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5 March 2014
Former Chesapeake, Virginia Subcontractor Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Roderic J. Smith, 50, pleaded guilty today to charges of paying bribes to public officials.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.
Smith was charged via criminal information on March 5, 2014 with conspiracy to bribe public officials. Smith faces a maximum penalty of five years when he is sentenced on June 23, 2014.
According to a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Smith and his business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, established a government contracting corporation in Chesapeake, Virginia in November 2004, which was to provide support to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) on various telecommunications projects. Shortly thereafter, in early 2005, Smith and Hardman agreed to pay cash bribes to two MSC officials in exchange for the MSC official steering government contracts to Smith and Hardman’s corporation. In exchange for the contracts being issued to the corporation, Smith and Hardman agreed to pay cash bribes to the two MSC officials. From March 2005 until 2007, Smith, Hardman, and others paid the MSC officials a total of approximately $3,000 each month in cash bribe payments. During this time, Smith and Hardman withdrew approximately $144,000 in cash which was then provided to the two MSC officials, in exchange for the MSC officials’ assistance in securing MSC contracting and subcontracting business for their company. Hardman left the company in 2009 and Smith managed the company as president until he resigned in late 2013.
On Feb. 12, 2014, one of the MSC officials, Kenny Toy, who was the Afloat Programs Manager for MSC’s N6 Command, Control, Communication, and Computer Systems Directorate, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in conjunction with this scheme. On Feb. 18, 2014, Smith’s business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, pleaded guilty to bribery. On Feb. 19, 2014, Smith’s business partner, Michael P. McPhail, pleaded guilty to conspiracy.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). Assistant United States Attorney Stephen W. Haynie and Trial Attorney Emily Rae Woods, of the Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Former Bank Employee SentencedFor Embezzling from Bank in Grant CountyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former bank employee was sentenced Wednesday to three years federal probation for embezzling from a bank in Grant County, Kan., U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today. She was ordered to pay $24,450 restitution to the bank.
Linda Wise, 60, Ulysses, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a bank. In her plea, she admitted that from late 2010 to March 2013 while she worked at Western State Bank in Ulysses, Kan., she embezzled money from the bank.
Subsequent to July 24, 2010, she conspired with fellow employees and co-defendants Ashley Cravens and Amber Gutierrez to steal money from the bank. From late 2010 to March 2013, the three stole a total of $24,450 from the bank.
Co-defendants are: Amber Gutierrez, 32, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 13.
Grissom commended the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the Ulysses Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Ashley Cravens, 29, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 13.
Hattie Wiginton, 33, Ulysses, Kan., who is set for sentencing March 24.Follow the U.S. Attorney's Office on TwitterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma launched its official Twitter account with the aim of increasing the accessibility of news and information, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Members of the public and media can now follow @USAO_NDOK on Twitter, a social media, microblogging service which limits text messages to 140 characters.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Thomas Man of Production of Child Pornography and Other Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - After a two-day trial in District Court in St. Thomas, a federal jury on Tuesday found Tony Jefferson Browne, 31, guilty of 12 counts of federal child exploitation offenses involving four girls ranging from ages 12 to 17, announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez, and Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) Commissioner Rodney Querrard, Jr.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Browne first made contact with the minor girls on Facebook, where he pretended to be a female and befriended them. After befriending the minors, Browne persuaded them to send him nude and sexually suggestive photos of themselves. After receiving the photos, Browne contacted the minors using his Facebook account “Billy Button,” and threatened to place the minors’ nude and sexually suggestive photos on the Internet if they did not send him additional photos and have sex with him. Evidence at trial also established that Browne sent images of his erect penis via Facebook and his cellular telephone to three of the minor girls, and kept pornographic images of the minor females on his cellular telephone and Facebook page.
The jury found Browne guilty of four counts of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, four counts of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Following his conviction, Browne was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2014.
Browne faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each count of production of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison for coercion and enticement. For receipt of child pornography, Browne faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. For transfer of obscene images to a minor, Browne faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Additionally, each count carries a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sharpe commended the efforts of HSI and VIPD who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard Potter.
Suspected child exploitation or missing children cases may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via its toll-free 24-hour hotline at 202-514-5678, or HSI at (340)693-2250.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charleston Man with Illegally Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Darrell Shawton Collins, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston on March 4, 2014, on illegal drug distribution charges, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today. According to a three-count indictment, Collins distributed heroin on December 4, 5, and 6, 2013, in Charleston.
Collins faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fairfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that ROBERT JOSEPH PARKER, 51, of Fairfield, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, PARKER earned income by providing information technology services to various businesses. Between 1996 and 2012, PARKER did not pay any federal income tax on approximately $2 million of income he received in his own name, and in the name of his alter ego entity known as Success Zone, LLC.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2014, at which time PARKER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $100,000. In addition, the government believes that PARKER owes approximately $2 million in taxes, interest and penalties for himself personally for tax years 1996 through 2012, and for Success Zone, LLC, for tax years 2003 through 2012.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Richard J. Schechter.
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(203) 821-3722 [email protected]District Woman Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for June 2012 Slaying of Next-Door Neighbor-Victim Was Stabbed in Presence of Her Six-Year-Old Child-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON Cydrisse Alvin, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison on a charge of first-degree murder while armed for the June 2012 stabbing of her next-door neighbor, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Alvin was found guilty by a jury in December 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Upon completion of her prison term, Alvin will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2012, at about 9 a.m., Alvin knocked on the door of the victim, 28-year-old Amber Kent, her next-door neighbor and former friend. Ms. Kent answered the door in her pajamas. Within seconds, Alvin entered and stabbed Ms. Kent three times – once in the chest and twice in the back. The murder happened in the presence of Ms. Kent’s daughter, who was six years old at the time. After stabbing Ms. Kent, Alvin quickly fled the scene and was apprehended hours later.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Marian Russell, Fern Rhedrick, Phil Aronson, Ethel Noble, Sharon Newman, and Mia Beamon; Litigation Technology Specialist Joshua Ellen; Investigative Analyst Sharon Johnson, and David Foster and Tamara Ince of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-055Defendant Sentenced for Brokering over 100 Sham MarriagesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rex Anyanwu has been sentenced to federal prison for arranging fraudulent marriages that allowed illegal aliens to remain in the U.S, alien harboring, obtaining his own citizenship in violation of the law, and conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
“Anyanwu abused the same immigration system that allowed him to become a U.S. citizen,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “His price for defrauding the government is high – not only will he spend a significant amount of time in jail, Anyanwu will also lose his United States citizenship and be deported to his native Nigeria upon completion of his sentence.”
“Providing a legal avenue for the spouses of United States citizens to immigrate to our country is one of the bedrock principles of our immigration system,” said Special Agent in Charge Brock D. Nicholson of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. “The defendant exploited that avenue for his own enrichment. The investigation by HSI, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services and the Diplomatic Security Service will ensure that he pays for his crimes and loses something even more precious, his citizenship.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning at least by February 2001 and continuing until his arrest in 2012, Rex Anyanwu ran a fraudulent marriage factory, the product of which was sham marriages designed to deceive immigration. U.S. citizens testified at trial that “Rex” would drive from the Atlanta area to Huntsville, Ala. and lure them into a marriage with a stranger with the promise of quick, easy money. One young woman testified that she recruited for Anyanwu, and was paid to find approximately 50 other U.S. citizens willing to engage in sham marriages, primarily to Africans from Kenya and Nigeria. The U.S. citizens were paid approximately $700 for the marriage; they could earn additional payments of approximately $500 for trips to Atlanta to participate in Citizen and Immigration Services interviews designed to establish that the couple shared their lives and had a valid marriage. Frequently, the “couple” did not even live in the same state, much less together. Anyanwu would coach the U.S. citizen and the alien on how to answer the questions to make it appear that the marriage was real.
Some of the alien spouses testified at trial that they came to “Rex” because they heard he could help them stay in the United States. Anyanwu not only introduced them to the U.S. spouse, but also provided fraudulent documents required by Immigration such as lease agreements, verification of employment, W-2s and 1040 income tax returns. Anyanwu charged an additional fee for the fraudulent documents. The aliens further testified that they paid Anyanwu as much as $10,000 and often met their intended spouse the same day and place they were to marry them. From the number of marriages he arranged, Anyanwu earned at least a million dollars.
Immigration policy provides that a marriage between a U.S. citizen and a foreign-born spouse who is a citizen of another country is one path through which an alien can become a U.S. citizen. However, participating in a marriage solely to obtain citizenship is a crime. Evidence at trial showed that Anyanwu filed fraudulent applications for visas on behalf of the aliens who hired him and would forge U.S. citizen names on the paperwork submitted to Immigration.
One alien witness testified that after Anyanwu was under investigation he contacted her and told her that if anyone asked about him, “Say you don’t know me.” Another U.S. citizen witness stated that he was scared of Anyanwu, who threatened that if he did not show up for the Immigration interview Anyanwu would have others hurt him. Anyanwu’s efforts to obstruct the investigation did not succeed, and cost him more time in jail.
Anyanwu, 51, of Lithia Springs, Ga., was found guilty by a jury on November 15, 2013. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash to five years and ten months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay a special assessment in the amount of $6,000. Anyanwu was also stripped of his U.S. citizenship.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, and U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service also assisted in the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge, Special Assistant United States Attorney Njeri Maldonado and Intern Annalise Lisson prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Dallas Man Sentenced to Serve A Total of 25 Years in Federal Prison on Federal Child Pornography Convictions Involving Prepubescent MinorRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Ulises Sandoval, 27, of Dallas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve a total of 300 months (25 years) in federal prison following his guilty plea in November 2013 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography. Specifically, Judge Kinkeade sentenced him to 300 months on the production conviction and 240 months on the possession conviction, to run concurrently. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
According to the factual resume filed in the case, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that a person, later identified as Sandoval, was trading images of child pornography over email. They executed a search warrant at his home on September 25, 2013, and arrested him.
Sandoval admitted using his email address to join a website for the purpose of trading images and videos of child pornography, and he also admitted using email to meet individuals with a similar interest in child pornography to trade child pornography with them. He admitted taking photographs of “Jane Doe,” who was less than seven years old at the time, while he engaged in sexually explicit conduct with her, and then sharing those images with others.
Forensic analysis located images of child pornography on Sandoval’s laptop computer. Sandoval admitted that he had more than 2500 child pornography images and videos on his hard drive and some of those depicted sadistic and or violent conduct; 21 of the files depicted infants and toddlers.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
ICE HSI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted.
Columbus Man Indicted for Seven Bank Robberies in Central and Southwestern OhioRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
DAYTON – A federal grand jury has indicted Michael Hay, 30, of Columbus alleging that he robbed seven banks in central and southwestern Ohio between December 28, 2013 and February 4, 2014.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI), and the agencies participating in the investigation announced the indictment today.
The indictment alleges that Hay robbed a PNC Bank in Cincinnati on December 28, 2013, a Chase Bank in Bexley on January 7, 2014, a First Financial Bank in Huber Heights on January 10, a Chase Bank in Vandalia on January 28, a Huntington Bank in Miami Township on January 29, a Key Bank in Grove City on February 1, and a Chase Bank in Mason on February 4. He was arrested by Grove City Police officers on February 7.
Each count of bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution.
An initial appearance for Hay is scheduled for today at 1:30 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Newman in Dayton.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, the police departments in Upper Arlington, Bexley, Grove City, Huber Heights, Vandalia, Miami Township, and Cincinnati as well as the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S Attorney Brent Tabacchi who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #Coal Companies and Subsidiaries to Spend Estimated $200 Million on Treatment and System-wide Upgrades to Reduce Water PollutionRead the Press Release
Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (Alpha), one of the nation’s largest coal companies, Alpha Appalachian Holdings (formerly Massey Energy), and 66 subsidiaries have agreed to spend an estimated $200 million to install and operate wastewater treatment systems and to implement comprehensive, system-wide upgrades to reduce discharges of pollution from coal mines in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. Overall, the settlement covers approximately 79 active mines and 25 processing plants in these five states.
EPA estimates that the upgrades and advanced treatment required by the settlement will reduce discharges of total dissolved solids by over 36 million pounds each year, and will cut metals and other pollutants by approximately nine million pounds per year. The companies will also pay a civil penalty of $27.5 million for thousands of permit violations, which is the largest penalty in history under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
“The unprecedented size of the civil penalty in this settlement sends a strong deterrent message to others in this industry that such egregious violations of the nation's Clean Water Act will not be tolerated,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s agreement is good news for communities across Appalachia, who have too often been vulnerable to polluters who disregard the law. It holds Alpha accountable and will bring increased compliance and transparency among Alpha and its many subsidiaries.”
“This settlement is the result of state and federal agencies working together to protect local communities from pollution by enforcing the law,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By requiring reforms and a robust compliance program, we are helping to ensure coal mining in Appalachia follows environmental laws that protect public health.”
In addition to paying the penalty, the companies must build and operate treatment systems to eliminate violations of selenium and salinity limits, and also implement comprehensive, system-wide improvements to ensure future compliance with the CWA. These improvements, which apply to all of Alpha’s operations in Appalachia, include developing and implementing an environmental management system and periodic internal and third-party environmental compliance audits.
The companies must also maintain a database to track violations and compliance efforts at each outfall, significantly improve the timeliness of responding to violations, and consult with third party experts to solve problem discharges. In the event of future violations, the companies will be required to pay stipulated penalties, which may be increased and, in some cases, doubled for continuing violations.
The government complaint alleged that, between 2006 and 2013, Alpha and its subsidiaries routinely violated limits in 336 of its state-issued CWA permits, resulting in the discharge of excess amounts of pollutants into hundreds of rivers and streams in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The violations also included discharge of pollutants without a permit.
In total, EPA documented at least 6,289 violations of permit limits for pollutants that include iron, pH, total suspended solids, aluminum, manganese, selenium, and salinity. These violations occurred at 794 different discharge points, or outfalls. Monitoring records also showed that multiple pollutants were discharged in amounts of more than twice the permitted limit on many occasions. Most violations stemmed from the company’s failure to properly operate existing treatment systems; install adequate treatment systems; and implement appropriate water handling and management plans.
Today’s settlement also resolves violations of a prior 2008 settlement with Massey Energy, and applies to the facilities and sites formerly owned by the company. Under the 2008 settlement, Massey paid a $20 million penalty to the federal government for similar CWA violations, in addition to over a million dollars in stipulated penalties over the course of the next two years. Alpha purchased Massey in June 2011 and, since taking over the company, has been working cooperatively with the government in developing the terms of today’s settlement.
CWA permits allow for the discharge of certain pollutants in limited amounts to rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Permit holders are required to monitor discharges regularly and report results to the respective state agencies.
Alpha, headquartered in Bristol, Va., is one of the largest coal companies in the nation. Alpha operates more than 79 active coal mines and 25 coal preparation plants located throughout Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The Wyoming operations are not included in today’s settlement.
The States of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky are co-plaintiffs in today’s settlement. The U.S. will receive half of the civil penalty and the other half will be divided between the co-plaintiffs based on the number of violations in each state, as follows: West Virginia ($8,937,500), Pennsylvania ($4,125,000), and Kentucky ($687,500).
The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.
For more information on the settlement visit: http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/alpha-natural-resources-inc-settlement.
For more information on Clean Water Act Enforcement, visit: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html.Charleroi Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Washington County man has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence on Jerome C. Pryor, Jr., 27, of Charleroi, Pennsylvania.
According to information provided to the court, Pryor conspired with others to use unauthorized credit cards to purchase gift cards and merchandise at stores in Western Pennsylvania. At sentencing, Judge Diamond emphasized the seriousness of identity theft crimes, and the impact upon victimized accoutholders.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Western Pennsylvania Financial Crimes Task Force (WPFCTF) for conducting the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Pryor. The WPFCTF was established as a collaborative, multi-agency effort to effectively combat financial crimes, including identity fraud, in Western Pennsylvania. Partnering in this effort are the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Bowling Green, Kentucky, Man Guilty of Shipping Firearms InternationallyRead the Press Release
– Firearms were secreted inside video game systems for shipment to foreign addresses
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Bowling Green, Kentucky, man pled guilty in United States District Court today, to a four-count federal Indictment charging him with exporting firearms from the United States announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
According to the Plea Agreement, Adam Bunger, age 34, between June 13, 2013, and August 8, 2013, knowingly exported and sent firearms from the United States. He did so contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States. Specifically, he placed in the United States Mail – parcels that included firearms that had been hidden inside videogame systems. He shipped the firearms to Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Two of the firearms shipped in foreign commerce had the manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, and altered.
Bunger was not a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer of firearms. Nevertheless, he willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. In the course of that conduct, he shipped and transported firearms in foreign commerce as specified above. He also knowingly and willfully delivered packages to a common or contract carrier for transportation and shipment in foreign commerce. The persons receiving the shipments from Bunger were not licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors of firearms. Additionally, Bunger did not provide written notice to the carrier that the packages contained firearms or ammunition.
According to an Affidavit attached to a Criminal Complaint, Australian Federal Police contacted a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on July 8, 2013, after a forensic examination of a parcel shipped from Bowling Green, Kentucky, revealed two empty magazines, gun parts and a Modelo Super 9mm pistol inside an Xbox game system’s interior cavity. The gun sale was made through a website -- Black Market Reloaded. On July 18, 2013, two international packages were seized from the Bowling Green Post Office and a search warrant revealed a disassembled, Uzi-style pistol having an obliterated serial number contained inside a hollow Xbox console, addressed to an individual in the United Kingdom. The second international package, addressed to an individual in Australia, contained firearm parts for an assault rifle which were concealed inside a DVD player. On August 9, 2013, a federal search warrant was obtained and executed on the other international package seized from the U.S. Post Office branch in Bowling Green. The package, addressed to an individual in Sweden, contained a disassembled Taurus .22 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number and magazine. The firearm was contained inside a metal computer switching power supply box. Two postal clerks identified the defendant, Adam Bunger, as the individual who attempted to ship the international packages.
Bunger faces a maximum 25-year prison term, a $1,000,000 fine and a three-year period of Supervised Release. Sentencing is scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., on May 29, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., in Bowling Green.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in conjunction with the Australian Federal Police, and with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service, conducted the investigation.
Birmingham Man Convicted of Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM -- A federal jury late Tuesday convicted a Birmingham man of possession with the intent to distribute a half kilogram of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay A. Morris.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler, the jury convicted BINIAM ASGHEDOM, 40, an Eritrean national, of possessing and intending to distribute about a pound of cocaine. Asghedom is scheduled for sentencing June 25.
According to evidence at trial, Birmingham police stopped Asghedom for a traffic violation on Dec. 1, 2010, after federal agents had followed him from a known drug location. Asghedom was one of a number of targets of a larger DEA investigation. After obtaining Asghedom’s consent, officers searched the 2000 GMC Sierra pick-up truck he was driving and found the cocaine and $14,500. Forensic testing later revealed that the outside packaging of the cocaine had two latent fingerprints that matched Asghedom.
“Asghedom’s conviction marks another success in law enforcement’s concerted efforts to eliminate the dangerous street drugs that devastate neighborhoods and fuel violent crime." Vance said.The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted.
Alexandria, Va., Couple Arrested on Immigration Charges for Harboring Domestic Servant in Their HomeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that a federal criminal complaint has been filed in the Eastern District of Virginia charging defendants Abdelkader and Hnia Amal with immigration offenses in connection with allegations that they held a woman in their home as a domestic servant for three years. The defendants were each charged with one count of alien harboring for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
According to the complaint, the defendants, who are husband and wife, concealed, harbored and shielded from detection in their home in Alexandria, Va., a Moroccan national, identified in the complaint as Witness-1, from December 2007 until December 2010. The complaint also alleges that Hnia Amal had the Moroccan national work for her commercial cleaning company, cleaning various residential and commercial properties. As further alleged in the complaint, the defendants unlawfully brought the Moroccan national into the United States on a visa they procured based on false representations that the Moroccan national would be employed as a domestic servant for a different employer. According to the complaint, the defendants allegedly benefitted financially by paying the Moroccan national only $9,000 for over three years of full-time work in their home and for Hnia Amal’s commercial cleaning company.
If convicted, Abdelkader and Hnia Amal could face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI – Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Alexandria Bogle of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Matthew Grady of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – RAYMOND T. DRAKE, age 53, of Albany, New York, pled guilty today in Albany before Chief United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe to two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiNicola. DRAKE, who was detained pending his sentencing, faces at least five years of imprisonment and up to 120 years of imprisonment.
As part of his guilty plea, DRAKE admitted that he distributed images of child pornography by e-mail and through a Peer-to-Peer file sharing program. On January 25, 2013, investigators searched DRAKE’s residence and recovered hundreds of images and several videos depicting child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2014, in Albany, New York.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.
4 March 2014
Yolo County Kidnapping Subject Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Kyle Michael Hall, 24, of Woodland, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, on November 28, 2012, Hall was arrested after attempting to force a woman into his truck that was parked in a Raley’s parking lot in Woodland. Hall was a transient living out of his truck in the Woodland area. Upon his arrest, Hall turned his personal property over to a friend.
The next day, Hall’s friend brought Hall’s computer to the Woodland police station. He said that he had been looking through it and found some “disgusting” things. Located on the computer were approximately 108 images and 115 videos of child pornography. In addition, forensic analysts with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office located multiple instant messages on the computer. In these messages, Hall discussed child pornography and traded images and videos.
The computer forensic analysis also identified multiple Skype chats in which Hall spoke with minors about sexually explicit topics. In one exchange with a 17-year-old from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Hall asked if he could drive to New Mexico to pick up the girl. In other chats, Hall offered money to minors in an attempt to entice them into sending him sexually explicit photos or videos.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Woodland Police Department and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Reardon and Olusere Olowoyeye are prosecuting the case.
Hall is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Lawrence K. Karlton on May 20, 2014. Hall faces a penalty of five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children including child pornography trafficking. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has teamed with state and local agencies and organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Wilmerding Felon Sentenced to 5+ Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing PistolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Wilmerding, Pa., resident has been sentenced in federal court to 64 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence on Monte Blair, 40.
According to information presented to the court, on or about Sept. 28, 2012, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police obtained a warrant for Blair’s arrest on charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault stemming from an incident that occurred on Sept. 9, 2012. Shortly after the warrant was issued, Blair was arrested as he exited a residence on Brushton Avenue in Pittsburgh. A search of Blair incident to arrest revealed a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol that had been previously reported as stolen. Blair, who has several prior felony convictions, is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As to the attempted homicide and aggravated assault charges stemming from the incident on Sept. 9, 2012, Blair was recently convicted of aggravated assault and acquitted of attempted homicide in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. Sentencing in that matter is scheduled for April 2, 2014.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blair.
Wichita Falls Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Major Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WICHITA FALLS, Texas— A Wichita Falls, Texas, man, David Calandreli, 27, who pleaded guilty in November 2013 to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 300 months (25 years) in federal prison. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, Calandreli admitted that on multiple occasions between November 2011 and July 2012, he transported and distributed quantities of methamphetamine, which he had obtained from co-conspirator Steve Ysasaga, to individuals in the Wichita Falls area. In addition, on more than one occasion, Calandreli obtained quantities of more than one-quarter pound of methamphetamine from Ysasaga. Ysasaga, 41, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced in late February 2014 to 240 months in federal prison.
Calandreli also admitted that on December 7, 2011, he sold approximately 7.6 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover federal law enforcement officer in the parking lot of a grocery store in Wichita Falls.
To date, all 39 defendants charged in this conspiracy have entered guilty pleas; 38 have been sentenced.
This Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas DPS; and the Wichita Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary F. Walters is in charge of the prosecution.
Westfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Westfield man pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Springfield to child pornography charges.
In March 2013, Gardner Whitney, 62, was indicted on possessing child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2014. If the court accepts the plea agreement, Whitney will be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
In December 2012, Whitney possessed child pornography on a laptop computer and on a flash drive which included one video he produced himself which depicted him and a minor female.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief John Camerota of the Westfield Police Department, made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Alex J. Grant of Ortiz’s Springfield Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Treasure Valley Women Sentenced in Multi-Defendant Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced today that Randi Seferos, 25, of Boise, and Doreen Obrien, 44, of Caldwell, Idaho, were sentenced today to serve federal prison sentences for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge sentenced Seferos to 110 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release; Obrien was sentenced to 63 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, Seferos pleaded guilty on October 7, 2013, to possession of 128 grams (approximately one-quarter pound) of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Obrien pleaded guilty on September 27, 2013, to possession of 340 grams (about three-quarters of a pound) of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.
Twenty defendants were charged in an 89-count indictment filed in May 2013. Fourteen defendants have been sentenced. Four have pleaded guilty to related charges and are awaiting sentencing. One has been dismissed, and another has not been apprehended.
The conspiracy involved two distribution cells in the Treasure Valley: one led by Jason Holmberg and one by Andrew Polney. Kenneth Jones in Sacramento, California, supplied multi-pound shipments of methamphetamine for transport to the Treasure Valley for distribution; also, a drug debt was owed by Jason Holmberg and unpaid for a large amount of methamphetamine obtained from Mexican sources of supply transshipped through Phoenix, Arizona, and transported to Idaho by co-defendant Randy Beal. The group operated from about June 2012 through the time of the various arrests on April 18, 2013 and May 23, 2013.
The indictment is the result of a joint investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), led by the Drug Enforcement Administration in conjunction with the Nampa Police Department and Boise Police Department. Other federal agencies participating in the OCDETF program include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Marshals Service.
The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
Two Florida Men Sentenced on Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Thaddeus Vidal Peralta, 43, of Winter Park, Fl., and Aaron Anthony Lumpkin 37, of Saint Cloud, Fl. were sentenced on March 3, 2014, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” and possessing with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Peralta was sentenced to 262 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Lumpkin was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Scot R. Rittenberg of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Peralta and Lumpkin were both foundguilty of the above charges by a federal jury on October 11, 2013 after a six-day trial. According to court documents, Lumpkin supplied Peralta and others with large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution in the Eastern District of Virginia. Beginning in approximately late 2011, Lumpkin sent numerous packages containing methamphetamine from Florida via FedEx to his mother’s residence in Newport News. Peralta then traveled from Florida to Virginia to distribute the methamphetamine on Lumpkin’s behalf. Peralta, formerly of Virginia Beach, has been distributing methamphetamine here since approximately 2005.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Virginia Beach Police Department and the Norfolk Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted 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.Twice Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing 14 FirearmsRead the Press Release
Defendant also Possessed 2,000 Rounds of Ammunition
BOISE – Jason Earl Wright, 39, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in prison for unlawfully possessing fourteen firearms and 2,000 rounds of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Wright to three years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. He pleaded guilty to the offense on November 17, 2013.
According to court documents, Wright admitted to attempting to purchase a scope mount for an SKS assault rifle on Craigslist. According to a sentencing memorandum filed by the government, a federal search warrant was served on Wright’s residence, and it was discovered that he was in possession of four assault weapons capable of accepting large capacity magazines, four .22 rifles, two 30.06 rifles, two .40 pistols, one 6.5 x 50 millimeter rifle, and one shotgun. Wright was also in possession of twelve high capacity SKS magazines, sixteen .22 rifle magazines, and several thousand rounds of ammunition.
Wright had previously been convicted of twenty prior offenses, including two felony drug trafficking offenses, domestic assault, battery and carrying a concealed weapon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted as part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in Idaho.
Topeka Man Sentenced to 6 YearsFor Possession of Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to 6 years in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Bryan K. Carter, 33, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a stolen firearm. In his plea, he admitted that on Dec. 3, 2011, he was arrested by officers of the Topeka Police Department on an outstanding warrant. The gray Infiniti he was driving had been reported stolen and police impounded it.On Dec. 13, 2011, police received a tip that someone was planning to burglarize the police impound lot to retrieve a firearm that was hidden under the hood of the Infiniti. Police searched the car and found the gun, a .22 caliber pistol, before a burglary took place. Carter admitted he received the gun in exchange for narcotics and was aware the firearm has been stolen.
Grissom commended the Topeka Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot for their work on the case.Three Storm Lake Area Residents Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Obstruct JusticeRead the Press Release
Janelle Zoch, age 47, and Darwin Zoch, age 45, both of Storm Lake, Iowa, and Brandon Hinesly, age 35, of Truesdale, Iowa, have pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, Iowa, to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Janelle Zoch and Brandon Hinesly pled guilty on February 28, 2014. Darwin Zoch pled guilty on March 3, 2014. Mark Hill, age 48, of Storm Lake, Iowa, also pled guilty on August 13, 2013 to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice,
Information presented by the United States at the plea hearings revealed that on May 19, 2011, Darwin Zoch was arrested on a warrant for allegations that he was a felon (and an armed career criminal) in possession of firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (and 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)). On May 19, 2011, Darwin Zoch appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Paul A. Zoss for an initial appearance and arraignment. On May 19, 2011, Darwin Zoch was released on a personal recognizance bond, and conditions of pretrial releases were imposed.
Darwin Zoch was also on State of Iowa probation at the time and was, thereby, required to wear a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) monitoring system bracelet, and was subject to an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily curfew.
On November 16, 2011, Darwin Zoch was convicted after a jury trial of being a felon (and an armed career criminal) in possession of firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (and 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)). On November 16, 2011, Darwin Zoch was released by the trial judge, to await sentencing upon the same conditions of release as were imposed earlier while Darwin Zoch awaited his November 2011 trial.
Instead of awaiting sentencing as he promised the court, Darwin Zoch, and Janelle Zoch, Brandon Hinsely, Mark Hill and others plotted Darwin Zoch’s flight from justice. They, among other things, researched countries without extradition treaties, boats he might buy to sail out of the country, obtained and pre-positioned a getaway car at his parent’s farm, acquired mobile phones with which to communicate secretly, and assembled more than $5,000 in cash. Then they executed the plan, and Darwin Zoch escaped as far as a marina in Corpus Cristie Texas, where he was captured.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Janelle Zoch, Brandon Hinesly and Mark Hill remain free on bond previously set; Darwin Zoch remains in custody of the United States Marshal; Janelle Zoch, Darwin Zoch,. Hinesly, and Hill each face a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-3047.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Sheriff and Deputies of the Buena Vista County Sheriff=s Office, and Officers of the Storm Lake, Iowa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.Three Sentenced in Orange County Health Department Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. sentenced Delray Duncan, Gerald Williams, and Shanterica Smith to federal prison yesterday for identity theft. Specifically, the court sentenced Duncan to 42 months in federal prison, Williams to 54 months in federal prison, and Smith to 60 months in federal prison. All three were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1 million. Each previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case.
According to court documents, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service initiated an investigation after the Orange County Sheriff’s Office executed an unrelated search warrant and discovered a list of names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Further investigation revealed that Williams and Smith worked at the Orange County Health Department (OCHD). Williams and Smith accessed personal identifying information (PII) of OCHD patients and provided that information to a third party who filed fraudulent tax returns in the names of those patients. Williams and Smith did not know each other while working at OCHD, but ultimately provided the information to the same person. Williams provided the PII to Duncan who, in turn, provided the PII to others in order to file the fraudulent tax returns. Smith provided the PII directly to those responsible for filing fraudulent tax returns.
In total, Williams and Smith stole the identities of approximately 2,200 patients. Fraudulent tax returns totaling approximately $3.9 million were filed using the stolen PII. The investigation into those responsible for filing the fraudulent tax returns and those who obtained the proceeds from the fraudulently filed returns is ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Three Holyoke Residents Plead Guilty to Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - Two Holyoke residents were convicted yesterday in U.S. District Court in Springfield for their role in distributing oxycodone pills shipped from Florida.
Angel Luis Medina, 31, Luz Eneida Morales, 46, and Doel Vega, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. Judge Woodlock scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2014. On Feb. 25, 2014, a third Holyoke resident was convicted as part of the same conspiracy.Between January 2009 and April 11, 2013, the defendants were part of a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone pills which they received in large quantities from Florida via Express Mail. The pills were then sold in western Massachusetts and the drug proceeds were deposited in branches of national banks in Holyoke. Co-conspirators in Florida were able to withdraw these drug proceeds from branches of the national banks.
The defendants face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan of Ortiz’s Springfield Office.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Gerald Dwayne Welch (35, St. Petersburg) to 14 years in federal prison for distribution of crack cocaine. Welch pleaded guilty on December 17, 2013.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2013, Welch was arrested for selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer on two previous occasions. A search of Welch’s motel room revealed cocaine, marijuana, and Dilaudid pills. During an interview with law enforcement, Welch admitted to selling narcotics in the St. Petersburg area since January 2013. At the time of the offense, Welch had several prior felony convictions, including ten felony drug convictions.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
This case is a part of ATF’s Frontline strategy to reduce violent crime and improving the quality of life in communities where law enforcement efforts are focused.
Singapore Shipping Company, Crew Member, Plead Guilty to Illegally Discharging Oily WasteRead the Press Release
Singapore-based ODFJELL ASIA II PTE LTD (ODFJELL) and one of its senior crew members pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Hartford, Conn., for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), announced Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division Robert G. Dreher, United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly and Rear Admiral Daniel B. Abel, Commander of the First Coast Guard District in Boston.
“The defendants violated environmental laws that protect our oceans, the world’s fisheries and marine life, from harmful pollution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dreher. “Today's conviction ensures they will be held accountable with a stiff criminal fine, contribute to conservation efforts in coastal areas of Long Island, and submit to strict monitoring. We hope this sends a strong message to the shipping industry that committing environmental crimes at sea will not be tolerated.”
“Pollution of our waters will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “Shipping companies are on notice that violating American environment laws will result in federal prosecution and puts at risk their business interests in this country. Crew members who ignore these laws may also face incarceration. Although these illegal discharges of oily waste occurred in international waters, we are gratified that a quarter of the $1.2 million monetary penalty will fund improvements and protection of the Long Island Sound, a vital economic and recreational resource that contains many unique wildlife habitats.”
“The Coast Guard is committed to working with the maritime industry, and federal, state and local law enforcement partners, to protect the U.S. maritime environment from individuals who pollute our waters,” said Rear Admiral Abel. “When these violations occur, the Coast Guard will work with our partners to ensure that the violators are held accountable under the law.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, ODFJELL operated the M/T Bow Lind, a 577-foot, 26,327 gross ton petroleum/chemical tanker ship. On Nov. 6, 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the vessel in New Haven, Conn., to conduct an inspection. The inspection and subsequent criminal investigation revealed that three times between October 2011 and October 2012, while in international waters, the vessel discharged machinery space bilge water directly into the sea. At the direction of senior engineer Ramil Leuterio, crew members bypassed pollution prevention equipment that was in place to ensure that any discharged bilge water contain less than 15 parts per million of oil. The crew then concealed the illegal discharges by making misleading entries and omissions in the vessel’s oil record book.
According to several engine room crew members, Leuterio directed them to use a complex system to transfer the bilge water from the bilge holding tank to the sewage tank. From the sewage tank, the bilge water was dumped directly into the sea without passing through pollution prevention equipment. Once the bilge holding tank was emptied, Leuterio directed the lower ranking crew members to put clean fresh water and salt water into the tank. As the pollution prevention equipment automatically records the time it is being operated, Leuterio then processed the clean water through the prevention equipment, thereby creating an electronic record to account for the bilge water that had bypassed the equipment and been discharged directly overboard.
Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, ODFJELL will be placed on probation for a period of three years and pay a criminal penalty totaling $1.2 million, including $300,000 that will be directed to The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects aimed at the preservation and restoration of the marine environment of Long Island Sound.
As a condition of probation, ODFJELL will implement an environmental management plan which will ensure that any ship operated by ODFJELL calling on a port of the United States complies with all maritime environmental requirements established under applicable international, flag state, and port state laws. The plan ensures that ODFJELL’s employees and the crew of any vessel operated by ODFJELL that calls on a United States port are properly trained in preventing maritime pollution. An independent monitor will report to the court regarding ODFJELL’s compliance with these obligations during the period of probation.
Leuterio, 42, a citizen of the Philippines, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of violating APPS for his role in directing lower ranking crewmembers to make the illegal discharges and for failing to accurately maintain the vessel’s oil record book. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six years and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant has scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2014.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, Coast Guard Investigative Service, and Coast Guard office of Investigations and Analysis (CG-INV). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte in the Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. McConnell from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.Singapore Shipping Company, Crew Member, Plead Guilty to Illegally Discharging Oily WasteRead the Press Release
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Singapore-based ODFJELL ASIA II PTE LTD. and one of its senior crew members pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Hartford, Conn., for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), announced Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division Robert G. Dreher, United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly, and Rear Admiral Daniel B. Abel, Commander of the First Coast Guard District in Boston.
“The defendants violated environmental laws that protect our oceans, the world’s fisheries and marine life, from harmful pollution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dreher. “Today's conviction ensures they will be held accountable with a stiff criminal fine, contribute to conservation efforts in coastal areas of Long Island, and submit to strict monitoring. We hope this sends a strong message to the shipping industry that committing environmental crimes at sea will not be tolerated.”
“Pollution of our waters will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “Shipping companies are on notice that violating American environment laws will result in federal prosecution and puts at risk their business interests in this country. Crew members who ignore these laws may also face incarceration. Although these illegal discharges of oily waste occurred in international waters, we are gratified that a quarter of the $1.2M monetary penalty will fund improvements and protection of the Long Island Sound, a vital economic and recreational resource that contains many unique wildlife habitats.”
“The Coast Guard is committed to working with the maritime industry and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, to protect the U.S. maritime environment from individuals who pollute our waters,” said Rear Admiral Abel. “When these violations occur, the Coast Guard will work with our partners to ensure that the violators are held accountable under the law.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, ODFJELL ASIA II PTE LTD. (ODFJELL) operated the M/T Bow Lind, a 577-foot, 26,327 gross ton petroleum/chemical tanker ship. On November 6, 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the vessel in New Haven to conduct an inspection. The inspection and subsequent criminal investigation revealed that three times between October 2011 and October 2012, while in international waters, the vessel discharged machinery space bilge water directly into the sea. At the direction of senior engineer Ramil Leuterio, crew members bypassed pollution prevention equipment that was in place to ensure that any discharged bilge water contain less than 15 parts per million of oil. The crew then concealed the illegal discharges by making misleading entries and omissions in the vessel’s oil record book.
According to several engine room crew members, Leuterio directed them to use a complex system to transfer the bilge water from the bilge holding tank to the sewage tank. From the sewage tank, the bilge water was dumped directly into the sea without passing through pollution prevention equipment. Once the bilge holding tank was emptied, Leuterio directed the lower ranking crew members to put clean fresh water and salt water into the tank. As the pollution prevention equipment automatically records the time it is being operated, Leuterio then processed the clean water through the prevention equipment, thereby creating an electronic record to account for the bilge water that had bypassed the equipment and been discharged directly overboard.
Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, ODFJELL will be placed on probation for a period of three years and pay a criminal penalty totaling $1.2 million, including $300,000 that will be directed to The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects aimed at the preservation and restoration of the marine environment of Long Island Sound.
As a condition of probation, ODFJELL will implement an environmental management plan which will ensure that any ship operated by ODFJELL calling on a port of the United States complies with all maritime environmental requirements established under applicable international, flag state, and port state laws. The plan ensures that ODFJELL’s employees and the crew of any vessel operated by ODFJELL that calls on a United States port are properly trained in preventing maritime pollution. An independent monitor will report to the court regarding ODFJELL’s compliance with these obligations during the period of probation.
Leuterio, 42, a citizen of the Philippines, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of violating APPS for his role in directing lower ranking crewmembers to make the illegal discharges and for failing to accurately maintain the vessel’s oil record book. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six years and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant has scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2014.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, Coast Guard Investigative Service, and Coast Guard office of Investigations and Analysis (CG-INV). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. McConnell from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut and Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte in the Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice.
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(203) 821-3722 [email protected]Registered Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Harry K. Roche, age 43, of Millsboro, Delaware, pled guilty today to Production and Transportation of Child Pornography, in violation of federal law. Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced the guilty plea following a hearing in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.
Roche was previously convicted in Delaware of Using a Computer to Depict a Child Engaging in a Prohibited Sexual Act and Possession of Child Pornography in 2003, which involved Roche producing sexually explicit images of children in his Magnolia, Delaware apartment. In 1994, Roche had been convicted of sexual harassment of a minor boy. At the time of the instant offense, Roche was registered as a sex offender as required by Delaware and federal law.
As a result of his prior convictions, Roche faces enhanced sentencing penalties under federal law, including a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years, and a maximum sentence of 50 years, in prison. Roche also faces a term of supervised release of five years to life following his prison sentence, and he will be required to continue to register as a sex offender in any U.S. jurisdiction in which he lives, works, or attends school. Roche will be sentenced on a date to be determined by United States District Judge Sue L. Robinson.
According to statements made and documents filed in court, Roche came to the attention of the Delaware Child Predator Task Force after it received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cybertip reported that an AOL user, subsequently identified as Harry K. Roche, a registered child sex offender from Millsboro, Delaware, had distributed files containing child pornography through an AOL server.
On January 31, 2013, Delaware Child Predator Task Force officers executed a state search warrant at Roche’s apartment, which was located above the Bluewater Grill restaurant, in Millsboro, Delaware. Roche and a roommate were present for the search, during which officers seized numerous computers, cellular phones and external digital storage devices. A subsequent forensic examination of that computer equipment revealed that Roche had collected and distributed hundreds of pictures and movies of child pornography, virtually all of which featured prepubescent boys engaged in sexual acts. In a number of these images and movies, the child victims were bound, gagged or blindfolded as they were violently raped by adult males.
Also during the forensic examination of Roche’s iPhone, a forensic examiner discovered a series of photographs of Roche in the bedroom of his residence engaged in a sexual act with a young boy. Metadata associated with the digital files indicated that the images were saved to the iPhone on January 30, 2013, the day before the residential search occurred. The Delaware Child Predator Task Force and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, worked together to identify the child victim, who resides in Delaware. The investigation further revealed that Roche met the child victim near the Bluewater Grill and subsequently lured the child into his apartment. Roche subsequently distributed the images that he had produced, along with other images of child pornography, to other child sex offenders.
Following the plea hearing, United States Attorney Charles M. Oberly, III stated: “By today’s plea, this twice-convicted sexual predator will be removed from society for likely the remainder of his life. Upon his sentencing later this year, the deserved severe sentence, a minimum mandatory of 25 years, should serve as a deterrent to others that a long prison sentence is the price to pay for engaging in such activity.”
“There is a clear and deeply disturbing link between those who possess child pornography and those who commit physical offenses against children,” Attorney General Beau Biden said. “That’s why the work of the Delaware Child Predator Task Force, along with our close cooperation with federal law enforcement partners, is so critical to finding these dangerous predators and taking them off the streets.”
This case was brought as part of the United States Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Program, which was launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. As intended by the United States Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Program, federal and state child exploitation prosecutors and investigators have worked together to investigate and prosecute Roche.
For more information about the Project Safe Childhood Program, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about reporting online child exploitation to the national CyberTipline, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website at: www.missingkids.com.
This case is being investigated by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. McAndrew.
Portland Man Sentenced for Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Received over $296,000 in Fraudulent RefundPORTLAND, Ore. – Ricky Lee Greenwood, 32, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced in federal court for a wide-spread tax refund fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney S. Amanda Marshall for the District of Oregon. Today, Greenwood was sentenced to 40 months in prison. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2013, Greenwood pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and filing a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim against the government.
According to court documents, Greenwood electronically filed at least 66 false tax returns with fictitious wage and false dependent information, requesting more than $300,000 in fraudulent refunds. Greenwood obtained the names and Social Security numbers of unemployed individuals in order to file fraudulent tax returns in their names. According to court documents, Greenwood also obtained the social security numbers of children and claimed them on the tax returns of unrelated individuals to maximize refundable credits – such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit – and further inflate the fraudulent refunds. Greenwood had more than $296,000 in fraudulent refunds deposited into accounts that he controlled or delivered to addresses he could access. Today, Greenwood was ordered to pay $296,106 in restitution to the IRS.
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Task Force. Trial Attorneys Leslie A. Goemaat and Todd P. Kostyshak of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/tax.
Ponzi and Mortgage Fraud Defendants Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —John Hagener, 77, of Granite Bay, and Dawn C. Powers, 43, of Lincoln, separately pleaded guilty today to conspiracy charges, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Hagener pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud, and Powers pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud for their involvement in a mortgage fraud conspiracy and a large-scale Ponzi scheme in Northern California allegedly run by Lawrence Lee Loomis, aka Lawrence Leland Loomis. Loomis and his father-in-law, Hagener, operated a Ponzi scheme in 2007 and 2008 that victimized more than 100 people and caused more than $7 million of losses related to the sale of shares in an investment program called the Naras Funds.
A previously filed indictment charged Loomis and four other defendants, including Powers, in two related mortgage fraud schemes that caused more than $10 million in losses to mortgage lenders and others. The charges are pending against Loomis and three other defendants. An October 2014 trial date has been set before Judge John A. Mendez in Sacramento. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Paul A. Hemesath is prosecuting the case. The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed separate proceedings against Hagener in an ongoing case.
Hagener and Powers are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge John A. Mendez on June 10, 2014. They face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
North Miami Man Pleads Guilty in $2.4 Million Tax Refund Scam Involving Large-Dollar Fraudulent Tax Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Paula Reid, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and Ronald J. Verrochio, Postal Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announce that Jeaneno Florent, 38, of North Miami, pled guilty today for his role in a tax refund scheme that resulted in the submission of approximately $2.4 million in fraudulent refund claims.
Florent pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Sentencing for Florent is scheduled for May 9, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno. At sentencing, the defendant faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
According to the plea documents, the defendant caused a false and fraudulent individual income tax return in his own name to be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in January 2012. The tax return falsely and fraudulently indicated that the defendant worked at Capitol Records, Inc. and made approximately $8.7 million and was entitled to a refund of approximately $613,000. In reality, the defendant had not worked at Capitol Records and was not entitled to this refund. IRS approved payment and issued a refund check for approximately $613,000 in the defendant’s name.
According to plea documents and documents submitted in court, the defendant also submitted a similar fraudulent tax refund claim with the IRS in 2013 seeking approximately $573,000 and conspired with Gerald Duverger who submitted similar fraudulent tax refund claims for approximately $613,000 and approximately $573,000 in Duverger’s name in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, USSS and USPIS. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger.
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.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GILBERT GALAN, JR., also known as “G” and “Skittles,” 32, of New Haven, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from “Operation Bloodline,” a joint law enforcement investigation targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in the Dwight-Kensington and Fair Haven sections of New Haven. Led by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, the year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps on numerous telephones, extensive physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, execution of search warrants, and seizures of narcotics and firearms. More than 100 individuals were charged as a result of the investigation.
On December 6, 2013, GALAN pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin.
GALAN’s criminal history includes one prior felony narcotics conviction.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia and Meriden Police Departments. The United States Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services and the Milford, Hartford, New Britain, North Branford and Stratford Police Departments have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Marc Silverman.
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(203) 821-3722 [email protected]Montgomery County, Pa., Man Admits Three Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - A Montgomery County, Pa., man today admitted his role in three bank robberies in Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Kyle Wilson, 22, of Fort Washington, Pa., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an information charging him with three counts of bank robbery. In June 2012, Wilson pleaded guilty before Judge Rodriguez to a separate information charging him with traveling from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to commit an aggravated assault in furtherance of an extortion scheme. All three of the bank robberies to which Wilson pleaded guilty occurred after his June 2012 plea while he was released on bail pending sentencing. He is currently detained.
Although the three bank robberies occurred in Pennsylvania, Wilson waived his right to contest venue so that all of his pending criminal charges – the robberies and the prior aggravated assault conviction – could be resolved in the District of New Jersey.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:- On March 6, 2013, Wilson entered a Citizens Bank located inside a Giant Store in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania. He approached the teller and handed him a withdrawal slip that read “the gun will go off, give me some money.” The teller handed Wilson cash, and Wilson left the store.
- On March 11, 2013, Wilson entered a PNC Bank located inside a Giant Store in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. He approached the teller and handed him a note. The teller then heard Wilson warn him not to “hit any buttons” and demand money. The teller handed Wilson cash and Wilson left the store.
- On March 14, 2013, Wilson entered a First Niagara Bank in Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania. He approached the teller, displayed what appeared to be a small black gun, and demanded money. The teller handed Wilson cash, and Wilson left the store.
Each of the three bank robbery counts with which Wilson is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss or gain from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2014.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Department of Labor, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Panella; the Department of Labor-Wage and Hour Division, under the direction of George Ference, regional administrator; Naval Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl DiPrizio, Northeast field office; and the Air Force Office of Special investigations, under the direction of Special Agent Seth Neville, detachment commander, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bruck of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
14-076Defense counsel: Stanley O. King Esq., Woodbury, N.J.
Wilson, Kyle Information
Madeira Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
CINCINNATI – Timothy Lawrence Andriot, 39, of Madeira, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts of production of child pornography. Under terms of the plea agreement, Andriot will spend 25 years in prison.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI), the Regional Electronics Computer Investigations (RECI) in Sheriff Jim Neil’s Office, Madeira Police Chief Frank Maupin, and other agencies in the Greater Cincinnati Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the pleas entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott.
According to court documents, Madeira Police and the Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services were investigating allegations that Andriot had sexually abused two minors in June 2013. Forensic examination by RECI of Andriot’s computers recovered images that Andriot had created of him sexually abusing two minor children.
Andriot was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 13, 2013. He has been in custody since his arrest and will remain in custody until sentencing.
The plea agreement also recommends that Andriot be placed under court supervision for the rest of his life. However the court may reconsider the length of supervised release after Andriot has been under court supervision for at least ten years following his release from prison. While under court supervision, Andriot must register as a sex offender anywhere that he lives, works or goes to school. Judge Dlott will review the terms of the plea agreement and set a date for sentencing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Stewart commended the investigation by Madeira police detectives and investigators with the Greater Cincinnati ICAC, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Muncy, who is prosecuting the case.
Agencies participating in the Greater Cincinnati ICAC include the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil, and the police departments in Amberley Village, Blue Ash, Cincinnati, and West Chester.
# # #Logan Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years for Obstructing $1 Million Arson InvestigationRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Phillip Wayne Workman, 36, of Logan, West Virginia, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for obstructing a joint state and federal arson investigation into a February 1, 2012 fire that destroyed a commercial building at 111 Stratton Street in downtown Logan. Although four individuals—James Gregory Glick, Guy R. Miller, Shawn C. Simon and William Jamey Thompson—pled guilty to their respective roles in the conspiracy to burn the Stratton Street property for the $1 million insurance policy, Workman obstructed that investigation by providing false information to law enforcement, accusing other innocent individuals of conspiring to burn down the building. Workman went so far as to stage a fake secret meeting with an individual in an attempt to corroborate his claims. At his plea hearing on October 31, 2013, Workman admitted that he completely fabricated the meeting, thereby obstructing and jeopardizing the arson and insurance fraud investigation.
Glick, 44, of Logan, will be sentenced on March 13, 2014. Miller, 39, of Logan, and Simon, 41, Charleston, will be sentenced on March 20, 2014. Thompson, 44, of Chapmanville, will be sentenced on March 24, 2014.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed today’s sentence. The West Virginia State Police and the IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Ryan is in charge of the prosecution.
Lee's Summit Firm Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Must Pay $370,000 to VictimsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., company pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in money laundering by conducting financial transactions with funds derived from a wire fraud scheme.
D&D Advisors, LLC, located in Lee’s Summit and represented in court by manager David Vorbeck, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to money laundering.
Beginning in 2002, D&D Advisors served as manager for several LLCs that were created by Dean McBride, a financial planner and licensed insurance agent, to manage life settlement investments.
Three client investors are cited as victims in today’s plea agreement. They entered into investment transactions in which they provided a total of $370,000, which they understood to be secured by two life insurance policies, each having a face death benefit amount of $500,000. They loaned money to Dean McBride and his company, Cowboy Financial Advisors, LLC, with the principal to be repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the two insurance policies or the proceeds from the death benefits of the two insurance policies. However, none of the victims ever received any proceeds.
The specific act of wire fraud admitted in today’s plea agreement involves one of the companies managed by D&D Advisors. The company, Philley Insurance, LLC, sold one of the insurance policies that had been used to guarantee the three investments. Philley Insurance sold the policy to Milestone, an investment company, for $95,000. Philley Insurance made fraudulent claims in its contract with Milestone, which led Milestone to believe that no other entity or person had been promised proceeds of the death benefits and that no other entity or person had a security interest in the policy. However, Philley Insurance knew when it entered into the contract with Milestone that several other investment clients had been promised proceeds from the policy or security interests in the policy. Milestone wired $95,000 to the bank account of D&D Advisors; the other client investors were never paid what they had been promised.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, D&D Advisors must pay $370,000 in restitution to its victims. D&D Advisors must surrender all governmental licenses and file a notice of dissolution within seven days of the sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. D&D Advisors may conduct only those activities necessary to wind up its affairs, then must file articles of termination.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roseann A. Ketchmark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.Kewa Pueblo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Statutory Rape ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lester Nieto, 28, of Kewa Pueblo, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for his statutory rape conviction. Nieto will be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence.
Nieto was arrested on March 5, 2013, on an indictment charging him with engaging in a sexual act with a child between the age of 12 and 16 years on Jan. 1, 2012, in a location within Kewa Pueblo. Nieto entered a guilty plea to the indictment on Sept. 13, 2013, and was remanded into custody pending his sentencing hearing.
This case was investigated by the Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Dallas Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States has asked a federal court in Dallas, Texas, to permanently bar Ricia Daniels and her company, Ricia’s Convenience Tax Service, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The complaint alleges that, through her business, Daniels understates her customers’ federal tax liabilities by reporting false or inflated personal and business expenses, reporting false or inflated education expenses and improperly claiming other tax credits. According to the complaint, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigation revealed that 97 out of 98 income tax returns prepared by Daniels and audited by the IRS resulted in understatements of her customers’ tax liabilities. The government alleges that the tax harm caused by these understatements exceeds $500,000.
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. Ricia Daniels, et al.
Complaint for Permanent Injunction and Other ReliefJudge Sentences Tarentum Woman to 3 Years in Prison for Defrauding Citizens BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Tarentum woman has been sentenced in federal court to 36 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on her conviction of bank fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence on Suzanne Czwalga Andre, 48.
According to information presented to the court, from July 2011 to November 2011, Andre negotiated fraudulent checks at various branches of Citizens Bank that she knew would not be honored by the banks on whose accounts the checks were drawn.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Andre.
Jemez Pueblo Man Sentenced to Thirty-Two Years in Federal Prison for Second Degree Murder ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lucas Michael Ray Toledo, 25, a resident and enrolled member of Jemez Pueblo, was sentenced this morning to 32 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for his second degree murder conviction. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough and Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI.
Toledo was arrested on Sept. 29, 2010, on a criminal complaint alleging that he murdered a 21-year-old man who was also a member of Jemez Pueblo. Toledo subsequently was indicted on that same charge in Oct. 2010. Proceedings in the case were delayed by competency proceedings.
According to court filings, Toledo murdered the victim in the early hours of Sept. 29, 2010, outside Toledo’s residence on Jemez Pueblo. Toledo acknowledged murdering the victim sometime after 1:30 a.m. after the victim repeatedly disrupted Toledo as he was attempting to sleep by knocking on Toledo’s bedroom window. In response to the victim’s disruptive behavior, Toledo went outside and attacked the victim, stabbing him repeatedly with a box-cutter razor and kitchen knife and beating him with a shovel.
On Sept. 11, 2013, Toledo pled guilty this morning to a felony information charging him with second degree murder. In entering his guilty plea, Toledo admitted killing the victim by stabbing him with a knife and beating him with a shovel.
The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI with assistance from the Jemez Pueblo Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez.
Information: Federal Court ArraignmentsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office today announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lynch in Missoula on February 25, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- CALVIN CLELAND, a 28-year-old resident of Butte, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, CLELAND faces 40 years imprisonment, $5,000,000 in fines and 4 years supervised release. PACER Case Reference: 13-24
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ostby in Billings on February 25, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- RODNEY TOMMIE STEWART, a resident of Crow Agency, appeared on charges of habitual offender of domestic assault. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, STEWART faces 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. PACER Case Reference: 14-20
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Strong in Great Falls on February 27, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- DANIEL WALTER SZWEDKOWICZ, appeared on charges of possession of stolen firearms. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, SZWEDKOWICZ faces 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. PACER Case Reference: 14-06
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ostby in Billings on February 27, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- TRAVIS JOHN BELL, a 22-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and burglary involving controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious offense contained in the indictment, BELL faces 20 years imprisonment, $1,000,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Billings Police Department. PACER Case Reference - 14-16
- HOWARD EMBRY, a 39-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of felon in possession, unlawful user of controlled substance in possession. If convicted of the most serious offenses contained in the indictment, EMBRY faces 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. PACER Case Reference - 14-21
- DYLAN FROST, a 32-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, FROST faces 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. PACER Case Reference - 14-18
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Strong in Great Falls on February 28, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- CLAYTON WILLARD CARTER, a 23-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of possession of stolen firearms. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, CARTER faces 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm, and the Missoula Police Department. PACER Case Reference - 14-06
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on March 3, 2014 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:
- KIM TROTTIER HIRT, a 55-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering and possession with intent to distribute. If convicted of the most serious offenses contained in the indictment, HIRT faces life imprisonment, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release. The case was investigated by the HIDTA Task Force. PACER Case Reference - 14-10
The indictment is merely a formal charging document. It is not proof of guilt and all persons indicted are presumed to be innocent of any crime until proof of guilt is established by trial or guilty plea.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is currently transitioning its media program to new media contacts. Resources and this transition may affect the amount of information the office can process and disclose in a timely manner. Therefore, if any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html.
To access the district court's calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
Indictment: 8 Pounds of MethamphetamineHidden in Trunk of Women's CarRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - Two New Mexico women were indicted Tuesday on charges of bringing more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine to Wichita, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Annabell Romero, 37, Tucumcari, N.M., and Pamela Y. Meier, 43, Tucumcari, New Mexico, were charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of traveling in interstate commerce in furtherance of drug trafficking.
They initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita March 1. An affidavit in support of the complaint alleged that on Feb. 28 they were driving eastbound in the 21000 block of west US 54 when they were stopped by a deputy of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s. Investigators found the methamphetamine in duct taped bundles inside four brown paper sacks that were hidden in the lining of the trunk. Investigators learned the two women were being paid to transport the drugs from Phoenix to Wichita.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the charge of possession with intent to distribute, and maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other charge. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Osiel Torres-Guerrero, 35, and Pedro Antonio Torres, 39, both in custody at the Leavenworth Detention Center of CCA, are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 3.8 pounds of methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 20 in Wabaunsee County, Kan.
An affidavit filed in the case alleges the methamphetamine was found in their car when they were stopped by the Kansas Highway Patrol while driving eastbound on I-70 near mile marker 322 in Wabaunsee County.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.
Luis Felipe Cortez-Parra, 23, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately 2 kilograms (more than 4.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 10, 2013, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Jeremy L. Landon, 49, Garden City, Kan., and Crystal A. Castanada, 27, Garden City, Kan., are charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 24 in Garden City, Kan.
If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
Keenan R. Linneman, 33, Emporia, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Nov. 4 in Emporia.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $500,000 on the marijuana charge, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other charge. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Gabriel Marceleno-Lopez, a citizen of Mexico,is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Feb. 25, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Marla R. McDonald, 25, Garden City, Kan., is charged with making false statements in order to receive about $17,500 in Social Security Administration child survivor’s benefits to which she was not entitled. The crime is alleged to have occurred Sept. 22, 2011, in Garden City.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
John William Kerbow, 45, Wichita, Kan., is charged with six counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of attempted bank fraud. The indictment alleges he used counterfeit driver’s licenses and false checks to attempt to defraud Commerce Bank of Newton, Commerce Bank of Wichita, Intrust Bank of Wichita and Conway Bank of Wichita.
If convicted, he faces a mandatory two years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count of attempted bank fraud. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Placing Hoax Bomb on City BusRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to placing a hoax explosive device on a public bus in Independence.
Scott Gene Bradley, 37, of Independence, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the hoax.
By pleading guilty today, Bradley admitted that he left a suspicious-looking package, designed to look like a bomb, on an IndeBus, part of the public bus service that provides transportation services in Independence. The hoax device was a black lock box with a cell phone taped to the top and a wire running from the cell phone into the interior of the metal box.
An IndeBus driver found the package, which was in a reusable fabric grocery-type bag, under a rear passenger seat on Aug. 10, 2013. The driver believed a passenger had left the bag under the seat and placed it in the front of the bus under the dash area. Upon arriving back at the bus terminal at the end of her shift, the driver left the bag on the bus and exited, intending to report the bag. The bus company does not operate on Sundays and when that driver returned to work on Monday, she had forgotten about the bag.
A second driver drove the bus during the following week. On Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, upon exiting the bus at end of the day, the second driver noticed the bag. Believing it belonged to another driver or passenger, the second driver took the bag into the bus maintenance area. The driver set the bag down and left for a meeting.
The next morning, Friday, Aug. 16, 2013, the bag was discovered by maintenance personnel, one of whom had prior military experience and immediately recognized the cell phone and box as a possible improvised explosive device. A maintenance worker removed the bag from the building and placed it outside in the parking lot area. The bus company notified law enforcement.
Over the course of several hours, Independence bomb squad personnel, in conjunction with FBI bomb technicians, were able to determine the suspicious package was a hoax device constructed to look like a real improvised explosive device. Agents determined that the phone taped to the top of the black box was owned by Bradley.
When agents interviewed Bradley, he admitted to putting the hoax device on the bus. Bradley told agents he created the hoax device because he was frustrated with several aspects of his life, including how the IndeBus did not run on schedule. Bradley also told agents that he created a second hoax bomb, which he intended to place in the U.S. Postal Service slot at a grocery store to disrupt the U.S. mail. Bradley explained that he did not go forward with that plan because he discovered that the mail slot area at the grocery store has surveillance cameras.
Under federal statutes, Bradley is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. 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 Brian P. Casey. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Independence Fire Department, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Lee’s Summit Fire Department, the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the National Guard.Holden Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0357Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nicholas
McDonald, 32, of Holden, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.According to Court records, on April 5, 2013, the defendant was arrested after he fled from a vehicle that was stopped by law enforcement agents in Holden, Maine. He was found hiding in the woods nearby. Following his arrest, he was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment where agents discovered a package of heroin concealed inside his body. In the vehicle, agents found a safe containing a Sig Sauer Model P226, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a digital scale, and items typically used to package illegal drugs. The defendant’s DNA was found on the safe and firearm.
In 2006, the defendant was convicted in Maine of felony failure to report to serve a sentence of imprisonment.He faces up to 20 years in prison on each charge, a $2,000,000 fine on the drug charge and a $500,000 fine on the firearm charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the
Holden, Maine Police Department, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department, with the assistance of the Brewer Police Department, the Maine State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Hogsett Announces Sentencing of Hendricks County Man on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Prosecution represents more results in U.S. Attorney’s ongoing "Operation Community Watch"
INDIANAPOLIS B Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced the sentencing of Avon resident William Donald Horner, age 58, to 70 months in federal prison after his admission of guilt to charges that he possessed child pornography. This prosecution comes as the U.S. Attorney’s Office has recommitted to Operation Community Watch, a federal effort which aims to reduce the abuse of Hoosier children through innovative investigative techniques and aggressive prosecution.
“Through our Operation Community Watch initiative, we have joined with state and local partners to make clear that we will not tolerate child exploitation in Indiana,” Hogsett said. “With innovation and vigilance, we are unmasking these online predators and holding them accountable for their criminal activity.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Jones stated, "The distribution of child pornography over the internet is not a harmless, non-violent, victimless act. I am pleased that our relationship with our state and local law enforcement partners produced this sentence and I am confident that, together, we will continue to use every technique in our arsenal to investigate, locate, arrest, prosecute and imprison anyone involved in these acts."
On September 2, 2012, an abandoned computer containing child pornography was located at Horner’s previous residence in Indianapolis. On October 24, 2012, detectives with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sought and were granted a search warrant for Horner’s current residence located in Avon, Indiana. Detectives located a laptop computer inside Horner’s office. A forensic investigation revealed hundreds of videos and images of child pornography on the laptop, including depictions of sexual abuse against children younger than age twelve.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted the case for the government, Horner was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release at the end of his prison term, and must comply with state and federal requirements as a registered sexual 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 Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a larger nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Hogsett pointed out that in the last Project Safe Childhood reporting year, the Office prosecuted 52 defendants, an increase of 37% over the prior year, and 49 defendants were convicted and sentenced. These are all-time records for the Office. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Hogsett Announces Department of Justice Director’s Award for Lead Durham ProsecutorRead the Press Release
Assistant United States Attorney Winfield Ong honored for public corruption trial
INDIANAPOLIS- Joseph H. Hogsett announced today a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has received the prestigious Director’s Award from the Executive Office of United States Attorneys. Winfield D. Ong, a 25 year veteran of the U.S. Attorney’s Office received the award for his work in the Tim Durham trial.
Ong, prosecuted Tim Durham, James Cochran and Rick Snow on a white collar fraud case in the Southern District of Indiana, resulting in the largest white collar fraud sentence imposed in the district and brought justice to the approximate 5,000 victims who lost over $200,000,000. Durham, Cochran, and Snow were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud. The defendants “loaned” the investor funds to themselves and their financially unsuccessful companies without the investors’ knowledge. The investigation involved the seizure and subsequent sale of Durham’s art and classic car collection. Pre-trial litigation involved Durham’s unsuccessful efforts to suppress incriminating conversations intercepted during the wiretap of his cellular telephone. Following a two-week jury trial, Durham, Cochran, and Snow were convicted. Durham was sentenced to fifty years incarceration, Cochran to twenty- five years, and Snow to ten years.
“I could not be more proud of an outstanding employee like Winfield Ong,” said Hogsett. “He personifies all that is good about public service and makes me proud to be associated with this office.”
Winfield Ong, 55, is a native of Evansville, Indiana, attended DePauw University for his undergraduate degree and Lewis and Clark University in Portland, OR, for his law degree. Winfield and his wife Jennifer have three children and live in Indianapolis. He enjoys outdoor activities which include cycling, tennis, hiking, snow skiing and kayaking.
The Director’s Award honors employees from U.S. Attorney’s offices around the country who have supported the mission of their office and distinguished themselves through extraordinary professional achievements and excellence. Mr. Ong was selected from nearly 1000 nominees nation-wide
Hampton Man Sentenced on Bank Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jason Pratt, 30, of Hampton, New Hampshire, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 41 months in prison for unarmed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed bank robbery, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.
On March 22, April 3, and April 20, 2013, Pratt walked into three banks in Hampton and Seabrook, New Hampshire, where he presented a handwritten note demanding money, and made off with a grand total of $11,740 in stolen funds.Special Agents Laura Hanlon and John Ennis led the investigation for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with the Police Departments of Hampton and Seabrook, New Hampshire. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.