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Friday 23 August 2013
Story County Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA - On August 22, 2013, Donald Dean Jensen, age 58, of rural Story County, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for alien smuggling. In addition, the Court ordered Jensen to pay a $5,000 fine.
As part of his guilty plea, the Jensen admitted to paying another individual to unlawfully smuggle two Mexican women into the United States on separate occasions in 2010. On both occasions, Jensen was aware the women had not received prior official authorization to enter the United States. At sentencing, the women testified they were expected to cook, clean and have sexual relations with Jensen during their stay in Iowa. Both women also testified about the limited communication and feeling of isolation they encountered during their stay at Jensen’s rural residence.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
(Download Press Release )
Stock Broker Sentenced on Wire Fraud Charges for Executing International Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Hector Gallardo, a registered representative and a holder of Series 7 and 63 licenses issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, was sentenced to 60 months in prison in connection with his wire fraud conviction. On December 13, 2012, Gallardo pled guilty to wire fraud for stealing investments induced through false promises of exorbitant monthly investment returns. In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Sandra L. Townes imposed a term of supervised release of three years and fines and forfeiture awards totaling $876,193.
The sentence was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service.
“Hector Gallardo told international investors a tale of safe and lucrative investing through a professional trading corporation. His story was nothing more than a fairy tale, designed to part the investors from their money and to fund his own lavish lifestyle. Ultimately, the truth caught up with Gallardo, and justice has now been served,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “Protecting investors, foreign and domestic, from fraudulent schemes is a priority of this Office and the Department of Justice. Those who commit these crimes will be aggressively tracked down and prosecuted.”
Between January and October 2007, the defendant, a registered representative employed at the New York office of Orion Trading, LLC, which did business as “Brokerlatino,” solicited investments from two representatives of an investment firm in Bolivia (“the Bolivian investors”) that had collected and bundled funds from at least 350 Bolivian retail investors, each of whom invested sums ranging from approximately $100 to $32,000. Lured by the defendant’s promises of monthly returns between nine and fifteen percent, the Bolivian investors wired approximately $1.15 million to Ventel Enterprises Corporation (“Ventel”), a sham corporation the defendant had falsely described as comprising “professional traders” who bought and sold a wide variety of securities for investors. In the course of the fraud, the defendant returned approximately $250,000 of the Bolivian investors’ investment to fraudulently demonstrate illusory returns on the investment, and to maintain the ruse that the investment was performing well.
In fact, the defendant did not invest any of the Bolivian investors’ money as promised. At most, he invested approximately $190,000 of their money in stocks and bonds through nominee accounts at three brokerages and lost virtually the entire amount – a fact that he did not disclose to the Bolivian investors. As for the remaining approximately $685,000 of the investment, the defendant stole that money and used it to pay his and his family’s expenses, including airline tickets and multiple trips to Atlantic City. The defendant’s scheme fell apart when the Bolivian investors demanded to see the documentation associated with their purported investments with Ventel. In total, the Bolivian investors’ lost approximately $900,000 of their investments with the defendant and Ventel.
After the defendant’s scheme was brought to the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the defendant fled to Venezuela in September 2009. The defendant later re-entered the United States, where he was tracked by law enforcement to his new home in Long Island City, Queens.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James G. McGovern.
This prosecution was the result of efforts by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, visit http://www.StopFraud.gov.
The Defendants
Name: HECTOR GALLARDO
Age: 40Smithton Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Kyle W. Oberg, 37, of Smithton, Illinois, was charged on a two-count Indictment charging him with Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. The alleged violations took place between on or about November 23, 2012, and June 27, 2013, in St. Clair County. After a detention hearing, the Court ordered that Oberg be held without bond pending trial.
“My office will not cease to protect the most vulnerable individuals in our society.” noted United States Attorney Wigginton. “Crimes against children hurt every member of our society.”
A trial date has been set for October 28, 2013. If convicted, Oberg faces a term of imprisonment of not less than fifteen (15) years but not more than 30 years of imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five (5) years up to life.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Smithton Police Department and the United States Secret Service Southern Illinois Cyber-Crime Unit. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
Salisbury Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Gary Allen Mitchell, age 42, of Salisbury, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to bank robbery. Mitchell has two prior federal bank robbery convictions – one each in Maryland and Delaware.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan.
According to his plea agreement, on March 21, 2013, Mitchell robbed the PNC bank in the 300 block of Civic Avenue in Salisbury. Mitchell gave the teller a note stating that he was robbing the bank, that he would harm the teller if she did not comply with his demands, and that he had a gun. Mitchell had his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun. Mitchell further advised that the teller should not pull the alarm, nor give him any marked money, dye packs, or tracking devices. The teller gave Mitchell $4,177, including a tracking device within a stack of $50 bills, as per bank policy. Mitchell became angry, threw the stack of money on the counter, and told the teller that he had instructed her not to do that. Police officers arrested Mitchell, who was found smoking crack cocaine shortly after the bank robbery, and recovered the proceeds of the robbery.Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz scheduled sentencing for November 15, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and Salisbury Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who is prosecuting the case.Rosebud Woman Charged with Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding and Simple AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Myra Ree, a/k/a Myra Iron Shell, age 24, of Rosebud, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on August 22, 2013, and pled guilty to Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding and Simple Assault.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 6 months in custody, a $5,000 fine, or both; and $10 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place on January 28, 2013, when a fight ensued between Ree and the victim. Ree struck the victim and bit him on the arm, wounding him.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. Maher.
A sentencing date was set for September 5, 2013. Ree was released on bond pending sentencing.Racketeering Charges Filed Against Alleged Members of Violent Loan Sharking and Illegal Gambling OrganizationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - An indictment was unsealed today charging nine people in a loan sharking and illegal gambling ring allegedly run out of several Philadelphia businesses. Ylli Gjeli, 48, Fatimir Mustafaraj, 41, George Markakis, 43, Gezim Asllani, 34, Rezart Rahmi Telushi, 40, Eneo Jahaj, 26, Ardit Pone, 35, all of Philadelphia, PA, Erion Murataj, 35, of Huntingdon Valley, and Brian Jackson, 35, of Harleysville, were arrested this morning. They are named in an indictment charging racketeering conspiracy, racketeering collection of unlawful debt, making extortionate extensions of credit, collections of extensions of credit by extortionate means, operating an illegal gambling business, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The charges were announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ed Hanko and Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Akeia Conner.According to the indictment, the defendants and their associates used businesses located in Philadelphia - including the Lion Bar & Grill, Blackbird Café, “Ylli’s 2 Brothers,” First England Pizza, and various coffee shops, among others - to conduct the enterprise’s loan sharking activities and illegal gambling business. The defendants allegedly generated money by making and collecting on loans with usurious rates of interest; using intimidation, threats, and violence to make and collect on loans; and making loans to betting customers whose debts were incurred through the enterprise’s illegal gambling business.
Members and associates of the enterprise allegedly cultivated their reputation for violence by threatening customers with dangerous weapons such as a firearm and hatchet; using implied threats and intimidation; telling customers that if they did not pay their debts someone would kill them, “break your legs,” or physically harm them or their family members in some other way; and physically assaulting subordinate members and associates.
It is further alleged that the defendants attempted to conceal the existence and operations of the enterprise from law enforcement by: limiting their discussions of criminal activities when on the phone, using cryptic and coded language to describe criminal activities, such as “pizza” to describe a loan; conducting pat-downs and body searches of customers to check for weapons and recording devices; and conducting the enterprise’s transactions primarily in cash.
“The indictment charges the defendants with running a violent loan sharking and gambling enterprise, using intimidation, threats, and actual violence as part of their illegal business,” said Memeger. “We will not tolerate this type of criminal activity that preys upon financial weakness and threatens the physical safety of the individuals in debt and their innocent family members.”
“The indictment unsealed today charges nine defendants with operating a criminal enterprise built on illegal gambling and a violent extortion racket,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. “The Justice Department will not stand by as criminal organizations victimize our communities. Today’s charges demonstrate our ongoing commitment to working alongside our federal, state and local counterparts to root out organized crime.”
“The defendants allegedly victimized people twice over,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Hanko. “They provided loans at outrageous interest rates to those unable to obtain loans from traditional sources and then used threats and violence to collect on those illegal loans. Today's arrests demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment to ridding Philadelphia of organized crime, wherever we find it.”
“Individuals who engage in this type of financial fraud should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable,” said Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Akeia Conner. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to ‘following the money trail’ to ensure that those who engage in these illegal activities are vigorously investigated and brought to justice.”
According to the indictment, Gjeli was a leader and “boss” of the organization; Mustafaraj, a/k/a “Tony,” was a leader and “muscle.” Both allegedly directed other members in the loan sharking activities and illegal gambling business, approved loans, used intimidation and threats of violence against customers, collected weekly loan payments, physically assaulted subordinate members and associates, supervised the illegal gambling business, provided cash to pay customer’s gambling wins and otherwise financed the gambling business, collected gambling debts, and made loans to customers whose debts were incurred through the illegal gambling business. Markakis, a/k/a “George the Greek,” a/k/a “Fat George,” was allegedly a leader of the enterprise who directed other members in the illegal gambling business. Defendants Murataj, a/k/a “Ben,” a/k/a “Paul,” and Asllani, a/k/a “Sam,” were allegedly “collectors” who assisted Gjeli and Mustafaraj in making loans and regularly collected weekly loan payments from customers. Defendant Telushi, a/k/a “Luigi,” was allegedly a “collector” who regularly collected weekly loan payments from customers. Defendants Jahaj, a/k/a “Nimo,” Brian Jackson, a/k/a “Mark,” and Ardit Pone were allegedly “bookies” who operated parts of the illegal gambling business and regularly collected gambling debts. Jahaj and Jackson also set up and administered online accounts to facilitate customer betting and used the enterprise’s loan sharking activities to convert the gambling debts to loans.
If convicted of all charges, defendants Gjeli and Mustafaraj face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. The remaining defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, Montgomery County Detectives, and the New Jersey State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Salvatore L. Astolfi and Trial Attorney Jerome Maiatico from the Department of Justice Organized Crime & Gang Section.
Click here to view the indictment
An indictment is an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Over 12 Pounds of Methamphetamine Seized in Multiple Law Enforcement Agency OperationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the charging by Complaint of Jose Duarte, a.k.a "Margarito Garcia-Camacho" (45), a Mexican national residing in Highlands County; Ivan (a.k.a: "Costancio") Cabrerra-Pineda (41), a Mexican national residing in Charlotte County, and Brittnay Farabee (23), of Charlotte County, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted on all counts, each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the Complaint, on August 19, 2013, Duarte was approached by law enforcement at his residence in Lake Placid, Florida and admitted to being illegally in the United States after having been deported. He also admitted that he had been involved in the purchasing and selling of methamphetamine. Later, on that same date, investigators observed the delivery of approximately 5.4 pounds of methamphetamine from Cabrera-Pineda and Farabee to Duarte. The individuals were then taken into custody. A subsequent search was conducted at Farabee's residence, in Punta Gorda, where an additional seven pounds of methamphetamine was seized by law enforcement.
A Complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Border Patrol, the Hardee County Sheriff's Office, the Desoto County Sheriff's Office, and the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathy J.M. Peluso.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Theft of U.S. Government Money and PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on August 21, 2013, Senior United States District Court Judge Lyle E. Strom sentenced Christopher Stevens, age 52, to 6 months imprisonment, following his conviction for Theft of U.S. Government Money and Property. Stevens was also ordered to serve a three year term of supervised release after serving his prison term and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. He was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $71,191.49.
During the period of March 18, 2007, through May 16, 2012, Christopher Stevens received approximately $43,722.00 in unentitled Social Security Disability benefits and $27,469.49 in unentitled Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services benefits in a fraudulent manner by failing to advise the Social Security Administration and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services that, while receiving his benefits, he was employed as a counselor and property manager. On several occasions, Mr. Stevens provided false information and failed to advise the Social Security Administration and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regarding his true work status. Had the Social Security Administration and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services known that he was employed as a counselor and property manager, he would not have been provided the amount of benefits received.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Olean Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Edmund J. Renaud, 70, of Olean, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny, to tax evasion. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gretchen L. Wylegala, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant failed to pay employment taxes for businesses he ran from 2002 through 2008. Renaud ran Southern Tier Moving and Storage, Inc., in Olean until 2002, when the Internal Revenue Service assessed over $48,000 in unpaid federal payroll taxes. Upon shutting down that entity, Renaud opened Southern Tier Moving and Storage, LLC, where from 2002 until 2006, Renaud similarly failed to pay over $86,000 in federal payroll taxes. When IRS revenue officers tried to collect the money, the defendant provided false information about bank accounts and other assets, including a truck he had gotten as a result of accumulating “comp” credits at the Seneca Allegany Casino.In 2007, Renaud filed an Offer in Compromise, settling about $150,000 in taxes due for payment of only $1500. The information that the defendant provided to the IRS in connection with that Offer in Compromise was false in several respects, including false claims that the defendant was out of business, failure to identify bank accounts, and failure to disclose company assets. In fact, while Renaud was not paying his taxes, his companies were receiving income, and he was gambling heavily. Renaud also was the recipient of a significant Workmen’s Compensation award of approximately $100,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Renaud's plea comes on the eve of trial, which was scheduled to begin next week. The trial was to be handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wylegala and Edward White.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni Weirauch, New York Field Office.Olean Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Edmund J. Renaud, 70, of Olean, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny, to tax evasion. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gretchen L. Wylegala, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant failed to pay employment taxes for businesses he ran from 2002 through 2008. Renaud ran Southern Tier Moving and Storage, Inc., in Olean until 2002, when the Internal Revenue Service assessed over $48,000 in unpaid federal payroll taxes. Upon shutting down that entity, Renaud opened Southern Tier Moving and Storage, LLC, where from 2002 until 2006, Renaud similarly failed to pay over $86,000 in federal payroll taxes. When IRS revenue officers tried to collect the money, the defendant provided false information about bank accounts and other assets, including a truck he had gotten as a result of accumulating “comp” credits at the Seneca Allegany Casino.In 2007, Renaud filed an Offer in Compromise, settling about $150,000 in taxes due for payment of only $1500. The information that the defendant provided to the IRS in connection with that Offer in Compromise was false in several respects, including false claims that the defendant was out of business, failure to identify bank accounts, and failure to disclose company assets. In fact, while Renaud was not paying his taxes, his companies were receiving income, and he was gambling heavily. Renaud also was the recipient of a significant Workmen’s Compensation award of approximately $100,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Renaud's plea comes on the eve of trial, which was scheduled to begin next week. The trial was to be handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wylegala and Edward White.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni Weirauch, New York Field Office.Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - George L. Beck, Jr., United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, Stephen Richardson, Special Agent in Charge of Mobile Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Paul Register, Chief of Police for the Auburn Police Division will hold a press conference to announce the indictment, arrest and dismantlement of a high stakes dog fighting and gambling organization. Press releases and other handouts will be provided at the conference. The press conference will be held on Monday, August 26, 2013, at 10:30 a.m., at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 131 Clayton Street, Montgomery, Alabama, and the media is invited.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617Managing Member of Altamont Global Partners Pleads Guilty to $16 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that John G. Wilkins (63, Chuluota, Florida) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Wilkins is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. Wilkins has also agreed to forfeit more than $4 million that is being held in various bank and trading accounts. These monies will be returned to the victims of the fraud, as partial payment towards the expected restitution in the case of over $16 million. Sentencing has been set for November 21, 2013.
According to court documents, Altamont Global Partners, L.L.C. owned or managed a series of investment funds. Altamont Global began operating business in 2009. Wilkins joined the company in 2009 and later became one of its managing members.
The Matterhorn Fund, LLC was the first fund for which investors were solicited by Altamont Global. To induce individuals to invest, Wilkins and others falsely represented that the Matterhorn Fund had a long history of making profits and that the individual who would be handling the trading was a graduate of Stanford University, worked for Salomon Brothers as an institutional investment advisor, and had successfully traded worldwide investment vehicles for more than three decades.
In the first quarter of 2010, the Matterhorn Fund experienced significant trading losses. Rather than accurately reporting those losses on the quarterly statements, Wilkins falsified the quarterly statements to falsely claim that the Matterhorn Fund was earning an above-market rate of return.
The false rates of returns that were claimed for the Matterhorn Fund were then used to induce individuals to invest in the McKinley Fund. The McKinley Fund also lost money and Wilkins, again, falsified the quarterly statements for that fund. Wilkins and others then used their alleged performance with the Matterhorn Fund and the McKinley Fund to solicit investments in two other funds: Midas Management Partners LLC and Binary Strategy One Fund, LLC. In total, more than 200 individuals invested more than $16 million in the four funds owned or managed by Altamont Global.
In June 2012, the National Futures Association (NFA) conducted a surprise examination of Altamont Global. During that examination, the NFA discovered that the quarterly statements were being falsified to hide losses and that the net asset values of the Matterhorn Fund and the McKinley Fund were being inflated to make it appear that trading had been successful.
On July 16, 2012, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a complaint against Wilkins and others. The District Court entered an emergency order that same day, freezing the assets of the defendants in that civil case.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the State of Florida, Office of Financial Regulation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Lower Brule Man Charged with Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Malcolm Andrews, age 19, was indicted on July 17, 2013, for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. Andrews appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 2013, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; 3 years of supervised release and an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation; and a mandatory $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge is merely an accusation, and Andrews is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Andrews was released on bond pending trial which has been set for October 22, 2013.Local Businessmen Convicted for Hiring and Transporting Undocumented AliensRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Thomas Gard, of Nederland, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiring to transport undocumented aliens, concealing and harboring undocumented aliens and inducing and encouraging their residence in the U.S. for commercial advantage and financial gain, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Houston. Gard, 50, was charged along with Phillip Taylor Hallmark, 49, of Winnie, in relation to the August 2010 transportation of at least 42 undocumented aliens to cleanup an oil spill in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Hallmark, the owner of Hallmark Industrial Services Inc. (HIS), pleaded guilty to the conspiracy April 11, 2013. Gard was a manager at HIS.
“Jobs are a major reason people come to America - be it in accordance with our laws or by breaking them. Those who facilitate the latter for the sake of profit need to understand that their actions come with a price,” said Moskowitz. “Those involved in the illicit hiring of workers should take note - doing business in this manner could wind up costing them their freedom.”
According to the factual basis in support of Gard’s plea today, HIS was contracted by Garner Environmental to clean up a ruptured Enbridge pipeline that resulted in an oil spill in Kalamazoo. Agents learned HIS knowingly employed undocumented aliens to clean up the oil spill and fraudulently completed work authorization forms on their behalf. It was a part of the conspiracy that the aliens were housed in hotels, provided meals and transportation to and from the worksite while they worked to clean the oil spill.
To further the employment of the undocumented aliens, Hallmark and Gard paid them in cash. HIS would cash the undocumented aliens’ checks en masse at a local bank in Winnie for the work done in Michigan. Once the checks were cashed, Hallmark would pay the undocumented aliens less than what he was paid by the contractor. The aliens claimed they never saw the checks before they were cashed and were paid $800 per week.
The investigation revealed the undocumented aliens received less than what the contractor paid HIS.
Gard admitted he conspired with Hallmark to transport the undocumented aliens back from Michigan after a now former U.S. Congressman accused HIS of hiring undocumented aliens to clean up the Kalamazoo oil spill. Gard assisted in arranging the transportation, travel, food and hotel accommodations for the undocumented aliens.
Both Hallmark and Gard face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine at sentencing. Hallmark is set for Oct. 25, 2013, while Gard will be sentenced Nov. 8, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
HSI investigated. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kebharu Smith and Suzanne Elmilady.
Las Vegas Attorney Paul Wommer Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Structuring Bank Deposits and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Las Vegas attorney Paul Wommer was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 41 months in federal prison for making structured bank deposits to hide money from the IRS, evading income taxes, and filing a false tax return, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Wommer, 60, of Las Vegas, was found guilty in April following a bench trial. Wommer was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $7,500 fine and forfeit any proceeds of his crimes. Judge Navarro also found that Wommer’s testimony at trial was not credible and increased his prison sentence for obstruction of justice. Wommer was permitted to self-report to federal prison by Nov. 20, 2013.
“Mr. Wommer is the second attorney in the last three months in Nevada to be convicted and sentenced to prison for trying to hide money from the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “If you do not pay taxes on your income and conceal the income from the IRS, the penalties are severe when you are caught.”
According to the court records and evidence introduced at trial, between June 30 and July 15, 2010, Wommer made or assisted in 15 structured deposits totaling $138,700 for the purpose of evading bank reporting requirements. These deposits were made as part of a pattern of illegal activity involving more than $100,000 during a 12-month time period. During that same time period, Wommer willfully attempted to evade federal income taxes in the amount of $13,020 by concealing and attempting to conceal his assets, by making false statements to the IRS, and by placing funds and property in the names of nominees.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew W. Duncan.
Today's announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.Hogansburg, New York - Woman pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy in 2009 and 2010 to smuggle over 18,000 endangered and threatened reptiles from the United States into Canada.Read the Press Release
Richard S. Hartunian, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, announced today that Olivia Terrance, 28, of Hogansburg, New York, pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy in 2009 and 2010 to smuggle over 18,000 endangered and threatened reptiles from the United States into Canada, in violation of Title 18 United States Code section 371. The Honorable Judge Norman A. Mordue sentenced Terrance to 18 months in jail to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Terrance smuggled turtles and reptiles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars into Canada where they were sold to retailers and collectors. She was caught when law enforcement followed her by car and helicopter after she received a shipment of wildlife and transported it by boat into Canada.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the Mohawk Nation Tribal Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig A. Benedict. Questions may be directed to AUSA Benedict at 315-448-0726 or cell phone at 315-391-1110.Health Care Nurse SentencedRead the Press Release
Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Melody Milton, 38, of Albany, Georgia, was sentenced on August 22, 2013, following her guilty pleas on August 23, 2012 , to embezzlement of government property and aggravated identity theft. She received a sentence of seventy (70) months imprisonment and was ordered to pay $110,431 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Ms. Milton, formerly a home health care nurse employed by Phoebe Putney Home Health Care, admitted that she opened bank accounts in the name of “Quick Cash Check Cashing” at two Albany area banks for the purpose of facilitating the illegal scheme. Ms. Milton would fraudulently obtain Internal Revenue Service refund checks at a post office box she opened in order to receive these checks directly. The checks were in the names of other persons without their knowledge or consent, many of whom were her own patients, while she was employed at Phoebe Home Health Care. She would then negotiate the checks for her own use by depositing the third party checks into these bank accounts which were controlled by her. The total value of all the Treasury checks is $282,428.00.
“While she should have been caring for her patients, Ms. Milton was stealing their identities and using them to steal from the U.S. Treasury. Identity theft is not a ‘victimless’ crime, and my office will continue to make the prosecution of these cases a priority. Ms. Milton will now have a new identity – she will be known as a federal inmate,” said United States Attorney Michael Moore.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Crane.
Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney's Office at (478) 621-2602.
Grand Jury Indicts Former CEO/Owner of Valley Dairy for fraud related to State of Alaska Loans and USDA Grant FundsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Wasilla woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage for defrauding the State of Alaska and for making false statements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The six-count indictment named Karen B. Olson, 57, of Wasilla, Alaska, as the sole defendant.
The indictment alleges this offense occurred in connection with the construction and management of Valley Dairy, Inc., doing business as Matanuska Creamery, in Palmer, Alaska. Olson is also charged with concealing the criminal conduct of Kyle E. Beus, the former President and co-owner of the Dairy, who was indicted in December 2012, and is currently awaiting trial.
According to the indictment presented to the grand jury, Olson, in September 2008, as an investor and the CEO of Valley Dairy, executed a scheme beginning in September 2008 and continuing through December 2008, to illegally obtain a $430,000 loan from the State of Alaska, Division of Agriculture, in order to conceal the true nature of Valley Dairy finances and the losses to the Dairy caused by the alleged illegal activity of Beus, the former co-owner and President of Valley Dairy.
Beus is alleged to have executed a scheme beginning in December 2007, and continuing through March 2008, to obtain money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture by submitting false documents in order to draw down the proceeds of two federal grants totaling $643,000 awarded by the USDA to support a milk, ice cream and cheese manufacturing facility in Alaska; Beus then allegedly converted part of the funds to his personal use.
Olson is also charged with submitting false statements to the USDA Rural Development to convince it to allow the State of Alaska to take a first lien position on equipment purchased with the proceeds of the USDA Valley Dairy grants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta Randall, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million dollars, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General- Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.Former UTSA Projects Manager Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Connection with A Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in San Antonio this week returned a bribery indictment against 41–year-old James Paul Council, a former project manager in the Facilities Department at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and three other San Antonio area residents in connection with a bribery scheme announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez. As of today, all four defendants have surrendered to federal authorities.
The 17-count indictment charges Council; 47-year-old Alfredo Romero Gonzalez, owner of Power Source Electric, an electrical construction and repair business in San Antonio; 60-year-old Power Source Electric chief estimator and project manager Magin Villalon (a.k.a. “Buddy”); and, Villalon’s wife, 56-year-old Sarah Anne Luna with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds and four counts of mail fraud. Council is also charged with six counts of receiving a bribe; the other defendants, six counts of paying a bribe.
According to the indictment, from approximately August 2011 through September 2012, the defendants allegedly conducted a scheme to bribe a purchasing officer in order to secure UTSA construction contracts. The indictment further alleges that the defendants colluded in the submission of fraudulent, inflated bids to UTSA under the names of sham companies, GNZ Enterprise, LLC and Vista Contracting, and fixed at least 40 UTSA contracts. Authorities estimate the submitted bids totaled more than $200,000. Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Council received cash as well as improvements to his residence for his role in the scheme.
Upon conviction, the defendants face up to five years imprisonment on the conspiracy count, up to ten years imprisonment for each bribery related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count. All four defendants are on bond pending further court proceedings.
This indictment resulted from an investigation conducted by the agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation together with the San Antonio Police Department and the University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Blankinship is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former Los Gatos Convent Employee Sentenced to 14 Months Imprisonment for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. – A former employee for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Catholic Convent in Los Gatos, Calif., was sentenced yesterday to 14 months in prison and ordered to pay $110,000 in restitution for embezzling from the Convent, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
Linda Gomez (a/k/a Linda Surrett), 67, formerly of Sunnyvale, Calif. and currently of Chandler, Ariz., pleaded guilty on October 25, 2012. In pleading guilty, Gomez admitted that she used her administrative positions to embezzle cash and to charge personal expenses to a Convent charge card. According to the indictment and evidence presented at sentencing, between 1987 and 2010, Gomez worked for the Convent in various administrative capacities, including as the director of food services and the manager of an on-site convenience store. As part of her professional responsibilities, Gomez made purchases for the 75 Catholic nuns and 60 lay employees at the Convent.
Between March 2008 and her resignation in May 2010, Gomez used various methods to embezzle from the Convent, including obtaining fraudulent reimbursements or credits for products she falsely claimed she had purchased for the Convent and its nuns. In addition to embezzling more than $47,000 in cash, Gomez also diverted more than $53,000 of Convent funds for personal expenses such as jewelry, high-end cutlery, purses, shoes, kitchen appliances and numerous purchases on the QVC and Home Shopping Networks.
Gomez was charged by Indictment filed on Dec. 22, 2011. The Indictment, alleged 14 counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1343, and 3 counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1341. Gomez pleaded guilty, with no plea agreement, to all 17 counts in the indictment.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge D. Lowell Jensen. In imposing sentence, Judge Jensen found that the defendant had abused a private position of trust to facilitate her offense and had also made misrepresentations regarding acting on behalf of a religious organization. The defendant was also sentenced to a 3-year period of supervised release with conditions that limit her ability to hold fiduciary roles, and also ordered to pay over $110,000 in restitution. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Jensen ordered Gomez to self-surrender by December 4, 2013, to begin serving her prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Fazioli is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former CEO of PA Cyber Nick Trombetta and CPA Neal Prence Charged in Elaborate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The former CEO of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School and his accountant have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of mail fraud, theft or bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, tax conspiracy and filing a false tax return. The announcement was made today at a news conference by United States Attorney David J. Hickton; FBI Special Agent in Charge Gary Douglas Perdue; Akeia Conner, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigation - Philadelphia Field Office; and Steven Anderson, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Education Office of Inspector General - Mid Atlantic Region.
The 11-count indictment, returned on Aug. 21, and unsealed today, named Nicholas Trombetta, 58, of East Liverpool, Ohio, and Neal Prence, 58, of Koppel, Pa.
According to the indictment, Trombetta was the founder and Superintendent of the PA Cyber Charter School. Trombetta created a series of connected for-profit and not-for-profit entities to siphon taxpayer funds out of PA Cyber and to avoid federal income tax liabilities. The indictment alleges that Prence, an accountant, assisted Trombetta in the tax fraud scheme.
“As the founder and CEO of PA Cyber, Trombetta was a custodian of the public trust, receiving public funds,” said U.S. Attorney Hickton. “These charges reflect our obligation to protect the education of children, who are our future, and to protect the compact with hardworking taxpayers.”
“Charter schools are funded with public money that is intended to help educate children in our communities,” stated FBI SAC Perdue. “When individuals enrich themselves with this money rather than act as stewards of the education funds entrusted to them, our communities and the children we are obligated to educate are the true victims.”
“During a six-year period that began in 2006, Mr. Trombetta with the assistance of CPA Prence, concealed his position as the direct beneficiary and recipient of funds generated by PA Cyber,” said IRS-CI SAC Conner. “Mr. Trombetta exerted his influence to control the flow of funds and falsify corporate books and records, ultimately shifting more than $8 million in income attributable to him, to the federal income tax returns of other persons so as to conceal his true income from the IRS. The government must hold corporations and their executives accountable for their actions. It is for this reason that IRS Criminal Investigation continues to vigorously pursue corporate fraud and those individuals who employ illegal accounting practices for personal financial gain.”
"Mr. Trombetta and Mr Prence knowingly and willfully abused their positions of trust for personal gain and did so at the expense of the educational development of children. That is unacceptable," said Steven Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. "Deservedly, Mr. Trombetta and Mr. Prence will now be held accountable for cheating Pennsylvania’s students."
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 100 years in prison, a fine of $3,250,000, or both for Trombetta and five years imprisonment, $250,000, or both for Prence. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys James R. Wilson, Robert S. Cessar and Stephen R. Kaufman are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Participating in Oxycodone Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILNER CASTELIN, also known as “Castro,” 44, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in an oxycodone trafficking ring. On May 13, 2013, a jury found CASTELIN guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
This matter stems from “Operation Blue Coast,” an investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force into the large-scale trafficking of oxycodone pills from Florida to Connecticut. The investigation revealed that an individual regularly purchased oxycodone from suppliers in Florida, transported the oxycodone to Connecticut by commercial airline or automobile, and sold the pills for profit to various Connecticut-based narcotics dealers. He then transported the proceeds of his oxycodone sales from Connecticut to Florida, either by having a courier drive the money or by using commercial airline flights.
The evidence at trial revealed that the narcotics trafficker met David Gaudiosi and Bruce Yazdzik, two large-scale oxycodone distributors in Connecticut, in early 2010. After the meeting, Gaudiosi and Yazdzik visited the narcotics trafficker in Florida on multiple occasions to obtain prescriptions for oxycodone from unscrupulous pain clinics, commonly referred to as “pill mills.” The trafficker paid CASTELIN to chauffeur Gaudiosi and Yazdzik during their Florida visits. CASTELIN subsequently agreed to travel to the northeastern U.S. to drive large amounts of U.S. currency, which were proceeds of the narcotics trafficker’s oxycodone sales in Connecticut, to Florida. CASTELIN was paid approximately $1,000 to $1,250 for each trip.
CASTELIN was arrested on September 13, 2011.
Twenty individuals, including two law enforcement officers and three Transportation Security Agency officers, have been charged as a result of this investigation.
Gaudiosi and Yazdzik each pleaded guilty to oxycodone trafficking charges. On November 14, 2012, Yazdzik was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment. Gaudiosi awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, which includes personnel from the Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford and Westport Police Departments; the Drug Enforcement Administration in Florida and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. In addition, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Greenwich, Monroe, Danbury and Waterbury Police Departments have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rahul Kale and Brian Leaming.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Florence Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegally Copying Xbox 360 Video GameRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, KY -
A Florence, KY., man, previously convicted of copyright infringement, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning sentenced 32 year-old Anthony Cappadona for willfully infringing a copyright, by distributing a copyrighted work being prepared for commercial distribution.
Cappandona previously admitted that, in May 2010, he made an Xbox 360 video game entitled “Red Dead Redemption,” available for download on a website, prior to the game’s official release date. Court records state that Cappadona illegally downloaded a copy of the game, then uploaded it to a website, and created links for others to download the game for free.
“Red Dead Redemption” is a copyrighted Xbox video game developed and manufactured by the company Take-Two Interactive; therefore, Cappadona violated copyright laws by improperly distributing the game.
According to court documents, Cappadona also advertised on the website that he modified Xbox consoles, so that they could play illegally copied games.
Under federal law, Cappadona must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his prison term.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, and (Louisville Field Division) jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Voorhees.
Federal Jury Convicts Three Clarksville Men of Drug and Gun Charges After Three Week TrialRead the Press Release
Each Faces Mandatory Life in Prison
Demetrius Duncan a/k/a Whirley, 32, Alto Parnell a/k/a Al-Pistol, 31, and Chris Young a/k/a Soldier C, 25, all of Clarksville, Tennessee, were convicted Friday in U.S. District Court, of operating a drug conspiracy and related firearms charges, after a three week jury trial, announced David Rivera, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation targeted a drug distribution network which operated in and around the Clarksville, Tennessee area and included two murders and numerous armed robberies. To date, the investigation has resulted in charges against 33 individuals, 28 of whom have been convicted. Thirteen defendants have already received lengthy prison sentences and the remaining defendants are awaiting trial or sentencing.
“This was a large scale drug conspiracy which required substantial resources and court-authorized wiretaps to dismantle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David Rivera. “Each of these convicted defendants has multiple prior, felony drug convictions and previous prosecutions and sentences obviously did not deter them from continuing to harm the community. The jury’s verdict should now insure that they will never have another opportunity to return to the community to engage in their usual criminal enterprise.”
During the trial, the government introduced evidence, including wiretapped telephone conversations, which showed that Duncan, Parnell and Young were part of a larger drug distribution conspiracy and had distributed substantial amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine in the Clarksville area, including near public housing developments.
Other evidence introduced at trial, showed that during one drug deal, Chris Young had a loaded firearm in his possession and also had $10,000 cash as he attempted to take delivery of cocaine near a school in Clarksville, Tenn. When agents later executed a search warrant at the home of Demetrius Duncan, they found him attempting to flush cocaine and marijuana down the toilet. Firearms were also found in the home. Young and Duncan both have multiple prior felony convictions and were also convicted of being convicted felons in possession of firearms.
Proof introduced against Alto Parnell included recorded conversations between him and Brian Vance, a Clarksville Vice Lord gang leader, discussing the fact that they were going to provide drugs to younger gang members to sell, and discussing how poorly the gang members would fare if Parnell and Vance were to be arrested. Vance previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and conspiracy to commit armed robbery and is pending sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Clarksville Police Department, with assistance from other local and federal agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Lynne Ingram represented the United States.
All defendants currently awaiting trial are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
District Man Sentenced to 6 ½-Year Prison TermRead the Press Release
For Robbing and Beating a Man in Northwest Washington
-Victim Continues to Suffer After-Effects from the Crime-WASHINGTON – Arnold Moody, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 6 ½ years for robbing and beating a man earlier this year in front of an apartment complex in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Moody pled guilty in June 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael Ryan. Upon completion of his prison term, Moody will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 3, 2013, at about 3 a.m., Moody stood by the entrance of an apartment complex in the 3400 block of Holmead Place NW, pretending that he either lived there or was there to visit someone. When he noticed the victim approach the complex and sit down, Moody looked around to see if anyone else was around. Then, without warning, he walked over to the victim and punched him in the face multiple times, causing a broken nose.
When the victim got up to defend himself, Moody slammed him to the ground. Then he went through the victim’s pockets and stole his wallet, which contained $40 and an identification card, and an iPhone. In addition to the broken nose, the victim suffered a dislocated shoulder in the attack. He continues to have pain, difficulty seeing, frequent headaches and nosebleeds.
Thanks to the work of detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fourth District, Moody was apprehended. This was not the first time he attacked someone while stealing property. In 2008, Moody was sentenced to about 2 ½ years of incarceration for nearly the same conduct that he demonstrated in this case – striking a man in the head and taking his property.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who investigated the case from 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 Specialist Debra McPherson and Victim/Witness Advocate Elsa Resendiz. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina, who prosecuted the case.
13-292Defendant Sentenced on Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces today that Nathan Curtis of Choctaw County, Alabama, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 87 months following his guilty plea to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Curtis was previously convicted of felony offenses, including Possession of Cocaine in Choctaw County Circuit Court in 2009.
United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed the sentence which was at the high end of the applicable advisory sentencing guideline range. In deciding on the high end sentence, Judge Granade cited the Defendant’s criminal history and the circumstances of this offense. This case was investigated by the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Defendant Sentenced in Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael J. DePalma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that defendant Nael Dawud Sammour, 52, of Pompano Beach, was sentenced yesterday before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in connection with his previous conviction on two counts of aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A and eight counts of theft of public money in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.
At yesterday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas sentenced defendant Nael Sammour to 139 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, as well as from court documents, unknown individuals used stolen identification information, including the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of unsuspecting taxpayers to fraudulently apply for and receive U.S. tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Thereafter, Sammour obtained many of these fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury tax refund checks and later transferred these checks, along with counterfeit driver’s licenses and Social Security cards, to undercover IRS agents posing as check cashers. In total, agents seized 75 fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury tax refund checks totaling $750,369.45 from Defendant Sammour. Moreover, when Sammour was arrested, law enforcement located and seized $30,128.24 in U.S. currency.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI and the FBI for their work on the case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton.
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.
Defendant Sentenced for Providing Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and the members of the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (“JTTF”), announce today that Hafiz Muhammed Sher Ali Khan, 77, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr., for providing material support to terrorists, including the Pakistani Taliban. According to public records, defendant Hafiz Khan was the Imam at the Miami Masjid in Miami, Florida. The indictment did not allege that the masjid participated in the defendant’s scheme.
Khan was convicted by a jury on March 4, 2013, after two months of trial, on charges of conspiring to provide, and providing, material support to a conspiracy to murder, maim and kidnap persons overseas, 18 U.S.C. ? 2339A, and conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically, the Pakistani Taliban, 18 U.S.C. ? 2339B.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “The sentence today demonstrates that no matter who you are or what your motive may be, financing terrorism will not be tolerated by our criminal justice system, and will be punished severely. Today’s sentence sends a powerful message to anyone who thinks they have a reason to support terrorism: you cannot use the freedoms of this country to support terrorism. It will not be tolerated. You will be brought to justice.”
"Terrorists in Pakistan have lost a reliable source of funding and the man responsible for that funding, Hafiz Muhammed Sher Ali Khan, is now paying the price for his actions," said Xanthie Mangum, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Miami. "Terrorism remains the FBI's top priority."
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik¬e Taliban Pakistan, Tehrik¬I¬Taliban, Tehrik-e-Taliban, and Tehreek¬e¬Taliban, is a Pakistan-based terrorist organization formed in or around December 2007 by an alliance of radical Islamist militants. On September 1, 2010, the United States Department of State formally designated the Pakistani Taliban as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
According to the evidence at trial, Khan, with the help of persons in South Florida and Pakistan, sent money and other material support to Pakistani Taliban contacts and sympathizers overseas. The Pakistani Taliban?s objectives include resistance against the lawful Pakistani government, enforcement of strict Islamic law known as Sharia, and opposition to the United States and coalition armed forces fighting in neighboring Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban has committed numerous acts of violence in Pakistan and elsewhere, including suicide bombings which resulted in the death of civilians as well as Pakistani police, army, and government personnel, and also provided financing and training for the attempted bombing of New York City’s Times Square in May 2010.
According to the evidence at trial, Khan sought to aid the Pakistani Taliban?s fight against the Pakistani government and its perceived allies, including the United States, by supporting acts of murder, kidnapping, and maiming in Pakistan and elsewhere, in order to displace the lawful government of Pakistan and to establish Sharia. Khan transferred money from the United States to Pakistani Taliban supporters in Pakistan, primarily using bank accounts and wire transfer services in the United States and Pakistan. These funds were intended to purchase guns for the Pakistani Taliban, to sustain militants and their families, and generally to promote the Pakistani Taliban?s cause. Khan also solicited and collected money in the United States for that purpose, taking great care to conceal his activities. In one recorded conversation introduced as evidence at trial, Khan stated that money cannot be sent openly to the Pakistani Taliban, but must instead be sent covertly through its supporters. Khan also used a madrassa he founded in Pakistan (where he was born) to provide shelter and other support to Pakistani Taliban militants. In another recorded conversation introduced as evidence at trial, Khan claimed that children from his madrassa have gone to train to kill Americans in neighboring Afghanistan.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of State, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Police, City of Miami Police, City of Miramar Police, City of Margate Police, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the members of the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Shipley, Sivashree Sundaram, and Michael Patrick Sullivan, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Bridget Behling from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
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.
Danville Man Sentenced on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
DANVILLE, VIRGINIA – A Danville man who previously pled guilty to the illegal sale of a firearm to a convicted felon at a local flea market, was sentenced this afternoon in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Danville.
James Calvin Wilson, 67, of Danville, Va., previously pled guilty to one count of selling a firearm to a person who had previously been convicted of a felony. This afternoon in District Court, Wilson was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
“Keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons is a crucial part of protecting our communities,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “This defendant endangered public safety by making a gun available to an individual prohibited by law from owning a firearm. We will continue to do all we can to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons while also protecting the second amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.”
Previously, Wilson admitted that in August 2012 he first approached undercover officers with the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office and attempted to sell handguns and a shotgun out of the trunk of his car. Over the course of several weeks, undercover officers purchased 12 guns from Wilson at his home in Danville.
In October 2012, a confidential informant, who is a convicted felon and working with law enforcement, approached Wilson at a flea market regarding the purchase of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The confidential informant told Wilson he could not purchase a gun from a gun store because he was a convicted felon. Upon hearing this, Wilson raised his hand to the informant and told him “don’t tell me that.” Wilson proceeded to sell the firearm to the informant for $500.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Bubar is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced thatVincent Carter, 36, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 10 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, on October 4, 2012, Carter made a deal to buy methamphetamine. The meeting place was set in Natchitoches, La. Carter sold the drugs while authorities were monitoring the transaction. On October 10, 2012, Carter’s home was raided, and a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a .380 semi-automatic pistol were found. He pleaded guilty on March 19, 2013, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
“This case is the result of a joint effort by our office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Operations like this make a difference in the community and disrupt the sale of illegal narcotics, Finley stated.”
Carter was arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation code named “Crystal Bend.” The DEA, ATF and the Louisiana State Police participated in this OCDETF operation.
The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles prosecuted the case.
Customs Broker, Data Freight Corporation Pleads Guilty to Illegal Importing of Endangered WildlifeRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Dave Pharo, Resident Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), announced today that Miami, Florida corporation Data Freight Corporation pled guilty today, pursuant to a plea agreement, to a single count Information, charging it with the illegal importation and possession of wildlife, in violation of the Lacey Act.
Sentencing for Data Freight Corporation (DATA) is scheduled for October 29, 2013, before United States District Judge K. Michael Moore.
According to Court documents and statements at the hearing, DATA permitted the importation and transportation into the United States of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) without completing Declaration Form 3-177, declaring the importation of fish or wildlife, and obtaining a permit for the importation of the same pursuant to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (“CITES”).
Information developed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – OLE resulted in the charge against DATA in the Information. According to documents in the Court file, this case involved over four hundred and sixty-eight grams of caviar product.
The importation of said wildlife, such as caviar, is prohibited by the federal Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), (a)(4), and 3373(d)(2). The Lacey Act, in pertinent part, makes it unlawful for a person to import and possess endangered species of wildlife which has been, or is intended to be, imported, sold, purchased, or received from any foreign country or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of U.S. Fish and Wildlife – OLE. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman O. Hemming, III.
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.
Concho County Resident Faces up to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — Gary Edward Larock, Jr., 35, most recently a resident of Eden, Texas, pleaded guilty today, before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, to an indictment charging one count of failure to register as a sex offender. Larock, who has been in custody since his arrest in June 2013 on a related criminal complaint, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
In August 2005, Larock was convicted in New York of third-degree rape, a felony. He was notified that based on that conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Larock left New York and traveled to California, where, in December 2012, he was arrested by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office on an outstanding warrant from New York for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements in that state. He was released from jail in California in early February 2013 and traveled to Eden, Texas, where he gained employment. Larock failed to register as a sex offender while living and working in Eden, Texas.
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.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Concho County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy is in charge of the prosecution.
Clay County Men Indicted for Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return by a grand jury of a superseding indictment charging Antoun Arbaji and Abas Issa with one count of conspiracy, six counts of theft of government property and six counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years for each theft of government property charge, and 2 consecutive years for each aggravated identity theft charge. Arbaji faces an additional charge of making a false statement to the Department of the Treasury for which he could receive an additional five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Issa obtained tax refund checks that were the result of fraudulently filed tax returns that had been prepared by others, using stolen personal identification information. Many of the returns were prepared using the identities of deceased individuals. Arbaji operated a convenience store ("Fina Express") in Green Cove Springs. Issa provided the fraudulent refund checks to Arbaji, who cashed them using his business, in exchange for a fee. Arbaji then provided the proceeds to Issa. In 2011, Fina Express allegedly cashed 212 fraudulent treasury checks totaling more than $1.5 million.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.
Chinese Nationals; Husband and Wife, Sentenced in Counterfeit Sneaker CaseRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Xiao Cheng Lin, 50, and Ling Zen Hu, 51, of Flushing, N.Y., who were convicted of conspiracy to import goods falsely classified, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara. Xiao Cheng Lin was sentenced to one year in prison and a $7,500 fine. Lin’s husband, Ling Zen Hu, was sentenced to six months in prison and a $6,000 fine. The defendants will forfeit $750,000 in cash and other monetary instruments that were seized during a search of their residence in 2007.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Rogowski and Frank Pimentel, who handled the prosecution of this case, stated that Lin and Hu were involved in the importation of counterfeit Nike sneakers from China which were then distributed throughout the United States. The defendants sold the counterfeit products to a co-defendant in New York City, Malik Bazzi. Bazzi then sold the counterfeit sneakers to several individuals, including individuals in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, who resold the counterfeit products to consumers. Some of the shoes were sold out of the back of vans, at flea markets and clothing stores. As a result of wire taps in the case, Hu was recorded taking orders, discussing payments, and directing the delivery of the counterfeit sneakers to defendant Bazzi. Lin was observed loading sneakers into van at warehouses locations and then delivering them to Bazzi.
During the course of the investigation, over 310,000 pairs of counterfeit sneakers Nike were seized by law enforcement. In addition, over $1,000,000 in cash from the sale of counterfeit sneakers was also seized.
The defendants along with 21 others from around the United States were arrested in September 2007. A total of 22 defendants have been convicted.
The sentencing’s are the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge.California Man Sentenced to 10 years in prison for distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska-U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a California man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for three counts of distributing child pornography.
Douglas Earl Blakeley, 36, from Riverside, California, was sentenced on August 12, 2013, by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 120 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for distributing sexually explicit videos and images of children. Blakeley emailed the materials to an email account in Alaska between September 2011 and May 2012.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey J. Renschen, over 2,000 images and 72 videos of children being sexually exploited were involved, including images of children under age 12, and “material that portrays sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.”
At Blakeley’s sentencing, Judge Burgess noted the seriousness of his offense, the need to deter this kind of conduct, and the need to protect the public. Judge Burgess also addressed the need for treatment, and the need to avoid sentencing disparities among similarly situated defendants. After serving his 10 years in prison, Blakeley must serve 20 years of supervised release and will be required to comply with special conditions including participating in sex offender assessment and treatment, and registering as a sex offender.
This case was initiated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better identify, 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.Ms. Loeffler commends Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for their investigation of this case.
California Man Sentenced for Running Fraudulent ClinicRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – George Baginyan, 33, of Glendale, California, was sentenced to two years in prison for operating a fraudulent clinic and defrauding Medicare. Baginyan was the owner of New Era Health Center Inc. (“New Era”), a purported clinic that was located near the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Between December 2008 and October 2009, Baginyan used the National Provider Identification number (NPI) of an elderly and frail doctor of osteopathy to bill Medicare for medical services and tests, making it appear that the doctor had provided those services and tests when he had not. The doctor had, in fact, never set foot in New Era. In total, Baginyan caused the submission of fraudulent bills to Medicare totaling more than $250,000, which resulted in payments from Medicare totaling $132,848.81. On October 15, 2012, Baginyan pleaded guilty to 10 counts of health care fraud and 10 counts of making false claims to the government. At his plea hearing, Baginyan admitted that he was fully aware of the fraud he was committing when he submitted the phony claims.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg ordered restitution to Medicare in the amount of $132,848.81, a special assessment of $2,000, and three years of supervised release.
“George Baginyan traveled from California to set up a fraudulent Medicare business in Philadelphia where he stole a physician's identity; submitted false claims for unnecessary, substandard medical procedures; and robbed our Medicare program of more than $100,000,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Nick DiGiulio with the Inspector General’s Office of the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Philadelphia. “Other fraudsters should make note of the sentence in this case and should know that HHS-OIG will continue to pursue those who steal from our government health insurance programs.”
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Office of Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Cahokia Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
James V. Lomax, 58, of Cahokia, Illinois, was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the United States District Court, East St. Louis, for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Lomax was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, a $200 fine and to serve a term of 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Lomax has been in custody since his arrest on September 9, 2012.
Court documents establish that on September 9, 2012, the St. Clair, County Sherriff’s Department investigated a shooting at a residence in Cahokia, Illinois. During a physical altercation at the residence involving Lomax and another male, Lomax retrieved a firearm from behind a dresser and shot the other man in the abdomen. After the shooting, Lomax left the area and was subsequently arrested in Missouri by the Missouri Highway Patrol, while in possession of the firearm used in the shooting. During an interview with law enforcement, Lomax admitted to possessing the firearm and to shooting a man with the firearm.
Court documents further establish that prior to September 9, 2012, Lomax had been convicted of a crime that was punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers and Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Richter.
Brooksville Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew earlier this week sentenced Connie Lee (50, Brooksville) to two years in federal prison for theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft. As part of her sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $21,402 against Lee. Lee pleaded guilty on April 30, 2013.
According to court documents, a fraudulent federal income tax return was filed in the name of Lee's son. Lee received the corresponding fraudulent tax refund check at her residence. After bribing her grandson to steal her son's personal identification documents, Lee took her nephew to a local bank, where she presented her son's stolen identification to bank personnel and duped her nephew into impersonating her son in order to open a bank account. Lee then deposited the fraudulent tax refund check into the bank account and withdrew all of the funds for her own use. Lee also assisted another individual in cashing a fraudulent tax refund check at the same bank and was paid for her assistance in that scheme.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Brooksville Police Department, and the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Bronx Man Arrested, Charged with Fraud and Misuse of Immigration DocumentsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Abdus Samad, 44, of Bronx, N.Y., was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with fraud and misuse of immigration documents. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Moscati, who is handling the case, stated that on August 22, 2013, the defendant attempted to enter the United States at the Lewiston Port of Entry. According to the complaint, Samad presented a fraudulently obtained U.S. Passport as proof of citizenship. Immigration officers determined that the defendant had previously entered the United States under an alias and had obtained the passport by making false statements on his passport application.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder. Samad is being held pending a detention hearing on August 28, 2013 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott.
The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero and the U.S. Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Resident Agent Roy B. Stillman.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Big West Oil to Pay Penalty and Spend $18 Million on Emission Controls to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations at North Salt Lake RefineryRead the Press Release
Big West Oil LLC has agreed to pay a $175,000 penalty and to spend approximately $18 million to install emission controls at its refinery in North Salt Lake, Utah, announced the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. Big West Oil will also invest $253,000 to improve the monitoring and management of potential releases of hydrofluoric acid at the facility.
Today’s agreement resolves alleged violations of key provisions of the Clean Air Act at the refinery, including requirements associated with the Prevention of Significant Deterioration and New Source Performance Standards.
When fully implemented, the controls and requirements under the agreement will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by approximately 158 tons per year (tpy), nitrogen oxides (NOx) by approximately 32 tpy, and particulate matter (PM) by approximately 36 tpy. Additional reductions of volatile and hazardous pollutants, such as benzene, are expected as a result of compliance with leak detection and repair requirements.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides contribute to ground-level ozone, acid rain and the degradation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can also irritate the lungs and contribute to respiratory illnesses. Fine particle pollution contains microscopic solids and liquid droplets that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause significant lung and heart damage.
“This settlement will result in substantial reductions in harmful air pollution and, building on previous settlements with area refineries, marks another step forward in improving the quality of air Utahns breathe in the Salt Lake City area,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Big West Oil will be required to install advanced technology pollution controls that will benefit the health and environment of its neighbors and future generations.”
“EPA continues to secure significant settlements with refineries that benefit public health and improve air quality in our communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shaun McGrath. “Today’s agreement will help bring Big West Oil’s refinery up to date with industry standards to protect the environment.”
Today’s settlement requires Big West Oil to install a state-of-the-art flue gas filter system to control emissions of PM and to place ultra-low NOx burners on four heaters and boilers. The company will also undertake measures to reduce SO2 emissions from the refinery by, among other things, restricting hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in fuel gas and installing and operating a caustic scrubber system at the sulfur recovery plant.
Additionally, Big West Oil has agreed to make numerous upgrades to its leak detection and repair program, including the installation of low-leaking valves, and to enhance its waste operations to minimize or eliminate fugitive benzene emissions. The cost of the measures to be taken by the refinery is estimated at $18 million.
In addition, the company will spend $253,000 on a supplemental environmental project to install a laser detection system around the perimeter of the Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation Unit that will improve the detection and response to releases of potentially hazardous acid. This system will reduce emissions and enhance safety for refinery workers and nearby communities.
The reduction in pollutants will benefit communities near the refinery, which include significant minority and low-income populations. The refinery is also located in an area designated as nonattainment for the federal 24-hour standard for fine particles (PM2.5).
Under the PSD permitting requirements, certain large industrial facilities making modifications that increase air pollutant emissions are required to install state-of-the-art air pollution controls. EPA investigations in various industries, including petroleum refining, reveal that many facilities fail to install pollution controls after modifications, causing them to emit pollutants that can impact air quality and public health. The Clean Air Act’s New Source Performance Standards require additional control measures at refineries. Enforcing these requirements reduces air pollution and ensures that facilities that are complying with the requirements are not at a competitive disadvantage.
Since March 2000, the EPA has entered into 31 settlements with companies that refine greater than 90 percent of the domestic petroleum refining capacity. These settlements cover 107 refineries in 32 states and territories. Once the settlements are fully implemented, the companies will have reduced emissions of NOx, SO2, and other pollutants by more than 360,000 tons per year. The settling refiners have invested or will invest more than $6.5 billion in new pollution control technologies and have paid more than $93 million in penalties. In addition, the settlements reached to date account for more than $80 million in supplemental environmental projects.
The consent decree was lodged in U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.For more information on the Clean Air Act: www.epa.gov/air/caa/.
Baltimore Man Charged with Fraudulent Use of A Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
Walter Morgan a/k/a “Walter E. Morgan Gomez,” 34, of Baltimore, MD, was charged today by Indictment with one count of fraudulent use of a social security number and one count of making a false statement, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. In particular, the indictment charges the defendant with using a social security number that did not belong to him, and falsely claiming United States citizenship on an I-9 Form in order to obtain employment.
If convicted, Morgan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul G. Shapiro.
An indictment is an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Click here to view the indictment
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Atlantic County, N.J., Man Charged with ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Atlantic County, N.J., man was arrested today for allegedly shooting four species of hawks in the residential neighborhood where he lived, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Robert Losasso, 68, of Somers Point, N.J., was taken into custody today by special agents of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and charged by complaint with six counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Losasso is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court.
According to the Complaint unsealed today:
Robert Losasso fatally shot, and attempted to fatally shoot, with a .22 caliber rifle and a .17 caliber pellet gun, both equipped with scopes, red-tailed hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, red-shouldered hawks, and Cooper’s hawks. These species are among the tens of thousands of birds of prey that migrate every year from Canada along the Atlantic Flyway through New Jersey. Residents of Somers Point reported to law enforcement that over a period of more than two and a half years they had observed more than 40 dead or injured birds of prey in or around their yards and had sustained what appeared to be bullet holes and pellet marks to their homes.
From December 2012 through April 2013, Losasso allegedly killed, or attempted to kill, three red-tailed hawks, one sharp-shinned hawk, one red-shouldered hawk, and one Cooper’s hawk, all of which are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which was enacted in 1918, implements in the United States protections afforded migratory birds under several international conventions to which the United States is a party. Breeding populations of red-shouldered hawks are listed as endangered on the State of New Jersey’s Endangered and Threatened Wildlife list. Sharp-shinned hawks and populations of Cooper’s hawks also have special protections under New Jersey state law.
The counts charged are strict liability crimes that carry a maximum potential penalty of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of $15,000 per count.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Carmine Sabia, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Somers Point Police Department, for their roles in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O'Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Losasso Complaint
Armed Bank Robber Who Shot at Police Officer Is SentencedRead the Press Release
Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Eric Colbert, 38, of Albany, Georgia, was sentenced on August 22, 2013, by the Honorable W. Louis Sands, United States District Judge in Albany, Georgia, to 257 months in prison for armed bank robbery.
As part of his plea of guilty, Mr. Colbert admitted that on the morning of November 18, 2011, he entered First State Bank in Albany, Georgia, held up a gun, fired a shot into the ceiling, and shouted, “This is a robbery!” Mr. Colbert then fired an additional shot at an Albany Police Department officer who was in the bank. At that point, Mr. Colbert fled from the bank, pursued by the officer, and fired several additional shots behind him. Mr. Colbert was apprehended shortly thereafter. No money was stolen from the Bank, and no one was hurt.
“When Mr. Colbert entered the bank and fired his gun, he chose to put the bank employees and customers in danger. When he took a shot at the officer, he guaranteed himself a place in federal prison for a long, long time. This case is another example of the senseless use of a firearm during a crime, and the lengthy sentence should send a message that it will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Moore.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Albany Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Peter Leary prosecuted the case for the Government.
Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney's Office at (478) 621-2602.
Apopka Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Prison on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell yesterday sentenced James R. Wiese (49, Apopka) to 9 years and 7 months in federal prison for distribution and possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Wiese to serve a 10-year term of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence, and to register as a sex offender. Wiese pleaded guilty on May 29, 2013.
According to court documents, Wiese traded child pornography with others via email. As part of an undercover investigation, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Wiese's residence on February 25, 2013, and seized all of Wiese’s computer equipment. When confronted by law enforcement officers, Wiese admitted to having collected child pornography images and videos, and storing them on his computer for at least two years. A forensic examination of Wiese’s computer equipment found more than 3,800 images and 1,150 videos depicting child pornography involving prepubescent children.
“Child pornography, when it is released onto the Internet, lives on forever. It haunts the children depicted in it, who live daily with the knowledge that countless strangers use an image of their worst experiences for their own gratification,” said Shane Folden, deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Tampa, which oversees the agency’s Orlando office that conducted this investigation. “It is our duty as special agents to find and arrest these child predators and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Myrna Amelia Mesa.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Alton Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Don A. Miller, 29, of Alton, Illinois, was sentenced on August 23, 2013, in federal district court, in East St. Louis, Illinois, on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Miller was sentenced to 36 months’ in prison, three years supervised release, fined $250, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Miller pled guilty on April 17, 2013. He also agreed to forfeit the firearm. The charges stem from a July 19, 2012, incident when law enforcement officials conducted a search of his residence after receiving consent from Miller’s live-in girlfriend. While searching the bedroom closet, a loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered. Prior to July 19, 2012, Miller had been convicted of a crime that was punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Alton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak prosecuted the case.
Alleged Members of Violent Loan Sharking and Illegal Gambling Organization Charged in PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging nine people in a loan sharking and illegal gambling ring allegedly run out of several Philadelphia businesses.
The charges were announced today by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.
Ylli Gjeli, 48, Fatimir Mustafaraj, 41, George Markakis, 43, Gezim Asllani, 34, Rezart Rahmi Telushi, 40, Eneo Jahaj, 26, and Ardit Pone, 35, all of Philadelphia; Erion Murataj, 35, of Huntingdon Valley, Penn.; and Brian Jackson, 35, of Harleysville, Penn., were arrested this morning. The defendants are named in an indictment charging racketeering conspiracy, racketeering collection of unlawful debt, making extortionate extensions of credit, collections of extensions of credit by extortionate means, operating an illegal gambling business and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“The indictment unsealed today charges nine defendants with operating a criminal enterprise built on illegal gambling and a violent extortion racket,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. “The Justice Department will not stand by as criminal organizations victimize our communities. Today’s charges demonstrate our ongoing commitment to working alongside our federal, state and local counterparts to root out organized crime.”
“The indictment charges the defendants with running a violent loan sharking and gambling enterprise, using intimidation, threats and actual violence as part of their illegal business,” said U.S. Attorney Memeger. “We will not tolerate this type of criminal activity that preys upon financial weakness and threatens the physical safety of the individuals in debt and their innocent family members.”
“The defendants allegedly victimized people twice over,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Hanko. “They provided loans at outrageous interest rates to those unable to obtain loans from traditional sources and then used threats and violence to collect on those illegal loans. Today's arrests demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment to ridding Philadelphia of organized crime, wherever we find it.”“Individuals who engage in this type of financial fraud should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Akeia Conner. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to ‘following the money trail’ to ensure that those who engage in these illegal activities are vigorously investigated and brought to justice.”
According to the indictment, the defendants and their associates used businesses located in Philadelphia – including the Lion Bar, Blackbird Café, “Ylli’s 2 Brothers,” First England Pizza and various coffee shops, among others – to conduct the enterprise’s loan sharking activities and illegal gambling business. The defendants allegedly generated money by making and collecting on loans with usurious rates of interest; using intimidation, threats and violence to make and collect on loans; and making loans to betting customers whose debts were incurred through the enterprise’s illegal gambling business.
Members and associates of the enterprise allegedly cultivated their reputation for violence by threatening customers with dangerous weapons such as a firearm or hatchet; using implied threats and intimidation; telling customers that if they did not pay their debts someone would kill them, break their legs or physically harm them or their family members in some other way; and physically assaulting subordinate members and associates. For example, the indictment alleges that Gjeli asked a customer why he had come to the basement of the Lion Bar. He then grabbed a hatchet with one hand, grabbed the customer’s arm with the other hand and slammed the hatchet onto the table right after the customer pulled his hand away. It is further alleged that defendant Gjeli placed a gun to the same customer’s head and threatened him.
It is further alleged that the defendants attempted to conceal the existence and operations of the enterprise from law enforcement by: limiting their discussions of criminal activities when on the phone, using cryptic and coded language to describe criminal activities, such as “pizza” to describe a loan; conducting pat-downs and body searches of customers to check for weapons and recording devices; and conducting the enterprise’s transactions primarily in cash.
According to the indictment, Gjeli was a leader and “boss” of the organization; Mustafaraj, aka “Tony,” was a leader and “muscle.” Both allegedly directed other members in the loan sharking activities and illegal gambling business, approved loans, used intimidation and threats of violence against customers, collected weekly loan payments, physically assaulted subordinate members and their associates, supervised the illegal gambling business, provided cash to pay customer’s gambling wins and otherwise financed the gambling business, collected gambling debts and made loans to customers whose debts were incurred through the illegal gambling business. Markakis, aka “George the Greek” and “Fat George,” was allegedly a leader of the enterprise who directed other members in the illegal gambling business. Murataj, aka “Ben” and “Paul,” and Asllani, aka “Sam,” were allegedly “collectors” who assisted Gjeli and Mustafaraj in making loans and regularly collected weekly loan payments from customers. Telushi, aka “Luigi,” was allegedly a “collector” who regularly collected weekly loan payments from customers. Jahaj, aka “Nimo,” Jackson, aka “Mark,” and Pone were allegedly “bookies” who operated parts of the illegal gambling business and regularly collected gambling debts. Jahaj and Jackson also allegedly set up and administered online accounts to facilitate customer betting and used the enterprise’s loan sharking activities to convert the gambling debts to loans.
If convicted of all charges, Gjeli and Mustafaraj face a maximum sentence of life in prison. The remaining defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
An indictment is an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-CI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Pennsylvania State Police, Montgomery County, Penn., Detectives and the New Jersey State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Salvatore L. Astolfi and Trial Attorney Jerome Maiatico of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
Related Materials:
Indictment
Abilene Man Admits Robbing Citibank Last MonthRead the Press Release
ABILENE, Texas — Jacob Alan Powell, 28, of Abilene, Texas, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty, before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, to an indictment charging one count of aggravated bank robbery stemming from the July 8, 2013, robbery of a Citibank location in Abilene. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set following the completion of that report. 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, during the early afternoon of July 8, 2013, Powell, wearing business attire and a Hardin-Simmons University baseball cap, entered the Citibank, N.A., located at 3409 South 14th Street in Abilene. He waited several minutes before an available teller asked him to her station. Once at the teller counter, he told the teller that he was making a withdrawal. When the teller asked him for his account number, he told her that she didn’t understand and then lifted his suit jacket to show her a gun in his waistband. The gun appeared to be real to the teller and placed her in fear for her life. The teller then opened her cash drawer and put cash in a bag that Powell provided, and Powell quickly left the bank.
The following day, bank surveillance photos were shown on the local news and Powell was identified by witnesses.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Abilene Police Department. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams is in charge of the prosecution.
59 Year Old Spokane Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane - Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that John Schadl, age 59, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced on August 22, 2013, after having previously pleaded guilty on May 28, 2013 to Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief United States District Court Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Schadl to a five year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a life term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Schadl was ordered to forfeit the computer he used to receive the child pornography images.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, in January of 2012, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received three separate investigative referrals regarding sexually explicit conversations of concern on an Internet website. NCMEC referred the investigative materials to the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Investigation conducted by ICAC Detectives from the Airway Heights Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office determined that Schadl had received child pornography images on his desktop computer at his residence in Spokane, Washington.
Michael C. Ormsby stated, "This case in yet another example of the strong working partnership established between Federal and local law enforcement officers. The public should be aware of these partnerships as well as the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Washington continued commitment to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for child pornography crimes. Prosecuting these types of crimes is a priority for this Office, particularly because of the tender age of the innocent children victimized by child-pornography crimes."
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative ("PSC") has five major components:
- Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue child victims;
- Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
- Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
- Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
- Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted Homeland Security Investigations, the Airway Heights Police Department, and Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.
CR-13-0004-RMP
59 Year Old Spokane Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane - Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that John Schadl, age 59, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced on August 22, 2013, after having previously pleaded guilty on May 28, 2013 to Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief United States District Court Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Schadl to a five year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a life term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Schadl was ordered to forfeit the computer he used to receive the child pornography images.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, in January of 2012, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received three separate investigative referrals regarding sexually explicit conversations of concern on an Internet website. NCMEC referred the investigative materials to the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Investigation conducted by ICAC Detectives from the Airway Heights Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office determined that Schadl had received child pornography images on his desktop computer at his residence in Spokane, Washington.
Michael C. Ormsby stated, "This case in yet another example of the strong working partnership established between Federal and local law enforcement officers. The public should be aware of these partnerships as well as the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Washington continued commitment to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for child pornography crimes. Prosecuting these types of crimes is a priority for this Office, particularly because of the tender age of the innocent children victimized by child-pornography crimes."
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative ("PSC") has five major components:
- Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue child victims;
- Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
- Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
- Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
- Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted Homeland Security Investigations, the Airway Heights Police Department, and Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.
CR-13-0004-RMP
Thursday 22 August 2013
inmate sentenced to nine additional years in prison for filing false tax refund claims and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that an Anchorage man was sentenced today to a total of nine years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the government and aggravated identity theft.
Steven James McComb, 47, of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ralph R. Beistline to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims and mail fraud, and a consecutive sentence of 24 months prison for aggravated identity theft. McComb pled guilty to these offenses in June 2013. In addition to his prison sentence, a monetary judgment of $110,698 was entered against McComb and an Order of Forfeiture was entered for $23,160 which had been seized from U.S. Bank in April 2011. McComb was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $110,698.
According to filings with the court, while McComb was a State prisoner he participated in a conspiracy to obtain tax refunds by filing fraudulent income tax returns. Between January 2010 and January 2012, McComb and co-conspirators prepared and submitted approximately 100 false tax returns claiming refunds of over $210,000.
Court documents revealed that McComb obtained the names and social security numbers of individuals, many of whom were fellow inmates at State correctional facilities. McComb then provided that information to other co-conspirators outside of the prison system to prepare false individual income tax returns. McComb authorized the co-conspirators to retain a portion of the money from the refunds, and directed them to wire or mail the remainder of the refunds to other co-conspirators or to hold the money for him.
McComb and co-conspirators Helen Delores Maloney, Paulando Ramone Williams, and Michael Lee Sexton were all indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2013 for conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to false claims, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Their current status is as follows:
- Maloney pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims and mail fraud in April 2013 and was sentenced to 28 months in prison on July 2, 2013;
- Williams pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft on August 21, 2013, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2013; and
- Sexton is pending arraignment and trial.
“Committing tax fraud and identity theft while in prison is a recipe for disaster,” said Kenneth J. Hines, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence shows that tax crimes are a serious matter that could result in years behind bars.”Ms. Loeffler commends the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for conducting the investigation leading to successful prosecution of McComb.