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Wednesday 5 March 2014
Piedmont Regional Jail Supervisor Indicted for A False Tax Return Conspiracy with His WifeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – William A. Coles, Jr., 49, of Pamplin, Va., was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on seven counts involving the preparation and filing of false tax returns and bank fraud. The indictment includes one count of conspiracy, five counts of assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return, and one count of bank fraud. Coles faces a maximum penalty of 48 years of incarceration, if convicted.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that William Coles and his wife Sybil Coles, who was charged in a related case and pleaded guilty on January 28, 2014, engaged in a false tax return conspiracy. It is alleged that William Coles recruited individuals from the Piedmont Regional Jail, where he worked as a supervisor, to pay Sybil Coles to prepare and file tax returns that falsely claimed business losses, childcare expenses, job expenses, and charitable donations, among other things, creating a larger refund in an attempt to attract more customers. In addition, the indictment alleges that William Coles assisted in the preparation of his own false tax returns. It also alleges that William Coles devised a scheme to defraud a financial institution by submitting falsified W-2 and wage documents to obtain a mortgage loan. A trial date has not been set by the Court.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Department of Justice, Tax Division Trial Attorney and Special Assistant United States Attorney, Rebecca Perlmutter, and Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Jagels. IRS-Criminal Investigation in Richmond, Virginia investigated the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Jail for Conspiring to Distribute Heroin in Burlington, VermontRead the Press Release
Tristram J. Coffin, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, stated that Aaron Gray, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge William K. Sessions III to one year and one day in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin in Burlington, Vermont.
According to court records, Gray began to sell heroin in Burlington during the fall of 2012 and continued until he was arrested in early January, 2013 by the Burlington Police Department. Gray obtained his heroin from a source in Philadelphia and he utilized a courier to transport the drugs to Vermont. The courier traveled to Vermont either by Amtrak or on the MegaBus.
Gray was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2013 and appeared for an arraignment in federal court on May 28, 2013. He pled guilty on October 23, 2013 to a one count Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department. The United States Attorney, Tristram J. Coffin, commends the Burlington Police Department for its work. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy J. Creswell. Gray was represented by the Federal Public Defender, Michael Desautels.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Selling Oxycodone in BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for selling oxycodone in Beckley, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced. David Hudson, 39, previously admitted that in July 2013 he sold several oxycodone pills to a confidential informant working with the Beckley Police Department Drug Unit. The drug deal took place in the parking lot of a motel on Harper Road.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed today’s sentence.
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. 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.
Operation “Double Down Doc” Indictment Exposes Gulf Coast Prescription Drug RingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS - Four individuals indicted in the Southern District of Mississippi face various drug charges as the result of an extensive three-year drug investigation that targeted an illegal prescription drug ring, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Special Agent in Charge Keith Brown with the Drug Enforcement Administration - New Orleans Division.
Dr. Sanjay Sinha, 49, of Woodstock, Georgia, Joshua Locke, 36, of Biloxi, Robert Thornton II, 36, of Biloxi, and John Mattina, 44, of Ocean Springs were charged in a seven count federal indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. According to the indictment, Singh developed various relationships with his co-defendants and others. Those relationships led to the distribution of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone outside the scope of professional medical practice.
“Prescription drug abuse is a troubling problem in this country. This office along with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and bring to justice those individuals who would illegally distribute highly addictive painkillers” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
Drug Enforcement Administration, Gulfport Resident Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux said, “The prescription drug epidemic in this country respects no boundaries. Today’s collaborative law enforcement effort by DEA, MBN, the Mississippi State Gaming Commission, Biloxi PD and our other state and local counterparts is a testament to the fact that we will use all resources at our disposal to target drug trafficking. You can no longer hide behind the comfort of a lab coat and a title in front of your name that say’s “doctor”. If you are involved in this sort of illegal activity, this is your warning. Please join us on April 26th as we kick-off our National Prescription Drug Take Back campaign. More information on the Take Back campaign will be available on our website soon.”
Concerning the arrests, Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said, “The Biloxi Police Department is proud to be a part of this three year investigation. The Biloxi Police Department, along with our other state and federal counterparts want the general public to know that we care and we want our city streets free of illegal drugs and illegally obtained prescription drugs. Today’s actions are a positive step in that direction.”
Dr. Sinha was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia and made his initial appearance there on Monday, March 3, 2014. The other defendants are scheduled to appear this afternoon for initial appearances before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John Roper in Gulfport.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Oxycodone is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone is 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Biloxi Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Meynardie.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Oceanside Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors of $6.9 Million in A Real Estate Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Laurie Schneider pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, to wire fraud. The proceeding took place before United States District Judge Dennis R. Hurley. When sentenced, Schneider faces up to 20 years in prison. As part of her plea agreement with the government, Schneider agreed to a $1 million money judgment payable to the United States.
The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and George Venizelos, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.
“Laurie Schneider played the part of a successful entrepreneur, willing to help others invest in equipment and machinery deals as well as Long Island real estate. In reality she was a con artist, using lies and false assurances to bilk unsuspecting investors out of millions of dollars. Schneider ran a classic Ponzi scheme, using investor money for her own selfish purposes,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “This office is committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting individuals who are responsible for perpetrating financial crimes on the residents of our communities.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Venizelos stated, “By creating two different fraudulent shell companies and falsifying her connections with foreign companies to potential investors, Schneider was unfortunately able to swindle millions out of innocent investors promising big returns for their backing. Today’s guilty plea also promises a big return for Schneider’s criminal actions -- a million dollar judgment and a possible sentence of 20 years in prison. The FBI remains committed to protecting the investing public from perpetrators who seek to commit financial crimes.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Schneider used two shell corporations to operate a $6.9 million Ponzi scheme and steal money from unsuspecting investors. Schneider began accepting money in September 2006 from individuals seeking to earn profits on investments in overseas machinery and equipment deals and real estate on Long Island.
In the first scheme Schneider operated a shell corporation called Janitorial Close-Out City Corp. (“Janitorial Close-Out”). Schneider falsely represented to investors that Janitorial Close-Out bought industrial equipment and machinery manufactured by companies in China for resale in the United States. In order to lure investors, Schneider, among other things, falsely represented that, (1) she personally guaranteed varying high rates of return on investments of up to 60 percent, (2) she had a business contact with strong ties to companies in China that manufactured industrial equipment and machinery and, (3) she would be able to buy the Chinese-made industrial equipment and machinery at wholesale prices which Janitorial Close-Out would later resell in the United States at a 15 to 60 percent profit over a short period of time.
In a subsequent scheme, Schneider operated a shell company incorporated as Eager Beaver Realty LLC (“Eager Beaver”). Schneider touted Eager Beaver’s ability to purchase and sell real property on Long Island that was in foreclosure proceedings or otherwise available to Eager Beaver at significantly low prices. Schneider provided investors with written investment agreements in which she falsely represented and guaranteed that 100 percent of the invested funds would be used by Eager Beaver to purchase foreclosed real property for resale at prices that would enable Eager Beaver to pay as much as a 20 percent return on investment along with a 100 percent return of principal. To further the scheme Schneider used a portion of the money that she obtained from Eager Beaver investors to pay returns to early investors in the China Deals. In reality, Eager Beaver earned no profits. In fact, Schneider was operating a Ponzi scheme, paying returns to early investors using money that she fraudulently obtained from later investors. In addition, Schneider diverted some of the investors’ money to pay personal expenses, including car payments on luxury automobiles and country club dues.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Canty.
The Defendant:
LAURIE SCHNEIDER
Age: 39
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Marijuana Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gary Anthony Harris, 50, of Carle Place, N.Y., pleaded guilty late yesterday afternoon in Las Cruces federal court to a marijuana trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Harris and co-defendant Eric Bernard Harris, 46, of St. Albans, N.Y., were charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 8, 2013, with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The criminal complaint stated that on July 27, 2011, Carl Francis Carter, 60, of Deptford, N.J., was arrested in Hidalgo County, N.M., after an officer of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Motor Transportation Division found 527 kilograms (1163 pounds) of marijuana concealed in Carter’s commercial vehicle during a routine inspection. Subsequent investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) linked Gary Harris and Eric Harris to the marijuana seized from Carter.
According to the criminal complaint, Carter had been in communication with Gary Harris on the night of his arrest, and Eric Harris had attempted to contact Carter the morning after his arrest. Investigation also revealed that Gary Harris and Eric Harris traveled from New York to Phoenix, Ariz., on July 17, 2011, to facilitate the purchase of the marijuana found in Carter’s commercial vehicle and to transport it from Tucson, Ariz., to New York. Gary Harris and Eric Harris traveled back to New York on July 27, 2011, following Carter’s arrest.
On Aug. 13, 2013, HSI agents arrested Gary Harris in Carle Place, N.Y., and Eric Harris in New York, N.Y. The two men subsequently appeared in Las Cruces federal court to face the charges against them. On Nov. 13, 2013, Gary Harris and Eric Harris were indicted and charged with conspiracy and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Yesterday afternoon, Gary Harris pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Gary Harris admitted possession of 300 pounds of the marijuana that was found in Carter’s commercial vehicle. He also acknowledged that Carter was hauling a total of 527 kilograms (1163 pounds) of marijuana when he was arrested on July 27, 2011. Gary Harris further admitted traveling from New York to Phoenix to facilitate the purchase and transportation of the marijuana seized from Carter.
Gary Harris faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison when he is sentenced. His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. As part of his plea agreement, Gary Harris will forfeit $52,882.97 in drug proceeds which were seized from two bank accounts and a safe deposit box by HSI pursuant to seizure warrants.
Carter pled guilty to a marijuana trafficking charge on Jan. 31, 2012, and admitted knowingly possessing 527 kilograms of marijuana on July 27, 2011. Carter admitted knowing that the marijuana was concealed in his commercial vehicle and that he expected to be paid for delivering the marijuana for further distribution. Carter’s sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. He also faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison when he is sentenced.
Eric Harris, who has entered a not guilty plea to the charges against him, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on March 7, 2014. The charges against Eric Harris are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Deming office of HSI with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Motor Transportation Division, and is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
New Haven Heroin Dealer Sentenced to Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DANIEL EVANS, also known as “D-Nice,” 41, of New Haven, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.
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.
EVANS has been detained since his arrest on May 17, 2012. On September 20, 2013, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin.
EVANS’s criminal history includes at least four prior felony convictions, including three prior felony drug convictions and one conviction for assault in the second degree with 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]Mission Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on March 3, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Francisco Maldonado, age 41, was sentenced to 51 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Maldonado was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 12, 2013. He pled guilty on December 4, 2013.
The conviction stems from an incident on June 9, 2013, when Maldonado was in the company of others, at a rural Todd County home near Antelope. Maldonado struck the victim with a frying pan and a sharp object, causing serious bodily injuries, including several cuts on the victim’s head that required staples, a 1 inch puncture wound to his left forearm, and a 1 ½ inch puncture wound to his right bicep, both of which required sutures.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie H. Ruettgers prosecuted the case.
Maldonado was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Michigan Man Sentenced for Bringing Heroin to Huntington on A Greyhound BusRead the Press Release
Huntington, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced to nine years and three months’ imprisonment for possession of heroin with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today. Darius Lajuan Kincannon, 30, of Redford, Michigan, arrived in Huntington from Michigan in February 2013 on a Greyhound bus. Kincannon brought a backpack with him that contained, among other items, approximately 510.6 grams of heroin and a 16 ounce bottle of Superior Inisotal, a common cutting agent for heroin. The backpack was seized at the Greyhound station by the Huntington Police Department. Kincannon previously plead guilty on November 19, 2013, to possession with intent to deliver 100 grams or more of heroin.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
Mexican Pair Indicted in Debit/Credit Card ConspiracyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against Mary Vaquera-Garcia, 27, and Daniel Dominguez-Guardiola, 28, alleging a conspiracy to use debit/credit cards with the intent to defraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Vaquera-Garcia and Dominguez-Guardiola, both of Mexico, allegedly wired thousands of dollars overseas to purchase stolen account information in order to create counterfeit debit/card cards. According to the charges, the cards had account numbers belonging mostly to Hidalgo County residents. The defendants then allegedly used the counterfeit cards to purchase high-end electronics - such as iPads, iPods and Macbook laptops - at local stores including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Toys-R-Us and HEB. In particular, subsequent investigation revealed the defendants went on a $30,000 shopping spree on Jan. 12 using the counterfeit cards, according to the allegations.
Vaquera-Garcia and Dominguez-Guardiola were arrested Jan. 19, 2014, on several outstanding warrants as they attempted to re-enter the U.S. through the Anzalduas Port of Entry. A total of 96 counterfeit cards were allegedly found hidden in Dominguez-Guardiola’s waistband.
If convicted, they face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine on each count.
Both have been ordered to remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
This case was investigated by the Secret Service with the assistance of the McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sully is prosecuting the case.
A complaint or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Mescalero Apache Man Pleads Guilty to Assault by a Habitual Offender ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lonnie Ray Youngman, 45, pleaded guilty this afternoon in Las Cruces federal court to an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault by a habitual offender. The guilty plea was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough and DuWayne W. Honahni, Sr., Special Agent in Charge of District IV of BIA’s Office of Justice Services.Youngman, a member of the Mescalero Apache Nation who resides in Mescalero, N.M., was arrested on July 8, 2013, on a criminal complaint alleging that he assaulted his domestic partner, a Mescalero Apache woman. Youngman subsequently was indicted and charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon on Jan. 6, 2012, and assaulting the victim on Jan. 5, 2012. The indictment alleged that Youngman was a habitual domestic offender because he previously had been convicted on domestic assault charges in May 1996 and April 2010.
In entering his guilty plea, Youngman admitted assaulting the victim on Jan. 5, 2012, by striking her with a wooden table leg. He also admitted assaulting the victim on Jan. 6, 2012, by punching, kicking and biting her. Youngman acknowledged that the victim sustained serious bodily injuries, including contusions on the face, scalp, neck and arm, a deviated septum, and bite marks, as a result of the assaults. He further acknowledged committing both assaults within the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
Youngman has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Youngman will be sentenced to 38 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
This case was investigated by the Mescalero Agency of BIA’s Office of Justice Services and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office. It was brought pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces New Chiefs of Public Corruption and Terrorism UnitsRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the appointments of Brendan McGuire as Co-Chief of the Terrorism & International Narcotics Unit and Arlo Devlin-Brown as Chief of the Public Corruption Unit.
Mr. McGuire joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2005. Prior to being named Co-Chief of the Terrorism & International Narcotics Unit, he served as Chief of the Public Corruption Unit and oversaw the successful prosecutions of former New York State Senator Carl Kruger, former New York City Council Member Larry Seabrook, former New York State Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, and the prosecution of individuals and entities involved in the CityTime fraud scheme. Previously, Mr. McGuire was a leading prosecutor in the Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit where he was part of the Southern District teams that successfully prosecuted Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad and Somali pirate Abduwali Muse. Mr. McGuire was also a member of the trial teams that tried and convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout and Syrian arms dealer Monzer al Kassar for conspiring to kill Americans.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. McGuire, 37, clerked for the Honorable Peter K. Leisure of the Southern District of New York and worked as an associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Stillman & Friedman PC in New York. He is a graduate of Williams College and New York University Law School.
Mr. Devlin-Brown joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2005. Prior to being named Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, he served as Deputy Chief of the Unit. Mr. Devlin-Brown has also served as a member of the Securities & Commodities Fraud Unit, the Complex Frauds Unit, and the Organized Crime Unit. During his tenure, Mr. Devlin-Brown was part of the Southern District teams that prosecuted and convicted former portfolio manager Mathew Martoma and indicted four SAC Capital Management Companies for insider trading; he played a key role in the investigation and charging of JPMorgan Chase for Bank Secrecy Act violations in connection with Bernard L. Madoff’s multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that resulted in a $1.7 billion forfeiture to be used to compensate Madoff’s victims. Mr. Devlin-Brown successfully prosecuted one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes – approximately $100 million – perpetrated by a single criminal organization. He also handled the prosecution of 12 senior executives and others from three leading illegal Internet gambling companies, which resulted in the termination of U.S. operations of these companies and over $1.5 billion in forfeiture.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Devlin-Brown, 40, clerked for the Honorable Kermit V. Lipez, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and worked as an associate at WilmerHale in New York. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School.
In making these appointments, Mr. Bharara said: “Brendan McGuire and Arlo Devlin-Brown are talented and dedicated public servants who have already made significant and valuable contributions and served the residents of the Southern District in the highest traditions of this Office. I am confident they will continue to do the same in their new positions, and I am grateful for their service.”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest of Brooklyn Rabbi for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James T. Hayes, Jr., the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the arrest of SAMUEL WALDMAN for distributing child pornography. WALDMAN, 52, a rabbi and a teacher at a girl’s seminary, was arrested by HSI agents this morning at his residence in Brooklyn, New York. He was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott in Manhattan federal court.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Samuel Waldman’s position of trust in the community, as both a rabbi and a teacher, makes his alleged distribution of child pornography all the more disturbing. As we have said repeatedly, we have zero tolerance for the exploitation of children and we will prosecute and punish those who engage in this conduct.”
ICE HSI Special Agent-in-Charge James T. Hayes, Jr. said: “Distributing child pornography is a serious crime made all the more disturbing when committed by an individual who has been implicitly entrusted as an educator. Through Operation Caireen, HSI New York and our partners will target individuals who abuse their positions of trust in our communities by committing crimes of sexual exploitation against children.”
According to the allegations in the criminal Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court, in or about November 2013, WALDMAN distributed child pornography over the Internet by making available for downloading through file-sharing software multiple videos depicting minors engaged in sexual acts.
WALDMAN is charged with one count of transporting or distributing child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of ICE HSI. He added that the investigation is continuing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Egan is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
ICE HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.
U.S. v. Samuel Waldman Complaint
Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty to Bath Salts Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced the guilty plea of a West Pittston man for his role in a conspiracy to distribute “bath salts”.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Todd Morgans, age 34, pled guilty to conspiring with others to distribute alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (A-PVP), an analogue of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) before U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion in federal court yesterday. A-PVP is a synthetic cathinone which is included in a family of abused drugs commonly known as “bath salts”.
A controlled substance analogue is a drug which has not been scheduled under The Controlled Substances Act but shares a substantially similar chemical structure as a scheduled drug and has a substantially similar stimulant or hallucinogenic effect on a person’s central nervous system. Additionally, the government must also establish that drug was distributed for human consumption. The Controlled Substances Act provides that controlled substance analogues shall be treated as if the substance were the scheduled drug for prosecution and sentencing purposes.U.S. Attorney Smith noted that the plea agreement provides that the defendant will accept the United States Sentencing Guidelines enhancement that is applicable when the death or seriously bodily injury of another results from the use of the controlled substance. The investigation surrounding the death of Jason Folweiler remains ongoing.
Morgans has agreed to forfeit an automobile, the contents of his bank account, $40,000 in currency seized from the defendant’s home and a silver bar.
This investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police and the West Pittston Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amy C. Phillips.
Lucas Man Faces Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Robert A. Anderson, 68, of Lucas, Ohio, was charged with producing, receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment charges that from on or about January 1, 2003, through on or about April 26, 2011, Anderson did use, persuade, induce, entice and coerce two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, and such visual depiction was produced or transmitted using materials that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.
Anderson is further charged with knowingly receiving and distributing, by computer, numerous computer files, which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, possessing a SanDisk 64GB thumb drive and an HP Pavilion desktop computer that contained child pornography on January 21, 2014, and knowingly attempting to destroy, damage, waste, dispose of, transfer, or otherwise take any action, involving three SanDisk thumb drives, for the purpose of preventing or impairing the government’s lawful authority to take such property into its custody or control during the execution of a federal search warrant.
If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the Court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Cleveland Office.
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.
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Theft and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Jonathan R. Chapman
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nathan
K. Brown, 24, of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to theft
from interstate shipments and possession of controlled substances charges.According to court records, in 2013, Brown worked for the United Parcel Service (UPS)
loading trucks at a UPS facility in Auburn, Maine. On four occasions between March 29 and
June 19, 2013, Brown stole packages containing prescription pain relief medications, including
Percocet and Oxycodone , from UPS trucks that he was loading. The medications in those
packages had been shipped from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pharmacy to
patients of the VA. On July 2, 2013, agents of the VA Office of Inspector General and the
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with the assistance of UPS personnel, caught Brown as he
attempted to steal a fifth package containing VA medications.
Brown faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both, on the theft charge
and not more than one year and a $1,000 fine, or both, on the possession of a controlled
substance charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation
report by the U.S. Probation Office.This case was investigated by the VA, Office of Inspector General, the Maine Drug
Enforcement Agency, and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.League City Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Multiple Counts Involving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – Donald Post, of League City, 68, has entered a guilty plea to production and distribution of child pornography involving a four-year-old minor female as well as possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Post was arrested Aug. 8, 2013, based on a criminal complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Froeschner in Galveston on Aug. 13 for a detention hearing. At that time, the court found there to be probable cause he committed the crimes and that Post, a registered sex offender, was a danger to the community and a flight risk. He was subsequently ordered into custody pending further criminal proceedings.
Post has admitted to photographing a four-year-old female victim in lewd and lascivious poses and then distributing these images via the Internet. He also authored a document that chronicled his activities with this victim. The account of the incident is incredibly graphic and makes references to his prior acts of molestation for which he was convicted and subsequently ordered to register as a sex offender.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregg Costa , who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for May 21, 2014. At that time, Post faces a minimum of 25 years and a possible 20, 40 and 50 years, respectively, for the possession, distribution and production of child pornography convictions. The charges also carry as possible punishment a maximum fine of $250,000. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, he further faces a maximum of life on supervised release and he will again be required to register as a sex offender.
This case, investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lakewood Man Indicted for $3.7 Million Credit Union FraudRead the Press Release
A Lakewood man was indicted on three counts for his role in a conspiracy to defraud a now-failed credit union out of $3.7 million, some of which he used to buy and sell a property in downtown Cleveland, law enforcement officials said.
Sato Satka, 65, was indicted on one count each of conspiracy, bank fraud and bank bribery.
Satka conspired with others, including Anthony Raguz, the former Chief Operating Officer of the St. Paul Croatian Federal Credit Union (SPCFCU), to defraud the credit union. Satka paid bribes and kickbacks to Raguz for using his position at the credit union to approve numerous loans to Satka, and the entities he controlled and associates, according to the indictment.
From 1999 through 2004, Satka, his family members and businesses he controlled received more than $4.4 million in loan proceeds from SPCFCU, but little or no legitimate monthly payments were made to the credit union. As a result, the loans were in default, but in order to avoid detection from the credit union board, Raguz ordered “resets” to make it appear the loans were not in default, according to the indictment.
Satka controlled several enterprises, including F&S Satka Enterprises LLC, Sako Satka Parking West 3, Satka Parking Summer, Satka Parking Bolivar, Satka Parking Prospect and Titanic II, according to the indictment.
In October 2003, he purchased a commercial real estate property at 1350 West 3rd Street, Cleveland, for $460,000, according to the indictment.
J.P. is a person known to the Grand Jury but not charged herein. He purportedly controlled several non-operating entities, including: Metropolitan Restaurant Systems, Buckeye Cartage, Play Magazine, Celebrity Limousine, Victor/John Model & Talent, Jay Kay Records, and others, according to the indictment.
Around November 2004, Satka recruited J.P. to apply for multiple fraudulent loans from SPCFCU. On Nov. 5, 2004, approximately 13 months after Satka purchased the West 3rd Street property for $460,000, he sold it to J.P.’s company, Metropolitan Restaurant Systems, for $3 million, according to the indictment.
To induce Raguz to approve J.P.’s loan in November 2004, Satka handed Raguz a brown paper bag filled with $90,000 in cash and stated the money was for the approval of J.P.’s loan so that those proceeds could be used to settle Satka’s loan obligations to SPCFCU, according to the indictment.
Raguz proceeded to issue approximately $3.7 million in loans to 10 entities controlled by J.P., of which approximately $3.6 million was used to pay off loan balances on accounts held by Satka, his relatives or businesses he controlled. J.P. made no legitimate attempts to repay any of the loans and SPCFCU incurred a loss of $3.7 million, according to the indictment.
SPCFCU, located in Eastlake, was placed into conservatorship by the National Credit Union Administration on April 23, 2010. One week later, the NCUA liquidated SPFCFU and discontinued its operations after determining the credit union was insolvent. At that time, SPCFCU served about 5,400 members and was believed to have assets of approximated $239 million.
About two dozen people, including Raguz, have been convicted of crimes for conduct that led to the credit union’s collapse.
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.
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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan following an investigation by the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
Justice Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Enter into Consent Decree with Harmony Public Schools Resolving Claims of Retaliation and Pay Discrimination Against TeacherRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that they have entered into a consent decree that, if approved by the court, will resolve both agencies’ claims against Harmony Public Schools on behalf of Nicole M. Tuchscherer, a former teacher at Harmony Science Academy-Austin. The EEOC suit, filed on Oct. 30, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleges that Harmony Public Schools violated the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) when it paid Tuchscherer less than a male teacher who performed the same or substantially similar work, and when it retaliated against her for opposing such compensation practices.
The Justice Department’s complaint, which was filed with the consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleges that Harmony Public Schools violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it retaliated against Tuchscherer by failing to renew her teaching contract because she complained of pay discrimination. The parties are seeking to consolidate the two cases and have asked the U.S. District Court to enter the consent decree resolving the claims of both the Justice Department and the EEOC.
Tuchscherer, who taught art at Harmony Science Academy-Austin for five years, held a State of Texas teaching certification and met the state’s Highly Qualified teacher criteria, earned $40,000 in her fifth year of teaching. In comparison, an uncertified male art teacher with no previous teaching experience was paid an annual salary of $44,000 by Harmony Public Schools to teach at another Austin-area school. The EEOC, which has litigation authority against state and local governments pursuant to the EPA, has alleged that in paying Tuchscherer less than a male counterpart who performed the same or substantially similar work, Harmony violated the EPA.
In May 2010, during an annual salary negotiation meeting with the school principal, Tuchscherer asked Harmony to pay her a salary equal to that of male teachers of Turkish descent at the school. According to the Justice Department’s complaint, when Tuchscherer told Principal Halit Erdogdu that she believed Harmony discriminates against women and Americans in compensation, he became angry with Tuchscherer for raising these issues and called her unprofessional and negative. Two weeks later, Harmony Public Schools informed Tuchscherer that her teaching contract had not been renewed. Both the EEOC and the Justice Department allege that this decision was in retaliation for Tuchscherer complaining of unlawful discrimination. This is the second joint EPA-Title VII litigation effort in Texas resolved by the two federal agencies.
Under the terms of the consent decree, Harmony Public Schools has agreed to pay $125,000 in lost wages and compensatory damages to Tuchscherer. Harmony Public Schools has also agreed to: include two previously-written reference letters in Tuchscherer’s official personnel file; develop and distribute comprehensive anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation policies; train the employees at its five Austin-area schools regarding employee rights and employer obligations under the EPA and Title VII; and post on the premises of its Austin-area schools a notice to employees.
“Both Title VII and the Equal Pay Act protect employees who have the courage to challenge discriminatory compensation practices from unlawful retaliation by their employers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels. “We are pleased to have been able to work cooperatively with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to achieve a broad range of injunctive and monetary relief in this important case.”
“The EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan has made sex-based wage discrimination a national enforcement priority,” said EEOC General Counsel David Lopez. “This case represents our latest litigation effort to combat this problem and reflects our commitment to work collaboratively on equal pay issues with our governmental partners.”
In Fiscal Year 2012, EEOC received over 4,100 charges of gender-based wage discrimination, and obtained over $24 million in relief for victims of gender-based wage discrimination through administrative enforcement efforts and litigation. The EEOC and Justice Department also continue to serve as key members of the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, a federal government initiative focused on ending the gender pay gap.
The EEOC’s case was litigated by Senior Trial Attorney Eduardo Juarez and Supervisory Trial Attorney Judith Taylor of the EEOC, and the Justice Department’s case was handled by Senior Trial Attorneys Valerie Meyer and Amy Kurren and Deputy Chief Karen Woodard of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section.
More information about the EEOC is available on its website . Additional information about the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division is available on its website .
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the School District of Philadelphia for Religious DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced the filing of a lawsuit today against the School District of Philadelphia alleging that the district discriminated against Siddiq Abu-Bakr, as well as other similarly-situated individuals, on the basis of religion in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit further alleges that the district’s employment policies constitute a pattern or practice of religious discrimination, also in violation of Title VII.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleges that the district discriminated against Abu-Bakr and similarly-situated individuals by failing to accommodate their religious beliefs after it instituted a new grooming policy in October 2010 that prevented school police officers and security officers from having beards longer than one-quarter inch. Abu-Bakr, a school police officer since 1987, is a member of the Islamic faith, which requires him not to cut his beard. Consistent with his religious beliefs, Abu-Bakr has maintained an untrimmed beard longer than one-quarter inch for the 27 years that he has worked for the district, without evidence that the maintenance of an uncut beard has interfered with his job performance. When Abu-Bakr notified his supervisor that he could not comply with the new grooming policy due to his religious beliefs, Abu-Bakr was issued a written reprimand for violating the policy. According to the complaint, the district failed to consider Abu-Bakr’s request for reasonable accommodation to its grooming policy that would have been in accordance with his religious beliefs, and later denied his request without making the requisite showing that doing so would cause an undue hardship.
Through this lawsuit, the United States is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief requiring the district to develop and implement new grooming policies that would prevent its employees from being discriminated against based upon religion, as well as monetary damages for Abu-Bakr and similarly-situated individuals.
“Individuals should not have to choose between maintaining their jobs and practicing their faith when accommodations can be reasonably made,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels. “Federal law requires all employers, even those with grooming and uniform policies, to reasonably accommodate the religious observances and practices of their employees.”
Abu-Bakr originally filed a charge of religious discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office investigated the matter, determined that there was reasonable cause to believe that discrimination had occurred, and referred the matter to the Department of Justice.
“No employee should be forced to violate his religious beliefs in order to earn a living,” said District Director Spencer H. Lewis Jr. of the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office. “Modifying a dress or grooming code is a reasonable accommodation that enables employees to keep working without posing an undue hardship on the employer. We are pleased that the EEOC's collaboration with the Department of Justice protects public employees from religious discrimination.”
The continued enforcement of Title VII is a priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice is available on its website .
Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Clinton, Miss., Tax PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States filed a complaint seeking to bar Kavivah Branson, aka Kavivah Bradley, and her Jackson, Miss., business, Branson Tax Service, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil injunction complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, alleges that Branson, of Clinton, Miss., prepares federal income tax returns for customers that understate the tax actually due. According to the complaint, Branson allegedly claims improper earned income tax credits and education credits for her customers without performing required due diligence and despite lack of supporting documentation. This results in understated taxes, and because the improperly claimed credits are refundable, the complaint alleges Branson also often overstates her customers’ refunds. Consequently, even taxpayers who do not report any federal tax liability can receive a refund up to the amount of the refundable credit claimed.
According to the complaint, over 99 percent of the 2,401 returns Branson has prepared since Jan. 1, 2009, sought a refund, and 97 percent of the 287 returns the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has audited to date understated the customer’s tax liability by an average of $5,006. Given the number of returns Branson has prepared since 2009, her alleged actions could result in millions of dollars of tax harm to the United States.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2013. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Related Materials:
United States v. Kavivah Branson, et al.
ComplaintJohnstown Man Pleads Guilty in Stolen Identity Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Johnstown, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and identity theft, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
John M. Chapman, 33, pleaded guilty to 26 counts before David S. Cercone, United States District Judge.
According to the information presented to the court, between 2007 through 2011, Chapman stole identities of other persons, including their names and social security numbers, which he then used to file fraudulent electronic federal income form 1040 tax returns in their name, in which he sought tax refunds, and then instructed that the refunds be directed to bank accounts which he controlled. Losses from the scheme totaled approximately $113,000.
Judge Cercone scheduled the sentencing for July 11, 2014, at 1 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 515 years in prison, a fine of $6,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of John M. Chapman.
Huntington Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Huntington, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today. In June 2012, Ricky Eugene Lewis, 35, pawned a Harrington & Richardson .20 gauge shotgun at the Kenova Pawn Shop in Kenova, West Virginia. The transaction was captured on the store’s surveillance video. Lewis had been previously convicted of the felony offense of trafficking in opium. Because of the felony conviction, Lewis was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Lewis was also involved in an incident December 2011 in Wayne County, West Virginia, in which he stole, among other items, two .38 caliber revolvers and a .22 caliber pistol, which, according to Lewis, he traded for drugs.
Today’s sentence was imposed by Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
Harper Woods Resident Sentenced for Fraudulent Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
A Harper Woods man was sentenced to one year and a day in prison today following his conviction for making false statements in connection with filing 54 false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.
McQuade was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Carolyn Weber, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn also ordered Mishawn Gordon, 25, to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $219,265.
In September of 2013, Gordon pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false claim against the United States. According to court records, during the 2008 through 2009 tax years, Gordon prepared and filed 54 tax returns for different individuals resulting in claims of approximately $539,000 and refunds issued totaling $219,265. He failed to provide the individuals with a copy of the returns he filed for them and never reviewed the returns with the individuals. Virtually all of the tax refund monies were directed to bank accounts that he owned or controlled. Some of the individuals received a split of the money deposited in their account, others were paid in cash by Gordon, and some never saw the refund.
“Gordon fabricated W-2s and falsely claimed credits to inflate tax refunds he intended to keep for his own benefit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Carolyn Weber. “Gordon’s behavior highlights the importance of carefully choosing the person that prepares your tax return.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne F. Pratt.Gun Dealers Plead Guilty to Federal Firearms ViolationsRead 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 BRIAN VANACORE, 48, of North Branford, GREG BODYTKO, 54, of Northford, and their business, BMG LLC, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to violating federal firearms laws.
According to court documents and statements made in court, VANACORE and BODYTKO were the owners of BMG LLC (BMC), which operated a gun store at 2585 Berlin Turnpike in Newington. VANACORE and BMG had three separate federal firearms licenses to deal firearms in Connecticut, and BODYTKO was a 50 percent partner in the business with VANACORE.
In the summer of 2013, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a routine inspection of BMG’s Newington store. During the inspection, ATF inspectors found several firearms, including machine guns and silencers, which are required to be registered under the National Firearms Act. BMG records revealed that BMG had purchased these firearms, but had not changed the registration information in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. As a result, each of the firearms remained registered to the individual who sold them to BMG. In total, BMG possessed 15 firearms that it should have registered under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
BMG, VANACORE and BODYTKO also failed, on numerous occasions, to report the sale of multiple handguns to the same individual, and failed to record in their Acquisition and Disposition records the acquisition and/or disposition of hundreds of firearms. On numerous occasions, the defendants failed to fill out properly, or failed to fill out at all, ATF Form 4473, a form that must be completed by individuals who purchase firearms from federally-licensed firearms dealers. They also failed to conduct necessary background checks on at least 10 separate occasions.
VANACORE and BODYTKO each pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel to one count of failing to keep a complete and accurate written record in its acquisition and disposition records for firearms, and one count of failing to report the multiple sale of handguns. VANACORE also entered a guilty plea on behalf of BMG to one count of making false entries in dealer’s records.
VANACORE and BMG are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford on May 28, 2014, and BODYTKO is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Shea on June 6, 2014.
ANACORE and BODYTKO face a maximum term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of up to $100,000.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert M. Spector and Michael Runowicz.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Griffin, Ga. Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Buffy Drake has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud by filing false federal tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds in excess of $2.5 million.
“Filing false tax returns is stealing money right from the pockets of millions of honest taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Dishonest tax return preparers who choose to conduct business this way will be caught and prosecuted.”
“Return preparer fraud is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation and we have committed many resources to investigating and prosecuting cases just like this,” stated Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “This defendant stole from the American taxpayer by filing false tax returns and today she is being held responsible for her actions.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Drake operated a tax preparation business in Griffin, Ga., named “Imagine That.” While operating “Imagine That,” Drake filed hundreds of false tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds. In total, from 2011 through 2012, Drake filed tax returns claiming in excess of $2,500,000 in fraudulent refunds. Drake retained a substantial portion of the proceeds from this scheme.
Drake, 43, of Griffin, Ga., has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $2,611,928.
In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. before United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr.
This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Division with the assistance of the City of Griffin Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Krepp is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Newnan Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Gregg County Man Guilty in Counterfeit Silver SchemeRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsTYLER, Texas – A 47-year-old Longview, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
James Leroy Frattarola pleaded guilty to possessing counterfeit silver bars with the intent to defraud another today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.
According to information presented in court, on Sep. 13, 2013, Frattarola possessed approximately 90 one-ounce silver bars, stamped with the impression, “.999 FINE SILVER” and “NORTHWEST TERRITORIAL MINT” with intent to defraud another. Frattarola admitted to possessing the counterfeit bars in Longview, Texas and to engaging in similar criminal conduct on other occasions involving a total of nine victims. Frattarola was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 23, 2013.
Frattarola faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. He must also submit to forfeiture of the sized bars and over 100 counterfeit coins. Frattarola will also be ordered to pay a total of $28,720.40 in restitution to be divided among nine victims. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is being investigated by the Longview Police Department, the Kingsville Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
####Gila River Man Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On March 4, 2014, Aaron Lee Escarsega, 19, of Laveen, Ariz., a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Carrto 120 months in prison, followed by a lifetime supervised release. Escarsega pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2013, to abusive sexual contact of a minor
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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children through the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-13-1229-PHX-SRB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2014-013_EscarsegaFor more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Fourth Defendant in Fake Id Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – A New Jersey man, and the fourth member of a Charlottesville-based fake identification ring, pled guilty this morning in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Michael A. DelRio, a.k.a. “Copernicus Lionheart” age 19, of Edison, New Jersey, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit identification document fraud. Previously, Alan McNeil Jones, Kelly Erin McPhee and Mark Gil Bernardo all pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for their roles in the conspiracy.
“Mr. DelRio played a significant role in perpetuating a high-tech and sophisticated scheme to produce and sell high-quality false identification documents all across the nation,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “He worked to develop a web-based interface for potential customers that, if deployed, would have made the criminal enterprise even more lucrative than it was. Because false identification documents present very real threat to our security, we will continue to prioritize cases like that against Mr. DelRio and his co-conspirators.”
"Counterfeit identity documents, like the ones produced by this ring, can be used by criminals, enabling them to mask their identities and operate with ease in the United States," said Scot Rittenberg, acting special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, Washington. "HSI is committed to stopping this threat that undermines our nation's security."
Previously, Jones, McPhee and Bernardo admitted to conspiring to create high-quality, fraudulent driver’s licenses out of the home they shared on Rugby Road in Charlottesville. The conspiracy, which began in 2010 and operated under the name Novel Design, produced and sold more than 25,000 fraudulent driver’s licenses, primarily to college students, throughout the nation.
As part of the scheme, Jones paid commissions to students at the University of Virginia, and elsewhere, to refer his service to other students interested in obtaining fraudulent driver’s licenses. He also outsourced some of the manufacturing work to companies in Bangladesh and China.
Jones and Bernardo recruited DelRio to streamline the website for their fraudulent identification business. Jones paid DelRio $15,000 to build a website that would allow customers to input biographical information directly onto the site, which would then be printed on the fraudulent identification document each customer had ordered. Allowing customers to enter information via a secure, off-shore website would have saved the conspirators the time it previously took to input that information by hand. Both Jones and Bernardo indicated that DelRio had been informed of the nature and use of the program he was being asked to produce.
At sentencing, DelRio faces a maximum possible penalty of up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation of the case was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) Washington, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit. United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy, Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber and third-year University of Virginia Law Student Maggie Sullivan prosecuted the case for the United States.
Fort Thompson Woman Sentenced for LarcenyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, woman convicted of Larceny was sentenced on March 3, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Ruby Sazue, age 20, was sentenced to time served (105 days), 18 months of Supervised Release, $7,300 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sazue was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2013. She pled guilty on January 13, 2014.
The conviction stems from an incident occurring on the evening of October 30, 2013, when Sazue learned of the death of her former significant other. She began to drink alcohol and became upset at the news. Sazue stole the motor vehicle belonging to the victim in an effort to try and drive to Pierre. After stealing the vehicle, Sazue wrecked the vehicle near the power plant outside of Fort Thompson.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Former Winchester Brake Pad Engineer Pleads Guilty to Theft of Trade Secrets ChargeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY - Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, and Mythili Raman, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division jointly announced today that a Winchester, KY., man admitted in federal court that he conspired to share confidential information about his employer’s brake pads with another company.
David Lewis, 65, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets, before Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood.
Lewis admitted that, between 2006 and 2007, he emailed trade secrets concerning the specifications of brake pads, which information is the property of Lewis’s former employer, Brake Parts International, Inc. According to the plea agreement, Lewis was paid thousands of dollars by a Canadian company for this information.
On March 3, Lewis waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to the charge brought by U.S. Attorney Harvey.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins and Evan Williams, Senior Council of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section.
David Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2014. He faces up 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes.
Former Kickapoo Tribe Employee Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – KYLE JAY GIPP, 34, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, pled guilty today to embezzlement from the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma while he worked as a tribal employee, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Gipp worked for the Kickapoo Tribe from July of 2008 through January of 2013. In 2009, Gipp started managing the tribe’s property and supply unit. As part of those duties, Gipp maintained and managed Kickapoo Tribe credit cards that tribal employees used to buy fuel for tribal vehicles. According to the Information filed in the case, the tribe had specific operating procedures in place for employees to use its credit cards to purchase gas for tribal vehicles. The Information alleged that a particular credit card was used several times during 2012 without proper documentation or receipts.
At today’s plea hearing, Gipp pled guilty to one count of tribal embezzlement. Specifically, Gipp admitted that from January 2011 through the end of 2012, he used a Kickapoo Tribe credit card to buy more than $22,000 of gas for his personal vehicles. Gipp’s punishment for the offense could be as much as five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. In a plea agreement, Gipp agreed to pay restitution to the Kickapoo Tribe in the amount of $22,447.44. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2014.
This charge is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris M. Stephens.
Former Chesapeake, Virginia Subcontractor Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Roderic J. Smith, 50, pleaded guilty today to charges of paying bribes to public officials.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.
Smith was charged via criminal information on March 5, 2014 with conspiracy to bribe public officials. Smith faces a maximum penalty of five years when he is sentenced on June 23, 2014.
According to a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Smith and his business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, established a government contracting corporation in Chesapeake, Virginia in November 2004, which was to provide support to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) on various telecommunications projects. Shortly thereafter, in early 2005, Smith and Hardman agreed to pay cash bribes to two MSC officials in exchange for the MSC official steering government contracts to Smith and Hardman’s corporation. In exchange for the contracts being issued to the corporation, Smith and Hardman agreed to pay cash bribes to the two MSC officials. From March 2005 until 2007, Smith, Hardman, and others paid the MSC officials a total of approximately $3,000 each month in cash bribe payments. During this time, Smith and Hardman withdrew approximately $144,000 in cash which was then provided to the two MSC officials, in exchange for the MSC officials’ assistance in securing MSC contracting and subcontracting business for their company. Hardman left the company in 2009 and Smith managed the company as president until he resigned in late 2013.
On Feb. 12, 2014, one of the MSC officials, Kenny Toy, who was the Afloat Programs Manager for MSC’s N6 Command, Control, Communication, and Computer Systems Directorate, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in conjunction with this scheme. On Feb. 18, 2014, Smith’s business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, pleaded guilty to bribery. On Feb. 19, 2014, Smith’s business partner, Michael P. McPhail, pleaded guilty to conspiracy.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). Assistant United States Attorney Stephen W. Haynie and Trial Attorney Emily Rae Woods, of the Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Former Bank Employee SentencedFor Embezzling from Bank in Grant CountyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former bank employee was sentenced Wednesday to three years federal probation for embezzling from a bank in Grant County, Kan., U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today. She was ordered to pay $24,450 restitution to the bank.
Linda Wise, 60, Ulysses, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a bank. In her plea, she admitted that from late 2010 to March 2013 while she worked at Western State Bank in Ulysses, Kan., she embezzled money from the bank.
Subsequent to July 24, 2010, she conspired with fellow employees and co-defendants Ashley Cravens and Amber Gutierrez to steal money from the bank. From late 2010 to March 2013, the three stole a total of $24,450 from the bank.
Co-defendants are:
Grissom commended the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the Ulysses Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Amber Gutierrez, 32, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 13.
Ashley Cravens, 29, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 13.
Hattie Wiginton, 33, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 24.Follow the U.S. Attorney's Office on TwitterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma launched its official Twitter account with the aim of increasing the accessibility of news and information, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Members of the public and media can now follow @USAO_NDOK on Twitter, a social media, microblogging service which limits text messages to 140 characters.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Thomas Man of Production of Child Pornography and Other Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - After a two-day trial in District Court in St. Thomas, a federal jury on Tuesday found Tony Jefferson Browne, 31, guilty of 12 counts of federal child exploitation offenses involving four girls ranging from ages 12 to 17, announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez, and Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) Commissioner Rodney Querrard, Jr.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Browne first made contact with the minor girls on Facebook, where he pretended to be a female and befriended them. After befriending the minors, Browne persuaded them to send him nude and sexually suggestive photos of themselves. After receiving the photos, Browne contacted the minors using his Facebook account “Billy Button,” and threatened to place the minors’ nude and sexually suggestive photos on the Internet if they did not send him additional photos and have sex with him. Evidence at trial also established that Browne sent images of his erect penis via Facebook and his cellular telephone to three of the minor girls, and kept pornographic images of the minor females on his cellular telephone and Facebook page.
The jury found Browne guilty of four counts of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, four counts of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Following his conviction, Browne was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2014.
Browne faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each count of production of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison for coercion and enticement. For receipt of child pornography, Browne faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. For transfer of obscene images to a minor, Browne faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Additionally, each count carries a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sharpe commended the efforts of HSI and VIPD who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard Potter.
Suspected child exploitation or missing children cases may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via its toll-free 24-hour hotline at 202-514-5678, or HSI at (340)693-2250.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charleston Man with Illegally Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Darrell Shawton Collins, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston on March 4, 2014, on illegal drug distribution charges, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today. According to a three-count indictment, Collins distributed heroin on December 4, 5, and 6, 2013, in Charleston.
Collins faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fairfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Follow @USAO_CT
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that ROBERT JOSEPH PARKER, 51, of Fairfield, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, PARKER earned income by providing information technology services to various businesses. Between 1996 and 2012, PARKER did not pay any federal income tax on approximately $2 million of income he received in his own name, and in the name of his alter ego entity known as Success Zone, LLC.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2014, at which time PARKER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $100,000. In addition, the government believes that PARKER owes approximately $2 million in taxes, interest and penalties for himself personally for tax years 1996 through 2012, and for Success Zone, LLC, for tax years 2003 through 2012.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Richard J. Schechter.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]District Woman Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for June 2012 Slaying of Next-Door Neighbor-Victim Was Stabbed in Presence of Her Six-Year-Old Child-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON Cydrisse Alvin, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison on a charge of first-degree murder while armed for the June 2012 stabbing of her next-door neighbor, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Alvin was found guilty by a jury in December 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Upon completion of her prison term, Alvin will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2012, at about 9 a.m., Alvin knocked on the door of the victim, 28-year-old Amber Kent, her next-door neighbor and former friend. Ms. Kent answered the door in her pajamas. Within seconds, Alvin entered and stabbed Ms. Kent three times – once in the chest and twice in the back. The murder happened in the presence of Ms. Kent’s daughter, who was six years old at the time. After stabbing Ms. Kent, Alvin quickly fled the scene and was apprehended hours later.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Marian Russell, Fern Rhedrick, Phil Aronson, Ethel Noble, Sharon Newman, and Mia Beamon; Litigation Technology Specialist Joshua Ellen; Investigative Analyst Sharon Johnson, and David Foster and Tamara Ince of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-055Defendant Sentenced for Brokering over 100 Sham MarriagesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rex Anyanwu has been sentenced to federal prison for arranging fraudulent marriages that allowed illegal aliens to remain in the U.S, alien harboring, obtaining his own citizenship in violation of the law, and conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
“Anyanwu abused the same immigration system that allowed him to become a U.S. citizen,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “His price for defrauding the government is high – not only will he spend a significant amount of time in jail, Anyanwu will also lose his United States citizenship and be deported to his native Nigeria upon completion of his sentence.”
“Providing a legal avenue for the spouses of United States citizens to immigrate to our country is one of the bedrock principles of our immigration system,” said Special Agent in Charge Brock D. Nicholson of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. “The defendant exploited that avenue for his own enrichment. The investigation by HSI, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services and the Diplomatic Security Service will ensure that he pays for his crimes and loses something even more precious, his citizenship.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning at least by February 2001 and continuing until his arrest in 2012, Rex Anyanwu ran a fraudulent marriage factory, the product of which was sham marriages designed to deceive immigration. U.S. citizens testified at trial that “Rex” would drive from the Atlanta area to Huntsville, Ala. and lure them into a marriage with a stranger with the promise of quick, easy money. One young woman testified that she recruited for Anyanwu, and was paid to find approximately 50 other U.S. citizens willing to engage in sham marriages, primarily to Africans from Kenya and Nigeria. The U.S. citizens were paid approximately $700 for the marriage; they could earn additional payments of approximately $500 for trips to Atlanta to participate in Citizen and Immigration Services interviews designed to establish that the couple shared their lives and had a valid marriage. Frequently, the “couple” did not even live in the same state, much less together. Anyanwu would coach the U.S. citizen and the alien on how to answer the questions to make it appear that the marriage was real.
Some of the alien spouses testified at trial that they came to “Rex” because they heard he could help them stay in the United States. Anyanwu not only introduced them to the U.S. spouse, but also provided fraudulent documents required by Immigration such as lease agreements, verification of employment, W-2s and 1040 income tax returns. Anyanwu charged an additional fee for the fraudulent documents. The aliens further testified that they paid Anyanwu as much as $10,000 and often met their intended spouse the same day and place they were to marry them. From the number of marriages he arranged, Anyanwu earned at least a million dollars.
Immigration policy provides that a marriage between a U.S. citizen and a foreign-born spouse who is a citizen of another country is one path through which an alien can become a U.S. citizen. However, participating in a marriage solely to obtain citizenship is a crime. Evidence at trial showed that Anyanwu filed fraudulent applications for visas on behalf of the aliens who hired him and would forge U.S. citizen names on the paperwork submitted to Immigration.
One alien witness testified that after Anyanwu was under investigation he contacted her and told her that if anyone asked about him, “Say you don’t know me.” Another U.S. citizen witness stated that he was scared of Anyanwu, who threatened that if he did not show up for the Immigration interview Anyanwu would have others hurt him. Anyanwu’s efforts to obstruct the investigation did not succeed, and cost him more time in jail.
Anyanwu, 51, of Lithia Springs, Ga., was found guilty by a jury on November 15, 2013. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash to five years and ten months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay a special assessment in the amount of $6,000. Anyanwu was also stripped of his U.S. citizenship.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, and U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service also assisted in the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge, Special Assistant United States Attorney Njeri Maldonado and Intern Annalise Lisson prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Dallas Man Sentenced to Serve A Total of 25 Years in Federal Prison on Federal Child Pornography Convictions Involving Prepubescent MinorRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Ulises Sandoval, 27, of Dallas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve a total of 300 months (25 years) in federal prison following his guilty plea in November 2013 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography. Specifically, Judge Kinkeade sentenced him to 300 months on the production conviction and 240 months on the possession conviction, to run concurrently. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
According to the factual resume filed in the case, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that a person, later identified as Sandoval, was trading images of child pornography over email. They executed a search warrant at his home on September 25, 2013, and arrested him.
Sandoval admitted using his email address to join a website for the purpose of trading images and videos of child pornography, and he also admitted using email to meet individuals with a similar interest in child pornography to trade child pornography with them. He admitted taking photographs of “Jane Doe,” who was less than seven years old at the time, while he engaged in sexually explicit conduct with her, and then sharing those images with others.
Forensic analysis located images of child pornography on Sandoval’s laptop computer. Sandoval admitted that he had more than 2500 child pornography images and videos on his hard drive and some of those depicted sadistic and or violent conduct; 21 of the files depicted infants and toddlers.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
ICE HSI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted.
Columbus Man Indicted for Seven Bank Robberies in Central and Southwestern OhioRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
DAYTON – A federal grand jury has indicted Michael Hay, 30, of Columbus alleging that he robbed seven banks in central and southwestern Ohio between December 28, 2013 and February 4, 2014.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI), and the agencies participating in the investigation announced the indictment today.
The indictment alleges that Hay robbed a PNC Bank in Cincinnati on December 28, 2013, a Chase Bank in Bexley on January 7, 2014, a First Financial Bank in Huber Heights on January 10, a Chase Bank in Vandalia on January 28, a Huntington Bank in Miami Township on January 29, a Key Bank in Grove City on February 1, and a Chase Bank in Mason on February 4. He was arrested by Grove City Police officers on February 7.
Each count of bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution.
An initial appearance for Hay is scheduled for today at 1:30 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Newman in Dayton.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, the police departments in Upper Arlington, Bexley, Grove City, Huber Heights, Vandalia, Miami Township, and Cincinnati as well as the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S Attorney Brent Tabacchi who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #Coal Companies and Subsidiaries to Spend Estimated $200 Million on Treatment and System-wide Upgrades to Reduce Water PollutionRead the Press Release
Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (Alpha), one of the nation’s largest coal companies, Alpha Appalachian Holdings (formerly Massey Energy), and 66 subsidiaries have agreed to spend an estimated $200 million to install and operate wastewater treatment systems and to implement comprehensive, system-wide upgrades to reduce discharges of pollution from coal mines in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. Overall, the settlement covers approximately 79 active mines and 25 processing plants in these five states.
EPA estimates that the upgrades and advanced treatment required by the settlement will reduce discharges of total dissolved solids by over 36 million pounds each year, and will cut metals and other pollutants by approximately nine million pounds per year. The companies will also pay a civil penalty of $27.5 million for thousands of permit violations, which is the largest penalty in history under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
“The unprecedented size of the civil penalty in this settlement sends a strong deterrent message to others in this industry that such egregious violations of the nation's Clean Water Act will not be tolerated,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s agreement is good news for communities across Appalachia, who have too often been vulnerable to polluters who disregard the law. It holds Alpha accountable and will bring increased compliance and transparency among Alpha and its many subsidiaries.”
“This settlement is the result of state and federal agencies working together to protect local communities from pollution by enforcing the law,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By requiring reforms and a robust compliance program, we are helping to ensure coal mining in Appalachia follows environmental laws that protect public health.”
In addition to paying the penalty, the companies must build and operate treatment systems to eliminate violations of selenium and salinity limits, and also implement comprehensive, system-wide improvements to ensure future compliance with the CWA. These improvements, which apply to all of Alpha’s operations in Appalachia, include developing and implementing an environmental management system and periodic internal and third-party environmental compliance audits.
The companies must also maintain a database to track violations and compliance efforts at each outfall, significantly improve the timeliness of responding to violations, and consult with third party experts to solve problem discharges. In the event of future violations, the companies will be required to pay stipulated penalties, which may be increased and, in some cases, doubled for continuing violations.
The government complaint alleged that, between 2006 and 2013, Alpha and its subsidiaries routinely violated limits in 336 of its state-issued CWA permits, resulting in the discharge of excess amounts of pollutants into hundreds of rivers and streams in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The violations also included discharge of pollutants without a permit.
In total, EPA documented at least 6,289 violations of permit limits for pollutants that include iron, pH, total suspended solids, aluminum, manganese, selenium, and salinity. These violations occurred at 794 different discharge points, or outfalls. Monitoring records also showed that multiple pollutants were discharged in amounts of more than twice the permitted limit on many occasions. Most violations stemmed from the company’s failure to properly operate existing treatment systems; install adequate treatment systems; and implement appropriate water handling and management plans.
Today’s settlement also resolves violations of a prior 2008 settlement with Massey Energy, and applies to the facilities and sites formerly owned by the company. Under the 2008 settlement, Massey paid a $20 million penalty to the federal government for similar CWA violations, in addition to over a million dollars in stipulated penalties over the course of the next two years. Alpha purchased Massey in June 2011 and, since taking over the company, has been working cooperatively with the government in developing the terms of today’s settlement.
CWA permits allow for the discharge of certain pollutants in limited amounts to rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Permit holders are required to monitor discharges regularly and report results to the respective state agencies.
Alpha, headquartered in Bristol, Va., is one of the largest coal companies in the nation. Alpha operates more than 79 active coal mines and 25 coal preparation plants located throughout Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The Wyoming operations are not included in today’s settlement.
The States of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky are co-plaintiffs in today’s settlement. The U.S. will receive half of the civil penalty and the other half will be divided between the co-plaintiffs based on the number of violations in each state, as follows: West Virginia ($8,937,500), Pennsylvania ($4,125,000), and Kentucky ($687,500).
The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.
For more information on the settlement visit: http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/alpha-natural-resources-inc-settlement.
For more information on Clean Water Act Enforcement, visit: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html.Charleroi Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Washington County man has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence on Jerome C. Pryor, Jr., 27, of Charleroi, Pennsylvania.
According to information provided to the court, Pryor conspired with others to use unauthorized credit cards to purchase gift cards and merchandise at stores in Western Pennsylvania. At sentencing, Judge Diamond emphasized the seriousness of identity theft crimes, and the impact upon victimized accoutholders.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Western Pennsylvania Financial Crimes Task Force (WPFCTF) for conducting the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Pryor. The WPFCTF was established as a collaborative, multi-agency effort to effectively combat financial crimes, including identity fraud, in Western Pennsylvania. Partnering in this effort are the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Bowling Green, Kentucky, Man Guilty of Shipping Firearms InternationallyRead the Press Release
– Firearms were secreted inside video game systems for shipment to foreign addresses
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Bowling Green, Kentucky, man pled guilty in United States District Court today, to a four-count federal Indictment charging him with exporting firearms from the United States announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
According to the Plea Agreement, Adam Bunger, age 34, between June 13, 2013, and August 8, 2013, knowingly exported and sent firearms from the United States. He did so contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States. Specifically, he placed in the United States Mail – parcels that included firearms that had been hidden inside videogame systems. He shipped the firearms to Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Two of the firearms shipped in foreign commerce had the manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, and altered.
Bunger was not a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer of firearms. Nevertheless, he willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. In the course of that conduct, he shipped and transported firearms in foreign commerce as specified above. He also knowingly and willfully delivered packages to a common or contract carrier for transportation and shipment in foreign commerce. The persons receiving the shipments from Bunger were not licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors of firearms. Additionally, Bunger did not provide written notice to the carrier that the packages contained firearms or ammunition.
According to an Affidavit attached to a Criminal Complaint, Australian Federal Police contacted a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on July 8, 2013, after a forensic examination of a parcel shipped from Bowling Green, Kentucky, revealed two empty magazines, gun parts and a Modelo Super 9mm pistol inside an Xbox game system’s interior cavity. The gun sale was made through a website -- Black Market Reloaded. On July 18, 2013, two international packages were seized from the Bowling Green Post Office and a search warrant revealed a disassembled, Uzi-style pistol having an obliterated serial number contained inside a hollow Xbox console, addressed to an individual in the United Kingdom. The second international package, addressed to an individual in Australia, contained firearm parts for an assault rifle which were concealed inside a DVD player. On August 9, 2013, a federal search warrant was obtained and executed on the other international package seized from the U.S. Post Office branch in Bowling Green. The package, addressed to an individual in Sweden, contained a disassembled Taurus .22 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number and magazine. The firearm was contained inside a metal computer switching power supply box. Two postal clerks identified the defendant, Adam Bunger, as the individual who attempted to ship the international packages.
Bunger faces a maximum 25-year prison term, a $1,000,000 fine and a three-year period of Supervised Release. Sentencing is scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., on May 29, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., in Bowling Green.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in conjunction with the Australian Federal Police, and with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service, conducted the investigation.
Birmingham Man Convicted of Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM -- A federal jury late Tuesday convicted a Birmingham man of possession with the intent to distribute a half kilogram of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay A. Morris.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler, the jury convicted BINIAM ASGHEDOM, 40, an Eritrean national, of possessing and intending to distribute about a pound of cocaine. Asghedom is scheduled for sentencing June 25.
According to evidence at trial, Birmingham police stopped Asghedom for a traffic violation on Dec. 1, 2010, after federal agents had followed him from a known drug location. Asghedom was one of a number of targets of a larger DEA investigation. After obtaining Asghedom’s consent, officers searched the 2000 GMC Sierra pick-up truck he was driving and found the cocaine and $14,500. Forensic testing later revealed that the outside packaging of the cocaine had two latent fingerprints that matched Asghedom.
“Asghedom’s conviction marks another success in law enforcement’s concerted efforts to eliminate the dangerous street drugs that devastate neighborhoods and fuel violent crime." Vance said.The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted.
Alexandria, Va., Couple Arrested on Immigration Charges for Harboring Domestic Servant in Their HomeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that a federal criminal complaint has been filed in the Eastern District of Virginia charging defendants Abdelkader and Hnia Amal with immigration offenses in connection with allegations that they held a woman in their home as a domestic servant for three years. The defendants were each charged with one count of alien harboring for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
According to the complaint, the defendants, who are husband and wife, concealed, harbored and shielded from detection in their home in Alexandria, Va., a Moroccan national, identified in the complaint as Witness-1, from December 2007 until December 2010. The complaint also alleges that Hnia Amal had the Moroccan national work for her commercial cleaning company, cleaning various residential and commercial properties. As further alleged in the complaint, the defendants unlawfully brought the Moroccan national into the United States on a visa they procured based on false representations that the Moroccan national would be employed as a domestic servant for a different employer. According to the complaint, the defendants allegedly benefitted financially by paying the Moroccan national only $9,000 for over three years of full-time work in their home and for Hnia Amal’s commercial cleaning company.
If convicted, Abdelkader and Hnia Amal could face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI – Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Alexandria Bogle of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Matthew Grady of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – RAYMOND T. DRAKE, age 53, of Albany, New York, pled guilty today in Albany before Chief United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe to two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiNicola. DRAKE, who was detained pending his sentencing, faces at least five years of imprisonment and up to 120 years of imprisonment.
As part of his guilty plea, DRAKE admitted that he distributed images of child pornography by e-mail and through a Peer-to-Peer file sharing program. On January 25, 2013, investigators searched DRAKE’s residence and recovered hundreds of images and several videos depicting child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2014, in Albany, New York.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
Tuesday 4 March 2014
Yolo County Kidnapping Subject Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Kyle Michael Hall, 24, of Woodland, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, on November 28, 2012, Hall was arrested after attempting to force a woman into his truck that was parked in a Raley’s parking lot in Woodland. Hall was a transient living out of his truck in the Woodland area. Upon his arrest, Hall turned his personal property over to a friend.
The next day, Hall’s friend brought Hall’s computer to the Woodland police station. He said that he had been looking through it and found some “disgusting” things. Located on the computer were approximately 108 images and 115 videos of child pornography. In addition, forensic analysts with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office located multiple instant messages on the computer. In these messages, Hall discussed child pornography and traded images and videos.
The computer forensic analysis also identified multiple Skype chats in which Hall spoke with minors about sexually explicit topics. In one exchange with a 17-year-old from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Hall asked if he could drive to New Mexico to pick up the girl. In other chats, Hall offered money to minors in an attempt to entice them into sending him sexually explicit photos or videos.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Woodland Police Department and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Reardon and Olusere Olowoyeye are prosecuting the case.
Hall is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Lawrence K. Karlton on May 20, 2014. Hall faces a penalty of five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children including child pornography trafficking. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has teamed with state and local agencies and organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Wilmerding Felon Sentenced to 5+ Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing PistolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Wilmerding, Pa., resident has been sentenced in federal court to 64 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence on Monte Blair, 40.
According to information presented to the court, on or about Sept. 28, 2012, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police obtained a warrant for Blair’s arrest on charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault stemming from an incident that occurred on Sept. 9, 2012. Shortly after the warrant was issued, Blair was arrested as he exited a residence on Brushton Avenue in Pittsburgh. A search of Blair incident to arrest revealed a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol that had been previously reported as stolen. Blair, who has several prior felony convictions, is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As to the attempted homicide and aggravated assault charges stemming from the incident on Sept. 9, 2012, Blair was recently convicted of aggravated assault and acquitted of attempted homicide in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. Sentencing in that matter is scheduled for April 2, 2014.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blair.