, an organization may submit a proposed action to the Antitrust Division and receive a statement as to whether the division will challenge the action under the antitrust laws. In that letter, the Antitrust Division confirmed that it had no intention of taking enforcement action against the company’s proposal to exchange certain cybersecurity information, including exchanging actual real-time cyber threat and attack information. In that matter, the division concluded that as long as the information exchanged was limited to physical and cybersecurity issues, the proposed interdictions on price, purchasing and future product innovation discussions should be sufficient to avoid any threats to competition. The legal analysis in that matter remains current.
Justice Department Releases Investigative Findings on Albuquerque Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
Following a comprehensive investigation, today the Justice Department announced its findings that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force that violates the Constitution and federal law. The department delivered a letter setting forth these findings to Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden this morning.
The investigation was launched on Nov. 27, 2012, and was conducted jointly by the department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. The investigation examined whether APD engages in an unconstitutional pattern or practice of excessive force, including deadly force, as well as the cause of any pattern or practice of a violation of the law. This investigation did not assess whether any conduct violated criminal laws. Specific cases have been referred to the Criminal Section of the division for consideration.
The department found reasonable cause to believe that APD engages in a pattern or practice of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The department specifically found three patterns of excessive force:
· APD officers too frequently use deadly force against people who pose a minimal threat and in situations where the conduct of the officers heightens the danger and contributes to the need to use force;
· APD officers use less lethal force, including electronic controlled weapons, on people who are passively resisting, non-threatening, observably unable to comply with orders or pose only a minimal threat to the officers; and
· Encounters between APD officers and persons with mental illness and in crisis too frequently result in a use of force or a higher level of force than necessary.
The department also found systemic deficiencies of the APD which contribute to these three patterns, including: deficient policies, failed accountability systems, inadequate training, inadequate supervision, ineffective systems of investigation and adjudication, the absence of a culture of community policing and a lack of sufficient civilian oversight.
The department’s investigation involved an in-depth review of APD documents, as well as extensive community engagement. The department reviewed thousands of materials, including written policies and procedures, internal reports, data, video footage and investigative files. Department attorneys and investigators, assisted by policing experts, also conducted interviews with APD officers, supervisors and command staff, city officials, and with hundreds of community members and local advocates.
“We are very concerned by the results of our investigation and look forward to working with the city of Albuquerque to develop a set of robust and durable reforms,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. “Our work to assist police departments around the nation is intended to advance important principles. Holding police accountable for constitutional practices improves public confidence, promotes public safety and makes the job of providing police services safer, easier and more effective. Public trust has been broken in Albuquerque, but it can be repaired through this process.”
“ Today’s groundbreaking announcement marks a critical milestone in addressing problems that have plagued our community and the Albuquerque Police Department for years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez for the District of New Mexico. “These findings come at a unique time for the city and the Albuquerque Police Department and provide a blueprint for changing the culture of the Albuquerque Police Department and for rebuilding broken relationships with the community it serves. Although there are difficult and systemic issues to resolve, we embrace these challenges and are very optimistic for the future of the Albuquerque Police Department .”
The Justice Department looks forward to continued cooperation with the city and the Albuquerque Police Department to resolve these findings under mutually agreeable terms that will provide accountability to the public and accomplish the remedial measures within a fixed period of time.
The full report can be found at the department website and the U.S. Attorney’s Office website . For more information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, please visit the division website . Any comments or concerns regarding the report can be directed via email or to 1-877-218-5228.
Justice Department Releases Investigative FindingsRead the Press Release
On The Albuquerque Police Department
ALBUQUERQUE – Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force that violates the Constitution and federal law. The Justice Department delivered a letter setting forth these findings to Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden this morning.
The investigation was launched on November 27, 2012, and conducted jointly by the Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. The investigation examined whether APD engages in an unconstitutional pattern or practice of excessive force, including deadly force, as well as the cause of any pattern or practice of a violation of the law. This investigation did not assess whether any conduct violated criminal laws. Specific cases have been referred to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division for consideration.
The Justice Department found reasonable cause to believe that APD engages in a pattern or practice of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Department specifically found three patterns of excessive force:
- APD officers too frequently use deadly force against people who pose a minimal threat and in situations where the conduct of the officers heightens the danger and contributes to the need to use force;
- APD officers use less lethal force, including electronic controlled weapons, on people who are passively resisting, non-threatening, observably unable to comply with orders, or pose only a minimal threat to the officers; and
- Encounters between APD officers and persons with mental illness and in crisis too frequently result in a use of force or a higher level of force than necessary.
The Justice Department also found systemic deficiencies of the APD, which contribute to these three patterns, including: deficient policies, failed accountability systems, inadequate training, inadequate supervision, ineffective systems of investigation and adjudication, the absence of a culture of community policing, and a lack of sufficient civilian oversight.
The Department’s investigation involved an in-depth review of APD documents, as well as extensive community engagement. The Department reviewed thousands of pages of documents, including written policies and procedures, internal reports, data, video footage, and investigative files. Department attorneys and investigators, assisted by policing experts, also conducted interviews with APD officers, supervisors and command staff, city officials; and hundreds of interviews with community members and local advocates.
“We are very concerned by the results of our investigation and look forward to working with the City of Albuquerque to develop a set of robust and durable reforms,” said Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Our work to assist police departments around the nation is intended to advance important principles. Holding police accountable for Constitutional practices improves public confidence, promotes public safety and makes the job of providing police services safer, easier and more effective. Public trust has been broken in Albuquerque, but it can be repaired through this process.”
Today’s groundbreaking announcement marks a critical milestone in addressing problems that have plagued our community and the Albuquerque Police Department for years,” said Damon Martinez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “These findings come at a unique time for the City and the Albuquerque Police Department, and provide a blueprint for changing the culture of the Albuquerque Police Department and for rebuilding broken relationships with the community it serves. Although there are difficult and systemic issues to resolve, we embrace these challenges and are very optimistic for the future of the Albuquerque Police Department.”
The Justice Department looks forward to continued cooperation with the City and Albuquerque Police Department to timely resolve these findings under mutually agreeable terms that will provide accountability to the public and accomplish the remedial measures within a fixed period of time.The full report can be found at http://justice.gov/crt/about/spl/findsettle.php and http://www.justice.gov/usao/nm/APD.html. For more information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/ Any comments or concerns regarding the report can be directed to at [email protected] or 1-877-218-5228.
Jacksonville Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Charles Franklin Hudson, Jr. (38, Jacksonville) with four counts of using a minor to produce videos depicting child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervision. Hudson was arrested on January 8, 2014, and has been in custody on related state charges since that time. His arraignment and detention hearing is scheduled for April 16, 2014 at 10:30 a.m., before United States Magistrate Judge Monte C. Richardson in Jacksonville.
The indictment alleges that on or about May 17, 2011 through on or about June 28, 2012, Hudson, on at least four separate occasions, did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual materials of that conduct.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another 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.
Indictment Charges Former Governor with Illegal Activity in Two Congressional CampaignsRead the Press Release
Follow @USAO_CT
The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and the United States Postal Inspection Service announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a seven-count indictment today charging JOHN G. ROWLAND, 56, of Middlebury, with offenses stemming from his efforts to conceal the extent of his involvement in two federal election campaigns. ROWLAND served as governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004, and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991.
The indictment alleges that in approximately October 2009, ROWLAND devised a scheme to work for the campaign of a candidate seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District during the 2009 and 2010 election cycle, and to conceal from the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) and the public the fact that he would be paid to perform that work. To make the illegal arrangement appear legitimate, ROWLAND drafted a sham consulting contract pursuant to which he would purportedly perform work for a separate corporate entity, referred to in the indictment as the “Animal Center.” By proposing to run the campaign-related payments to ROWLAND through the Animal Center, ROWLAND sought to prevent actual campaign contributions and expenditures from being reported to the FEC and the public.
The indictment further alleges that during the 2011 and 2012 election cycle, Lisa Wilson-Foley was a candidate for election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District. Wilson-Foley’s husband, Brian Foley, owns a Connecticut nursing home company and a number of other related companies, including a real estate company. It is alleged that ROWLAND conspired with Wilson-Foley, Foley and others to conceal from the FEC and the public that ROWLAND was paid money in exchange for services he provided to Wilson-Foley’s campaign.
The indictment alleges that ROWLAND proposed to Wilson-Foley and Foley that he be hired to work on the campaign. In order to retain ROWLAND’s services for the campaign while reducing the risk that his paid campaign role would be disclosed to the public, ROWLAND, Wilson-Foley and Foley agreed that ROWLAND would be paid by Foley to work on the campaign. In furtherance of the scheme, ROWLAND, Foley and others created and executed a fictitious contract outlining an agreement purportedly for consulting services between ROWLAND and the law offices of an attorney who worked for Foley’s nursing home company. Foley made regular payments to ROWLAND for his work on behalf of Wilson-Foley’s campaign and routed those payments from his real estate company through the law offices of the attorney and on to ROWLAND. ROWLAND provided nominal services to Foley’s nursing home company in order to create a “cover” that he was being paid for those nominal services when, in fact, he was being paid in exchange for his work on behalf of Wilson-Foley’s campaign.
It is alleged that between September 2011 and April 2012, ROWLAND was paid approximately $35,000 for services rendered to Wilson-Foley’s campaign. The payments originated with Foley and constituted campaign contributions, but were not reported to the FEC in violation of federal campaign finance laws.
The indictment charges ROWLAND with two counts of falsification of records in a federal investigation, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, one count of conspiracy, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, two counts of causing false statements to be made to the FEC, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count, and two counts of causing illegal campaign contributions, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year on each count.
ROWLAND is expected to be arraigned tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in New Haven.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Investigation Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liam Brennan and Christopher Mattei.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Illinois Resident Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Bassam Yacoub Salman was sentenced yesterday to three-years in prison and ordered to pay $738,539.42 in restitution for engaging in an insider trading scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson,
Salman was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 30, 2013, of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and four counts of securities fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) and 78ff. The jury found that between 2004 and 2007, Salman, 54, of Orland Park, Ill., engaged in securities fraud and insider trading relating to securities issued by United Surgical Partners International, Inc. (USPI) and Biosite Incorporated (BSTE).
The charges against Salman were part of a larger, $5.3 million, insider trading scheme first charged in 2009 against Maher Fayez Kara, of San Carlos, Calif., a former investment banker at Citigroup Global Markets Inc. in N.Y., and Maher Kara’s brother, Mounir Fayez Kara, also known as Michael F. Kara, of Walnut Creek, Calif. In July 2011, Maher Kara and Michael Kara both pleaded guilty to conspiracy and securities fraud charges.
“Insider trading is a scourge that too often victimizes innocent investors and publicly traded companies alike,” said U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. “This sentence should warn those who might engage in insider trading that the consequences can be severe.”
“Forming a network of conspirators in an attempt to cheat the marketplace has consequences,” said FBI SAC David Johnson. “Our financial system is designed to benefit honest working people; contradicting this through white collar crimes such as insider trading have criminal implications.”
Evidence at trial showed that on or about March 23, 2007, Salman, trading in an account owned by his brother-in-law, Karim Bayyouk, caused the purchase of approximately $100,000 in Biosite call options. Salman obtained the inside information about Biosite from Michael Kara, who had first obtained it from his brother, Maher Kara, who worked at Citigroup. Two days later, on March 25, 2007, Biosite announced it was merging with another company. After the merger announcement, Salman sold the options and realized a profit of approximately $947,922. Evidence at trial showed that Salman purchased securities in United Surgical Partners International, Inc. using inside information obtained from Michael Kara and, initially, from Maher Kara.
On Sept. 4, 2013, in a separate trial, another federal jury convicted Bayyouk, 49, of Livonia, Mich., of obstructing and impeding an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) into securities fraud and insider trading relating to Biosite Incorporated, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505, arising from a telephone interview with the SEC on or about May 31, 2007. Bayyouk is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2014.
The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Court Judge in San Francisco. Judge Chen also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. Salman will begin serving the sentence on July 7, 2014.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam A. Reeves and Robert S. Leach are handling these cases with the assistance of Maryam Beros, Rayneisha Booth, and Patricia Mahoney. The prosecution is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI with substantial assistance from the Division of Enforcement of the SEC’s San Francisco Regional Office.
(Salman unsealed indictment )
High-Level Sinaloa Cartel Member’s Guilty Plea Unsealed; Zambada-Niebla’s Cooperation with U.S. RevealedRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A high-level member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico pleaded guilty a year ago to participating in a vast narcotics trafficking conspiracy and is cooperating with the United States, federal law enforcement officials announced today. A written plea agreement with the defendant, JESUS VICENTE ZAMBADA-NIEBLA, was made public today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Zambada-Niebla, 39, pleaded guilty on April 3, 2013, before U.S. District Chief Judge Ruben Castillo. Zambada-Niebla was arrested in Mexico in 2009, and he was extradited to the United States in February 2010.
Zambada-Niebla remains in U.S. custody and no sentencing date has been set. Under the plea agreement, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison¸ a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a maximum fine of $4 million. If the government determines at the time of sentencing that Zambada-Niebla has continued to provide full and truthful cooperation, as required by the plea agreement, the government will move to depart below the anticipated advisory federal sentencing guideline of life imprisonment. In addition, Zambada-Niebla agreed not to contest a forfeiture judgment of more than $1.37 billion.
“This guilty plea is a testament to the tireless determination of the leadership and special agents of DEA’s Chicago office to hold accountable those individuals at the highest levels of the drug trafficking cartels who are responsible for flooding Chicago with cocaine and heroin and reaping the profits,” said Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Fardon announced the guilty plea with Jack Riley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Zambada-Niebla pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine and heroin between 2005 and 2008. More specifically, the plea agreement describes the distribution of multiple tons of cocaine, often involving hundreds of kilograms at a time on a monthly, if not weekly, basis between 2005 and 2008. The guilty plea means that there will be no trial for Zambada-Niebla, whose case was severed from that of his co-defendants. Among his co-defendants are his father, Ismael Zambada-Garcia, also known as “Mayo,” and Joaquin Guzman-Loera, also known as “Chapo,” both alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Zambada-Garcia is a fugitive believed to be in Mexico, and Guzman-Loera is in Mexican custody after being arrested this past February.
Zambada-Niebla admitted that between May 2005 and December 2008, he was a highlevel member of the Sinaloa Cartel and was responsible for many aspects of its drug trafficking operations, “both independently and as a trusted lieutenant for his father,” for whom he acted as a surrogate and logistical coordinator, the plea agreement states. Zambada-Niebla admitted he was aware that his father was among the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel since the 1970s and their principal livelihood was derived from their sale of narcotics in the United States.
Zambada-Niebla admitted that he participated in coordinating the importation of multiton quantities of cocaine from Central and South American countries, including Colombia and Panama, into the interior of Mexico, and facilitated the transportation and storage of these shipments within Mexico. The cartel used various means of transportation, including private aircraft, submarines and other submersible and semi-submersible vessels, container ships, go-fast boats, fishing vessels, buses, rail cars, tractor-trailers, and automobiles.
Zambada-Niebla “subsequently assisted in coordinating the delivery of cocaine to wholesale distributors in Mexico, knowing that these distributors would in turn smuggle multiton quantities of cocaine, generally in shipments of hundreds of kilograms at a time, as well as on at least one occasion, multi-kilogram quantities of heroin, from Mexico across the United States border, and then into and throughout the United States, including Chicago,” according to the plea agreement.
On most occasions, the Sinaloa Cartel supplied this cocaine and heroin to wholesalers on consignment, including to cooperating co-defendants Pedro and Margarito Flores, whom Zambada-Niebla knew distributed multi-ton quantities of cocaine and multi-kilogram quantities of heroin in Chicago, and in turn sent payment to Zambada-Niebla and other cartel leaders. Zambada-Niebla also admitted being aware of, and directly participating in, transporting large quantities of narcotics cash proceeds from the U.S. to Mexico.
Zambada-Niebla also admitted that he and his father, as well as other members of the Sinaloa Cartel, “were protected by the ubiquitous presence of weapons,” and that he had “constant bodyguards who possessed numerous military-caliber weapons.” Zambada-Niebla also admitted that he was aware that the cartel used violence and made credible threats of violence to rival cartels and to law enforcement in Mexico to facilitate its business.
The DEA in Chicago led the investigation, joined by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the Chicago Police Department. Also assisting were the DEA=s National Drug Intelligence Center, the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, the U.S. Attorney=s Office in Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Police Department; the U.S. Attorney=s Office for the Central District of Illinois; the Chicago and Peoria offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Chicago offices of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service; the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, and other state and local law enforcement agencies. The investigation was assisted by agents and analysts of the Special Operations Division (SOD), and attorneys from the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs assisted with Zambada-Niebla’s extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas D. Shakeshaft and Michael J. Ferrara are representing the government.
Plea Agreement
Four Indicted in Bank and Wire Fraud Scheme Involving Real Estate Loan from Now-Failed Sonoma Valley BankRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bijan Madjlessi, David Lonich, Sean Cutting, and Brian Melland were arrested yesterday on federal charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, false statements to a bank, false bank entries, and attempted obstruction of justice, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag, Scott O’Briant, Special Agent in Charge, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Leslie DeMarco, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, and Wade V. Walters, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General.
According to the Indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2014, and unsealed yesterday, Madjlessi, 58, of Mill Valley, Calif., is alleged to have defaulted on a loan of more than $30,000,000, which he had personally guaranteed, relating to a real estate project known as the Park Lane Villas East in Santa Rosa, Calif. Working with attorney David Lonich, 59, of Santa Rosa, Calif., Cutting, 44, of Sonoma, Calif., then-CEO of Sonoma Valley Bank, and Melland, 45, of Santa Rosa, Calif., then-Senior Vice President of Sonoma Valley Bank, as well as a nominee borrower, Madjlessi allegedly obtained a loan from Sonoma Valley Bank to purchase his own defaulted loan on the premise that the nominee was the actual borrower when, in fact, he and Lonich were the true borrowers. According to the Indictment, Cutting and Melland failed to disclose their knowledge of the true identities of the borrowers to Sonoma Valley Bank and took steps to authorize the loan. Madjlessi’s nominee successfully obtained the loan from Sonoma Valley Bank and purchased the defaulted loan from a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation contractor. Madjelssi, Lonich, and the nominee later settled litigation regarding the foreclosed loan, and Madjlessi and Lonich obtained title to the Park Lane Villas East.
The Indictment also alleges that Cutting helped Madjlessi and Lonich gain control of additional units at the Park Lane Villas East by issuing letters on Sonoma Valley Bank letterhead falsely stating that potential nominee buyers had sufficient funds at Sonoma Valley Bank for purchase. Madjlessi and Lonich are also alleged to have instructed the nominee to make false claims to federal agents and to a federal grand jury investigating the transactions.
Ultimately, Madjlessi and Lonich obtained refinancing on the Park Lane Villas East through Freddie Mac, but not before Sonoma Valley Bank failed in August 2010. Until it failed, Sonoma Valley Bank was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), was a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, and had received $8.65 million in funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
All four defendants were arrested yesterday in Marin and Sonoma Counties in California and made initial appearances in federal court in San Francisco. Each defendant was released on a $250,000 bond. Defendants’ next scheduled hearing will be before the Honorable Susan Illston, United States District Court Judge, on April 18, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.
An Indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendants face the following charges and maximum sentences:
DEFENDANT
CHARGES
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
One count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, with up to 30 years of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
One count of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344, with up to 30 years of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
Six counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, each with up to 30 years of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
One count of conspiracy to make false statements to a bank, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, with up to 5 years of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
One count of conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), with up to 10 years of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the derived property.
Madjlessi, Lonich, Cutting, and Melland
Twelve counts of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, each with up to 10 years of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the derived property.
Cutting and Melland
One count of conspiracy to misapply bank funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, with up to 5 years of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Madjlessi, Lonich, and Cutting
Five counts of false bank entries, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1005, each with up to 30 years of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Madjlessi and Lonich
One count of attempted obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c), with up to 20 years of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
In addition, the defendants face a $100 mandatory special assessment for each charge against them as well as potential forfeiture and restitution if convicted. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Robert David Rees is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Rawaty Yim. The prosecution is the result of a three and a half year investigation by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, and the Santa Rosa Police Department.
(SVB indictment )
Former Teacher Sentenced to Prison for Using School Computer to Acquire Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Butler middle school teacher was sentenced in federal court to two years imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Jason B. Nolan, 37, of Gibsonia, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, Nolan, a former middle-school, social studies teacher in the South Butler County School District, used a laptop computer taken from the school’s library to acquire and possess images of child pornography. Nolan also used the laptop to communicate on-line with minors, including a female he believed to be 12 years of age, with whom he spoke of meeting to have sex and to whom he sent naked, sexual photographs of himself, taken in his classroom after school hours.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Nolan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Lincoln Resident Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
On April 10, 2014, Felipe G. Olmos-Torres, age 37 of Dallas, Texas, and formerly of Lincoln, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs. Olmos Torres was held responsible for the distribution of at least 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of cocaine; at least 1.5 kilograms (3⅓ pounds) of methamphetamine, and at least 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of marijuana in the Lincoln area between September of 2009 and September of 2012. Information provided to law enforcement indicated that some of the drugs were being distributed out of a Lincoln used car business operated by Olmos Torres
Following the prison term, Olmos Torres will serve five years on supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Former Chief of Staff for Illinois Department of Public Health Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Taking Kickbacks, Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A former Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Public Health, Quinshaunta R. Golden, pled guilty today to bribery and taking kickbacks related to $13 million in grant and contract funds awarded at Golden’s direction and to obstructing justice in a federal grand jury investigation. Golden appeared before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough in Springfield. Sentencing for Golden has been scheduled for Aug. 18, 2014.
Golden, 45, of Homewood, Ill., served as Chief of Staff at the Ill. Department of Public Health from 2003 to early 2008. In that capacity, Golden had significant control over the agency’s offices and had certain approval authority and control over the awarding of grants and contracts. In 2008, Golden left the Department of Public Health and took a position at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
During today’s hearing and according to court documents, Golden admitted that from August 2006 to at least October 2008, she used her position to cause the agency to issue approximately $11 million in grant funds, for programs relating to breast, cervical and prostate cancer, HIV/AIDS, and emergency preparedness, to three not-for-profit organizations: Broadcast Ministers Alliance, Access Wellness and Racial Equity, and the Medical Health Association. These organizations were then controlled by Leon Dingle, Jr., and his for-profit corporation known as Advance Health, Social and Educational Associates, Inc.
As part of the scheme, Golden caused Individual A to be hired as a paid consultant for Leon Dingle, Jr., and the three not-for-profit entities, as well as a paid consultant for an entity identified as Security Firm A. As a result, approximately $772,500 in grant funds, originally disbursed to the three not-for-profit entities, was paid to Individual A from July 2007 to April 2008, including approximately $407,500 paid to Individual A in April 2008 alone, at the end of Golden’s tenure at the Department of Public Health. As a condition of Individual A receiving grant funds, Golden admitted that she required Individual A to pay her one-half of whatever Individual A received, less any funds to be withheld for payment of taxes, which were never paid.
In addition, Golden caused approximately $2 million in contract funds to be paid by the Department of Public Health to Security Firm A to conduct background checks and interviews of Illinois nursing home residents related to the Identified Offender Program. Golden required Individual A to pay Golden kickback payments for each background investigation performed by Security Firm A.
Golden admitted that from February to April 2012, she persuaded and attempted to persuade Individual A, a material witness, with the intent to obstruct an official grand jury investigation in the Central District of Illinois. Golden met with Individual A on multiple occasions and falsely denied receiving improper kickback payments from A. Golden then admitted to Individual A that she caused grants to be issued to certain vendors and to Individual A, but encouraged and instructed Individual A not to tell the truth concerning the kickback scheme and to conceal the truth from A’s attorney, and to create a false story by saying that Individual A used the grant and contract funds for gambling and other personal expenses.
At sentencing, according to the terms of the plea agreement, the government has agreed to recommend to the court a sentence at the low end of the applicable advisory sentencing guidelines. The government agrees that calculation of the advisory sentencing guideline range would result in the government recommending a sentence of no higher than 121 months in prison. The defendant remains free to challenge the calculation and to recommend whatever sentence the defendant deems appropriate.
In the related but separate case, Leon Dingle, Jr., his wife Karin, both of Chicago, and two associates, Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, of Phoenix, Ill., and Edmond Clemons, of the same Phoenix address, were indicted in October 2012, on charges that they used millions of dollars in grant funds awarded by the Ill. Department of Public Health to grant recipients for their personal benefit and to pay personal expenses. Trial in this case is currently scheduled for June 3, 2014, before Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Mills in Springfield.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis expressed his appreciation to the federal law enforcement officers assigned and the agencies who support the Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption Task Force: Tony Gomez, Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Chicago Division; James Lee, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office; and Jim Burns, Inspector General, Illinois Secretary of State Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass is prosecuting the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.
Individuals who wish to provide information to law enforcement regarding matters of alleged public corruption are urged to call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 217-492-4450.
Five Charged with Kidnapping Wake Forest ManRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that today five defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Kidnap in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(c), in connection with the kidnapping of Frank Arthur Janssen of Wake Forest, North Carolina.
JENNA PAULIN MARTIN, 21, TIANA MAYNARD, a/k/a TIANA BROOKS, 30, JEVANTE PRICE, a/k/a FLAME, 20, MICHAEL MONTREAL GOODEN, a/k/a HOT, 21, and CLIFTON JAMES ROBERTS, 29, were all charged with kidnapping. These five individuals are in federal custody at this time.
According to the investigation, Mr. Janssen was taken from his home against his will on April 5, 2014. Through a coordinated effort involving many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team rescued Mr. Janssen at 11:55 pm on April 9, 2014 at a residence in Southeast Atlanta. If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Charlotte, FBI Atlanta, the Wake Forest Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh Police Department, Durham Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Garner Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, RDU Police, City County Bureau of Investigation, the Cobb County Police Department, Alpharetta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina is handling the prosecution of these cases.
Final Defendant Sentenced in Case Involving a Grandmother who Headed Family Drug OrganizationRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Leo Mellerson, of Buffalo, N.Y., who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine, was sentenced to 15 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Clare Kane, who handled the case, stated that between 2000 and February 2012, Theresa Anderson headed an illegal narcotics drug trafficking organization that controlled drug sales on Swinburne and Deshler Streets in the City of Buffalo. The defendant employed several family members to sell crack cocaine on a daily basis in the neighborhood. Among them, Mellerson, who is the boyfriend of her daughter Toshia Anderson. On October 26, 2011, Mellerson sold crack cocaine to an undercover police officer on two separate occasions.In order to monopolize narcotics sales in the area, Theresa Anderson threatened and intimidated rival narcotics traffickers and even purchased several homes in the area which were used for selling and storing the illegal narcotics.
“Today’s sentencing brings to a conclusion the successful prosecution of this group of individuals who attempted to destroy a city neighborhood,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “Theresa Anderson, a wife, mother and grandmother, destroyed not only her family through her illegal narcotics trafficking but also the streets where the drug trafficking took place.”As part of this case, the Government seized over $50,000 in U.S. Currency and approximately nine houses used by the drug organization.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the New York State Police, Special Investigations Unit, under the direction of Major Thomas G. Marmion.
Theresa Anderson was sentenced to 188 months in prison in November 2013. She was arrested in February 2012 along with eight others including Leo Mellerson, Steven Butler, Dion Anderson, Melvin Calhoun, Anquensha Hodge, Wymiko Anderson, Toshia Hodge, and Tajia Anderson. Five of these are either children or grandchildren of Anderson. A sixth defendant is Anderson's husband and the two others are boyfriends of Andersons' daughters. All nine defendants have been convicted and sentenced.Final Defendant Sentenced in Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering was sentenced on March 31, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Thiphavanh Noy Khaleck, age 29, was sentenced to 60 months in custody on the marijuana distribution conspiracy, and 70 months in custody on the money laundering conspiracy, to be served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She pled guilty to the offenses on October 7, 2013.
Khaleck was indicted with five others by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2013. Others indicted were: Thongsay Chantharath, age 41, of Worthington, Minnesota; Jimmy Thithavong, age 28, of Worthington; Jon Charles Batcheller, age 25, of Sioux Falls; Kenneth Louis Stanley, age 54, of Worthington; and David Soukthavong, age 27, of Sioux Falls. These five defendants were all sentenced in 2013.
Chantharath, Thithavong, Batcheller, and Stanley were all charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; Batcheller, Khaleck, and Soukthavong were all charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana; and Batcheller and Khaleck were both charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Chantharath pled guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy on August 19, 2013, and was sentenced on November 12, 2013, to 240 months in custody, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Thithavong pled guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy on July 19, 2013, and was sentenced on October 8, 2013, to 120 months in custody, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Batcheller pled guilty to the methamphetamine and money laundering conspiracies on July 10, 2013, and was sentenced on October 8, 2013, to 151 months on each count, to be served concurrently, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Stanley pled guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy on July 8, 2013, and was sentenced on September 23, 2013, to 97 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Soukthavong pled guilty to the marijuana conspiracy on October 8, 2013, and was sentenced on December 30, 2013, to 30 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
At different times during the 2009-2012 timeframe, the parties conspired together to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Some members made trips to California and Minnesota to purchase the drugs, and they and other members distributed them in the Sioux Falls area. Additionally, Batcheller and Khaleck conspired to commit money laundering by keeping the deposits and withdrawals of cash drug proceeds below $10,000, in an effort to avoid bank reporting requirements.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Haak prosecuted the case.
Female Meth Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. – Jaime Marie Holland, 26, of Saraland, was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday, April 9, for her participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade imposed a sentenced of 37 months imprisonment, and ordered that Holland undergo drug treatment both while in prison and as a condition of a four-year term of supervised release, which will follow her imprisonment. Judge Granade did not impose a fine, but ordered that Holland pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
Court documents reflect that Holland distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for the sheriff’s office and to others who were invited into her residence while the informant was there, also to buy methamphetamine. Holland was also implicated by other subjects cooperating in the investigation as a person who distributed and used methamphetamine, and who acquired pseudoephedrine pills for others to use in manufacturing methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney=s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Federal Jury Convicts Kimberly Robinson on Cocaine Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Conspiracy Involved the Distribution of At Least 480 Kilograms of Cocaine
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Following a three day trial in U.S. District Court, Knoxville, Tenn., a jury convicted Kimberly Robinson of Fayetteville, Ga., of conspiracy to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Sentencing is set for 10:00 a.m., Aug. 13, 2014, in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, Tenn. Robinson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
The evidence presented at trial showed that beginning in 2007 Robinson transported kilogram quantities of cocaine from Fayetteville, Ga., to a residence in Knoxville, Tenn., where it was subsequently distributed by other members of the conspiracy. Evidence further showed that after the cocaine was sold, the proceeds from the drug sales were secured in the same residence so that Robinson could travel from Fayetteville, Ga., to the Knoxville, Tenn., residence and pick up the proceeds. Robinson would then deliver the proceeds to another member of the conspiracy in Fayetteville, Ga., where the proceeds were used to obtain additional kilograms of cocaine to sell in Knoxville, Tenn. In all, the conspiracy was responsible for distributing at least 480 kilograms of cocaine in Knoxville since 2000. Evidence at trial showed that the total street value of the cocaine involved in the case was $48 million.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to indictment and subsequent conviction of Kimberly Robinson included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Knoxville Police Department, Clayton County Georgia Police Department, and Fayette County Georgia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. represented the United States at trial.
Federal Judge Hands Down Prison Sentences to Two Women for Using Stolen Identities to Claim Millions of Dollars from Medicaid in Related Health Care Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two women who defrauded Medicaid of millions of dollars using stolen therapists’ identities in related health care fraud schemes have been sentenced to prison by a federal judge in Charlotte, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2014, Chief U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced Victoria Finney Brewton, 39, of Shelby, N.C. to 111 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release for defrauding Medicaid of $8 million in false reimbursement claims for sham mental and behavioral health services. Judge Whitney also ordered Brewton to pay $7,070,426.52 as restitution to Medicaid and $573,392.80 to IRS.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, Judge Whitney sentenced one of Brewton’s conspirators, Rodnisha Sade Cannon, 27, of Charlotte to 102 months in prison for a similar scheme also involving sham mental and behavioral health services. Judge Whitney also ordered Cannon to serve three years under court supervision and to pay restitution in the amount of $2,541,306.36.
Cannon initially worked as a patient recruiter for Brewton, providing Brewton with the personal information of Medicaid recipients, which Brewton then used to file fraudulent reimbursement claims with Medicaid. Cannon later began running her own similar health care fraud scheme, that attempted to defraud Medicaid of $4.8 million in fraudulent reimbursement claims using the stolen identities of patients and therapists.
Victoria BrewtonAccording to court documents and court proceedings, from 2008 to 2012, Brewton operated a series of after-school and summer childcare programs in Shelby. Brewton recruited juvenile Medicaid beneficiaries through their families to sign up for these programs, promising the programs would be free for Medicaid recipients. Court records show that Brewton stole the Medicaid recipient numbers of some of the children and families who had signed up for the programs and fraudulently billed Medicaid for mental and behavioral health services which were never provided. Brewton was not licensed or qualified to provide mental and behavioral health services nor was she a Medicaid-approved provider, court documents show. According to court records, Brewton submitted the fraudulent reimbursement claims through other Medicaid-approved providers, some of whom did not know their information had been compromised.
Court records show that one such provider was a licensed therapist (“K.S.M.”) hired by Brewton to provide mental and behavioral health services for her company, Healing Hearts. Brewton submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid using K.S.M.’s Medicaid provider number far in excess of the services actually provided by K.S.M, and continued to submit fraudulent claims even after K.S.M. was no longer employed by Brewton. According to court documents, Brewton also misused the Medicaid provider numbers of other therapists employed by her company and submitted false claims to Medicaid through their numbers. Court records indicate that Brewton also failed to report to IRS the income derived from her fraudulent scheme. In January 2013, Brewton pleaded guilty to health care fraud and health care fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and filing false tax returns.
Rodnisha Sade CannonAccording to court documents and court proceedings, beginning in 2010 to 2012, Cannon created two companies, (“2nd Chances” and “A Chance for Change, Inc.”), and began operating after-school and summer childcare programs in Gastonia and Shelby. Although therapists initially performed some services at these programs, Cannon and others used the Medicaid provider numbers of other companies and individual therapists to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid for therapy services supposedly provided at Cannon’s programs. Court records reflect that in many instances, the claimed mental and behavioral health services were never provided at all.
Court documents indicate that Cannon, who was not licensed or qualified to provide mental and behavioral health services and was not approved by Medicaid, stole the identities of Medicaid-approved providers who had some relationship with her programs. For example, court documents indicate that in May 2012, Cannon hired “M.B.,” who was a licensed clinical social worker, to work for her company. M.B. worked for Cannon’s company for a single day. Court records show that Cannon and her conspirators stole M.B.’s Medicaid provider information and used it to file more than $800,000 in fraudulent claims for services that M.B. never provided, including claims for dates of service before M.B. worked for Cannon.
According to court records, after opening her own companies, Cannon continued to provide and sell to Brewton Medicaid beneficiary identification numbers and information to be used in Brewton’s fraud scheme. In total, Cannon and her conspirators submitted approximately $4.8 million in false claims and received over $2.5 million as payment on those claims from Medicaid. Cannon pleaded guilty in April 2013 to health care fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and money laundering conspiracy. Cannon also pleaded guilty to attempting to remove property subject to seizure, namely a 2010 Mercedes-Benz CLS550.
According to court records, Cannon purchased the Mercedes-Benz for $59,500 with the proceeds of her fraud scheme. When law enforcement obtained a warrant to seize the Mercedes-Benz, Cannon attempted to sell the vehicle to avoid its seizure. Cannon has been in local federal custody since her arrest on the attempted removal of property to prevent seizure charge in September 2012 and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
Brewton has been released on bond and will be ordered to self-report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving her sentence. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Tompkins thanked North Carolina’s Medicaid Investigations Division (MID) under the direction of Attorney General Roy Cooper, the Charlotte Division of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeannine A. Hammett, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations, Atlanta Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson, for their investigation leading to Brewton and Cannon’s prosecutions. She also thanked the North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance, Program Integrity Section for their invaluable assistance in Brewton’s case.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelli Ferry and Jenny Grus Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The investigation and charges are the work of the Western District’s joint Health Care Fraud Task Force. The Task Force is multi-agency team of experienced federal and state investigators, working in conjunction with criminal and civil Assistant United States Attorneys, dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those who defraud the health care system, and reducing the potential for health care fraud in the future. The Task Force focuses on the coordination of cases, information sharing, identification of trends in health care fraud throughout the region, staffing of all whistleblower complaints, and the creation of investigative teams so that individual agencies may focus their unique areas of expertise on investigations. The Task Force builds upon existing partnerships between the agencies and its work reflects a heightened effort to reduce fraud and recover taxpayer dollars.
If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud please report it by phone at 1-800-447- 8477 (1-800-HHS-TIPS), or E-Mail at [email protected]. To report Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the April 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Steven M. Allen. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Allen, 41, of Miami, Okla., is charged with failing to register as a sex offender after prior convictions in 2009. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshals Service is the lead investigative agency.
Jose Guadalupe Becerra-Molina. Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by Alien Illegally in United States, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Alien in the United States After Deportation. Becerra-Molina, 34, unlawfully in the United States, is charged with possessing three (3) pistols, two (2) revolvers, and ammunition as an illegal alien; possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possessing two (2) pistols in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and being illegally in the United States after being deported in June 2007 near Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the penalty for possessing the pistols and ammunition as an illegal alien would be a ten (10) year maximum sentence of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the penalty for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine; the penalty for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime would be a minimum of five (5) years imprisonment to life; and the penalty for re-entering the United States after deportation would be a maximum twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are the lead agencies.
James Dawson Bishop. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition, Carrying a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Bishop, 34, of Tulsa, is charged on different dates with carrying various firearms and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony. Additionally, Bishop is charged with Carrying a Firearm in Relation to and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute. If convicted, Bishop could be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life imprisonment with a $1,000,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police are the lead agencies.
Christopher Lee Burr and Dale Estus Sutton III.Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Burr, 27, of Ponca City, and Sutton, 31, of Wagoner, are charged with possessing firearms after a felony conviction. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment is a result of a joint investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Michael Wayne Cauldwell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Cauldwell, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .40 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions in 2002 and 2003. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations is the lead agency.
Francis Harry Dishmon. Attempted Bank Robbery and Killing a Person While Attempting to Avoid Apprehension. Dishmon, 51, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to rob the IBC Bank in Miami, Oklahoma on August 28, 2013, and killing a man while attempting to avoid apprehension for that attempted robbery. If convicted, the maximum penalty for the attempted bank robbery would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; and the penalty for killing a person while attempting to avoid apprehension would be life imprisonment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency.
Rafael Gonzalez. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Gonzalez, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .25 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions in 2011 and 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the lead agencies.
Mark Dee Gragg. Felon in Possession of Firearm. Gragg, 51, of Cushing, is charged with possessing a .22 caliber revolver after prior felony convictions including Threats Against the President. If convicted, Gragg would face a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the Sand Springs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Andre Ralph Haymond. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Haymond, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender after possession of child pornography convictions in 2010. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshals Service is the lead investigative agency.
Juan Lopez-Martinez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Martinez, 30, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in August 2008 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Restituto L. Morales. Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Distribution of Methamphetamine. Morales, 51, of Homestead, Florida, is charged with possessing more than one (1) kilogram of heroin, more than five (5) kilograms of cocaine, and more than 500 grams of methamphetamine all with intent to distribute. Morales is also charged with distribution of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted, the mandatory minimum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment, the maximum penalty would be life imprisonment, and a $10,000,000 fine. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration are the lead agencies.
Ramona Lynn Peters. Theft of Government Property. Peters, 55, of Terlton, Okla., is charged with unlawfully taking $32,016.86 of a deceased family member’s social security benefits from January 2010 to June 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General is the lead investigative agency.
Jorge Ramirez-Gomez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Ramirez-Gomez, 21, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in November 2013 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Salvador Rodriguez-Ramirez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Rodriguez-Ramirez, 36, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in March 2009 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Billy Ray Willis. Theft of Government Property. Willis, 57, of Stillwater, is charged with stealing $15,739 in Social Security Supplemental Security Income from September 2010 to August 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General is the lead agency.
Federal Government Seizes China-Based WebsitesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that three websites that sold illegal and potentially dangerous controlled substances and analogues were seized by federal law enforcement officers. The United States Attorney’s Office obtained seizure warrants from U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott which were then executed by Special Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI).
The websites seized and shut down are:
o kerrypharm.com
o kaseeypharm.com
o kx-researchchem.comAccording to Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard D. Kaufman, who is handling the case, over the course of the past year, HSI Special Agents in Western New York and across the country have been investigating the proliferation of illegally controlled substances purchased from numerous websites operated by Chinese businesses.
“Websites such as these are nothing more than technologically enhanced, street corner drug dealers,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “We have often warned the public about purchasing knock off goods online. When it comes to substances which are intended for human consumption, such purchases become a life and death situation.”
“Seizing these websites that openly sell illegal narcotics helps to stem the flow of drugs to communities in Western New York,” said James Spero, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo. “We will continue to aggressively target and dismantle these operations that pump poison onto our streets.”
The HSI investigation included several undercover buys from the websites and arrests of numerous individuals throughout the United States who were purchasing the illegal substances in order to re-sell the drugs on the streets. The websites listed over 20 different synthetic narcotics available for sale, including schedule I and III controlled substances and analogues. Some of the drugs purchased included Fentanyl, Bath Salts, and Methylone.
U.S. Attorney Hochul pointed to the following examples where death or near death situations have occurred, linked to websites similar to the ones seized by HSI:
In August of 2013, a man and a woman were found dead in a Hamburg, N.Y. residence. Autopsies confirmed that the man and woman died of acute intoxication from MT-45, an opioid analgesic drug, and ethanol. Authorities believe these substances came from China.
In October, 2013, a 17 year old girl from Western New York suffered multiple seizures and wound up in a coma after taking Methylone. She has since recovered. Authorities believe the Methylone came into this area after being purchased from a Chinese website.
The seizures are the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.Federal Court Shuts Down Mississippi Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi permanently barred Tamara Brock from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Brock agreed to the entry of a final judgment of permanent injunction, which was entered by the court on April 10, 2014.
The complaint alleged that Brock, formerly a franchisee with Liberty Tax Service, prepared federal income tax returns for customers in Moss Point, Miss., and Pensacola, Fla. According to the complaint, Brock prepared federal tax returns that included fictitious education expenses to qualify her customers to receive or to maximize the American Opportunity Credit on their federal tax returns.
The judgment also requires Brock to turn over to the United States a list of all individuals and entities for whom she has provided tax preparation services since Jan. 1, 2011, and to notify these customers of the permanent injunction against her.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS' Internal Revenue Service's Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2014 . The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of fraudulent tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Related Materials:
United States v. Tamara Brock
Stipulated Judgment of Permanent Injunction Against Tamara BrockEl Departamento de Justicia y el Poder Judicial de Rhode Island Realizaron un Acuerdo para la Provisión de Servicios de Asistencia Idiomática en Tribunales de Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que realizó un acuerdo con el Poder Judicial de Rhode Island para asegurar que personas con conocimientos limitados del inglés [Limited English Proficient (LEP)] tengan acceso a asistencia idiomática oportuna y competente, sin costo en todos los procesos, servicios y procesos judiciales en todo el sistema judicial del estado.
Como parte del acuerdo, el Departamento aprobó el Plan de Acceso Idiomático del Poder Judicial de Rhode Island, el que detalla la labor a realizarse a fin de garantizar la asistencia idiomática integral en todo el sistema judicial. El plan exige la traducción constante de formularios y carteles en edificios de los tribunales a idiomas comúnmente hablados en Rhode Island, tales como español, portugués, camboyano y caboverdiano. El Poder Judicial de Rhode Island también creó un Aviso de Derecho a la Asistencia Idiomática, el que indica que el tribunal proveerá sin costo un intérprete competente para cualquier parte o testigo con conocimientos limitados del inglés y explica el procedimiento para solicitar un intérprete o una traducción del aviso a otros idiomas. Se debe entregar el aviso a cada demandado en un proceso judicial y el mismo está disponible en varios idiomas. En casos civiles, se debe incorporar o anexar el aviso a los alegatos iniciales a ser entregados al demandado. En casos penales, se debe incorporar o anexar el aviso a los documentos de acusación inicial entregados al demandado, en los formularios completados por un comisionado de fianzas o provistos por el tribunal al demandado en su comparecencia inicial al tribunal. Además, existe un formulario de queja sobre servicios idiomáticos disponible en varios idiomas en el portal del tribunal en Internet, en la oficina del secretario del juzgado y la Oficina de Intérpretes Judiciales.
El plan fue exigido en 2012 por el Presidente de la Corte Suprema Paul A. Suttell por medio de una orden ejecutiva emitida después de extensas deliberaciones con el departamento. La Oficina de Intérpretes Judiciales y la Oficina Administrativa de Tribunales Estatales analizarán anualmente la eficacia del plan y considerarán cambios para mejorar sus políticas y procedimientos. El plan incluye una importante exigencia de contar con las opiniones de las partes interesadas y consultar a las mismas. El acuerdo también exige que el tribunal tome medidas adicionales en colaboración con el departamento y dispone un período de al menos dos años de monitoreo y asistencia técnica.
"Elogiamos al Presidente de la Corte Suprema Suttell, el personal del Poder Judicial de Rhode Island y otras partes interesadas de Rhode Island que contribuyeron para esta proceso, por su labor constante y determinación compartida de que la justicia y la igualdad en los tribunales de Rhode Island no se limite a las personas con dominio del inglés", señaló la Secretaria de Justicia Auxiliar Interina Jocelyn Samuels de la División de Derechos Civiles.
La demanda fue resuelta como parte de la iniciativa de la Sección de Coordinación y Cumplimiento Federal [Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS)] de la División de Derechos Civiles para asegurar que los tribunales estatales cumplan con las exigencias de acceso idiomático del Título VI. Para garantizar que no se le niegue justicia a ninguna persona LEP debido a la falta de provisión de servicios idiomáticos por parte de un tribunal, el Equipo de Tribunales de la FCS, liderado por la Consejera Legal Especial Christine Stoneman, brinda orientación en políticas y asistencia técnica a sistemas judiciales estatales y hace valer la ley en todo el país. Recientemente, la FCS lanzó una Herramienta para la planificación y asistencia del acceso idiomático y resolvió una queja con el Tribunal Superior del Condado de King en Washington.
Estuvo a cargo del caso de Rhode Island el Abogado de la FCS Paul M. Uyehara de la División de Derechos Civiles, con la asistencia del Secretario de Justicia Auxiliar Ndidi N. Moses en calidad de Abogado Asignado al FCS.
Para obtener más información sobre el Título VI y la Ley de Calles Seguras, o para obtener copias de la carta, visite este portal.
El Departamento de Justicia Da Conocer los Resultados Investigativos del Departamento de Policía de AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Después de una amplia investigación, el Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que el Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque (DPA) ha estado involucrado en patrones o prácticas del uso excesivo de fuerza, mismos que violan la Constitución y la ley federal. Esta mañana el Departamento de Justicia hizo entrega de una carta al alcalde de Albuquerque, Richard J. Berry y al jefe de policía Gorden Eden la cual expone los resultados de la investigación.
La investigación comenzó el 27 de noviembre, 2012 y fue llevada a cabo conjuntamente por la División de Derechos Civiles y la oficina del Procurador Federal por el Estado de Nuevo México. La investigación examinó si el DPA toma parte en un patrón o en una práctica no constitucional del uso de fuerza excesiva, incluyendo fuerza mortal, así como cualquier patrón o práctica de violación de ley. La investigación no evaluó si cualquier conducta violaba leyes criminales. Casos específicos han sido referidos a la Sección Criminal de la División de Derechos Civiles para ser considerados.
El Departamento de Justicia encontró causa razonable para creer que DPA está involucrado en un patrón que practica del uso excesivo de fuerza, violando así la Cuarta Enmienda de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos. El departamento encontró específicamente tres patrones de fuerza excesiva:
- Oficiales del DPA muy frecuentemente utilizan fuerza mortal contra personas que representan una amenaza mínima y en situaciones donde la conducta de los oficiales exalta el peligro y contribuye a la necesidad del uso de fuerza;
- Oficiales del DPA utilizan fuerza menos letal, incluyendo armas de control electrónico, contra personas quienes están resistiendo pasivamente, no son una amenaza, quienes visiblemente no pueden obedecer órdenes o que presentan solamente una amenaza mínima a los oficiales; y
- Encuentros entre oficiales del DPA y personas con enfermedad mental y en crisis, muy frecuentemente resultan en el uso de fuerza o en el uso de fuerza a un nivel más alto de lo necesario.
El Departamento de Justicia también encontró deficiencias sistémicas con el DPA las cuales contribuyen a estos tres patrones, incluyendo: políticas deficientes, sistemas de responsabilidad fallidos, entrenamiento inadecuado, supervisión inadecuada, sistemas de investigación y adjudicación inefectivos, la ausencia de una cultura de colaboración ciudadana, y la falta de suficiente vigilancia civil.
La investigación del departamento involucró una revisión profunda de documentos del DPA, así como la participación extensiva de la comunidad. El departamento revisó miles de páginas de documentos, incluyendo políticas escritas y procedimientos, reportes internos, data, videos y archivos investigativos. Abogados del departamento e investigadores asistidos por expertos en materia policial, también llevaron a cabo entrevistas con oficiales del DPA, supervisores y personal de comando, oficiales de la ciudad; y cientos de entrevistas a miembros de la comunidad y defensores locales.
"Estamos muy preocupados por los resultados de nuestra investigación y esperamos poder trabajar con la ciudad de Albuquerque para desarrollar unas reformas firmes y duraderas", dijo Jocelyn Samuels, Procuradora General Auxiliar Interina de Derechos Civiles. "Nuestro trabajo de ayudar a los departamentos de policía alrededor de la nación, tiene la intención de fomentar principios importantes. Hacer a la policía responsable de prácticas Constitucionales mejora la confianza pública, promueve la seguridad pública y hace que el trabajo de proveer servicios policíacos sea más seguro, más fácil y más efectivo. La confianza pública se ha roto en Albuquerque, pero se puede reparar a través de este proceso".
"La primicia de hoy marca un importante punto de partida para hacerle frente a los problemas que han plagado a nuestra comunidad y al Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque por años", dijo Damon Martínez, Procurador Federal Interino por el Distrito de Nuevo México. "Estos resultados llegan en un tiempo único para la ciudad y para el Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque y proveerán un plan de acción para cambiar la cultura del Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque y para reconstruir la relación con la comunidad a la cual sirve. A pesar de que hay asuntos difíciles y sistémicos por resolver, aceptamos estos retos y estamos muy optimistas por el futuro del Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque".
El Departamento de Justicia espera seguir contando con la cooperación de la Ciudad y del Departamento de Policía para resolver estos hallazgos bajo términos mutuamente aceptables, que darán respuestas al público y rendirán medidas correctivas dentro de un tiempo determinado.
Un reporte completo puede ser encontrado en http://justice.gov/crt/about/spl/findsettle.php y http://www.justice.gov/usao/nm/APD.html. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, por favor visite el www.justice.gov/crt/. Cualquier comentario o duda sobre el reporte puede ser dirigido a [email protected] o 1-877-218-5228.
Resumen de Hallazgos Departamento de Policía de Albuquerque
Donna Man Charged with Hacking into Multiple Local ServersRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Fidel Salinas, 27, of Donna, has been charged in a superceding federal indictment with new computer-hacking charges, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Salinas was originally indicted in October of last year on one charge of attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Hidalgo County web server and, as a result, causing damage and loss of more than $5,000. Further investigation has resulted in the return of a superseding indictment, returned April 2, 2014, alleging 14 additional charges. He is excepted to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter E. Ormsby today at 8:45 a.m.
The additional counts allege that between November 2011 and January 2012, he repeatedly tried to gain unauthorized access to, cause damage to and obtain information from web servers hosting websites for Hidalgo County, La Joya Independent School District and The Monitor newspaper. Salinas allegedly belonged to a conspiracy related to the computer-hacking group “Anonymous” and that he entered into a chat room belonging to Anonymous’ Operation Anti-Security.
The FBI arrested Salinas in Donna 2013 upon the filing of a criminal complaint. According to that complaint, during the late evening of Jan. 4, 2012, through early morning Jan. 5, 2012, Salinas made more than 14,000 hacking attempts to the administration management page of the Hidalgo County web site server. This allegedly resulted in true administrators being unable to access their web site and the county incurring losses of more than $10,000 in responding to the attack. Following that alleged hacking incident, the FBI discovered Salinas had allegedly posted a quote used by Anonymous and other “hacktivist” groups on his Facebook page.The maximum sentence varies for each count as charged in the indictment, reaching a maximum of up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction on the most serious charge.
Each of the charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, upon conviction.
The FBI is investigating with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sully is prosecuting the case.
A complaint or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Department of Justice and Rhode Island Judiciary Enter into Agreement for Provision of Language Assistance Services in Rhode Island CourtsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced it has reached an agreement with the Rhode Island Judiciary to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) individuals will have access to timely and competent language assistance at no charge in all court proceedings, services and programs throughout the state court system.
As part of the agreement, the department approved the Rhode Island Judiciary’s Language Access Plan, which outlines the efforts to be undertaken in order to ensure comprehensive language assistance throughout the court system. The plan requires ongoing translations of forms and signs in court buildings into commonly spoken languages in Rhode Island, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Cambodian and Cape Verdean. The Rhode Island Judiciary also created a Notice of Right to Language Assistance which states that the court will provide a competent interpreter for any limited English proficient party or witness at no charge, and explains the procedure to request an interpreter or a translation of the notice into other languages. The notice must be provided to each defendant in a proceeding and is available in multiple languages. In civil matters, the notice must be incorporated in or attached to the initial pleading to be served upon the defendant. In criminal matters, the notice must be incorporated in or attached to the initial charging documents provided to the defendant, in the forms completed by a bail commissioner or provided by the court at the defendant’s her initial court appearance. In addition, a language services complaint form is available in multiple languages on the court’s website, in the court clerk’s office and at the Office of Court Interpreters.
The plan was mandated in 2012 by Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell through an executive order that was issued after extensive consultation with the department. The Office of Court Interpreters and the Administrative Office of State Courts will review the effectiveness of the plan and consider changes to improve its policies and procedures on an annual basis. The plan includes an important requirement for input from and consultation with stakeholders. The agreement also requires additional steps to be taken by the court in consultation with the department and provides for at least two years of monitoring and technical assistance.
“Chief Justice Suttell, the Rhode Island Judiciary staff and the other Rhode Island stakeholders who contributed to this process are to be commended for their ongoing efforts and shared determination that justice and equality in Rhode Island courts not be restricted to those proficient in English,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division.
The complaint was resolved as part of the initiative by the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS) of the Civil Rights Division to ensure that state courts comply with the language access requirements of Title VI. To ensure that no LEP individual is denied justice due to a court’s failure to provide language services, the FCS Courts Team, led by Special Legal Counsel Christine Stoneman, provides policy guidance and technical assistance to state court systems and undertakes enforcement actions across the country. Recently, FCS released a Courts Language Access Planning and Assistance Tool and resolved a complaint with the King County Superior Court in Washington.
The Rhode Island matter was handled by FCS Attorney Paul M. Uyehara of the Civil Rights Division with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ndidi N. Moses, who was serving as a Detail Attorney to FCS.
For more information about Title VI and the Safe Streets Act, or to obtain copies of the settlement documents, please visit this website.
Dallas Men Sentenced on Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Two Dallas men, who were stopped by officers with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) for a traffic violation in March 2013, and who subsequently pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses, have been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay sentenced Ivy Johnson, Jr., 26, to 40 months in federal prison. In February 2014, Judge Lindsay sentenced Jose Enrique Castaneda, 21, to 39 months in federal prison. Johnson, who is under indictment in Dallas County on a felony drug charge, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment; Castaneda, who is illegally in the U.S., pleaded guilty to one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in the case, on March 21, 2013, DPD officers were investigating a drug complaint at a house on Cowan Avenue in Dallas when they observed a white truck leave the residence. Soon thereafter, the truck failed to come to a complete stop at the intersection of Marsha and Walnut Hill, and officers initiated a traffic stop. Castaneda was driving the vehicle and Johnson was in the passenger seat. There was a semi-automatic pistol in plain view on the driver’s seat, and what appeared to be a large rifle case between Johnson’s legs. As Castaneda exited the truck, Johnson opened the passenger door and fled, but was apprehended soon thereafter. Officers noticed a strong odor of marijuana in the truck.
In searching for the source of the marijuana odor, officers recovered a 9-millimeter pistol in the driver’s seat and a Romarm rifle in the rifle case. Officers also found two additional rifles in the floorboard behind the driver’s seat and 72 individually packaged bags of marijuana in the glove compartment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the DPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cara Pierce prosecuted.
DOJ Partners with Seattle Mariners and Community Organizations for Anti-Bullying CampaignRead the Press Release
Seattle Mariners All-Star pitcher Felix Hernandez and Grammy Award-winning recording artist Macklemore are joining forces with Seattle area middle schools to help foster a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Hernandez and Macklemore launched the #ChangeTheGame campaign on April 10 at Safeco Field by surprising a group of students from Highland Middle School in Bellevue, Washington. The students were brought to Safeco Field to be part of an anti-bullying public service announcement with the Mariner Moose. Then, after a few shots with Moose, Hernandez and Macklemore unexpectedly appeared from the dug out to film the PSA with the students.
"Only together we can change the game and ensure every kid's right to a safe school, free from bullying and intimidation," said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. "Felix Hernandez and Macklemore show the power of celebrating differences and treating others with kindness. The Department of Justice is proud to partner with the Seattle Mariners and community organizations, and thank them for their leadership in working to "Change the Game" and promote safe and healthy schools."
In the PSA, the two superstars from sports and music talk about how they may look different than most people, whether it is their haircuts or the clothes they wear, but just because someone is different doesn’t mean they should be teased or bullied. They ask students to “be kind, stay positive, and support each other,” and to sign an anti-bullying pledge. The PSA ends with the line, “Together, we can change the game.” The 30-second PSA will be distributed to radio and TV stations throughout Western Washington.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at their school. I hope kids will hear our message and treat each other with respect and kindness,” said Hernandez.
"It's an honor to be working with the Mariners and Felix Hernandez to help spread a message of individuality to our area schools. We hope to encourage our youth to feel free to be themselves and to take care of each other along the way," said Macklemore.
The campaign also consists of an education component for Seattle-area middle schools with posters and activity guides for teachers, as well as online resources at mariners.com/changethegame to provide students, teachers and parents tools to help address the issue of bullying in schools. Parents can help their children complete the activities and take the anti-bullying pledge to be entered into a contest to meet Hernandez and Macklemore prior to the Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees game on Thursday, June 12, which is Macklemore Bobblehead Night at Safeco Field.
Partnering with the Mariners on the campaign are the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; Committee for Children; U.S. Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, and DOJ’s Community Relations Service; and Copacino+Fujikado.
Crime Victims, Good Samaritans and Community Groups Honored at Event Marking National Crime Victims’ Rights Week- U.S. Attorney Machen Cites Bravery of Victims, Survivors -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today paid tribute to more than 50 crime victims, their families, witnesses, and community advocates for their bravery, compassion, and dedication to the pursuit of justice.
The honorees were recognized during a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, timed with the annual observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme, “30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice,” focuses on the strides that have been made for victims since the passage of the Victims of Crime Act in 1984.
In addition to U.S. Attorney Machen, speakers at today’s ceremony included Angela Rose, the founder and executive director of Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a community-based, non-profit organization that uses social, educational and legislative tactics to bring attention to the issue of sexual violence. Ms. Rose is a survivor of a brutal sexual assault and has worked to assist victims of sexual assault throughout the country. PAVE now has more than 35 chapters and affiliates, including an affiliate in the District of Columbia.
“We all aspire to help victims seek justice, find hope, and rebuild their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “In doing so, we ourselves are inspired by the courage and dignity of these victims and survivors. It is important for us to stand up and celebrate those who are brave enough to say something or do something to make our community a safer place.”
Today’s ceremony included awards for several individual victims and Good Samaritans whose efforts furthered the cause of justice. For example, the honorees included a carjacking victim and the police officers and civilians who came to her aid; two former students from Catholic University, who helped rescue and then protect a woman who was being assaulted; the neighbors of a young man who came to them for help after his brother killed their mother; people who banded together to help an elderly woman whose husband had been slain, and others who stepped forward as witnesses and advocates on behalf of victims of crime. The honorees also included a supervisory victims’ coordinator for the U.S. Parole Commission who ensured that the family of a murder victim had the opportunity to be heard regarding the killer’s request for parole. The family’s views were taken into consideration and the offender was not released.
The program also recognized the work of organizations such as FAIR Girls, a non-profit based in the District of Columbia that sponsors programs worldwide to prevent the exploitation of girls. FAIR Girls has provided assistance in numerous cases in the District of Columbia, offering support and services to victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse.
Special recognition was given to the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. The task force’s work has led to numerous prosecutions of people in the District of Columbia for child pornography charges and other federal offenses. Undercover officers act swiftly when they learn of victims of sexual abuse and child pornography, and their work has led to arrests in recent months of defendants in Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Today’s event was developed and organized by the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney=s Office for the District of Columbia. Members of the Unit provide essential services and support to victims and witnesses, such as making referrals for counseling, addressing safety concerns, assisting with access to Crime Victim Compensation Program funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings. The Unit also notifies victims of their rights and provides information regarding significant case events, such as the filing of charges, plea hearings, trials and sentencing hearings.
As part of this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice gave special recognition to the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Unit won two honors: Outstanding Victim Services Professionals of 2014, and Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act Champion of 2014. The Department of Justice cited, for example, the Unit’s work to ensure that families and victims of last year’s mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard were provided with invaluable resources and support.
Additional information about the Victim Witness Assistance Unit is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/programs/vw/vwa.html.
Further information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is available at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/.
14-084Crime Victims, Good Samaritans and Community Groups Honored at Event Marking National Crime Victims’ Rights Week- U.S. Attorney Machen Cites Bravery of Victims, Survivors -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today paid tribute to more than 50 crime victims, their families, witnesses, and community advocates for their bravery, compassion, and dedication to the pursuit of justice.
The honorees were recognized during a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, timed with the annual observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme, “30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice,” focuses on the strides that have been made for victims since the passage of the Victims of Crime Act in 1984.
In addition to U.S. Attorney Machen, speakers at today’s ceremony included Angela Rose, the founder and executive director of Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a community-based, non-profit organization that uses social, educational and legislative tactics to bring attention to the issue of sexual violence. Ms. Rose is a survivor of a brutal sexual assault and has worked to assist victims of sexual assault throughout the country. PAVE now has more than 35 chapters and affiliates, including an affiliate in the District of Columbia.
“We all aspire to help victims seek justice, find hope, and rebuild their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “In doing so, we ourselves are inspired by the courage and dignity of these victims and survivors. It is important for us to stand up and celebrate those who are brave enough to say something or do something to make our community a safer place.”
Today’s ceremony included awards for several individual victims and Good Samaritans whose efforts furthered the cause of justice. For example, the honorees included a carjacking victim and the police officers and civilians who came to her aid; two former students from Catholic University, who helped rescue and then protect a woman who was being assaulted; the neighbors of a young man who came to them for help after his brother killed their mother; people who banded together to help an elderly woman whose husband had been slain, and others who stepped forward as witnesses and advocates on behalf of victims of crime. The honorees also included a supervisory victims’ coordinator for the U.S. Parole Commission who ensured that the family of a murder victim had the opportunity to be heard regarding the killer’s request for parole. The family’s views were taken into consideration and the offender was not released.
The program also recognized the work of organizations such as FAIR Girls, a non-profit based in the District of Columbia that sponsors programs worldwide to prevent the exploitation of girls. FAIR Girls has provided assistance in numerous cases in the District of Columbia, offering support and services to victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse.
Special recognition was given to the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. The task force’s work has led to numerous prosecutions of people in the District of Columbia for child pornography charges and other federal offenses. Undercover officers act swiftly when they learn of victims of sexual abuse and child pornography, and their work has led to arrests in recent months of defendants in Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Today’s event was developed and organized by the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney=s Office for the District of Columbia. Members of the Unit provide essential services and support to victims and witnesses, such as making referrals for counseling, addressing safety concerns, assisting with access to Crime Victim Compensation Program funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings. The Unit also notifies victims of their rights and provides information regarding significant case events, such as the filing of charges, plea hearings, trials and sentencing hearings.
As part of this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice gave special recognition to the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Unit won two honors: Outstanding Victim Services Professionals of 2014, and Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act Champion of 2014. The Department of Justice cited, for example, the Unit’s work to ensure that families and victims of last year’s mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard were provided with invaluable resources and support.
Additional information about the Victim Witness Assistance Unit is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/programs/vw/vwa.html.
Further information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is available at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/.
14-084Court Orders Release of 4 Charged in Robery of Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Over the objection of the Government, United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller today ordered the release of the four men charged in the robbery of Imperial Jewelry Store on St. Thomas, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced. Judge Miller stayed her order releasing the four men until 9 a.m. Monday to give the Government an opportunity to appeal the order to the district court judge.
Shaquim Fredericks, 19, Warkim Gabriel, 18, Alvin Thomas, 19, and Chefton Newton, 26, all of St. Thomas, were charged in Federal Court on April 4 with Interference with Commerce by Threats of Violence. They appeared today in federal court for their preliminary and detention hearing.
After finding probable cause to charge the four men with Hobbs Act robbery, the court ordered their release with conditions, including: home confinement, electronic monitoring, thirdparty custodian and $50,000 cash bond. The four men are allowed to post 10% of the bond.
According to documents filed in federal court, on March 15, 2014, the four defendants and three additional individuals committed armed robbery of the Imperial Jewelry Store on Main Street, St. Thomas, robbing the store of more than $1millionworth of merchandise. After leaving the store, the defendants fled to the bushy area behind Fireburn Hill where they were apprehended by officers and detectives from the Virgin Islands Police Department.
If convicted, defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Explosives and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Charges Allege Woman Used Dead Mother's Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
Elizabeth Goode-Bishop, 65, of New Castle, Delaware, was charged today by information with one count of theft of government funds, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the information, the defendant received retirement benefits intended for her mother, after her mother’s death in March 1988 until her fraud was discovered in October 2013. The defendant’s alleged actions resulted in a loss to the government of approximately $169,198.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, a three year period of supervised release, restitution to the government of $169,198, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.
Click here to view the indictment
An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525