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Thursday 28 February 2013
Two Bridgeport Men Involved in Gang-related Narcotics Trafficking Receive Lengthy Prison TermsRead the Press Release
February 28, 2013David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two Bridgeport men involved in gang-related narcotics trafficking were sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven. JOSEPH REYES, also known as “Fat Joe,” “Deep” and “RJ,” 28, was sentenced to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and RICHARD DANIELS, also known as “Po” and “Wap,” 30, was sentenced to 228 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. DANIELS was also ordered to pay a $1000 fine.
On August 30, 2012, a jury found REYES and DANIELS guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), and one count of conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premises. REYES was also found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
This matter stems from “Operation Slim Fast,” a joint law enforcement investigation that focused on two drug trafficking organizations, one that operated out of Bridgeport and one that operated out of Bridgeport, Puerto Rico, and Springfield, Mass. In 2010, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation of narcotics trafficking activity in and around the Marina Village Housing Complex in Bridgeport that focused primarily on the Marina Village Bloods, a violent narcotics trafficking organization. Members of the Marina Village Bloods have been responsible for, or connected to, multiple shootings in Bridgeport.
The evidence at trial established that REYES, DANIELS and others, who were members of the Sex, Money, Murder set of the Marina Village Bloods, sold large quantities of narcotics from an abandoned residence at 105/107 Johnson Street, which is located across from the street from the Marina Village Housing Complex. On multiple occasions, REYES and DANIELS were intercepted over court-authorized wiretaps discussing their narcotics trafficking activities. The wiretapped conversations further revealed that members of the Marina Village Bloods alternately referred to the Johnson Street residence as the “kitchen,” “trap” or “white house.”
The evidence at trial also established that REYES, who has multiple previous felony convictions, possessed firearms, including a Taurus .40 caliber handgun that was purchased for him by a co-defendant who had no prior felony convictions.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
REYES and DANIELS have been detained since their arrests on January 5, 2011.
As a result of this investigation, 19 individuals have been charged in federal court with various narcotics and firearms related offenses, and law enforcement officers seized approximately four kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of crack cocaine, a quantity of heroin, an SKS assault rifle, five handguns and more than $150,000 in cash.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force – which is composed of personnel from the FBI and the Bridgeport, Norwalk and Trumbull Police Departments – with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police, and Hartford, Stratford and Stamford Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Dayton, Doug Morabito and Jonathan Freimann.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Trumbull Resident Pleads Guilty to Committing FraudRead the Press Release
February 28, 2013David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGELINA VELASQUEZ, 46, of Trumbull, pleaded guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, VELASQUEZ was employed as the payroll and human resources coordinator for a victim company. From approximately September 2007 to November 2009, VELASQUEZ manipulated her employer’s payroll system and caused the company to generate approximately 350 unauthorized payroll checks, totaling approximately $247,570, in the names of 87 different employees at the company. She then intercepted the checks before delivery to the employees, forged their signatures on the back of the checks, deposited and cashed the checks at two banks and used the proceeds for her own personal use.
In addition, VELASQUEZ assisted individuals by preparing and submitting personal income tax returns and, in 2009, she defrauded an individual out of her tax refund of $5,146.
VELASQUEZ is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall on May 23, 2013, at which time VELASQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
This case is being investigated by the Shelton Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Trio Charged in Counterfeiting SchemeRead the Press Release
Malik Burton, 21, Kyle Gumbs, 20, and Rayvaughan White, 21, all of Freeport, NY, were charged today by indictment with a counterfeiting scheme in which they allegedly passed counterfeit $100 bills at shopping centers and other retail establishments in Bucks County, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. They are each charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of possessing and passing counterfeit currency. According to the indictment, on November 15, 2012, the defendants passed and attempted to pass approximately $5,700 in counterfeit currency at the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, among other locations.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years imprisonment, a fine of $500,000, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment.
The case was investigated by United States Secret Service and the East Lampeter Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel D. Goldstein.
Click here to view the indictment
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Travis Colby Fuchs 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 February 28, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, TRAVIS COLBY FUCHS, a 29-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. FUCHS was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 72 months
- Special Assessment: $200.00
- Restitution: $1,915.00
- Supervised Release: 5 years
FUCHS was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and uttering counterfeit obligations and securities.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica T. Fehr, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
FUCHS was identified by law enforcement as a member of a methamphetamine distribution organization in Yellowstone County in 2010. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from FUCHS from December 2010 to January 2011. During the ATF controlled purchases, FUCHS sold the following amounts of methamphetamine to cooperating individuals on the following dates:
December 19, 2010 - a cooperating individual purchased an 1/8 of an ounce of methamphetamine from FUCHS in Billings (3.2 grams actual with 91.5% purity).
January 5, 2011 - a cooperating individual purchased 8 grams of methamphetamine (94.0% purity/ 6.5 grams actual) from FUCHS in Billings.
January 7, 2011 - a cooperating individual purchased 30 grams of methamphetamine (93.8% purity/ 25.1 grams actual) from FUCHS in Billings.
January 11, 2011 - a cooperating individual purchased 29 grams of methamphetamine (90.4% purity/ 25.2 grams actual) from FUCHS in Billings.
January 24, 2011 - a cooperating individual purchased 86.3 grams of methamphetamine (67.8% purity/ 18.9 grams actual) from FUCHS in Billings.
In addition to FUCHS' drug distribution, he also manufactured and passed counterfeit United States currency in the Billings area from January 2012 until March 2012. The counterfeit money consisted of multiple serial numbers. Law enforcement received approximately $800 in counterfeit money passed, primarily in Billings. An additional $2,765 was seized from a motel room, which was occupied by FUCHS. Further investigation developed that FUCHS was responsible for the manufacturing of the counterfeit notes. FUCHS was interviewed and admitted to manufacturing and passing counterfeit notes. Associates of FUCHS have also identified him as the individual responsible for manufacturing the counterfeit notes. The total amount of counterfeit notes seized and passed to date is $3,945.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that FUCHS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, FUCHS 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 a cooperative effort between the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Travis Birdinground 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 February 28, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, TRAVIS BIRDINGROUND, a 44-year-old resident of Hardin, appeared for sentencing. BIRDINGROUND was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 18 days (time served)
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 3 years
BIRDINGROUND was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to maintaining a drug involved premises.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
In approximately March of 2011, law enforcement received a complaint that Ross Pattison and BIRDINGROUND were distributing marijuana to numerous people in Hardin and other places in Big Horn County. Through investigation and interviews, law enforcement determined that Pattison possessed a Montana medical marijuana card but was not listed as a caregiver because he is a convicted felon. Law enforcement also determined that BIRDINGROUND worked for Pattison delivering marijuana. BIRDINGROUND also possessed a medical marijuana card and was a caregiver for only one patient. Law enforcement observed BIRDINGROUND leave Pattison's residence numerous times a night and make trips to several residences within Hardin. Law enforcement also observed several individuals drive to Pattison's residence to purchase marijuana from Pattison.
On April 22, 2011, law enforcement executed search warrants for Pattison's Hardin residence and two pickup trucks. Law enforcement seized approximately five pounds of marijuana, approximately $124,000 in cash, digital scales, a paper grocery bag full of zip-lock bags, a methamphetamine pipe with residue, hashish, and photocopies of patient medical marijuana cards for marijuana caregivers Brandon Strecker, Jason Gierke, BIRDINGROUND, and another individual.
On May 23, 2011, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Strecker's Hardin residence. Law enforcement seized a total of 420 marijuana plants - 112 marijuana plants in the attached garage, 239 marijuana plants in the bedroom, one plant in the living room, 68 in the greenhouse and shed. They also seized loose marijuana.
Several witnesses confirmed that Pattison would take and receive orders for marijuana and Gierke, BIRDINGROUND, and another individual would deliver marijuana to the buyers. Several witnesses will testify that after Pattison's house was searched, all deliveries were then made by Strecker or the others.
During an interview with law enforcement on April 22, 2011, BIRDINGROUND admitted his role in the conspiracy to distribute marijuana from Pattison's and Strecker's Hardin residences. The marijuana that he possessed on April 22, 2011, was marijuana that he was delivering for Pattison and Strecker. The marijuana was ordered through Pattison. BIRDINGROUND would pick up the marijuana from Pattison and give Pattison the money after the transaction. Pattison and Strecker paid BIRDINGROUND $800 every two weeks.
During an interview with law enforcement on May 25, 2011, Gierke stated that he helped set up the greenhouses and watering system as part of the marijuana grow operation at Strecker's Hardin residence. Gierke obtained his marijuana from Pattison and Strecker. Gierke, Pattison, and Strecker were "business partners." Pattison put it all together and they grew the marijuana at Strecker's residence.
Chemists with the DEA laboratory in San Francisco tested the marijuana items submitted from the search of Strecker's residence. Some of the items were plant clippings as well as loose marijuana. The result of the analysis was that those items contained a detectable amount of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Strecker, Gierke, and Pattison pled guilty to federal charges.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BIRDINGROUND will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BIRDINGROUND 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 a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
Title of the News Release Goes HereRead the Press Release
A man who used marijuana and possessed a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense pled guilty on February 27, 2013, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Andre Kase, Jr., age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful user of marijuana.
At the plea hearing, Kase admitted that on October 8, 2012, Cedar Rapids police officers responded to a report of an attempted burglary in progress. Upon arriving in the area, officers found Kase in possession of a stolen Smith and Wesson .380 caliber handgun. Kase admitted that he was a marijuana user and that he had been convicted of Burglary on September 19, 2012.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Kase remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Kase faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 12-0084.
Three Clevelanders Accused of Defrauding Giant Eagle Out of $80,000Read the Press Release
Three Cleveland residents are accused of taking part in a conspiracy to defrauded Giant Eagle's payroll account out of approximately $80,000, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Paris Dixon age 28, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, one count of credit card fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Sierra Hodges, age 27, was indicted one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of credit card fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Linda Howard, age 25, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, and one count of Credit Card Fraud.
The indictment charges that from as early as November 8, 2008, until on or about August 11, 2010, Paris Dixon, Sierra Hodges, and Linda Howard devised a scheme to defraud Giant Eagle by accessing Giant Eagle Corporation’s employee payroll account without authority.
The indictment charges that the defendants made wire transfer charges on this account to pay for various goods and services for themselves or for family members or friends totaling approximately $80,000.
The indictment charges that from January 13, 2009, and on or about February 12, 2010, Paris Dixon with the intent to defraud, used one or more unauthorized access devices during a one year period, and by such conduct obtained anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during that period.
The indictment charges that from December 9, 2008, until on or about December 14, 2009, Paris Dixon, during and in relation to the illegal use of access devices, knowingly used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of one or more other persons, knowing that said means of identification belonged to another person.
The indictment charges that from November, 2008, until December, 2009, Linda Howard, with the intent to defraud, used one or more unauthorized access devices during a one year period, and by such conduct obtained anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during that period.
The indictment charges that from January 13, 2009, and on or about August 11, 2010, Sierra Hodges with the intent to defraud, used one or more unauthorized access devices during a one year period, and by such conduct obtained anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during that period.
The indictment charges that from January 13, 2009, and on or about August 11, 2010, Sierra Hodges, during and in relation to illegal use of access devices, knowingly used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of one or more other persons, knowing that said means of identification belonged to another person.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to the case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ role(s) in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being presented by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Sassé after an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tampa Residents Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Fraudulent Credit Card RingRead the Press Release
TAMPA, FL - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Tampa residents Juan Miranda Amores (44) and Yudelkis Portes (31) for credit card fraud and identity theft. Miranda Amores was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison. Portes was sentenced to five years in federal prison. The court also ordered both Miranda Amores and Portes to forfeit $59,897.84 each, the proceeds of the credit card fraud.Miranda Amores pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on October 5, 2012. Portes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on October 22, 2012. Another co-defendant, Ireanaldo Larrondo-Berrera, pleaded guilty on November 12, 2012. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on May 9, 2013.
According to court documents, from at least mid- 2010, through at least July 2011, Miranda Amores and Portes knowingly joined and engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to commit credit card or access device fraud and bank fraud using stolen identities. In December 2010, a detective from the Kokomo, Indiana Police Department contacted a detective from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) regarding a case of counterfeit credit cards. According to the Indiana detective, more than 16 accounts at the Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union had been compromised and many fraudulent charges to these accounts came from Tampa, specifically from various Walgreens stores. The TPD detective recovered surveillance video from the stores. Miranda Amores, as well as Larrondo-Berrera and Portes were identified as the individuals on video using stolen and/or counterfeit credit and debit cards.
TPD obtained a spreadsheet of fraudulent transactions that Solidarity had identified as occurring in the Tampa area. The records showed that Miranda Amores, Portes and their coconspirators used stolen and counterfeit credit cards to make many small purchases, often at the same time, in order to avoid detection. The co-conspirators traveled to multiple retail establishments in the same area to make consecutive purchases. Most often, they purchased gift cards with the stolen credit or debit card numbers. The co-conspirators used stolen credit and debit card numbers from victims without their knowledge, most of whom lived out of state.
In total, law enforcement identified more than a dozen financial institutions and retailers, including Sears, Macy's and JC Penney, who were defrauded by Miranda Amores, Portes and their conspirators for a total actual loss of $59,897.84. The government estimates the intended loss (based upon the credit limits of the stolen, counterfeit and unauthorized credit cards) amounts to be approximately $521,914.73. Law enforcement also identified more than 50 victims of identity theft as a result of this scheme.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Superseding Indictment Returned for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, Federal Gun Control Act, and MurderRead the Press Release
DON BROOKS, age 19, and ANTOINE BROOKS, age 21, both residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged today in a 9-count superseding indictment. In addition to the charges brought in the original indictment, the charges the superseding indictment include an additional charge of another discharging of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and the killing of Tamira Johnson in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U. S. Attorney Dana J. Boente. The charges in the original indictment included conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute two-hundred and eighty (280) grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and a quantity of marijuana, conspiracy to use and discharge firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking crimes, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and the murder of Harry Howard and Lamont Phillips.
Based upon the ongoing investigation, evidence was presented to the Grand Jury that on September 23, 2011, Tamira Johnson was walking to the store with her 13 year old son. As Tamira and her son were walking, DON and ANTOINE BROOKS drove by in a SUV and opened fire with a .40 caliber handgun intending to kill a rival drug dealer who was standing on the corner. DON and ANTOINE BROOKS not only shot the rival drug dealer, but also Tamira Johnson who died at the scene from her injuries.
If convicted of the new charges, DON and ANTOINE BROOKS face, as to new Count 5, a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum term of life imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine, and as to the new Count 6, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or death, five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. The penalties for the original charges remain the same.
U. S. Attorney Boente reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Sean Toomey.
(Download Superseding Indictment )
Statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on the U.S. Government’s Filing in Hollingsworth v. PerryRead the Press Release
Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the U.S. government’s filing in Hollingsworth v. Perry:
“In our filing today in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the government seeks to vindicate the defining constitutional ideal of equal treatment under the law. Throughout history, we have seen the unjust consequences of decisions and policies rooted in discrimination. The issues before the Supreme Court in this case and the Defense of Marriage Act case are not just important to the tens of thousands of Americans who are being denied equal benefits and rights under our laws, but to our Nation as a whole.”
Statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on the House Passage of the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women ActRead the Press Release
Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the House passage of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act:
“I am pleased that Congress has voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a landmark law that has transformed the way we respond to domestic and sexual violence. This reauthorization includes crucial new provisions to improve our ability to bring hope and healing to the victims of these crimes, expand access to justice, and strengthen the prosecutorial and enforcement tools available to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Congress has also taken an historic step to finally close the loophole that left many Native American women without adequate protection. With this bill, tribes and the federal government can better work together to address domestic violence against Native American women, who experience the highest rates of assault in the United States. The bill also provides funding to improve the criminal justice response to sexual assault, ensuring that victims can access the services they need to heal. And it will help to build on evidence-based practices for reducing domestic violence homicides and prevent violence against our nation’s children, teens, and young adults.
“I applaud Congress for passing a bipartisan reauthorization that protects everyone – women and men, gay and straight, children and adults of all races, ethnicities, countries of origin, and tribal affiliations. The Department of Justice looks forward to implementing this historic legislation after it is signed into law.”
St. Cloud Career Criminal Sentenced for Possessing .22-caliber RifleRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 25-year-old career criminal from St. Cloud was sentenced for possessing a .22-caliber rifle. United States District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced Shawn Allen Roering to 204 months in prison on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Roering was indicted on April 3, 2012, and pleaded guilty on August 15, 2012.
In his plea agreement, Roering admitted that on August 18, 2011, he possessed the semi-automatic rifle and attempted to sell it. The barrel of the rifle was sawed-off, was less than 12 inches in length, and had an obliterated serial number. Police learned that the rifle had been reported stolen.
Because he is a felon, Roering, also known as Shrek, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. His prior convictions include aiding and abetting simple robbery in Wright County (2005), fleeing a police officer in a moving vehicle in Morrison County (2010), and fourth-degree sale of a controlled substance in Benton County (2010). Since at least three of Roering’s past felony convictions were for crimes of violence or serious drug crimes, his sentence in the current case was subject to the Armed Career Criminal Act, which mandates a minimum of 15 years in federal prison.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Central Minnesota Drug and Gang Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.South Boston Man Sentenced for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Boston - A South Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for committing four bank robberies.
William J. Coleman, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $17,211 in restitution to four banks. Coleman pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery on Dec. 5, 2012.Between Dec. 7, 2011 and Jan. 3, 2012 Coleman committed four bank robberies in the City of Boston, and at least two of the bank robberies involved the use of a hand gun. On Dec. 7, 2011, Coleman robbed the Citizens Bank at 77 Franklin Street, Boston of $1,730; On Dec. 16, 2011 Coleman robbed the Sovereign Bank at 125 Summer Street, Boston of $3,880; On Dec. 27, 2011, Coleman robbed the People’s United Bank at 176 Franklin Street, Boston of $3,601; and on Jan. 3, 2012, Coleman robbed the Sovereign bank at 125 Summer Street, Boston of $8,000.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Ortiz’ s Major Crimes Unit.
Several Charged in Counterfeit DVD/CD InvestigationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Seven Corpus Christi residents have been indicted as a result of the efforts of a multi-agency investigation into intellectual property rights violations, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Brian Moskowitz, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Those arrested today include William Joseph Henneberger, 32, Ruth Gloria Henneberger, 36, Daniel Justino Diaz, 33, Vanessa Pecina, 30, Leticia Perez Aguilar, 39, and Joe Silvas, 43. They are expected to an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian L. Owsley tomorrow afternoon.
One remaining defendant, Joe Cruz Hernandez, 31, is also charged but not yet in custody. He is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact HSI at 1-800-973-2867.
“The theft of intellectual property is not a victimless crime and copyright infringement offenses should be of concern to every American with the cost ultimately borne by the consumer,” said Moskowitz. “The collaboration between law enforcement and industry seen in this operation should leave no doubt that we are committed to protecting the rights of those who play by the rules.”
The indictment alleges the defendants infringed copyrights by reproducing and distributing 10 or more copyrighted works during a 180-day period.
The indictments stem from a year-long investigation into the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit DVDs and music CDs in the Corpus Christi area. Vendors at a Corpus Christi flea market and a local business were identified as being involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit DVDs and music CDs, according to the indictment. As a result, agents obtained federal search warrants in August 2012 for three residences and local business known as Bomb Records, all located in Corpus Christi. The indictment alleges that during the execution of the warrants, agents seized more than 58,000 pirated DVDs and CDs along with production materials including computers and DVD duplicators.
The defendants face up to five years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000, if convicted.
The investigation leading to the criminal charges was conducted in Corpus Christi lead by HSI, Corpus Christi Police Department Organized Crime Unit, Kingsville Specialized Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection, the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hugo R. Martinez.
Seven Defendants Arrested for Narcotics Trafficking in Brooklyn’s Bushwick HousesRead the Press Release
Three indictments were unsealed today in Brooklyn federal court charging seven defendants from the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, New York, with narcotics trafficking.1 Two of the indictments charge groups of defendants with trafficking cocaine base, and the third indictment charges a group with heroin trafficking. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Marilyn D. Go, at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York.
The charges and arrests were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, George Venizelos, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
In response to a spate of violence that included the near-fatal shooting of a police officer in January 2012, the NYPD and FBI conducted a one-year joint investigation resulting in today’s charges against members of three separate narcotics trafficking organizations in the Bushwick Houses public housing development in Brooklyn. During the investigation, the NYPD conducted dozens of audio and video recorded purchases of cocaine base, or “crack,” and heroin from the defendants using undercover police officers. The crack cocaine transactions occurred in the hallways and stairwells of buildings in the development as well as just outside the buildings, often in public view. The heroin traffickers sold distribution-level quantities of heroin, frequently pre-packaged and stamped for retail sale. Several of the defendants have serious criminal records that include felony narcotics and firearms convictions.
“All New Yorkers deserve a safe place to live and raise their families. Instead, these defendants allegedly turned the Bushwick Houses into a drug market, rather than a place of refuge for the residents. This case again demonstrates this Office’s ongoing commitment to investigating and prosecuting organized drug trafficking activity in our community. Those who introduce drugs and other dangers into our neighborhoods will face the full force of the law,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the FBI agents and NYPD detectives who investigated the case. She added that the government’s investigation is ongoing.
The cases have been assigned to United States District Judges Matsumoto, Mauskopf and Weinstein. If convicted of the most serious offenses in the indictment, the defendants charged with crack offenses face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. The heroin defendants face a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Amatruda.
The Defendants:
KEITH BEAUFORT
Alias: Rosco
Age: 30EMPEROR BUILDER
Age:43KAREEM CAMPBELL
Alias: K
Age: 33TERRANCE JONES
Alias: Chef
Age: 40ROBERTO OGANDO
Age: 30RICKY PABON
Alias: Riz
Age: 36HECTOR SORIA
Alias: Hollywood
Age: 37_____________________________
1The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sentences for February 25 - 28, 2013Read the Press Release
Jorge Arturo Martinez-Gaeta, 35, of Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on February 28, 2013, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Martinez-Gaeta was arrested in Douglas, Wyoming. He received five months of imprisonment, 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.
Joshua Goodman, 35, of Pavillion, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on February 25, 2013, for credit union and bank burglary. Goodman appeared pursuant to summons. He received three years of supervised probation, with the first four months to be served on house arrest. Goodman was further ordered to pay $24,170.00 in restitution and a $200.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Riverton and Shoshoni Police Departments.
Rockford Men Plead Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford, Ill. man pleaded guilty today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to one count of wire fraud. CAMERON LOVE, 27, who was charged in a superseding indictment along with three other men, admitted that between mid-2010 and January 2012 he defrauded large retail chain stores by fraudulently acquiring tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise and returning the items for cash.
In the written plea agreement, Hardy admitted that as part of the scheme he and his co-defendants created and used counterfeit checks and counterfeit identifications to purchase merchandise from large chain stores such as Wal-Mart and Farm and Fleet located in various states. After he and the others purchased merchandise from those stores, they returned the merchandise to a different store location for a cash refund. Hardy admitted he knew at the time that some of the names and addresses on the checks and identification he used, and some of the bank account information, were fictitious and some were real.
In a related case, ANTHONY HARDY, 42, also of Rockford, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2013, to one count of wire fraud and one count of identity theft. In addition to Hardy admitting he participated in a wire fraud scheme with Love and others, Hardy admitted he unlawfully possessed the identification of another person used to purchase merchandise from the stores in the wire fraud scheme.
Love is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2013, while Hardy is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2013. Two other men are also each charged with three counts of wire fraud in the superseding indictment for their roles in the scheme: WILLIAM DORN, 24, also of Rockford, and ANTHONY TAYLOR, 43, of Marietta, Ga.
Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a term of up to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and mandatory restitution. The Court may also impose a fine totaling twice the loss to any victim or twice the gain to the defendants, whichever is greater. For Hardy, the charge of identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of 2 years imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any sentence on the wire fraud charge, as well as a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined by the United States District Court, guided by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The guilty pleas were announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Thomas P. Brady, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
Love Plea Agreement
Hardy Plea AgreementRegistered nurse and disbarred attorney charged with stealing more than $2 Million from elderly woman's estateRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a registered nurse, formerly of Anchorage, and a recently disbarred California attorney were indicted by the federal grand jury in Anchorage, Alaska, of devising a scheme to obtain in excess of $2 million between May 2007 and August 2009 from the Trusts of Juanita Gielarwoski, now deceased.
Brian Ben-Israel, 53, of Duluth, Ga., and Philip Eric Myers, 60, of Santa Barbara, Calif., were charged by the federal grand jury with one count of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Ben-Israel was also charged with three counts of filing false tax returns.
According to the indictment, in 2006, Ben-Israel was a registered nurse residing in Anchorage and working at Meridian Psychiatric Consulting Group. Ben-Israel met and befriended Gielarowski and her daughter who were both patients of Meridian Psychiatric Consulting Group; Ben-Israel became a health care provider and “financial advisor” to both. Myers, an attorney licensed at the time in the State of California was versed in trust and estate matters. From at least 2004, Ben-Israel was a business partner and friend of Myers; Ben-Israel introduced Myers to Gielarowski and her daughter.
Myers was the CEO of Typhoon Security Technology, Inc. located in California, which was formed in December 2001. As described by Myers, Typhoon Security Technology, Inc.’s mission was to become one of the top three global leaders in explosives and weapons detection technology. Ben-Israel had a contract with Typhoon Security Technology, Inc. to sell private placement investments for a 10% commission. Typhoon Security Technology, Inc. was suspended by the State of California in September 2007 and could no longer lawfully conduct business.
The indictment alleges that beginning in 2007, Ben-Israel, using his influence over Gielarowski and acting with Myers, devised a scheme to obtain control over the assets of Gielarowski so that Ben-Israel became a named trustee of the estate and obtained signature authority on bank accounts. It further alleges that Ben-Israel and Myers caused over two million dollars of monies and assets that were designated for the care and benefit of Gielarowski to be diverted to the personal benefit of Ben-Israel and Myers and also, to the benefit of their joint business venture Typhoon Security Technology, Inc., including a check for $1million secured as an investment in Typhoon Security Technology, Inc. in December 2007.The maximum penalty for the mail and wire counts is up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Ms. Loeffler commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and the Anchorage Police Department for the investigation of this case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Professional Hunter to Pay $10,000 Fine for Lacey Act Violation in KansasRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A professional hunter from Tennessee will has been sentenced to three years on federal supervised release for a Lacey Act violation in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today. The hunter will lose his hunting privileges throughout the United States for six months, as well as paying a $10,000 fine and $10,000 in restitution.
William “Spook” Spann, 50, Dickson, Tenn., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of transporting across state lines wildlife that was taken unlawfully in Kansas. In his plea, Spann admitted that in mid-November 2007 he unlawfully took a white-tailed deer in Stafford County, Kan. Spann took the deer on land owned by another person, in violation of Spann’s hunting permit, which entitled him to hunt only on land that he owned.
On a scouting trip, Spann and a cameraman spotted a deer at a distance of several hundred yards with the wind blowing in their faces so that the deer would not be able to hear or smell their approach. With a video camera rolling, Spann stalked to within 10 yards of the deer. Spann drew his bow and killed the deer with an arrow.
Federal investigators served a search warrant at Spann’s home in Tennessee, where they seized the antlers of the Kansas deer.
Grissom commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.Private Investigator Williamson Indicted for Bribes in Exchange for Favorable OWI Case ResolutionRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal grand jury indicted private investigator Robert Williamson, 64, of Lafayette on one count of conspiracy, six counts of bribery for operating a pay-for-plea scheme that garnered favorable treatment for defendants charged with state violations of operating while intoxicated (OWI), and one count of Social Security Fraud for claiming Social Security payments while not reporting income from the bribery scheme. Additionally, Williamson was charged with one count of making false statements to a federal agent.
According to the indictment, Williamson, who is not licensed to practice law, was part of a conspiracy from March 2008 to February 2012 to solicit thousands of dollars from individuals with pending criminal charges in the 15th Judicial District by promising favorable resolutions to their pending felony and misdemeanor cases, the majority of which were OWI cases. The favorable resolution of OWI cases included having the cases placed in “immediate 894 sessions.”
The Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 894 provides a procedure by which a person can initially plead guilty to a crime with the understanding that the conviction will be set aside if the person successfully completes certain requirements imposed during a probationary period, including community service.
The indictment states that Williamson paid bribes in cash and other things of value to personnel within the District Attorney’s office and employees with other organizations associated with the OWI program, including Acadiana Outreach.
Williamson is also alleged to have obtained false and fraudulent certifications from Acadiana Outreach, which certified that his clients completed court-ordered community service, when in fact the individuals had not. The indictment outlines that Williamson would obtain fraudulent driver safety training certificates showing that Williamson’s “clients” completed court-mandated driver improvement programs when they had not. Williamson would then take these certificates and provide them to District Attorney’s
office staff members who would file them in the court record during the clients’ “immediate 894 session.”If convicted, Williamson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both with up to three years of supervised release for the conspiracy count. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a 250,000 fine or both with three years of supervised release for each count of bribery, five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both with three years of supervised release for the Social Security Fraud count, and five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both with three years of supervised release for the false
statements to a federal agent count. A trial will be scheduled at a later date.“This case should serve as a reminder that private citizen facilitators who participate in corruption conspiracies will be held as accountable as public officials,” said Mike Anderson, Special Agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Division.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Richard Willis are prosecuting the case.
Podiatrist Sentenced to Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that podiatrist who practiced in Harrisburg and Elizabethtown was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison for committing health care fraud.
United States Attorney Peter J. Smith said that Dr. Michael C. Karason, 44, who now resides in Lincoln, California, previously pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to defraud health care benefits programs. At today’s hearing Senior District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo also directed that Karason pay a total of $118,072.29 in restitution to Medicare, Capital Blue Cross and Highmark and that he serve a three-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to the charges and a summary of facts presented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Fawcett, Karason maintained two offices in the Harrisburg area and an office in Elizabethtown as well as two offices in the Los Angeles, California, area. He engaged in a pattern of billing health insurers for services in both Pennsylvania and California that were supposedly provided in both locations at the same time. Investigators obtained travel and financial documents that established Karason was in California during time periods when he billed for services in his central Pennsylvania offices. Some of the services billed in this manner were not provided at all; others were provided by an unlicensed office manager not authorized to perform such services.
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging William Smith, age 20, of Erie, Pennsylvania, with one count of passing counterfeit currency, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment charges that on July 14, 2012, William D. Smith passed counterfeit currency at a Burger King restaurant in Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Sassé after an investigation by the United States Secret Service.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Pelham Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Laundering Money in Scam with DaughterRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal judge today sentenced a Pelham man to three years and one month in prison for laundering money in a scheme with his daughter that collected more than $400,000 for expenses of a lawsuit that never existed, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, Alabama Securities Commission Director Joseph P. Borg, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Schwein Jr.
U.S. District Judge C. Lynwood Smith Jr. sentenced PAUL HASKELL LANE JR., 69, to prison and ordered him to pay $343,900 in restitution to 20 victims of the scam he perpetrated with his daughter, Katherine Hope Lane, 28. The judge also ordered Paul Lane to forfeit $10,500 to the government as proceeds of illegal activity. Paul Lane pleaded guilty to the money-laundering charge in August.
"The crime in this case was plotted and executed over more than three years' time. As part of that scheme, Lane peddled a false story about a lawsuit for which his family ostensibly needed money," the government said in its sentencing memorandum to the court. "After Lane seeded the ground, Katherine fertilized and watered it with myriad lies and stories designed to engender additional sympathy and obtain more money from Lane's friends and associates. At critical times, Lane spoke to key money sources (i.e., victims) to ensure that the funds continued to flow to him and Katherine."
Lane's sentencing caps a six-year investigation and prosecution effort by federal and state authorities. In late 2009, Lane and his daughter were separately indicted for wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering for their roles in a plan to get people in other states to wire money to Lane's bank account. Those who sent money were led to believe it would go toward costs for a personal-injury lawsuit filed by the Lane family after Katherine Lane suffered a brutal assault at work.
The Lanes represented that proceeds from the lawsuit would be used to repay people who donated. Most who provided money also believed that they would get back from the Lanes more money than they sent. Katherine Lane, however, had not been assaulted and the Lanes had no lawsuit.
Over the course of several years, Lane took the money that was wired into his account and gave it to his daughter.
Katherine Lane pleaded guilty in 2010 to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. She was sentenced in 2011 to seven years and three months in federal prison. Katherine Lane also pleaded guilty to felony state securities fraud charges related to her actions. Her sentence of seven years and three months on the state charges was ordered to run concurrently with the federal sentence.
The Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and the Alabama Securities Commission investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa K. Atwood prosecuted the case.
Partnership Pays - Federal Forfeiture Nets Large Checks for Local Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Little Rock - Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Christopher Henry, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), recognized Pulaski County Sheriff Doc Holladay and Benton Police Chief Kirk Lane for their partnership in the Financial Crimes Task Force. Since 2011, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office has received $101,893.24 and the Benton Police Department has received $97,290.02 in shared funds.“When we put our limited resources together, the partnership benefits are significant,” stated Thyer. “In this case, local law enforcement agencies provided the IRS-CI Financial Crimes Task Force with manpower and resources in federal investigations and in return they received greatly needed funds for their agencies. It is a win-win partnership for law enforcement and the communities where we live and work.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation agents partner with state and local agencies to investigate various white collar criminal violations. Often, both the criminal and civil investigations conducted have seizure and forfeiture of funds generated from the activities investigated. These funds are returned to the state and local partners to financially assist their agencies in fulfilling their law enforcement missions and in keeping our communities a safe place to live.
First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick C. Harris and Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McCree prosecuted the forfeiture for the United States.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Rodney A. Lick (42, Orlando) today to 20 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Lick to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Lick was also ordered to forfeit his interest in the computers that he used to commit the offenses. He pleaded guilty on June 13, 2012.
According to court documents, Lick distributed videos depicting the violent, sexual abuse of infant and toddler boys to several undercover law enforcement agents. In December 2011, Lick communicated with an officer acting in an undercover capacity and arranged to have sex with the officer’s fictional six and ten-year-old stepsons. In March 2012, agents executed a search warrant at Lick’s home and found more than 500 images and 97 videos showing the sexual abuse of prepubescent boys on his computer. The agents also located chat conversations where Lick encouraged others to sexually abuse their children. Lick, a truck driver, admitted that he had been distributing child pornography for at least three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov and click on the tab "other resources."
Ohio Man Sentenced for Armed Bank Robbery in MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Stuart Lee Vance, 39, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 94 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for the September 2008 armed bank robbery of Great Southern National Bank in Meridian, Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. Vance was also ordered to pay $2,910.00 in restitution.
Vance was also tied to a series of bank robberies in Ohio, which began with the August 2008, robbery of National City Bank in Kettering, Ohio. He was nicknamed by authorities as the “Rush Hour Robber.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meridian Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Helen Wall.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Nurse Sentenced to Four Months in Prison for Illegally Accessing Supervisor’s Personal Email AccountsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
COLUMBUS – Adriann Brierley, 37, of Buckeye Lake, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to four months in prison for illegally accessing the personal email accounts of her supervisor at the hospital where she worked, copying personal information and distributing it.
Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost.
Brierley, a registered nurse, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2012 to one count of computer intrusion which is a felony.
According to court documents, in 2008, Brierley broke into her supervisor’s password protected accounts for her personal email, a social network and a private dating service, copied all the information stored at the accounts and reset the passwords for the accounts. Brierley created a lengthy document composed of the personal emails, photographs and dating site conversations of her victim. The document contained Brierley’s derogatory comments about the victim’s job performance, sex life and personal photographs. Brierley sent the document to the victim’s email contacts, employer and co-workers.
“The victim’s workplace became difficult due to the embarrassment and the false allegations in the widely circulated document the defendant created,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah A. Solove wrote in a memorandum filed with the court before today’s sentencing hearing. “Computer intrusion to steal business secrets or to damage a critical computer system may be dealt with harshly because a financial motive for financial loss helps to peg the damage and thus pick the guideline range,” Solove wrote. “Because the loss of one’s reputation and the entire social fabric of one’s life is not so easily measured, the court should not ignore the seriousness of the damage.”
Brierley will also be under court supervision for two years following completion of her prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation by FBI agents, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Solove who represented the government in this case.New York Marijuana Trafficker Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
February 28, 2013David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WOLFE T. MIKELIC, of Fishkill, N.Y., was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 42 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess and distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. MIKELIC also was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. He pleaded guilty to the offense on April 2, 2012.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in early 2010, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped a vehicle that contained approximately $351,000 in cash, apparent drug records, photographs of marijuana grows and shipping documents that identified an address in Branford, Conn., as a possible destination for items being shipped by commercial carriers. After being contacted by the Nebraska State Patrol, Branford Police established surveillance of the Branford location, which was a storage facility.
On January 29, 2010, MIKELIC was stopped by Branford Police officers and Drug Enforcement Administration agents as he drove from the storage facility. A search of MIKELIC’s vehicle revealed $40,000 in cash, and a search of the storage facility revealed approximately 150 pounds of marijuana packaged in one-pound, heat-sealed plastic bags. A subsequent search of MIKELIC’s New York residence revealed six pounds of marijuana, approximately $34,000 in cash, a money counting machine, a scale, drug records and information that led investigators to another storage location in New York. A search of that location revealed an additional 38 pounds of marijuana in one-pound, heat-sealed bags.
All of the seized funds have been forfeited.
MIKELIC has been detained since February, 10, 2011, when his bond was revoked.
This matter was investigated by the Branford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, which includes officers from the Branford, Hamden, Ansonia, New Haven, West Haven and Meriden Police Departments. The Nebraska State Patrol provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Runowicz.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]New Haven Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
February 28, 2013David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM FITZGERALD, also known as “Quay,” 32, of New Haven, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing marijuana.
FITZGERALD is one of 108 individuals charged as a result of “Operation Bloodline,” a joint law enforcement investigation targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in the Dwight-Kensington and Fair Haven sections of New Haven. Led by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, the year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps on numerous telephones, extensive physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, execution of search warrants and seizures of narcotics and firearms.
The investigation revealed that between January 2011 and January 2012, FITZGERALD conspired with others to purchase and redistribute between 20 and 40 kilograms of marijuana.
FITZGERALD has been detained since his arrest on May 22, 2012. On November 6, 2012, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia and Meriden Police Departments. The United States Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services and the Milford, Hartford, New Britain, North Branford and Stratford Police Departments have provided invaluable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Marc Silverman.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
[email protected]Naples Man Pleads Guilty to False Claims Against the Government, Possession of 15 or More Unauthorized Access Devices, and Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Frederick R. Green pleaded guilty today to one count of false claims against the government, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of theft of government money. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the false claims charge. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the other charges.
According to the plea agreement, on or about January 20, 2012, Green knowingly filed a false federal income tax return using the name of E.P. He made a fraudulent claim to the IRS for an income tax refund in the amount of $9,913. The IRS confirmed that on January 20, 2012, EP’s return was prepared, received and processed by the IRS and a refund in the amount of $9,913 was applied to a Bancorp debit card.
The Internal Revenue Service conducted additional research and determined that more than 70 returns were filed from the same IP address used by Green on January 20, 2012.A search warrant was executed at Green’s residence on July 12, 2012. During the execution of the warrant, Green was found to be in possession of 25 debit cards in other peoples’ names. Agents also recovered sheets of personal identifying information and more than $10,000 in cash.
During an interview with law enforcement, Green stated that he started filing returns for refunds after someone in Tampa showed him the potential money involved. Green said that he continued to file returns into 2012.
From at least January 20, 2012 through July 12, 2002, Green knowingly and willfully stole and converted to his own use money that belonged to the United States. The amount of the returns filed from the Green’s totaled more than is $648,000. From the fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, Green received payment for $311,746.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Collier County Sheriff's Office as part of the United States Secret Service Southwest Florida Financial Crimes Strike Force, and the Internal Revenue Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Missouri Man Charged with Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Timothy Ross Estabrook, 52, has been charged with trafficking in counterfeit Viagra® and Cialis®, introducing and delivering misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, smuggling and conspiracy, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
The indictment, returned under seal Feb. 13, 2013, in Houston, was unsealed yesterday after he made an initial appearance in Kansas City, Mo. He has been released on bond and is scheduled to appear in Houston to answer the charges on March 14, 2013. Estabrook was arrested at his home in Lake Waukomis, Mo., on Monday Feb. 25, 2013.
Estabrook allegedly smuggled counterfeit Viagra® and counterfeit Cialis® into the United States from China. The indictment alleges he shipped them from Missouri to Texas in partnership with a co-conspirator in China. Estabrook also allegedly conspired to purchase Tadalafil and Sildenafil, the active ingredients in Viagra® and Cialis®, from a co-conspirator in China.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $2 million fine for trafficking in counterfeit goods and up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine for smuggling. If convicted of conspiracy charge, he further faces a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine and up to three years and a $10,000 fine for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
The investigation into Estabrook was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Food and Drug Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Redlinger is prosecuting the case.
Middleton Man Sentenced to Five YearsRead the Press Release
Admitted Possessing Two Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
BOISE – Daniel William Failla, 28, of Middleton, Idaho, and Madera, California, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court to 60 months in prison for possession of firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes of possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Failla to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and forfeit the two firearms and ammunition he possessed. Failla pleaded guilty to the charge on October 31, 2012.
According to the plea agreement, on June 18, 2012, Failla sold a pound of marijuana to an individual in Caldwell for $2,000. Two days later, on June 20, Idaho State Police executed a search warrant on the residence where Failla was living. Inside Failla’s bedroom, detectives discovered a suitcase containing approximately 378.90 grams of cocaine and 3148.2 grams of marijuana. Detectives also discovered two loaded Springfield 9 millimeter handguns and ammunition in Failla’s bedroom. According to the plea agreement, Failla also possessed a store receipt indicating he paid $670 to purchase one of the pistols and ammunition in February 2012. Detectives determined the cocaine was worth approximately $13,000; the marijuana approximately $14,000.
Failla admitted that he possessed the cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute it, and also that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes.
The case was investigated by the Idaho State Police with assistance by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Michigan Man Found Guilty in Florida of Child Sex Tourism ChargesRead the Press Release
A former Michigan resident was found guilty by a federal jury today in Miami of child sex tourism charges, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo A. Ferrer and Special Agent in Charge Alysa D. Erichs of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami office.
Matthew Andrew Carter, aka “William Charles Harcourt” and “Bill Carter,” 67, formerly of Brighton, Mich., was found guilty in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida of five counts of traveling in foreign commerce from the United States to Haiti for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with children and one count of attempting to do so. Carter was charged in a second superseding indictment returned on Jan. 12, 2012.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 1995 to 2011, Carter resided at and operated the Morning Star Center near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, prior to his arrest on May 8, 2011. The Morning Star Center was a residential facility that provided shelter, food, clothing and school tuition to Haitian children. The children who lived at the Morning Star Center were from impoverished families that could not feed them, send them to school or otherwise support their children. The evidence at trial showed that Carter specifically targeted children in need and preyed on their vulnerability. Between 1995 and 2011, Carter frequently traveled between the United States and Haiti in order to raise funds from churches and donors for the continued operation of the center. Carter sexually and physically abused the children in his care and custody at the center during this period of time. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Carter used force to get these children to comply with his sexual demands and required the children to participate in sexual acts in order to receive food, remain at the center and/or continue to receive school tuition payments.At trial, 16 Haitian victims who resided at the Morning Star Center between 1995 and 2011 testified. Additionally, four witnesses testified that they were sexually abused by Carter in London during the 1970s. Carter previously was charged with and acquitted of charges related to the sexual abuse of children in London, Cairo, Egypt and Winter Haven, Fla.
At sentencing, Carter faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on one count and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of the other five counts. Carter is scheduled for sentencing on May 20, 2013, in Miami before U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria K. Medetis of the Southern District of Florida and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney Bonnie L. Kane of the Criminal Division. The case against Carter was investigated by ICE-HSI in Miami, the ICE-HSI Assistant Attaché’s Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the ICE-HSI Santo Domingo Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service Miami field office; the Haitian National Police Brigade for the Protection of Minors; Haitian Social Services; the Ministry of the Interior for Haiti; the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Regional Security Office for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; the London Metropolitan Police Service; the FBI’s Washington, Boston and Miami field offices; and the ICE-HSI Attaché’s Offices in London and Cairo.Michigan Man Found Guilty of Child Sex Tourism ChargesRead the Press Release
A former Michigan resident was found guilty by a federal jury today in Miami of child sex tourism charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo A. Ferrer, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Alysa D. Erichs of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Office.
Matthew Andrew Carter, aka “William Charles Harcourt” and “Bill Carter,” 67, formerly of Brighton, Mich., was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida of five counts of traveling in foreign commerce from the United States to Haiti for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with children and one count of attempting to do so. Carter is scheduled to be sentenced in Miami, Florida on May 20, 2013, before the Honorable Joan A. Lenard. At sentencing, Carter faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on one count and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of the other five counts.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer said, “The sexual exploitation of children, wherever it occurs, is a heinous crime. In this case, a U.S. citizen travelled to Haiti and, over the course of 16 years, preyed on vulnerable children. The daily sexual abuse of the children in his care caused irreparable harm to the victims and their families. Although nothing will repair the damage done to them, we hope that today’s verdict brings a sense of justice and closure to these victims. This verdict is a warning to child predators that they cannot evade justice simply by travelling abroad to avoid detection and prosecution.”
“The unspeakable acts committed by Mr. Carter against his innocent victims brought agencies and countries together to make him face justice. I commend the jury who had to sit through weeks of horrific testimony,” said Alysa D Erichs ,Special Agent in Charge of HSI Miami. “Although nothing can be done to repair the damage done to these victims by Mr. Carter, perhaps this will provide some respite.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 1995 to 2011, Carter resided at and operated the Morning Star Center near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, prior to his arrest on May 8, 2011. The Morning Star Center was a residential facility that provided shelter, food, clothing, and school tuition to Haitian children. The children who lived at the Morning Star Center were from impoverished families that could not feed them, send them to school, or otherwise support their children. The evidence at trial showed that Carter specifically targeted children in need and preyed on their vulnerability. Between 1995 and 2011, Carter frequently traveled between the United States and Haiti in order to raise funds from churches and donors for the continued operation of the Center. Carter sexually and physically abused the children in his care and custody at the Center during this period of time. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Carter used force to get these children to comply with his sexual demands and required the children to participate in sexual acts in order to receive food, remain at the Center and/or continue to receive school tuition payments.
At trial, 16 Haitian victims who resided at the Morning Star Center between 1995 and 2011 testified. Additionally, four witnesses testified that they were sexually abused by Carter in London during the 1970s. Carter previously was charged with and acquitted of charges related to the sexual abuse of children in London, Cairo, Egypt, and Winter Haven, Fla.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria K. Medetis of the Southern District of Florida and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney Bonnie L. Kane of the Criminal Division. The case against Carter was investigated by ICE-HSI in Miami, the ICE-HSI Assistant Attaché’s Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the ICE-HSI Santo Domingo Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit. Substantial assistance was provided by the Haitian National Police Brigade for the Protection of Minors; Haitian Social Services; the Ministry of the Interior for Haiti; the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Regional Security Office for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; the London Metropolitan Police Service; the U.S. Secret Service Miami Field Office; the FBI’s Washington, Boston and Miami Field Offices; and the ICE-HSI Attaché’s Offices in London and Cairo.
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.
Miami Man Pleads Guilty to Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Hosmel Barona-Cardona (41, Miami) pleaded guilty to access device fraud. Barona-Cardona faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to the plea agreement, between November 14, 2009 and November 30, 2011, Barona-Cardona used counterfeit credit cards, with stolen credit card numbers, at retail stores and other businesses in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan. These credit cards were created to appear as legitimate Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express cards. These counterfeit credit cards contained stolen credit cards numbers. Over the course of the scheme, Barona-Cardona used more than 100 stolen credit card numbers and fraudulently obtained $155,452.77.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the St. Cloud Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Victor Castaneda, 39, a citizen of Mexico, who most recently resided in Madison, Illinois, entered a plea of guilty in federal court on February 26, 2013, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine (Count 1); Entry Into the United States Without Inspection (Count 4); and four counts of Unlawful Distribution of Cocaine (Counts 6, 7, 8, and 9), the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. No counts were dismissed against Castaneda in return for his plea. Castaneda had been charged on August 22, 2012, in an indictment charging ten individuals with being members of a large drug trafficking organization. Castaneda is currently scheduled to be sentenced on June 14, 2013. At that time he will face penalties of 5 to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment for Count 1. For Count 4, Castaneda faces penalties of not more than 6 months in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, and a $10 Special Assessment. For Counts 6 through 9, Castaneda faces penalties of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment on each count.
Castaneda admitted the Forfeiture Allegation in the Indictment and agreed to forfeit $30,240.00 to the United States. In addition, Castaneda agreed to the entry of a Judicial Order of Removal, which will require that he be deported from the United States following any term of imprisonment.
Of the nine individuals named in the indictment with Castaneda, three others have entered pleas of guilty and are awaiting sentencing; four others have been arrested and are awaiting trial; two are fugitives. Those not yet convicted are presumed innocent because an indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Evidence in support of the indictment was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Participating agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), U.S. Marshal Service, the Granite City Police Department, Fairview Heights Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County (Missouri) Police Department, the St. Charles County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. This case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.
Mercer County, N.J., Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Robbing the Same Bank Twice, Carjacking A Car and Shooting Two PeopleRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. - A Mercer County, N.J., man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for robbing a bank and returning nine months later to rob the same bank, carjacking a vehicle and shooting two people in the course of that conduct, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Jeffrey Garrett, 36, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to Counts One, Three, Five and Six of an Indictment charging him with two armed bank robberies, carjacking, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Garrett robbed the Chase Bank, in Hamilton, N.J., on Nov. 10, 2010. He handed the teller a note that stated: “I have a gun, give me all the fifty and hundred dollar bills.” He displayed a black handgun before fleeing with the cash. Surveillance cameras revealed clear images of Garrett, and FBI agents determined that Garrett used his own Visa card at the Chase Bank’s ATM just moments before the robbery. Federal authorities charged Garrett by Complaint two days later and obtained an arrest warrant, but Garrett remained at large.
Nine months later, on Aug. 23, 2011, Garrett robbed the same bank. To get to the bank, he carjacked a car at 5:30 a.m. He pistol-whipped the victim, and the gun discharged, causing the victim a serious head wound. Garrett locked the bleeding victim in the trunk of the car and shortly thereafter bound his hands with cable and threatened his life.
Garrett arrived at the same Chase Bank in Hamilton in the stolen vehicle around 10 a.m., after driving around for hours. He wore a dark baseball cap and sunglasses when he entered the bank. Showing a chrome revolver, he demanded that the teller give him all the money. When she complied, he asked for more money and threatened to shoot her if she turned any keys at her station. The handgun discharged and the teller was shot in the abdomen.
Garrett drove off in the stolen car and later abandoned it in a shopping mall parking lot in Moorestown, N.J., with the bound carjacking victim still locked in the trunk. Both victims survived.
Garrett was arrested in Florida on Oct. 17, 2011.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Garrett to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez; officers of the Hamilton Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief James W. Collins; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Joseph S. Juniak; and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Joseph Gribko and John E. Clabby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: David E. Schafer Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Settles Lawsuit Against New York City over Hiring Procedures That Violated the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has filed and simultaneously settled a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that NEW YORK CITY (the “City”), and specifically the NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (“NYPD”), violated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”) in the course of its failure to hire an applicant for a School Crossing Guard position. The settlement agreement, in the form of a Consent Decree, was filed today by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The ADA expressly prohibits medical and psychological exams until a conditional offer of employment has been made – so that an applicant will know if his or her disability is the reason he or she didn’t get the job. This transparency in the hiring process is crucial because it protects the applicant from disability-based discrimination that might otherwise be masked by an employer.”
According to the Complaint filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, the applicant applied for the position of School Crossing Guard, and immediately after doing so was directed to report for medical testing. At the time the NYPD directed the applicant to report for medical testing, it had not extended the applicant a conditional offer of employment, in clear violation of the ADA which generally prohibits medical and psychological exams until a conditional offer of employment has been made. After a conditional offer has been made, an employer may then require a prospective employee to undergo a medical examination. The purpose of this two-step process is so that an applicant will be able to discern if he or she was rejected for medical or psychological reasons.
In the Consent Decree, the City admits and acknowledges that it had a hiring procedure at the time that violated the ADA, and agrees to make the applicant a conditional offer of employment and pay her $65,000.
More information on the obligations of employers with respect to job applicants with disabilities is available at www.ada.gov and www.eeoc.gov .
Mr. Bharara thanked the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for its initial investigation of the Complaint.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Kennedy is in charge of the case.
US v.City of New York ADA Settlement Consent Decree
US v. City of New York ADA Settlement ComplaintManhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Seven Members and Associates of Bronx Narcotics Organization with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joseph Anarumo, Jr., the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging seven members and associates of a drug trafficking organization (the “Organization”) that operated in the Bronx with narcotics trafficking. Six of the defendants are also charged with possessing, brandishing, and discharging firearms in connection with their drug trafficking.
One of the defendants charged, ADONY NINA, was originally arrested by ATF agents in April 2012 for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and has been in federal custody since that time. Three additional defendants, CANDIDO ANTOMATTEI, JORGE CRUZ, and TIARA FELIX, were arrested last night. Two additional defendants, STEPHANIE MESA and JASON MORALES, who are already in custody on state charges, will be transferred to federal custody tomorrow. One defendant, EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ, remains at large. The three defendants arrested last night are expected to be presented and arraigned today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank Maas. The case has been assigned to U. S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “With today’s takedown in the Bronx, we are once again reminded of the connection between narcotics trafficking, guns and violence. These defendants allegedly conspired to blanket a section of the Bronx with heroin and crack cocaine, using guns as their calling cards. Today’s arrests represent the latest coordinated work of law enforcement to clean the drug trade and the people who peddle drugs out of our neighborhoods and to make those communities safe for their residents.”
ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Anarumo, Jr. said: “This investigation is extremely vital not only because it has resulted in the arrests of violent individuals known to be using firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking, but also because it exemplifies inter-agency cooperation at its best. By combining the investigative resources and techniques of the NYPD and ATF, an organized and defined heroin and crack trafficking operation has been effectively dismantled. The essence of law enforcement is realized when we can rid the streets of criminals and also cause the initiation of additional investigations into even more serious offenders.”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “Police investigated the source of New Year’s Day gunfire and discovered alleged crack cocaine and heroin trafficking, much of it occurring within feet of a school and playground. Law-abiding New Yorkers in nearby public housing and elsewhere in the Bronx bore the brunt of the subjects’ drug dealing and gun violence - until NYPD detectives, their ATF partners, and Federal prosecutors stepped in. I commend their dedication to public safety, and congratulate them on the arrests in this case.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, other publicly filed documents, and statements made in court earlier today:
From 2008 through 2012, the Organization’s members sold crack cocaine and heroin to street level drug customers, and supplied those drugs to other Bronx drug dealers, primarily in the vicinity of Longwood Avenue and Beck and Kelly Streets in the Bronx.
For example, in October 2011, JORGE CRUZ sold a quantity of crack cocaine to an NYPD undercover officer. And in March 2010, JASON MORALES was in possession of four firearms, at least one of which was brandished and discharged in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
The federal investigation into the Organization’s narcotics trafficking began in concert with the arrest of ADONY NINA by NYPD officers after he allegedly fired a handgun into the air early on the morning of January 1, 2012 in the Bronx. NINA is a leading member of the Organization.
All of the defendants are charged with one count of conspiring to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, crack cocaine and heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. In addition, six of the defendants are charged with possessing firearms, which were brandished and discharged, in connection with their drug trafficking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. A chart containing the names, ages, residences, and charges for the defendants is attached.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF, and added that the investigation is continuing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Noble and Laurie Korenbaum are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Click here to view chart(s)
US v Nina et al Indictment
Man Sentenced for Attack on Federal MarshalsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. - Robert Lee Locke, 29, of Prichard, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court today for his assault of two United States deputy marshals. Court documents reflect that the attack occurred outside a federal courtroom where Locke had just been sentenced for a violation of a supervised release term in a prior federal drug conviction. Locke became unruly as the court proceeding adjourned, and in the hallway outside the courtroom, Locke, who was in custody, used the handcuffs on his hands and his fingernails against the deputy marshal escorting him back to the marshals holding area for prisoners in federal custody. A second deputy marshals was also present, who sought to gain control of Locke. In addition to cuts and abrasions on the face and head of the first deputy marshal, Locke scratched the cornea of the second deputy marshal and bit her on the arm.
Locke pled guilty to two counts of impeding a deputy marshal in the performance of official duties in November of 2012. United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed a sentence of 70 months imprisonment on each count, but ordered that the time run concurrently. Locke was also ordered to serve another term of three years supervised release following the completion of his prison term. The judge ordered that Locke pay restitution for the medical expenses incurred by the injuries he inflicted on the deputy marshals, and imposed a special mandatory assessment of $200.
The United States Marshals Service in Mobile conducted the investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Sell over 4 Kilos of Methamphetamine in OaklandRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - Miguel Bedoya pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
In pleading guilty, Bedoya admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in Oakland, California. He admitted that, on September 5, 2012, he met with an individual in Oakland, and showed him approximately 4.4 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside a speaker box in the trunk of a vehicle that Bedoya’s co-conspirator was driving.
The co-conspirator, Hassan Johnny Valenzuela, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2013.
Bedoya, 56, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on September 27, 2012. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(viii), and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(viii).
Bedoya has been in continuous federal custody since October 3, 2012.
The sentencing of Bedoya is scheduled for May 15, 2013, before the Honorable Phyllis J. Hamilton in Oakland. The maximum statutory penalty for violating 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1) and 846 is life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Chinhayi Cadet is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jacquelyn Lovrin. The prosecution is the result of a an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakland Police Department.
Lusby Man Pleads Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - Shawn Fred Crawford, age 47, of Lusby, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession and distribution of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the plea agreement, on July 25, 2012, Crawford distributed six images and 16 videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. After an investigation by the FBI, a search warrant was executed at Crawford’s home on September 18, 2012. A subsequent forensic examination of the computers and other digital media seized during the search revealed approximately 4,700 images and 1,100 videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including children under the age of 12.
As part of his plea agreement, Crawford will be required to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for distribution of child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography, each followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), with members from 10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing and abused children.
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 "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley, who is prosecuting the case.
Laredo Resident Sentenced in Alien Smuggling CaseRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Jorge Castenada, 38, of Laredo, has been sentenced to total of 63 months following his conviction of alien smuggling, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Jorge Castenada pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2012.
Following a four-hour sentencing hearing today, visiting U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison handed Castenada a sentence of 51 months for the alien smuggling offense and another 12 months for violating terms of supervised release, to be served consecutively, for a total of 63 months.
In May 2012, Castenada agreed to transport an undocuented Guatemalan female alien from McAllen to Houston via Laredo for $1500. Castenada, who already has an extensive criminal history, then took the lone female alien to a deserted house where he sexually assaulted her and threatened her to keep quiet. Later in the day, he was stopped by Border Patrol for an immigration inspection and was arrested for alien smuggling when it was revealed he was transporting an alien in violation of federal law.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonah Lee.
Kennel Operators Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Mail Fraud in Dog SalesRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Floyd and Susan Martin, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, d/b/a Chestnut Grove Kennel, entered guilty pleas today before U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, in Harrisburg.
Pursuant to the terms of written plea agreements, Floyd Martin entered a plea of guilty to one count of mail fraud. Susan Martin entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy. The plea agreements also specify that Floyd and Susan Martin are jointly and severally liable for restitution in the amount of $300,000.
The charges stem from an investigation initiated in February 2009 by the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, and Animal Care. According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the Martins were charged with the unlawful procurement of hundreds of random sourced dogs by unnamed co-conspirators, and the subsequent resale of those dogs to medical research facilities by Floyd and Susan Martin, d/b/a Chestnut Grove Kennel.
The indictment alleged that the defendants conspired to circumvent federal regulations, which place limitations on the number of allowable sales of dogs, by stealing the identities of multiple individuals and falsifying federal documents.
U.S. Attorney Smith said that activities such as those alleged in the indictment will be investigated and prosecuted by his office: “This kind of alleged conduct constitutes a cruel fraud on dog owners and mistreatment of animals as well as showing a flagrant disregard for the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s program to ensure that such animals are treated properly and safely.”Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
In this particular case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment for mail fraud and 5 years imprisonment for conspiracy, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Murder-for-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Basehor, Kan., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to hire a man to kill his wife.
Lee D. Smith, 38, of Basehor, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to eight years in federal prison without parole.
Smith, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2012, admitted that he contacted a Kansas City, Mo., man (who is only identified in the plea agreement as a confidential informant) on May 9, 2012, about hiring the man to kill his wife. On the same day, Smith drove to a bus stop near Brush Creek and Highway 71 in Kansas City, Mo., to pick up the man. Smith drove him to an office building in Overland Park, Kan., where his wife worked. Smith pointed out the door she used to enter the building, showed the man where she parked her vehicle, and described the type of vehicle she would be driving. Smith gave the man a physical description of his wife and told him what time she usually arrived at work in the morning. Smith told the man that he would pay him $1,500 to kill his wife when she arrived at the work the next day (May 10, 2012).
The man informed the Kansas City Police Department about Smith’s plan to murder his wife. Following police instructions, he called Smith on May 11, 2012, and told him that he had abducted both his wife and daughter. Smith told the man to release his daughter but to kill his wife. Later on the same day, the man, following police instructions, again called Smith and told him that he had killed Smith’s wife; he demanded $1,800 for doing this.
Smith agreed to meet the man later that day at a grocery store in Kansas City, Mo., and pay him the $1,800 for murdering his wife. Following this conversation, Smith went to his bank and cashed a check for $1,600. Later that morning, the Kansas City Police Department asked Smith to come to police headquarters so they could give him “news” about his wife. When Smith arrived at police headquarters he was arrested.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Illinois Staffing AgencyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today reached an agreement with The Agency Staffing located in West Dundee, Ill., resolving claims that the staffing company violated the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The Justice Department’s investigation was initiated based on a referral from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under a memorandum of agreement between the Civil Rights Division and USCIS. The department’s investigation concluded that The Agency Staffing applied enhanced employment eligibility procedures to work-authorized non-U.S. citizens that were run through E-Verify. The company did not utilize these additional procedures when it ran U.S. Citizens through E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system run by USCIS that confirms employment eligibility by comparing information from an employee’s Form I-9.
Under the settlement agreement, The Agency Staffing will pay $8,400 in civil penalties to the United States, undergo Justice Department training on the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and be subject to monitoring of its employment eligibility verification practices for a period of three years. The case settled prior to the Justice Department filing a complaint in this matter.
“Employers cannot create higher hurdles for non-U.S. citizens in the employment eligibility verification process, which includes E-Verify, than those required of U.S. citizens or those required by law,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We commend The Agency Staffing for restructuring its hiring processes to ensure that it will no longer be treating new hires differently based on their citizenship status.”
The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under the immigration laws, call the OSC’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2525, TDD for hearing impaired), call the OSC’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-362-2735, TDD for hearing impaired), sign up for a no-cost webinar at www.justice.gov/about/osc/webinars.php , email [email protected] or visit the website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc .
Justice Department Announces More Than $12.6 Million in Grants to 20 Communities to Reduce Dating ViolenceRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW ) today announced $12.6 million dollars in grants awarded to 20 communities as part of a new, consolidated program designed to more effectively reduce dating violence . For the first time, grantees can implement a comprehensive approach to dating violence that includes services for victims, prevention programs, partnering with schools and engaging men and boys in ending violence against women . OVW combined four separate grant programs into one, enabling more efficient, effective work and responding to the call for bold new initiatives from The Attorney General’s Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence.
Grantees of the Consolidated Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Violence and Engaging Men and Boys as Allies will provide services to children and youth exposed to violence, training for professionals to improve interventions and responses, coordinated school-based strategies, supportive services for non-abusing parents and coordinated community responses. The Program also supports innovative prevention strategies that encourage men and boys to work as allies with women and girls to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West announced the grants to a room full of high school and college students at a White House event commemorating Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
“Teen dating violence is about our community, our schools and our relationships. And that means it’s about us. Each one of us, as well as, importantly, those of us who are men,” Acting Associate Attorney General West said. “As fathers, brothers, coaches, teachers and classmates – men’s voices must be part of this conversation – as men, both young and old, this is our individual and collective responsibility.”
Research shows that our nation’s teens and young adults experience particularly high rates of violence. One-in-ten 9th-12th grade students were physically hurt, on purpose, by a boyfriend or girlfriend in 2011. According to the latest CDC data, 80% of rape victims were raped for the first time before their 25th birthday. Many young people do not know where to turn for help. A 2008 study found that 67 percent of students who were abused in a relationship talked to a friend, but only 13 percent also talked to a parent or other adult.
“Every year, millions of children and adolescents across the United States are victimized and exposed to violence in their homes and neighborhoods, and often suffer severe, long-term emotional and physical consequences,” said Acting Director of OVW Bea Hanson. “As we work to help keep our children safe, we must view prevention and intervention as intertwined, not separate and distinct. This grant program is an essential part of our vision for safe and healthy communities, places where young people can grow to their fullest potential.”
Grantees will receive awards ranging from $350,000 to $1,000,000 based on the scope of their projects. The selected applicants are: Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, Alaska; The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Alaska; Center for Hope and Healing, Mass.; Deaf Abused Women’s Network, Washington, D.C.; The Family Partnership, Minn.; Family Violence and Rape Crisis Services, N.C.; Jenesse Center Inc., Calif.; Jewish Women International, Inc., Washington, D.C.; HOPE Works, Vt.; Mecklenburg County, N.C.; Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis Inc., Conn.; Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Wash.; King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Wash.; Nashville Young Women’s Christian Association, Tenn.; Peace Over Violence, Calif.; Project Pave, Colo.; SafeHaven of Tarrant County, Texas; Wiconi Wawokiya Inc., S.D.; Youth Organizations Umbrella Inc., Ill.; and YWCA Knoxville, Tenn.
For more information on OVW and its programs, please visit: www.ovw.usdoj.gov .
Judge Hands Down Long Prison Term for Illegal Oxycodone DistributionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - William Andrews, 52, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 145 months in prison for a drug distribution conspiracy involving approximately 7,000 pills of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of oxycodone. Andrews obtained oxycodone pills from various sources, including a licensed physician who issued prescriptions authorizing Andrews to obtain oxycodone pills from licensed pharmacies. Andrews then supplied oxycodone pills to his alleged co-conspirator, Joseph Fareri, for the purpose of selling the pills to customers, typically charging $20 for a 30 milligram pill. Andrews also sold oxycodone pills to customers.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg ordered six years of supervised release. Andrews pleaded guilty on April 11, 2013 to the conspiracy, to a charge of distribution, and a charge of distribution within 1,000 feet of a protected area. His co-defendant, Joseph Fareri, was sentenced on February 4, 2013 to 86 months in prison; co-defendant John Marshall is awaiting trial.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Troyer and Frank Labor and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Olson and Heather Castellino of the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Illinois Man Sentenced on Interstate Sex OffenseRead the Press Release
Boston - An Illinois man was sentenced today in federal court for an interstate sex offense involving a 15-year-old girl.
James Waddell, 36, of Montrose, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Waddell pleaded guilty to one count of Inducing Travel to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity on Nov. 14, 2012.Waddell met a 15-year-old girl in Massachusetts on the Internet through a role-playing game. Waddell later began communicating with the girl by telephone and webcam, and by the spring 2009, Waddell was encouraging the girl to masturbate on the webcam while he recorded it. In August 2009, Waddell traveled from Illinois to Enfield, Conn. to meet the girl and have sex with her. Waddell induced her to cross from Massachusetts into Connecticut so that he could take her to a motel room where he had sex with her and recorded it. At the time, the sex was a violation of Connecticut law because Waddell was 31 and the girl was 15.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Massachusetts State Police and Longmeadow Police Department also provided assistance. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Ortiz's Springfield Branch Office.
Holdman IndictedRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux, Jr. announced today that a Federal Grand Jury returned an indictment on February 27, 2013 charging JAMES R. HOLDMAN with 18 (eighteen) counts of mail fraud for his role in executing a fraudulent investment scheme.
According to the indictment, HOLDMAN operated a hedge fund called Greenwing Capital Management, LLC. As the owner and operator of the fund, HOLDMAN solicited and received millions of dollars in investment funds from the victim investors. The indictment alleges that from approximately February 2008 to October 2008, HOLDMAN concealed a failed investment plan by falsely representing to the victim investors that their investments were earning positive rates of return when, in fact, HOLDMAN had lost over 98% of their funds.
The indictment alleges by making these false representations, HOLDMAN was able to conceal his failed investment plan and defraud the victim investors into keeping their remaining money with Greenwing Capital or investing more money in it, thereby allowing HOLDMAN to continue receiving money in the form of fees for his own personal use and benefit. In order to continue to conceal his fraud, HOLDMAN continued to put the victim investors’ money at risk in an attempt to recoup his losses.
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Michael J. Anderson stated, “Those individuals who prey on a vulnerable investing public, especially during such challenging economic times, will continue to be held fully accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux, Jr. stated, “Prosecuting those who commit investment fraud in the district will continue to be a priority as we strive to protect the public and to deter wrongdoers.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shubhra Shivpuri. The joint investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions, the Texas State Securities Board, and the Securities and Charities Division of the Mississippi Office of the Secretary of State.
NOTE: An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that probable cause exists to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty at trial.