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Thursday 27 March 2014
Mountain City Residents Sentenced for Conspiring to Manufacture MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Two individuals involved in a methamphetamine (meth) conspiracy in upper East Tennessee were sentenced this week by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge. On Mar. 24, 2014, Aaron A. Stout, 31, of Mountain City, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 168 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. On Mar. 26, 2014, Brittany L. Pennington, 24, of Mountain City, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
These two individuals, along with 18 others, were indicted in May 2013 for conspiring to manufacture meth and possessing equipment, chemicals, materials, and products to be used in the manufacture of meth. Stout was also charged with distributing meth. In his plea agreement, Stout admitted that he had manufactured a conservative estimate of 150 to 500 grams of meth. He further admitted that he had distributed between 50 to 150 grams of meth. All of the others associated with 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. These individuals conspired to obtain pseudoephedrine and other products needed to manufacture meth 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 meth utilizing the “shake and bake” method. The meth 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 represented the United States.
Mother, Son Plead Guilty to Selling Illegal Bath SaltsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Verna Dean Oliver, 50, and Daniel Jerome Oliver, 27, both of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi, to possession with intent to distribute methylenedioxypyrovalerone and methylone.
According to the evidence presented at the guilty pleas, a package containing methylenedioxypyrovalerone and methylone, also known as bath salts, was intercepted from China on June 8, 2012. It was bound for the Lake Charles home of Verna Oliver and her son, Daniel Oliver. Authorities delivered the package to the home on June 26, 2012. After observing Daniel Oliver sign for the package, they detained Daniel Oliver and Verna Oliver and searched the home. Various quantities of bath salts, scales, and bags were found.
The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and at least three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Sentencing is set for June 26, 2014.
Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth are prosecuting the case.
Miami Resident Convicted in Stolen Identity Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent In Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), ,announce that Cliffort Variste, 34, of Miami, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(2), and five counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). The trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2014. Variste faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for the access device charge, and a mandatory term of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft charge, at least one of which must be served consecutive to any other term in prison.
According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Variste obtained an IRS Electronic Filing Identification Number (“EFIN”) and used it to file approximately 52 fraudulent tax returns, many filed with stolen identities. Variste used these returns to obtain fraudulent income tax refunds, which he had deposited on to prepaid debit cards which he controlled. Variste then made numerous withdrawals and purchases on the debit cards for his own personal gain. All of the fraudulent debit cards were issued in the names of real people whose identities were stolen as part of the tax fraud.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and HSI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Maderal and Vanessa Snyder.
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.
Mescalero Apache Man Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Cameron Michael Williams, 38, a member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, was sentenced yesterday afternoon to 41 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Williams also was sentenced to eight months in prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release on a prior assault conviction, with two months to be served concurrently and six months consecutively to the 41 month sentence for a total of 47 months in prison.
Williams was arrested on July 1, 2013, based on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. According to the criminal complaint, Williams committed these three offenses in Jan. 2013. At the time, Williams was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted on an assault with a deadly weapon charge.
On Oct. 1, 2013, Williams entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The BIA initiated the investigation into this case after guests of the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, N.M., reported that firearms were stolen from vehicles parked in the Inn’s valet parking lot in late Jan. 2013. The investigation focused on Williams, who was then employed as a valet parking attendant, after surveillance video showed Williams in the vehicles from which the firearms were stolen. When BIA made contact with Williams at his home, they arrested him on tribal charges of larceny, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest and intoxication. Following Williams’ arrest on tribal charges, the FBI executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence and found three firearms, all of which had been stolen, in Williams’ backpack.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Mansfield Woman Charged with Stealing from Social SecurityRead the Press Release
Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Renee Brooks, age 57, of Mansfield, Ohio, with one count of theft of government funds.
The indictment alleges that from in or about July 1996, and continuing until in or about August 2011, Renee Brooks stole Social Security Disability Benefits in the amount of $92,081.53 from the United States Social Security Administration to which she was not entitled.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Gregory C. Sasse, following investigation by agents of the Office of Inspector General of the United States Social Security Administration.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Manager Pleads Guilty in Loan Modification Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Paula Reid, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Miami Field Office, and Ronald J. Verrochio, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, announce that defendant Robert Harry Bacon, 34, of West Newbury, MA entered a guilty plea to Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1341.
Defendant Bacon faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts to which he pled guilty, plus up to $250,000 in fines and mandatory restitution as to each charge.
According to the indictment and other documents filed in the case, between September 2008 and August 2009, the defendants operated boiler rooms that collected advance fees from distressed homeowners purportedly in exchange for obtaining loan modifications for the homeowners which were, with few exceptions, never provided.
The indictment alleges that defendant Vitulano was the organizer and operator of FHA All Day.com, Inc. and two other companies, Housing Assistance Law Center, Inc. and Safety Financial Corp., which operated the boiler rooms in Boca Raton and later in Deerfield Beach. According to the indictment and the factual proffer submitted in support of the guilty plea, defendant Bacon was an operations manager who wrote and edited sales scripts, while the other eight defendants served as team managers of four to eight telemarketers who made thousands of phone calls to homeowners behind on their mortgage payments.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants made false statements to the homeowners including telling homeowners they had already been approved or pre-approved for a loan modification that would save the homeowner a specific amount off their mortgage payment, reducing the interest rate and often the principal balance on the mortgage loan. The defendants, according to the indictment, routinely told customers that they had been approved by an “underwriter” and that they had a team of “expert attorneys” who would finalize the loan modifications.
The indictment further alleges that the defendants targeted homeowners across the country that were facing foreclosure, falsely telling them that the company would stop the foreclosure process and that homeowners could stop making mortgage payments while they waited for the company to finalize their loan modifications. FHA All Day, as alleged in the indictment, moved its offices and changed the corporate name several times to avoid law enforcement scrutiny and to hamper consumer complaints. Through the use of these and other false representations, the defendants, according to the indictment, induced over 2,000 distressed homeowners to pay up front fees totaling more than seven million dollars to the defendants.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Jorgensen and Ellen Cohen.
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Madera Man Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of Jeffrey G. Vincent, 64, of Madera, who is charged with five counts of evading the assessment and payment of individual income taxes, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Vincent, the general partner of a Fresno-based engineering company (Stafford Group Limited Partnership, d/b/a Veco Technologies), has not filed an individual income tax return since 1988, despite earning income from Stafford Group, including at least $457,365 between 2007 and 2010. Vincent signed tax returns for Stafford Group in which he falsely represented that he does not have a social security number.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Baker is prosecuting the case.
The defendant was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe at 1:30 p.m.
If convicted, Vincent faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of tax evasion. 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.
Louisiana Man, Jonathan Johnson, Pleads Guilty to Operating International Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that JONATHAN JOHNSON, age 27, of Abita Springs, Louisiana, pled guilty to Operating a Child Exploitation Enterprise in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(g).
According to court documents, from 2012 through 2013, JOHNSON administered two child pornography websites identified as Website A and Website B out of his Abita Springs home in order to distribute images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. JOHNSON’s illegal websites had over 27,000 members located throughout the world. As the administrator of these websites, JOHNSON regulated membership in the websites and created two categories of website users: members and uploaders. JOHNSON required members to register with a user name and password before they could download video files, comment on videos, or exchange private messages. Uploaders had the same privileges as members, but were also permitted to upload sexually explicit material directly to JOHNSON’s websites. JOHNSON’s websites also included tutorials that provided guidance to members and uploaders on ways to communicate with minor boys in order to coerce them into creating sexually explicit videos and JOHNSON’s websites also provided instructions so members and uploaders could avoid detection from law enforcement. JOHNSON frequently utilized and encouraged other members and uploaders to access popular social networking sites in order to search for and locate unsuspecting minor boys for the purpose of having them create sexually explicit videos. JOHNSON and other website members and uploaders created fake female Internet personas in order to initiate online communications with young boys.
During the course of the investigation of JOHNSON, special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined JOHNSON’s websites contained approximately 2,000 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of young boys. Dubbed “Operation Roundtable,” the case against JOHNSON has resulted in ten (10) additional individuals being charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Orleans. To date, five (5) of those defendants have entered pleas of guilty to crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.
In addition, Operation Roundtable has resulted in over twenty-five (25) additional defendants being arrested and charged with various state and federal charges throughout the United States and approximately 250 child victims have been identified and/or rescued by law enforcement officials.
“Today’s guilty plea represents a significant step in our continued efforts to dismantle a criminal enterprise that is responsible for the sexual victimization of our nation’s young people,” stated United States Attorney Polite. “Once again, I commend HSI and the Postal Service for being dedicated partners in Operation Roundtable. Together, we are committed to utilizing our collective resources to bring justice to both the victims and the perpetrators of these crimes. Our important investigation is on-going.”
“With at least 27,000 members worldwide, this criminal oversaw the largest child pornography network ever discovered in this agency’s history,” said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. “Never before have so many minor victims been identified in the course of a single child exploitation investigation. Protecting children is one of HSI’s highest priorities and we will continue to investigate and seek prosecution of these dangerous criminals who exploit innocent victims and destroy lives for their own selfish desires.”
“Postal Inspectors investigate a wide variety of crimes in our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail, but sexual exploitation of children is particularly heinous,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Robert Wemyss. “When these predators use a combination of mail and the Internet to exploit our children we will ensure no aspect of their crimes escape justice.”
JOHNSON will be sentenced on July 17, 2014 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown. JOHNSON has been in federal custody since his arrest on June 13, 2013.
JOHNSON is facing a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of twenty (20) years to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. JOHNSON will also be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Unit Chief and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
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Local Man Sentenced on Computer Hacking ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – JONATHAN COWDEN was sentenced today to fifteen months of imprisonment resulting from his conviction for hacking a website associated with an Israeli-based business. Cowden was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his hacking crimes.
The hacking charge against Cowden resulted from a series of computer intrusions Cowden executed between November 2011 and January 2012. Cowden’s attacks typically looked for vulnerabilities in websites that he could exploit, which allowed him to gain unauthorized access to data and information which he then posted on-line.
Jonathan Cowden, formerly of St. Louis but currently of San Diego, California, pled guilty last August to one felony count of computer fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney John Bodenhausen handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Littleton Man Is Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Running A Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER – Michael B. Gale, age 66, of Littleton, Colorado, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 24 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced. Following his prison sentence he was ordered to serve 3 years on supervised release. Gale was also ordered by Judge Blackburn to pay $425,878.71 in restitution to his victims. After the hearing, Gale was released on bond. He will report to a Bureau of Prison facility once one is designated.
Gale was charged by an information on October 22, 2013 and pled guilty on December 19, 2013 to the charges. According to the information and plea agreement, beginning in February 2009 Gale individually and as Capital Management Group ("CMG"), fraudulently solicited and accepted at least $893,346 from nine individuals for the purpose of operating a commodity pool to trade commodity futures contracts on the Pool's behalf. Gale did not register as a commodity pool operator ("CPO") with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, but held himself out as a CPO to investors. Gale maintained two futures trading account and represented on both accounting documents that the funds on deposit were his and did not belong to any other investors or pools when in fact they were investor funds.
To further the scheme, Gale lied about his past trading successes telling some investors they could expect a 100% return on their investment while telling others that they could not lose on their investment. He also provided investors false documents to encourage them to invest or stay invested. Specifically he provided two investors with false tax documents that falsely represented the investors' profits in the Pool and to another investor he provided a false trading account statement that falsely represented that the value of the pool exceeded 3.5 million dollars. He also sent numerous emails to investors in which he lied about the Pool's profits.
Instead of investing the funds as promised, Gale took the investor funds and commingled them with his personal money and spent some of it on personal expenses. On one occasion, Gale transferred investment funds to his personal bank and subsequently transferred $100,000 of that money to the trading account to make it appear that the funds in that account were his personal money and not investor money. The investments Gale made actually lost money. He sometimes used later investors' funds to make partial payments to previous investors and returned approximately $447,477 to investors during the course of his scheme.
“The prison sentence handed down in this case is appropriate given the defendant’s criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “Thanks to the work of the prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorney, Suneeta Hazra, and the investigation conducted by special agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI, another con man has been held accountable for taking people’s hard earned money.”
“Investors should always be wary and cautioned of investment proposals that promise high returns on their investment. 'If it seems too good to be true', it is probably an investment scheme,” said Stephen Boyd, Special Agent in Charge for IRS Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office.
“The FBI is fully committed to protecting innocent victims by aggressively investigating those who perpetrate investment fraud schemes,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle said.
This case was investigated by agents with IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suneeta Hazra.
Lehigh Valley Doctor Indicted on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
Dennis Erik Fluck Von Kiel, 57, of Macungie and New Tripoli, PA, the former medical director of Lehigh County Prison (“LCP”) was formally indicted today on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and five counts of attempting to evade or defeat federal taxes, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Von Kiel has been held without bail at the Federal Detention Center since his arrest on February 28, 2014, on a federal criminal complaint.
Von Kiel is a doctor of osteopathy whose medical practice included treating inmates at LCP from approximately March 1989 until approximately August 2013. According to the indictment, Von Kiel earned wages of more than $200,000 a year from 2008 through 2012 and paid no federal taxes during any of those years. Von Kiel had represented that he was exempt from federal taxes because he was a minister of a religious institution called the “International Academy of Lymphology” (and its successors, the “International Academy of Life” and the “Christian Forum Assembly Church”) and had taken a “vow of poverty.”
It is further alleged that Von Kiel directed his employer to deposit his bi-weekly paychecks into bank accounts for his “church,” and once the money arrived in those accounts, co-conspirators would transfer nearly the same amount of money into Pennsylvania bank accounts controlled by Von Kiel. Von Kiel then allegedly used that money to pay for all of his family’s day-to-day living expenses and to buy some unusual items such as a batting cage for his sons, all while purportedly living under his “vow of poverty.”
If convicted, Von Kiel faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1.5 million, and a $600 special assessment.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.
Click here to view the indictment
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint 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, 215-861-8525Leaders of Counterfeiting Ring Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Heath J. Kellogg and Stacy P. Smith have been sentenced to federal prison for counterfeiting offenses.
“These defendants--who referred to their counterfeit money as ‘Monopoly,’ as if it were some kind of game--effectively stole from thousands of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and citizens throughout Georgia and the United States,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Counterfeiting is far from a victimless crime because the person who unknowingly accepts the counterfeit bill usually absorbs the full amount of the loss. In this case, the victims included citizens, churches, and family-run businesses, as well as banks and large retail stores.”
“Every person, business or organization that receives a counterfeit note is a victim, and as such experiences a real economic loss. The United States Secret Service will continue to take an aggressive approach to arrest criminals like Smith and Kellogg. These sentences should be a warning to other like-minded criminals that manipulating and stealing from the American people will not go unpunished,” said Reginald G. Moore, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: From approximately February 1, 2011 until November 15, 2012, the defendants conspired to manufacture and distribute counterfeit U.S currency. The defendants focused on $50 bills, but also manufactured $20 bills. Heath Kellogg, a self-taught graphic artist, developed a manufacturing process for counterfeit currency. Smith helped Heath Kellogg manufacture the counterfeit currency, and both men purchased supplies on various occasions.
Smith distributed the counterfeit currency through a network of individuals, which ultimately spread the bills throughout the United States. Smith and Heath Kellogg used feedback from their ultimate customers, who victimized businesses, individuals and banks by passing the counterfeit currency in the community, to refine and improve their manufacturing process over time. The defendants sold the counterfeit currency to customers in exchange for genuine U.S currency, at various discounted rates.
On November 15, 2012, Secret Service agents executed search warrants yielding a wide variety of physical evidence, including completed and partially completed counterfeit currency, a large roll of special paper of the sort used in commercial printing presses, numerous printers, and a flash drive containing encrypted digital files with high definition images of various features of the counterfeit bills.
The counterfeiting operation was extensive. The Secret Service reports that counterfeit currency matching the distinctive characteristics of those produced by the defendants totaling over $1.4 million in face value has been returned to it by local police departments, banks, merchants and individuals victimized when the counterfeit currency was passed. The counterfeit currency was returned to the Secret Service from victims across the United States and internationally.
Heath J. Kellogg was sentenced on Friday, March 24, 2014 to twelve years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Heath Kellogg was convicted on November 5, 2013 of one count of conspiracy to counterfeit and deal in counterfeit obligations of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, two counts of counterfeiting currency in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 471, and two counts of dealing in counterfeit obligations in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 473, after pleading guilty to the Indictment. At sentencing, the court found Kellogg responsible for manufacturing counterfeit currency with a face value of over $1 million.
Smith was sentenced on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, to three years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Smith was convicted, on his plea of guilty on June 11, 2013, of one count of counterfeiting obligations or securities of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 471. At sentencing, the court found Smith responsible for manufacturing counterfeit currency with a face value of over $1 million.
Four co-defendants in the same case were previously sentenced after pleading guilty:
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Kenyada Barrion, 37, of Lithonia, Ga., was sentenced on August 28, 2013, to eighteen months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Barrion was convicted on March 27, 2013, of dealing in counterfeit obligations of the United States.
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Cameron Longshore, 31, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced on October 10, 2013, to one year and one day in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was convicted August 1, 2013, of a single count of dealing in counterfeit obligations.
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Ian Longshore, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., was also sentenced on October 10, 2013, to one year and one day in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was convicted on August 1, 2013, of a single count of dealing in counterfeit obligations.
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James Kellogg, 63, of Marietta, Ga., was sentenced on December 2, 2013, to five years of probation, including six months of home confinement. James Kellogg was convicted on June 11, 2013, of conspiracy to counterfeit and deal in counterfeit obligations of the United States.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Alana R. Black prosecuted the case.
Anyone can become the victim of currency counterfeiters. To learn more about how to detect counterfeit currency and guard against forgery loss, visit the Know Your Money websites maintained by the United States Secret Service at: http://www.secretservice.gov/know_your_money.shtml and http://www.newmoney.gov/.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
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Laredo Resident Arrested for Threatening to Blow up Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Cristina Lara, 43, has been charged with threatening to blow up the building that houses the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Laredo, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
The criminal complaint, filed under seal March 17, 2014, was unsealed this morning as she was taken into custody by federal authorities. Lara is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga tomorrow morning.
According to the charges, the DEA received a voicemail message on the morning of Feb. 21, 2014, from an anonymous caller threatening to blow up the building. The entire building, which houses the DEA offices as well as other federal agencies, was evacuated immediately.
The FBI traced the message to a phone number located within the Laredo Medical Center which is allegedly attached to a particular phone located in the reception area of the building. Video surveillance allegedly shows Lara using the phone at the same time the call was made.
If convicted, Lara faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The case is being investigated by FBI is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonah Lee.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Sairam Enterprises Inc. for Discriminating Against Disabled Veteran with Service AnimalRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Sairam Enterprises Inc. LLC alleging that it discriminated against Jeffrey Crockett and his family on the basis of disability in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sairam Enterprises owns and operates the Days Inn and Conference Center Tulsa, a hotel in Tulsa, Okla.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, alleges that Days Inn Tulsa maintained a “no pet” policy that was enforced against Crockett to prohibit him, his service animal and his family from staying at the hotel on Aug. 31, 2010, while they were traveling through Oklahoma. Crockett is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps who has a degenerative disc disease, a demyelinating disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and panic disorder. Crockett’s service animal is a German shepherd named Phineas that is trained to perform tasks directly related to his disabilities, and Days Inn Tulsa allegedly made no effort to modify its policy even after Crockett notified the hotel that Phineas is a service animal.
“The men and women who have given so much to our country through their military service cannot be denied accommodations because they need a service animal,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce the ADA so that they, and others with disabilities, do not need to face such discrimination.”
“It is vital for the Justice Department to protect every citizen’s right to equal treatment and opportunity, especially for our Nation’s veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Under the American with Disabilities Act, no citizen with the need for a service animal should be discriminated against and denied accommodation.”
In the lawsuit, the United States is seeking a court order declaring that Days Inn Tulsa violated the ADA, prohibiting future discrimination by the hotel, and requiring the hotel to adopt a nondiscrimination policy and to train its staff on nondiscrimination. The lawsuit also seeks an award of monetary damages to the Crocketts who were allegedly harmed by the discrimination and a civil penalty.
To read the complaint and for more information on the ADA, visit the ADA website. Those interested in finding out more about this lawsuit or the obligations of private entities to accommodate people with service animals under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA website. ADA complaints may be filed by email.
The complaint is an allegation of unlawful conduct. The allegations must still be proven in federal court.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Sairam Enterprises Inc. for Discriminating Against Disabled Veteran with Service AnimalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Sairam Enterprises Inc. LLC alleging that it discriminated against Jeffrey Crockett and his family on the basis of disability in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sairam Enterprises owns and operates the Days Inn and Conference Center Tulsa, a hotel in Tulsa, Okla.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, alleges that Days Inn Tulsa maintained a “no pet” policy that was enforced against Crockett to prohibit him, his service animal and his family from staying at the hotel on Aug. 31, 2010, while they were traveling through Oklahoma. Crockett is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps who has a degenerative disc disease, a demyelinating disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and panic disorder. Crockett’s service animal is a German shepherd named Phineas that is trained to perform tasks directly related to his disabilities, and Days Inn Tulsa allegedly made no effort to modify its policy even after Crockett notified the hotel that Phineas is a service animal.
“The men and women who have given so much to our country through their military service cannot be denied accommodations because they need a service animal,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce the ADA so that they, and others with disabilities, do not need to face such discrimination.”
“It is vital for the Justice Department to protect every citizen’s right to equal treatment and opportunity, especially for our Nation’s veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Under the American with Disabilities Act, no citizen with the need for a service animal should be discriminated against and denied accommodation.”
In the lawsuit, the United States is seeking a court order declaring that Days Inn Tulsa violated the ADA, prohibiting future discrimination by the hotel, and requiring the hotel to adopt a nondiscrimination policy and to train its staff on nondiscrimination. The lawsuit also seeks an award of monetary damages to the Crocketts who were allegedly harmed by the discrimination and a civil penalty.
To read the complaint and for more information on the ADA, visit the ADA website. Those interested in finding out more about this lawsuit or the obligations of private entities to accommodate people with service animals under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA website. ADA complaints may be filed by email.
The complaint is an allegation of unlawful conduct. The allegations must still be proven in federal court.
Judge Sends Advance Pay Schemer to Prison for 18 YearsRead the Press Release
Case Involved Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Of Entrepreneurs
PHILADELPHIA - Andrew Bogdanoff, 67, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced today to 220 months in prison for defrauding 1,900 victims out of more than $26 million in a financial scheme involving Remington Financial Group and Remington Capital (collectively “Remington”). The advance fee scheme defrauded victims searching for commercial financing. Bogdanoff pleaded guilty on August 29, 2013 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and filing false tax returns. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge William H. Yohn, Jr. ordered full restitution to Bogdanoff’s victims in the amount of $26,049,893 and to the IRS in the amount of $962,820, a $2,100 special assessment, and three years of supervised release.
Charged with Bogdanoff were Matthew McManus, 44, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, Shayne Fowler, 28, of Scottsdale, Arizona, Joel Nathanson, 26, of San Diego, California, Frank Vogel, 48, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, and Aaron Bogdanoff, 25, of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Andrew Bogdanoff was the founder and chairman of Remington Financial Group (later renamed Remington Capital) and ran the company with defendant Matthew McManus until 2008 in Arizona and Pennsylvania. After McManus left the company in 2008, defendant Fowler replaced McManus as Bogdanoff’s right-hand man. Defendant Joel Nathanson was one of Remington’s most proficient employees and helped Remington defraud many victims. Defendant Frank Vogel was a Michigan-based broker who referred numerous victims to Remington in exchange for large kickbacks.
Between 2005 and 2011, the defendants fraudulently induced hundreds of people to pay Remington fees in excess of $10,000 a piece, based on false representations that Remington had lenders and/or investors ready to provide financing for the victims’ projects. To facilitate this fraud the defendants issued each victim a “letter of interest,” commonly referred to as an LOI. Almost every LOI Remington issues stated that Remington had a lender or investor interested in financing the victim’s project. Remington issued an LOI to every victim even though no Remington employee had spoken to any funding source and Remington knew that it was unlikely to find funding for the project.
The LOI was written to fraudulently lead victims to believe that Remington was either a lender or had spoken to lenders that had already expressed interest in the customer's project when neither was true. Additionally, the financing terms Remington included in the LOI were unrealistic and were used solely to induce customers to pay Remington's advance fees. In addition to the false representations in the LOI, the defendants and other Remington employees allegedly also told victims the following lies to further induce victims to pay Remington’s fees: a) Remington had five investors or lenders interested in their project; b) Remington was the actual lender for the project; c) Remington funded or “closed” 80 percent of its deals; d) the victim would get funding for the project once the advance fee was paid and/or; e) Remington would provide funding through its funding source Northbridge.
After a customer paid Remington’s fee, McManus and Andrew Bogdanoff instructed Remington employees to find problems with the projects so that Remington could blame its failure to provide financing on the victim. The defendants did this to help protect Remington from civil and criminal complaints.
Some of the defendants used sophisticated means to perpetuate the fraud. For instance, in 2010, defendants Fowler and Andrew Bogdanoff used Remington’s website to advertise an anti-fraud policy and stated falsely that Remington had recently provided information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement authorities about a suspected email scam. Remington posted this information to ensure that if potential customers used an internet search engine to search for allegations about Remington's fraud they would be directed to Remington's website, rather than third-party internet sources that contained negative information about Remington.
McManus was convicted at trial and will be sentenced on May 21, 2014. A plea hearing for Vogel is scheduled for April 15, 2014, in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan. The remaining defendants have already pleaded guilty. A sentencing hearing for Aaron Bogdanoff is scheduled for April 11, 2014. Sentencing hearings for Fowler and Nathanson are scheduled for May 20, 2014.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Pennsylvania Securities Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Axelrod.UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Jordan Linn Graham Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on March 27, 2014, JORDAN LINN GRAHAM, 22, of Kalispell, was sentenced to 360 months in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy. The sentence follows Graham's mid-trial guilty plea to second degree murder. Jordan Linn Graham filed a motion to withdraw her guilty plea on March 26, 2014. The motion was denied today by the trial judge.
Cody Johnson married Jordan Graham in Kalispell on June 29, 2013. The day after the wedding, Graham began to tell a friend that she "totally had a meltdown" and was having second thoughts concerning her marriage to Cody and wondered "what the heck I just did this all for."
At trial, several witnesses testified that on July 7, 2013 Cody said Graham had a surprise planned for him later that day. Graham lured Cody to Glacier National Park with the promise of a big surprise and pushed him from a cliff to his death. After providing several false statements to law enforcement officers and impeding the investigation by providing false information, Graham ultimately admitted pushing Cody from behind with both hands.
On July 8, 2013, multiple people reported Cody missing to the Kalispell Police Department, but the defendant was not one of them. During the next few days the defendant continued to communicate with numerous people in the Kalispell community, often via text message, about what had happened to Cody. As demonstrated at trial through witness testimony and admitted exhibits, the defendant continued to impress upon friends and family that Cody had left with friends. She continued to tell this story via text messages, including with Cody's mother.
Convincing evidence at trial established that on the morning of July 10, 2013, the defendant created an email account entitled "carmontony607" using Google from her parent's residence in Kalispell. A few minutes after that account was established, the defendant emailed herself the following message:
Hello Jordan, My name is Tony. There is no bother in looking for Cody anymore. He is gone. I saw your post on twitter and thought I would email you. He had come with some buddies and met up with me on Sunday night in Columbia Falls. He was saying he needed to be with buddies for a bit and take them for a joy ride before they had to go. So he said bye to me and they took off in a black car for a ride. 3 of the other guys came back saying they had gone for a ride in the woods somewhere and Cody got out of the car and went for a little hike and they are positive he fell and he is dead Jordan. I don't know who the guys were but they took off. So call off the missing person report. Cody is for sure gone. -Tony."
Because the defendant did not identify the location of Cody's body until the evening of July 11, 2013, law enforcement were not able to recover Cody's body until the next day, on July 12, 2013. The recovery of Cody's body was a substantial undertaking, requiring National Park staff overtime and the retention of specialized equipment. As testified by a number of law enforcement at trial, Cody's body was located at the bottom of an approximately 300-foot cliff and located, face-down, in a shallow creek. Cody's body was ultimately lifted from the bottom of the ravine by a special-lift helicopter that had to be retained for this specific purpose.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Park Service, Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff's Office and Parks Canada. "These agencies worked as one and are to be commended for their tireless efforts to bring justice to this case, to Cody Johnson and to his family and friends.
The conviction of Graham happened because of the incredible investigative team and a hard-working and talented trial team which worked tirelessly to propel this case to a right and just conclusion.
The US Department of Justice and the Montana United States Attorney's Office extend our profound appreciation and thank you to the agents and officers involved in this investigation." --United States Attorney Michael Cotter.
Jackson Postal Worker Charged for Role in Planning Conley Postal RobberyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - LaTonya Evans has been indicted by a federal grand jury on conspiracy and armed robbery charges for her role in planning a postal robbery in Conley, Ga., on December 20, 2013—a robbery that resulted in the near-fatal shooting of a postal truck driver by two other defendants charged with Evans in the same indictment.
“Evans is charged with exploiting her inside knowledge of the Postal Service for personal profit,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “The conspiracy she is charged with participating in resulted in the near-death of a fellow postal worker whom Evans knew. The indictment charges that he was shot, bound, and left for dead by Evans’ co-defendants. We will always aggressively prosecute anyone who commits this kind of horrendous act.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s mission and priority is the protection of postal employees,” said Keith Fixel, Postal Inspector in Charge, Charlotte Division. “Acts of violence are crimes of unspeakable consequences which Postal Inspectors will investigate with rigorous tenacity. While the investigation included a postal employee, Evans’ actions do not represent the vast majority of postal employees committed to doing their jobs.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the indictment, and other information presented in court: LaTonya Evans helped to develop the scheme to rob a postal truck, and worked with co-defendants Kendrick Watkins and Charles Jackson to carry out the plan. Evans met with Watkins and Jackson to plan the robbery of the postal truck driver. On December 20, 2013, during a routine pick-up in Conley, Ga., Jackson and Watkins approached the U.S. Postal employee who was driving the truck and demanded the keys to the postal truck. When the victim did not immediately comply, the men shot him in the torso, nearly taking his life. The robbers then bound the victim’s feet and took his cell phone so that he could not run or call for help. Jackson and Watkins drove away with the stolen truck and all its contents and met with Evans afterwards to discuss the robbery. The victim was forced to crawl several hundred feet to the nearest road where he flagged down a passerby for help.
LaTonya Evans, 44, of Jackson, Ga., has been charged along with Kendrick Watkins, 39, of Rex, Ga., and Charles Jackson, 55, of Griffin, Ga. Watkins and Jackson are accused of carrying out the armed robbery and shooting.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Kruger and John Ghose are prosecuting this case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Indictment Charges Five Hartford Area Men with Heroin Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England, and Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven has returned an indictment charging five men with narcotics offenses in connection with their alleged involvement in a Hartford area heroin trafficking conspiracy. The indictment was returned on March 25.
The 12-count indictment alleges that from approximately November 2013 through March 2014, the following individuals conspired to distribute various quantities of heroin:
FRANCISCO BIGIO, also known as “Flaco,” 34, of East Hartford
CHARLES JACKSON, also known as “Doo Doo,” 44, of Manchester
CARLOS CARDONA, also known as “Los,” 29, of Hartford
CHRISTOPHER CARDONA, also known as “Tito,” 27, of Hartford
ANTONIO BAEZ, also known as “Pete,” 39, of HartfordThe five defendants were arrested earlier this month on criminal complaints and are currently detained.
According to court documents filed as part of this case, this joint investigation focused on the distribution of heroin that is believed to have been laced with Fentanyl and may have contributed to several recent heroin overdoses in the Hartford area.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain that cannot be controlled with other medicines. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine.
U.S. Attorney Daly noted that the investigation is ongoing and investigators are in the process of determining if the heroin involved in this conspiracy contained Fentanyl, and if a connection to the reported overdoses exists.
In addition to being charged with conspiracy, BIGIO is charged with multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine. It is alleged that BIGIO was found in possession of two kilograms of cocaine at the time of his arrest.
CARLOS CARDONA, CHRISTOPHER CARDONA and BAEZ are also charged with multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
If convicted of the charge of conspiring to distribute heroin, BIGIO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, JACKSON, CARLOS CARDONA and CHRISTOPHER CARDONA face a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and BAEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
BIGIO and JACKSON are both serving terms of federal supervised release and face additional penalties if convicted of the charges contained in the indictment.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Leaming and Patrick Caruso.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Houston Man Indicted for Threatening to Bomb SynagoguesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury in Houston has returned a six-count indictment against Dante Phearse, 33, for calling in bomb threats to two Houston synagogues, a municipal courthouse and a private business. The announcement is being made jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Phearse, of Houston, is charged with two civil rights violations for threats called into two synagogues. Specifically, Phearse allegedly obstructed, by threat of force with an explosive device, members of the synagogues from enjoying the free exercise of their religious beliefs. Phearse is also charged with four counts of using an instrument of interstate commerce to communicate a threat to kill and injure people and destroy a building by means of an explosive device.
The indictment alleges that on April 30, 2013, Phearse telephoned two different synagogues in Houston - Congregation Beth Israel and Congregation Or Ami - and left voicemails threatening to bomb the buildings and cause other harm to the members. Also on that day, Phearse allegedly called in and threatened to bomb the City of Houston Municipal Courts building and a private business.
If convicted, Phearse faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each civil rights violation and up to 10 years for making bomb threats over the telephone.
Phearse has been in custody since his arrest. He is expected to make an initial appearance on the indictment in the near future, at which time the U.S. expects to request his continued detention pending trial.
This case is being investigated by the FBI in cooperation with the Houston Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ruben Perez and Joe Magliolo of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Nicholas Murphy and Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division in cooperation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Houston Man Charged with Threatening to Bomb SynagoguesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced today that a federal grand jury in Houston returned a six count indictment charging Dante Phearse, 33, with calling in bomb threats to two Houston synagogues, a municipal courthouse and a private business.
Phearse, of Houston, has been charged with two civil rights violations for threat of force with an explosive device against two synagogues, which allegedly obstructed members of the synagogues from enjoying the free exercise of their religious beliefs. Phearse is also charged with four counts of using an instrument of interstate commerce to communicate a threat to kill and injure people and destroy a building by means of an explosive device.
The indictment alleges that on April 30, 2013, Phearse telephoned two different synagogues in Houston, Congregation Beth Israel and Congregation Or Ami, and left voicemails threatening to bomb the buildings and cause other harms to the members. According to the indictment, on the same day, Phearse also called in and threatened to bomb the City of Houston Municipal Courts building and a private business.
If convicted, Phearse faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each civil rights violation, and a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of making bomb threats over the phone. Phearse has been in custody since his arrest. He is expected to make an initial appearance on the indictment in the near future, at which time the U.S. expects to request his continued detention pending trial.
This case is being investigated by the Houston Division of the FBI in cooperation with the Houston Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Nicholas Murphy and Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruben Perez and Joe Magliolo of the Southern District of Texas, in cooperation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.
Hamden Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM HINES, also known as “Gunz,” 30, of Hamden, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from “Operation Bloodline,” a joint law enforcement investigation targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in the Dwight-Kensington and Fair Haven sections of New Haven. Led by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, the year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps on numerous telephones, extensive physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, execution of search warrants, and seizures of narcotics and firearms. More than 100 individuals were charged as a result of the investigation.
HINES was arrested on May 30, 2012. He has been detained since December 12, 2013, when he was arrested in Maine on state charges while released on bond. On September 4, 2013, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
HINES’s criminal history includes five prior convictions, including convictions for larceny, possession of narcotics, carrying a pistol without a permit and criminal possession of a firearm.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia and Meriden Police Departments. The United States Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services and the Milford, Hartford, New Britain, North Branford and Stratford Police Departments have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Marc Silverman.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Halfway House Escapee Sentenced to Additional Prison TimeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Washington, Pa., was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, to 15 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release on his conviction of escaping from federal custody, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Zack James Sadler, 28, after considering that he had run from house arrest and other facilities several times in the past and that Sadler was likely to serve an additional five months due to the loss of his “good-time” credits.
According to information presented to the court, on Aug. 9, 2013, Sadler, who was nearing the end of a 60-month prison sentence on a federal conviction for felon in possession of a firearm, escaped from a halfway house located in Pittsburgh. The United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force arrested Sadler on Aug. 20, 2013. According to information presented to the court, Sadler's previous convictions included offenses related to illegal firearm possession, assaults, drugs, burglary and shooting at civilians.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the United States Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the quick apprehension and successful prosecution of Sadler.
Guilty Plea in Massive Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Rance Hunter, 29, of Atlanta, has been convicted in a scheme in which fraudulent tax returns were filed using identification information that was stolen and used without lawful authority, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
According to court records, Hunter was employed at the Fulton County, Ga., Superior Court Clerk’s Office. There, he had access to the Sheriff’s Office Database and personal identifying information (PII), including names, birth dates and Social Security (SS) numbers, of arrestees, inmates and employees. Hunter would print out the PII from the database and sell the information when requested by his co-conspirators. From 2010 through 2013, those co-conspirators would use the PII to file thousands of fraudulent tax returns claiming more than $12 million in refunds.
At the time of his arrest, Hunter was in possession of another 10,000 names, SS numbers and dates of birth.
According to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records, the National Treasury paid out more than $6 million before the scheme was discovered. The tax refunds generated by the fraudulent returns were often deposited onto reloadable debit cards and mailed to addresses under control of the conspirators.
Eight people, including three U.S. Postal Service workers, are charged with conspiring together and participating in the scheme in a separate, but related, indictment.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for June 17, 2014. At that time, Hunter faces up to 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit mail fraud as well as a mandatory two-year-term which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Both conviction also carry a possible $250,000 fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS - Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Buchanan.
Fresno Police Department Detective and Fresno Marijuana Trafficker Indicted in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Derik Carson Kumagai, 40, resident of Clovis, California, and Saykham Somphoune, a/k/a, “Oat,” 40, resident of Fresno, California, charging them with conspiracy, bribery, and extortion, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, detective Kumagai accepted a $20,000 bribe from an individual who was under investigation for marijuana trafficking. In return for the bribe payment, Kumagai and co-conspirator Somphoune (who is not a law enforcement officer) promised the person under investigation that he would be signed up as a confidential informant for the Fresno Police Department. On November 6, 2013, the person under investigation paid Kumagai approximately $20,000 cash. A few hours later, the person under investigation completed purported documents regarding work as a confidential informant for the Fresno Police Department.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service also provided investigative assistance in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Kevin P. Rooney are prosecuting the case.
Derik Kumagai was released from pretrial custody on March 19, 2014. Saykham Somphoune is currently detained as a flight risk.
If convicted of conspiracy, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of bribery, they face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. If convicted of extortion or conspiracy to commit extortion, they face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Sacramento Area Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Defendant's Bid to Be Released Before Completing His Sentence Denied
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alexander A. Romaniolis, 48, of Irvine, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 30 months in prison and a $17,500 fine, and forfeiture of over $400,000 for mortgage fraud, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Romaniolis recruited five straw buyers to purchase eight California residential properties in Rocklin, Roseville and San Clemente. Romaniolis assisted the straw buyers in providing false information to lenders about their employment, income, assets, and intent to occupy properties as primary residences. In most cases, the straw buyers claimed to be executives of companies created and controlled by Romaniolis. He was responsible for the origination of more than $5 million in residential mortgage loans in the scheme. All of the properties were foreclosed on, resulting in a total loss of more than $2 million.
At sentencing, Romaniolis asked to be released for a short period so he could see his family before completing his sentence. Judge Nunley denied that request.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force. The Huntington Beach Police Department assisted in the arrest. Assistant United States Attorneys Jean M. Hobler and Jeff Spivak prosecuted the case.
Former Owner/President of Tennessee Guns International, Inc. Sentenced in U.S. District CourtRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, Charles M. Jones III, former owner and president of Tennessee Guns International, Inc. (TGI), was sentenced in U.S. District Court to serve one year of probation and 100 hours of community service as a result of his felony conviction for importation of goods (firearms) by false statements.
Jones pleaded guilty to the offense pursuant to a plea agreement last December. The plea agreement also resulted in TGI forfeiting and relinquishing several thousand firearms and firearms parts that were seized from TGI. Significantly, Jones can no longer possess a firearm, since he is now a convicted felon.
“It is extremely important that firearms dealers abide by the law in conducting their business, in order to prevent those who are not authorized under law to possess firearms, from obtaining guns and weapons,” said U.S. Attorney William C. Killian.
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Fulton stated, “This conviction and sentence is a reminder that smuggling firearms by a Federal Firearms Licensee into the U.S. is a serious matter and will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.”
“Firearms regulations exist to ensure weapons crossing international borders are properly accounted for to preserve public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Raymond R. Parmer Jr. “This case shows the significant consequences awaiting individuals who attempt to illegally import weapons and who make false claims while attempting to do so.” Parmer oversees a five-state area of operations to include Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
The conviction was the result of a long-term investigation conducted by ATF, and HSI. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Martin, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Theodore and Frank Dale, represented the United States.
Former Owner of T&T Realty Sentenced to Twenty-Four Months in Prison for Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – TRINA TAHIR, 58, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to twenty-four months in federal prison and ordered to pay $382,290.82 in restitution for her role in obtaining mortgage loans fraudulently, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
A grand jury indicted Tahir along with two co-defendants, Derrick Reuben Smith and Michael Gipson, in July of 2010. According to the indictment, Smith recruited two individuals to buy two new homes in Edmond in mid-2006 and early 2007 for $425,000 and $435,000 respectively. The builder of both homes agreed that Tahir’s real estate brokerage, T&T Realty, would receive large commissions and bonuses totaling $51,950 and $77,950 respectively. The indictment alleged that after the closings, Tahir caused T&T Realty to write checks to Gipson, an agent at T&T Realty, for $27,059.86 and $58,000 respectively. Gipson then bought cashier’s checks in those same amounts payable to “MP Services,” a business that Smith operated. Smith paid $20,000 to the person who served as the buyer of the first house and used the rest of the money for his own purposes. In short, the defendants were charged with inducing lenders to fund mortgages based on inflated real estate prices and misrepresenting the distribution of excessive loan proceeds to Smith as commissions and bonuses paid to Tahir.
The indictment also charged Gipson and Tahir with fraudulently misrepresenting the source of funds used as a down payment on a house that Gipson bought in Oklahoma City and charged Tahir with fraudulently disguising the payment of $9,295.52 to a buyer of a house in Midwest City as a real estate bonus.
In addition to a conspiracy count and four wire-fraud counts, the indictment included nine counts of money laundering. In each of these, one of the defendants was charged with engaging in a financial transaction designed to conceal and disguise the nature, source, and ownership of the proceeds of the mortgages.
On April 6, 2011, Tahir pled guilty to laundering the proceeds of a fraudulent mortgage on the house purchased by Gipson. A jury convicted Smith of conspiracy on April 14, 2011; on August 30, 2011, he was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay $369,355.54. Gipson pled guilty on March 30, 2011, to conspiracy and money laundering. He was sentenced to 4 months and ordered to pay $335,070.55 in restitution.
On March 26, 2014, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti heard evidence concerning Tahir’s fraudulent conduct and concluded that she was culpable in connection with six residential properties. He also found that she had obstructed justice by attempting to manipulate the judicial process through meritless motions in which she contended that she was incompetent and that she should be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea because of alleged coercion by her former counsel. Based in part on these findings, he ordered her to serve 24 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and to pay $382,290.82 in restitution to financial institutions. After her incarceration, she will be on supervised release for three years.
This sentence is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott E. Williams and Chris M. Stephens.
Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Former Newton County Deputy Sheriff SentencedRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Darrell Mathis has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during a drug transaction.
“Mathis abandoned his oath as a deputy sheriff, and chose the life of a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “His decision to violate the law also violated the trust the public places in law enforcement. Mathis will have the next five years in prison to consider his conduct.”
J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Today’s sentencing of former Deputy Mathis should serve notice that, while noting that the vast majority of those who serve within the criminal justice system are faithful to their oaths, the FBI will make those individuals who do violate their sworn oaths as law enforcement officers a priority for investigation and prosecution.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In April 2013, it came to the attention of the FBI that Darrell Mathis, a deputy sheriff with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, was distributing marijuana. From May through September 2013, Mathis sold various quantities of marijuana to a confidential source who was working with the FBI, as well as to an undercover FBI agent. On at least two occasions, Mathis sold marijuana from his marked patrol vehicle while wearing his Newton County Sheriff’s Office uniform.
On August 8, 2013, Mathis sold one pound of marijuana to an undercover FBI agent. Following that sale, Mathis and the undercover FBI agent went to meet with another undercover FBI agent to discuss the sale of additional quantities of marijuana. Mathis brought his NCSO badge and his firearm to the meeting. Mathis told the undercover agent that he was bringing his firearm to the meeting “just in case.” During the meeting, Mathis told the second undercover FBI agent, who Mathis believed to be a marijuana and cocaine trafficker, that he was a police officer, pulled out his badge, and stated, “Don't worry, I'm on your side.” Mathis was arrested on September 19, 2013, when he met with the undercover FBI agent while in possession of one pound of marijuana.
Mathis, 41, of Lithonia, Ga., has been sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Mathis was convicted on the charge on December 6, 2013, after he pleaded guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Jamie L. Mickelson prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Florida Man Sentenced on Child Sex ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA – A Florida man who pled guilty last year to charges related to his illicit sexual conduct with a minor, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Harrisonburg.
James Christopher Clement, 33, of St. Petersburg, Fla., previously pled guilty to one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18. Yesterday in District Court, Clement was sentenced to spend 96 months in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
“Mr. Clement and others who travel across state lines to exploit children cause severe and lasting harm to their victims," United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “The punishment imposed in this case reflects the significance of that harm and demonstrates our commitment to holding child predators accountable.”
“Mr. Clement’s sentence sends a strong message to those who victimize children; the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find these predators and deliver them to justice. Cases involving child victims are a high priority for the FBI. The outcome of this case demonstrates our commitment to the fight against child exploitation,” said Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to evidence presented at a previous hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber, Clement was a carnival worker who began dating the victim’s mother in 2010. Soon after the two began dating, Clement moved into the family’s Rockingham County home. Shortly thereafter, Clement established an inappropriate relationship with the victim. In November 2010, Clement convinced the victim to take a trip with Clement to West Virginia and Kentucky. Clement has admitted that his purpose in taking the victim out of state was to have illicit sexual contact with her. Clement was arrested in Kentucky and returned to Virginia for prosecution.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber prosecuted the case for the United States.
Five Individuals Charged with Conspiring <br /> to Fraudulently Obtain Union Job for Organized Crime UnderbossRead the Press Release
Five men have been charged in the Eastern District of New York with conspiring to defraud the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers’ Union (NMDU) and Hudson News newsstands to obtain a union card and employment at Hudson News newsstands for the son of the alleged underboss of the Colombo family of La Cosa Nostra.
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Benjamin Castellazzo Jr., Rocco Giangregorio, Glenn LaChance, Rocco Miraglia, aka “Irving,” and Anthony Turzio, aka “the Irish Guy,” with mail fraud conspiracy. The five men were arrested earlier today, and their initial appearances are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.
In addition, a three-count indictment was unsealed today charging Thomas Leonessa, aka “Tommy Stacks,” with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and theft and embezzlement from employee benefit plans in an unrelated scheme. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Brooklyn, N.Y., on March 6, 2014, and relates to Leonessa’s alleged “no show” job as a delivery driver for the New York Post.
The charges were announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Garcia of the New York region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations and Assistant Director in Charge George C. Venizelos of the FBI’s New York Field Office.
As alleged in the complaint, the NMDU is an independent union that represents approximately 1,500 employees involved in the newspaper industry in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. NMDU members deliver newspapers for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the New York Daily News, the New York Post and El Diario. Hudson News, which also employs members of the NMDU, is a retail chain of newsstands mainly located in major transportation hubs, including airports and train stations.
Between June 2009 and October 2009, Miraglia, who was a foreman at the New York Daily News – as well as an associate of the Colombo organized crime family and the son of a deceased soldier in the Colombo family – conspired with officials of the NMDU and with Turzio, an employee of El Diario, to get an NMDU union card for Castellazzo Jr. and place him in a job at Hudson News. Castellazzo Jr. is the son of Benjamin Castellazzo, the alleged underboss of the Colombo family. Giangregorio and LaChance, who are business agents for the NMDU, also participated on this scheme.
As alleged in the indictment, Leonessa was employed by the New York Post to deliver newspapers by truck from a New York Post warehouse in the Bronx, N.Y., to New Jersey. He was also a member of the NMDU, which maintained offices, including offices for its welfare and pension funds, in Queens, N.Y. From about December 2010 to about September 2011, Leonessa had a “no show job” – a job for which he was paid wages and benefits for services he did not perform – at the New York Post. When Leonessa did not complete his required deliveries, he was nevertheless, based on his fraudulent representations, paid wages by the New York Post and accorded benefits from employee pension and welfare funds managed by the NMDU.
Leonessa is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levyat the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations and the FBI, with assistance from the New York City Police Department, the New York County District Attorney’s Office and Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Wheatley of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geddes and Allon Lifshitz.Final Defendant Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy and Gun Charge on Eve of Schedule TrialRead the Press Release
Buffalo, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that 10th Street Gang member Tony Peebles, 27, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty to Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, a $250,000 fine or both.
“For the past several years, this office has been relentless in its pursuit of violent gang members and narcotics traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “The results speak for themselves with more than a hundred fifty predators behind bars, dozens of violent crimes solved and ever declining violent crime rates across the District. Let today's developments and likely sentence be heard loud and clear by any remaining gang members- your days are numbered.”Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant participated in seven shootings during which eight victims were struck by bullets, some suffering life threatening injuries. Between 2000 and 2010, Peebles was a member of the 10th Street Gang. As a part of their involvement in the gang, the defendants, along with other members and associates of the gang, committed violence, possessed firearms, and sold marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and other controlled substances on the West Side of Buffalo. The violent acts by members of the 10th Street Gang included two murders.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
The defendant is among 44 10th Street Gang members and associates charged in this case. A total of 38 have been convicted. Charges are pending against the six remaining defendants. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Michael Cerretto, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Frank Christiano.Federal Grand Jury Charges Search Engine Optimizers with Extorting Money from A Local Merger and Acquisitions FirmRead the Press Release
Defendants Threatened to Inflict Economic Harm
DALLAS, Texas — A federal grand jury in Dallas returned an indictment late yesterday charging a man and his sister, who did business as a search engine optimization company, with felony offenses stemming from their attempts to extort money from a business in Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
William Laurence Stanley, 51, and his sister, Lynn Stanley Faust, 54, are each charged with one count of transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce and one count of Hobbs Act – Extortion. A U.S. citizen, William Stanley most recently resided in Romania with his wife, a Romanian national. He traveled several times in 2013 between Europe and the United States. On March 3, 2014, he was arrested on a related federal criminal complaint at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where he arrived on a flight from Europe. Faust is also a U.S. citizen who also traveled internationally in 2013. Stanley appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Texas and was ordered detained. A date has not yet been set for him to appear in federal court in Dallas.
William Stanley is also known as “William Laurence,” “Bill Stanley,” “William Davis,” “William Harris” and “William L. Stanley.” Lynn Faust is also known as “Lynn Michaels.” Stanley and Faust operated a search engine optimization (SEO) company and used emails reflecting various business names to include “reputation rewards” and “posting showcase.”
According to the complaint filed in the case, in November 2009, Generational Equity (GE), a Dallas-based merger and acquisitions firm, entered into a contract with Stanley for SEO services and reputation management. Stanley was hired because of his ability to improve a firm’s online reputation through search results. However, GE sought to terminate its relationship with Stanley after it determined he had acted outside of his contracted duties. GE also observed websites allegedly created by Stanley that had the ability to damage GE’s reputation by associating GE with a scam. From November 2010 through January 2011, GE paid Stanley a total of $80,000 to terminate the relationship.
According to the indictment, from December 13, 2013, until the end of February 2014, Stanley and Faust transmitted threatening communications, via email and telephone, from foreign countries to GE in the Northern District of Texas. Those communications threatened to post comments on the Internet wrongfully disparaging GE’s reputation, if GE did not send money to Stanley.
Because of Stanley’s threats to harm GE’s reputation through negative Internet posts that would adversely affect GE’s ability to conduct business if it failed to send money, GE responded to the wrongful inducement by sending four payments totaling $29,556 by MoneyGram to Stanley in Brasov, Romania.
An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until or unless proven guilty. A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. However, upon conviction, the maximum statutory penalty for transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce is two years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for Hobbs Act – extortion is 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI is investigating and can be contacted at 972-559-5000. Assistant U.S. Attorney C.S. Heath is in charge of the prosecution.
Evansville Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
More results of U.S. Attorney’s Violent Crime Initiative
EVANSVILLE – Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today Basil Kamali, 27, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 48 months by U.S. District Chief Judge Richard L. Young following his guilty plea to knowingly receiving a firearm with the intent to commit a robbery.
“Holding violent criminals who illegally possess firearms accountable is one of the top priorities of my office,” said Hogsett. “The revolving door of justice for Mr. Kamali stops today with this sentencing.”
Kamali admitted at his change of plea hearing held in January of this year, that on January 4, 2013, Kamali was preparing to commit a robbery and needed a firearm. He arranged the meeting with an individual to make a purchase at a Walmart on South Red Bank Road.
On the evening of January 4, 2013, ATF agents and detectives from the Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force (JTF) set up surveillance and observed Kamali. An undercover agent and detective made contact with Kamali and showed him a firearm and ammunition. Kamali informed the undercover agent he could do “something tonight” and get the agent the money for the gun. Kamali indicated he was going to rob some Adope boys.” Kamali then left with the firearm and ammunition and was apprehended immediately thereafter. Kamali is a convicted felon and was on state parole for burglary and attempted armed robbery.
This matter was invested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Evansville Police Department and is part of Hogsett’s Violent Crime Initiative. Launched in March 2011, the VCI has produced a dramatic increase in the number of gun-related charges brought federally. In the year preceding the initiative, there were just 14 defendants charged with federal gun crimes by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the nearly three years since, more than 225 defendants have been charged.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Wheatley, who prosecuted the case for the government, Judge Young also ordered Kamali to service a period of 3 years on supervised release upon his release from imprisonment.
East Windsor Gun Store Owner Who Violated Federal Laws Is SentencedRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division, announced that DAVID LAGUERCIA, 57, of Broad Brook, was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport to three years of probation for violating federal firearms laws. LAGUERCIA, the owner of Riverview Gun Sales in East Windsor, was also ordered to pay a personal fine of $1500, an additional fine of $5000 on behalf of his business, and to perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, LAGUERCIA, doing business as RIVERVIEW SALES, INC. (“Riverview”), was a federal firearms licensed dealer in Connecticut (“FFL”) from 2005 to December 2012. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted an investigation of LAGUERCIA and Riverview and discovered approximately 300 examples of false or missing information in Riverview’s acquisition and disposition (“A&D”) records. The investigation also revealed at least two instances in which individuals received firearms prior to receiving approval from the national instant criminal background check system (“NICS”). Riverview also failed to report the theft of a firearm within 48 hours, and failed to report multiple sales of handguns to the same individuals.
“This investigation revealed that one of Connecticut’s largest gun dealers conducted their business in a lax and irresponsible way,” stated U.S. Attorney Daly. “Riverview had hundreds of record-keeping violations, improper sales, lax security, and poor inventory management. Federally-licensed firearms dealers have a critically important responsibility in helping to ensure that legal firearms don’t become illegal firearms on the street, and dealers who chronically fail to follow the rules will be prosecuted.”
“Today’s sentence is a reminder having a Federal Firearms License is not license to break the law,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Kumor. “FFL’s must comply with federal regulations to ensure the safety of the general public. When an FFL fails to do so and puts communities in danger, the consequence is federal prosecution.”
On December 20, 2012, ATF issued a revocation of Riverview’s FFL, effective on that date. LAGUERCIA has not appealed this administrative decision.
On August 22, 2013, LAGUERCIA pleaded guilty to one count of transfer of a firearm before completion of background check, and one count of failure to maintain proper firearm records. LAGUERCIA also pleaded guilty on behalf of RIVERVIEW SALES, INC. to one count of making false entries in dealer’s records.
In addition to a fine of $5000, RIVERVIEW SALES, INC. was sentenced to a five-year term of probation.
While on probation, LAGUERCIA is prohibited from being an FFL or a responsible party for an FFL for a period of five years.On September 30, 2013, Krystopher DiBella, a former employee of Riverview received a federal sentence of three years of probation for assisting in the transfer of firearms to individuals who failed to complete a required ATF form when purchasing firearms at the store.
In 2011, Jordan Marsh of South Windsor stole approximately 12 firearms of Riverview and, in December 2012, he stole a Windham Weaponry 5.56 mm caliber semi-automatic rifle from the store. Marsh was arrested on December 15, 2012, after he attempted to steal a Bushmaster .50 caliber rifle from Riverview. Marsh is currently serving a state sentence of eight years of incarceration, to be followed by a federal sentence of five years of probation.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.
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Tom Carson
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[email protected]Doctor Arrested on Charges of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Elias Karkalas, 50, a medical doctor who resides in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was arrested yesterday on tax charges, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Karkalas owned and operated Upper Merion Family Practice P.C. The indictment, unsealed today, charges corrupt or forcible interference with the administration of Internal Revenue Laws, filing false individual and corporate tax returns, and failing to file personal and corporation tax returns.
According to the indictment, Karkalas was a participant in an Internet pharmacy organization which permitted individuals, seeking to purchase prescription drugs, to acquire a prescription from a physician without an examination. Between 2005 and 2011, Karkalas allegedly authorized more than 750,000 prescriptions for which he was paid approximately $2.5 million which the defendant failed to report on his corporate and individual tax returns.
If convicted, Elias Karkalas faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.3 million, restitution to the IRS, a special assessment of $475, and two years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Floyd J. Miller and Trial Attorney Dennis R. Kihm, with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division.
Click here to view the indictment
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
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PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Disbarred Somerset Attorney Indicted on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A disbarred Somerset attorney was indicted today on fraud charges arising out of his promotion of various fraudulent investments.
John Silvia, 55, purportedly the “Managing Member” of Richardson Consulting, LLC, was charged with securities, mail and wire fraud. He was arrested on Feb. 7, 2014.
Silvia, who was licensed to practice law in Massachusetts in 1975, has been disbarred since 2003. He was charged based on his promotion of various fraudulent investments, including investments in real estate and Advance Space Monitor, LLC (ASM), a technology company with which he was affiliated. According to the indictment, Silvia obtained money from various individuals based on false representations regarding certain real estate transactions and his purported ability to transfer interests in ASM. Specifically, Silvia issued promissory notes based on the false representation that he was investing the money in real estate transactions that would yield profits within a short amount of time, thereby allowing him to re-pay the notes. In fact, Silvia was not engaged in such transactions. Silvia also falsely represented that he was entitled to receive shares in ASM in exchange for investment money. In fact, Silvia was not entitled to receive shares of ASM, as he had represented, and was not permitted to assign any interests in ASM.
If convicted, Silvia faces the statutory maximum penalties for the securities fraud charges are 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. The statutory maximum penalties for the mail and wire fraud charges are 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain to the defendant or loss to the victim.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Securities Division, which filed an administrative complaint charging Silvia with violation of Massachusetts securities laws, referred this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and cooperated with the criminal investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Walters of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
Criminal Immigration Charges Brought Against Four Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), announced that charges were brought against the following by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg yesterday:
Ricardo Hernandez-Del Angel, age 32, a native and citizen of Mexico, in the United States illegally, was charged in a one-count indictment alleging that Hernandez-Del Angel, an alien convicted on December 20, 2006, of Statutory Sexual Assault in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and previously arrested and deported from the United States on February 6, 2007, did knowingly and unlawfully reenter the United States. He was located by ERO officers in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Hernandez-Del Angel faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Victor Peralta-Serrano, age 35, a native and citizen of Mexico, in the United States illegally was charged in a one-count indictment alleging that Peralta-Serrano, an alien previously arrested and deported from the United States in July 2007, did knowingly and unlawfully reenter the United States and was apprehended in York County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Peralta-Serrano faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Juan Calderon-Villanueva, age 29, a native and citizen of El Salvador, in the United States illegally was charged in a one-count indictment alleging that Calderon-Villanueva, an alien, previously arrested and deported from the United States in February 2011, did knowingly and unlawfully reenter the United States and was apprehended in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Calderon-Villanueva faces a maximum sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Miguel Salazar-Gomez, age 31, a native and citizen of Mexico, in the United States illegally was charged in a one-count indictment alleging that Salazar-Gomez, an alien previously arrested and deported from the United States in February 2006, did knowingly and unlawfully reenter the United States and was apprehended in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, Salazar-Gomez faces a maximum sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The investigations were conducted by ICE ERO’s Criminal Alien Program in Philadelphia and are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offenses are not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Correctional Officer and Prison Inmate Indicted for Conspiracy to Smuggle Heroin and Methamphetamine into the Taft Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count superseding indictment today against Ramon Cano, 28, a resident of Bakersfield, and Gerardo Alvarez-Montanez, 32, an inmate at the Taft Federal Correctional Facility charging them with conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in prison and with various substantive counts, including distribution and attempted distribution of a controlled substance and bribery of a public official. United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Cano a full time contract correctional officer employed at the Taft Federal Correctional Facility, was involved in smuggling heroin, methamphetamine and other items of contraband including cash and cell phones to Alvarez-Montanez in return for payments of cash.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General U.S. Department of Justice. Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cano and Alvarez face a maximum statutory penalty of forty years in prison and a $5,000,000 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.
Conspirator Sentenced to over Three Years in Car Dealership Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Used Stolen Identities to Purchase Expensive Cars
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Flinton Newton, age 34, of Bartlett, Tennessee today to 42 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identity of others to purchase expensive cars.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kathy A. Michalko of the United States Secret Service - Washington Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Newton and his co-conspirators obtained the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, created false identity documents in the names of those individuals, then posed as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. Newton and his coconspirators filled out credit applications with dealers in Maryland and Virginia, and then used the extended credit to purchase, or attempt to purchase, expensive cars. They did not intend to make any payments on the loans.
On July 19, 2013, Newton and a co-conspirator went to Capitol Cadillac in Greenbelt. Newton posed as another person whose identity he had fraudulently obtained, to apply for $80,663 in financing to purchase a 2013 Cadillac Escalade in the victim’s name.
Later that evening, Newton and the co-conspirator drove to Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring where Newton again posed as the victim. The men attempted to purchase a 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL550 and a 2009 Mercedez-Benz S550 for a total of $120,056. They filled out credit applications to finance the entire purchase price, again using the victim’s identity and credit. The dealership manager saw that the victim’s credit had just been used to purchase the Cadillac Escalade, so he notified Montgomery County Police, who responded and arrested Newton and his co-conspirator.
The total attempted loss as a result of the fraudulent scheme was between $200,000 and $400,000.
Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case.
Cleveland Man Charged with Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Charles McMillian, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for failure to register and update registration as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The United States Marshals Service in Cleveland, Ohio conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charleston Man Sentenced to 48 Months Imprisonment for West Side Distribution of CrackRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Edward Richmond, 31, of Charleston, West Virginia, was sentenced to federal prison today for selling cocaine base, also known as “crack” on Charleston’s West Side, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced. On June 6, 7, and 11, of 2013, drug investigators used an informant to buy crack from Richmond near the intersection of Park and Central Avenues in Charleston. Richmond pleaded guilty in December of 2013 to the drug distribution charges. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. sentenced Richmond to 48 months imprisonment, 30 months for the crack distribution, and an additional 18 months for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
The case was prosecuted as part of the Charleston area’s Drug Market Intervention (DMI) initiative. The DMI initiative was launched in February 2012 by Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster and U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, in collaboration with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as leaders representing several West Side community organizations. The DMI initiative was initiated in Charleston as a strategic problem-solving effort aimed at closing down open-air drug markets that breed crimes of violence and disorder. The Charleston Police Department Special Enforcement Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks handled the prosecution.Cambria County Man Sentenced on Narcotics and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
Prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison and three years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Gerald P. Carr, 32.
According to information presented to the court, on Feb. 1, 2013, Carr possessed with intent to distribute less than 100 grams of heroin and was found in possession of a Marlin Firearms Co., model 45 Camp Carbine, .45 caliber rifle. On Feb. 19, 2007 , Carr was convicted in Cambria Co., Pa., of delivery of cocaine, which is a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits persons who have been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Hickton commended the Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Johnstown Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carr.
According to Mr. Hickton, this case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime.
Bells Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Angel Hernandez, 30, of Bells, TN, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen to 188 months in prison following his conviction on one count of possession with intent to distribute 351 grams of ice methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.
According to facts revealed during trial, on March 12, 2013, agents with the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force for the 28th Judicial District, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Jackson Police Department executed a search warrant at the Deerfield Inn in Humboldt, Tennessee.
Hernandez was found in possession of 351 grams of ice methamphetamine. Agents also found a large amount of U.S. currency and other evidence that he intended to distribute the drugs. Agents with the task force testified that due to the purity of the methamphetamine, it had a potential street value of up to $50,000 and could have been distributed to more than one thousand individuals.
In addition to the prison sentence, Hernandez will be required to serve four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA, West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force for the 28th Judicial District, the Milan Police Department, the Humboldt Police Department, and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Wilson represented the government.Bell, California Man Charged with Trafficking Drugs Between Los Angeles Area and ModestoRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Victor Avalos Ballesteros, 24, resident of Bell, California, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
The indictment charging alleges that Ballesteros possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 10, 2014 within the County of Madera, California. According to court documents, Ballesteros was transporting approximately 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine from the Los Angeles area to Modesto.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Madera Narcotic Enforcement Task Force (MADNET). Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick R. Delahunty and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ballesteros faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 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.
Beckley Woman Sentenced for Selling Oxycodone in BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cayla Lindsay, age 20, was sentenced today in Beckley, West Virginia, by United States District Court Judge Irene C. Berger to three years of probation, and 100 hours of community service. Lindsay previously plead guilty in December 2013 to distributing oxycodone, a powerful prescription pain killer. Lindsay admitted that on April 10, 2013, she sold several oxycodone pills to a confidential informant (CI) who was working with the Beckley Police Department Drug Unit. The drug deal took place at a restaurant located on S. Eisenhower Drive, Beckley.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The United States Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin.
Beckley Woman Sentenced for Selling Oxycodone in BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Amber Green, age 33, was sentenced today in Beckley, West Virginia, by United States District Court Judge Irene C. Berger to five months imprisonment, and a three year term of supervised release. Lindsay previously plead guilty in November of 2013 to distributing oxycodone, a powerful prescription pain killer. Lindsay admitted that on April 24, 2013, she sold several oxycodone pills to a confidential informant (CI) who was working with the Beckley Police Department Drug Unit and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department. The drug deal took place at a residence on Wildwood Avenue, Beckley.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The United States Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin.Beckley Woman Sentenced for Selling Oxycodone in BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Rachel Saunders, 32, was sentenced today in Beckley, West Virginia, by United States District Court Judge Irene C. Berger to three years of probation, and 100 hours of community service. Saunders previously plead guilty in November of 2013 to distributing oxycodone, a powerful and addictive prescription pain killer. Saunders admitted that on March 26, 2013, she sold several oxycodone pills to a confidential informant (CI) who was working with the Beckley Police Department Drug Unit and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department. The drug deal took place at a local video lottery establishment on North Eisenhower Drive, Beckley.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The United States Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin.
Bank Robber Sentenced to over 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Mark Edward Coulter, age 55, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, today to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for bank robbery and attempted bank robbery. Judge Bredar enhanced Coulter’s sentence upon finding that he is a career offender based on previous convictions for malicious burning of another person’s personal property and for robbery, both in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Kevin Davis; Chief David L. Stokes, Sr. of the Annapolis Fire Department and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.
According to court documents and statements made at today’s hearing, on May 3, 2012, Coulter robbed the PNC Bank in Laurel, Maryland. Coulter handed the teller a note threatening that the bag Coulter carried had chemicals in it, but that no one would get hurt if the teller gave Coulter money. The teller, in fear, gave Coulter $4,500 and Coulter left with the cash, leaving the bag behind. Analysis of DNA recovered from the bag determined that Coulter was a contributor to that DNA.On May 21, 2012, Coulter attempted to rob the Capitol One Bank in Laurel, again handing the teller a note demanding money. The teller did not understand Coulter’s request and advised Coulter that he needed a withdrawal slip. Coulter left the bank without obtaining any money, leaving the note. Law enforcement was able to match Coulter’s fingerprints to prints recovered from the note and from inside the bank.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Annapolis Fire Department and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Justin S. Herring, who prosecuted the case.
Alleged Cosi Robber Added to IndictmentRead the Press Release
Ronald Stone, 29, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today by superseding indictment with three robberies or attempted robberies at various Cosi stores, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Stone was added to an indictment charging James Pray. According to the indictment, on December 3, 2013, Stone and Pray robbed the Cosi store, at 235 S. 15th Street in Philadelphia; on December 9, 2013, they allegedly attempted to rob the Cosi at 140 S. 36th Street in Philadelphia; and on December 24, 2013, they allegedly robbed the Cosi, at 235 S. 15th Street in Philadelphia. The pair is also charged with using a handgun during the two robberies.
If convicted,each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 32 years in prison with a maximum sentence of life, as well as five years of supervised release, a substantial fine, a special assessment, restitution, and forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ewald Zittlau.
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An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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