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Friday 15 March 2013
Guilty Pleas in RICO eBay Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
>MOBILE, AL-- United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown announced today that Jason Christopher Spellen, Raymond Spellen and Andrew Valentino Wilson, III, all pleaded guilty today to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d), in federal district court. Trial for the remaining defendants named in the Superseding Indictment is currently set for June 2013.
Jason Christopher Spellen agreed to forfeit the items seized from his residence and storage unit and agreed to the entry of a $6,000,000.00 money judgment. Raymond Spellen and Andrew Valentino Wilson III also agreed to the entry of money judgments as well. The defendants face a maximum possible penalty of 20 years.
The RICO count alleges the Spellen Enterprise fraudulently purchased electronics from retail stores using counterfeited credit cards and drivers’ licenses provided them by other members of the conspiracy, and by the use of lines-of-credit from retail stores. It also alleges the Enterprise sold both fraudulently-procured electronics and stolen electronics on eBay and by other means. A total of ten individuals have previously entered guilty pleas in connection with the same eBay fraud investigation. Those individuals are all awaiting sentencing.
Kenyen Brown, United States Attorney, said: “The sophistication and magnitude of the fraud scheme engaged in in this case is startling. While technological advances may present new avenues for thieves to sell their stolen goods, law enforcement will continue to use every tool at its disposal to bring law breakers to justice.”
The case arose from an investigation by the United States Secret Service, who were assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The eBayProAct team also assisted the Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deborah Griffin.
Grand Marais Man Sentenced in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – Roger Harrison White, 70, of Grand Marais, Michigan, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr. announced today. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell ordered White to serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison, and to pay a $300 fine and a $100 special assessment. White will also be required to register as a sexual offender. White had pled guilty to the charge last October.
The investigation into White’s activities stemmed from his brief subscription to a child pornography website in 2008. The investigation ultimately led to a search of White’s computer and compact disks. That search revealed that White had downloaded and stored thousands of images, as well as videos, of child pornography via the internet over a period of several years.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney's Office, county prosecutor's offices, Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D. Lochner prosecuted the case.
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Former Osage Man Sentenced to 14 Years on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced March 14, 2013, to 14 years in federal prison.
Kevin Perrin, age 49, formerly of Osage, Iowa, received the sentence after a December 21, 2012, guilty plea to one count of receiving child pornography. In a plea agreement, Perrin admitted he knowingly used the Internet to receive and distribute child pornography.Perrin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Perrin was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and Perrin must also serve a five-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 Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
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 12-2030.
Former Department of Health and Human Services Employee<br /> Pleads Guilty in Washington to Wire Fraud Charge in Retention Bonus SchemeRead the Press Release
An employee of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (HHS-ASPR) pleaded guilty today in Washington, D.C., to defrauding the United States by submitting fraudulent employment offers in order to claim retention bonuses totaling $138,875, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division .
Michael A. Balady , 62, of Springfield, Va., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in the District of Columbia to a criminal information charging him with one count of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Balady worked in the HHS-ASPR first as the director of acquisition management systems in ASPR’s Biological Advanced Research and Development Authority and later as the acting director of ASPR’s Office of Acquisitions, Management, Contracts and Grants. As part of his plea, Balady admitted that he conspired with an employee of a communications firm based in Alexandria, Va., to fabricate employment offers for a position with that firm in order to justify retention bonuses paid to him by HHS. Retention bonuses are monetary incentives paid by HHS to employees deemed essential to its mission who would be likely to leave in the absence of such a bonus.
From 2009 until 2012, Balady improperly received retention bonus payments totaling $94,940. In June 2012, HHS approved another retention bonus in the amount of $38,875, but that bonus was never paid to Balady. As part of the plea agreement, Balady resigned from HHS and has agreed to pay restitution to HHS in the amount of $94,940.
At sentencing, scheduled for June 12, 2013, Balady faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Richard B. Evans and Mark Angehr of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and is being investigated by the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Former Broward Resident Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Wendy Bashnan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Miami Field Office, announce that defendant Arcesio Rojas Valencia a/k/a Arcisio Rojas Valencia a/k/a Arcy Valencia, 50, formerly of Broward County, Florida, and most recently of Costa Mesa, California, has entered a guilty plea to charges of passport fraud and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1542 and 1028A. Valencia appeared today in federal court in Fort Lauderdale before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.
Valencia admitted that he was born in Colombia, South America in December 1962, but in or around March 2001 in Florida, applied for and obtained for his own use and with his own photograph, a U.S. passport in the name of his U.S.-born son and birthdate of October 1965. To do so, Valencia submitted to the Department of State a copy of his son’s U.S. birth certificate, with the year of birth altered from 1985 to 1965. Valencia admitted that he knew that his statements in the passport application as to the name, date of birth, and place of birth were false. Valencia further admitted to willfully and knowingly using the passport on or about May 26, 2008, at Fort Lauderdale International Airport, and during and in relation thereto, to knowingly possessing and using, without lawful authority, the means of identification of his son, “A.V.”
On November 30, 2012, a federal grand jury in Miami charged Valencia, and an arrest warrant was issued for him. Diplomatic Security Service agents located Valencia in Southern California, where they arrested him in Los Angeles on December 5, 2012. Based in part on an active Broward County arrest warrant dating back to 1990, the U.S. Magistrate Judge in California ordered that Valencia be detained until trial. Valencia was returned to the Southern District of Florida in late December. At a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana Snow in early January 2013, Valencia stipulated to continued pre-trial detention due to the outstanding state arrest warrant.
Valencia faces a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment when he is sentenced on May 28, 2013.
Mr. Ferrer commended the efforts of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, in locating the defendant. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert T. Watson.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Ferriday Funeral Home Director Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that funeral home director John Casey Young, 45, of Vidalia, pleaded guilty before U. S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to knowingly receiving child pornography on his computer.
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, during an investigation of a separate but related matter in September 2011, discovered that Young used his work computer to search for child pornography on the internet.
Young faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Sentencing has been set for June 10, 2013. The FBI and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Earl Campbell and John Luke Walker are prosecuting the case.This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls about child exploitation. The Alexandria FBI office number is (318) 443-5097.
Fake War Hero Sentenced for Making False Statements and Theft of Government ServicesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Danny Crane (32, Riverview) yesterday to 12 months and one day in federal prison for theft of government funds. He is also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervision, following his release from prison . Crane pleaded guilty on November 20, 2012, to fraudulently stealing government services and making false statements in connection with his application for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits.
According to court documents, Crane, an Army veteran, falsified his discharge paperwork in order to perpetrate a fraud on the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, he fraudulently altered his DD Form 214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty”) to reflect that he was an Army Sergeant and had been awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts, an Air Medal, and various other war-related awards. In fact, Crane had not received any of those awards and had not been an Army Sergeant, but rather only served a little over three months. Crane submitted his altered discharge paperwork and made false representations to obtain VA medical treatment and attempted to obtain disability benefits to which he was not entitled for service connected injuries that he claimed to have suffered, but had not actually incurred. On June 12, 2012, in Pinellas County, Crane filed an application for VA disability benefits and submitted his altered DD Form 214 along with it. He alleged that he had service connected blindness in his right eye, twenty four plates in his face, six bullets in his back and broken ribs, when in reality, Crane had not suffered any injuries in service and had not served in any wars. He made these representations knowing that they were completely false. Crane had actually been discharged from the Army for "Failure to Adapt to Military Environment and Lack of Self Discipline” and he received an "Uncharacterized Discharge" that made him ineligible for veterans benefits.
To further his fraudulent disability claim, Crane went to the VA and obtained medical treatment and medication on multiple occasions, fraudulently claiming that he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The loss to the United States based upon Crane’s various false statements was approximately $7,042.86.
This case was investigated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
East St. Louis Shooter Sentenced to Eight Years for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Cartez R. Beard, a 21-year old East St. Louis, Illinois, resident, was sentenced today in federal district court to 96 months (8 years) in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced.
According to court documents, on March 28, 2012, members of the WAVE Team came across a group of individuals, including Beard, standing on a street corner in East St. Louis. As law enforcement approached the group, Beard averted his eyes and turned his back away from the officers. One officer asked Beard if he had something on him that he should not, and Beard replied that he did. Beard told the officer he had a gun on his right hip. The officer recovered a Smith & Wesson, .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. The gun was loaded and a round was in the chamber. In late September 2012, Beard pled guilty to being a convicted felon who had knowingly possessed a firearm.
There is no parole in the federal prison system. In addition to the prison sentence, Beard will serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a $250 fine. United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton noted, “My office remains committed to prosecuting the district’s most violent criminals, especially those who illegally arm themselves with firearms and use them. As the Court recognized, Cartez Beard is an extremely dangerous and violent young man. A sentence this like one sends a strong message to the young people of East St. Louis -- Put down the guns or risk doing hard federal time.”
The WAVE Task Force investigated this case. The WAVE Task Force focuses its efforts on combating violent crime in East St. Louis, Washington Park, and surrounding communities. The WAVE Task Force receives financial support through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide federal program which endeavors to address gun-related violence.
Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. Stump prosecuted the offense.
Dubuque Woman Becomes Third Person Sent to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Lab That Caused House FireRead the Press Release
A woman who assisted in the manufacture of methamphetamine that caused a fire in a home she was renting was sentenced on March 15, 2013, to just less than six years in federal prison.
Dawn Richey, 36, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2012 guilty plea to aiding and abetting the attempted manufacture of methamphetamine near a school. Richey becomes the third person to serve federal prison time related to the incident.
Information from Richey’s guilty plea and sentencing revealed that Richey allowed Julie Uhrig, also of Dubuque, to manufacture methamphetamine in the basement of Richey’s residence on Windsor Avenue in Dubuque on February 15, 2012. Richey admitted that she assisted Uhrig in the manufacturing process. The attempted manufacture caused a fire to erupt in the residence. Richey’s minor child was present in the residence at the time. The residence was located within 1,000 feet of Audubon Elementary School.
Richey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Richey was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed and she was ordered to make $142,062.41 in restitution to the owner of the Windsor residence that she had been renting. She must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Richey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
Two other individuals have also been sent to federal prison in connection with the February 15, 2012 incident. Uhrig pled guilty on September 11, 2012 to the attempted manufacture of methamphetamine near a school. She was sentenced on January 3, 2013 to 136 months’ imprisonment. Nickolas Clark, Richey’s fiancé at the time of the incident, pled guilty on September 24, 2012 to misprision of a felony as a result of false statements he intentionally made to investigators concerning the attempted manufacture. Clark was sentenced on January 16, 2013 to 33 months’ imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, and the Dubuque Fire Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number for Richey is CR 12-1021. Uhrig’s case file number is CR 12-1014, and Clark’s case file number is CR 12-1019.
District Man Sentenced to 78 ½ Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Three Women Who Thought He Was A Taxicab Driver-Defendant Trapped Victims in His Fake Cab, Drove Them to Secluded Areas-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Emero Tornero, who targeted his victims by pretending to be a taxicab driver, was sentenced today to 78 ½ years in prison for a series of sexual assaults against women who got into his vehicle as passengers, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Tornero, 32, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty in January 2013 of 16 charges after a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The charges included multiple counts of kidnapping and sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, as well as related firearms offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck.
According to the government’s evidence, Tornero, pretending to be a taxicab driver, picked up women who hailed his “taxicab” in a series of incidents from 2005 to 2008. He trapped them inside the vehicle, which was rigged so the back doors and windows would not open from the inside. Then he took the victims to secluded locations, where he raped them.
The first attack took place at about 11:30 a.m. on May 10, 2005. The victim, 23, was with her three-year-old daughter, heading to a relative’s house, when she hailed the defendant’s taxicab at 9th and N Streets NW. Tornero abducted and took the victim to a secluded area. He threw the child to the front seat and sexually assaulted the victim in the back seat.
The second incident took place at approximately 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2006. The victim, 25, hailed a taxicab driven by the defendant near 8100 New Hampshire Avenue in Montgomery County, Md., so that she would not be late to work. Tornero instead took her to a deserted parking lot in the District of Columbia, where he raped her at gun and knife point.
The third attack occurred at about 2 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2008. The victim, 29, came into the District of Columbia to have a girls’ night out with her sister. The victim became extremely intoxicated inside a nightclub in the downtown area. After leaving the club, she was separated from her sister. Still very intoxicated, the victim got into Tornero’s taxicab alone, with the intention of going home. The victim passed out during the ride and the defendant took her to a secluded area, where he raped her while she was unconscious.
The cases were investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and City of Alexandria Police Department (ACPD), but remained open and unsolved until the second and third sexual assaults were linked through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), along with a robbery of a man in June 2008, who worked at a bar in downtown Washington and who had hailed the defendant’s taxicab to take him home to Arlington, Va. The linkage of these crimes led MPD to identify Tornero as the suspect. MPD detectives obtained a sample of the defendant’s DNA, and it matched the DNA left behind by the assailant in 2006 and 2008.
“Few defendants deserve to spend their lives in jail as much as Emero Tornero,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “He is a predator who turned a taxicab into a cage on wheels that he used to lure, capture, and rape women. The District of Columbia is much safer without this serial rapist driving our streets looking for his next victim.”
In a separate case, Tornero was found guilty by a jury in 2011 of charges stemming from a series of violent attacks that took place in 2008 against Maryland and Virginia taxicab drivers who were working in the District of Columbia, including one victim who was 78 years old. He was sentenced to a prison term of 24 years and three months for those crimes. His sentence today runs consecutively to the sentence imposed in that case.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives from the MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit and officers from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Districts and Forensic Science Division and the work of officers and detectives from ACPD. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Melissa Milam; Paralegal Specialists Troy Griffith, Jason Manuel and Kristy Penny; Victim Witness Specialists David Foster, Katina Adams-Washington and LaJune Thames, and Litigation Technology Specialists Jeanie Lattimore-Brown, Leif Hickling and Josh Ellen. Lastly, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Last, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan and Lindsay Suttenberg, who co-tried the case.
13-098District Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison in Killing of His Then-Girlfriend’s 20-Month-Old Child- Defendant Was Asked to Babysit for the Child -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Jonathan Fullard, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the killing of his former girlfriend’s 20-month-old son, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Fullard, who pled guilty in October 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today by the Honorable William M. Jackson. Upon completion of his prison term, Fullard will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to a proffer of facts, signed by the defendant as well as the government, on March 4, 2012, Fullard was babysitting his then-girlfriend’s 20-month-old son, Keyontae Osbia Moore, at a residence in the 3000 block of 30th Street SE while she went to work. At about 3 a.m. on March 5, 2012, Fullard called his then-girlfriend and stated that the toddler had stopped breathing. Keyontae was initially taken to United Medical Center, and later transferred to Children’s National Medical Center, where physicians found trauma to his head, and body. The child died on March 5, 2012 from multiple blunt force trauma.
The District of Columbia medical examiner’s office ruled the case a homicide. The evidence indicates that Fullard was the only person caring for the child at the time of his injuries. There also was evidence that the child had been sexually assaulted.
Initially, when questioned by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the defendant provided a false name of “Jonathan Mason” and was released. After the child’s death, Fullard’s true name was discovered and he was subsequently arrested on March 12, 2012.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives and officers who investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney and Victim Advocates Tamara Ince and Marcey Rinker. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who prosecuted the case.
13-099Denison, Texas, Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Transporting More Than 100 Kilograms of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK — Mark Dean Garrison, 48, of Denison, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 46 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in December 2012 to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, in late October 2012, a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped a pickup truck, owned and driven by Garrison, for a traffic violation on Interstate 20 near Abilene, Texas. Co-defendant Brian Julian Gallardo, 22 of Sherman,, Texas, was the only passenger in the truck, which was carrying several spools of barbed wire. After Garrison consented to a search of the truck, one of the troopers opened the inside of one of the spools of wire and detected the odor of marijuana. Further investigation revealed that the spools of wire contained 229 bricks of marijuana that weighed approximately 112 kilograms. Both Garrison and Gallardo were arrested and have been in custody since that time.
Gallardo has pleaded guilty to the same offense and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2013. He faces a statutory penalty of not less than five or more than 40 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine.
The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams is in charge of the prosecution.
Council Bluffs Woman Sentenced on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On March 15, 2013, Lisa Marie Barrett, age 46, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Council Bluffs, on the charge of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt sentenced Barrett to 60 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release following her imprisonment. The Judge also ordered Barrett to forfeit $1,061 and various drug-related paraphernalia seized at the time of Barrett’s arrest on these charges. Barrett remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending designation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to serve her federal sentence.
Barrett was sentenced upon her plea of guilty to distribution of 6.8 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine. The charge arose from a SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force investigation in which Barrett made two sales of methamphetamine to an undercover operative.
This case was part of a larger investigation conducted by the SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, in which David Fisher was sentenced to 117 months imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release; Nicholas Franks was sentenced to 133 months imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release; and Steven Etherington was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
(Download Press Release )
Convicted Felon Operating A Grow House and Illegally Possessing Firearms in San Leandro Sentenced to 78 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
OAKLAND, Calif. – This week, Vincent Nguyen was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana, and being a felon in possession of firearms, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
Nguyen was arrested on Jan. 10, 2012, after complaints from citizens led to an investigation by the San Leandro Police Department. Nguyen pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2012.
In his plea agreement, Nguyen admitted that from August 2011 through January 2012, he, along with others, operated a marijuana grow house at 3471 Carrillo Drive in San Leandro, Calif. He was found in possession of 82 mature marijuana plants, almost one kilogram of marijuana packaged for sale, a Norinco US 7.62 caliber rifle with a high capacity magazine, a Romak-Romarm 7.62 caliber assault rifle that had been stolen, and a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol. In addition, about $10,000 in cash, a 9mm Bryco Arms semiautomatic pistol, and more than 100 rounds of various caliber ammunition were found at 3471 Carrillo Drive and seized by law enforcement.
Nguyen, 21, of Oakland, had previously been convicted in 2010 for felony possession of marijuana for sale.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton, who also sentenced Nguyen to 3 years of supervised release. Nguyen was indicted, with others, by a federal grand jury on June 7, 2012. Co-defendants Van Do Nguyen and Loc Huynh were sentenced by Judge Hamilton on January 23, 2013, to 72 months and 87 months in prison, respectively.
Brian C. Lewis is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is also the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Congressional Candidate Pleads Guilty to Violation of the Federal Election Campaign ActRead the Press Release
Former Congressional candidate Justin Lamar Sternad pleaded guilty today in Miami to violating the Federal Election Campaign Act during his 2012 campaign, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo A. Ferrer and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
Sternad, 35, of Miami, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum in the Southern District of Florida. Sternad pleaded guilty to all counts of a criminal information that charged him with one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), one count of making false statements to the FEC and one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions.
Sternad was a candidate in the 2012 Democratic Party primary election for Florida’s 26th Congressional District. According to court documents, Sternad engaged in a conspiracy to accept illegal campaign contributions and file false statements with the FEC in order to conceal the true source, amount and nature of the funds used by his campaign.
Sternad admitted that his campaign accepted cash and checks in excess of Federal Election Campaign Act limits and that he filed statements that intentionally misled the FEC about his campaign’s activities. During the campaign, illegal cash contributions from co-conspirators were used to pay for a rental car and the design, printing and distribution of campaign flyers.
According to court documents, Sternad reported to the FEC that he made loans to his campaign in the amount of $63,801, when he knew that he had actually loaned fewer than $300. In total, Sternad accepted over $70,000 in misreported campaign contributions.
At sentencing, scheduled for May 31, 2013, Sternad faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Thomas J. Mulvihill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Richard C. Pilger, Director of the Election Crimes Branch of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Congressional Candidate Pleads Guilty to Violation of the Federal Election Campaign ActRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mythili Raman, Acting Assistant United States Attorney for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced today that Justin Lamar Sternad, 35, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum to violating the Federal Election Campaign Act (Election Act) in connection with the 2012 Democratic Party primary election for Florida’s 26th Congressional District.
Sternad, 35, of Miami, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum in the Southern District of Florida. Sternad pleaded guilty to all counts of a criminal information that charged him with one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), one count of making false statements to the FEC and one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions.
Sternad was a candidate in the 2012 Democratic Party primary election for Florida’s 26th Congressional District. According to court documents, Sternad engaged in a conspiracy to accept illegal campaign contributions and file false statements with the FEC in order to conceal the true source, amount and nature of the funds used by his campaign.
Sternad admitted that his campaign accepted cash and checks in excess of Federal Election Campaign Act limits, and that he filed statements that intentionally misled the FEC about his campaign’s activities. During the campaign, illegal cash contributions from co-conspirators were used to pay for a rental car and the design, printing and distribution of campaign flyers.
According to court documents, Sternad reported to the FEC that he made loans to his campaign in the amount of $63,801, when he knew that he had actually loaned fewer than $300. In total, Sternad accepted over $70,000 in misreported campaign contributions.
Judge Rosenbaum set sentencing for May 31, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. At sentencing, Sternad faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Thomas J. Mulvihill and Richard C. Pilger, Director of the Election Crimes Branch of the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Colorado Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Iowa Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Colorado man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Iowa was sentenced March 15, 2013, to more than seven years in federal prison.
Javier Torres, 30, from Denver, Colorado, received the prison term after an October 24, 2012, jury verdict finding him guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Torres was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance - cocaine, a felony, in the Colorado District Court for Adams County, on November 4, 2011.
Evidence at trial showed that Torres was involved in a conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine from 2009 through about August 2010. Torres transported methamphetamine from sources in Colorado to individuals in Iowa who would then distribute the methamphetamine to a number of different people in Iowa.Torres was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Torres was sentenced to 85 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Torres is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Fort Dodge Police Department, Mason City Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, and Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 11-3014.
Cass Lake Felon Indicted for Possessing A .357 RevolverRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS—A federal indictment unsealed earlier today charges a 25-year-old Cass Lake felon with possessing a .357-caliber revolver. The indictment, which was filed on March 12, 2013, charges Anthony Duane Howard with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment was unsealed following Howard’s initial appearance in federal court.
The indictment alleges that on December 1, 2012, Howard possessed the revolver. Because he is a felon, Howard is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time. His prior Hennepin County convictions include first-degree assault (2003) and fourth-degree assault (2011).
If convicted, Howard faces a potential maximum penalty of ten years in prison. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Violent Impact Team for the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell.
The case was charged federally through Project Exile Minneapolis. That law enforcement initiative was launched on July 22, 2010, as part of a city-wide effort to reduce gun violence. Through Project Exile, the Minneapolis Police Department and the ATF work together to apprehend serial criminals for violations of gun laws. Then, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office teams up with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine where those offenders will most effectively be prosecuted – state or federal court. Those determinations are based on the offenders’ criminal histories and current charges, among other factors. To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges against more than a dozen serious habitual criminals through Project Exile Minneapolis.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.
Camden County, N.J., Man Sentenced to 163 Months in Prison for Robbing Three BanksRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, N.J., man today was sentenced to 163 months in prison for robbing three banks in Pennsauken, N.J., in November 2011 while on federal supervised release for bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Richard B. Jones, 38, of Pennsauken, previously pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with one count of bank robbery in connection with his robbing a Sovereign Bank on Nov. 28, 2011. He also admitted robbing the same Sovereign Bank and the PNC Bank in Pennsauken, N.J., that same month.
Jones also previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to committing the three bank robberies while on federal supervised release for a bank robbery in Rhode Island in 2006.
Judge Bumb sentenced Jones today in Camden federal court. On the robbery count, Jones was sentenced to 151 months in prison and for violating his supervised release, he was sentenced to 24 months in prison, 12 of which are to be served consecutively.According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In November 2011, Jones entered a PNC Bank in Pennsauken, approached a bank teller and presented a note that said: “Got a gun, no dye packs, all 20's, 50's, 100's.” He received money from the teller and fled. He also robbed the Sovereign Bank twice that month.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Jones to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $10,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez in Newark; the Pennsauken Police Department, and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office for the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Christopher H. O’Malley Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, CamdenCalifornia Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Fontana, Calif., has been sentenced in federal court to 292 months imprisonment and five years supervised release on his conviction of federal drug and money laundering laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Dwayne Thompson, a/k/a D, a/k/a White Chocolate, 47.
According to information presented to the court, from 2001 and continuing until July 2007, Thompson was responsible for distributing more than 500 kilograms of cocaine in Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Atlanta, Georgia; and in the Pittsburgh region. The organization was referred to locally as the "Cali Connect" because a number of its member came from California. Thompson used his drug proceeds to purchase high-end luxury automobiles; a failed night club venture; and a speed boat with an estimated value of $225,000. Thompson's boat and cars have been forfeited to the government.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Ivory prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Pasadena Police Department and the Texas State Highway Patrol for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Thompson.
Beaver County Men Arrested for Analogue Drug MethyloneRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two residents of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The four-count indictment, returned on March 12 and unsealed today, named Michael Anthony Stokes, 26, of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and Ryan John Konarski, 22, of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, as defendants.
According to the indictment presented to the court, from November 2010 to March 12, 2011, Stokes and Konarski conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute the controlled substance analogue 3,4 methylenedioxymethcathinone, also commonly known as methylone,"bath salts" or "Molly". The indictment alleges that the pair maintained a drug involved premises for purposes of distributing and using the analogue, while Stokes imported "Molly" into the United States.
Since drug suppliers have tried in the past to avoid prosecution by making minor changes in the chemical structures of controlled substances, Congress created the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986. This Act makes these "designer" drugs illegal if they are intended for human consumption and resemble a controlled substance in molecular structure as well as actual or purported physiological effects.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 60 years in prison and a fine of $2,500,000 for Konarski, and 80 years in prison and a fine of $3,500,000 for Stokes. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Brighton Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bay Village Man Charged with Mail Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Bay Village man was charged via criminal information with mail fraud and tax evasion, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Frederick C. Bryant, age 45, is accused of embezzling $505,832 from a victim that he guaranteed a 5 percent rate of return.
Bryant converted the money for his own personal use. Bryant also failed to report the funds to the IRS, according to the information.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vasile C. Katsaros, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The Defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ashburn Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Ponzi Scheme Involving Purchase of Beacon Hill Golf CourseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Brett A. Amendola, 38, of Ashburn, Va., was sentenced to 84 months in prison today for carrying out a $5 million Ponzi scheme involving his purported purchase of a golf course in Loudoun County, Va. The scheme resulted in losses of at least $2.8 million to more than a dozen victims who had invested with Amendola.
Amendola was immediately taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at sentencing, where he will remain until transferred to the Bureau of Prisons to serve his prison sentence.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
Amendola pleaded guilty on April 4, 2012, to wire fraud. According to court records, during 2010 and 2011, Amendola persuaded various investors to provide him with short-term funding that would be held in escrow to fulfill a requirement by his lender to purchase the Beacon Hill Golf Course in Loudoun County. He promised that the money would be returned to the investors – with interest – in a matter of days. In reality, Amendola diverted the investors’ money to his own use, including funding his and family members’ trading accounts, making payments to investors in this and other schemes, and paying for personal expenses, including gambling.To carry out his fraud, Amendola posed as the attorney representing the escrow account both over the phone and through various email messages, leading investors to believe that they were wiring funds to financial accounts controlled by the escrow attorney, when in reality the financial accounts were controlled by Amendola and quickly looted for his personal use. In sentencing Amendola, the Court found that the fraud was sophisticated and that Amendola abused a position of trust when he impersonated the lawyer.
In a related case, Jerry J. Mckerac, 61, of Las Vegas, Nev., and Fond du Lac, Wis., was charged yesterday in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identify theft for his involvement in the scheme, which the indictment alleges included similarly impersonating the escrow attorney as well as Amendola’s father while dealing with the victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James P. Gillis and G. Zachary Terwilliger are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Arlington Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fabricate False Grain Elevator Scale Tickets, Bankruptcy Fraud, and Interference with Internal Revenue LawsRead the Press Release
A North-Iowa man pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids to two fraudulent schemes, one involving the fabrication of fictitious grain elevator tickets, and another involving lying to the bankruptcy court about proceeds from the sale of a combine. He also admitted impeding the Internal Revenue laws.
Michael Recker, age 47, from Arlington, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiring to fabricate false grain elevator scale tickets, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of interfering with Internal Revenue laws.
At the plea hearing and in a written plea agreement, Recker admitted that in 2008 and 2009, he bribed an employee of a Northern Iowa grain elevator to create false and fictitious grain elevator scale tickets. During the conspiracy, the employee fabricated eight false grain elevator tickets, accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from Recker in exchange. The grain elevator paid Recker more than $20,000 based on the false grain elevator tickets. Recker also admitted that he had sold a combine at auction for approximately $50,000.00 prior to filing for bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Iowa. In bankruptcy documents, Recker did not disclose the proceeds still owed to him by the auction company and when questioned about the proceeds, Recker lied to the court, claiming he never owned the combine or had an interest in its proceeds. Finally, Recker admitted that he tried to obstruct or impede the administration of the Internal Revenue laws by trying to hide and conceal his taxable income by, among other ways, having the checks from the grain elevator fraud made payable to his then-girlfriend and passing them, and the bribes, through a bank account established in her name.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Recker remains free on bond pending sentencing. Recker faces a possible maximum sentence of thirteen years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and seven years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney C.J. Williams and was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 12-cr-2027-LRR.
Algona, Washington Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Algona, Washington man with a history of molesting young boys, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for distribution and possession of child pornography. MICHAEL ALLEN DREYER, 59, was convicted of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography following a four day jury trial in September 2012. DREYER has a May 2000 conviction for possession of child pornography and therefore faced a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison. At sentencing Chief U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman said, “People who create the market for child pornography are as guilty as those who took the photos, posed the children, and engaged in their physical abuse.”
According to records filed in the case, DREYER most recently came to the attention of law enforcement during an investigation of child pornography distribution utilizing peer-to-peer file sharing software. In April 2011, a federal investigator operating online was able to observe the files DREYER was sharing over the peer-to-peer network and saw images and videos of child pornography. Investigators traced the internet protocol address to DREYER’s Algona, Washington home. In July 2011, law enforcement served a search warrant at DREYER’s home, seizing a computer and other media storage devices. DREYER has been in federal custody since April 2012. DREYER was indicted by the grand jury in May 2012. The forensic examination of his computer revealed that it contained more than 20 video files of child pornography and over 1,300 image files of child pornography.
In May 2000, DREYER was sentenced to 27 months in prison for possession of child pornography. DREYER had attempted to order child pornography from an undercover website operated by law enforcement. When his home was searched, additional child pornography was found. DREYER also admitted to molesting two young relatives in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and told agents he used child pornography as a release to satisfy his urges to molest children.
In asking for a 25 year sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court that “The distribution and possession of child pornography feeds an industry that causes untold psychological, emotional, and mental trauma to the child victims. As technology develops, and as use of the Internet to trade images of child pornography becomes increasingly widespread, more and more permanent records of child abuse are created and disseminated around the world, allowing for the continued victimization of the child depicted…. Defendant’s actions contributed to the demand for these horrific images of abuse. Every participant in the chain--producer, distributor, consumer--sustains the market for these images, and each victim, whether identified or not, suffers not only when an image of him or her is created, but each and every time an image of him or her is viewed.”
The case was investigated by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marci Ellsworth and Justin Arnold.
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or [email protected].
Thursday 14 March 2013
Wide Ranging Drug Trafficking Conspiracy DismantledRead the Press Release
A drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico to Washington State was dismantled today with more than a dozen arrests, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. The criminal organization spanned a large area of the state with operations ranging from Everett to Vancouver, Washington and from Aberdeen on the coast to the Tri-Cities in Eastern Washington. Over the course of the investigation law enforcement has seized more than 56 pounds of heroin and more than eight pounds of highly pure methamphetamine.
“This case exemplifies the drug trafficking we see in Western Washington from Mexico based crime groups. These criminal groups are bringing in heroin, meth and cocaine and poisoning our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “We must stop the flow of these drugs, while also working to reduce demand. Too many families and communities are being irrevocably damaged by addiction.”
According to records filed in the case, using court authorized wire taps, law enforcement intercepted hundreds if not thousands of drug trafficking related phone calls and text messages between September 2012 and the present. The investigation began in October 2011, and identified members of the criminal organization smuggling drugs from Mexico across the border into Texas and California, and then north to Western Washington. In two notable seizures earlier this year, law enforcement found two kilograms of suspected crystal methamphetamine that was hidden in paint cans in the back of a truck stopped on Interstate 84 in Oregon. A second stop in Aberdeen, Washington resulted in the seizure of more than 53 pounds of heroin. During a search of the vehicle, investigators located an access panel in the rear cargo area of the vehicle that enabled investigators to access the gas tank. Inside of the gas tank, investigators located and removed the suspected heroin. Each package of heroin was covered in mustard and red pepper, which is one method used by drug traffickers in an attempt to mask the smell of the heroin from drug detection canines.
The grand jury has indicted these defendants:
Antonio Zuniga-Barajas, 29 of Kennewick, Washington
Javier Zuniga-Ochoa, 50, Kennewick, Washington
Hector M. Hernandez-Hernandez, 36, of Vancouver, Washington
Enrique Orozco-Rojas, 37, Kennewick, Washington
Pedro Barragan-Valdovinos, 39, of Pasco, Washington
Braulio Zuniga-Cervantes, 30, of Kent, Washington
Jose Manuel Pardo-Martinez, 32, of Aberdeen, Washington
Esgardo Daniel Martinez-Pizano, 18, of Aberdeen, Washington
Victor Carmona-Tapia, 28, of Everett, Washington
Omar Valencia-Barajas, 24, of Everett, Washington
Jose Trinidad Cuevas-Mendoza, 32, of Monroe, Washington
Alberto Bernal-Rodriguez, 43, of Vancouver, Washington
Omar Huerta-Garcia, 29, of Pasco, Washington“Drug trafficking organizations have one priority: financial wealth through addiction,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Matthew G. Barnes. “Seizures of heroin are on the rise in the Pacific Northwest. This investigation alone prevented 4 million user doses of heroin from hitting our streets, ruining lives and giving drug dealers over $1 million dollars in profits. The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to have an unwavering focus on keeping our communities safe.”
Today 14 different locations and multiple vehicles were searched state wide. One additional person was arrested by criminal complaint. Law enforcement seized two pounds of crystal methamphetamine, heroin, two weapons, six vehicles and over $20,000 in cash.
The defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2:30 today.
If convicted the defendants face a mandatory minimum ten years in prison because of the quantity of drugs involved. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with significant investigative contributions from the following agencies: ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, South Snohomish County Narcotics Task Force, King County Sheriff’s Office, Grays Harbor Drug Task Force, Seattle Police Department, Port of Seattle, Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, and Washington State Patrol.The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey Backhus and Sarah Vogel.
For images associated with the drug seizures please contact Jodie Underwood, DEA Public Affairs Officer at 206-553-1162 or [email protected]
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office on March 14, 2013 is Thomas Bates at (206) 553-7970 or [email protected]. After March 14, 2013, press contact is [email protected].Westfield Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westfield man was charged today with the sexually exploitation of a child.
Gardner Whitney, 61, was indicted on seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that between June 2010 and December 2011, Whitney used a minor to produce child pornography and that he possessed child pornography.
The maximum sentence under the statute is 30 years in prison on each count of sexual exploitation of a child and 10 years on the charge of possession of child pornography, followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a $2 million fine.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Mark G. Mastroianni, Hampden County District Attorney; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief John Camerota of the Westfield Police Department, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Washington, Pa., Man Sentenced to Probation for Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Washington, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to five years probation with six months home detention with electronic monitoring, and was ordered to pay $100,821.64 in restitution on his conviction of theft of government property, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Bruce K. Gaito, 54.
According to information presented to the court, Bruce K. Gaito fraudulently obtained a Social Security number in the name of “David Gaito” and used the number to obtain Supplemental Security Income Benefits from the Social Security Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gaito.
Violence Against Women Advocacy Group Names U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson Prosecutor of the YearRead the Press Release
The South Dakota Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee (SDVCC) has chosen Brendan Johnson as their Prosecutor of the Year. Brendan Johnson began his career prosecuting violence against women cases as a state prosecutor and has been the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota since 2009. During this time the U.S. Attorney’s office has made human trafficking, domestic abuse and sexual violence a priority, and prosecution rates have increased.
“Brendan has demonstrated a heartfelt commitment to protecting women and holding defendants accountable,” said Brenda Hill, Native Co-Director of SD Coalition Ending Domestic & Sexual Violence, praised the selection. “He truly comprehends the entire continuum of violence against women and strongly supports our efforts to reduce domestic and sexual violence. Brendan Johnson is an excellent role model and provides remarkable leadership.”
The SDDVCC is an organization led by the South Dakota Coalition Ending Domestic & Sexual Violence and the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault. The organization includes law enforcement leaders from the state, federal, and tribal levels and is designed to protect and represent the interests of survivors of domestic and sexual assault.
Krista Heeren-Graber, Director of the SD Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, also applauded the selection. “Brendan has an impressive track record in the fight against domestic violence. His grit and determination to bring these perpetrators to justice has been a turning point in the lives of several victims. Quite simply, he has given them hope,” said Heeren-Graber.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award, but want to recognize the work of my entire office and our law enforcement partners. Without them, none of this is possible,” said Johnson. “I’ve appreciated the opportunity to work with violence against women advocates and am proud of our shared accomplishments. Progress has been made, but there is more work to be done.”
Johnson is the second recipient of the committee’s award. Last year’s recipient was Michael Moore, Beadle County State’s Attorney.
U.S. and City of New Orleans to Hold Public Meetings<br /> to Select Consent Decree Monitor <br /> for the New Orleans Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The United States and the city of New Orleans announced today that public meetings would be held regarding a consent decree court monitor for the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). The United States and the city of New Orleans on Sept. 6, 2012 issued a request for proposals to serve as the consent decree court monitor for NOPD. In response, the United States and the city of New Orleans received 12 proposals. The United States and the city of New Orleans formed an evaluation committee to evaluate those proposals and select a consent decree court monitor. The committee met publicly on March 7, 2013 and selected five candidates to be interviewed for the position. Those five candidates are:
1. The Bromwich Group
2. Elite Performance Assessment Consultants LLC
3. Hillard Heintze
4. OIR Group
5. Sheppard Mullin
The proposals submitted by each of these candidates can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/ and at http://new.nola.gov/purchasing/consent-decree/ . On April 2 and April 3, 2013 beginning at 8 a.m. CST, the Evaluation Committee will hold public meetings in which each of these candidates will be interviewed. The meetings will be held in the Superdome, in the Bienville Club Lounge. The Bienville Club Lounge can be accessed through the Gate B plaza level entrance in Garage 1.
There also will be opportunities for public comment at the meetings on April 2 and 3. At those meetings, each monitor candidate will be allowed to make a presentation of up to 30 minutes. Following each presentation, the public will be given up to 30 minutes in which to comment. Following the public comments, the evaluation committee may spend up to one hour asking questions of the monitor candidates.
If you wish to provide written comments about the process or the prospective monitor, you are encouraged to submit those comments by email to New Orleans City Attorney Richard Cortizas at [email protected] . Please note “Re: NOPD Consent Decree Court Monitor” in the e-mail subject line. Comments also may be mailed or hand-delivered to the following address:
City of New Orleans Attorney
City of New Orleans
Re: NOPD Consent Decree Court Monitor
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans 70112
The Department of Justice and the city of New Orleans will review any comments received by March 29, 2013, prior to the presentations. All written comments must be provided by 12:00 p.m. CDT on April 8, 2013. The city of New Orleans will file copies of all public comments received in the electronic record of United States of America v. City of New Orleans, Civil Action No. 12-1924 (E.D. La.).
Two Men Indicted by Federal Grand Jury on Prescription Drug and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that two men were indicted on March 13 by a federal grand jury sitting in Beckley in connection with illegal prescription drug distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to a two-count indictment, Jody Lowell Sowder, 36 of Scarbro, Fayette County, W.Va., allegedly distributed oxycodone on September 25, 2012 near Oak Hill, W.Va. The indictment also alleges that also on September 25, 2012, Sowder possessed a semi-automatic pistol during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to a separate six-count indictment filed yesterday, Bobby White, 66, of Gordon, W.Va., allegedly sold a quantity of alprazolam, also known as “Xanax,” on July 5, 2010 near Danville, Boone County, W.Va. The indictment also alleges that White sold quantities of hydrocodone and oxycodone in August 2012 near Boone Co., W.Va. The indictment further alleges that White possessed a .32 caliber pistol during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on February 12, 2013.
Sowder faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on Count 1; and up to five years to life in prison on Count 2 if convicted.
White faces up to life in prison, a $1 million fine on each drug charge and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge if convicted.
The investigations were conducted by the Oak Hill Police Department, the U.S. 119 Drug Task Force and the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Steven Loew are in charge of the prosecutions.
The matters are being brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
The matters are also being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
Note: The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Topeka Business Owner Pleads Guilty in Check Kiting SchemeRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka business owner has pleaded guilty to writing more than 5,000 insufficient fund checks in a check kiting scheme, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
John Charles Humpage, III, 48, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In his plea, he admitted that in 2008 he defrauded the Educational Credit Union, Kaw Valley State Bank and Alliance Bank. Humpage did business under various names including Humpco, Inc., Crescent Limousine, Yellow Cab of Topeka and Wire and Glass Lease, LLC. He carried out a scheme to defraud the banks by exchanging and cross-depositing insufficiently funded checks between two or more of his bank accounts. In that manner, he generated artificially inflated account balances. The check kiting scheme utilized bank system “float” periods for purposes of creating artificially enhanced bank account balances.
From May through August 2008 he exchanged and cross deposited more than 5,000 insufficient checks and created in excess of $78 million in aggregate deposit amounts. Those deposits falsely inflated his bank account balances by more than $600,000.
Sentencing is set for June 10. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway for his work on the case.
Top federal attorneys commemorate golden anniversary of historic right to counsel caseRead the Press Release
March 18 marks the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark Supreme Court decision which held that every citizen charged with a serious offense has the right to an attorney at state expense if he or she cannot afford one. In Gideon, the Court for the first time declared it to be “an obvious truth…that in our adversary system of criminal justice, any person haled into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided to him.”
Attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Public Defender’s Office routinely appear in criminal cases here in the Western District of New York. Although often adversaries, today, as the head of our respective offices, we write to express our wholehearted agreement with the Court’s decision in Gideon and celebrate the profound importance of this decision. For over two hundred years, our Constitution’s Sixth Amendment has guaranteed the right to assistance of counsel in a criminal case. Yet, it was not until 1963, that text was read to require the State to pay for an attorney for those who could not afford one. In Gideon, the Supreme Court recognized that the very integrity of our criminal justice system, and the public’s continuing faith in it, depends on effective representation for both the prosecution and defense.
Aside from being morally untenable, a deprivation of the right to the effective assistance of counsel is economically unsustainable. Every taxpayer should be seriously concerned about the systemic costs of inadequate defense for the poor. When the justice system fails to get it right the first time, we all pay, often for years, for new filings, retrials, and appeals. The cost of a wrongful conviction on the accused, his family and the integrity of our system of justice is immeasurable.
And let us also not forget that our country was founded on the notion that all persons possess unalienable, fundamental rights, including life and liberty. For our criminal justice system to truly ensure that “all are equal before the law,” any failure to safeguard those rights when a person is charged with a crime is an affront not only to the accused but to all of us as Americans.
So on March 18, join us in celebrating the Constitutional right of all citizens to the assistance of counsel and the recognition in Gideon, “that this noble ideal cannot be realized if the poor man charged with crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him.” As the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." While we often, indeed usually, take opposing positions as litigants in court, one belief that we share is that the Gideon decision advanced justice not only for criminal defendants but for all Americans.ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Marianne Mariano is the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of New York. Attorneys in her Office and private attorneys willing to accept court assignments under the Criminal Justice Act, represent the indigent citizens accused of federal crimes in the seventeen westernmost county in New York.
William J. Hochul, Jr. is the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York. He is the chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for seventeen counties, and is responsible for overseeing the prosecution of all federal criminal offenses in this area. The Office also represents the United States in all civil matters in which the United States is a party.Three Indicted in Mercer County Narcotics Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A federal grand jury in Trenton today returned a six-count Indictment charging Joseph A. “Jojo” Giorgianni, Mary Manfredo, and Anthony Dimatteo with distribution of oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Giorgianni, 63, of Ewing, N.J., Manfredo, 65, of Lawrenceville, N.J. and Dimatteo, 31, of Trenton, originally were charged by Complaint, filed Sept. 10, 2012, with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. The Indictment returned today adds four additional counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone against Giorgianni, three additional oxycodone distribution counts against Manfredo, and two additional oxycodone distribution counts against Dimatteo. Giorgianni, a convicted felon, is also charged in the Indictment with possessing four firearms.
According to the Indictment and other documents filed in this case:
Giorgianni, Manfredo, and Dimatteo conspired and agreed with each other and Giuseppe Scordato, 47, of Hamilton, N.J., Ralph Dimatteo Sr., 62, also of Hamilton, and Charles Hall III, 49, of Trenton, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. Jojo’s Steakhouse, a restaurant that Giorgianni owned and that Mary Manfredo operated, served as a front for this drug distribution organization and a clearing house, where prescription pain pills were stored, provided to individuals such as Anthony Dimatteo and Giuseppe Scordato, and where narcotics proceeds were returned.
Hall previously pleaded guilty to an Information in which he admitted his involvement in the distribution of oxycodone with Giorgianni, Manfredo, and Anthony Dimatteo. Scordato and Ralph Dimatteo are released on bail pending the charges contained in the criminal Complaint.
The narcotics conspiracy count contained in Count One of the Indictment and the four distribution counts contained in Counts Two through Five each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1 million fine.
The firearms count contained in Count Six carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Trenton Resident Agency, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez, with the investigation leading to today’s Indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric W. Moran and Matthew J. Skahill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Trenton and Camden, respectively.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Giorgianni: Jerome A. Ballarotto Esq., Trenton
Manfredo: Antony Simonetti, Esq. Hightstown, N.J.
Anthony Dimatteo: Edward G. Washburne Esq. Red Bank, N.J.Giorgianni, Joseph et al., Indictment
Three Connecticut Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Illegal Gambling RingRead the Press Release
March 14, 2013The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that three men involved in illegal gambling businesses pleaded guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford. THOMAS UVA IV, also known as “Little T,” 32, of Stamford, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and one count of money laundering, JOHN LIQUORI, 43, of North Haven, pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy, and JOHN COLELLO, 54, of Stamford, pleaded guilty to one count of operating an illegal gambling business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, after a long-term investigation led by the FBI Fairfield County Organized Crime Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Stamford Police Department, UVA, LIQUORI, COLELLO and 17 other individuals were charged with various offenses related to their involvement in an illegal Internet sports bookmaking operation and illegal card gambling clubs in Stamford and Hamden. UVA and LIQUORI are alleged associates of the Gambino organized crime family.
The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that UVA, LIQUORI, COLELLO and others were involved in a large-scale sports bookmaking operation in which gamblers placed bets with offshore Internet sports-gambling websites, particularly www.44wager.com based in Costa Rica. In addition, UVA and others operated a card gambling club at 514 Glenbrook Road in Stamford, and LIQUORI and others operated a card gambling club at 2965 State Street in Hamden. Certain other co-conspirators also operated a gambling club at 859 East Main Street in Stamford.
FBI analysis of the sports-betting web site utilized by the co-defendants has determined that the total gross revenues of the Stamford-based gambling operation were nearly $1.7 million from October 2010 to June 2011.
UVA, LIQUORI and COLELLO are each scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2013. UVA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, LIQUORI faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and COLELLO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Five other defendants have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from this investigation. As to defendants who are awaiting trial, an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI Fairfield County Organized Crime Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hal Chen and Peter Jongbloed.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]The Last Defendant in Custody of 23 Charged in the Latin King Rico Conspiracy Indictments Pled Guilty Today,Read the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ FAX (219) 852-2770
Hammond, Indiana – announced U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Dante Reyes, 35, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.
Previously charged and entered a plea of guilty in the case are:
Alexander Vargas, 35, of Highland, Indiana
Sisto Bernal, 46, of Chicago, Illinois
Jose Zambrano, 33, of Chicago, Illinois
Jason Ortiz, 30, of Chicago, Illinois
Brandon Clay, 26, of Chicago, Illinois
Jermaine Ellis, 23, of Chicago, Illinois
Martin Anaya, 42, of Chicago, Illinois
Ivan Quiroz, 30, of Posen, Illinois
Hiluterio Chavez, 37, of Chicago, Illinois
Sergio Robles, 24, of Hammond, Indiana
Emiliano Esparza, 40 of Chicago, Illinois
Santiago Gudino, 28, of Hammond, Indiana
Gabriel Jalomos, 26, of Chicago, Illinois
Oscar Gonzalez, 23, of Hammond, Indiana
David Lira, 39, of Lansing, Illinois
Victor Meza, 24, of Hammond, Indiana
Antonio Gudino, 31, of East Chicago, Indiana
Bianca Fernandez, 23, of Chicago, Illinois
Alex Guerrero, 43, of Chicago, Illinois
Antonio C. Martinez, Jr., 42, of Chicago, Illinois
Also charged, and still at large, is Paulino Salazar, 30, of Chicago, Illinois.
Six of the defendants have been sentenced:
Brandon Clay was sentenced to 360 months imprisonment,David Lira was sentenced to 180 months imprisonmentand Antonio Gudino was sentenced to 175 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.
Victor Meza, Jr. was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute cocaine and marijuana.
Bianca Fernandez was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment for conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering activity.
Alex Guerrero was sentenced to 228 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute cocaine and marijuana. Interference with commerce by threats or violence and use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence and drug trafficking.
According to this indictment, the Latin Kings is nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States, including to Texas. The Latin Kings is a well organized street gang that has specific leadership and is comprised of regions that include multiple chapters.The indictments filed in these cases allege that the Latin Kings gang was responsible for at least 19 murders in the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area and Big Spring, Texas.
United States Attorney David Capp stated, “The Latin King indictments and the subsequent arrests and guilty pleas by all has had a major, positive impact on the level of violence in our communities. My thanks to all for the tireless efforts by our local and federal law enforcement and our attorneys.We are not finished – we will continue to investigate and prosecute members of organized criminal gangs or those who deal with such individuals.”
This case is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Immigration and Custom Office of Homeland Security Investigations; the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement & Coordination Center; the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the Highland Police Department; and the Houston Police Department.The investigation of the Chicago Police Department officers was conducted by Chicago City Public Corruption Task Force, a Chicago Police Department- Internal Affairs and FBI - Chicago law enforcement initiative.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick, and Joseph A. Cooley, Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice - Organized Crime and Gang Section.
The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA to Pay $2.25 Million Civil Penalty for Air, Water and Hazardous Waste Violations at Missouri FacilityRead the Press Release
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. has agreed to pay a $2.25 million civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as the Missouri Air Conservation Law, Clean Water Law and Hazardous Waste Management Law at its facility in Mexico, Mo., announced the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources today.
A 2007 inspection of the Missouri facility revealed violations of the CAA. The violations included failure to control emissions of hazardous air pollutants from wastewater and failure to comply with regulations designed to prevent leaks of air pollutants from equipment at the facility.
In 2007, an EPA inspection found the Teva facility was discharging pollutants above permitted levels established by the City of Mexico’s Pretreatment Program, in violation of the CWA. In some cases, these pollutants were causing interference with the city’s ability to treat its domestic sewage, leading to pollutant discharges into the Salt River. A 2008 inspection found that Teva was discharging a green effluent that ultimately discolored a portion of the Salt River in November and December 2008.
In 2009, an inspection by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources uncovered various RCRA violations. These violations included failure to determine if waste was hazardous, illegal storage of hazardous waste, failure to comply with labeling requirements and offering hazardous waste for transport without a manifest.
“This settlement penalizes Teva for multiple violations of U.S. environmental laws when it allowed excess emissions of hazardous air pollutants from Teva’s wastewater treatment facility and excess discharges of pollutants into the City of Mexico, Missouri’s wastewater treatment facility,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The agreement is protective of human health and the environment because it requires Teva to offset its excess emissions, install modern equipment that will increase the recovery and reuse of hazardous pollutants and reduce air emissions, as well as enhance its leak prevention capability.”
“With numerous violations over a period of years, Teva’s actions resulted in significant environmental damage to the air and water,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks. “The penalty and injunctive relief required by this agreement send a strong message to Teva and others that businesses must comply with environmental laws.”
Teva’s $2.25 million penalty includes a $1.125 million payment to the U.S. Treasury and a $1.125 million payment to the State of Missouri.
In addition to the penalty, Teva will complete other actions at the facility valued at approximately $2.5 million. These include the installation of equipment to recover and reuse approximately 59.5 tons of methylene chloride and reduce other emissions by 19 tons over a five-year period. Teva will also conduct an audit to identify past causes of CWA violations, implement a program to prevent leaks of hazardous air pollutants at the facility, take actions to prevent future violations and implement an Environmental Management System with third party monitoring.
As a result of this Consent Decree, Teva has certified that it is in full compliance with CAA, CWA and RCRA regulations.
The proposed settlement will be lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree can be viewed at the Department of Justice website: www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html
Learn more about EPA’s civil enforcement of the Clean Air Act:
www.epa.gov/air/caa/
Learn more about EPA’s civil enforcement of the Clean Water Act:
www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html
Learn more about EPA’s civil enforcement of RCRA:
www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/rcra/index.htmlStatement of United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz Regarding First Circuit Court of Appeals' Decision in United States V. James "Whitey" BulgerRead the Press Release
"We respect the opinion of the Court and will continue to prepare the matter for trial. We are hopeful that this opinion will not cause a delay, as it has always been our goal to try this case as soon as possible. The victims' families have waited long enough."
For Audio: http://www.justice.gov/usao/ma/audiovideo.html
Smith County Man Sentenced for Attempted Arson, Solicitation of Murder for HireRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsTYLER, Texas – A 43-year-old Tyler, Texas, methadone clinic owner has been sentenced to federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Edward Jacobs pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2012, to attempted arson and solicitation of murder for hire and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.
According to information presented in court, on Mar. 19, 2012, Jacobs gave Daniel Kubisty $3,000 to burn down the Add-Life Recovery Center, a methadone clinic located in a building at 3322 E. Fifth Street in Tyler. Jacobs and Kubisty conspired to burn down the building in order to gain a competitive advantage for the Methadone Clinic of East Texas, which was owned by Jacobs and also had an office in Tyler, Texas. On Mar. 19, 2012 Kubisty was arrested in Tyler by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and was found to have a gasoline can, with a wick saturated in gasoline protruding from its neck, in the back of his pickup.
After Kubisty’s arrest, Jacobs feared Kubisty would testify against him and on June 1, 2012, he arranged a meeting with a man he believed he could hire to murder Kubisty in order to prevent Kubisty’s testimony. During the meeting, Jacobs offered to pay the hit-man $12,000 for Kubisty’s murder. ATF was monitoring the meeting and arrested Jacobs at the scene.
Kubisty pleaded guilty to attempted arson on Jan. 19, 2013 and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
Silver Spring Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Making A False Statement on A Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Alejandro A. Salas, age 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a tax return.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
“Mr. Salas’ license to run his business was not a license to engage in fraud,” said Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. “The defendant's misconduct of underreporting his income from his tax preparation business was purely fraudulent. IRS Criminal Investigation will use our investigative and financial expertise to detect and hold accountable individuals like Mr. Salas, who carry out these types of fraudulent schemes.”
According to his plea agreement, from 2004 to 2008, Salas ran a tax return preparation business in Silver Spring, Maryland, under the name of G&S Enterprises of Maryland (G&S). His business also offered translation services, provided accounting and bookkeeping services for local companies, facilitated international money transfers, brokered mortgage loans, and offered travel agency services. In 2009, after learning that he was the target of a criminal investigation, Salasmoved the location of his business and began preparing tax returns for clients under the corporate name TAX USA, a business which he incorporated under the name of another individual. Between 2004 and 2009, Salas’s business prepared over 15,700 tax returns for clients.
Salas admitted that for tax years 2003 through 2005, he underreported the income from his tax preparation business on his individual income tax returns; and underreported the income from the business on the corporate tax return he filed for the 2006 tax year. For example, on Schedule C of his 2005 income tax return, Salaslisted thegross income from his sole proprietorship as $295,537, when in fact, the gross income from his business substantially exceeded that amount. For tax years 2007 through 2009, Salas failed to file either corporate or individual tax returns. The total tax loss to the government as a result of Salas’ actions is at least $200,000.
Salas faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sujit Raman, who is prosecuting the case.
Several Plead Guilty in Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The last three area men arrested in January for various drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies have entered guilty pleas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Manuel Pena aka “Super,” 47, Ignacio Pena aka “Nacho,” 44, and Jose Fidel Guajardo aka “Garfield,” 40, all of Corpus Christi, appeared before Senior United States District Judge Janis Graham Jack this morning and pleaded guilty.
Others named in the indictment, including Raul Leal Martinez aka “Indio” or “Wahoo,” 36, Rocky Bazaldua aka “Rock,” 31, David Pete Dominguez aka “Buda,” 30, and Julieann Gutierrez, 24, all also of Corpus Christi, have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracies.
The indictment charged all of the defendants with conspiring from June 1, 2008, to Jan. 8, 2013, to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Manuel Pena, a member of the Texas Syndicate prison gang, orchestrated various drug deals in the Corpus Christi area. Evidence proved that in May 2011 Manuel Pena made deals to provide cocaine and methamphetamine to Bazaldua and Dominguez. He admitted he acquired cocaine and agreed to sell methamphetamine to Guajardo. Pena also received methamphetamine from Martinez. In April 2011, Gutierrez transported nearly 500 grams of pure methamphetamine to San Antonio for Manuel Pena, with whom she was living. Ignacio Pena, Manuel Pena’s brother, helped receive and deliver various amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine to various drug dealers in Corpus Christi.
Martinez and Guajardo also pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder the proceeds of their drug sales through various financial transactions. As part of their plea agreements, Manuel Pena, Martinez and Guajardo also agreed to forfeit their interests in various properties around Corpus Christi.
All defendants are set for sentencing in May 2013. With the exception of Martinez and Gutierrez, who were permitted to remain on bond, the remaining defendants will remain in custody pending the sentencing hearing. All face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine. Martinez and Guajardo also face up to 20 years imprisonment for the money laundering conviction.
This case was investigated through a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Nueces and Kleberg County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass and Portland Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hess.
Serial Bank Robber Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Aaron Thomas, 47, of Philadelphia pleaded guilty today to six counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Thomas pleaded guilty to robbing six banks: (1) PNC Bank located on Old York Road in Abington on August 10, 2012; (2) TD Bank located on City Avenue in Philadelphia, on August 8, 2012; (3) TD Bank located on City Avenue in Philadelphia on May 17, 2011; (4) TD Bank located on Moreland Road in Abington, on September 17, 2009; (5) TD Bank located on Grant Avenue in Philadelphia, on September 17, 2009; and (6) TD Bank located on Old York Road in Abington on July 24, 2009. Thomas was apprehended by Abington Police following the PNC Bank robbery on August 10, 2012 after a vehicle and foot pursuit through the streets of Abington and Philadelphia which resulted in two police officers being injured and several vehicles damaged. Thomas has two prior convictions for bank robbery.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2013 before the Honorable Lawrence F. Stengel.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Abington Township Police Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Sentences for March 08 - 11, 2013Read the Press Release
Lowell Todd Newby, 49, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 11, 2013, for possession with intent to distribute 91.8 grams of methamphetamine. Newby was arrested in Rock Springs. He received 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and a $900.00 fine. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Steven Gilbert Roubideaux, 43, of Evansville, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on March 8, 2013, for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Roubideaux was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and a $200.00 fine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Juan Vazquez-Baez, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 8, 2013, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Vazquez-Baez was arrested in Jackson, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jeremias Mendoza-Lopez, 34, of Guatemala, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 8, 2013, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Mendoza-Lopez was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Scott Tyler Winchell Sentenced in U.S. District CourtRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on March 13, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, SCOTT TYLER WINCHELL, a 19-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. WINCHELL was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 12 months and 1 day
Special Assessment: $200
Supervised Release: 3 years
WINCHELL was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and possession of an unregistered firearm.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On May 11, 2012, a Billings Police officer observed a white Lincoln Towncar traveling east on King Avenue East in Billings. The vehicle failed to dim its lights and the officer attempted to make a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to stop, turned corners on several blocks and hit a dead-end street where it stopped. The driver exited the vehicle and ran. The officer contacted the registered owner of the vehicle and received permission to search the vehicle.
Drug paraphernalia found on the car's front seat and shotgun ammunition in the glove compartment were recovered during the search. The officer also observed what appeared to be a sawed-off rifle in the trunk and stopped his search. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was called and a state search warrant obtained. Recovered was Ruger, model 10/22, .22 caliber, semi-automatic rifle, serial number obliterated, having an overall length of approximately 19 3/4" and a barrel length of approximately 9 7/16" that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer record. Both the barrel and the overall length were in violation of federal law and had clearly been sawn off. In addition, the serial number had been ground off.
The owner reported that he had purchased the car for WINCHELL and that WINCHELL had been driving it. The officer identified WINCHELL as the person who had been driving the car and had ran from the scene.
Law enforcement attempted to contact WINCHELL and spoke with his brother. His brother asked how much trouble WINCHELL was in and reported that WINCHELL "didn't even have a chance to shoot the guns yet." The officer also spoke with WINCHELL's mother who stated that WINCHELL would haven't had the guns for a bad purpose. She reported she would have WINCHELL contact the officer, but that did not occur.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that WINCHELL will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, WINCHELL does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
San Angelo, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Federal Obscenity ChargeRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas --- Billy Ray Doyle, 59, of San Angelo, Texas, appeared in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, today and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, to one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Doyle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report. Doyle has been in custody since his arrest on December 19, 2012.
In late November 2012, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) noticed an advertisement posted on an Internet message board entitled “Looking for company 18-25ish –m4m,” and determined that it was posted by Doyle. During ensuing email conversations between Doyle and an undercover agent who posed as a 15-year-old male, Doyle discussed with the undercover agent such things as showering together, lying naked on a bed together and possibly engaging in other sexual activity. The undercover agent’s age was discussed several times and Doyle repeatedly promised that a potential sexual relationship would remain secret. On December 15, 2012, Doyle emailed the undercover agent a sexually explicit photograph of himself. Doyle was arrested a few days later at a convenience store where he and the undercover agent had agreed to meet.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
ICE HSI is in charge of the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy is in charge of the prosecution.
Pierre Man Pleads Guilty and Sentenced for Possession of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pierre, South Dakota man was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance and sentenced on March 13, 2013 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Michael Mancuso, age 19, was sentenced to 1 year probation, $1,000 fine and $25 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.
The charge stems from an incident on July 1, 2012 wherein Mancuso knowingly and intentionally possessed marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance.
The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Mancuso was released with conditions to begin his probation sentence.
Phenix City Man Guilty of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - A federal jury found Shedrick D. Hollis, 40, of Phenix City, guilty of drug trafficking and weapons possession charges, George L. Beck, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama announced today.
Testimony at trial established that in late February, 2011, the United States Marshal’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFT) received a request from the United States Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Atlanta Division, requesting assistance in locating and arresting Hollis for violations of his parole on Distribution and Trafficking of Cocaine out of Georgia. The GCRFT contacted the Phenix City Police Department to aid in the search for Hollis. Law enforcement developed information that Hollis was in a rented vehicle which was located at an address in Phenix City. On March 1, 2011, the GCRFT went to the residence, saw the car and, while identifying themselves as law enforcement, knocked on the door. Officers saw Hollis through a window and ordered Hollis to open the door. When Hollis did not comply, the front door of the residence was breached and Hollis was taken to the ground when he refused commands to go to the ground. While conducting a protective sweep of the residence to ensure that no dangers to the safety of the officers were in the residence, officers located a shotgun and rifle, both loaded, under the bed in the north bedroom, as well as a plastic bag containing a large amount of marijuana and scales. Hollis was arrested and the Metro Narcotics Task Force was contacted and responded to the scene. After receiving a search warrant from Russell County Circuit Judge Al Johnson, Task Force Officers located a blue children’s backpack, containing a large amount of cocaine powder in a plastic zip lock bag, bags of pills which were later determined to be BZP, a club drug similar to Ecstasy, multiple plastic bags of powder and crack cocaine, and marijuana, scales containing cocaine and marijuana residue, and $5,000 in $100 and $20 denominations, all in addition to the items found in the earlier protective sweep.
Hollis faces life in prison when he faces United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins in approximately three months.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metro Narcotics Task Force, with assistance from the Russell County Sheriff’s Department and the Phenix City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan R. Redmond and Jared Morris.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617Owner of Tax Preparation Business Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama - Bruce King, the founder and operator of Premier Tax, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $781,305 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for orchestrating a tax fraud scheme at his business, George L. Beck, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama announced. King had previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents, Premier Tax was a tax preparation business operated by King that had several locations in Alabama and Georgia. King held training sessions in which he taught preparers how to falsify tax returns in order to fraudulently increase clients’ tax refunds. Those he taught went on to work at Premier Tax and filed numerous false tax returns. According to court documents, the tax loss caused by these fraudulent returns exceeded $1 million. To date, seven return preparers trained by King have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced.
“This case should serve as a warning to all of those criminals that file or attempt to file false tax returns to get increased tax refunds,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “We will continue to use our resources to investigate and prosecute those criminals and will work diligently to ensure that they receive the stiff prison sentences that they deserve.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Jason Poole and Justin Gelfand of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Jared Morris are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at justice.gov/tax.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - Chief United States District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Geoffrey Jones (61, Orlando) today to 78 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography. Jones pleaded guilty on November 1, 2012.
According to court documents, Jones used a file sharing program to download child pornography from the internet. On May 30, 2012, a search warrant was executed at his residence. A forensic examination showed that Jones’s computer, external hard drive, and compact disks contained more than 600 images and videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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."Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Jerrell L. Epps (27, Ocala) pleaded guilty today to making counterfeit United States Federal Reserve Notes. Epps faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, beginning on at least December 3, 2009, and continuing through September 15, 2011, Epps manufactured counterfeit United States currency at his residence. Epps provided some of the counterfeit currency to others with the knowledge that it would be passed into circulation. He also sold some of the counterfeit currency to another individual in exchange for genuine currency. On February 26, 2010, United States Secret Service agents recovered counterfeit currency and equipment used to manufacture the notes from Epps's Ocala home.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.