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Thursday 22 August 2013
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of A Firearm by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Roderick Sutton, 29, of Jackson, pled guilty in U.S. District Court today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
On April 6, 2011, Sutton was driving a vehicle that was pulled over by Jackson Police Officers for a traffic violation. The officers questioned Sutton who told them there was a gun in the vehicle and that he was a convicted felon. The officers found the gun, and Sutton was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sutton had been previously convicted of multiple drug offenses.
Sutton will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate on November 6, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst is prosecuting the case.
###If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of A Firearm by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss- Julian Michael Thompson, 33, of Jackson, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 94 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Thompson was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,940.
Thompson was indicted following an extensive investigation, dubbed “Operation Paperchase”, targeting illegal narcotics distribution in the City of Jackson.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Gulf Coast HIDTA, and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
###If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Individual Charged with Brokering Uranium Deal Intended for Supply to IranRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), announce today that Patrick Campbell, 33, of Freetown, Sierra Leone, was arrested yesterday in Queens, NY as a result of an investigation conducted by the ICE-HSI. Campbell made his initial appearance earlier today in the Eastern District of New York.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida, Patrick Campbell was charged with brokering the supply of goods which the defendant knew were destined and intended for supply to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Title 50, United States Code, Section 1701, 1705 and the Iranian Transaction Regulations, 31 CFR 560.416, 560,204 and 560.203. If convicted, Campbell faces a possible statutory maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release, and a possible $1,000,000 fine.
The criminal complaint alleges that on August 21, 2013, Campbell traveled to the United States from Sierra Leone and brought with him a sample of uranium, concealed in the soles of the shoes in his luggage, which he believed was to be provided to a representative of individuals seeking to obtain uranium for supply to Iran.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, the Port Authority of New York and the New Jersey Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Walleisa.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Attachment:
Patrick Campbell Complaint (PDF)
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.
Indictment Charges New London Man with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven has returned a two-count indictment charging MAURICE L. MILLIGAN, 34, of New London with firearms offenses. The indictment was returned on August 21, 2013.
As alleged in the indictment, between April 22 and April 25, 2013, MILLIGAN possessed a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number. Prior to April 2013, MILLIGAN had been convicted in the Queens County (N.Y.) Supreme Court of third degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm and second degree robbery.
MILLIGAN is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
This matter has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the New London Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New London. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
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Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Idaho Prison Inmate Admits Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Mark Anthony Brown, 53, an inmate at the Idaho Correctional Center in Orofino, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to two counts of mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on March 12, 2013.
According to court documents, from September 2007 to February 28, 2013, Brown devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from various class action lawsuits and large-scale bankruptcies. According to the plea agreement, Brown submitted numerous claim forms in which he falsely represented himself as a class member or creditor. He then mailed the claim forms to administrators of the settlements in order to receive settlement proceeds, and deposited the proceeds he received into his Idaho Department of Correction trust account, and into several different investment accounts, all through the use of the United States Mail. According to the plea agreement, Brown received approximately $60,000 as proceeds of his criminal activity, which he agreed to forfeit.
Each count of mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is set for November 13, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with the cooperation of the Idaho Department of Correction.
Houston Woman Guilty of Dealing Methamphetamine in East TexasRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsTYLER, Texas – A 24-year-old Houston, Texas woman has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Lindsay Mason pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
According to information presented in court, on June 29, 2011, Mason agreed with others to acquire and distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. Mason was personally responsible for assisting in the possession of 49.3 grams of pure methamphetamine. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Feb. 27, 2013, charging Mason and three others with drug trafficking violations.
Mason faces a minimum of five years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Gregg county CODE Unit, the Overton Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Baldwin.
Houston Investment Manager Pleads Guilty in Utah for Role in $72 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Robert Andres, 62, an investment manager based in Houston, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Salt Lake City for his role in a $72 million investment fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow for the District of Utah, Special Agent in Charge Mary Rook of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Paul A. Camacho of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
Andres pleaded guilty on Aug. 21, 2013, to one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on Jan. 7, 2014.
According to the indictment and other publicly filed documents, Andres operated Winsome Investment Trust, an investment entity, and served as its sole manager, attorney and trustee. From October 2005 until at least January 2011, Andres recruited investors for Winsome by misrepresenting Winsome’s assets and asset allocation and the way in which funds were invested.
Between October 2005 and April 2007, Andres raised more than $39 million from Winsome investors by disseminating false and misleading Winsome balance sheets and by representing to investors that Andres would invest all of their funds in a trading program or a mostly automated trading business.
According to publicly filed documents, between April 2007 and January 2011, Andres used false and misleading information to raise an additional $32 million from new investors. Furthermore, Andres failed to disclose that new investors’ funds would be used to pay earlier investors. In addition, Andres used new investor funds to make purported “profit” payments to earlier investors to create the false impression that Winsome was profitable. During this period, Andres misappropriated approximately $2.2 million in investor proceeds for personal use, including hotel bills and living expenses.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office and IRS-CI Las Vegas Field Office. The department thanks the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Thomas B.W. Hall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason R. Burt and Mark Y. Hirata for the District of Utah.Houston Investment Manager Pleads Guilty in Utah for Role in $72 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Robert Andres, 62, an investment manager based in Houston, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon in federal court in Salt Lake City for his role in a $72 million investment fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow for the District of Utah, Special Agent in Charge Mary Rook of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Paul A. Camacho of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
Andres pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on Jan. 7, 2014.
According to the indictment and other publicly filed documents, Andres operated Winsome Investment Trust, an investment entity, and served as its sole manager, attorney and trustee. From October 2005 until at least January 2011, Andres recruited investors for Winsome by misrepresenting Winsome’s assets and asset allocation and the way in which funds were invested.
Between October 2005 and April 2007, Andres raised more than $39 million from Winsome investors by disseminating false and misleading Winsome balance sheets and by representing to investors that Andres would invest all of their funds in a trading program or a mostly automated trading business.
According to publicly filed documents, between April 2007 and January 2011, Andres used false and misleading information to raise an additional $32 million from new investors. Furthermore, Andres failed to disclose that new investors’ funds would be used to pay earlier investors. In addition, Andres used new investor funds to make purported “profit” payments to earlier investors to create the false impression that Winsome was profitable. During this period, Andres misappropriated approximately $2.2 million in investor proceeds for personal use, including hotel bills and living expenses.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office and IRS-CI Las Vegas Field Office. The department thanks the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Thomas B.W. Hall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason R. Burt and Mark Y. Hirata for the District of Utah.
Hollygrove Gang Member, Walter Conley, Pleads Guilty to Federal Rico and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
WALTER CONLEY, age 25 and a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., to various federal violations stemming from a 34-count indictment which charged CONLEY and several of his associates with participating in a violent drug gang that operated in the Hollygrove area of the City of New Orleans.
As part of his plea agreement, CONLEY agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit RICO; conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking offense; participating in a non-fatal shooting in aid of racketeering, to wit: the assault with a dangerous weapon; using a firearm to murder Paul May on September 14, 2008; committing a carjacking in Jefferson Parish on January 15, 2010; and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Based on his guilty plea, CONLEY will face a sentence of up to life in prison plus an additional 10 years for the firearms offense.
On November 16, 2012, an indictment charged CONLEY, Tyronne Stevenson, Theron Goldston, Bernell Williams, Norman Ratcliff, and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.
The indictment alleged the defendants were members and associates in fact of this criminal enterprise that operated in an area of the city that historically encompasses the Hollygrove area of New Orleans. Theron Golston pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey.
Carey Jones also pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the RICO conspiracy, two separate non-fatal shootings, and for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey.
Bernell Williams pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, gun conspiracy, and to his involvement in two separate non-fatal shootings. He will face a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison.
Ryan Carroll pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life.
China Stewart pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and will face a sentence of not more than five years.
On August 21, 2013 co-defendants Tyronne Stevenson and Mark Glenn both pled guilty. Stevenson will receive a sentence of 30 years and Glenn will receive a sentence of 25 years.
CONLEY, Stevenson, and Glenn will be sentenced on December 11, 2013 at 9:00am. CONLEY was the last defendant in this indictment to plead guilty.
U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente stated:
“We are starting to see the results of the strong cases that are being made by the newly formed Multi-Agency Gang Unit (“MAG Unit”) as the indictments in this case were the first to be returned based on the investigations done by the members of the MAG Unit. These long sentences confirm that the agents built their investigations on solid evidence and should put other gang members on notice that the MAG Unit has the ability, the tools, and the knowledge to completely dismantle an entire criminal enterprise. This is the type of effort that the federal government will continue to put forth to combat violent crime.”
U.S. Attorney Boente would like to thank the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who took the lead role in this investigation and who have been steadfast in their resolve to bring these violent offenders to justice.
The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is a New Orleans Police Department led division which includes federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
Hastings Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 25-year-old Hastings man was sentenced for producing child pornography. United States District Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced Mark Matthew Cortes to 360 months in prison, along with a lifetime of supervised release, on one count of production of child pornography. Cortes was indicted on December 3, 2012, and pleaded guilty on April 9, 2013.
In his plea agreement, Cortes admitted that in November 2011, he knowingly persuaded a minor under the age of 12 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of such conduct on his cellular telephone. Cortes also admitted that he transferred the images from his phone to his computer and then distributed them to another person. In addition, Cortes admitted that he committed a sexual act with the victim during production.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Minnesota Child Exploitation Task Force, which is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
Production of child pornography is against the law. In addition to prosecuting these cases, the Justice Department is funding a study focused on the correlation between involvement in child pornography and hands-on sexual abuse of children. A 2008 study (The Butner Study) published in the Journal of Family Violence found that up to 80 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography also admitted to hands-on sexual abuse of children, ranging from touching to rape.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (“PSC”), 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 U.S. Attorney offices and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”Hagerstown Pharmacist Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud for Improperly Billing Medicare and MedicaidRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced David Russo, age 62, of Hagerstown, Maryland today to 30 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for health care fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by billing for prescriptions that Russo knew were not written for a legitimate medical purpose. Judge Russell also ordered that Russo pay a fine of $50,000, restitution of $200,146.33 and forfeit $39,000 in cash seized during a search of his pharmacy in 2010. As required by his plea agreement, Russo has surrendered his pharmacy license and agreed not to seek a new license in Maryland or any other state.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office.
“Russo's career as a pharmacist is over. Professionals, such as doctors and in this case a pharmacist, who knowingly abuse their power and the public trust are drug dealers, no different than the street dealers that sell illicit drugs,” stated Gary Tuggle, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office. “The abuse of diverted prescription pain medication is the fastest growing drug problem in our country and DEA remains committed to investigate this problem,” added Tuggle.
According to his plea agreement, Russo, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated a pharmacy known as "Russo’s Rx," located at 25 North Cannon Avenue in Hagerstown. Russo admitted that from January 2009 through December 2010, he filled prescriptions for oxycodone, methadone and benzodiazepines that he knew were issued outside of the legitimate medical course and fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for those prescriptions. The sheer number of prescriptions for oxycodone and methadone indicated that the prescriptions were not valid.
In addition, Russo accepted cash for Schedule II drugs when the drugs were not covered by Medicaid or Medicare. Schedule II drugs, including oxycodone and methadone, are approved for medical use and also have a very high abuse potential. They are regulated by the DEA. Another indicator that Russo knew the prescriptions were not for a legitimate medical purpose is that he "split" prescriptions, accepting an amount of cash at the time of a transaction and then accepting the remaining amount at a later time. Russo also filled two prescriptions for a Schedule II drug on the same day for the same patient but charged one to insurance and accepted cash for the other. The investigation showed that: customers would call ahead of time to ask Russo if he had oxycodone “in stock” and how much it would cost; customers traveled from out of state or in van loads to his pharmacy; and many customers were receiving the same “cocktail” prescription of oxycodone, Roxicodone and Xanax, which are well known in medicine and pharmacy as being extremely dangerous when combined because of the severe side effects and potential for addiction and abuse.
Further, Russo made gross sales of nearly $700,000 a month for several months in 2010 - a dramatic increase over previous months. He also made at least 55 cash deposits between December 1, 2009 and June 15, 2010 totaling $862,000. Russo even maintained a cash counting machine in his pharmacy.In December 2010, the DEA executed a search warrant at Russo’s Rx and seized $39,000 in cash from the pharmacy - cash that was earned from unlawful dispensation of oxycodone, methadone and benzodiazepines. Since that date, Russo admitted that he deleted thousands of unlawful prescriptions from his prescription database. From January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010, Russo’s Rx dispensed over 700,000 dosage units of oxycodone and 117,000 dosage units for methadone for the invalid prescriptions. The vast majority of the remaining invalid prescriptions were for other schedule II narcotics and benzodiazepines. For all these prescriptions, Russo improperly billed, and received payment for, over $109,207.26 to Medicare and at least $90,939.07 to Medicaid, with a total approximate loss of $200,146.33.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA for its work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Division of Drug Control and the Maryland Board of Pharmacy for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson, Thomas Corcoran and Ayn M. Ducao, who prosecuted the case.
Grand Jury Indictments Charge Defendants with Child Pornography in Unrelated CasesRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – A federal grand jury yesterday afternoon returned three separate, unrelated indictments that charge defendants in the Central District of Illinois with child pornography offenses:
Johnathan W. Pierce, 29, of the 1000 block of Armstrong Ave., Peoria, Ill., charged with eight counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Pierce was previously arrested on Aug. 8, 2013, and charged by complaint. U.S. Magistrate Judge John A. Gorman ordered that Pierce remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service; Washington Police Department; the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office; and, the Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk D. Schoenbein is prosecuting the case.Michael E. Ontiveros, 50, of the 2000 block of North Evandale, Decatur, Ill., charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Ontiveros was arrested and charged by complaint on Aug. 7, 2013. U.S. Magistrate judge David G. Bernthal ordered that Ontiveros remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Decatur Police Department; and, the Illinois Secretary of State. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson is prosecuting the case.Jorge Muhedano-Hernandez, 29, of Elmond Drove, Bloomington, Ill., charged with one count each of production of child pornography, illegal re-entry after removal from the United States, allegedly in Tucson, Ariz., about Nov. 4, 2012; and possession of fraudulent identification documents. The indictment also charges two other defendants, Jorge Muhedano-Martinez, 54, and Maria Ignacia Antonio-Cruz, both also of Elmond Drive, Bloomington, Ill., with one count each of possession of fraudulent identification documents.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Bloomington Police Department; and, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk D. Schoenbein is prosecuting the case.If convicted, the statutory penalty for receipt of child pornography is five to 10 years in prison; for possession of child pornography, the penalty is up to 10 years in prison. If convicted for the offense production of child pornography, the penalty is not less than 15 years to 30 years in prison. For possession of fraudulent identification documents and for illegal reentry after deportation, the penalty is up to ten years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Goodwin Charges Three More in Connection with Alpha False Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
Seven defendants charged to date in ongoing fraud investigation at Massey legacy mines
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin today announced additional charges in connection with a major false billing scheme orchestrated by former employees of Alpha Natural Resources (“Alpha”) and certain companies that provided supplies, equipment, and services to Alpha. Three individuals were charged today: Ricky R. Smith, of 49, Glen Daniels, James Rodger Long II, 34, of Beckley, and Harold Wayne Brown, II, 41, of Madison, W.Va.
Smith and Long, both former local “sourcing agents” for Massey Energy (“Massey”) legacy mines, have been charged by information with wire fraud and aiding and abetting. Brown, a former Alpha underground maintenance chief, was charged with making a false statement to federal authorities in connection with the false billing scheme. All three have agreed to plead guilty and are cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
An ongoing investigation revealed that several mine sourcing agents, generally responsible for ordering goods and services for mining operations from Alpha suppliers, participated in an illegal scheme to obtain goods for their own personal benefit. The investigation further revealed that the sourcing agents, working in conjunction with the suppliers, hid numerous illegal transactions by creating false invoices.
According to court documents, on October 6, 2011, sourcing agent Ricky Smith submitted a false invoice for $16,500 to purchase a “duster” from a leading Alpha parts supplier, M&S Hydraulics. Court documents also revealed that in a similar scheme, James Long, working with co-conspirators, submitted a false invoice for equipment totaling $8,820 to M&S Hydraulics. The false invoices were intended to look like legitimate purchases, but were actually used to provide cash, gifts and other things of value to the sourcing agents and other Alpha employees.
In March, charges were filed against the owner of M&S Hydraulics, Donald Bryan Steele. Steele was charged with wire fraud and aiding and abetting in connection with the false billing scheme. Charges were also previously filed in March against co-conspirators Edward Ellis Mullins, 41, of Peytona, W.Va., Joey R. Phalin, 36, of Crab Orchard, W.Va., and Nicholas R. Coleman, 29, of Lester, W.Va. Mullins, Phalin and Coleman are all former sourcing agents for Massey Energy (“Massey”) legacy mines. Each defendant was charged by information with wire fraud and aiding and abetting. All four defendants have agreed to plead guilty and are cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
Mullins was employed as the sourcing agent for the Shonk Powellton #1 mine, operated by the Elk Run Coal Company, an Alpha subsidiary. Around November 2011, Mullins approached a supplier, who generally provided tires, wheels and other vehicle-related materials to Massey and now Alpha, about supplying him and other Alpha employees tires and wheels for their personal vehicles. In exchange, Mullins agreed to allow the tire seller to submit false invoices for payment to Alpha reflecting that tires used in the mining operations had been delivered. For its participation, the tire seller was told to “pad” the false invoice. The tire seller immediately provided this information to Alpha corporate security, who, in turn, contacted the FBI and West Virginia State Police. A criminal investigation revealed that not only Mullins, but other sourcing agents, including Phalin and Coleman, who were employed by another Alpha subsidiary, Marfork Coal Company, were also engaged in the false billing scheme.
Through the sourcing agents’ cooperation and other information, law enforcement agents have identified other conspirators linked to the widespread false-billing scheme.
Mullins, Phalin, Coleman and Steele each face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Smith and Long each face each face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Brown faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the West Virginia State Police with cooperation from Alpha Natural Resource’s internal security team. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Ryan is in charge of the prosecutions.
In June 2011, Alpha Natural Resources finalized the purchase of Massey, including the mining divisions located along WV Route 3 in Boone and Raleigh counties.
Note: A sourcing agent refers to the individual located at each mine site who is responsible for ordering goods and services from vendors to ensure the continuation of mining operations.
Getaway Driver Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Aiding and Abetting Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Regina Lynn Dean was sentenced yesterday to 5 years in prison for aiding and abetting armed bank robbery, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
Dean, who had no plea agreement with the government, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2013. During the plea hearing, Dean admitted that she was the getaway driver for her co-defendant Gary Casdell Fite, II, who robbed at gunpoint the Mechanics Bank branch on Pinole Valley Boulevard in Pinole, Calif., on March 1, 2013, taking more than $3,000.
Dean, 37, of Antioch, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 28, 2013, and was ordered to surrender into federal custody immediately after her sentencing. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. In addition to her prison term, Dean was also sentenced to a 3-year period of supervised release.
Co-defendant Fite, 23, of Oakland, pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on June 19, 2013, and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2013.
Brian C. Lewis is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance Legal Assistant Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Georgia Man, Kaleb Deakle, Sentenced for Defrauding Car DealershipRead the Press Release
KALEB DEAKLE, age 24, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced in federal court today before U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, to 24 months incarceration, announced U. S. Attorney Dana Boente. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Milazzo ordered DEAKLE to pay $132,093.83 in restitution. DEAKLE pled guilty to wire fraud on April 16, 2013.
According to court documents, DEAKLE previously resided in New Orleans and gained access to the bank account of the management company where he had leased a condominium. DEAKLE used his computer to negotiate the online sale of a 2012 Land Rover Sport. After a series of emails with the salesman, DEAKLE arrived at Land Rover of New Orleans with a check purportedly from the management company. The check was counterfeit and written out for the total purchase price. DEAKLE led the dealership to believe that he was employed by Apple, Inc., that the check was legitimate, and took possession of the vehicle.
The case was investigated by the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri.
Gang Members, Tyronne Stevenson and Mark Glenn, from Hollygrove Area Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
TYRONNE STEVENSON and MARK GLENN, both 25 years old and both from New Orleans, pled guilty yesterday in federal court before U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., to various federal violations resulting from their association and participation in a violent drug gang operating in the Hollygrove area of the city. The boundaries of the area include South Carrollton Avenue, Earhart Boulevard, Interstate 10, and the Jefferson Parish line.
TYRONNE STEVENSON pled guilty to conspiracy to commit RICO; conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and crimes of violence; and participating in two separate non-fatal shootings in aid of racketeering, to wit: the assault with a dangerous weapon. STEVENSON pled guilty pursuant to an 11(c)(1)( C) plea agreement where he will be sentenced to term of imprisonment of 30 years. The Court may accept or reject the plea agreement.
MARK GLENN pled guilty to conspiracy to commit RICO and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. GLENN pled guilty pursuant to an 11(c)(1)( C) plea agreement where he will be sentenced to term of imprisonment of 25 years. The Court may accept or reject the plea agreement.
In November of 2012, a Federal Grand Jury returned a 34-count second superseding indictment charging Walter Conley, Tyronne Stevenson, Theron Goldston, Bernell Williams, Norman Ratcliff, and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.
Theron Golston pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey.
Carey Jones pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the RICO conspiracy, two separate non-fatal shootings, and for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey. .
Bernell Williams pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, gun conspiracy, and to his involvement in two separate non-fatal shootings. He will face a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison.
Ryan Carroll pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life. He was charged in the original superseding indictment.
China Stewart pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and will face a sentence of not more than five years.
Williams, Carroll and Stewart are scheduled for sentencing on October 16, 2013.
The sole remaining defendant, WALTER CONLEY, is scheduled to stand trial on September 23, 2013. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial.
The case was investigated by the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, a New Orleans Police Department led division which includes federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service, as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
(Download Factual Basis - Tyronne Stevenson )
(Download Factual Basis - Mark Glenn )
French Citizen Sentenced to 108 Months for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Nicolas Perret was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison for transporting child pornography, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag.
Perret, 43, of Saint Laurent Du-Pape, France, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2012. He was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of children and transportation of child pornography.
Perret pleaded guilty on May 7, 2013, to a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1), transportation of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Perret admitted to possessing recordings of live video chats he had conducted with three minors whom he had convinced to engage in sexually explicit conduct after developing lengthy online relationships with the victims posing as a 15 year old boy.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) attaché in Ottawa, Canada, was alerted to Perret’s activities by Canadian authorities, who had been investigating Perret in connection with a trip Perret took to Ontario, Canada, to meet an underage girl with whom he had developed an online relationship posing as a teenage boy.
According to a court document filed by the government related to this sentencing, Perret lured young girls, barely in their teens, into performing sex acts on a video camera. Over 100 videos, featuring suspected underage girls on webcams in sexually exploitative situations, were recovered on the Perret’s laptop. The government’s sentencing memorandum further indicates that Perret established contact and engaged in communication with his victims through popular social media and video chat websites. Perret, according to the government, also invaded his victims’ bedrooms with texts and phone calls, imploring them to undress and perform sexual acts, all while hiding behind a fictitious teenager identity he knew they had grown to trust.
"As this case vividly illustrates, the advent of the Internet means youth are now vulnerable to exploitation by sexual predators not just around the corner, but around the globe," said Clark Settles, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Francisco. "This new reality means that as parents and as law enforcement, we must be mindful of the risks facing children when they go online and use every tool at our disposal to keep them safe."
The sentence was handed down by The Honorable William H. Alsup, U.S. District Court Judge, following a guilty plea on one count in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1). Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a 5-year period of supervised release, and Perret is required to register as a sex offender. In addition, Perret was ordered to pay over $28,000 to the family of one of his victims to compensate them for the costs of psychological treatment incurred as a result of the offense. Perret has been in custody since his arrest in March of 2012.
Carolyn Silane is the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result of a year-long investigation by ICE HSI.
Fox Chapel Woman Illicitly Imported Anti-Cancer Drugs into U.S. for Sale at Stanton-Negley PharmacyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Fox Chapel resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of unlawful importation of prescription drugs, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Robin W. Simon, 45, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in July of 2007 Simon unlawfully imported the anti-cancer prescription drug known as "Xeloda" from Lisbon, Portugal. Simon had purchased the Xeloda from United Drug Wholesalers, which is based in Ireland, and directed United Drug to send those drugs to her in Portugal. In September of 2008, Simon unlawfully imported Xeloda from Heathrow Healthcare, Limited, which is based in Hounslow, Great Britain. The Xeloda tablets which Simon unlawfully imported from Portugal and Great Britain had been manufactured by Roche Laboratories in New Jersey. Simon then caused those medications to be dispensed to persons who presented prescriptions for Xeloda to the Stanton-Negley Pharmacy, which is located on North Negley Avenue in Pittsburgh.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States FDA-Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Simon.
Four Southeast Texans Guilty of Federal Racketeering CrimesRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs“Whites Only” Enterprise Dealt Methamphetamine and Murder
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 49-year-old Hull, Texas, woman has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges related to her association with a “white’s only” criminal enterprise that engaged in methamphetamine distribution and murder in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Vicki Stark-Fitts pleaded guilty to participating in a pattern of racketeering activity that included conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and murder today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin.
Kenny Don Stanley, 25, of Vidor, Texas, Tanner Lynn Bourque, a/k/a “Two Shoes,” a/k/a “Hitman,” 33, of Port Arthur, Texas, and Kristopher Leigh Guidry, a/k/a “Hollywood,” 28, each pleaded guilty to murder in aid of the racketeering activity earlier this summer.
The four were charged in a seven-count superseding indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on Aug. 7, 2013. The indictment is the latest in a series of Eastern District prosecutions targeting members and associates of the SWS and the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT).
According to the indictment, the SWS is a race-based organization operating inside and outside of jails and prisons in Texas and elsewhere. SWS was founded during the 1990s by inmates within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. SWS is also known as “Solid Wood Soldiers” and “Separate White State.” Although the founders established SWS for protection of white inmates and advancement of white supremacy and white separatism, SWS expanded its objectives to include illegal activities for profit, including trafficking methamphetamine and firearms. SWS protects its power, territory, and profits through intimidation and violence, including assaults, robbery, and murder. From September 2010 to January 2011, Bourque, Guidry and other SWS members manufactured “shake and bake” methamphetamine for distribution in the Orange County area of Texas. In February 2011, Bourque, Guidry and other SWS members became closely associated with Stark-Fitts, who supplied them with crystal methamphetamine and firearms. Crystal methamphetamine is a purer form of methamphetamine that is imported from Mexico.
According to information presented in court, on Mar. 11, 2011, while SWS member James Lee Sedtal, a/k/a “Lil Bit,” was delivering methamphetamine in Orange County, Sedtal used one of Stark-Fitts’s guns to shoot and wound an ABT associate. ABT is a criminal gang operating in the Orange County area of Texas and elsewhere that wielded supremacy over SWS in Orange County. During the early morning hours of Mar. 14, 2011, Stanley shot and killed Sedtal at Stark-Fitts’s residence in Liberty County, Texas. Bourque had ordered Stanley to kill Sedtal to prevent ABT from retaliating against SWS for Sedtal’s shooting of the ABT associate. Later that morning, Bourque, Stark-Fitts, Guidry, and Stanley drove to a deserted logging trail in Hardin County where they disposed of Sedtal’s body. Sedtal’s body was recovered on March 23, 2011, after a man phoned 911 to report his discovery of human remains inside a burned car.
Stanley, Bourque, Guidry each pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(1), murder in aid of racketeering. In connection with their pleas, Bourque, Guidry, and Stanley admitted that they sought to maintain and increase their position within SWS by murdering Sedtal. Bourque, Guidry, and Stanley face a punishment of life imprisonment. Stark-Fitts pleaded guilty to a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962(c), RICO, and faces up to life imprisonment. The indictment charged all twelve defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. If convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as charged, the remaining defendants face a punishment range of 10 years to life imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by the ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, DEA, Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety CID, Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Tyler County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Beaumont Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Time Machine Initiative. Time Machine is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.Former Viriginia Resident Convicted of Sending Explosion-Graded Industrial Parts to IranRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mehdi Khorramshahgol, 50, formerly of Centreville, Va., was convicted on Tuesday by a federal judge after a bench trial for violating U.S. economic sanctions on Iran by sending explosion-graded industrial parts to a petrochemical company in Iran.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Rick Shimon, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the verdict by United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
Khorramshahgol faces a potential maximum penalty of 90 years of imprisonment when he is sentenced on November 1, 2013, though the anticipated sentencing guideline range is much lower.
Khorramshahgol was indicted on April 25, 2013, by a federal grand jury on four counts of violating and conspiring to violate the United States economic sanction on Iran, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, and one count of aiding and abetting a material false statement. According to court records and evidence at trial, the defendant conspired with others in Iran to purchase industrial goods from United States businesses for the Iranian petrochemical industry. The defendant falsely represented that the end users for his purchases were in Dubai. After the defendant purchased the goods and shipped them to Dubai, other co-conspirators repackaged the goods for onward shipment to Tehran. The conspiracy used a series of false invoices, false end users, and front companies to hide its illicit activity.
This case was investigated by HSI and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Carter Burwell and Andrew Peterson are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Former Iowa Air Force Captain Charged with Violating Conflict of Interest LawsRead the Press Release
Adam, J.J. Pudenz, 33, from Carroll, Iowa, has been charged by a criminal Complaint, filed in the United States District Court in the Northern District of Iowa, with violating federal conflict of interest laws. The Complaint was unsealed yesterday following Pudenz’s arrest without incident in Carroll, Iowa.
The Complaint alleges that during about 2011 Pudenz knowingly and wilfully engaged in unlawful representational activities. The affidavit supporting the complaint alleges that Pudenz, while a Captain in the United States Air Force, served as a contracting officer for the military in Kabul, Afghanistan. Further, after Pudenz separated from the military in about February 2011, he was employed by a company with whom he had previously done business as a military contracting officer. The affidavit alleges Pudenz was paid more than $250,000 by the company for services that included representation of the company with the military on the same contracts Pudenz had administered while in the military.
Pudenz appeared in federal court in Sioux City on the afternoon of August 21, 2013, and was released on conditions of bond, including the condition that he surrender his passport and restrict his travel. Pudenz’s next court appearance, for a preliminary hearing, is set for September 11, 2013.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and Trial Attorney Wade Weems from the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The case has been investigated by the FBI, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, and by the Defense Criminal Investigative Agency.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-mj-00230 JSS.
Former Erie Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 145 months in jail, 15 years supervised release and ordered to make $5,000 in restitution on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Michael Vay Daratany, 36.
According to information presented to the court, Daratany distributed and possessed computer images and movies depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Many of the images and movies found on Daratany's computer equipment depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone stated that this was a very serious offense deserving of a significant sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Charlottesville, Virginia Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Daratany.
Launched in February 2006, Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Customs Officer Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Importing over 1,200 Pounds of Marijuana into the United States from MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 19, 2013, Luis Carlos Vasquez, 33, of Douglas, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David C. Bury to 151 months imprisonment. Vasquez was found guilty by a federal jury on Feb. 14, 2013, of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of conspiracy to import marijuana and one count of importation of marijuana, aid and abet
United States Attorney John Leonardo stated, “When law enforcement officers like Luis Vasquez conspire with others to violate the very laws they are sworn to enforce, it undermines public confidence in the entire criminal justice system. He is deserving of the harsh punishment he received as he has not only disgraced himself and betrayed the public trust placed in him, but he has insulted the vast majority of his fellow officers who strive every day to perform a difficult job with integrity, honesty and dedication.”
The evidence at trial showed that Vasquez used his position as an inspector at the Douglas Port of Entry to allow over 1,200 pounds of marijuana into the United States from Mexico. On at least two occasions, Vasquez, along with other members of the conspiracy, imported a large quantity of marijuana from Mexico into the United States through the Douglas Port of Entry. Vasquez’ role in the conspiracy was to use his position as a Customs Officer to allow pick-up trucks loaded with marijuana to cross the international border without inspection.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Office of the Inspector General, and the Douglas Arizona Police Department. The prosecution was handled by James T. Lacey, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-11-02486-TUC-DCB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2013-068_VasquezFor more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Former Citibank Employee Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Fraud, Bank Embezzlement, Access Device Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Terri Jo Huber, age 43, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2013. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on August 21, 2013, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, or both; up to 5 years on supervised release, an additional 3 years of supervised release upon revocation; and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Huber was employed as an Escalation Specialist at the Citibank facility in Sioux Falls. In that capacity, Huber had computer access to the account information of customers who had credit cards with Citibank.The charges are merely accusations and Huber is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis R. Holmes is prosecuting the case.
Huber was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.Florida Woman Sentenced for Role in <br /> Reverse Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Miami title agent and former mortgage broker was sentenced today for her role in a reverse mortgage loan fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Lester Fernandez of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by Senior Judge Richard W. Goldberg, sitting by designation in the Southern District of Florida.
Yesenia Pouparina, aka “Yesenia Campos,” 42, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $207,810 in restitution. Pouparina was convicted in February 2013 of four counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Pouparina, a licensed title agent in the state of Florida, sought to obtain a reverse mortgage loan worth more than $400,000 on her own property in the name of her mother, an individual who failed to meet the requirements of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. She submitted a false loan application and doctored records in support of that application, misrepresenting her mother’s eligibility to participate in the program. Pouparina acted as the title agent for the loan and disbursed the loan proceeds directly to her own personal bank accounts. Pouparina also enriched herself by collecting fees generated by the loan, and further profited by using the loan proceeds in connection with her business as a hard-money lender in other mortgage deals.
Following Pouparina’s conviction on the fraud counts, the jury also found forfeitable three bank accounts controlled by the defendant, which were seized by the government during the course of the investigation.
This case was investigated by HUD-OIG. Trial Attorney Sandra L. Moser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Today’s conviction 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. attorney’s offices and state and local partners, it is 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 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
Florida Woman Sentenced for Role in Reverse Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Miami title agent and former mortgage broker was sentenced today for her role in a reverse mortgage loan fraud scheme.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Lester Fernandez of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by Senior Judge Richard W. Goldberg, sitting by designation in the Southern District of Florida.
Yesenia Pouparina, aka “Yesenia Campos,” 42, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $207,810 in restitution. Pouparina was convicted in February 2013 of four counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Pouparina, a licensed title agent in the state of Florida, sought to obtain a reverse mortgage loan worth more than $400,000 on her own property in the name of her mother, an individual who failed to meet the requirements of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. She submitted a false loan application and doctored records in support of that application, misrepresenting her mother’s eligibility to participate in the program. Pouparina acted as the title agent for the loan and disbursed the loan proceeds directly to her own personal bank accounts. Pouparina also enriched herself by collecting fees generated by the loan, and further profited by using the loan proceeds in connection with her business as a hard-money lender in other mortgage deals.
Following Pouparina’s conviction on the fraud counts, the jury also found forfeitable three bank accounts controlled by the defendant, which were seized by the government during the course of the investigation.
Following Pouparina’s conviction on the fraud counts, the jury also found forfeitable three bank accounts controlled by the defendant, which were seized by the government during the course of the investigation.
This case was investigated by HUD-OIG. Trial Attorney Sandra L. Moser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Today’s conviction 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. attorney’s offices and state and local partners, it is 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 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
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.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Stolen Identity Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO –DWAYNE DENARD JOHNSON, Wesley Chapel, Florida, pled guilty to two counts of aggravated identity theft for his role in a stolen identity tax fraud scheme lead by his wife Tania Henderson from their home in suburban Tampa. Johnson is the fifth person involved in the scheme charged and convicted in the Eastern District of Missouri.
According to the plea agreement, Johnson admitted to helping his wife and others use the identities and social security numbers of hundreds of people to file phony tax returns and collect the refunds generated by those returns. In all, the scheme has been found to have involved more than 400 stolen identities and generated more than $1.8 million dollars in refunds, about half of which was intercepted by the IRS before coming under the control of the fraudsters.
Johnson now faces a minimum of two years imprisonment and a maximum of four years imprisonment. Additionally, restitution is mandatory. Sentencing has been set for November 26, 2013.
His wife, Tania Henderson, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, was sentenced in July to 144 months in prison for her role in leading a stolen identity tax fraud scheme during 2012.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Albus handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Final Defendant in National Prearranged Services, Inc. Case Convicted on 18 Counts of FraudRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – DAVID R. WULF was convicted today after a thirteen-day trial before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton for his role in one of the largest frauds ever prosecuted in the Eastern District of Missouri. Wulf was convicted on 18 counts, including bank fraud, wire fraud, wire fraud affecting a financial institution and conspiracy to commit those crimes.
Wulf was appointed in the 1980's to serve as the independent investment advisor to the preneed funeral trusts established pursuant to Missouri statutes by National Prearranged Services, Inc. (“NPS”). As the trusts’ advisor, Wulf was responsible for protecting, investing and managing the trusts’ assets, which included more than $150 million paid by customers who were told their funds would be kept safe until the time of need. The government’s evidence at trial, however, established that Wulf continually authorized the use of trust funds to pay unrelated debts of companies affiliated with NPS, to enrich his co-defendants and ultimately to perpetuate a massive Ponzi scheme that spanned more than a dozen states and affected thousands of individual customers.
According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, beginning as early as 1992 and continuing until 2008, NPS sold prearranged funeral contracts in several states, including Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. During that time, insurance companies affiliated with NPS issued life insurance policies related to those prearranged funeral contracts. As part of the contracts, the total price for funeral services and merchandise for an individual was agreed upon, and that price would remain constant regardless of when the funeral services and merchandise would be needed. Customers entering into prearranged funeral contracts would usually pay a single sum of money up-front to NPS either directly or through a funeral home that was also a party to the contract. NPS represented to individual customers, funeral homes and state regulators that funds paid by customers under the prearranged funeral contracts would be kept in a secure trust or insurance policy as required under state law.
Court documents disclose, however, that NPS made use of funds paid by customers in ways that were inconsistent both with its prior and continuing representations and with the applicable state laws and regulations. Instead, NPS operated as a fraudulent Ponzi-like scheme, where customer funds were neither kept safe in bank trusts or insurance policies, but instead were utilized for unauthorized purposes and the personal enrichment of NPS’ officers and others. In turn, new business became the source of funding for funerals that prior customers had previously paid for in advance. Victims of the scheme include individual customers, funeral homes and state insurance guarantee associations across the country.
Each count of bank fraud, conspiracy and wire fraud affecting a financial institution carries a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. Wulf’s sentencing has been set for November 7, 2013.
Wulf's co-defendants James Douglas Cassity, Brent Douglas Cassity, Howard Wittner, Randall Sutton and Sharon Nekol Province each pled guilty to charges against them earlier this year and likewise await sentencing in November.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Muchnick, Charles Birmingham and Richard Finneran prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal Jury Finds Odessa Man Guilty in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TAMPA, FLORIDA - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that yesterday a federal jury found Antonius Russel Ford (28, Odessa) guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Ford faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Ford was indicted on May 13, 2013.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Ford bought hundreds of grams of cocaine and crack cocaine from a supplier in Town 'n' Country, a community in Tampa. Ford then resold the drugs in Spring Hill and elsewhere. During the investigation, numerous telephone conversations between Ford and the supplier were intercepted by law enforcement. On April 12, 2013, agents executed federal search warrants at two businesses in Town 'n' Country and recovered approximately 255 grams of cocaine, as well as several thousand dollars in cash.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
Federal Jury Convicts Del Rio Man in Child Porn CaseRead the Press Release
Law Enforcement testimony revealed that defendant possessed over 1,000 videos and 100 images depicting child pornography
In Del Rio, 39-year-old Ruben A. Vazquez, a teacher at Calderon Elementary in the San Felipe Independent School District, faces a minimum of five years in federal prison after a jury convicted him this afternoon of child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Janice Ayala.
The jury convicted Vazquez of one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of access with the intent to view child pornography. Evidence presented during trial revealed that Vazquez was using peer to peer file sharing programs to access, receive and distribute videos of child pornography. Law enforcement officers testified that Vazquez admitted to them that he had over 1,000 images and over 100 videos of child pornography.
On June 21, 2012, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized several computers and related equipment. According to court records, a forensics evaluation of the seized items revealed the presence of child pornography videos that depict minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct along with evidence of child pornography files that had previously resided on the computer.
Vazquez faces between five and 20 years in federal prison on each receipt and distribution count; and, up to ten years in federal prison on the access count. Vazquez remains in federal custody pending sentencing scheduled for January 16, 2014, before United States District Judge Alia Moses.
This case was investigated by HSI agents together with the investigators from the Beaumont Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan McCalla and Ralph Paradiso are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Federal Inmate with Cell Phone Will Spend an Extra Month in PrisonRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - An inmate at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Bradford, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 1 month incarceration on his conviction for possession of contraband in prison, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Franklin Rodriguez, 43. The sentence was imposed to run consecutively to the sentence Rodriguez is currently serving.
According to information presented to the court on December 24 ,2012, Rodriguez was in possession of contraband, namely a cell phone.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended Officers of the McKean Federal Correctional Institution for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rodriguez.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 18 More Months in Prison for Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - An inmate at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Bradford, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 18 months incarceration on his conviction for possession of contraband in prison, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Antonio Lattin, 28. The sentence was imposed to run consecutively to the sentence Lattin is currently serving.
According to information presented to the court on December 1, 2012, Lattin was in possession of a weapon.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended Officers of the McKean Federal Correctional Institution for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lattin.
Fayette Co. Pill Dealer Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Selling OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Police also found 17 firearms, hundreds of marijuana plants at defendant’s residence
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County pill dealer who sold approximately 250 powerful prescription painkillers over a two-year period was sentenced today to three years and ten months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. Vernon Peters III, 35, of Kincaid, Fayette County, W.Va., previously pleaded guilty in May to distribution of oxycodone. On March 20, 2012, Peters sold three 30-milligram oxycodone tablets to a police informant. The pill transaction occurred at the defendant’s Fayette County residence.
On March 19, 2012, members of the West Virginia State Police seized approximately 17 firearms and 236 marijuana plants from the defendant’s residence. A number of firearms at the residence were located in close proximity to the marijuana plants.
In total, Peters illegally sold approximately 250 30-milligram oxycodone pills in and around Fayette County.
The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
East Windsor Gun Store Owner Admits Multiple Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kenneth J. Croke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division, announced that DAVID LAGUERCIA, 56, of Broad Brook, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to violating federal firearms laws. LAGUERCIA was the owner and operator of Riverview Gun Sales, located at 4 Prospect Hill Road in East Windsor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, LAGUERCIA, doing business as Riverview Sales, Inc. (“Riverview”), was a federal firearms licensed dealer in Connecticut (“FFL”) from 2005 to December 2012. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted an investigation of LAGUERCIA and Riverview and discovered approximately 300 examples of false or missing information in Riverview’s acquisition and disposition (“A&D”) records. The investigation also revealed at least two instances in which individuals received firearms prior to receiving approval from the national instant criminal background check system (“NICS”). Riverview also failed to report the theft of a firearm within 48 hours, and failed to report multiple sales of handguns to the same individuals.
“This investigation of one of Connecticut’s largest gun dealers revealed hundreds of record-keeping violations, improper sales, shoddy inventory procedures and seemingly non-existent store security,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Daly. “Federally-licensed firearms dealers are our first line of defense in making sure that firearms don’t wind up in the wrong hands, and gun dealers who don’t follow the rules and violate federal law will be prosecuted.”
“Today is an example of the consequences federal firearms dealers face when they commit violations and put communities in danger with their actions,” stated ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Croke. “It is critical for FFLs to comply with federal laws and regulations. ATF has a responsibly to ensure they do, thereby keeping firearms out of the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them to ensure that our citizens are safe.”
LAGUERCIA pleaded guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons to one count of transfer of a firearm before completion of background check, and one count of failure to maintain proper firearm records. LAGUERCIA also entered a guilty plea on behalf of RIVERVIEW SALES, INC. to one count of making false entries in dealer’s records. The maximum penalty on each of the charges is one year of imprisonment, five years of probation and a $100,000 fine.
Sentencing has been scheduled for November 14, 2013.
On December 20, 2012, ATF issued a revocation of Riverview’s FFL, effective on that date. LAGUERCIA has not appealed this administrative decision.
As part of his guilty plea, LAGUERCIA agreed that he will not be an FFL or a responsible party for an FFL for a period of five years. He also has agreed to sell or transfer any firearms remaining in Riverview’s inventory to another FFL.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Spector.
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[email protected]East Bay Residents Charged in Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Jessika Green, Khyber Law, and Starkisha Benson were charged in a 22 count indictment on August 20, 2013, with wire fraud, conspiracy to file false claims, filing false claims, effecting fraudulent transactions with an access device, theft of public money, and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.
According to the indictment, Green, Law, and Benson, of Oakley, Antioch, and Berkeley, Calif., respectively, filed or helped others file false claims with the IRS requesting refunds in the names of other people. As part of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly procured the names and identities of individuals through illegal means or by agreement with participants in the scheme. The filed returns claimed falsely wages and withholdings. The defendants also requested that the IRS transmit the fraudulent refunds into accounts linked to debit cards. These debit cards were used to access the proceeds derived from the conspiracy.
The maximum statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1343, is twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of conspiracy to file false claim, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 286, is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of filing false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 287, is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of effecting fraudulent transactions with access device, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1029(a)(5), is fifteen years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty for theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 641, is ten years in prison, consecutive to the underlying felony and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty for aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1028A, is a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Drug Trafficking Ringleader Craig Petties Sentenced to Life in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Craig Petties, 36, of Memphis, TN was sentenced today to nine life sentences in federal prison by United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.
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In 2009, Petties pleaded guilty to 19 charges related to his role as the ringleader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations ever prosecuted in West Tennessee. Petties and the other members of his criminal racketeering enterprise conspired with cocaine traffickers in Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and elsewhere. As part of the conspiracy, cocaine was prepared, packaged and/or stored, prior to distribution to buyers in “stash houses.” The defendant and the co-conspirators used these “stash houses” to avoid detection by law enforcement authorities.
It was further part of the conspiracy that the defendants and their co-conspirators sorted, counted, packaged, and stored large amounts of cash derived from the sale of controlled substances in various co-conspirators’ premises in the Western District of Tennessee. The co-conspirators delivered large amounts of currency derived from the sale of cocaine from the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere to Texas and Mexico. In order to facilitate continued drug trafficking and in order to prevent others from cooperating with law enforcement authorities, it was further part of the conspiracy that the defendant and the co-conspirators did kill other people. Petties pleaded guilty to murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and he admitted to a role in at least four murders. Petties also later pleaded guilty to a separate charge of possessing a weapon while in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis.
Over 40 people have been charged and convicted as part of this investigation. The sentencing of Petties represented the end of these successful prosecutions in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
“Craig Petties was the ringleader of one of the largest and most violent criminal organizations to ever operate in the state of Tennessee. The court’s sentence of life without the possibility of parole holds Petties accountable for his ruthless acts,” said U.S. Attorney Stanton. “It should also send a clear message to those who distribute poison into our communities and protect their criminal activity by any means necessary: you will not get away with it, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I hope the sentence imposed today can provide a meaningful measure of closure to the families of those murdered and victimized by the Petties organization, as well as the community as a whole.”
“The dismantling of the Petties organization brought his reign of terror to an abrupt end. Petties, who was dubbed as a powerful ‘drug lord,’ trafficked vast quantities of cocaine and marijuana and was one of the most violent and notorious drug dealers in Memphis history,” said Harry S. Sommers, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Despite his power, criminal protection and violent methods of operation, step by step, the government successfully dismantled his once-thriving criminal network. This life sentence would not have been possible without the high-level of cooperation between federal, state, local and Mexican law enforcement authorities.”
This investigation was conducted in conjunction with prosecutors in Memphis as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program, which seeks to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
Because there is no parole in the federal prison system, Petties will spend the rest of his life in prison. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and the Olive Branch Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard on behalf of the government.Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin That Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
LONDON, KY - Following the first day of trial, a Pulaski County man pled guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin and to distributing heroin that resulted in the death of another.
Anthony Lacortiglia, age 29, admitted that he provided heroin to John Latham on May 4, 2012, and that Latham died as a result of using the heroin. Lacortiglia also admitted to conspiring with others to distribute heroin within Pulaski County. The terms of the agreement require Lacortiglia to be imprisoned for 240 months, provided no changes occur with respect to the law surrounding overdose deaths.
Kerry B. Harvey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge, FBI; Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police Commissioner; Robbie Clark, Acting Director of the Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force; and Todd Wood, Pulaski County Sheriff, jointly announced the conviction.
U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey said, “This case highlights the importance of cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement in fighting the growing epidemic of heroin overdose deaths. A troubling increase in heroin abuse has been detected in the Eastern District of Kentucky. We are committed to using every available tool to combat this problem. Drug dealers should be on notice that we intend to hold them responsible for the consequences of their criminal conduct.”
The investigation was conducted by Detective Jason Browning of the Kentucky State Police, Detective Darrell Kegley of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Jon Williams of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Agent Mike Walters of the Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force, and various agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Parman.
District Man Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Murder of 18-Year-Old Girl in Northwest Washington
Defendant and Victim Met Through a Social Media Website;
Victim Killed for iPhone and iPodWASHINGTON – Alexander Buckley, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 22 years in prison on a charge of second-degree murder while armed for the slaying of a Maryland teenager, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Buckley pled guilty in June 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Russell F. Canan. Upon completion of his prison term, Buckley will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in January 2013, Buckley met the victim, 18-year-old Siohban Lee, through a social media website known as “Tagged,” which allows users to view profiles and photographs posted by other users. Tagged is available as an application to iPhone and Android phone subscribers and allows users to text one another via the Internet. Initially, the defendant and the victim communicated only through Tagged. Eventually, however, they exchanged phone numbers and began to communicate by phone.
Leading up to the early morning hours of Jan. 25, 2013, Buckley and Ms. Lee exchanged several text messages and phone calls, during which she agreed to meet him for the very first time. The defendant provided the victim with instructions to take the bus into the District of Columbia, towards Georgia Avenue NW, where he would meet her. Sometime after 2:15 a.m., on Jan. 25, 2013, he met Ms. Lee in the area of 5th and Nicholson Streets NW. The victim was carrying a purse, and was in possession of both her iPhone and iPod Touch.
At approximately 2:30 a.m., Buckley shot the victim one time in the left side of the head, just behind her left ear, killing her. He took her iPhone and iPod Touch, and, leaving her purse behind, fled the scene. Law enforcement quickly located the defendant, who still had the phone in his possession. As a result, Buckley was arrested just hours after the murder.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Ethel Gregory and Marian Russell; Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman; and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Nielsen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-290Cumberland County Armed Robbers Sentenced to 200 Months Imprisonment in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced xavier deshawn lymas, 24, jessie gomez, 26 , and LIONEL BERNARD NEWMAN, 23, all of Fayetteville. LYUMAS received 200 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release; gomez received 200 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release; and NEWMAN received 200 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hope Mills Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case.
LYMAS, GOMEZ, NEWMAN, and JOSE MORALES were named in an eight-count Indictment filed on October 3, 2012 charging them with crimes related to the robbery of businesses engaged in interstate commerce. On February 19, 2013, LYMAS , NEWMAN, and MORALES pled guilty to Conspiracy to Rob Businesses Engaged in Interstate Commerce, and Using and Carrying a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. On April 11, 2013, GOMEZ pled guilty to the same. MORALES will be sentenced at a later date.
According to the investigation, the group participated in a string of armed robberies in Cumberland County in October 2011. On October 27, 2011, LYMAS, GOMEZ, NEWMAN, and JOSE MORALES, armed with handguns, traveled to the Lake Lynn Short Stop on Gillespie Street in Fayetteville for the purpose of robbing the business. Due to the high volume of customers inside, the group chose instead to rob a person seated in his vehicle in the parking lot. With MORALES acting as the driver and NEWMAN serving as a lookout, LYMAS and GOMEZ robbed the victim at gunpoint.
The group then traveled to a Kangaroo Express store on Natal Street in Fayetteville. Wearing ski masks and gloves, LYMAS, GOMEZ, and NEWMAN entered the store while MORALES acted as the driver. GOMEZ and NEWMAN were armed with handguns. Inside, GOMEZ demanded money from the store clerk and struck the clerk in the head with his handgun. The group fled with cash and other items taken from the store.
The same evening, NEWMAN and an unindicted accomplice robbed a Kangaroo Express store on Hope Mills Road in Hope Mills. NEWMAN and his accomplice entered the store wearing ski masks and gloves. Both brandished handguns. NEWMAN pointed his handgun at a store clerk and demanded cash. The robbers fled with cash and other items.
On October 30, 2011, LYMAS, GOMEZ, and MORALES attempted to rob a Kangaroo Express on Main Street in Hope Mills. With MORALES acting as the driver, LYMAS and GOMEZ entered the store wearing ski masks and gloves, and brandishing handguns. Several Hope Mills police officers were in close proximity conducting surveillance on the store and observed LYMAS and GOMEZ as they entered. The officers followed LYMAS and GOMEZ inside and placed them under arrest before they were able to complete the robbery.Corpus Man Handed 13-Year Sentence for Local Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Glen Lee Sympson has been ordered to federal prison for committing a bank robbery of Prosperity Bank in Corpus Christi in early 2013, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Sympson pleaded guilty June 3, 2013.
Today, U.S. District Judge Hayden Head, handed Sympson a sentence of 156 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a three-year-term of supervised release. In assessing the sentence, the court considered his status as a career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines due to his two prior convictions for robbery in June 2000 and November 2004.
On Jan. 2, 2013, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Sympson robbed the Prosperity Bank on Leopard Street in Corpus Christi. He entered the bank wearing a disguise consisting of a wig and a beard and displayed a handgun at bank employees and others present in the lobby. Sympson was heard stating, “this is a robbery, no one call the cops or push any buttons. Get your hands up.” After the branch manager activated the alarm, Sympson yelled “get your hands out of there.”
Witnesses observed Sympson flee the bank with cash and get into a vehicle and were able to provide the license plate to officers. Officers soon located him and arrest Sympson at his residence.
Sympson, was arrested on Jan. 2, 2013, at his apartment on the 9800 block of La Branch Street in Corpus Christi.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI investigated with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Miller prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender from Tallapoosa County Sentenced to Thirty Months in Federal Prison and Five Years of Supervision for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - Jimmy Jones, a resident of Tallapoosa County, Alabama, was sentenced to thirty months in federal prison after a felony conviction for failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., announced today.
A federal grand jury indicted Jones in March 2013, for failing to register and update a registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act after he relocated to a new jurisdiction. According to court documents, Jones was convicted of one count of attempted rape third degree in New York in 2002. Due to this conviction, Jones was designated a sexually violent offender and is required to register as a sex offender. The last time Jones registered in New York was on November 21, 2011. Jones pleaded guilty in May 2013 and he admitted that in August 2012 he traveled from New York to Alabama. Jones further admitted that, after relocating to Alabama, he knowingly failed to register as a sex offender in Alabama.
United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson sentenced Jones to thirty (30) months in federal prison to be followed by five (5) years of supervised release. Jones remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending placement by the Bureau of Prisons.
This case was investigated jointly by the United States Marshals Service, the Alexander City Police Department, and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jerusha T. Adams prosecuted the case.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
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Fax: (334) 223-7617Cobb County Man Charged in Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Defendant Claimed Over $5.5 Million in Fraudulent Tax Refunds
ATLANTA - Bradford Thomas has been arraigned on charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government funds. Thomas was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2013.
“This defendant is accused of attempting to defraud the U.S. Treasury out of millions of dollars by seeking 1200 tax refunds in the names of unsuspecting taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
“Identity thieves are becoming more devious, creative, and conniving,” stated Veronica Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation. “They steal our identities, steal government money and prey upon innocent citizens. These criminals must be and will continue to be pursued in order to obtain justice for the victims as well as justice for our nation.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: From January 2010 through May 2013, Thomas orchestrated a scheme to file over 1,200 false tax returns using the names and social security numbers of various victims, many of whom were incarcerated in jails or prisons throughout the country. The false tax returns claimed over $5.5 million in fraudulent tax refunds which were directed to be deposited into bank accounts controlled by Thomas or individuals working with him. The scheme caused an actual loss of over $1.6 million in taxpayer money.
In conjunction with the arrest of Thomas, two locations, a business named “Immaculate Autos” in Kennesaw, Ga., and his primary residence in Acworth, Ga., were searched by federal agents. Both are suspected to be places where electronic returns were submitted to the IRS.
Bradford Thomas, 46, of Cobb County, Ga., was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker.
The indictment charges 10 counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of aggravated identity theft, and 8 counts of theft of government funds. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and each theft of government funds count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. In addition, the aggravated identity theft charges carry at least one mandatory two-year consecutive sentence to any other sentence imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000. However, in determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. The United States is also seeking the forfeiture of all funds derived from or involved in this scheme.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas J. Krepp and Mary F. Kruger are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Chicago Brothers to Serve Significant Prison Terms for Trafficking Crack Cocaine in QuincyRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – Chicago brothers who organized a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation in Quincy, Ill., were sentenced in federal court today. U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough ordered Sylvester Purham, 24, and Howard Purham, 21, to serve 30-year and 20-year prison terms, respectively, for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine in the Quincy area for more than a year. In May 2012, both entered pleas of guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 280 grams of crack cocaine from August 2010 to mid-November 2011. The brothers have remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since they were arrested in January 2012.
According to court documents and during today’s hearing, the government presented evidence and Judge Myerscough found that the Purham brothers organized and controlled a group that since August 2010 had brought crack cocaine from Chicago to Quincy, Ill., to sell. The court found that Sylvester was responsible for 1.9 kilograms of crack cocaine and that Howard was responsible for 840 grams of crack cocaine. One way of transporting the drugs was via Amtrak. The brothers were associated with the Black P-Stone Nation street gang. In addition, Judge Myerscough found that the brothers orchestrated threats of government witnesses and failed to accept responsibility for their crimes.
The charges were investigated by the Illinois State Police West Central Illinois Task Force, the Quincy Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Agencies providing assistance include the U.S. Marshals’ Violent Fugitive Task Force, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Bohm in cooperation with Adams County State’s Attorney Jon Barnard.
Carbondale Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
On August 22, 2013, Andre V. Scott, 32, of Carbondale, IL, was sentenced in United States District Court in Benton on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
Scott, who had previously pled guilty to the firearm charge, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and fined $200. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that, on November 29, 2012, Scott was involved in a dispute in Carbondale. During the dispute, Scott retrieved a Charter Arms, .38 special caliber revolver and threatened multiple persons with the gun. After a foot pursuit, Carbondale Police Officers apprehended Scott and recovered the loaded firearm. Scott is prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction for Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. The district judge further ordered that the Charter Arms, .38 special caliber revolver be forfeited to the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Carbondale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
California Man Charged with Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
Montiya Louis Thomas, 41, of Colton, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in East St. Louis on August 21, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
The Grand Jury charged Thomas with Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Distribute five kilograms or more of Cocaine. Thomas was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on July 23, 2013. He has been detained (held without bond) in federal custody since a detention hearing, which was held on July 25, 2013. The charge carries a possible penalty of ten (10) years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, at least five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Arraignment in this matter is currently scheduled for August 23, 2013, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, at which time a trial date will likely be set.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Evidence for this indictment was gathered during an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Illinois State Police.
This case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.
Brownwood, Texas, Man Admits Producing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — Jacob Aniceto Jose Villarreal, 29, of Brownwood, Texas, appeared today before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Villarreal has been in custody since his arrest in June 2013 on a related federal criminal complaint. He faces a total maximum statutory penalty of not less than 15 years or more than 50 years in federal prison, a $500,000 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.
On June 25, 2013, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at Villarreal’s home and five computers, two telephones and three thumb drives were found.
According to documents filed in the case, Villarreal used his cell phone to create a video of a minor male engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Villarreal admitted that he collected and traded images and videos of child pornography. Some of the child pornography was collected using peer-to-peer file-sharing software, but most of the images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were received and sent by way of his cell phone.
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 ICE HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy is in charge of the prosecution.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing A Minor on Patrick Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - Senior District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Shawn Alan Marshall (50, Brevard County) to life in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor female victim by threatening her and placing her in fear. Marshall pleaded guilty on May 8, 2013.
According to his plea agreement, from March 16, 2011, through November 30, 2012, on Patrick Air Force Base, Marshall sexually abused and raped the victim on numerous occasions. During some of the abuse, Marshall physically restrained the victim by locking her in a bathroom with him, pinning her arms behind her back, and wrapping a cord around her throat. Marshall was physically and verbally abusive in the presence of the victim and used coercion to prevent the victim from disclosing the abuse. In February 2013, the victim disclosed the sexual abuse. Shortly thereafter, Marshall was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Air Force, Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Bremen Man Sentenced for Solicitation to Commit ArsonRead the Press Release
NEWNAN, Ga. - Hitendrafumar Patel has been sentenced to over two years in prison for hiring an undercover officer to burn his dry cleaning business.
“This defendant’s plot to burn down his own failing business could have had horrific consequences, possibly resulting in the destruction of property and loss of life to firefighters and innocent citizens,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
“ATF in partnership with our local law enforcement arrested a potentially violent individual who was posing a significant danger to public safety personnel and the community,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ray Brown. “Through this cooperative effort, we were able to stop any further potential harm to the citizens of Bremen, Georgia.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In April 2012, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a tip from a confidential informant that Hitendrafumar Patel had been making inquiries to find someone who would be willing to burn down his dry cleaning business, Economy Cleaners, located in Bremen, Ga. The confidential informant, acting at the direction of law enforcement officers, called Patel and gave him the telephone number of an undercover GBI agent, who would pose as an arsonist. Patel phoned the undercover agent and arranged a meeting at Economy Cleaners to discuss the intended arson. The meeting took place on June 12, 2012, and was audio-video recorded by the undercover agent. Patel told the agent that the business was not making money and that he wanted it burned so that he could pay off the mortgage and debts with the insurance proceeds. The agent and Patel agreed on a price for the arson job, and the agent gave Patel a list of materials that Patel needed to supply the agent to use for the fire. Patel also told the agent about another property he owned in Bowden, Ga., which Patel said he might hire the agent to burn after the Bremen arson was complete.
The agent returned to the dry cleaners on June 30, 2012. Patel had acquired the incendiary materials, and gave them to the undercover agent. He then showed the agent where he hid the key to the business, and instructed the agent on how to unlock the door. Patel paid the agent $250, promising to pay him an additional $750 after he had collected the insurance proceeds. Patel was arrested immediately after the agent left the meeting.
Patel, 44, of Bremen, Ga., was sentenced to two years, six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. Patel was convicted of these charges on April 29, 2013, after he pleaded guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistance was provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and City of Bremen Fire/Rescue.
Assistant United States Attorney Teresa D. Hoyt prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Box Elder Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Joseph McGregor, age 31, of Box Elder, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on August 20, 2013, and pled guilty to the Indictment that charged him with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is not more than 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; at least 2 years of supervised release and an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation; and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from an incident that took place on the Rosebud reservation on March 24, 2013, wherein Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement (RSTLE) initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by McGregor due to a headlight being out. While the officer ran a license status on McGregor, another RSTLE officer arrived on scene and eventually deployed his narcotics detection dog, who indicated on McGregor’s vehicle. Law enforcement searched McGregor’s vehicle and found three bags containing a green leafy substance, a scale, a smaller bag containing a green leafy substance, a grinder, two hand-rolled cigarettes with an odor of marihuana, a roach clip, two packs of rolling papers, and a cigarette rolled. The three bags of the green leafy substance were sent to the lab and confirmed to be marijuana, with a total weight of 1.3596 kilograms.
The investigation was conducted by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement, Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich is prosecuting the case.
McGregor was released on bond pending sentencing which has been set for November 6, 2013.August Grand JuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 28 indictments charging 29 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Antoinette Blackfish, age 22, of Winnebago, Nebraska, is charged with assaulting a Police Officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on or about July 24, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and a special assessment of $100.
* Latosha A. Bolton, also known as LaTosha A. Harlan, age 46, of Omaha, Nebraska , is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment alleges from on or about November 1993 and continuing through April, 2013, the defendant caused to be sent and delivered by the United States Postal Service a United States Treasury check based on false representations. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of $250,000, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment alleges that on or about August 2008 and continuing thru on or about April 2013 the defendant stole money of the Social Security Administration by obtaining SSI payments to which she was not entitled. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of $250,000, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.* Adolfo Chavez, age 52, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 31, 2013, following deportation as a felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Alex Isidro Cubas-Reyes, age 26, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about April 23, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Albert Dansby, age 59, of Beaumont, Texas, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count 1 of the Indictment charges the defendant with bank robbery of US Bank, 1700 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska, on or about July 24, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges the defendant with bank robbery of Bank of the West, 1921 Harney Street, Omaha, Nebraska, on or about August 9, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III of the Indictment charges the defendant with escape from federal custody on or about July 18, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.* Vicente De Lao-Olvera, also known as Gordo, age 24, and Jose Pablo Bojorquez-Quevedo, also known as Nitro, age 57 are charged in a seven-count indictment. Count I alleges that beginning at an unknown time but at least as early as on or about August 1, 2013 and continuing to on or about August 2, 2013, the defendants conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 10 years and up to life, a $10 million fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II alleges that on or about August 2, 2013, the defendants possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 10 years and up to life, a $10 million fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III alleges that on or about March 20, 2013, Vicente De Lao-Olvera, also known as Gordo, did distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 10 years and up to life, a $10 million fine, a 5 year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Counts IV, V, VI and VII allege that on or about April 8, 2013, on or about May 17, 2013, on or about June 12, 2013, and on or about June 27, 2013, Vicente De Lao-Olvera, also known as Gordo, did knowingly distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of 20 years, a $1 million fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. The indictment also alleges any and all property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the violations alleged in the indictment, including but not limited to: $154,730.00 in United States currency, 4 vehicles, 5 firearms, and ammunition, should be forfeited to the United States.
* Daniel Fuentes-Garcia, age 28, of Imperial, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 9, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Carlos Efrain Gallegos-Ruiz, age 31, of Lexington, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 23, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Huerta-Navarrete, age 42, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 1, 2013, following deportation as an aggravated felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Milton J. LaRose, also known as Milton J. Drappeau, age 25, of Winnebago, Nebraska, is charged with assaulting a Police Officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on or about July 11, 2013. If convicted, he faces a maximum imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100.
* Carlos Enrique Lopez-Hernandez, age 32, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 6, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Lucas-Bernabe, age 46, of Crete, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about January 7, 2013, following deportation as a felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Susana Mendez Jimenez, age 28, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with misuse of a Social Security Number on or about April 7, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 5 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment alleges on or about April 7, 2013, Mendez Jimenez made a false statement and claimed to be a United States citizen with the intent to receive Federal and State benefits and to be employed in the United States. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 5 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges that on or about April 7, 2013, Mendez Jimenez misused a Social Security Card and a State of Nebraska Identification Card knowing that said documents were not issued lawfully for his use. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 5 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Luis Enrique Miramontes-Arteaga, age 19, is charged with distribution of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of 20 years, a $1 million fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jorge Armando Moran-Aceituno, age 38, of Fremont, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 6, 2013, following deportation as a felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Fulgencio Morente-Tino, age 25, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 10, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Gerardo Ortiz-Reyes , age 31, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 18, 2013, following deportation as an aggravated felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Arnoldo Perez-Melchor, age 32, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 9, 2013, following deportation as a felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges the defendant with failure to register as a Sex Offender in the State of Nebraska on or about August 9, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ramon Perez-Rea, age 32, of Kearney, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about May 19, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Davaughn Richard Lavell Perkins, age 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base on or about July 23, 2013. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to 40 years, $5 million fine, a 5 year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The indictment also alleges any and all property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the violation alleged in the indictment, including but not limited to: $472.00 in United States currency, should be forfeited to the United States.
* Lino Margarito Quintana-Morales , also known as Lino B. Prieto, approximately 30 years old, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about March 16, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Sanchez Gamez , age 34, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 27, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Abel Sinfuegos-Aguirre, also known as Abel Martinez Aguirre, also known as Abel Martinez Guerra , age 35, of Jacinto City, Texas, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about July 1, 2013, following deportation as an aggravated felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Azucena Reyes, age 35, of Sioux City, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with assault with a dangerous weapon on or about June 22, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of $250,000, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Reyes with criminal mischief on or about June 22, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 1 year, a fine of $100,000, 1 year supervised release, and a $25 special assessment.
* Joseph H. Ronquillo, also known as Kilo, also known as Kenino, age 21, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I alleges that on or about July 23, 2013, the defendant possessed with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to 40 years, a $5 million fine, a 5 year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Count II alleges that on or about July 23, 2013, the defendant possessed a Taurus 1911 pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense alleged in Count I. The maximum possible penalty is imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to life to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a $250,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The indictment also alleges any and all property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the violations alleged in the indictment, including, but not limited to $3,536.25 in United States currency seized from the defendant on July 23, 2013, should be forfeited to the United States.* Jesus Ruiz-Izaguirre, age 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about August 5, 2013, following deportation as an aggravated felon. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Marcos Francisco Vasquez-Gomez, age 35, of Fremont, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States on or about April 23, 2013, after deportation or removal. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is imprisonment of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.* Patricia Walker-Halstead, age 67, of Omaha, is charged with 11 counts of wire fraud as a result of her alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud a client of her business, Walker Investigations. The indictment alleges Walker-Halstead convinced a client who feared she was being stalked to give her money in exchange for providing security services. It is alleged Walker-Halstead falsely represented she had conducted an investigation yielding evidence sufficient to take the stalker to court. The indictment also alleges that Walker-Halstead told the client that she was working with a Captain with the Nebraska State Patrol and, further, that the Captain was a potential romantic suitor for the client. At various times Walker-Halstead represented that the Captain, (reportedly named “Scott), needed money for various purposes and asked the client to send her money which she would, in turn, give to “Scott.” In fact, according to the indictment, “Scott” did not exist and Walker-Halstead did not provide the services she represented she had performed. According to the indictment Walker-Halstead obtained approximately $856,080.22 from the client through her alleged misrepresentations. It is alleged Walker-Halstead used the money to make personal purchases and to pay for her personal gambling expenditures. Each of the wire fraud counts is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both, along with a 5 year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of a 2012 GMC Terrain and the contents of a bank account in the name of Walker Investigations.