Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
1 March 2013
Chatwin Pleads to Bank Fraud; Brandishing Firearm; Plea Agreement Includes Recommendation for 12-Year SentenceRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A man who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through Sandy, Murray and West Valley City in August pleaded guilty Friday afternoon in federal court to bank fraud and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The plea agreement includes a stipulated sentence of 12 years followed by 60 months of supervised release.
Joseph Lee Chatwin, age 41, of Salt Lake City, and a co-defendant, Shauntae Leah Stratton, age 24, of Salt Lake City, were charged with access device fraud; aggravated identity theft; bank fraud; possession of stolen mail; and possession of unauthorized access devices. In addition to those charges, Chatwin also was charged with possession of a controlled substance; assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers; using a firearm during a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm by a restricted person in the 11-count indictment returned in October.
Chatwin and Stratton were initially apprehended on July 17, 2012, by Farmington police officers inside a stolen motor home at the Lagoon campground. Both defendants attempted to flee from police. Stratton was recaptured a short time later. Chatwin was arrested later in a shed. However, he later kicked out the window of a police car and escaped. The U.S. Marshals’ Joint Criminal Apprehension Team developed information in early August that Chatwin was at a home in Sandy. Officers tried to arrest him as he left the residence but he evaded arrest and led officers on the high speed pursuit. Officers were successful in spiking the tires of the car he was driving. Chatwin was subsequently arrested after brandishing a firearm at the Marshals.
As a part of the plea agreement, Chatwin admitted that he and Stratton stole a purse early in May from a victim identified as O.P. in the court document. They later saw a motor home for sale by owner and used a cell phone from O.P.’s stolen purse to negotiate the purchase price of the motor home. They later met in person with the owner of the motor home and finalized a purchase price of $30,000. Using O.P.’s personal information from the stolen purse, Chatwin says his co-defendant, with his knowledge and approval, opened a bank account in O.P.’s name at U.S. Bank using funds from a stolen check from two other victims. Chatwin said the co-defendant also obtained a cashier’s check at U.S. Bank payable to the owner of the motor home for $30.00. Chatwin admitted they altered this check to be payable in the amount of $30,000 and used the fraudulent check to pay for the motor home.
As Chatwin was attempting to leave a home in Sandy in early August, officers attempted to arrest him. He admitted he evaded them and almost struck a law enforcement vehicle as he was driving in a church parking lot. He admitted he then led police on a lengthy high-speed chase through Sandy, Murray and West Valley City areas until officers spiked the tires of the car he was driving. Chatwin admitted that he exited the car and was approached by Deputy U.S. Marshals who instructed him to stop. He brandished a 9 mm Ruger handgun, which was observed by the Marshals. He was arrested by the Marshals.
The final amount of victim restitution in the case will be determined at sentencing. However, Chatwin has agreed that the amount of restitution ordered in the case will include all relevant conduct.
Sentencing for Chatwin has been set for June 3. A change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Stratton on March 5 at 10:30 a.m. in Judge Robert J. Shelby’s courtroom.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City. Several agencies have participated in the investigation including the West Jordan Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Unified Police Department, and West Valley City and Farmington Police Departments, among others.
Centreville Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Michael A. Cooper, 27, of Centreville, IL, was sentenced on March 1, 2013, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, on one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Cooper was sentenced to 72 months in prison, three years of supervised release, fined $500 and ordered to pay $100 special assessment. He also forfeited the firearms. Cooper, who had previously pled guilty, admitted that he had possessed several guns, knowing that he was a convicted felon and that it was illegal for him to possess the guns.
Court documents revealed that on October 21, 2011, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for a bedroom in a residence occupied by Cooper. During the search of the dwelling, firearms were discovered and seized.
Prior to October 21, 2011, Cooper had been convicted of a felony.
The investigation was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Enforcement Group for Southwestern Illinois.
This was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
California Man Arrested in Federal Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
A Long Beach, Calif., man was arrested yesterday arraigned this afternoon on federal sex trafficking charges that allege he worked with a previously charged defendant to coerce women to work as prostitutes.
Marquis Monte Horn, also known as “Taylor,” 34, was named in an eight-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Wednesday. The indictment includes charges of one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, and one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
The second man charged in the case – Roshaun Nakia Porter, 37, also of Long Beach – was arrested and indicted on sex trafficking charges in April 2012.
According to the superseding indictment, Horn used websites such as www.modelmayhem.com to recruit victims to work in a prostitution organization by claiming he and Porter were running an upscale escort service in which women could make $500 per day. Horn, Porter and others used various coercive tactics to induce the victims into engaging in prostitution. For example, they allegedly developed a romantic relationship with some victims, falsely promised victims they would only be working as an escort, falsely promised financial assistance for the victims and their families, falsely promised help to obtain lawful immigration status in the United States, and isolated some victims from their friends and family.
The indictment further alleges that Horn recruited one victim into the prostitution organization who was subsequently beaten, whipped and forced to engage in prostitution by Porter.
Investigators believe that there are additional, as-yet unidentified victims in this case. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
Horn was arraigned on the indictment this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif.
If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Horn would face a statutory maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
Porter has previously pleaded not guilty in this case and was ordered to be held without bond. A trial for Porter is scheduled for May 7, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton Tucker.
This week’s superseding indictment in the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Burlington County, N.J., Woman Sentenced to One Year of Home Confinement, Five Years of Probation, for Trying to Hide CashRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, N.J., woman was sentenced today to 12 months of home confinement and five years of probation for making cash deposits totaling more than $700,000 in amounts of less than $10,000 each in order to avoid having banks file a report on her deposits, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Sandra Mastoris, 58, of Chesterfield, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano to an Indictment that charged her with structuring more than $700,000 in cash deposits from 2008 to 2009. Judge Pisano imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
By the beginning of 2008, Mastoris had accumulated a cash hoard of more than $700,000. Beginning in May 2008 and continuing in 2009, Mastoris deposited that cash hoard in amounts of less than $10,000 because she was aware that banks were required to report cash transactions that involved amounts of more than $10,000, and she wanted to avoid having the banks file such reports. Making deposits of cash in amounts of less than $10,000 in order to avoid having banks file Currency Transaction Reports constitutes the criminal offense of “structuring.”
Mastoris made cash deposits into 13 different accounts at five different banks. Between May 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009, Mastoris made more than 200 cash deposits of less than $10,000 into accounts at JPMorganChase, Bank of America, PNC Bank, Sovereign Bank and Grand Bank. On Aug. 29, 2008, for example, Mastoris made cash deposits of $9,900 into an account at the Bank of America, $5,000 into one account at JPMorganChase, $4,500 into a second account at JPMorganChase, and $8,500 into an account at PNC Bank.
In addition to the home confinement and probation, Judge Pisano ordered Mastoris to forfeit $70,000.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bohdan Vitvitsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
13-100
Defense Counsel: Vincent P. Sarubbi Esq., Haddonfield, N.J.Bismarck Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on March 1, 2013, Rodney A. Milner, 52, Bismarck, N.D., pleaded guilty and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of distribution of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
Judge Hovland sentenced Milner to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Milner was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
From an unknown time up until Sept. 2011, Milner used his home computer to send images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bismarck Police Department, the N.D. Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the Burleigh County State’s Attorney’s Office.
This case was brought as a 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 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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Delorme prosecuted the case.
Big Spring, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Bomb Threat HoaxRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas --- Jordan Weston Hamilton, 24, of Big Spring, Texas, appeared yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to the federal charge of false information and hoaxes, stemming from a bomb threat he made in December 2012. Hamilton, who remains in custody, faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, on December 17, 2012, at approximately 10:05 a.m., Hamilton called the Howard County, Texas, 9-1-1 emergency call center. Hamilton admits that he intentionally conveyed false and misleading information to the emergency call center when he stated there was a bomb located in the Science room at the Big Spring High School. Hamilton also admits that emergency officials in Big Spring, reasonably believing the false and misleading information he conveyed, evacuated and searched the Big Spring High School for a bomb. No bomb was located at the school.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Cunningham, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas.
Bergen County, N.J., Man Admits Role in Two Separate Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Ran Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme, Swindled Elderly, Disabled Widow
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, N.J., man who claimed to run New Jersey-based hedge funds using a secret computer program to invest in foreign currency admitted today he defrauded victims out of millions of dollars, defrauded an elderly, disabled widow out of her life savings, and evaded payment of taxes, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
George Sepero, 40, of Glen Rock, N.J., pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax evasion before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court. Two conspirators, Carmelo Provenzano and Daniel Dragan, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Simandle.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Beginning in 2009, Sepero, Dragan and Provenzano claimed to run a series of hedge funds in New Jersey, luring investors with the prospect of extraordinary profits in foreign currency trading. The defendants made numerous misrepresentations and omissions to induce their victims to invest in “Caxton Capital Management” and “CCP Pro Consulting Inc.” Sepero claimed that he and his conspirators owned and controlled a proprietary computer algorithm for trading foreign currencies; that they had used the algorithm to achieve returns of more than 170 percent in the prior two years; and that any investment funds would be highly liquid and could be withdrawn on days’ notice.
Investors sent the defendants a total of more than $3.5 million. Sepero and the others invested little or no money in foreign currency or any other investment vehicle, instead diverting the vast majority of victims’ investments to pay prior victims in Ponzi-scheme style and to finance extravagant personal expenditures.
Sepero and his co-conspirators spent investor money on credit card bills averaging $25,000 per month; bar tabs of $18,241, including a $4,000 tip; $14,034 on separate nights at “Drai’s Hollywood” nightclub in Los Angeles; and flights to Paris and elsewhere. Sepero bought a custom Ford pickup truck costing more than $80,000.
The defendants e-mailed victims fake statements showing their principal had been invested in the foreign currency markets and was achieving substantial results. Many of these e-mails were purportedly sent by an individual named “Mel Tannenbaum,” a fictional character of Provenzano’s invention.
The defendants also e-mailed to several investors “screen shots” of a computer-based trading program, which they claimed represented the investors’ funds being traded in the currency markets. In reality, the shots reflected trading in fictional accounts set up by the conspirators to dupe investors.
The wire fraud conspiracy count to which Sepero pleaded is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for June 14, 2013.
Sepero also pleaded guilty to conducting a wholly separate fraud scheme:
Sepero worked as a financial planner at a financial institution for several years, but was fired in 2006 because of investigations into his churning of clients’ accounts. One of his clients was an elderly, demented, paraplegic woman with the initials M.V. Sepero took control of M.V.’s annuity account, which was the sole means that M.V. had to provide for her retirement and nursing expenses.
Notwithstanding his termination from the financial institution, Sepero lied to M.V. and her family, and told them that he was still authorized to manage the annuity account. When M.V. had money to add to the annuity account, M.V. – at Sepero's direction – handed it over to Sepero, with checks made payable not to the administrator of the account, but rather to Sepero’s company, “Casa Nostra Enterprises.” Instead of transferring the money to the annuity account, however, Sepero spent it on his own expenses: credit card and other bills, mortgage payments, and car payments, among other things.
To hide the fraud, Sepero fabricated a bogus account statement, showing that the annuity account was worth more than $700,000, when, for the period covered by the bogus statement, the annuity account actually contained $16.57.
Sepero placed recorded phone calls to the administrator of the annuity account, during which he impersonated both M.V.’s son and her husband, who had been dead for more than three years at the time Sepero made the calls.
Sepero also pleaded guilty to tax evasion for the tax year 2010, as he derived income from his fraudulent activities, but did not file a tax return and deposited his victims’ money into his companies’ accounts.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s New York Regional Office, under the direction of David Meister.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Kelly and Zach Intrater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit and Evan Weitz of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit in Newark.
This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
13-102Defense counsel: John Weischel Esq., Hackensack, N.J.
Sepero Superseding Information
Bahamian Man Arrested and Charged for Attempting to Smuggle $1.2 Million to the BahamasRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced that Rohan Spicer, a Bahamian national, was arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to smuggle approximately $1.2 million to the Bahamas. A bond hearing has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 4, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman.
According to court documents, Spicer traveled from the Bahamas to the United States by boat, arriving on February 25. HSI agents observed Spicer transfer items from the rear of his sport utility vehicle onto the boat on February 27. Spicer completed a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement in which he declared that he was transporting household goods and speakers. Subsequently, Spicer’s boat was interdicted and boarded approximately six nautical miles east of the Palm Beach Inlet, at which time Spicer advised the officers that he was enroute to Freeport, Grand Bahamas, and that he was in possession of approximately $20,000.00 in U.S. currency that he had failed to declare one hour earlier at the Port of Palm Beach.
A Customs and Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) search of the vessel and cargo lead to the discovery and seizure of approximately $1.2 million in cash, packaged in $50,000 bundles of various dominations. The cash was hidden within merchandise, stereo speakers, and luggage discovered aboard the vessel.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the ICE-HSI, CBP Office of Air and Marine Operations, CBP/Office of Field Operations, CBP/U.S Border Patrol, PBSO, and the Village of Tequesta Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Evans.
A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
A member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang (ABT) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges related to his membership in the ABT’s criminal enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.
Christopher James Morris, aka, “Rockstar,” 37, of Dallas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.
On Feb. 22, 2013, Morris’s co-conspirator Chad Ray Folmsbee, aka, “Polar Bear,” 30, of Houston, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.
According to court documents, Morris, Folmsbee and other ABT gang members and associates, agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, arson, kidnapping and narcotics trafficking on behalf of the ABT gang. Morris, Folmsbee and numerous ABT gang members met on a regular basis at various locations throughout Texas to report on gang-related business, collect dues, commit disciplinary assaults against fellow gang members and discuss acts of violence against rival gang members, among other things.
By pleading guilty to racketeering charges, Morris and Folmsbee have admitted to being members of the ABT criminal enterprise.
According to the superseding indictment, the ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system. The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s. According to the superseding indictment, previously, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy/separatism. Over time, the ABT expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.
Court documents allege that the ABT enforced its rules and promoted discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, arson, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Members, and oftentimes associates, were required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”
According to the superseding indictment, in order to be considered for ABT membership, a person must be sponsored by another gang member. Once sponsored, a prospective member must serve an unspecified term, during which he is referred to as a prospect, while his conduct is observed by the members of the ABT.
At sentencing, Morris and Folmsbee each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. Morris and Folmsbee are both scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 26, 2013.
Morris and Folmsbee are two of 35 defendants charged with conducting racketeering activity through the ABT criminal enterprise, among other charges. Ben Christian Dillon, 40, of Houston and James Marshall Meldrum, 40, of Dallas each pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy on Jan. 31, 2013.
This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Public Safety; Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General; Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Atascosa County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Orange County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Waller County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Fort Worth, Texas, Police Department; Alvin, Texas, Police Department; Carrollton, Texas, Police Department; Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office; Atascosa County District Attorney’s Office; and the Kaufman County, Texas, District Attorney’s Office.The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas.
Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces the sentencing in the United States District Court, Macon Division, of Kerivonte Davis, age 26 of Wrightsville, Georgia,and Jimmy Brown age 25 of Fort Valley, Georgia. Mr. Davis and Mr. Brown entered guilty pleas in October and November, 2012 respectively. Both defendants were sentenced on February 27, 2013 for Armed Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and (ii). The defendants appeared before the Honorable C. Ashley Royal, United States District Court, Macon, Georgia.Mr. Davis was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment for two counts of Armed Bank Robbery to be followed by a consecutive sentence of imprisonment of 84 months for Brandishing a Firearm During an Armed Bank Robbery, for a total prison sentence of 272 months. Mr. Brown was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment for Armed Bank Robbery to be followed by a consecutive sentence of imprisonment of 84 months for Brandishing a Firearm During an Armed Bank Robbery, for a total prison sentence of 147 months.
A third defendant, Gregory Green age 27 of Byron, Georgia, was previously sentenced by Judge Royal to a total prison term of 113 months.
On May 28, 2010, while wearing masks and carrying firearms, the three entered the Atlantic Southern Bank in Lizella, Georgia, ordered the employees to the ground and stole more than $13,000.00. On December 16, 2010, defendants Davis and Green, again wearing masks and carrying firearms, entered the Atlantic Southern Bank in Bonaire, Georgia, and stole more than $23,000.00.
United States Attorney Michael Moore said, “It is an act of pure cowardice to hide behind a mask and a gun while terrorizing innocent people. I will not tolerate it, and my office will spare no resource in making sure that this type of crime is met with the full force of the law.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney, Verda M. Colvin and Jennifer Kolman prosecuted the case for the Government. For additional information contact Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, at 478-621-2602.
Anchorage Residents charged with wire fraud, theft of honest services, money laundering and false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that Anchorage resident Kenneth Browning, 60, was charged with wire fraud, theft of honest services, money laundering, and false tax returns. The same indictment also charges Anchorage resident Jerald Briske, 74, with 22 counts of wire fraud. The offenses charged occurred from May, 2008, through April, 2010.
According to the indictment, Browning was employed as a Federal Property Allocation Officer with the State of Alaska, Department of Administration, Division of General Services, Property Management Office. In this position, Browning was responsible for allocating surplus federal property to qualified state recipients. Briske was a corporate officer for Coast Line Enterprises Inc., a used equipment selling, salvage and mining business run by Briske and located in Anchorage, Alaska.
The indictment alleges a scheme between Browning and Briske whereby Browning would illegally divert surplus federal property intended for qualified state agencies or non-profits to Briske, knowing that Briske was not qualified to receive the property. Briske, in coordination with Browning, would then sell the fraudulently obtained surplus federal property to other businesspeople in Alaska and elsewhere, and both Briske and Browning would share the illegally obtained proceeds derived from this scheme.The indictment alleges that Browning and Briske conducted 22 separate transactions as part of the scheme to defraud. As a result of the scheme, Browning received approximately $140,150 in illegally obtained payments from Briske. It is alleged that Briske obtained approximately $220,870 worth of property to which neither he nor Coast Line Enterprises Inc., were entitled.
Browning is also charged with 22 counts of theft of honest services fraud for defrauding the state of Alaska. He is also charged with one count of money laundering by using proceeds of the scheme to purchase a 2004 Ford Mustang convertible. Browning is also charged with four counts of filing false tax returns for failing to report income from the scheme on his tax returns.The maximum penalty for both wire fraud and theft of honest services is 30 years imprisonment with a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years imprisonment with a $250,000 fine. Filing false tax returns carries a three year term of imprisonment and a fine of $100,000. An arraignment date has been set for March 27th, 2013.
Ms. Loeffler commends the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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.
28 February 2013
Woonsocket Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Felix Reyes, 20, of Woonsocket, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas S. Carey.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi also ordered Reyes to serve 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Reyes pleaded guilty on December 4, 2012, to one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base.
According to information presented to the court, Reyes was arrested by Woonsocket Police in March 2012 following a brief foot chase, after an officer on routine patrol noticed Reyes acting in a suspicious manner. As the officer approached Reyes he fled, discarding a small package which police quickly retrieved. The package contained nearly 39 grams of crack cocaine. Reyes was arrested following a brief struggle.
According to information presented to the court, Reyes was previously convicted in state court on a drug charge, and is currently awaiting trial in state court on drug, assault and weapons charges.
Reyes has been detained since his arrest in March 2012.
The federal drug case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
Contact: 401-709-5357
[email protected]Woman Sentenced to Serve 60 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that Kathleen Wurts was sentenced today in federal court in San Diego to serve 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, in connection with a $17 million Internet fraud scheme. Ms. Wurts entered a guilty plea to one count of the indictment in April 2012. United States District Judge John A. Houston also ordered that Wurts serve a three year term of supervised release following her release from custody. Due to the number of victims, the location of victims worldwide, and the complexity of the case, Judge Houston found that restitution was indeterminate.
In her plea, Wurts admitted that through at least April 2010, she engaged in a conspiracy to defraud individuals who used Internet websites (such as Craigslist and Yahoo!) to find employment, purchase and sell items, and rent and purchase real property. According to court documents, Wurts' co-conspirators mailed her counterfeit money orders and travelers' cheques from outside the United States (Nigeria, Abu Dhabi, and the United Kingdom) and provided her with stolen bank account and credit card numbers via emails and chat logs. Once received, Wurts created hundreds of fraudulent checks using the stolen bank account numbers. She then mailed the counterfeit money orders, travelers' cheques, and fraudulent checks to the victims using stolen credit card information to pay for the postage. The victims generally expected to receive a fixed amount for, as an example, the items they were selling, however, Wurts mailed them a money order, travelers’ cheque, or check in an amount that exceeded the asking price. The victims were then directed to deposit the monetary instruments into their own accounts, keep a certain percentage “for their trouble” and wire-transfer the excess portion of the stolen amount to an overseas account. Wurts received more than $800,000 in counterfeit money orders and travelers' cheques and created more than $17.2 million in fraudulent checks using stolen bank account numbers. Wurts mailed these fraudulent monetary instruments to victims and paid more than $13,000 for the postage using stolen credit card numbers.
This case was investigated by federal agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
DEFENDANT Criminal Case No. 11CR1952-JAH Kathleen Wurts SUMMARY OF GUILTY PLEATitle 18, United States Code, Section 1349 - Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud
INVESTIGATING AGENCIESImmigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations
United States Postal Inspection ServiceWoman Charged with Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Gayle P. Braxton, 66, with theft of government property, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that Braxton stole and converted to her own use $121,734 in Social Security payments made to a deceased payee which were deposited into a joint bank account of the deceased payee and Braxton.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, 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 U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Tripi, following investigation by agents of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
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.
Woman Accused of Stealing More Than $40,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging India N. Parker, 36, with several crimes related to the theft of more than $40,000 in government benefits.
Parker was indicted on two counts of theft of government property and five counts of making false statements. The indictment alleges that Parker stole and converted to her own use, $40,236 in Social Security payments made to a deceased payee and $1,393 in food stamp benefits.
The indictment further alleges that Parker made false statements to agency representatives by stating that her daughter had been living with her when, in fact, Parker knew that her daughter was deceased during the relevant time frames.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, 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 U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Tripi, following investigation by agents of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
Wilson, N.C. Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Distributing Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis in CharlotteRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. sentenced today Awni Shauaib Zayyad, 56, of Wilson, N.C. to two years in prison for five federal offenses related to the possession and sale of counterfeit Viagra and Cialis pills, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Conrad also ordered Zayyad to serve two years under court supervision following his release from prison and to pay a $10,000 fine and $500 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Tompkins is joined in making today’s announcement by Brock D. Nicholson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Atlanta and the Carolinas, Chief Rodney D. Monroe, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), and Dr. Duane Satzger, Acting Forensic Chemistry Center Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Cincinnati Office.
In February 2012, a federal jury convicted Zayyad of one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit prescription medications containing counterfeit trademarks, two counts of trafficking in counterfeit prescription medications bearing counterfeit trademarks, and two counts of selling and holding for sale counterfeit prescription medications with intent to defraud and mislead. Viagra and Cialis, manufactured respectively by Pfizer and Eli Lilly, are prescription medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) that lawfully may be distributed to the public only through licensed pharmacies based upon a doctor’s prescription. Trial evidence established that the counterfeit Viagra and Cialis pills Zayyad distributed contained active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) of the ED medications, although in unknown strength and with unknown non-API additives.
Evidence presented at Zayyad’s trial showed that Zayyad sold over 500 counterfeit Viagra pills on June 24, 2010, at a convenience store in Charlotte. According to trial records, on August 23, 2010, Zayyad was en route to Charlotte in a vehicle registered in his wife’s name to sell more counterfeit pills at the same Charlotte convenience store. Law enforcement agents stopped Zayyad’s vehicle in Mecklenburg County before Zayyad could arrive at his destination. Court evidence indicated that law enforcement found 500 counterfeit Viagra pills and over 200 counterfeit Cialis pills hidden in the vehicle.
Evidence from court proceedings established that Zayyad had possessed and/or distributed over 2,000 counterfeit Viagra pills and almost 400 counterfeit Cialis pills during the course of the investigation in 2010. The counterfeit Viagra and Cialis pills had a combined wholesale value exceeding $40,000. Evidence introduced also established that there is a risk of great bodily injury to consumers who purchase and use counterfeit prescription medications outside of a doctor’s care and outside of licensed pharmacies, especially where counterfeit prescription medications contain active pharmaceutical ingredients of unknown strengths, with unknown additives, manufactured in unknown and untraceable clandestine facilities.
The defendant was ordered to self-report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The investigation was led by ICE-HSI, with assistance from CMPD and FDA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tom O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
Two Ohio Men and Youngtown Company Are Indicted for Violating the Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Ohio men and a Youngstown-based company each with one count of violating the Clean Water Act, said Steven M. Dettelbach, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Benedict W. Lupo, 62, of Poland, Ohio, Michael L. Guesman, 34, of Cortland, Ohio, and Hardrock Excavating LLC are each accused of illegally discharging brine and oil-based drilling mud into a stormwater drain on numerous occasions. The drain flowed into an unnamed tributary of the Mahoning River and ultimately into the Mahoning River, according to the indictment.
The conduct took place between Nov. 1, 2012 and Jan. 31, 2013, according to the indictment.
“Clean, fresh water is our greatest resource in Northern Ohio,” Dettelbach said said “We will aggressively investigate and prosecute cases in which people pollute Ohio’s streams, rivers and lakes.”“We will continue to assist in the federal prosecution of this case but we will also pursue with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources any other violations of Ohio’s environmental protection laws,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “This case is a reminder that we should look at making state law equal to federal law when it comes to protecting the waters of Ohio.”
ODNR Director Jim Zehringer said: “As an agency that focuses strongly on protecting Ohio’s natural resources, ODNR takes illegal dumping of oilfield waste into Ohio waters very seriously, and this type of action will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to take swift and severe action when someone willingly–and with malice–decides that their private interests outweigh the rules and laws that serve the public and keep our environment safe.”
“This incident is very disappointing and one of a small percentage of egregious environmental violations we see at Ohio EPA that must be prosecuted criminally,” Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally said. “In this particular case, the evidence suggests multiple instances of deceptive and illegal conduct, without regard to human health and the environment. This general disregard for the law will not be tolerated in Ohio and we will work with our partners at the local, state and federal agencies to make sure the responsible parties are held accountable. ”
“As the nation increases its use of natural gas, exploration companies must ensure that the waste water resulting from the drilling process is treated and disposed of safely and legally,” said Randall Ashe, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Ohio. “These defendants are alleged to have knowingly and repeatedly discharged stored brine and oil-based drilling mud into a stormwater drain which ultimately flowed into the Mahoning River. This case demonstrates that if companies and their senior managers try to save money by circumventing environmental laws, they will be vigorously prosecuted.”
According to the indictment and related court documents:
Hardrock Excavating LLC is owned by Lupo and located at 2761 Salt Springs Road in Youngstown. The company provides services to the oil and gas industry in Ohio and Pennsylvania, including the storage of brine and oil-based drilling mud. There are approximately 58 mobile storage tanks at the facility and each holds approximately 20,000 gallons.
Lupo, who owns Hardrock, directed employee Guesman to empty some of the waste liquid stored at the facility into a nearby wastewater drain on or about Nov. 1, 2012, according to the indictment.
Lupo directed Guesman to conduct this activity only after no one else was at the facility and only after dark, according to the indictment.
Guesman, at the direction of Lupo, emptied some of the waste liquid at the facility into the nearby stormwater drain using a hose on numerous occasions over the next several months, according to the indictment.
The last time Guesman emptied some of the waste liquid into the drain was on or about Jan. 31, 2013. The waste liquid that night included a mixture of brine and oil-based drilling mud. A sample of the discharge taken that night was black in color and a subsequent analysis showed the presence of several hazardous pollutants, including benzene and toluene, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Beeson following an investigation by the Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. EPA, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Youngstown Department of Public Works and the Youngstown Fire Department.
The statutory maximum for violating the Clean Water Act is for individuals is three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $50,000 per day of violation or $250,000, whichever is larger. For corporations, the statutory maximum is five years of probation and a fine of $50,000 per day of violation or $500,000, whichever is larger.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases they will be less than the maximum.
An indictment 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.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two men were sentenced on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, in U.S. District Court for their part in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., sentenced Ildefonso Madrid Flores, 28, of Mexico, to 151 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. David Kennedy, 37, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and will serve four years under court supervision following his prison term.
U.S. Attorney Tompkins is joined in making today’s announcement by Harry S. Sommers, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office; Greg McLeod, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI); Chief Rodney D. Monroe of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD); and Chief Tim W. Ledford of the Mint Hill Police Department (MHPD).
In May 2012, following a three day trial, a federal jury found Flores guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement seized two kilograms of cocaine from a vehicle in which the drug transaction occurred. Flores expected to receive $70,000 as payment for the drugs. Also, according to trial evidence, Flores possessed two cell phones. One of the cell phones was subscribed in Flores’ name for his personal use. Flores used the second cell phone to coordinate drug trafficking with his co-conspirators. That phone was subscribed under the name “Tony Montana,” the infamous character from the movie “Scarface.” Trial evidence showed that the co-conspirators had distributed a total of approximately 26 kilograms of cocaine.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in April 2012. The third co-defendant, Robert Shanley, 34, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty to the same charge in December 2011. Shanley was sentenced in July 2012 to 57 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In November 2011, a fourth co-conspirator, Joshua Poulin, 34, of Clover, S.C., pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 133 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Flores and Kennedy have been in local federal custody and will be transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The investigation was handled by the DEA, SBI, CMPD, and MHPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
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:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
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.