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17 June 2013
Everett Aircraft Maintenance Company Agrees to Pay $275,000 and Implement Enhanced Compliance PoliciesRead the Press Release
An aircraft maintenance company in Everett, Washington, has agreed to settle two federal civil penalty claims brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Based on its investigation, the FAA contends that from 2006-2009 Aviation Technical Services (ATS) violated FAA regulations – and thus created potential safety issues – by not following proper procedures for replacing fuselage skins and not using proper cradles to support the aircraft during maintenance work on over 40 Southwest Airline Boeing 737s.
Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, ATS has agreed to pay the government $275,000 and implement policies specifically designed to promote compliance with FAA regulations through improved quality control, engineering oversight of maintenance, safety management, and voluntary reporting of safety issues.
“The FAA’s mission is to promote safe air travel and protect our country’s passengers, and their safety regulations must be honored,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “Monitoring and enforcing compliance with FAA regulations is critical to this mission. I applaud the FAA’s efforts.”
ATS is one of the largest third-party aircraft maintenance companies in North America. As part of today’s settlement, ATS does not admit liability or agree to the government’s characterization of its conduct.
Government agencies supporting and/or participating in the successful resolution of this matter include: FAA Office of Chief Counsel; FAA Northwest Mountain Region Office of Regional Counsel; and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Transportation.
Eagle Butte Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Phillip LaBatte, age 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on June 13, 2013 and pled guilty to Count III of the Indictment that charged him with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; 2 years of supervised release and an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation. Restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund may also be ordered.
The charge stems from the investigation of burglaries in Eagle Butte, where a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe detective learned that several juveniles committed the burglaries. Based on the investigation, the detective obtained a tribal search warrant for LaBatte’s residence. When law enforcement executed the search warrant they found at least 250 grams, but less than 1 kilogram, of marijuana along with a scale, rolling papers, and a grinder.
The investigation was conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
LaBatte was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing which has been set for August 29, 2013.
Eagle Butte Man Charged with Distribution of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Sylvan Charles Brown, age 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 13, 2013 for Distribution of a Controlled Substance. Brown appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 13, 2013 and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 40 years of imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, or both; a mandatory period of at least 6 years of supervised release, an additional 4 years of supervised release upon revocation; and a mandatory $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge is merely an accusation, and Brown is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich is prosecuting the case.
Brown was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not been set.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin Resulting in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
A man who sold heroin to a person who overdosed and died from using the heroin pled guilty on June 13, 2013, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Alvin Stanley Briggs, Jr., age 50, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of heroin resulting in death. At the plea hearing, Briggs admitted that on July 3, 2013, he sold $100 worth of heroin to an individual identified as S.R., and that S.R. died as a result of using that heroin.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Briggs remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Briggs faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was investigated by the Platteville, Wisconsin, Police Department, and the Dubuque, Iowa, Drug Task Force.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 2:13-CR-01004-LRR.
Douglasville Man Sentenced for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Defendant Prostituted 17-Year-Old Girls in Metro Atlanta and Montgomery, Ala.
ATLANTA - Demario Hillmon was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison on charges of sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution.
“This case is another example of a successful investigation and prosecution of a man who took advantage of vulnerable young girls by making false promises to lure them into prostitution,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
“Today’s sentencing is the result of the great partnership HSI has with law enforcement in Georgia in our unyielding resolve to bring sex traffickers to justice,” said Brock D. Nicholson, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta. “Trafficking children for sex is one the most deplorable crimes our HSI special agents investigate. My agency is committed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”
“Working with our local and federal law enforcement counterparts to investigate child sex trafficking and bring those responsible for exploiting children to justice is a priority for the GBI,” said Vernon Keenan, GBI Director.
“I would like to commend U.S. Attorney Sally Yates, her staff, and all the law enforcement partners for the investigations, apprehension and conviction of this most dangerous person in our society,” said DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric L. Alexander.
“The successful outcome of this case would not have been possible without the cooperation of all local, state and federal agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case. This is another shining example of how well law enforcement in Georgia work together to protect our citizens,” said Billy Grogan, Chief of Police for the City of Dunwoody.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Hillmon met young girls on “Tagged.com,” a social networking website, and on “Backpage.com,” an adult escort website. Hillmon enticed the victims to engage in prostitution by false promises of money and gifts. He then advertised the girls on internet websites and arranged for men to engage in commercial sex acts with them in and around metro Atlanta, and in Montgomery, Ala. Hillmon kept most of the money for himself.
Law enforcement officers discovered Hillmon’s sex trafficking after the family of one of the 17-year-old girls reported her as a runaway. Hapeville Police Department officers, with the assistance of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, located the girl. In the process, the investigators uncovered Hillmon’s sex trafficking operation, and also identified and recovered another 17-year-old victim.Hillmon, 30, of Douglasville, Ga., was sentenced by United States District Judge Julie E. Carnes to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Hillmon was convicted of these charges on April 8, 2013, upon his plea of guilty.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Detectives of the Hapeville Police Department, Dunwoody Police Department, and DeKalb County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine M. Hoffer prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Debt Collection Agency Executive Pleads Guilty to Bank Bribery ChargeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PATRICK PINTO, 44, of Bohemia, N.Y., waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of conspiring to commit bank bribery while he was an executive of Oxford Collection Agency.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Oxford Collection Agency (“Oxford”) was a private financial services company that engaged in accounts receivables management, primarily debt collecting, with offices in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. Between 2007 and 2011, Oxford executives engaged in a multi-year scheme to defraud its lender, Connecticut-based Webster Bank, as well as its investors, clients and the commercial debtors that Oxford collected from. Oxford’s victims lost more than $12 million as a result of this scheme.
The investigation also revealed that Oxford sometimes obtained and retained business with its banking clients by paying bribes and kickbacks to bank officials. As part of the scheme, PINTO, a Vice President of Oxford, and other Oxford executives made monthly payments of between $2,500 and $3,500, which were hidden in cigar boxes, to an Assistant Vice President of U.S. Bank in Ohio.
U.S. Bank and Webster Bank received funds through the U.S. Department of the Treasury Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
Judge Underhill has scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2013, at which time PINTO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
PINTO has been released on a $50,000 bond since his arrest on December 7, 2012.
In May 2012, Richard Pinto, Oxford Collection Agency’s Chairman of the Board, and his son, Peter Pinto, Oxford’s President and Chief Executive Officer, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering and one count of wire fraud stemming from this scheme. In December 2012, Oxford Vice-President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer Randall Silver, Executive Vice President Charles Harris, and Chief Operations Officer Carlos Novelli, also pleaded guilty to various charges.
On January 30, 2013, Richard Pinto, who is now deceased, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. The other defendants await sentencing.
PATRICK PINTO is the son of the late Richard Pinto.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and the Connecticut Securities, Commodities, and Investor Fraud Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Brennan and Special U.S. Attorney John McReynolds.
In December 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and several law enforcement and regulatory partners announced the formation of the Connecticut Securities, Commodities, and Investor Fraud Task Force, which is investigating matters relating to insider trading, market manipulation, Ponzi schemes, investor fraud, financial statement fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and embezzlement. The task force includes representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section and Antitrust Division; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Office of the Chief State’s Attorney; State of Connecticut Department of Banking; Greenwich Police Department and Stamford Police Department.
Citizens are encouraged to report any financial fraud schemes by calling, toll-free, 855-236-9740 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].
Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants.
To report financial fraud crimes, and to learn more about the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, please visit www.stopfraud.gov.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722 [email protected]Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Crack Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man who sold crack cocaine to a police informant pleaded guilty on June 17 to federal drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. Calvin Lee Boswell, also known as “Boo” and “Big Boy,” 23, pleaded guilty to seven counts of distribution of crack cocaine. On three separate occasions in October 2011, Boswell sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant working in cooperation with the Special Enforcement Unit of the Charleston Police Department.
Additionally, Boswell sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) on November 26, 2012. The defendant also completed three crack cocaine transactions in December 2012. The crack cocaine transactions were completed in and around Charleston.
Boswell faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each count when he is sentenced on September 17, 2013 by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was investigated by the Special Enforcement Unit of the Charleston Police Department and MDENT. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of the prosecution.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced June 13, 2013, to nine years in federal prison.
James Sumner, age 50, from Cedar Rapids, received the sentence after a March 15, 2013, jury verdict finding him guilty of three counts of possession of child pornography.Sumner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Sumner was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed, and Sumner must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 12-92.
Cape Cod Man Sentenced for Filing A False Tax Return for His Debt Collection BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod man was sentenced today for filing a false tax return.
William Burr, 48, of Cataumet, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Burr was also ordered to pay $101,327 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. In January 2013, Burr pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return.
Burr was a 50% owner of a debt collection business. During 2003, the business operated under the names Pilgrim Financial LLC and Excel Acquisitions, LLC. Between January 1 and December 31, 2003, the gross receipts earned by the business totaled $726,226, but Burr did not provide his tax preparer with information necessary to determine a correct gross receipts figure for the business. Consequently, in April 2008, Burr filed a federal partnership tax return for the year 2003, falsely reporting that the gross receipts or sales of the business in 2003 were $246,731. By filing the false return, Burr evaded the payment of approximately $101,327 in taxes.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of Ortiz’s Pubic Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.
Cannonball Woman Sentenced for Two Counts of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on June 17, 2013, Barbara Iron Hawk, 28, Cannonball, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Iron Hawk pleaded guilty to the charges on March 15, 2013.
Judge Hovland sentenced Iron Hawk to serve four years on each count to run consecutively for a total of eight years to serve in federal prison. Judge Hovland imposed a sentence greater than suggested by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, indicating in court that this sentence was imposed because he believed the seriousness of Iron Hawk’s criminal history was underrepresented in the sentencing guideline range calculation. Judge Hovland noted that Iron Hawk’s tribal criminal history included in excess of 20 prior criminal violations involving the use of alcohol. Iron Hawk will be on supervised release for three years following the term of imprisonment. Iron Hawk was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund and $130,146.38 in restitution.
On Nov. 8, 2012, Iron Hawk was operating a motor vehicle on N.D. Highway 24 between Cannonball and Solen, while she was intoxicated. The vehicle nearly entered the ditch on the right side of the road, but Iron Hawk over-corrected, causing the vehicle to cross the road and enter the opposite ditch, where the vehicle flipped multiple times. Two passengers in the vehicle died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the crash.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Standing Rock Agency and the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Delorme prosecuted the case.
Cannonball Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by a Habitual OffenderRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on June 17, 2013, Ira Plenty Chief, 26, Cannonball, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of domestic assault by a habitual offender. Plenty Chief pleaded guilty to the charge on March 25, 2013.
Judge Hovland sentenced Plenty Chief to serve two years and six months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Plenty Chief was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
On July 14, 2012, Plenty Chief assaulted a woman by striking her in the face, which resulted in injuries to her eye and nose. Her injuries required medical attention. At the time, Plenty Chief had two convictions for domestic violence offenses in Standing Rock Tribal Court.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Standing Rock Agency, with the assistance of the Standing Rock Tribal Prosecutor’s Office and the Standing Rock Tribal Court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Delorme prosecuted the case.
California Man Charged with Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information About A MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Thomas Tatar, age 27, of Banning, California appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on June 13, 2013 and pled guilty to Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information about a Minor. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 5 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; life of supervised release; and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from incidents that took place between March 27, 2012 and May 15, 2012, when Tatar, who was living in California, had multiple communications with a minor girl from South Dakota. The conversations took place over the internet and affected interstate commerce. Despite knowing that the victim was a minor, Tatar exchanged information with her, including phone numbers, names, and email addresses for the purpose of engaging in a relationship with her and soliciting child pornography from her. The Defendant made repeat requests that the minor photograph herself or video herself and produce material depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct or child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office of California. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for September 10, 2013. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Bond County Man Ordered to Serve Ten Year Federal Sentence for Possession of Child Pornography After He Completes State Court SentenceRead the Press Release
A Bond County man convicted of possession of child pornography was sentenced to ten years in federal prison on June 17, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Daniel Allen Neer, age 38, formerly of Mulberry Grove, Illinois, was ordered to serve the statutory maximum ten year sentence consecutively to an undischarged six year sentence he is serving based upon his 2012 conviction in Bond County, Illinois, for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Victim Between the age of 13 and 16. The federal case is based upon conduct which occurred in May, 2011, and the State of Illinois case was based upon criminal acts that occurred in 2010.
Following release from his federal sentence of imprisonment, Neer will serve a lifetime term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Neer stipulated to the entry of an order requiring him to pay $1,000 in restitution to two of the victims depicted in his collection of child pornography.
The investigation started in May, 2011, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that Neer had a collection of child pornography as it was conducting an investigation of other individuals in the area who were sexually exploiting minors. On May 13, 2011, an individual with actual authority over the desktop computer in defendant’s home gave authorities permission to seize and search it. On May 20, 2011, the FBI contacted defendant at his employer’s place of business in Moline, Illinois, and seized a laptop computer from him. In total, the computers contained thirty-five images of child pornography. Neer pleaded guilty to the charges on March 8, 2013.
“We are pleased that this dangerous child sex offender received a consecutive sentence, rather than the concurrent sentence he requested. We aggressively pursue and bring to justice child sex offenders and those individuals who seek to exploit children,” United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton said.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, which operates a task force dedicated to investigating cybercrimes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison.
Bergen County, N.J., Man Admits Giving Corrupt Payments to Dismiss Pending State Criminal ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, N.J., man admitted today that he agreed to give a $10,000 corrupt payment to personnel at the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss criminal charges that were pending against him, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Mahmud Hammad, 36, of Rutherford, N.J., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh to an information charging him with knowingly and corruptly offering, giving and agreeing to give a corrupt payment to influence and reward Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office personnel.
According to documents filed in this case and statements in court:
From May 2012 to August 2012, Hammad was a defendant in a criminal case that was pending before the Passaic County Superior Court and was being prosecuted by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. On July 27, 2012, and August 8, 2012, Hammad met with an FBI undercover agent who purported to have access to authorities at the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. During these meetings, which were recorded by the undercover agent, Hammad agreed to pay $10,000 to personnel at the Passaic County Prosecutor’s office to have his pending criminal case dismissed. No one at the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office was involved in the corrupt activity discussed during these meetings. During the meetings, Hammad also gave the undercover agent $1,500 cash as a “good faith” payment.
The count to which Hammad pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, Newark, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Llanes of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.13-252
Hammad Information
Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. - Michael Lazane French, 33, of Mobile, was sentenced today in federal court on drug and gun charges. French entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and using, carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony in Decemcer of 2012, and Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed a sentence of 90 months imprisonment this afternoon.
The judge sentenced French to 30 months on the drug charge, to run consecutive to 60 months on the gun charge, for a total term of imprisonment of 90 months. When French is released from prison, he will serve a total of five years under supervised release. He was ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessments, but no fine was imposed.
This case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Gloria Bedwell in the United States Attorney’s Office in Mobile.
Allen Man Charged with First Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse and NeglectRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Allen, South Dakota man was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly killing an eleven-month old boy by fracturing his skull and for abusing two other young children.
Michael Dean Dubray, 30, was indicted on June 11, 2013, for First Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse and Neglect. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 12, 2013 and pled not guilty to the indictment. The penalty upon conviction is mandatory life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine.
The charges are merely an accusation and Dubray is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Dubray was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
16 June 2013
Former Chicago Alderman and Nebraska Executive Among Three Convicted After Federal Bribery Conspiracy TrialRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former Chicago alderman, the head of a $1 billion Nebraska-based prescription medication provider, and another man were convicted today of conspiracy to commit bribery of a fictitious public official to purportedly obtain business from the Los Angeles County hospital system after a two-week trial. A federal jury deliberated approximately several hours today before returning guilty verdicts against all three defendants.
The defendants, AMBROSIO MEDRANO, 59, of Chicago; JAMES BARTA, 71, of Fremont, Neb.; and GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO, 50, of Arlington Heights, were each convicted of the single count against them. They each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They remain free on bond pending sentencing, which U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., scheduled for 1p.m. on Sept. 24.
According to the trial evidence, which included numerous audio and video recordings of conversations with the defendants, Medrano introduced an undercover FBI agent, who was posing as a purchasing agent, to Barta, the president of family-owned Sav-Rx, and Buenrostro, an associate of Barta and a former Sav-Rx employee. Barta, Buenrostro, and Medrano allegedly agreed to bribe the undercover agent and the fictitious Los Angeles County hospital official — with Barta handing a $6,500 check to the undercover agent on June 22, 2012 — to do business with Sav-Rx, a Fremont, Neb.-based national provider of managed care prescription medication services.
Between December 2011 and March 2012, Medrano, Buenrostro, and a cooperating witness discussed the scheme, resulting in a meeting attended by those three, Barta, and the undercover agent at a Chicago restaurant on March 21. During the meeting, Barta discussed Sav-Rx’s business, including a contract with Cook County. The undercover agent explained a kickback arrangement for him and the fictitious Los Angeles County hospital official, if they were to succeed in expanding Sav-Rx’s services into the Los Angeles County hospital system. Barta replied that the arrangement was okay with him. In subsequent conversations, Medrano allegedly assured the cooperating witness and undercover agent that Barta and Buenrostro wanted to do a deal with the agent and were willing to provide an initial $10,000 payment in good faith.
The same group of individuals met again on May 9 at a Chicago restaurant and continued discussing steering Sav-Rx’s services to Los Angeles County, including using Medrano and Buenrostro to be the minority participants in a contract, with Barta endorsing that idea. Barta directed Buenrostro to do research on Los Angeles County and paid the lunch bill. The undercover agent said that the fictitious hospital official was not going to take any action until there was an agreement and the official saw some money. “We understand that and that’s not the problem,” Barta replied.
On June 22, 2012, Barta, Buenrostro, and Medrano met with the undercover agent at a restaurant in Omaha. The undercover agent explained that half of the good faith money they had been discussing was for his role in brokering the contract and half was for the fictitious Los Angeles County official. The undercover agent assured Barta that the good faith payment would be refunded if Sav-Rx did not obtain a contract from the hospital system. After further discussion about the indirect manner that Barta’s payment would be funneled to the fictitious official, Barta wrote a check on a Sav-Rx operations account, payable to the undercover agent for $6,500, and gave it to the undercover agent.
The guilty verdict was announced today by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Stetler and Steven Grimes.
Butler County Man SentencedTo 18+ Years for Producing Child PornRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - An Augusta, Kan., man who posed online as a teenage boy to entice middle school girls to make sexually explicit videos was sentenced Monday to 220 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Kristopher K. Sims, 30, Augusta, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. In his plea, Sims admitted that on Nov. 20, 2012, he made a recording of a 12-year-old girl engaging in a sexual act. Sims was in Kansas and the girl was in New York. He used his computer to engage in a video chat with her, which he recorded.
Sims first met the victim when she was 11 years old via Facebook. He posed as a boy who was 15 or 16 years old. Over a period of months, he communicated with her in chats and video messaging. He persuaded her to engage in sexual acts, which he captured in live video feeds from her computer.
Grissom commended the Augusta Police Department, the Wichita Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
14 June 2013
‘Sovereign Citizen’ Sentenced to 8+ Years in Prison for Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Yelm, Washington man who advised and assisted others in a common tax fraud scheme was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 97 months in prison and three years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. RAYMOND LEO JARLIK BELL was convicted in March 2013 of five counts of filing false, fictitious and fraudulent claims, 15 counts of assisting in filing false tax returns, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of criminal contempt. JARLIK BELL and his wife, Ute Christine Jarlik Bell, are of members of the so-called ‘Sovereign Citizen’ movement. Members of the Sovereign Citizen movement profess a belief that both state and federal government entities are illegitimate. U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton imposed $705,276 in restitution saying, “Your scheme… is fraud at its core. You are hurting people intentionally, regardless of your adherence to [your beliefs].”
“This defendant held himself out as a tax expert with contacts at the IRS – when both the IRS and a federal judge told him repeatedly that his conduct was criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “Mr. Jarlik Bell believed he was above the law, and aggressively promoted and spread his scheme to others looking to duck their fair share and steal tax dollars through fraudulent refunds.”
The JARLIK BELL investigation centered on the filing of false tax returns using a scheme known as OID fraud; RAYMOND LEO JARLIK BELL advised and assisted others in using the scheme. In 2006, BELL obtained a tax refund in excess of $30,000 using the scheme. Numerous others who were advised by JARLIK BELL also filed for and received fraudulent refunds they did not deserve. One woman received a tax refund of more than $590,000. In 2005, JARLIK BELL was ordered by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan to stop promoting fraudulent tax schemes. Less than three years later, he was back promoting another massive tax fraud among friends, family and strangers.
“No matter what the promoter calls it, a scheme to file bogus tax returns claiming outrageous tax ‘refunds’ that don’t belong to you, is just fraud,” said Kenneth J. Hines, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Seattle. “All frauds have a victim, and the victim of Mr. Bell’s scheme was every hard working taxpayer in America, as well as government operations and programs, including our military, that depend on tax dollars. Mr. Bell’s prison sentence reflects the severity of his crime and demonstrates the commitment of IRS Criminal Investigation to defending the integrity of our system.”
In asking for a lengthy prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court that JARLIK BELL “aggressively promoted this scheme, both locally in the Western District of Washington, at seminars in California, and among tax filers in Arizona and Hawaii. The defendant recruited other people – blinded by their own greed and shortsightedness – to break the law. In that sense his crime is more detrimental to society and to the enforcement of the tax laws than that of a defendant who confines his criminal activity to him or her self.”
Ute Christine Jarlik Bell was convicted of four counts of filing false, fictitious and fraudulent claims. She will be sentenced June 18, 2013.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the FBI, ATF, the Federal Protective Service and the U.S. Marshal Service.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jill Otake and Matthew Diggs.
Wyoming’s U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues Long-standing Dedication to Public Safety on the Wind River ReservationRead the Press Release
Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Justice released a report to Congress entitled Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions, which was compiled from U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI crime data from reservations and which shows a 54 percent increase in Indian Country criminal prosecutions nationwide since Fiscal Year 2009.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming works cooperatively with tribal, federal and sometimes state courts to achieve justice in crimes occurring in Indian Country. In Wyoming, the U.S. Attorney’s Office shares prosecutorial responsibilities in Indian Country with tribal prosecutors. Currently, under the Indian Civil Rights Act, the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Court’s authority to sentence a defendant is limited to a term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of $5000 per offense. Because tribal court penalties are limited, the most serious of crimes are prosecuted in federal court by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Justice report shows that numbers for the District of Wyoming are slightly lower for prosecutions (down 14 cases from 2011 to 2012) and slightly higher for declinations (up 2 cases from 2011 to 2012). The most common reasons reported for declining a case usually are that there may be a legal obstacle (such as the crime is beyond the statute of limitations), or insufficient evidence, or that the District has referred the case for prosecution by a different jurisdiction. Wyoming has attributed lower serious crimes in the last several years to the influx of federal resources and officers by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Wind River Reservation in 2010 as part of their “high performance priority goal” designation. Higher numbers of officers resulted in more arrests for petty offenses and a consequent reduction of more serious crime.
In the District of Wyoming, the USAO shares prosecutorial responsibilities with the Tribal prosecutors and the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Court. The Tribal courts and prosecutors are indispensable players in providing public safety to our Reservation communities. In Wyoming, federal and tribal prosecutors work cooperatively with one another, and often with state prosecutors as well, to determine which court has jurisdiction over a particular crime and which court system, whether state, tribal or federal, can best achieve justice in the case.
The Wyoming USAO has had an office near the Wind River Reservation dedicated to addressing violent crime on the Reservation for 18 years. U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Kip Crofts served as the sole federal prosecutor assigned to Indian Country for 7 years, before another attorney was added. When Crofts became the U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming, he put one of his supervisory attorney positions in the Indian Country office, in recognition of the importance of public safety in Indian Country and Indian Country crimes. Over the last ten years, the number of attorneys assigned to Indian Country has been increased from one to four. The U.S. Attorney’s office is an active participant in the Reservation’s Child Protection Team, and meets several times per month with the Tribal prosecutors – all in an effort to improve the level of services to the Reservation population.
The USAO in Wyoming is also focused on helping victims deal with the impact of crime. For years the USAO in Wyoming has hosted an annual victims’ conference, bringing together service providers, victim advocates, law enforcement, judges and other criminal justice professionals for a multi-day information sharing opportunity.
Indian Country law enforcement is shared between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and tribal police, with assistance from state and local officers. Serious crimes are responded to jointly by the FBI and the BIA. The agents decide which agency will take the lead on any particular case. Working as a team allows one agent to respond to the crime scene while the other makes contact with victims and witnesses at the hospital or other location.
The Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions report released earlier this month by the Department of Justice showcases a new era of partnership between the federal government and American Indian tribes. Such collaboration between tribal and federal law enforcement is a longstanding tradition in Wyoming – one to which the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed.Woman Receives Prison TimeFor Defrauding Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
Rita Marie Strickland, 57, was sentenced to a custodial sentence of a year and a day by U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington yesterday in federal court in Bay City, Michigan, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.
Srickland, a resident at various times of Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan, had previously pleaded guilty to embezzling public funds from the Social Security Administration.
According to court records, Strickland shared a bank account with her father when her father died in December of 1994. As the designated payee for her father’s Social Security benefits, Strickland continued to receive monthly deposits made by Social Security into that shared account until December of 2010. For sixteen years, Strickland withdrew the funds that had been deposited by Social Security for her father’s benefit and used the money herself. Strickland also took $250 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds deposited into the same account by the U.S. Treasury on behalf of her father. As a result, Strickland was ordered to pay a total of $154,196.80 in restitution to the United States.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service office in Saginaw and the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration in Detroit. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Bay City, Michigan.
During his sentencing hearing, Klosowski told the court that his drug addiction led him to and kept him involved in drug trafficking. Judge Ludington noted that Kloswski had been convicted six times over a period of a few years, but had not completed any of the court-ordered drug treatment programs that had been made available to Klosowski as a result of those convictions. The judge observed that Klosowski’s addiction victimized not just the defendant, but so clouded Klosowski’s judgment that everyone else became disposable to the defendant, even his own son. Judge Ludington concluded the sentencing hearing by telling Klosowski that, given his current age, he will have a life to live after serving his lengthy sentence and recommending to Klosowski that he use the time in custody to prepare himself to make the best use of the life that will follow his release from custody.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Mid-Michigan Safe Streets Task Force embedded in the FBI field office located in Bay City, Michigan. The public was represented in court by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Bay City, Michigan.
Winchester Man Faces Charges for Distributing Heroin Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY - A Winchester, KY., man, accused of distributing heroin to an individual who died of an overdose, made his first appearance in federal court today.
Harold Wayne Salyers, 53, was indicted on June 6 for distribution of heroin resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin.
Magistrate Judge Robert Wier advised Salyers of the charges and scheduled an arraignment for Tuesday, June 18. Salyers remains in custody.
According to the indictment, on August 7, 2012, Salyers distributed heroin to an individual in Clark County who used the heroin, overdosed and died. The indictment also alleges that Salyers conspired with others to distribute heroin in Clark County from approximately August 2012 until June 2013.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Kevin Palmer, Chief, Winchester Police Department, jointly made the announcement today.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the DEA and the Winchester Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
If convicted of the distribution resulting in death charge, Salyers faces a minimum prison sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life. He faces a maximum of 20 years on the other heroin charges. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed after the Court considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.
The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Sylvester Mayes, 29, of Midwest City, Oklahoma, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of knowingly and intentionally distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“Crack”). Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 9/16/2013 9:00 AM before District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Ricky Ruiz, 36, of LaPorte, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally distributing a mixture or substance containing cocaine. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Jose Martinez, 38, of Crown Point, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing set for 9/16/2013 9:00 AM before District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITION:
Jeffrey Alan Sheppard, 21, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller to serve 72 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime/crime of violence.According to documents filed, Sheppard was involved in a home invasion in which a man was shot and a pound of marijuana was stolen.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Hector Garcia, 35, of Cicero, Illinois, a defendant in the case US v Vasquez et al., pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.Sentencing has been set for 9/18/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Deanbra Martin, 23, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon./set This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Michigan City Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Daniel Loy, 32, of South Haven, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of distribution of cocaine.Sentencing has been set for 8/27/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Tamika Gayden, 32, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of making false statements in the purchase of a firearm. Sentencing has been set for 9/12/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITION:
Moses Tarawali, 58, of Portage, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 3 years of supervised release to include 36 months of home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of unlawful acts-controlled substance distribution by using a DEA registration number that he was not authorized to use, specifically the DEA registration number for a hospital in Northwest Indiana, to prescribe a controlled substance to a patient.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA
Derrick Tennant, 36, of Defiance, Ohio, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally using a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gellar.
Glenda Brickey, 27, of Ligonier, Indiana pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gellar.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITION:
Ricky Winston, 53, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 33 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.In 2004, Winston was convicted of battery.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
U.S. Woman Residing in Mexico Gets Nearly 16 Years for Trafficking MethRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Jennifer Ellen Marie Rodriguez, 31, a U.S. citizen residing in Reynosa, Mexico, has been ordered to prison for 188 months for trafficking more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. A federal jury in Corpus Christi convicted Rodriguez on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, following a three-day trial and less than an hour of deliberation.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, who presided over the trial, handed Rodriguez the nearly 16-year sentence and further ordered she serve five years of supervised release following completion of that prison term. At the hearing today, the defense attempted to argue for a lower sentence based upon the defendant’s trial testimony that she acted under some form of duress. Judge Ramos considered the defense’s argument as well as all of the evidence presented at trial and subsequently her the 188-month sentence.During trial, the government presented testimony that Rodriguez was pulled over by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on June 23, 2012, near Encino. During that traffic stop, Rodriguez claimed to be traveling to San Antonio to attend her grandfather’s funeral. Rodriguez did not know the name or location of the funeral home and did not have appropriate attire expected for such an event.
Rodriguez provided consent to search her vehicle and was arrested after the methamphetamine was discovered hidden in a void behind the vehicle’s dashboard. The government also provided evidence that Rodriguez’s grandfather was a lifelong resident of Michigan and had passed away in 2011.
Rodriguez admitted at trial that she made up the story about the funeral. She testified she did not know the drugs were hidden in her vehicle, but was driving to San Antonio to exchange the vehicle for her kidnapped cousin. Rodriguez claimed that on the previous day, her cousin was kidnapped in Mexico and kidnappers demanded she deliver the vehicle to San Antonio in exchange for her cousin.
The government countered with evidence Rodriguez never told this story to law enforcement at the time of her arrest. In fact, the government demonstrated that she had only made the claim just a few days before trial began.
Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chad W. Cowan.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Speaker at the 27th Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family MaltreatmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, was a speaker at the 27th Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, held on January 28-31, 2013. Over 1600 participants were at the Conference from nearly 35 countries.
U.S. Attorney Limtiaco was joined by Suzanna Tiapula from the National District Attorney’s Association and their workshop was entitled, “Strategies for Justice: A Pacific Regional Response to Combat Human Trafficking” and introduced a regional model to combat human trafficking and child exploitation. The workshop included a discussion of collaborative efforts and coalition building among federal and local government agencies and non-governmental organizations, and the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to address the needs of victims and families.
The Response calls for the establishment and provision of victim services, investigation and prosecution of human trafficking, training opportunities, community outreach/ public awareness and prevention programs, and creation of human trafficking task forces and coalitions in the Pacific region island communities. The response provides fundamental training in human trafficking, including victimization, investigation and prosecution, prevention efforts, and other related topics, to law enforcement; prosecution; victim service providers; social services; medical, mental and public health professionals; faith based organizations; educational institutions; Consulates; and other community stakeholders, in our Pacific region island communities, is critical to effective prevention and enforcement efforts in the region.
The 27th Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment was presented by the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. U.S. Attorney Limtiaco’s track was one of many which included, Medicine, Investigations, Law, Mental Health, Forensic Interviewing, Child Welfare and Research, Military Families, Child Torture, Human Trafficking, Child Protection in Indian Country, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Global Perspectives and Law and Ethics courses. The goal was to provide opportunities to learn from all the participants and to rekindle the passion to help create a world where children and families are healthy and free from abuse and neglect.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Keynote Speaker at UOG’s Human Trafficking ForumRead the Press Release
HAGATNA, GU -- United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE University of Guam’s (UOG) “It’s Happening: Human Trafficking Forum with a Special Emphasis on Sex Trafficking on Guam and Micronesia,” held on May 10, 2013, at the UOG Class Lecture Hall. The Forum was organized by UOG’s School of Business & Public Administration Government Public Information Spring ’13 class. U.S. Attorney Limtiaco’s presentation included information about the Pacific Regional Response to Combat Human Trafficking initiative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office (“USAO”) for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (“NMI”) continues to work collaboratively with the National District Attorney’s Association; U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, Federal Ombudsman Office; and U.S. Department of State, Monitoring of Trafficking in Persons Office, on a Pacific Regional Response to Combat Human Trafficking.
The Pacific Regional Response to Combat Human Trafficking initiative employs a multidisciplinary model, including participation, coordination, and collaboration among law enforcement; prosecution; victim service providers; social services; medical, mental and public health professionals; faith based organizations; educational institutions; Consulates; and other community stakeholders. The response calls for the establishment and provision of victim services, investigation and prosecution of human trafficking, training opportunities, community outreach/ public awareness and prevention programs, and creation of human trafficking task forces and coalitions in the Pacific region island communities. The response provides training in human trafficking, including victimization, investigation and prosecution, prevention efforts, and other related topics. The critical training is provided to various groups in our Pacific region island communities, to law enforcement; prosecution; victim service providers; social services; medical, mental and public health professionals; faith based organizations; educational institutions; Consulates; and other community stakeholders.
The objective of the Forum was to promote awareness to the sensitive issue of Human Trafficking with a focus on Sex Trafficking with Micronesia. Key leaders were invited to convey their current and future actions in regards to Human Trafficking. The Form was in correlation and support of Law Week 2013 and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Human Trafficking Forum included presentations from other community leaders in law enforcement, the Judiciary and non-governmental organizations and support groups. Attached are photos taken at the event.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Keynote Speaker at Soroptimist Charter NightRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, was the keynote speaker at the Soroptimist International of Guam’s 35th Anniversary and the Soroptimist International of the Marianas’ 27th Anniversary Charter Night celebration held on March 8, 2013, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort
Last year, U.S. Attorney Limtiaco was honored by both Soroptimist organizations as the Soroptimist Founder Region Ruby Award Recipient. The Soroptimist Ruby Award is an Award “For Women Helping Women” which acknowledges women who are working to improve the lives of women and girls through their personal or professional activities. Their efforts help to promote the issues that are important to the Soroptimist organization. She received this award for her efforts focusing on creating awareness that human trafficking and sexual slavery are a critical global problem.
U.S. Attorney Limtiaco has also a been guest speaker at the Soroptimist International of the Marianas’ (SIM) program meetings to talk to members about new laws surrounding domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, encouraging members from organizations like SIM to find some way to be involved.
Guam has two sister Soroptimist organizations: The Soroptimist International of Guam (SIG) and The Soroptimist International of the Marianas (SIM). SIG and SIM are both volunteer service organizations for business and professional women and men. Soroptimists are professional and business executives of all ages, cultures and ethnic groups. Members represent a wide array of professions, including physicians, attorneys, teachers, artists, chief executive officers of companies, business owners and government officials. A Soroptimist is a leader in the community, engaging in awareness, advocacy, and action in the service of the community and society, making the world a better place of humankind. The name, Soroptimist, means “best for women,” and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women and men at their best, working to help women in the community to be their best. The heart of Soroptimist’s mission is to “make a difference for women” through volunteer service to the community. Projects are carefully chosen to address challenges unique to today’s women.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Keynote Speaker at Naturalization Ceremony in CNMIRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), was invited by the Honorable Ramona V. Manglona, Chief Judge of the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, to be the keynote speaker at the Naturalization Ceremony held on April 22, 2013, in the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, in Saipan. Fifteen (15) individuals from several countries, including the Philippines and Thailand, were newly sworn as United States citizens. The Naturalization Ceremony was held as part of the events to commemorate Law Week 2013.
U.S. Attorney Limtiaco, in her address and congratulatory remarks to the newly sworn United States citizens, stated, "... the year 2013 signifies the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called upon our country to live up to our promise of equality for all. The United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, works to uphold and protect the civil rights and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly of the most vulnerable members of our society. It enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of national origin, race, color, sex, disability, religion, and familial status."
"Justice is only served when it is practiced fairly and evenhandedly. Citizens need to know that they will be afforded justice without distinction as to national original, race, color creed, gender or status; and that the same rules apply for every citizen no matter of stature or influence in the community. We must continue to draw strength from our diversity as a nation, including those of different races, ethnicities, cultures and religions, as it is our diversity as a people and the strength that we gain from it that contributes to our resiliency as a nation during our most challenging times," said U.S. Attorney Limtiaco.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Judges 29th Annual AG’s Cup Speech CompetitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), at the invitation of Joey P. San Nicolas, Attorney General of the NMI, was a judge at the 29th Annual Attorney General’s Cup Speech Competition held on May 3, 2013, in the Supreme Court Courtroom in Saipan, NMI.
The Attorney General’s Cup offers CNMI high school students the opportunity to research a current issue affecting the CNMI and advocate for their position in front of a panel of judges and the community.
This topic for this year was, “Should the Commonwealth Government enact legislation that encourages economic development in the Northern Mariana Island?” U.S. Attorney Limtiaco was one of ten judges from both Guam and Saipan. Eight student finalists all from different high schools gave their speeches as they battled to receive the CNMI Attorney General’s Cup.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends and congratulates the participating students of Kagman High School, Marianas High School, Mount Carmel School, Tinian Junior/Senior High School, Saipan Southern High School, Dr. Rita H. Inos Junior/Senior High School, Grace Christian Academy and Marianas Baptist Academy, for their outstanding efforts and advocacy at the 29th Annual Attorney General’s Cup Speech Competition. The students demonstrated their impressive critical thinking, research, debate and public speaking skills as they presented on this year’s speech competition issue, and are deserving of special recognition and acknowledgement for their commitment, hard work and diligent efforts,” stated U.S. Attorney Limtiaco.
U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco Guest Speaker at UOG’s Trio Student Support Services ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), was the guest speaker at the University of Guam’s (UOG) TRIO Programs Student Support Services (SSS) for their Spring 2013 Retention Activity held on Friday, May 10, 2013, at the UOG Multi-Purpose Lecture Hall. The Student Support Services Workshop was entitled, “Researching Potential Employers and Networking for Your Future.” U.S. Attorney Limtiaco’s presentation included information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, its caseload, and the priorities and initiatives of the Department of Justice.
The mission of the TRIO Program is to "Instill, serve, and inspire students with a positive force towards achieving their higher education." U.S. Attorney Limtiaco was invited because of her unique experience and perspective which could help the TRIO SSS participants, especially those who desire a career in criminal justice. She was invited “to provide the UOG students with guidance and insight which will help them with their educational and career goals, while balancing the other important components of their lives such as family, work, spirituality, community service, and recreation.”
The SSS program provides support services to low-income students, first generation college students, and disabled students enrolled in post-secondary education programs. Eligible students may receive (among other services) personal and academic career counseling, career guidance, instruction, mentoring, and tutoring. The goal of SSS program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and help students make the transition from one level of higher education to the next.
State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training Held in Guam and the CNMIRead the Press Release
United States Attorney ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), announced that after a year of planning, the State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program was very well-received in the Marianas. The program was presented by the the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) ProgramU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, the Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Joint Task Force-Homeland Defense. Two instructors, Richard Marquise and William Dyson from the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) provided the SLATT workshops to various law enforcement, hotel and private security, military anti-terrorism personnel and other community leaders. Topics discussed dealt with International Terrorism, Domestic Terrorism, Suspicious Activity Reporting and other national and regional security concerns.
The SLATT Program was conducted on Guam (April 23-24, 2013) and on Saipan (April 25-26, 2013). The specialized workshop on April 23, 2013, was comprised of 162 Guam participants from various law enforcement, hotel and private security, military anti-terrorism personnel and other community leaders. The SLATT Train-the-Trainer workshop held on day two, was comprised of 76 law enforcement homeland security personnel.
On Saipan, the specialized workshop on April 25, 2013, was comprised of 147 participants from different state and federal agencies in the CNMI. An additional workshop was held on April 26, 2013, where 32 individuals from various law enforcement agencies were invited back to participate in SLATT Train-the-Trainer course. This was the first time the SLATT Program was held in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Marcus Mickle, 21, of Columbia, S.C., has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a conspiracy related to cocaine and marijuana trafficking and for possessing a firearm during in and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Mickle pleaded guilty in September 2012 and is the third of seven co-defendants to be sentenced in this drug trafficking conspiracy, some of whom were also involved in a murder-for-hire conspiracy.
Today, Senior United Sates District Judge George P. Kazen handed Mickle consecutive sentences of 120 and 60 months for the drug conspiracy and firearms convictions, respectively.
According to the factual basis of Mickle’s plea agreement, the investigation began in January 2011, when Mickle began negotiations with persons whom he thought were members of the Los Zetas Cartel, actually undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, to purchase marijuana in return for stolen weapons. The discussions concerned the distribution of marijuana in the Columbia area and how Mickle and co-defendant Calvin Epps, 29, of Hopkins, S.C., told undercover agents about a friend in the military who could provide military weapons to them. The agents were later introduced to co-defendant Kevin Corley, 30, who identified himself as an active duty officer in the Army responsible for training soldiers.
Court records indicate that over the next several months, Corley communicated with undercover agents regarding the services he could provide the cartel as a result of the training, experience and access to information/equipment afforded him as an active duty soldier. He later met with undercover agents and offered to raid a ranch near Laredo containing 20 kilograms of cocaine and conduct a contract killing there.
According to the factual basis, Corley further offered to provide security for Mickle and Epps’ purchase of 500 pounds of marijuana for transport from Texas to South Carolina. He traveled with Mickle and Epps to Laredo, where they all loaded the marijuana into a tractor trailer and attempted to escort it back to South Carolina. The tractor-trailer carrying the load was stopped and seized in La Salle County, on Jan. 14, 2012. However, Corley continued to contact undercover agents to discuss the possibility of future transactions with the agents.
During March 2012, Corley arranged for 300 pounds of marijuana to be delivered to Mario Corley, 41, of Saginaw, in Charleston, S.C., and assisted in brokering 500 pounds of marijuana and five kilograms of cocaine for Mickle and Epps and discussed the distribution of these narcotics in South Carolina, Texas and Colorado.
On March 24, 2012, undercover agents met with Epps and Mickle in Columbia at a motel parking lot. During this meeting, Epps and Mickle discussed with the undercover agent the pre-arranged purchase of five kilograms of cocaine and 500 pounds of marijuana. Epps and Mickle were supposed to provide $50,000 as an initial payment for the cocaine and marijuana. During the meeting, Epps and Mickle were arrested. Epps had a loaded Raven Arms Model MP-25 handgun in his right cargo pants pocket. Mickle had a loaded Springfield Armory XD-40 handgun in the right side waistband of his pants as well as a loaded spare magazine.
According to the factual basis, Mickle admitted to agents that when he went to the meeting, he was expecting to receive five kilograms of cocaine and 500 pounds of marijuana. Mickle further admitted the cocaine was going to be purchased by another person who was going to provide the $50,000 but was available only by cell phone. Mickle further acknowledged he was going to split the marijuana with Epps and that they were going to sell the marijuana locally.
Meanwhile, also on March 24, 2012, Kevin Corley, Samuel Walker, 29, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Shavar Davis, 30, of Denver, Colo., traveled to Laredo and met with undercover agents regarding the murder-for-hire, at which time they discussed the location of the intended victim, the logistics of performing the contract kill and their respective roles. The three were arrested, during which time a fourth suspect was shot and killed.
Davis was sentenced last week to 10 years in federal prison. Robert Corley, who pleaded guilty to the marijuana conspiracy, was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison. Walker will be sentenced June 21, while the remaining co-defendants - Kevin Corley, Calvin Epps and Mario Corley - have not yet been scheduled for sentencing.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the DEA and the FBI with the assistance of U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roberto Ramirez and Jody Young.Serial Fraudster Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Nicole Jenise Stevenson, age 31, of Baltimore, today to three years in prison, followed by nine months of home detention as part of five years of supervised release, for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Judge Bennett also sentenced Stevenson to 18 months in prison for violating the supervised release from her previous fraud conviction, to be served concurrently with the three year sentence imposed today. Judge Bennett ordered Stevenson to pay restitution of $ 24,944.42.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Lisa Quinn of the United States Secret Service – Baltimore Field Office; William Henry, Chief of the U.S. Probation Office; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes.
According to her plea agreement, on August 17, 2007, Judge Bennett sentenced Stevenson to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. On July 24, 2009, Stevenson resumed her period of supervised release after an initial revocation. Along with standard conditions of supervision, such as the prohibition against violating any federal, state or local laws, Stevenson was prohibited from opening any new accounts without the approval of her probation officer.
On or about June 29, 2009, Stevenson opened a personal checking account at Woodforest National Bank at the Wal-Mart in Cockeysville, Maryland, where she was employed. The account was opened without any money being deposited, based upon her employment at the Wal-Mart. From July through September 2009, Stevenson wrote checks on this account, although she had never deposited any money into it. Stevenson opened or re-opened additional accounts at two other banks, obtaining and writing checks on those accounts, even though she never made any legitimate deposits in those accounts. Stevenson did not have the approval of her probation officer to open any of these accounts.
On October 20, 2010, Stevenson had her initial appearance on the indictment returned by the grand jury in this case as well as on the on the violation of her supervised release. Stevenson was released on the same conditions, with her probation officer handling her supervision.
On March 22, 2011, Stevenson opened a new checking account in the name of “Nicole Taylor” using the social security number of “HH,” all without the knowledge or consent of her supervising probation officer, or “HH”. After making an initial deposit of $350.00, Stevenson immediately withdrew $300, ordered checks on the account and proceeded to write over $2,000 in checks on the account. This account was closed by the bank on July 5, 2011, with an overdraft amount of $2,260. During this same time period Stevenson opened a credit account with Shaws without the knowledge and approval of her probation officer. That account was charged off in July, 2011, with an outstanding balance of $2072.
On July 8, 2011, Stevenson’s probation officer made an unannounced home visit and left a letter instructing her to report in person at the probation office on July 12, 2011, for which she failed to appear. At a subsequent meeting on August 1, 2011, Stevenson denied opening any new accounts when she was questioned by her probation officer. On August 8, 2011, the probation officer attempted another home visit and left a letter instructing Stevenson to appear for a meeting at the probation office on August 22, 2011. Stevenson did not appear for that meeting and an arrest warrant was issued for Stevenson on September 12, 2011. A trial date was set for October 24, 2011. When Stevenson could not be located on the arrest warrant and did not respond to either her supervising officer or her attorney, a new trial date was scheduled - and subsequently rescheduled on several occasions - when Stevenson could not be located and did not respond to her supervising officer or her attorney.
On November 4, 2011, and again on July 19, 2012, Stevenson used the name “Tiffany Lawson”, and the date of birth and social security account number of “TR,” to apply for an apartment. She provided a counterfeit Maryland driver’s license with her picture, the name “Tiffany Lawson,” and the date of birth and social security number of “TR.” On February 27, 2013, Stevenson was located on the outstanding arrest warrant, residing in yet another apartment.
During her activities from July 2009 through February 2013, Stevenson obtained goods, services and extensions of credit of approximately$26,288.70, and caused losses to or used the identities of between 10 and 50 financial institutions, businesses and individuals.
Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Probation Office, Baltimore County Police Department and U.S. Marshals for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamera Fine, who is prosecuting the case.
Seattle Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Social Welfare ProgramsRead the Press Release
A Seattle man who operated a successful landscaping and hauling company was sentenced to prison today for defrauding benefit programs of more than $60,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Over five years, VERNAL LEMUEL MORRIS, 59, defrauded Social Security, the Seattle Housing Authority and the federal food stamp program. MORRIS repeatedly told welfare agencies he was so disabled he could not bathe or dress himself. In fact, MORRIS owned and operated B&V Lawn and Hauling, with as many as six employees, a website and trucks. MORRIS was responsible for the company’s advertising, sales, customer relations, and for the supervision of the employees. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour sentenced MORRIS to five months in prison, three years of supervised release and $60,726 in restitution.
According to records filed in the case, MORRIS first applied for Social Security Disability payments in August 2004 claiming he has a psychological disability. The claim was rejected, and MORRIS appealed to an Administrative Law Judge. MORRIS claimed he was unable to bathe, that he could not stand for more than 20 minutes, and that he was afraid to leave his home. Based on these claims the judge found MORRIS eligible for benefits and he collected $31,313 in disability benefits from October 2007 to August 2012. Over those years MORRIS repeatedly represented to the Social Security Administration that he had difficulty dressing and bathing himself and could not drive.
In addition to the Social Security Fraud, MORRIS defrauded the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) by fraudulently obtaining rent subsidy funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). MORRIS applied for housing in January 2009, and collected $21,284 in benefits by claiming he was not employed and had no income other than the Social Security benefits. There is a 6,000 person waiting list for the SHA subsidies, and MORRIS’ fraud kept other truly needy people from obtaining subsidized housing. Finally, MORRIS fraudulently obtained $8,192 in benefits from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for food and medical care. Between May 2007 and October 2011 he falsely claimed he had no income or assets in order to obtain food stamps and medical coupons.
In asking for a prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court that MORRIS “stole resources intended for the neediest members of society…. By fraudulently collecting benefits he was not entitled to receive, VERNAL MORRIS literally deprived a needy family of a decent place to live. Furthermore, persons who feign disabilities, as VERNAL MORRIS did, require social agencies to spend their resources investigating disabilities instead of delivering benefits. Fake disability claims also require genuinely disabled persons to undergo the indignity of examinations geared to determine whether they are faking their claim as well.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson as part of a partnership venture between the Social Security Administration Office of General Counsel and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Sarasota Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Aircraft Under Influence of AlcoholRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announced that Philip Lavoie (28, Sarasota) pleaded guilty yesterday to operating a common carrier while under the influence of alcohol. The plea was entered before United States Magistrate Judge Anthony E. Porcelli in Tampa. Lavoie faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the information and testimony presented in court, Lavoie held a Commercial Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was an employee of Flight Express, an air cargo company based in Orlando. On December 8, 2012, Lavoie was the pilot and lone occupant of Flight 840, which departed from Greensboro, North Carolina and was on the way back to Tampa.
Air traffic tower personnel observed that after takeoff, Lavoie had gone silent on his radio and was not in contact with them for significant periods during his flight. Lavoie also changed the altitude at which he was flying without the controllers’ permission and made deviations from his projected flight path. FAA controllers later alerted the authorities at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida, whereby two jet fighters were dispatched to investigate and attempt to establish contact with Lavoie’s plane. The Air Force jets never came into contact with the Flight Express plane because Lavoie ultimately re-established contact with air traffic controllers.
After landing in Tampa, Lavoie failed a voluntary field sobriety test. Later he submitted to a breathalyzer test. The results of two separate tests of his blood alcohol were 0.272 and 0.274. Both results exceeded the legal intoxication level in the State of Florida.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Air Marshal Service, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer of the Tampa Division.
Sarasota Man Pleads Guilty to ExtortionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Louis Thomas Caputo (78, Sarasota) pleaded guilty to extortionate collection of debt. Caputo faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison. Caputo was indicted in November 2012. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 21, 2013.
According to court documents, Caputo extended loans with interest rates that exceeded 500% per year. Over a number of months, beginning in September 2008, he employed extortionate means to collect these debts. Caputo threatened to harm the debtor, made assertions of his connections to the Gambino family, delivered anonymous threatening letters to the debtor, and, told the debtor that he had previously been convicted of a similar offense. In fact, Caputo was previously convicted in federal court of, among other things, the extortionate extensions and collections of debt.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
San Angelo, Texas, Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — Victor Lopez, 47, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 210 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in March 2013 to one count of receipt of child pornography. In addition, Judge Cummings ordered that Lopez serve an additional 20-year term of supervised release. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Lopez has been in federal custody since his arrest following the execution of a federal search warrant at his residence by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on January 23, 2013. He was indicted in February 2013 on several counts of receiving and possessing child pornography.
According to plea documents filed in the case, Lopez admitted that he used file-sharing software to collect numerous videos of child pornography, including depictions of sadistic and masochistic conduct.
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 case was investigated by ICE HSI and the San Angelo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy prosecuted.
Prosecutors Seek to Dismiss One Defendant from Drug Conspiracy IndictmentRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has asked a federal judge to dismiss one of 10 defendants from a drug-trafficking conspiracy indictment returned in April and unsealed in May following the arrests of all the defendants, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.
Prosecutors this week filed the motion in U.S. District Court to dismiss DEALDRE R. “Twin” MURRELL, 27, of Birmingham, from the April 25 indictment. The move was prompted by information the government received and confirmed this week, according to the motion.
Dealdre’s twin brother, Deandre “Laray” or “Tojo” Murrell, also of Birmingham, remains under indictment in the case, along with eight other defendants: Billy “Champ” Williams Jr., 40, of Midfield; Sammuel Dewayne “Rosé” Gulley, 28, of Fairfield; Walter “Walt T” Johnson, 47, and Wilbert Curtis “Bing” Dalton Jr., 41, both of Dolomite; Grady Isam “Shady Grady” Jenkins, 46, Abe “Cuz” Johnson, 49, and Marion “Tuna” Reynolds Jr., 52, all of Birmingham; and Vernon Llwellyn “RJ” Mcadory, 38, of Bessemer.
The government is seeking to dismiss Dealdre Murrell from the four charges that he faced: conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and three counts of using a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
The indictment charges that Williams and his co-defendants ran a large-scale heroin and cocaine distribution network in western Birmingham and Jefferson County. The investigation by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office began in 2011 and culminated with the January arrest of Gulley, followed by the April indictment and remaining arrests in May.
Gulley was arrested in possession of two kilograms of nearly pure heroin following a high-speed chase with Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies on Jan. 25. Later that night, agents seized one and a half kilograms of cocaine from a home associated with Williams and Gulley.
Previous press release.
Presho Man Sentenced for Unlawful Taking of Bald and Golden Eagles and Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jeffery Jessop, age 51, of Presho, South Dakota appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 12, 2013 and pled guilty to the charge of Unlawful Taking of Bald and Golden Eagles and Migratory Birds.
Jessop was sentenced to 1 year unsupervised probation, a $35 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution in the amount of $56,250.
Jessop was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 16, 2013. The charges stem from an incident occurring between September 28, 2009 and September 28, 2012, wherein Jessop illegally shot and killed at least three mature Bald and Golden Eagles and at least 15 Hawks at his ranch in Lyman County, South Dakota. Jessop illegally killed these federally protected birds with three firearms that have been forfeited. After killing the birds, Jessop would burn the remains and then dump them in a trash pit on his property.
The investigation was conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Presho Man Sentenced for Felon and Drug User in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Presho, South Dakota man convicted of Felon and Drug User in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on June 13, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Clint Brown, age 36, was sentenced to 51 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 22, 2012 and pled guilty to the charge on April 1, 2013.
In 2004, Brown had previously been convicted of 3 felony offenses arising out of conduct occurring in Lyman County and Pennington County. On August 17, 2012, Brown was arrested by state authorities and it was determined he possessed two firearms, a 12-gauge shotgun and a 22-caliber rifle. It was also determined that he had been using methamphetamine and numerous items of drug paraphernalia were found in his Lyman County home.
State charges are still pending in Lyman County related to the August 17, 2012 arrest.
The investigation was conducted by the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office; the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force; the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory; the South Dakota Public Health Laboratory; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Maher and Kathryn Rich.
Brown was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
Owner of Vallejo Mortgage Company Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay over $5.8 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
OAKLAND, Calif. – Amy Nicole Schloemann, aka Amy Kinney, was sentenced this week to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,805,902 in restitution for her role in a real-estate related wire fraud conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag.
Schloemann pleaded guilty on August 22, 2012, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 United States Code Section 1349. According to court documents, Schloemann was the president of Hiddenbrooke Mortgage Company, a real estate and mortgage brokerage company in operation from 2005 through 2007 in Vallejo, California. Between 2006 and July 2007, Schloemann conspired with others to purchase more than 18 properties in the Northern and Eastern Districts of California in the names of fictitious identities and using straw buyers. As part of the conspiracy Schloemann supervised others who processed loan packages with materially false information, including contracts that reflected inflated sales prices above the original sales prices.
The purchase loans, which were 100% financed, exceeded the sales prices received by the sellers. The excess amounts from the loan proceeds, or “profits” from the transactions, were dispersed through escrow to entities controlled in part by Schloemann. All but a few of the properties involved in the conspiracy were foreclosed due to the failure to make mortgage payments. The lenders sustained significant losses as a result of the fraud.
Schloemann, age 36, of Vallejo, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 9, 2009. She was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton, following the defendant’s guilty plea. Judge Hamilton also sentenced the defendant to a 3-year period of supervised release. Schloemann, who has been out of custody on bond since November 2009, will begin serving her sentence on July 29, 2013.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Marie McCall is the attorney who prosecuted the case with the assistance of Noble Hughes and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation with the assistance of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Officers of Fishing and Seafood Corporations Ordered to Pay Nearly $22.5 Million to South Africa for Illegally Harvesting Rock Lobster and Smuggling It into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States obtained a restitution order against ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS, DAVID BENGIS, and JEFFREY NOLL in the amount of nearly $29.5 million and in favor of the Republic of South Africa. This is the largest known restitution order in a Lacey Act case in history. The restitution order follows the Government’s successful appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit of the District Court’s 2007 orders that restitution was not available for crimes prosecuted under the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act is a federal statute that makes it a crime to, among other things, import into the U.S. any fish, wildlife, or plants taken in violation of state or foreign law. After a credit of more than $7 million already paid to South Africa as part of a separate criminal case there, the total restitution to be paid by the defendants is approximately $22.5 million. The restitution was ordered by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. In addition, Judge Kaplan also restrained the defendants from depleting accounts in the Channel Islands to amounts below the approximately $22.5 million restitution to be paid.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As today’s order demonstrates, those who violate the environmental laws of another country by illegally taking fish, wildlife, or plants and then import these items into the U.S. will be required to pay back the victims of their offenses. This Office remains committed to ensuring, no matter how long it takes, that those who would damage another country’s environment and seek to profit in the U.S. market will have to remedy their violations of law and repay those foreign governments.”
According to documents filed in Manhattan federal court and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit:
ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS was the Managing Director and Chairman of Hout Bay Fishing Industries (PTY) Ltd. (“HBFI”) in Cape Town, South Africa, and he also exercised control over Icebrand Seafoods, Inc. (“Icebrand”) and Associated Sea Fisheries Inc. (“Associated”) in Manhattan. NOLL was the Chairman and President of both Associated and Icebrand in New York. DAVID BENGIS was the President of Icebrand Seafoods Maine Inc. in Portland, Maine.
From 1987 to August 1, 2001, ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS, his son DAVID BENGIS, NOLL, and their co-conspirators, engaged in an elaborate scheme to, among other things, harvest illegally large quantities of South and West Coast rock lobster, far in excess of applicable quotas, and then to export the illegally harvested lobster from South Africa to the U.S.
The defendants underreported the fish harvested to South African authorities and bribed South African fisheries inspectors to help them carry out their illegal harvesting scheme. They also submitted false export documents to South African authorities to conceal their overharvesting.
As part of the scheme, the defendants arranged for previously-disadvantaged South African citizens who did not have valid U.S. working permits to work for low wages at their fish processing facility in Portland, Maine, where the employees were required to process, among other things, illegally harvested South African rock lobster.
In 2003, all three defendants were charged with importing, among other things, illegally-harvested South African South Coast and West Coast rock lobster into the U.S. The Indictment alleged, among other things, that the lobster had been harvested in violation of both South African law and international convention, by being caught in amounts well in excess of the quota established by South African law or without required permits.
In April 2004, ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS and NOLL each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and to commit smuggling, and three separate counts of violating the Lacey Act. In April 2004, DAVID BENGIS pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act.
In July 2004, Judge Kaplan sentenced each of the defendants to a term of imprisonment, specifically: ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS – 46 months; JEFFREY NOLL – 30 months; and DAVID BENGIS – 1 year. As part of their sentences, ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS and NOLL forfeited $5.9 million to the Government. DAVID BENGIS forfeited the proceeds of the sale of his fish-processing factory in Portland, a sum of $1.5 million. Each of the defendants was also sentenced to a term of supervised release. The defendants have all completed their prison terms and supervised release.
In 2007, Judge Kaplan rejected the Government’s application for restitution and held, among other things, that South Africa did not have a property interest in the illegally harvested rock lobster and that South Africa was not a victim within the meaning of the applicable restitution statutes.
In January 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned Judge Kaplan’s 2007 ruling and held instead that: (1) South Africa had a property interest in illegally harvested rock lobsters and, therefore, that the defendants had committed an “offense against property,” thereby entitling South Africa to restitution; and (2) South Africa was a victim within the meaning of the applicable restitution statutes. The Court of Appeals left the determination of the precise amount of restitution to the District Court on remand.
In August 2012, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck recommended to Judge Kaplan that he order more than $54.8 in restitution to South Africa. Today’s order by Judge Kaplan adopts Judge Peck’s report and recommendation in substantial part by ordering the defendants to pay restitution in the amount of $29,495,800 for illegally harvested West Coast lobster that was imported into the United States. As part of separate criminal prosecution in South Africa, HBFI paid South Africa $7,049,080 for its illegal conduct. Judge Kaplan credited that amount against the restitution of $29,495,800, to arrive at a total amount to be paid by the defendants to South Africa of $22,446,720.
ARNOLD MAURICE BENGIS, 77, and his son DAVID BENGIS, 43, reside in London, England. JEFFREY NOLL, 62, resides in Boca Raton, Florida.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement.
Mr. Bharara also thanked the Office of the Attorney General of Jersey, the States of Jersey Police, and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for their outstanding assistance in the restitution proceedings.
This criminal case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Levy is in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. v. Arnold Bengis et al. Opinion
U.S. v. Arnold Bengis et al. OrderNortheast Heights Heroin Trafficking Ring Dismantled by Multi-Agency InvestigationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Seven individuals were arrested this morning on federal narcotics trafficking charges as a result of a multi-agency investigation targeting heroin traffickers operating in the Northeast Height of Albuquerque, N.M., announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales and Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit of the DEA’s El Paso Field Division.
Today’s arrests are the result of a 15-month investigation by the DEA, Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office into heroin traffickers operating in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights, an area that has experienced a growing, wide-spread heroin abuse problem among teens and young adults in recent years. The investigation was code-named “Balloon Fiesta,” a reference to the multi-colored balloons that heroin often is packaged in for retail distribution. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) program. OCDETF is a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
In announcing the results of the investigation, U.S. Attorney Gonzales said, “I commend the DEA, the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for their unrelenting commitment to bring to justice drug traffickers who relentlessly target any available customer, including our children, to push highly addictive and dangerous drugs in the Albuquerque metro area. I also commend community groups and organizations like the Heroin Awareness Committee who have made it their mission to educate our children and our community about the perils of drugs, prevent teenage drug abuse, and advocate for treatment for those who have become addicted with the goal of preventing drug overdose deaths. Working together, we can and will make a difference.”
“The investigation that resulted in these arrests and seizures was undertaken in response to a growing problem of heroin abuse in the North East Heights area of Albuquerque,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit of the DEA. “Heroin abuse and addiction exacts a tremendous toll on society, and these enforcement actions, which targeted dealers and their assets, strike a serious blow to trafficking in the area. They are an important step in improving safety and security in the community, especially among our young people.”
Five of the defendants arrested this morning are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin in an indictment that was filed under seal on June 12, 2013 and unsealed earlier today. Four of those defendants, Angel Last Name Unknown (LNU), also known as “Abraham Miramonte,” 21, Miguel Bustamante-Conchas, 37, Baltazar Granados, 36, and Ruben Garcia Miranda, 47, were arrested in Albuquerque. The fifth defendant, Ramon Cabrales-Guerra, 22, of Ellensburg, Wash., was arrested in Washington State. If convicted on the conspiracy charge, each of the five defendants faces a minimum of five years to a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, and Angel LNU, Cabrales-Guerra and Granados, who are Mexican nationals illegally in the United States, will be deported after completing their prison sentences.
The remaining two other defendants, Joel Nunez-Haroz, 42, and Pablo Arturo Felix-Sicarios, 19, are charged in criminal complaints alleging possession of heroin with intent to distribute. If convicted, each faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and both men, who are Mexican nationals illegally in the United States, will be deported after completing their prison sentences.
The six defendants arrested in Albuquerque made their initial appearances in federal court this afternoon. They are temporarily detained pending detention hearings which have yet to be scheduled. Cabrales-Guera will be transferred from Washington State to the District of New Mexico to face the charges against him.
During today’s arrest operation, the DEA seized approximately three pounds of heroin, a handgun and approximately $10,000 in cash pursuant to federal search warrants. They also seized seven vehicles pursuant to federal seizure warrants.
These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Sullivan and Shana B. Long. The New Mexico State Police and Corrales Police Department assisted in this morning’s law enforcement operation.
Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.Norcross Man Arrested for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Defendant Allegedly Sent and Received Graphic Images Over the Internet
ATLANTA – Kevin Hickey, who was formerly employed as the Director of Parish Outreach for Life Teen International in Atlanta, Ga., has been arrested on a federal complaint charging him with distributing and possessing child pornography.
“This defendant collected child pornography at the same time he was entrusted to protect, counsel, and serve children, which reinforces how essential it is that we uncover and prosecute individuals who pose such a great threat to our community,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
“The terms ‘child predator’ and ‘person in a position of trust’ should never refer to the same individual,” said Brock. D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. “While anyone downloading and distributing child pornography is a target for HSI special agents, those who might have access to children will receive our immediate attention. HSI is doing everything in its power to prevent the victimization of innocent children in our society.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the criminal complaint, and information presented in court: Law enforcement identified Hickey as an individual with a sexual interest in children who also collects and distributes child pornography. In June 2013, using his online screen name “funguyatl77,” Hickey engaged in an online communication monitored by federal agents. In that communication he stated that he was watching “perving vids” and offered to share child pornography. On June 3, 2013, Hickey transmitted a video showing two prepubescent males being sodomized by an adult male. Hickey further displayed photographs of children he took surreptitiously in public places and was heard gratifying himself sexually during the online conversation.
A subsequent investigation by Homeland Security Investigations agents led them to Hickey and his home where he maintained his computer and engaged in the collection and distribution of these pornographic images. Thousands of images of child exploitation were discovered on Hickey’s electronic devices.
Hickey, 39, of Norcross, Ga., was arrested on June 6, 2013, and made his first appearance in federal court on June 7, 2013. On Friday, June 14, 2013, United States Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard held a detention hearing and Hickey was detained without bond.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Jill E. Steinberg is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Moorhead Man Indicted for Stealing Mail, Bank Fraud, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS—A federal indictment unsealed yesterday charges a 32-year-old Moorhead man in connection with a series of mail thefts in several Minnesota counties in the fall of 2012. The indictment charges Justin Lee Feldt with one count of theft of mail, four counts of bank fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud. The indictment was unsealed following Feldt’s initial appearance in federal court.
The indictment alleges that between October and November 2012, Feldt stole mail containing blank credit card cash advance checks. Allegedly, he subsequently altered the checks to make them payable to him and then deposited them, later withdrawing the funds. The indictment also alleges that between October 25 and 27, 2012, Feldt used a stolen debit card to purchase various items.
If convicted, Feldt faces a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each count of bank fraud, ten years for access device fraud, five years for mail theft, and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. Any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge.This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) and the sheriff’s offices for Crow Wing, Otter Tail, Pine, and Scott counties. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Kokkinen.
For more information on how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, visit https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/IdentityTheft.aspx . The IRS-Criminal Investigations also urges citizens to review the Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft, which can be found at http://www.irs.gov.
For tips on how to prevent mail theft, visit https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/MailTheft.aspx.An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
Mission Woman Pleads Guilty to Second Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Tara Makes Room For Them, age 19, of Mission, South Dakota appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on June 12, 2013 and pled guilty to Second Degree Burglary.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years’ in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; 3 years of supervised release; and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place on January 16, 2013, when Makes Room For Them and others burglarized homes on the Rosebud Reservation and took property that did not belong to them.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for August 28, 2013. The defendant was released from custody until July 2, 2013, when she must self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
Mission Man Pleads Guilty to Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that William Robertson, age 21, of Mission, South Dakota appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on June 12, 2013 and pled guilty to Count III of an Indictment that charged him with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; 3 years of supervised release and an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation. Restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund may also be ordered.
The conviction stems from an incident on October 4, 2012. The Defendant and the victim began an argument which escalated into a physical altercation. The Defendant grabbed a wooden guitar and began striking the victim about the head and body with the guitar. The victim managed to get away from the Defendant and sought treatment for her injuries.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Robertson was released on bond pending sentencing which has been set for August 27, 2013.
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Pay Child SupportRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Donald J. Lorenzen, a/k/a Donnie J. Lorenzen, Donald L. Lorenzen, age 48, of Moorehead, Minnesota appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on June 10, 2013 and pled guilty to two counts of Failure to Pay Legal Child Support.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is two years imprisonment; a $250,000.00 fine; one year supervised release; one additional year of custody upon revocation; a $100.00 assessment fee; and child support restitution amount owing at the time of sentencing.
Lorenzen was ordered to pay $145.00 per month for his minor child, commencing August 1, 1993. At the time of Indictment, he had not made a child support payment since May of 2008, and the total arrearage amount on both counts was $30,833.49.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Wright.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for September 23, 2013. The defendant was released on bond pending sentencing.