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Wednesday 26 February 2014
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Simple AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man charged with Simple Assault pled guilty to and was sentenced on February 25, 2014, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Samuel White Lance, age 22, was sentenced to 6 months in custody and $10 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place on October 8, 2013, into the morning hours of October 9, 2013, when White Lance and the victim were arguing. White Lance grabbed a paring knife with a 3 to 4 inch blade and stabbed the victim in the left hand and stomach. The victim left the scene to seek help, and White Lance followed the victim and stabbed him once in the chest. The victim was not seriously injured.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie H. Ruettgers.
White Lance was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
South China Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Veteran Death BenefitsRead the Press Release
Contact: James M. Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Neil
Pelkey, 67, of South China, Maine, pled guilty yesterday to stealing over $53,000 worth of
Death and Indemnity Compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(“VA”).According to court records, Pelkey stole VA death benefits intended for his mother for
almost 4 years following her death. VA Investigators learned of her death from the Nationwide
Death Match Project, a computerized comparison of VA and Social Security Administration
records. Pelkey collected monthly benefits ranging from $1,154 to $1,215 from January 1, 2010
to September 1, 2013 and used them to pay living expenses.Pelkey faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. He will be sentenced
after completion of a pre-sentence report by the United States Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General of the VA.
Smugglers Who Extorted and Threatened Victims Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas ‐ Ivan Cabrera and Michael Ayala, both of Edinburg, and Mexican National Maria Isabel Rivera-Castillo have been sentenced to federal prison as a result of their convictions for smuggling undocumented aliens, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Cabrera, 23, Ayala, 27, and Rivera-Castillo, 52, all pleaded guilty on varying dates in November 2013.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Cabrera to a sentence of 63 months imprisonment, while Rivera and Ayala received respective sentences of 52 and 33 months. The sentences were enhanced as the court took into consideration the fact that while in the defendants’ custody, the aliens were beaten and threatened with physical and sexual violence. The defendants held the undocumented aliens for days and, in some cases, weeks to extort monies from their families in exchange for their release.
Cabrera, Ayala and Rivera-Castillo have been in custody since their arrest on Sept. 27, 2013. Following their terms of imprisonment, Cabrera and Ayala will serve three years of supervised release, while Rivera is expected to face deportation proceedings following her release from prison.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and Edinburg Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Rees and Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case.
Skowhegan Woman Sentenced to 4 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Tara
Pelletier, 33, of Skowhegan, Maine, was sentenced today to four years in prison and three years
of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute
oxycodone and cocaine. Pelletier pled guilty to the charge on April 30, 2013.Pelletier’s conviction stems from her involvement in a major drug trafficking
organization run by Maurice McCray in central Maine. Court records reveal that between
January and May 2012, Pelletier assisted McCray by obtaining oxycodone and cocaine from
New York and distributing the drugs to customers throughout central Maine. The charge
followed a three-month wiretap investigation that revealed McCray’s organization and the
involvement of Pelletier and others.The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.Seven Indicted in False Tax Refund Scheme Run from PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An indictment was unsealed Wednesday after the arrest of three of seven defendants charged in a conspiracy that used the identification of prison inmates to make fraudulent tax refund claims, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
On February 20, 2014, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment charging the following individuals with conspiring to defraud the United States: Edwin Forrest Ludwig IV, 32; Daniel Allen Coats, 32; Scott Albert Johnson, 34; and Joseph Robert Sharpe, 35; (all were inmates in the California Correctional Center in Susanville at the time of the fraud scheme), together with Judy Ruth Mullin, 24, of Azusa and Elk Grove; Donald Loyde Harned, 68, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Edwin Forrest Ludwig III, 57, of Tulsa, Okla.
Mullin, Harned and Ludwig III were arrested Wednesday at their residences in Southern California, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, respectively. The other defendants are incarcerated at institutions in California and Oklahoma.
According to court documents, beginning in March 2011, Ludwig IV, with help from fellow inmates Sharpe, Coats and Johnson, obtained personal identification information of other inmates at the correctional center. Ludwig IV then provided the information to Harned and Mullin, who prepared and filed false income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, claiming refunds to which the inmates were not entitled. False tax returns also were filed in some of the defendants’ own names. The defendants caused the false refund checks to be deposited to various bank accounts controlled by them, including some controlled by Ludwig III. According to the indictment, the investigation to the conspiracy began on January 11, 2012, when a correctional officer found some records behind Ludwig IV’s personal locker.
According to the indictment, the refunds were used for personal expenditures, the purchase of prepaid debit cards, and adding money to inmates’ commissary accounts. The indictment further alleges that, as part of the conspiracy, approximately 247 false income tax returns were filed with the IRS, resulting in the erroneous issuance of approximately 138 refunds totaling over $219,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Investigative Service Unit at the California Correctional Center. Assistant United States Attorney Sherry D. Hartel Haus is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiracy, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ludwig IV, Harned, Coats, and Johnson face additional counts of false claims, each count of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Seven Arrested in Synthetic Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, Va. – Connie Rhoades Bowler, 47, of Gloucester, Virginia; Melody Rhoades Green, 52, of Topping, Virginia; John Stacey Rhoades, 41, of Hayes, Virginia; Brandon Bowler, 22, of Gloucester, Virginia; Robert Rhoades, 19, of Hayes, Virginia; Christopher Lowery, 29, of Farnham, Virginia; and Harrell Kenneth Stockwell, Jr., 54, of Gloucester, Virginia, were arrested yesterday on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute smokeable synthetic cannabinoids (Schedule I controlled substances or analogues of Schedule I controlled substances) with intent for human consumption, and drug paraphernalia.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Scot R. Rittenberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington; and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, along with Sheriff David P. Bushey of Middlesex County, Virginia; Sheriff Stanley Clarke of Essex County, Virginia; Chief James G. Ashworth of the Tappahannock Police Department; and W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent, Virginia State Police, made the announcement after the initial appearances of the defendants before United States Magistrate Judge David J. Novak.
Each of the defendants faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the conspiracy charge. Additionally, Connie Bowler, Melody Green and John Rhoades are charged with maintaining drug involved premises for the Slipknots Trading & Tobacco stores located in Topping and Tappahannock, Virginia. That charge also carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
According to the indictment, the seven defendants were engaged in a conspiracy to distribute various forms of synthetic cannabinoids from May 14, 2012 until February 18, 2014. In court proceedings today and in documents filed with the court, authorities allege that Connie Bowler, Melody Green and John Rhoades were the owners of Slipknots Trading & Tobacco, LLC, a tobacco store that sold smokeable synthetic cannabinoid (“SSC”) products, often commonly referred to as “Spice,” and items ranging from water pipes to rolling papers, used to smoke SSC. The documents assert that over the course of an 18-month investigation, law enforcement made numerous controlled purchases of SSC from the Slipknots stores in Topping and Tappahannock Virginia. It is alleged that although some of the SSC that the stores sold was not yet regulated, much of the SSC purchased was in fact illegal Schedule I controlled substances or Schedule I controlled substance analogues. The authorities allege that Slipknots Trading & Tobacco sold over $3 million of SSC product over an 18 month period of time.The investigation was conducted by ICE-HSI, IRS, the VSP Tri-River Drug Task Force and special agents with the VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigations Richmond and Chesapeake Field Offices, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tappahannock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Olivia L. Norman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
Indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.Salt Lake City Psychologist Charged with Health Care Fraud in Indictment Returned by Grand JuryRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY - A federal grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging Charles Fredrick McCusker, age 62, of Salt Lake City, a licensed Utah psychologist, with health care fraud and mail fraud in connection with a health care fraud scheme the indictment alleges caused federal and private benefit programs to pay more than $1.3 million for services not provided to patients. The indictment alleges the conduct occurred from around 2007 to around August 2013.
The indictment, which includes 18 counts of health care fraud and 16 counts of mail fraud, follows a coordinated investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the Utah Insurance Fraud Division, the Utah Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The indictment follows a state felony information filed on February 20, 2014, charging McCusker with 25 second degree felonies alleging identity fraud, insurance fraud, and pattern of unlawful conduct.
According to the indictment, McCusker conducted business as Health Balance International and New Life Balance in Salt Lake City.
The indictment alleges McCusker executed a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs by billing private insurers and government health care programs for services not provided to patients, resulting in payments to which he was not entitled.
McCusker, the indictment alleges, obtained health insurance information from patients under the guise that he would bill health care benefit programs only for services actually provided. As further steps in the scheme to defraud, McCusker did not meet at all with some patients nor did he provide any follow up services. Despite that fact, the indictment alleges, McCusker fraudulently billed patients’ health care programs for services he did not provide.
In other instances, McCusker met with a patient only once and provided no follow up services. Despite that fact, the indictment alleges, McCusker falsely billed the patients’ health care benefit programs for follow up services not provided. On other occasions, McCusker provided services to patients on several occasions but fraudulently billed these patients’ health care benefit programs for numerous additional services not provided.
According to the indictment, McCusker fraudulently submitted claims to health care benefit programs seeking reimbursement for services he did not provide. Those claims were processed and paid by health care benefit programs.
A summons will be issued to McCusker to appear in federal court. The potential maximum penalty for each count of health care fraud is 10 years and the penalty for each mail fraud count is 20 years.
Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Sacramento Meth Trafficker with Ties to Mexican Cartel Sentenced to 17.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SSACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Fausto Diaz-Lozano, 45, of Sacramento, on Tuesday, February 24, 2014, to 17 and a half years in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents and evidence from trial, Diaz-Lozano was a trusted member with high-level connections to La Familia Michoacàn, a Mexican drug cartel. The evidence at trial indicated he had ties to a “boss” in the organization. With a phone call to him, Diaz-Lozano was able to modify the “authorized” area for a huge distribution and supply hub controlled by the cartel in Gilroy. Before that call, to the “boss” in Mexico, the hub was only authorized to distribute in the South Bay Area. After the call, the hub delivered directly to Diaz-Lozano in Sacramento. According to court documents, Diaz-Lozano also recruited new members and associates for the cartel, flaunting the organization’s ruthlessness in the process.
When the Gilroy supply hub was searched on August 19, 2010, investigators seized over 610 pounds of methamphetamine, 16 pounds of cocaine, two firearms, and ledgers that detailed the distribution of over 3,300 pounds of methamphetamine in a four-to-five month period. Approximately 80 pounds of the methamphetamine was tested by the DEA and found to be approximately 98 percent pure.
Judge Mendez found that Diaz-Lozano directed others in connection with this international drug conspiracy. He also found that, as a member of the conspiracy, Diaz-Lozano was responsible for the drugs and guns found in Gilroy.
Diaz-Lozano is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in this case. Hector Salazar Borrayo, of Gilroy, was sentenced to 14 years and four months in prison. Martin Solorio, of Sacramento, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Roberto Bermudez-Ornelas, of Sacramento, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison. Sergio Murillo-Valencia was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Fabian Figueroa-Ayala, of Gilroy, was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison. Three other defendants are charged in this case. The against them are allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Justice (Cal-MMET). Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Beckwith prosecuted the case.
Sabattus Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing VA Travel BenefitsRead the Press Release
Contact: James M. Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that James
Hallowell, 36, of Sabattus, Maine, pled guilty today in United States District Court to stealing
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) travel benefits.
According to court records, the defendant claimed travel benefits for more than two
dozen 200 mile trips from Littleton, Maine in Aroostook County to the Togus V.A. Medical
Center for the purpose of receiving medical treatment. In fact, the defendant lived close to the
VA hospital. Investigators learned that there were no residences at the address in Littleton the
defendant provided on his claims.
Hallowell faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after
completion of a pre-sentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the VA, Office of the Inspector General.
Resident of Spain Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to $16 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that ANTHONIE R. SPARROW pled guilty for his role in perpetrating a $16 million investment scheme that victimized hundreds of investors around the world. SPARROW, who was charged in December 2009 and extradited from Spain in August 2013, pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Anthonie Sparrow engaged in a flagrant fraud, stealing millions of dollars from hundreds of innocent victims around the world, and then fled to Spain to try to avoid the consequences of his crime. His prosecution, possible only through an extradition from Spain, shows this Office’s resolve in holding accountable those who victimize innocent investors.”
Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said: “Sparrow minted his own destiny by lying to investors and cheating them out of millions of dollars. When the game was up, Sparrow fled to Spain where he thought he was beyond the reach of the FBI. Today, Sparrow finds himself guilty as charged, agreeing to forfeit all 16 million dollars made in his illicit scheme.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made at court proceedings:
From 2002 to January 2005, SPARROW and co-defendant Masroor A. Khan (“Khan”) orchestrated and carried out an extensive fraudulent coin investment scheme. The defendants solicited victims to invest in rare, collectible coins through Lloyd’s & Associates Asset Management Ltd. (“LAM”), a purported collectible coin and precious metal business run by SPARROW. The victims were directed to wire funds – purportedly for investments in rare coins – to LAM bank accounts in New York that SPARROW controlled. Khan and SPARROW told the victims that these funds would be used to purchase coins and that the coins would then be held at Pinnacle Depository Service (“Pinnacle”), a purported coin depository and secure storage area, which was also run by SPARROW.
However, rather than purchase coins with the victims’ funds as the defendants had promised, SPARROW simply diverted the vast majority of the money, totaling approximately $16 million, to a bank account in Cyprus controlled by LAM. To prevent the victims from discovering the theft of their investments, SPARROW maintained a website where victims were given false information about the value of the coins they supposedly owned. SPARROW deliberately discouraged victims from coming to view their coins in person and, when certain victims insisted on doing so, he staged elaborate ruses to prevent them from seeing more than a few coins.
Beginning in late 2004, victims began to demand the return of their funds. In response, in January 2005, SPARROW closed the New York office of LAM and fled to Spain.
SPARROW, 53, of Estepona, Spain, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count. SPARROW is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Robert W. Sweet on June 2, 2014, at 4:00 p.m. As part of his guilty plea, SPARROW also agreed to forfeit $16 million to the United States. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Khan remains a fugitive from the charges contained in the Indictment.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked the Spanish National Police for their assistance in the arrest and extradition of SPARROW.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander J. Wilson is in charge of the prosecution.
The pending charges against Khan are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Anthonie Sparrow and Masroor Khan Indictment
Regional HIDTA Award Given for Methamphetamine InvestigationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska, Deborah R. Gilg, announces today members of the CODE and WING drug task forces received a regional High Intensity Drug Trafficking award for their work in dismantling a significant methamphetamine drug organization into western Nebraska and eastern Colorado. The investigation identified a distribution organization which brought methamphetamine from Mexico, transported it through Arizona, Colorado, and eventually into Nebraska. The investigation showed money made though the narcotics sales were being transferred back to the country of Mexico either by wire or through personal couriers.
This investigation began as a joint effort with the FBI, through their office in North Platte, and the CODE and WING drug task forces making undercover purchases of methamphetamine from an individual in the Ogallala, Nebraska area in late 2012 and early 2013. This methamphetamine distribution organization was responsible for bringing in pound quantities of methamphetamine into the Julesburg and Sterling, Colorado, area and spanned an area of operation from Sterling, Colorado, to Lexington, NE, a distance of approximately 200 miles.
CODE and WING task force members worked together utilizing undercover agents/officers to make purchases of drugs, conducted numerous surveillances, executed search warrants, made multiple arrests, and utilized other investigative techniques. In addition to the various law enforcement agencies comprising these Nebraska task forces, there was significant cooperation across federal judicial districts. Because the enterprise operated over both the Districts of Colorado and Nebraska, it presented numerous legal hurdles in the investigation. Important to the success of this investigation was the assistance, partnership, and leadership of the Assistant United States Attorney who worked with Task Force staff at all hours of the day, seven days a week, coordinating the activities of the 33 law enforcement organizations involved in the investigation in Nebraska, as well as Colorado.
The investigation yielded approximately 29 narcotics “buys” of methamphetamine, 18 of which were 1 ounce quantities or more. The controlled narcotics buys were initially only of several grams but increased to 1 to 2 ounce buys, and culminated with the seizure of approximately 2.7 pounds of methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant on 08/12/2013.
The numerous successes achieved by Task Force personnel working together on the investigation led to the dismantling of this criminal enterprise and resulted in 17 arrests. Controlled drug buys executed on the case recovered approximately 23 ounces of methamphetamine.
“The outstanding cooperative efforts in this case were remarkable and necessary in order to achieve the undoing of this distribution network over such a vast geographic area”, said U.S. Attorney Gilg, “It is a tribute to the cooperation and coordination of efforts we have in the heartland of America.”Ravenna Man Faces Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Benny Lee Freeman, 35, of Ravenna, Ohio, with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Count 1 of the indictment charges that on or about December 23, 2013, Freeman was in possession of a Walther, model P22, .22 caliber pistol, a Ruger, model 77/22, .22 caliber rifle, and ammunition, after being previously convicted of Trafficking in LSD, in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, and Possession of Marijuana for Sale, in the Tehama County Superior Court in the State of California.
Count 2 of the indictment charges that on or about December 23, 2013, Freeman possessed with the intent to distribute marijuana.
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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Portage County Drug Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
An indictment in 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.
Plano Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay $118,139 in Restitution on Conspiracy ConvictionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Plano, Texas, man was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 46 months in federal prison, and ordered to pay $118,139 in restitution on a conspiracy conviction stemming from his role in a tax refund fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Cephas Msipa pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding information in August 2013 charging one count of conspiracy. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on an indictment in November 2012. In today’s hearing, Judge Kinkeade stated that Msipa will be deported back to Zimbabwe after he serves his prison sentence.
According to the factual resume filed in Msipa’s case, Msipa admitted that from January 5, 2012, until June 2012, he was involved in a conspiracy to obtain tax refunds that were generated through the submission of fraudulent tax returns. For his part in the conspiracy, Msipa opened bank accounts, using a false name, in order to receive the refunds from the fraudulently filed tax returns.
Msipa used a forged United Kingdom passport to establish a private mail box at a postal store on Preston Road in Dallas. Thereafter, according to the factual resume, Msipa used this false name, and the address of the mail box, to open three accounts at Bank of America and two accounts at Chase Bank.
The factual resume further states that during this time frame, co-conspirators electronically filed approximately 105 fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities and false income information that directed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deposit a total of $118,139 in refunds into accounts Msipa opened.
In a related case, defendant Elijah Meskano, pleaded guilty to the same offense in May 2013. Meskano, according to the factual resume filed in his case, from December 22, 2011, through November 29, 2012, also opened bank accounts using a false name to receive refunds from fraudulently filed tax returns. According to a complaint filed in Meskano’s case, he and Msipa were roommates and lived in Plano, Texas. Meskano is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2014.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stokes prosecuted.
Peabody Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Heading Identity Theft RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man was sentenced today for heading an identity theft ring that used the identities of a Florida company’s employees to cause $375,000 in credit card losses at large retail stores.
William Dodge, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph L. Tauro to seven years in prison, three years of supervised release, $375,000 in restitution, and forfeiture of criminal proceeds. In May 2012, Dodge pleaded guilty to credit card fraud, conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft.
When Dodge was in Florida, he met the benefits administrator for a Florida-based company and obtained from her lists of coworkers' identity information, such as their names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Dodge traveled to Boston where he and at least five co-conspirators obtained false identity cards bearing Dodge’s or the co-conspirators’ pictures and the Florida company employees’ personal information. The false identity cards looked like Massachusetts drivers’ licenses and allowed the co-conspirators to pose as the employees from the Florida company.
With the false identity cards, Dodge and the co-conspirators posed as the Florida company’s employees at large chain retail stores. When it came time to pay for the merchandise, Dodge and his co-conspirators lacked a working credit card number. So they pretended to have left their store credit card at home and asked the store to remind them of the number. The stores, taken in by the false identity cards, often complied. If the identity victim had no credit account at the store, Dodge and his co-conspirators applied for a new credit account in the identity victim’s name. Again, the stores, taken in by the false identity cards, often complied. Upon obtaining a new or existing credit card number, Dodge and his co-conspirators used the account to purchase gift cards and other merchandise, such as electronics, that they could resell. The stores lost money, because Dodge and the co-conspirators did not pay the credit bills.
As the group’s ringleader, Dodge directed his co-conspirators’ actions and took about 50% of their profits. The conspiracy netted over $375,000 in merchandise and services, with Dodge personally responsible by posing as an identity theft victim for over $212,000 of the losses.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Florida company for cooperating during the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, formerly of Ortiz’s Cybercrime Unit and currently of the National Security and Anti-terrorism Unit.
Palm Beach Woman Arrested on Identity Theft and Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, (IRS-CI), announce the arrest of Tia Lashonda Miller, 39, of West Palm Beach, on charges of unlawful possession of unauthorized access devices, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(3), and five counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1)). Miller made her initial appearance in court on Monday, February 24, 2014, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank J. Lynch, Jr., and again at a bond hearing on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 that resulted in her detention without bond pending trial.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum statutory term of ten years in prison on the access devices count, and consecutive sentences of mandatory two years in prison on each aggravated identity theft count.
According to the indictment and both public filings and testimony in open court, Miller was found in possession of notebooks containing stolen personal identity information for over 700 persons, including names, dates of birth and social security account numbers, together with twenty credit and debit cards, eighteen of which were in the names of persons also found in the notebooks. IRS investigation determined that many of the names and account numbers were used to file fraudulent tax returns, seeking unmerited tax refund payments to credit and debit cards and to other accounts.
Agents, authorized by federal court search warrants, searched Miller’s home and computers and found additional evidence of fraudulent tax filings in the names of other identity theft victims.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office for their work investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
An indictment is only an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Ocean City Man Sentenced for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Received a Total of $210,000 to Assist Approximately 70 Individuals in
Fraudulently Applying for AsylumBaltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Gasim Manafov, age 36, of Ocean City, Maryland, and Charlotte, North Carolina today to 18 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release for conspiring to commit immigration fraud.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.“Benefit fraud poses a severe threat to national security and public safety because it creates a vulnerability that may enable terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens to gain entry to and remain in the United States under a guise of legitimacy,” said HSI Ocean City Resident Agent in Charge Francis J. McGarvey. “HSI will work with our partners at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in an effort to maintain the integrity of the immigration system by vigorously investigating and prosecuting individuals like Gasim Manafov, who try to exploit the asylum process.”
According to his plea agreement, from 2007 to 2012, Manafov conspired with others in assisting approximately 70 individuals in fraudulently applying for asylum benefits. Manafov gave the individuals fake stories to describe how the applicant’s family was purportedly hurt or killed due to political or ethnic affiliation. He provided fake foreign documents to prove these stories. Manafov prepared the applicants for interviews with officials, and attended the interviews. He also referred an applicant to a co-conspirator knowing that they would engage in a fraudulent marriage for immigration purposes, suggested that the applicant apply for immigration benefits in the Miami U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office to avoid the scrutiny he knew he was under in the Baltimore USCIS office, and coached the applicant on how to lie to officials interviewing her.Manafov obtained $210,000 from the individuals fraudulently applying for asylum benefits.
Two other conspirators previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to one and three months in prison, respectively.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the HSI Baltimore and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who prosecuted the case.
Non-Indian Man from Albuquerque Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Isleta Pueblo WomanRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gabby G. Andrade, 36, a non-Indian from Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning to an indictment charging him with assaulting an Indian woman, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough, Special Agent in Charge DuWayne W. Honahni, Sr., of District IV of BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and Chief Kevin Mariano of the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department.
Andrade was arrested in Sept. 2013, on an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the indictment, Andrade assaulted an Indian woman on July 19, 2010, in a location within Isleta Pueblo.
Today, Andrade pleaded guilty to the indictment and admitted assaulting the victim, his intimate partner, by striking her in the head, face and body numerous times with a closed fist. He further admitted that the victim suffered a bilateral nasal bone fracture, a displaced nasal septum fracture, and a left occipital bone fracture. Andrade also acknowledged that he is not an Indian and the victim is a member of Isleta PuebloAndrade 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, Andrade will be sentenced to 22 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
This case was investigated by the Southern Pueblos Agency of BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Adams. The case 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.
Multi-Agency Team Plans Events in Boston During National Youth Violence Prevention WeekRead the Press Release
BOSTON - In an effort to give school-aged youth a voice in preventing violence in the community, a series of events will take place throughout the City of Boston during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 7-11, 2014. A highlight will be an anti-violence, hip-hop video contest, featuring videos submitted by Boston youth. The winners of the contest will be announced on April 10, at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Roxbury.
A coalition consisting of representatives from the Boston Police Department, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Attorney’s Office has developed several contests to encourage creativity and inclusiveness in the process of creating peace in the City’s neighborhoods. The theme of this year’s National Youth Violence Prevention Week activities is, “Youth Standing STRONG Against Violence.”
“It is extremely important for young people to get reinforcement that they’re a vital part of the community, that they have real power to prevent violence, and that there are people who care a great deal about their futures. That’s the message these events are designed to deliver,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.
“Engaging with our youth is a key piece of a comprehensive approach to addressing violence,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “We need to get kids invested in their communities and we need to show them that we are equally invested in them and in their neighborhoods. We can’t arrest our way out of this problem. We need to go further and start earlier, getting at the root causes of violence, including supporting our kids.”
“When it comes to preventing violence, Boston's youth are our most powerful allies. These events aren't just engaging kids and teens in contests and creative pursuits: they're empowering young people at every level to make the world around them a better, safer place for all of us,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.
"The Boston Police Department is thrilled to be partnering with so many agencies on violence prevention week. Together we are engaging youth from kindergarten through high school in creative ways to stand up and speak out about the violence that is impacting their communities. I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing how they will express themselves on this critically important issue. Preventing and reducing youth violence is my top priority -- I encourage young people to take advantage of these contest opportunities to make your voices heard," said Police Commissioner William B. Evans.
"Violence prevention and youth outreach have been two of the cornerstones of my administration and I am proud to be part of activities like this, which can help young people to not only steer clear of our facilities, but realize their talent and potential to be successful," said
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins."If we are going to eradicate violence in the world, then we must involve youth on many levels. This week's events are opportunities to engage the collective youth voice in promoting peace,” said Christopher Byner, Interim Executive Director for Boston Centers for Youth & Families.
Children in grades K-5 in all Boston schools are invited to enter a poster contest, designing their own poster with an anti-violence theme. Prizes for the top three winners will include Target gift cards and a plaque presented at an assembly at their schools. The first-place winner will also be treated to “Lunch with a VIP.”
Middle school students are encouraged to write a poem reflecting the “Youth Standing STRONG Against Violence” message. Prizes for the top three winners will include Target gift cards and a plaque presented at an assembly at their schools. The first-place winner will also be treated to “Lunch with a VIP.”
High school students can submit an anti-violence hip-hop video up to three minutes long, with the top three winners to be announced on April 10, at an event being held at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. First, second and third-place winners will receive Target gift cards. The Grand Prize will also include four Red Sox tickets as well as their song and video being spotlighted in a special segment on JAM’N 94.5’s “Launch Pad” as well as the station’s blog and social media. The second prize includes four Red Sox tickets.
All entries must be received no later than March 14, 2014. Winners will be announced by April 3, 2014.
For contest rules, entry forms and more information, visit www.cityofboston/bcyf or send an email to [email protected].
Multi-Agency Investigation Leads to Charges Against Twenty- Nine Individuals for Trafficking Drugs in San Juan CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Twenty-eight individuals residing in San Juan County, N.M., and a woman from Meza, Ariz., are facing drug trafficking charges as the result of a multi-agency investigation targeting drug trafficking in northwestern New Mexico. The investigation culminated today when 25 of the defendants were arrested during an early morning law enforcement operation led by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force. Another two of the defendants were arrested during the course of the investigation. The remaining two defendants, who have yet to be arrested, are considered fugitives.
The results of the investigation were announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough, 11th Judicial District Attorney Robert P. “Rick” Tedrow, Special Agent in Charge Dennis A. Ulrich, II, of HSI in El Paso, Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Kovacs, San Juan County Sheriff Ken Christesen, Acting Farmington Police Chief Vincent Mitchell, Aztec Police Chief Michael Heal, and Lt. Neil Haws, Director of the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force.
The charges against the 29 defendants are the result of Operation “Brown Ice,” a year-long investigation that initially targeted a methamphetamine trafficking organization allegedly led by Isaac Anaya that distributed quantities of methamphetamine throughout San Juan County and then expanded to include other drug trafficking activity in the area. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
In announcing the results of the investigation, Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough said, “This investigation illustrates once again the success enjoyed by our partnership of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in taking down drug trafficking organizations, whether they operate in large metropolitan areas or small, rural communities. Today, HSI and our state and local partners made a significant impact on drug traffickers operating in rural communities in San Juan County.”
Eleventh Judicial District Attorney Robert P. “Rick” Tedrow added, “Today’s successful arrests and confiscation of drugs and firearms was a skillful collaboration of many dedicated law enforcement officers (local, state and federal) whose tireless efforts over that past 13 months have assisted our community in its desire to have safer streets.”
Thirteen of the defendants, including Isaac Anaya, 30, of Farmington, N.M., charged as a result of the investigation are facing federal charges in a 15-count federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in San Juan County from May 2013 through Sept. 2013. The remaining 16 defendants are facing state drug trafficking and firearms charges based on criminal complaints.
During the course of the investigation, officers seized approximately five pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms. Today’s law enforcement operation included the execution of eleven federal search warrants at two Bloomfield residences, four Farmington residences, two residences in San Juan County, two Bloomfield businesses, two Farmington business and a storage unit in Bloomfield. It also included the execution of three state search warrants at two residences in San Juan County and one Farmington residence. Officers seized numerous firearms, including a fully automatic Glock 19, a short-barreled rifle and a carbine with an obliterated serial number, four blasting caps, four small binary explosives and approximately 31.7 grams of methamphetamine during the execution of the search warrants and today’s law enforcement operation.
“HSI continues to work vigilantly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking networks that smuggle and traffic vile drugs, such as methamphetamine,” said Dennis A. Ulrich, II, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “Methamphetamine destroys lives and devastates communities, and HSI special agents are committed to prevent drugs from coming across our border and poisoning our neighborhoods.”
“Today’s efforts are good for all of San Juan County and the citizens of Bloomfield,” said Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Kovacs. “The partnership between locals and federal agencies will impact the quality of life of our community in a positive sense.”
San Juan County Sheriff Ken Christesen added, “I am proud of the efforts of the Region II agents and HSI agents who put this case together. This partnership from state, local and federal agencies is an example of what can be accomplished when we work together to make our communities safer.”
“Today’s events are the product of the diligent efforts of a vast group of people committed to the safety of our communities, county, and our nation,” said Acting Farmington Police Chief Vincent Mitchell. “This coordination between multiple organizations and agencies increases the security, prosperity, and quality of life for our citizens. The Farmington Police Department would like to thank the representatives from our local law enforcement agencies, Region II Narcotics, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This operation is important for the safety and well-being of our Citizens. It is essential that we eradicate this terrible scourge of drugs and those who foster and get gain from it in our community. The fight on drugs is real and we must win,” said Aztec Police Chief Michael Heal. “The men and women working the Region II Task Force and those working in conjunction with them have done a fantastic job putting this operation together and I am proud of their efforts and the success that was accomplished.”
“I want to thank all of the participating agencies who assisted in today’s operation. Specifically, HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have shown a continuing commitment to our community,” said Lt. Neil Haws, Director of the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force. “I am very proud to have worked alongside the HSI and Region II Agents who worked this case for the past year. This has been a very successful operation that will have a significant impact on our community.”
Today’s arrests are the result of an investigation by the HSI office in Albuquerque, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force, Bloomfield Police Department, Farmington Police Department and Aztec Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reeve L. Swainston and Shana B. Long are prosecuting the federal case, and Assistant District Attorney David Cowen of the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the state cases. In addition to the investigating agencies, the following agencies participated in today’s law enforcement operation: U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New Mexico State Police, New Mexico Attorney General’s Office and HIDTA Region III Narcotics Task Force.
The HIDTA Region II Task Force is comprised of officers and investigators from the Farmington Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomfield Police Department and Aztec Police Department, and is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Defendants Charged in Federal Case
Count 1 of the 15-count indictment filed in United States v. Anaya, et al., 14-CR-455 WJ, charges the 13 federal defendants with a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Counts 2 and 3 each charge a defendant with distribution of methamphetamine. Counts 4 through 6 each charges certain defendants with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The maximum penalty on conviction on each of these six counts is a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Counts 7 through 15 each charges certain defendants with using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense and carries a maximum of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine on conviction.
The following individuals, who are in custody, are charged in the federal case:
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Isaac Anaya, 30, of Farmington, N.M., charged in Counts 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 15 of the indictment.
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Julia Oros, also known as Julia Gonzalez, 30, of Mesa, Ariz., charged in Counts 1, 7 and 10 of the indictment.
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Curtis Murray, Sr., 50, of Farmington, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 8 of the indictment.
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Brandon Smith, 28, of Farmington, N.M., charged in Counts 1, 6, and 13 of the indictment.
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Bobby Hampton, 29, of Bloomfield, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 9 of the indictment.
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Pedro Lucero, 37, of Farmington, N.M., charged in Counts 1, 5 and 10 of the indictment.
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Yvonne Anaya, 38, of Bloomfield, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 15 of the indictment.
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Robert Valdez, 50, of Bloomfield, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 14 of the indictment.
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Richard Archuleta, 32, of Bloomfield, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 14 of the indictment.
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Ernesto Felix, 51, of [residence], N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 4 of the indictment. Felix is in state custody on a related drug trafficking charge and will be transferred to federal custody.
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Wesley Contreras, 19, of Farmington, N.M., charged in Counts 1 and 4 of the indictment. Contreras is in state custody on a related drug trafficking charge and will be transferred to federal custody.
Two federal defendants, Fay Gordon, 29, of Farmington, N.M., who is charged in Counts 1 and 11 of the indictment, and Casey LaMotte, 28, of Flora Vista, N.M., who is charged in Counts 1 and 12 of the indictment, have yet to be arrested and are considered fugitives.
Defendants Charged in State Cases
The following defendants, who have been arrested, are charged in criminal complaints filed in the 11th Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico:
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Larry Abeyta, 25, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a parole violation.
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Cimmaron Archuleta, 32, of Bloomfield, N.M., arrested on a trafficking by possession with intent to distribute charge.
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Patrick Archuleta, 34, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and felon in possession of a firearm charges.
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Leonard Barela, 33, of Bloomfield, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Phermond Begay, 32, of Aztec, N.M., arrested on a distribution of marijuana charge.
Rusty Betts, 32, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Tiffany Bond, 33, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Colby Crawford, 40, of Flora Vista, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (heroin) charge.
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Derek Hellickson, 26, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Anthony Jones, 34, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Aaron Mobley, 35, of Aztec, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Amy Oros, 24, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Philippe Reyes, 35, of Farmington, N.M., arrested on a possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Leon Serrano, 30, of Bloomfield, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Hollis Turner, 22, of Aztec, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
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Jobie Wells, 38, of Bloomfield, N.M., arrested on a trafficking of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge.
Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Missouri Man Pleads Guilty in Rhode Island to Federal Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Stephen Ardrey, 30, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., today to transporting a 17-year old female from the Boston area into Rhode Island with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Ardrey was arrested on September 12, 2013, when he was located walking with the victim along a Coventry, R.I., highway three days after the victim had been reported missing from her Medfield, Mass., home.
Ardrey, who pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking a person under the age of 18 and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, faces a sentence of between 10 years to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 15, 2014.
Ardrey’s guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England; West Greenwich, R.I., Police Chief Richard N. Ramsay; Coventry, R.I., Police Chief Bryan J. Volpe; Warwick, R.I., Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney; and Medfield, Mass., Police Chief Robert E. Meaney, Jr.
According to information presented to the court, the victim met Stephen Ardrey in December 2012 in an online chat room. In January 2013, Ardrey told the victim that he had girls who worked for him as escorts. Over time communications between the victim and Ardrey via email and an online service called “TextNow” intensified in frequency, and became sexual in nature and explicitly. As the communications continued, Ardrey discussed selling the victim in order to make money so they could “go away” together.
According to the government’s evidence presented to the court, on September 9, 2013, the victim met Stephen Ardrey at the public library in Medfield, Mass. Video surveillance at the library showed the victim leaving with Ardrey late that afternoon. The victim was reported missing by her parents later that evening. After leaving the library, the victim and Ardrey traveled to Boston where Ardrey picked up money that had been wired to him by an associate in Missouri, who had worked as an escort for Ardrey in the past. The victim and Ardrey then traveled to Providence by train and then to a West Greenwich motel where a room had been reserved by Ardrey’s associate in Missouri.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning on September 10, 2013, Ardrey posted an advertisement on backpage.com as well as on other websites that displayed provocative photographs of the victim with an advertising banner which read “Sweet girl next door -19.” The text of the advertisement read: “Hey everyone! I’m the new girl in town. I am your sweet cute girl next door. So come see me. Older gentlemen only. 45 years of age and older.”
The investigation revealed that while the victim was in the motel room in West Greenwich, Ardrey had sexual contact with her on several occasions. According to the victim, Ardrey gave her “pointers” and “instructions” on different sex acts so that she could better respond when she worked as an escort. At least one person responded to the Internet ad and negotiated a price with Ardrey of $40 and two packages of cigarettes for an hour with the victim. The person visited with the victim on two occasions. During the second encounter, Ardrey remained outside the door until after the individual left, at which time he collected the payment from the victim.
On September 13, 2013, at about 6:30 a.m., the Coventry Police Department received a call from a local resident who observed a male and a female who fit the description of the reported missing girl from Medfield, Mass., walking along Rte.3 in Coventry. A responding officer recognized the young woman as being the missing person from Medfield, Mass. Ardrey provided the officer a Missouri identification card. The victim, who was nor carrying any identification, initially identified herself as “Rose,” the same name used in the backpage.com advertisement. According to the Coventry police officer, Ardrey instructed the victim to give her true name to the officer, which she did. Ardrey admitted to the officer that the victim was the same girl whose picture had been shown on television and who had been reported missing.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adi Goldstein. The matter is being heard by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, West Greenwich, Coventry and Warwick, R.I., Police Departments, and the Medfield, Mass., Police Department, with the assistance of the Boston Police Department.
Stephen Ardrey has been detained in federal custody since his arrest by Coventry police.
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To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Mission Man Charged with Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding a Federal Officer.
John Arcoren III, a/k/a Smokey Arcoren, age 33, was indicted on February 12, 2014. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 24, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from an incident that took place on January 11, 2014, when Arcoren assaulted a law enforcement officer causing bodily injury.
The charge is merely an accusation and Arcoren is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher is prosecuting the case.
Arcoren was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Miami Businessman Sentenced for Violating the Federal Rivers and Harbors ActRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Atlanta Area Office, and Colonel Alan M. Dodd, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, announce that Richard A. Bunnell, 70, of Coconut Grove, was sentenced yesterday for violations of federal law involving the illegal construction of structures, including docks and piers, in the navigable waters of the United States in violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
Bunnell was sentenced before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore on two counts of knowingly placing and erecting structures, docks, and piers within navigable waters of the United States, without, or in violation of, valid permits from the United States Army Corps of Engineers authorizing such conduct. Bunnell previously pled guilty to the charges before Judge Moore on December 26, 2013.
Bunnell was sentenced to six months home detention with electronic monitoring as well as concurrent probationary terms of five years on each of the counts of conviction. Bunnell was also ordered to pay a criminal fine of $175,000 and an additional payment of $50,000 to the South Florida National Parks Trust for management, restoration, and research. Finally, pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement in the case, Bunnell must file any necessary permit applications for six Miami-area installations involved in the case, and commence any corrective action required by the Army Corps of Engineers to modify or alter the installations to comply with Federal law, including the payment of mitigation for damage to natural resources.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi A. Mazer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A former Jamaica Plain man pleaded guilty in federal court today to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Gary Dixon, 49, pleaded guilty to a one count indictment before United States District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton. Dixon was indicted in August 2013 after his arrest in Maine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2014.
Dixon was previously convicted in Massachusetts state courts for Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child in 1988 and 1993, and for Open and Gross Lewd and Lascivious Behavior in 2003. As a registered sex offender, Dixon was required to promptly inform Massachusetts law enforcement authorities of any change in his residence or employment, as well as to appear in person, within three days, to the law enforcement authorities in any state to which he changed his residence. Dixon moved from his registered address in Jamaica Plain in the summer of 2012 without informing Massachusetts authorities. Beginning at least as early as January 2013, he primarily resided in Brunswick, Maine, without informing either Massachusetts or Maine law enforcement authorities. Dixon was attempting to start a landscaping business in Maine. He was arrested in Brunswick on July 19, 2013.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and United States Marshal John Gibbons made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Victor A. Wild of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.
Maple Heights Resident Charged with Counterfeiting CurrencyRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Leevern Coleman, 43, with manufacturing counterfeit United States currency, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that Coleman manufactured counterfeit $10 Federal Reserve notes, counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve notes, and counterfeit $50 Federal Reserve notes. Forfeiture of equipment used to manufacture the counterfeit United States currency is also sought.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Gregory C. Sasse, following investigation by agents of the United States Secret Service.
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.
Lorain Man Indicted for Three RobberiesRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Eric Castillo, 33, of Lorain, with one count of bank robbery and two counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that Castillo robbed the Chase Bank, 2232 Fairless Drive, Lorain, Ohio, a federally insured financial institution, on January 18, 2014.
He is also accused of robbing CommStar Community Credit Union, 5609 West Erie Avenue, in Lorain, on January 8, 2014, and Kwik Mart convenience store at 3155 Pearl Avenue, in Lorain, on January 25, 2014.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Kall following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lorain Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
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.
Liying Lin Found Guilty of Immigration Fraud Offenses Following One Week Jury Trial in Manhattan Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LIYING LIN, a/k/a “the Deacon,” was found guilty yesterday in Manhattan federal court of one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and two counts of immigration fraud. LIN was convicted after a seven-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Robert P. Patterson, Jr. She was acquitted of one count of immigration fraud.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As a unanimous jury decided, Liying Lin fraudulently exploited a program designed to provide a safe haven for actual victims of persecution. She coached asylum seekers on how to lie on their applications and in immigration proceedings, even signaling applicants when they deviated from her fraudulent script.”
According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, other court documents, and the evidence admitted at trial:
LIN, a deacon at the Full Gospel Global Mission Church in Flushing, New York, trained applicants for political asylum on what questions about religious belief would be asked during these applicants’ asylum interviews and then coached the clients on how to answer. She conducted individual training sessions with certain applicants where she supplied the applicants with false details in support of their fraudulent asylum claims.
LIN also served as a translator during asylum interviews. LIN advised certain clients before their asylum interview that if they gave a wrong answer, she would kick them to alert them of their wrong answer.
LIN, 30, of Flushing, New York, faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the substantive immigration fraud counts; she is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Patterson on June 2, 2014. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office=s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Blais and Rahul Mukhi are in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. v. Liying Lin Indictment
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Texas Tax PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States has asked a federal court in McAllen, Texas, to permanently bar Melissa Alvarez and her companies, Best & Unique Income Services, Best & Unique Income Tax Melissa and Best & Unique Income Tax Services LLC, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
According to the complaint, Alvarez, who lives and does business in McAllen, has been preparing tax returns for customers that contain false, improper or inflated deductions or tax credits, such as the earned income tax credit. Most of Alvarez’s customers allegedly reside in southern Texas.
In one example described in the complaint, Alvarez allegedly claimed business-expense deductions on tax returns for a customer who did not operate a business and without that customer’s knowledge.
The complaint further alleges that the IRS examined returns that Alvarez prepared from the 2004 through 2012 tax-filing seasons, and 97 percent of those returns were found to have understated the tax liabilities of Alvarez’s customers. According to the complaint, the IRS estimates that the total tax harm from Alvarez’s unlawful tax-preparation activities during that period could exceed $10 million.
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. Melissa Alvarez, etc.
Complaint for Permanent InjunctionJury Convicts KC Man of Drug-trafficking, Illegal Firearms Follwoing Shooting, Chase; Faces at least 60 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in federal court today of drug-trafficking and illegally possessing firearms after shooting at pursuing police officers during a foot chase that ended in his arrest.
Antonio M. Taylor, 30, of Kansas City, was found guilty of all charges contained in an Aug. 8, 2012, federal indictment.
Taylor was found guilty of two counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing crack cocaine, marijuana and PCP with the intent to distribute. He was found guilty of three counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to evidence presented during the trial, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on Taylor’s residence on July 2, 2012. Taylor, who had an active Jackson County warrant for a violation of felony probation, left the apartment and walked toward a vehicle in the parking lot. When police officers approached him, Taylor ran away and the officers pursued him on foot.
During the pursuit, Taylor changed directions and began running toward a pursuing officer. Taylor was holding an FNH 9mm semi-automatic handgun and he fired at least one round at the officer, who returned fire. The officer saw Taylor drop a large bag of crack cocaine (later determined to be 32.9 grams) as he ran. The officer took cover near a residence but continued to engage in the foot pursuit. When the officer rounded the edge of the residence, he saw Taylor attempting to climb a fence near the rear of the residence. Taylor fired his handgun again at the officer, who again returned fire. Taylor jumped the fence and stumbled and fell as he attempted to get to his feet. Taylor again turned toward the officer with the firearm still in his hand. The officer fired his firearm two more times at Taylor, at which time Taylor dropped his firearm. Taylor, who suffered several gun-shot wounds, was taken into custody and transported to the emergency room. The officer was not injured.
Prior to this incident, police officers saw Taylor conducting a drug transaction on March 7, 2012. Officers approached Taylor’s car and Taylor drove off. A high speed chase ensued and Taylor committed numerous traffic violations during the chase. Taylor jumped out of the Jeep in the area of 81st and Brooklyn and ran. Officers searched for Taylor and found him hiding in a storm drainage area. Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber pistol on the ground nearby. When they searched Taylor’s vehicle, officers found a plastic baggie that contained 20.62 grams of crack cocaine.
On June 5, 2012, police officers were called to a vacant house in response to a report of a suspicious vehicle. They contacted Taylor, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. When officers asked Taylor to step out of the vehicle, he put the vehicle in drive and drove into the back yard of a residence. Taylor crashed the vehicle head-on into a cinder block wall and ran from the scene. Officers found 80 grams of marijuana, a brown bottle containing PCP, .8 gram of crack cocaine, 12 unknown pills, and a Glock .40-caliber pistol in the vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Taylor has a prior felony conviction for shooting from a vehicle, four prior convictions for assault and five prior convictions for armed criminal action.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about two hours before returning the guilty verdicts, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 24, 2013.
Under federal statutes, Taylor is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Edwards. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).Jury Convicts Georgia Man for $5.5 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – Sentencing is scheduled in June 2014, for a Georgia man, after a jury convicted him of operating a fraud scheme that defrauded various investors of millions of dollars. The jury deliberated for less than one and one-half hours on Feb. 24, 2014, before finding Kenneth W. Lewis, 57, guilty of four counts of wire fraud and 11 counts of money laundering.
During five days of trial, which began on Tuesday, Feb. 18, the government presented evidence that established that beginning in the late 1990s, Lewis offered investors the ability to generate income through highly secretive overseas financial transactions. Evidence further established that Lewis obtained more than $5.5 million from others to cover his living expenses while he was purportedly working on completing the details of non-existent transactions. Further, Lewis told investors that he had been living in Zurich, Switzerland, for seven years working on the transaction, when, in fact, he was living in a hotel in New Jersey, where he was arrested in July 2012.
At sentencing, scheduled on June 25, 2014, Lewis faces a statutory maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 10 years for each count of money laundering. Lewis has remained in law enforcement custody since his arrest in New Jersey in July 2012.
The charges were investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn J. Knauss and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley W. Murphy represented the government at trial on behalf of the Central District of Illinois, Peoria Division.
Jury Convicts Former CEO of Publicly Traded Company of Securities and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that a federal jury convicted Richard Altomare, 65, of Palm Beach County, on all four counts of the indictment, including one count of mail fraud and three counts of securities fraud. Altomare was the former CEO of Universal Express, Inc.
According to the indictment and evidence presented during the trial, Altomare carried out a scheme to artificially inflate the share price and trading volume of stock for a publicly traded company then known as Sunset Brands, Inc. (SSBN). Altomare agreed to pay a former business associate to purchase shares of SSBN stock to give the investing public the false impression that SSBN's stock was rising and that there was a public market for SSBN stock. Unbeknownst to Altomare, his former associate was an informant for the FBI. During recorded conversations and meetings, Altomare promised to compensate the informant with SSBN stock to induce his cooperation in the scheme. Altomare agreed to bolster the fraudulent buying program by agreeing to cause SSBN to issue one or more press releases announcing positive news about the company, which would be timed to follow and coincide with the illegally induced purchasing by the informant. The purpose of the press releases was to give the investing public the false impression that the purchase of SSBN stock was induced by positive news about the company and to conceal the market manipulation scheme from regulatory authorities.
Sentencing has been scheduled for May 6, 2014 at 1:15 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas in Ft. Lauderdale. At sentencing, the defendant faces up to twenty years in prison for each count of mail fraud and securities fraud.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro O. Soto and Kevin J. Larsen.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Intrieri Sentenced to 30 Months for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney(s Office announced that STEPHEN SALVATORE INTRIERI, 30, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, was sentenced on February 20, 2014, to a term of 30 months in federal prison for with three years of supervised release to follow, for running an interstate scrap metal scam. Intrieri was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen in Missoula. Christensen also ordered Intrieri to pay $326,474.36 in restitution.
In an Offer of Proof filed with the Court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot
Whitefish Police Department initially received a complaint from an officer with a New Jersey scrap metal procurement company that buys scrap metal in the United States and sells it overseas. On February 29, 2012, the company received a call from "Tony Giordano," a salesman for Montana Metal Recyclers ("MMR"), which was allegedly doing business from Whitefish, about purchasing scrap metal. An agreement was reached and on June 8, 2012, the New Jersey company wired $19,000 to MMR's bank account at Bank of America.
The officer of the New Jersey company told police that he was cautious in his dealings with Giordano, but Giordano's knowledge of the scrap metal industry made him comfortable proceeding with the deal after receiving pictures of the material he was purchasing and Giordano's answers to some technical questions about the industry and the shipment. After he sent the money, Giordano could never be reached and the company never received the scrap metal it had purchased. When the company official was later asked if he had prior interactions with Intrieri, he described being defrauded out of $30,000 by Intrieri and Northeast Metal Traders in approximately 2009, and provided the documents from that transaction.
It is not uncommon for persons engaged in telemarketing fraud to return to prior victims-a technique referred to as "reloading"--with assurances that they want to redeem themselves by making it up to the victim with a second deal often more lucrative than the first. This scam prays on the desire to make up for lost investment and the chance to recoup lost funds is often too seductive to resist.
Another victim contacted the Whitefish police-as well as the Secret Service in New York-to report that he paid MMR $95,000 on the basis of representations made by a man who called himself "Tony Giordano," to buy scrap metal that he never received. The second victim, A.B., made two attempts to verify the legitimacy of MMR, including one with a person, A.W., whose name was referenced in a sales agreement to which MMR was a party. A.B. received a response to his email to A.W. indicating MMR was a reputable company, but when he actually spoke with A.W., he learned that A.W. did not send the email and had never heard of MMR.
The Secret Service in New York initiated an investigation into MMR, during which they discovered MMR did not have a facility or office at the address in Whitefish listed on the incorporation documents. They traced some of the money that paid to MMR to the purchase of a $37,510 engagement ring by Intrieri on February 10, 2012, from Jay Roberts Jewelers in Marlton, New Jersey. Intrieri paid for the ring with a cashier's check from RBS Citizens Bank. The owner of the jewelry store was interviewed and confirmed that a man who provided the name Steve Intrieri bought a 3-carat diamond engagement ring. Intrieri told the jeweler that he lived in Bayonne, NJ, and his parents lived in Mount Laurel, NJ.
The second victim was Facebook friends with Intrieri and told one of the investigating agents that Intrieri proposed to his girlfriend on February 11, 2012, and posted pictures of her wearing a large diamond ring. The second victim provided screen shots of the posts to the Secret Service and the owner of the jewelry store identified the ring that he sold Intrieri in the photo from the post on his fiancé's Facebook page. The owner also identified Intrieri from the RBS Citizen's Bank surveillance, which was captured at the same time he obtained the cashier's check to pay for the ring. The agents in New York eventually turned over their investigation to an agent in Montana, given that MMR was incorporated in Montana and allegedly had a business address in Whitefish.
RBS Citizens Bank froze MMR's account sometime around February 15, 2012. MMR's first statement for the Bank of America account covers the time period from February 15-29, 2012, which indicates it was opened the same time the RBS account was frozen. Intrieri wired more than $125,000 from the MMR Bank of America account into his personal Chase bank account, and nearly $10,000 was wired into his fiancé's account. Altogether, it appears that Intrieri received approximately $370,000 from the various victims of the MMR scheme. Approximately $49,000 was returned to the second victim with the RBS Citizens account was frozen.
Investigating agents found that Intrieri was affiliated with seven different businesses, at least four of which appeared to deal with scrap metal sales. Their searches revealed that Intrieri had been the subject of prior Secret Service investigations and had a criminal history. The agents also interviewed other victims of Intrieri's scheme, who provided information consistent with what was relayed by the victims who had contacted the Whitefish Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Mike Cotter reminded all Montanans to be wary of "cold calls" promising lucrative returns, particularly if you have been a prior victim of telemarketing fraud.
Unsolicited calls from people you do not know, making promises you want to believe, are most often completely fraudulent. These swindlers feed on people's dreams of an easier-more financially secure-future. With one phone call, they can steal those dreams by taking away all you've saved and everything you were saving for. And if you've been fooled before they will be back to take whatever they did not get the first time around." -- Mike Cotter, U.S. Attorney for Montana.
Inmate Sentenced for Rioting in A Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Adrian Romero-Carrera, 27, originally of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced on February 25, 2014 by Senior U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III to 75 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for rioting at the Adams County Correctional facility, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Romero-Carrera was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,350,113.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon.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.
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Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 37 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Re-Entered United States Following 2009 Removal
ALBANY, NEW YORK – JAIR RENDON AGUILAR, age 26, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 37 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after removal by United States District Court Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Christopher Shanahan, Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Upon completion of AGUILAR’s sentence, he will be turned over to the Department of Homeland Security for removal proceedings. Today’s sentencing follows AGUILAR’s August 27, 2013, guilty plea.
AGUILAR was involuntarily removed from the United States to Mexico on July 16, 2009 following his 2008 conviction in King County Supreme Court for Assault 2nd Degree. On May 21, 2013, AGUILAR, who did not have permission to re-enter the United States, was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at the Ulster County Jail in Kingston, New York.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Castle Point, New York.
Hogsett Announces Eastern Indiana Man’s Petition to Plead Guilty to Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
Former law enforcement officer charged with production of child pornography as part of “Operation Community Watch”
INDIANAPOLIS – Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today Derek D. Walton, 31, of Liberty, has filed a petition to plead guilty to two counts of child exploitation through the production of child pornography. Hogsett said that Walton’s request to plead guilty, along with entering into a plea agreement and stipulated factual basis for the offense, comes as his office has launched Operation Community Watch, a new effort which aims to reduce the abuse of Hoosier children through innovative investigative techniques and aggressive prosecution.
“Working together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners we are committed to holding child predators accountable,” said Hogsett. “Regardless of your position of power or trust, perpetrators who sexually exploit our children will be found and will be prosecuted.”
“The FBI does not tolerate the sexual exploitation of children and will dedicate all available resources to ensure their safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. “Anyone can help in the fight against child sexual exploitation by reporting instances of child pornography to NCMEC’s Cyber Tip Line at 1-800-843-5678”.
At the time of his arrest, Walton had been a law enforcement officer in eastern Indiana for nearly a decade. Walton was a reserve sheriff’s deputy at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office from 2004 until his arrest. Walton was also a reserve deputy and jail officer with the Union County Sheriff’s Office at the time of his arrest. Prior to those positions, Walton was employed by the Richmond Police Department and served as a deputy marshal for the Laurel Police Department.
On November 25, 2012, Walton used the email account [email protected] to distribute two images of child pornography. AOL terminated Walton’s account the next day. Walton accessed his AOL account from the Franklin County Security Center approximately 29 times between October and November of 2011.
Between January 3 and 16, 2011, Walton used the personal email account, [email protected] to exchange several emails with another child exploitation offender. Walton and this offender traded child pornography images and videos over email, and in these emails Walton discussed his interest in child pornography and history of collecting and trading child pornography. Federal law enforcement officers later obtained these emails in the course of an investigation of another child exploitation offender.
As a result of the investigation, federal agents served a search warrant at Walton’s home in Liberty, Indiana on August 16, 2013. During the search, agents located a thumb drive hidden behind a mirror in the main bedroom of Walton’s home and a small video camera hidden in a can in the living room. The thumb drive and camera were found to contain seventeen still images and two videos depicting a nude girl between 13 and 14 years old showering and changing clothes while being secretly recorded by video recorders hidden by Walton. Walton created the videos in approximately November, 2012. On December 18, 2013, Walton was charged with two counts of child exploitation for production of the two videos.
According to Senior Litigation Counsel Steven D. DeBrota and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, who are prosecuting the case for the government, Walton faces no less than fifteen and up to sixty years in federal prison if the Court accepts a guilty plea. Federal law also mandates that individuals convicted of child exploitation pay restitution to their victims. In addition, Walton faces a sentence of up to lifetime supervised release, and must comply with all state and federal requirements for registration as a sex offender.
This arrest comes one year after Hogsett announced a comprehensive crackdown on child exploitation in Indiana. In 2013, he launched “Operation Community Watch,” which has allowed prosecutors and investigators to use cutting-edge techniques to identify and charge people in Hoosier communities who are engaged in the receipt and trafficking of child pornography materials. In this case, those efforts were facilitated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, as well as the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
The greatest measure of the PSC program’s impact, however, is the identification and rescue of child victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. Over the last two years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully identified more than 120 child victims, including minors in Indiana, numerous places in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, and other countries around the world.
An Information or Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Harrisburg Man Charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced the filing of an Indictment in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg today charging Donald Jackson, Jr. age 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.
The investigation was conducted by the Harrisburg Police Department and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph J. Terz.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Gang Member from Hollygrove, Walter Conley, Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison on Federal Rico, Murder, Firearms, and Carjacking ChargesRead the Press Release
WALTER CONLEY, a/k/a “Ike Neezy”, 25, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., to serve 480 months (40 years) in prison for violating federal RICO, firearms, murder, and carjacking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. CONLEY was a member of a gang from the Hollygrove area of the city that was involved in several shootings and murders in recent years. All of the indicted members of this gang have pled guilty and have been sentenced.
CONLEY had previously pled guilty to RICO conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, the non-fatal shooting of Corey Morris, the murder of Paul May, carjacking, and the attempted murder of Morris Williams.A thirty-four count second superseding indictment was returned on November 16, 2012, charging Walter Conley, a/k/a “Ike Neezy”; Tyronne Stevenson, a/k/a “Duke”; Theron Golston, a/k/a “Thema”; Bernell Williams a/k/a “Bussy”, a/k/a “A-Boogie”; Norman Ratcliff, a/k/a “Turk”; Carey Jones, a/k/a “Bean”, and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.
Co-defendant Ryan Carroll, a/k/a “Ronnie Boo,” pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. On October 16, 2013, he was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison.
Co-defendant Theron Golston pled guilty and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison on November 20, 2013 for his participation in the RICO conspiracy, the murder of Aaron Allen, and the drive-by murder of Ms. Eula Mae Ivey.
Co-defendants Tyronne Stevenson and Mark Glenn also pled guilty to various charges in the indictment, which included non-fatal shootings and were sentenced on December 11, 2013. Stevenson and Glenn were sentenced to serve 360 months and 300 months, respectively.
Co-defendant Bernell Williams pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. On January 22, 2014, Williams was sentencing to serve 240 months in federal prison.Co-defendant Carey Jones pled guilty and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison on January 22, 2014.
Co-defendant Norman Ratcliff also pled guilty and was sentenced on February 11, 2014, to serve 396 months.
“The sentencing of Walter Conley concludes the first Gang Case that was investigated and prosecuted by the newly formed N.O.P.D. Multi-Agency Gang (MAG) Unit,” stated U.S. Attorney Polite. “This case shows the success that is possible when members from different agencies come together for the common goal of making our city a safer place to live.”
U.S. Attorney Polite thanked the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) who took the lead role in this specific investigation and who have been steadfast in their resolve to bring these violent offenders to justice. He also thanked the other members of the MAG Unit who worked on this case and renewed the USAO’s commitment to assist the MAG Unit in targeting these types of violent offenders.
The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is an N.O.P.D. led division which includes federal agents from ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
Four Individuals Appear in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Chris Zumpetta-Parr, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WV – Four individuals appeared in Federal Court in Clarksburg and entered pleas of guilty before Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull.
United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that:
MARKUS GERALD BARNETT a/k/a “MARKIE,” age 33, of Clarksburg, entered a plea of guilty to “Distribution of Crack Cocaine within 1,000 Feet of the Oakmound Apartments.” BARNETT, who is free on bond pending sentencing, faces up to 40 years in prison. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower.
STANLEY DYE, JR., age 31, of Detroit, Michigan, entered a plea of guilty to “Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone.” DYE, who is in custody pending sentencing faces up to 20 years in prison. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn A. Morgan.
The BARNETT and DYE cases were investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crime Task Force consisting of officers from the Bridgeport Police Department; Clarksburg Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service; and, the United States Marshals Service.
VERONICA LEE DOUGHERTY, age 34, of Elkins, West Virginia, entered a plea of guilty to “Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.” DOUGHERTY, who is free on bond pending sentencing, faces up to 5 years in prison. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
IMANI NOKIA WALKER, age 25, of Brookyn, New York, entered a plea of guilty to
“Conspiracy to Utter Counterfeit Bills” from January 20, 2012, to February
13, 2012, in Morgantown, West Virginia. WALKER, who is free on bond pending sentencing, faces up to 5 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew R. Cogar and investigated by the United States Secret Service.Fort Hall Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in "Shaken Baby" CaseRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Ian Jack Crooked Arm, a/k/a Ian Sittre, 26, of Fort Hall, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.
According to the plea agreement, on February 20, 2013, a 10-month-old infant girl was left in Sittre’s care when the child’s mother went to work. Sittre was living with the mother and other family members at a residence on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Less than ten minutes after leaving, Sittre called the child’s mother and told her something was wrong with the baby. Upon arriving at the residence, Sittre told the mother that the baby was “breathing funny.” She called 911 and attempted CPR. Sittre left the residence before paramedics or police arrived. Paramedics transported the child by ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center, unconscious and non-responsive. She was then airlifted to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City, in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, the infant died on February 22, 2013.
According to the plea agreement, an autopsy conducted on February 23 concluded that the immediate cause of death was abusive head trauma inflicted by a caregiver. A review of the child’s medical history found nothing to indicate any pre-existing conditions that may have contributed to the child’s death. According to the plea agreement, on April 4, 2013, during a recorded telephone call between Sittre and his mother, from jail, Sittre admitted that he shook the baby “too hard.”
The charge of involuntary manslaughter is punishable by up to eight years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Sittre is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2014, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
The case was investigated by the Fort Hall Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Mayor of Martin and Her Daughter Convicted on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, KY -A former mayor of Martin, KY., and her daughter, have been convicted on all counts by a federal jury of charges related to a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) and to misapply federal funds.
On Tuesday night, the jury convicted former Martin Mayor Ruth Thomasine Robinson, 69, and her daughter, Rita Christine Whicker, 42, who formerly directed the Martin Community Center. The verdict was handed down after approximately two hours of deliberation following two days of trial. Specifically, the jury convicted the defendants on a total of eight counts of conspiracy, federal program fraud, theft of social security disability benefits and aggravated identity theft. Ginger Michelle Halbert, 42, a volunteer city employee who worked closely with Robinson, pled guilty last week to a charge of theft of government money. Charges against Ethel Clouse, the city bookkeeper, were dismissed at trial.
Evidence at trial established that from 2006 until January 2013, Halbert, who purportedly worked on a volunteer basis, was secretly being paid with federal funds. The funds used to pay Halbert were intended for the Martin Community Center and the Martin Housing Authority. Some of the money was supposed to fund an after school program for city children. To conceal the scheme, the defendants allegedly arranged for the checks to be made payable to Halbert’s son.
Evidence further established that Halbert, who was receiving social security disability benefits, intentionally failed to notify SSA of her earned income from the city of Martin. Under federal law, anyone who receives disability benefits is limited in the amount of money he or she can receive from another source and all income must be reported to the SSA so it can properly determine eligibility for benefits.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Guy Fallen, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Investigator General, Office of Investigations, and Jack Conway, Attorney General of Kentucky, jointly made the announcement today.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Social Security Administration, and the Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Taylor is prosecuting this case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office on behalf of the federal government.
Sentencing for Robinson and Whicker is scheduled for July 9, 2014. Halbert is scheduled for sentencing on June 6, 2014. The conspiracy offense carries a maximum of 5 years in prison; misappropriating money from a federal program carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and aggravated identity theft has a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison.
Former Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Official Who Stole from Tribe Is SentencedRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEVEN THOMAS, 39, of Mashantucket, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one day of imprisonment, time already served, for stealing from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Government. THOMAS also was ordered to serve two years of supervised release, the first three months of which must be served in home confinement, and to pay restitution of $177,603.69.
According to court documents and statements made in court, THOMAS served as the Assistant Director of the Office of Natural Resources Protection, an agency of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Government. As an employee of the tribal government, THOMAS was required to complete and submit time cards on a weekly basis to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (“MPTN”) documenting that he reported to work for 40 hours each week. However, THOMAS was a “no-show” employee and rarely reported to work or performed work of any kind. Between January 2007 and January 2008, THOMAS submitted false weekly time cards to the MPTN that falsely reported the hours he worked. During that period, THOMAS was paid approximately $177,603.69 by the MPTN based upon the false weekly time cards.
On October 3, 2013, THOMAS pleaded guilty to one count of theft from an Indian tribal government. THOMAS resigned his position as Treasurer of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council in advance of his guilty plea.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Interior – Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Mattei and Douglas P. Morabito.
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[email protected]Former Hudson County, N.J., Teacher Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse over the InternetRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A former substitute teacher at a private school in Jersey City, N.J., was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for distributing images of child sexual abuse over the Internet, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Guy West, 45, of Jersey City, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
West was working as a permanent substitute teacher who regularly taught and supervised children between the ages of 2 and 14 at the time of his January 2013 arrest. West admitted that on Dec. 18, 2012, he made images and videos of child pornography stored on his computer available for others to download via a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. On that date, an undercover law enforcement agent successfully downloaded 120 images and 24 videos of child sexual abuse from West via the file-sharing network.
As part of his guilty plea, West agreed to forfeit the computers and computer accessories he used to commit the offense.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced West to serve a lifetime of supervised release. Restitution is to be determined.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark; officers of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Robert Cowan; and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Gaetano T. Gregory with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Nace Naumoski Esq., Roseland, N.J.
Former Employee Sentenced to Five Years for Theft from Bon-Ton Stores FoundationRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today the sentencing of a former employee of the Bon-Ton Stores Foundation for mail fraud and tax evasion in connection with the theft of more than $1.3 million. Christine S. DeJuliis, 53, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison for stealing from the Bon-Ton Stores Foundation and failing to pay taxes on the money she stole.
United States Attorney Peter J. Smith said that DeJuliis was sentenced to the term of incarceration by U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane in Harrisburg. DeJuliis had previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges involving a scheme she devised to steal money from the Foundation while she was employed as an assistant to the head of the Foundation and to tax evasion charges for failing to pay taxes on the money she stole. The judge noted that DeJuliis had been placed in a position of significant trust by the Foundation and that she violated that trust over the course of her nine-year crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy noted that the community work DeJuliis was seeking credit for performing was the very kind of work the Foundation would have been funding others to do if she had not stolen the Foundation’s money. Clancy also noted that although DeJuliis spoke of being sorry for committing the crime and vowed to pay restitution, she has not yet paid back any money to the Foundation.
In addition to spending five years in federal prison, she will be on supervised release – a form of probation – for three years after her release from custody. Judge Kane also ordered that DeJuliis make restitution to the Foundation and the Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., in the amount of $1,376,885 and to the IRS in the amount of $170,890.
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. and the Bon-Ton Stores Foundation cooperated with the investigation and prosecution of the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Former Cherryville Law Enforcement Officers Involved in Stolen Goods and Cash Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two former law enforcement officers, Frankie Dellinger and Wesley Clayton Golden, and their civilian co-conspirator, Mark Ray Hoyle, were sentenced to prison today for their role in a conspiracy to transport stolen goods and cash in Gaston County, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division and Greg McLeod, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI) join U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. ordered Dellinger, 42, of Cherryville and a police officer who served 19 years in law enforcement with the Cherryville Police Department and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, to serve 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Golden, 41, also of Cherryville and a Reserve Captain at the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and to one year of supervised release. Their civilian accomplice, Mark Ray Hoyle, 40, of Cherryville, was ordered to serve 21 months in prison and two years under court supervision.
In January 2013, the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and/or receive stolen property and conspiracy to extort under color of official right. Hoyle and Dellinger also pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, an undercover federal investigation revealed that beginning in August 2012 and on multiple occasions, Dellinger and Golden used their law enforcement credentials to provide “protection” to tractor trailers passing through Gaston County, containing what they defendants believed to be stolen merchandise and cash. Hoyle assisted in the conspiracy by representing himself to be a Deputy Sheriff at the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office. File documents and facts presented at today’s sentencing hearings showed that the former officers and their co-conspirator believed the trailers were transporting “stolen” merchandise with a purported retail value of more than $158,000, as well as cash proceeds from the sale of the stolen goods in excess of $400,000 and agreed to safeguard the trailers in exchange for cash payments.
In November 2013, two former Cherryville police officers involved in a similar conspiracy arising from the same investigation received prison sentences. Casey Justin Crawford and David Paul Mauney, III, were sentenced to 33 and 18 months in prison, respectively. A sixth defendant, John Ashley Hendricks, was sentenced to two years of probation.
In handing down today’s sentences, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. noted that “corruption of the highest is the worst type of corruption.”
The defendants have been in federal custody since October 2012. They will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The investigation is handled by the FBI and SBI. The prosecution was handled by Michael Savage, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
Former Bureau of Prisons and Customs and Border Protection Employee Indicted for Impersonating A Federal Officer and Making False Statements to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico has returned an indictment charging Carlos Barros-Villahermosa (47, Puerto Rico) with impersonating a federal employee and making false statements to federal agents. Barros-Villahermosa was employed with the Bureau of Prisons from July 1991 through September 2002. Thereafter, he was an employee of Customs and Border Protection through May 2004. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment on the impersonation charge, and up to five years in federal prison for making false statements.
According to the indictment, on or about September 11, 2010, Barros-Villahermosa impersonated a federal employee by representing himself as a Bureau of Prisons officer during a traffic stop conducted by a Puerto Rico Police Department Officer. The indictment also alleges that, on June 21, 2011, Barros-Villahermosa made false statements to federal agents during the investigation for impersonating a federal officer.
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.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Office of Professional Responsibility and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Perez-Irizarry, Middle District of Florida.
Former Atlantic County, N.J., Paralegal Charged with Mail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Allegedly Urged Clients to Feign Spousal Abuse to Stay in United States
CAMDEN, N.J. – A woman who allegedly filed false and fraudulent immigration petitions for clients while working as a paralegal in Atlantic County, N.J., made her initial court appearance today on conspiracy charges, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Maria James, 68, of Willingboro, Burlington County, N.J., was charged by complaint Feb. 19, 2014, with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court this morning and was released on a $50,000 bond.
According to documents filed in this case:
From 2002 through June 2011, James worked from an office in Brigantine, Atlantic County, as a paralegal on immigration issues, working for three different lawyers. She solicited and recruited as clients for the lawyers’ immigration practices various individuals who were illegally in the United States. James arranged for two marriages and also filed numerous fraudulent immigration petitions seeking to allow her clients to obtain legal permanent resident status.
At least 22 of James’ former clients have admitted that the immigration petitions submitted by James and the attorneys for whom James worked contained false and fraudulent information. Many of the petitions were based upon false claims of physical abuse by spouses against the illegal alien clients, and contained fraudulent supporting documentation, including photographs taken by or at the direction of James. She allegedly used makeup or ketchup to fake the injuries. James then filed or directed the filing of petitions with U.S. Customs and Immigration Services by U.S. Mail or Federal Express.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McLees in Newark; and IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen; with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Edward Crisonino Esq., Westmont, N.J.
James Complaint
Florida Man, George Potter, Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GEORGE POTTER, 27, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman, to serve 188 months incarceration, for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. In addition to the term of imprisonment, POTTER was sentenced to serve 10 years supervised release and must register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act.
According to court documents, following an investigation by the Louisiana State Police and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), POTTER was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 20, 2013 for Distribution of Child Pornography and was arrested by HSI federal agents. POTTER pled guilty on November 13, 2013.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case was investigated by special agents from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Section Chief and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Five Joplin Residents Indicted for Disaster Fraud Related to Tornado BenefitsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that five Joplin, Mo., area residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate cases, for fraudulently receiving (or applying for) federal disaster benefits following the tornado that struck the city of Joplin on May 22, 2011, killing 158 people and causing more than $2.9 billion in damage.
Dustin Joe Showalter, 36, Fred Lewis Pickett, Jr., 34, Brittany Aulden Barnes, 22, Gary L. Mitchell, Jr., 34, and Russell Lamar Green, 35, all currently or formerly of Joplin, were charged in a series of indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014.
The federal indictments charge each of the five defendants with disaster fraud for making false statements to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in applications for disaster benefits.
Showalter, Pickett and Barnes are each charged in separate indictments with two counts of disaster fraud. Mitchell and Green are each charged in separate indictments with one count of disaster fraud and one count of making false statements.
USA v. Showalter
According to the indictment, Showalter fraudulently received disaster benefits by claiming to have lived at a residence in Joplin at the time of the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact he did not live at that residence. The indictment also alleges that Showalter made false statements to FEMA that aided and abetted Pickett’s fraudulent claim for disaster benefits.
USA v. Pickett
According to the indictment, Pickett fraudulently received disaster benefits by claiming that he relocated from one primary residence to another primary residence in Joplin following the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact he did not move to the second residence. The indictment also alleges that Pickett fraudulently filed for disaster benefits by claiming to have purchased a 1993 Nissan Maxima sedan from Chick’s Towing, when in fact he did not purchase a 1993 Nissan Maxima sedan from Chick’s Towing.
USA v. Barnes
According to the indictment, Barnes fraudulently received disaster benefits by claiming to have lived at a residence in Joplin at the time of the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact she did not live at that residence. The indictment also alleges that Barnes fraudulently filed for disaster benefits by falsely claiming she lost personal property from that residence.
USA v. Mitchell
According to the indictment, Mitchell fraudulently applied for disaster benefits by claiming that he lived at a residence in Joplin at the time of the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact he did not live at that residence. The indictment also alleges that Mitchell made false statements to FEMA when he claimed to live at that address.
USA v. Green
According to the indictment, Green fraudulently applied for disaster benefits by claiming that he lived at a residence in Joplin at the time of the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact he did not live at that residence. The indictment also alleges that Green made false statements to FEMA when he claimed to have lost personal property from that residence.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. They were investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
Disaster Fraud Hotline
Anyone with information about disaster fraud related to the Joplin tornado should call the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721, the Joplin Police Department at 417-623-3131, or the FBI’s Joplin office at 417-206-5700.Final Defendant in Scheme to Distribute Untaxed Cigarettes Exiled to 15 Years in Prison on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Conspired with Former Prince George’s County Police Officer to Distribute Drugs
and Untaxed CigarettesGreenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Mirza Kunjundzic, age 33, of Woodbridge, Virginia, to 15 year in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after Kunjundzic pleaded guilty late yesterday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kunjundzic, who was scheduled to go to trial on March 4, 2014, was the last of nine defendants to plead guilty to charges related to a scheme involving the transport and distribution of untaxed cigarettes.
The guilty plea and sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to Kunjundzic’s plea agreement, between July 2009 to January 2010, Kunjundzic and former Prince George’s County Police officer Sinisa Simic transported and distributed untaxed cigarettes in Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere. As part of the conspiracy, Simic used his official authority as a Prince George’s County police officer to ensure the safe transport and distribution of the untaxed cigarettes in exchange for cash payments from a source and an undercover agent working with the FBI . During November 2009, law enforcement intercepted conversations on Simic’s cellular phone which indicated that Simic and Kunjundzic both wanted Kunjundzic to be armed while they were protecting the contraband cigarettes during transportation and distribution. Simic subsequently obtained a 50 caliber handgun for Kunjundzic, which was recovered at Simic’s residence at the time of his arrest, along with a 9mm handgun. On December 2, 2009, Simic and Kunjundzic transported 80 cases of contraband cigarettes to New Jersey in exchange for $3,400 paid by the undercover agent.
Kunjundzic and Simic also distributed cocaine to the undercover agent and source. For example, on October 7, 2009, Kunjundzic and Simic delivered 114.5 grams of cocaine to the undercover agent, who paid them$6,520 for the cocaine and to transport and protect a delivery of contraband cigarettes. A portion of the cocaine was secreted in the shipment of contraband cigarettes. On October 22, 2009, Kunjundzic and Simic delivered 244.3 grams of crack cocaine to the undercover agent and on and November 12, 2009, they delivered 268.2 grams of crack cocaine, for which they were paid $13,800 and $4,000, respectively, for the crack cocaine and to transport contraband cigarettes. Simic was armed during each of the transactions.
Simic and Kunjundzic continued to deliver contraband and be paid for the protection of those deliveries until January 26, 2010. In total, they provided protection for eight shipments of contraband between September 9, 2009 and January 26, 2010. They were paid a total of $52,120, including the payments for the cost of the cocaine purchased by the undercover agent.
Former Prince George’s County Police officer Sinisa Simic, age 29, of Woodbridge, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their work in these investigations. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James A. Crowell IV, and A. David Copperthite, who prosecuted the case.
Mr. Rosenstein, Mr. Vogt and Mr. Kelly expressed their appreciation to Prince George's County Chief Mark A. Magaw for the assistance that he and his department provided.
Final Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Fraudulent Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Prepared Fraudulent Tax Returns Claiming False Wages and Tax Credits
for Persons Who Had Little or No IncomeBaltimore, Maryland – Sheila Anderson-Cloude, age 34, of Notthingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to defraud the government arising from the filing of fraudulent tax refunds.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kathryn Jones, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Washington, D.C. Regional Office.
According to her plea agreement, from February 2010 through April 2013, Anderson-Cloude conspired with Tonia Lawson and her daughters Kiara Skipwith and Jasmine Thomas to prepare fraudulent tax returns. The defendants recruited individuals who did not owe taxes because they had little or no earned income, and convinced these individuals that they could obtain a substantial refund and therefore should file a federal individual income tax return. Generally, Lawson, Skipwith and Thomas recruited prospects for the scheme, using a variety of methods, including paying referral fees to those who brought recruits to them.
Lawson, Skipwith and Thomas provided the recruits’ personal information to Anderson-Cloude, who would prepare the fraudulent return. The recruits did not provide any income information. False wages and educational expenses were used to falsely claim tax credits. Anderson-Cloude, Lawson, Skipwith and Thomas misled the recruits by telling them that the refunds they had received were smaller than the refund amounts Anderson-Cloude had actually listed on the fraudulent returns. The “profit” for Anderson-Cloude and her co-conspirators was the difference between the refund claimed on each tax return and the smaller amount actually paid to the recruit.
For tax years 2009 through 2012, Anderson-Cloude was involved in the preparation of at least 90 fraudulent tax returns based upon the recruits referred by Lawson, Skipwith, Thomas and others. These fraudulent returns generated illicit refunds totaling $546,785. In 2011 alone, Anderson-Cloude received at least $104,961 in profits from her role in the conspiracy.
Anderson-Cloude faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greater. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for Anderson-Cloude on May 27, 2014, at 3:00 p.m.
Tonia Patrice Lawson, age 43, of Middle River, Maryland; Jasmine L. Thomas, age 26, of Baltimore; and Kiara A. Skipwith, age 24, of Parkville, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme are scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2014, May 20, 2014 and May 28, 2014, respectively.
Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised IRS - Criminal Investigation and DOT-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory R. Bockin and David I. Sharfstein, who are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Hammond South Bend Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana - The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on February 26, 2014:
Bruce T. King, 35, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 24, 2014. The Indictment also alleges forfeiture of a firearm, magazine and ammunition. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
Guadalupe Quintanilla, 69, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine on or about February 1, 2014. The Indictment also alleges forfeiture of property derived from the proceeds. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Indiana State Police. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
Ronnie Lee Rutherford, Jr., 37, and Laura A. Plumb, 35, both of Fort Wayne, Indiana, are charged in a four count Indictment (respectively) with maintaining a drug involved premises from on or about December 4, 2013, to on or about February 17, 2014 (both defendants), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about February 17, 2014 (Rutherford), with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 30, 2013, and February 17, 2014 (Rutherford). The Indictment also alleges forfeiture of property derived from the proceeds and firearms and ammunition. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
Floyd D. Thomas, Jr., 35, Dwaine Bartlett, 41, Prentice A. Bland, 38, Richard A. Council, 42, Richard E. Murray, 40, and Derrick L. Thomas, 39, all of Indianapolis, Indiana are
charged in a six count Indictment (respectively) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine from on or about November 13, 2013, through on or about February 12, 2014 (all defendants), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about February 12, 2014 (all defendants), distribution of heroin on or about November 16, 2013, November 20, 2013, December 19, 2013 and January 17, 2013 (Floyd Thomas only). The Indictment also alleges forfeiture of property derived from the proceeds and firearms and ammunition. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Warsaw Police Department, Fort Wayne Police Department, and the IMAGE Drug Task Force. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.