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17 January 2013
Homedale Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Sexually Explicit Images of MinorsRead the Press Release
BOISE – David Jay Wheeler, 70, of Homedale, Idaho, formerly of Declo, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boise to possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.
According to the plea agreement, members of the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information that between at least September 2011 and April 4, 2012, Wheeler had regularly used peer-to-peer file sharing software on his computer to access child pornography. A search warrant was executed at his home in Declo, which resulted in the seizure of a computer and computer storage media that contained sexually explicit images and videos of minors as young as four years of age. Court records state that Wheeler was sitting at a desktop computer and was in the process of downloading child pornography videos at the time the investigators executed the search warrant.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reviewed the child pornography seized from Wheeler and reported that the material had been produced depicting child sexual abuse victims from Idaho, Washington, Montana, Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Nevada, Hawaii, California, Illinois, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, the Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Austria, and Brazil.
The charge of possessing sexually explicit images of minors carries a maximum punishment of up to ten years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and a minimum term of five years up to lifetime supervised release.
Wheeler is set for sentencing on April 9, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
The case was investigated by officers from the Boise Police Department, assisted by agents and investigators from the Idaho Attorney General's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Idaho State Police, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), all members of the ICAC Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” For more information about registered sex offenders in Idaho, visit www.isp.idaho.gov/sor_id/.
Fraudulent Tax Return Scheme Nets Prison TermRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. -- On Jan. 16, 2013, Corleen Ladawn Thompson, 36, of Casa Grande, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collinsto 37 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $403,002.00 in restitution. After her release from prison, Thompson will serve a term of 36 months supervised release. Thompson pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2012, to conspiracy to defraud the government-false claims
“Because tax fraud undermines the integrity of our income tax system and therefore impacts all of us as taxpayers, our office places a high priority on the investigation and prosecution of this type of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Leonardo.
Thompson admitted that from March 13, 2010, and continuing through Jan. 28, 2012, she and others conspired to defraud the United States government by filing false and fictitious tax returns which falsely claimed refunds. At least 150 false federal individual income tax returns were filed claiming $548,653.00 false refunds. Thompson offered to pay various sums of money to people whose identities were used. Some of the identity information used by Thompson was passed, by her, or to her, by inmates at detention facilities. Thompson provided or was provided names, social security numbers and dates of birth to use in filing false federal income tax returns. Some of the individuals in whose name false claims for refunds were filed were, in fact, inmates in state and local detention facilities. Thompson and others electronically submitted the false income tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service through the internet.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Pinal County Attorney’s Office, and the Casa Grande Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Danny N. Roetzel, Trial Attorney, Department of Justice, Tax Division and Sandra M. Hansen, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-12-000766-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2013-006_ThompsonFor more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Former Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Football Coach Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography, Interstate Extortion and Cyber StalkingRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph J. Ostrowski, age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik to producing and attempting to produce child pornography, interstate extortion, and cyber stalking.
The plea agreement calls for Ostrowski to be sentenced to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed after which a date for sentencing will be scheduled.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, a Superseding Information was filed in December 2012 charging that Ostrowski, a former football coach at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre, persuaded and enticed, and attempted to persuade and entice, minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, including live transmissions via webcam, and used the internet to extort and attempt to extort additional nude photographs, images and live transmissions of sexual conduct from his victims.
Ostrowski was indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton in May 2012 and taken into custody. He was also indicted for cyber stalking by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Michigan. That case was transferred to the Middle District of Pennsylvania for prosecution.
According to a summary of the Government’s evidence presented at today’s hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa, Ostrowski=s production and attempted production of child pornography, interstate extortion activities and cyber stalking occurred during 2006 through May 2012, and involved victims in Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Minnesota, Indiana, Alabama, and Maryland. Some victims were adults; some were minors; they included students who participated in athletic programs. Ostrowski admitted that he frequently posed as students, school alumni, and other persons and used Facebook, Skype, e-mail, instant messaging, and cellular text messaging to commit the crimes.
Ostrowski's charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Scranton and Michigan and the Michigan State University Police.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Upper Big Branch Mine Superintendent Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
IN CONNECTION WITH A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AT UPPER BIG BRANCH
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Upper Big Branch Mine (UBB) superintendent Gary May was sentenced today to 21 months in prison in connection with a federal investigation at the former Massey Energy Company’s UBB Mine, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. Gary May, 43, of Bloomingrose, West Virginia, previously pleaded guilty in March 2012 to conspiracy to impede the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) enforcement efforts at UBB between February 2008 and April 5, 2010. Upper Big Branch was the site of a fatal explosion on April 5, 2010 that killed 29 miners. May was the mine's Superintendent at the time of the explosion.
In February 2012, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin filed a one-count information against May, charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States by impeding MSHA in carrying out its lawful functions, a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said, "With this sentence, Judge Berger took the opportunity to send a powerful message to this mine manager and other mine managers who would put profits over safety: if you violate mine laws and put miners at risk you will go to jail."
May admitted that he and others conspired to impede MSHA in administering and enforcing mine health and safety laws at UBB. He acknowledged giving advance warning of MSHA inspections, often using code phrases to avoid detection. May also admitted to concealing health and safety violations when he knew inspections were imminent. The violations concealed included poor airflow in the mine; piles of loose, combustible coal; and scarcities of rock dust, which prevents mine explosions.
May further acknowledged that he ordered a mine examination book to be falsified. He also said he told miners to rewire the methane gas detector on a piece of mine equipment so the equipment could run illegally.
The Court also ordered May to pay a $20,000 fine. May was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
In sentencing May, United States District Judge Irene C. Berger emphasized that his actions risked catastrophic consequences. Judge Berger said that the sentence should send a message to any mine official who might put business interests ahead of safety laws.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Counsel to the United States Attorney Steve Ruby handled the prosecution.
Former Personal Banker Sentenced to Prison in Bank Fraud Case, Admitted Sharing Personal Information of Account-Holders-Defendant Participated in Identity Theft Scheme Involving $121,400 in Forged Checks-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – LeRoy Brown, a former personal banker from Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by six months of home detention, for his role in an identity theft scheme involving $121,400 in forged checks, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Brown, 32, pled guilty in October 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable John D. Bates. As part of his plea agreement, Brown agreed to pay $72,800 in restitution to Wells Fargo Bank, covering the bank’s losses. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Brown will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Brown and others participated in the scheme from November 2009 until January 2010, conspiring to steal funds from the accounts of customers of Wachovia Bank, now operating as Wells Fargo Bank. Brown began participating in the scheme after he was approached by another person at the bank branch where he worked, in the 1900 block of Seventh Street NW.
The person offered to pay Brown for providing the type of customer information that would be needed to fraudulently obtain funds from customer accounts with balances of at least $15,000. Brown subsequently obtained this information concerning the accounts of seven customers, including their dates of births, addresses, telephone numbers and Social Security numbers. Brown turned over the information and received $2,000 in cash.
Various members of the conspiracy obtained $72,800 and attempted to obtain another $48,600 by forging checks drawn on five of the accounts targeted by Brown. When he was confronted by bank investigators in January 2010, and later when he was arrested in February 2010, Brown admitted that he had illegally accessed the accounts of bank customers, and had provided personal and account information in exchange for money.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also praised those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Diane Hayes and Lenisse Edloe, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Friedman, who investigated the matter. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Graves, who prosecuted the case.
13-013Former Owner of Commercial Mortgage and Finance Company Convicted of FraudRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — Anthony F. D’Agostino, 79, the former owner, CEO and President of Commercial Mortgage and Finance Co., in Rockford, was found guilty today by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala on seventeen counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of securities fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in Commercial Mortgage. The decision was filed today in U.S. District Court in Rockford, following a six-day bench trial in September 2013.
According to the decision, D’Agostino raised capital for his business by selling instruments known as Promissory Notes and Certificates of Participation to investors. The evidence showed that D’Agostino concealed from the investors the fact that Commercial Mortgage had a negative net worth that steadily increased during the years that D’Agostino owned the company. Specifically, by year-end 2003, when Commercial Mortgage’s net worth had fallen to -$12,860,653 and it had been six years since Commercial Mortgage had made a profit, it became clear to D’Agostino that Commercial might not recover and D’Agostino engaged in a scheme to defraud investors by utilizing Commercial Mortgage’s long-standing good will and reputation in order to obtain and retain money from investors. From the end of 2003 through October 8, 2008, D’Agostino’s fraud scheme exposed the investors to losses of more than $20 million.
Judge Kapala found that D’Agostino made specific false statements to several of the investors. Specifically, defendant told Commercial Mortgage customers that Commercial Mortgage was “doing well,” “doing great,” “very fine,” or “wonderful.” According to the decision, D’Agostino made these statements about Commercial Mortgage’s financial circumstances and the statements were false.
No sentencing date has been set at this time. Each count of mail fraud and wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000, or an alternate fine totaling twice the loss or twice the gain derived from the offense, whichever is greater. Securities fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison, and fine of up to $10,000. The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, as well as restitution.
The conviction was announced today by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of investigation; and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott A. Verseman and Scott R. Paccagnini.
Former NMSU Student Sentenced to Prison for Making False Bomb ThreatsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – This morning, a federal judge in Las Cruces, N.M., sentenced Daud Anwar, 30, of Albuquerque, N.M., to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction for making false bomb threats. Anwar’s sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales and Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI.
On March 21, 2012, Anwar was charged with using electronic communication devises on March 3, 2011, to falsely claim that buildings on the New Mexico State University (NMSU) campus would be damaged or destroyed by an explosive device. Anwar was arrested on March 27, 2012, and has been in federal custody since that time. On April 30, 2012, Anwar pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.
According to court records, on the morning of March 3, 2011, Anwar, who was then a student at NMSU, used telephones and the Internet to falsely claim that there was a bomb on the NMSU campus and to threaten that there would be casualties if the campus was not evacuated. Anwar made six separate false bomb threats that morning which caused substantial disruption at NMSU and resulted in the evacuation of parts of the NMSU campus as law enforcement officials and University administrators responded to the bomb threats.
“Threats like the ones made by Daud Anwar are serious crimes and warrant a serious response,” said U.S. Attorney Gonzales. “In a post-9/11 world, each and every bomb threat must be taken seriously. False bomb threats drain our already overburdened public safety agencies, and prevent them from pursuing real threats to our security and other serious crimes. For this reason, we will diligently investigate and prosecute these cases.”
“The safety and security of our schools and communities are of the utmost importance to the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes partnerships with the NMSU Police and Computer Security Team, and the U.S. Attorney's Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Lee. “Threats like the ones in this case are taken very seriously by the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners.”
The case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the NMSU Police Department with assistance from the Computer Security Team in the NMSU Information and Communications Technology Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Lizarraga of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Former Employee of Concrete and Material Company Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former employee of Atlantic County Concrete and Material Co. admitted today evading federal income taxes on nearly $700,000 she received in 2008, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Nancy Armienti, 59, of Elmer, N.J., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an Information charging her with one count of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During 2008, Armienti took $589,947 from her employer through cash withdrawals and payments to QVC for items she ordered. Armienti created false business expense records to conceal her receipt of these funds and instructed the company’s bookkeeper to record the cash withdrawals and QVC payments as business expenses. Armienti failed to file a 2008 federal income tax return and failed to pay the IRS the income tax due on the $682,129 in total income she received in 2008.
The tax evasion charge to which Armienti pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss caused by the offense. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 23, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. David Walk Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
13-031
Defense counsel: Richard Coughlin Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
Armienti, Nancy Information
Former Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Agent Admits Role in Records Falsification SchemeRead the Press Release
A former special agent of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today in a Southern District of Texas federal court to participating in a scheme to falsify records and to obstruct an internal field office inspection, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Wayne Ball, 40, of McAllen, Texas, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to one count of conspiracy to falsify records in federal investigations and to obstruct an agency proceeding.
DHS-OIG is the principal component within DHS with the responsibility to investigate alleged criminal activity by DHS employees, including corruption affecting the integrity of U.S. borders. According to court documents, Ball served as a special agent with DHS-OIG at its McAllen Field Office from January 2009 to November 2012.
According to court documents, in September 2011, DHS-OIG conducted an internal inspection of the field office to evaluate whether its internal investigative standards and policies were being followed. Beginning in August 2011, Ball and at least two other DHS-OIG employees, identified in court documents as “Supervisor A” and “Special Agent A,” allegedly engaged in a scheme to falsify documents in investigative case files. The scheme’s purpose was to conceal lapses – including significant periods of inactivity in pending criminal investigations over periods of months or years – from personnel conducting the inspection and DHS-OIG headquarters, including by falsifying investigative activity which had not taken place, according to court documents.
According to court documents, a criminal investigation was initiated by DHS-OIG in March 2010 into allegations that a Customs and Border Protection officer was assisting the unlawful smuggling of undocumented aliens and narcotics into the United States. Special Agent A allegedly drafted false memoranda of activity (MOAs), at Supervisor A’s direction, to fill gaps of inactivity in the investigation, to which Special Agent A was assigned. With the intention of filling gaps that had occurred when Special Agent A was either not present at the office to investigate cases or was not employed by DHS-OIG at all, Special Agent A allegedly attributed the investigative activity to Ball, who signed and backdated the false MOAs. Supervisor A also allegedly signed and backdated the documents, which were placed in the investigation’s case file in advance of the internal inspection.
The charge of conspiracy carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ball is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2013.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Timothy J. Kelly and Eric L. Gibson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case is being investigated by agents of the FBI, San Antonio Division.
Former Credit Union Employee Pleads to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Adams woman and former credit union employee was convicted today of embezzlement and making false entries into the books of the credit union.
Patricia Piscioneri, 67, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to a 30 count indictment charging her with embezzlement of funds by a credit union employee and false entries.
While employed as the manager of the former Adams Municipal Employees Federal Credit Union (AMEFCU), Piscioneri embezzled credit union funds by creating fraudulent loan accounts in the names of credit union members and depositing the proceeds of these fraudulent loans into her own account(s), her husband’s account(s), or other family members’ account(s), or used the proceeds to pay off previously obtained fraudulent loans. In an attempt to avoid detection, Piscioneri created fraudulent loan documentation, such as loan applications and promissory notes, and forged signatures on the fraudulent loan documentation. Additionally, Piscioneri created false entries in the AMEFCU accounting system and advanced the payment due dates of the fraudulent loans.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2013. Piscioneri faces up to 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Ortiz’s Health Care Fraud Unit.
Former Columbus Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Coercion of MinorsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
COLUMBUS –Todd L. Smith, 50, of Columbus pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of coercion and enticement of minors for sexual activity.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
“Today’s guilty plea underscores that inappropriate contact with minors using texts and the internet are federal crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Stewart. “Smith’s job as a police officer charged with safeguarding children highlights the seriousness of this offense.”
According to a statement read during the hearing, the FBI began investigating Smith on July 2, 2012. The investigation found that Smith, a Columbus Police officer, who was assigned as a resource officer at a local high school was having an illicit relationship with a 15-year old female. He told the student that he had a sex addiction and that she could help him by having sex with him. Between July 24, 2012 and the morning hours of July 25, 2012, Smith exchanged approximately 113 text messages with an undercover FBI agent posing as the victim.
On July 27, 2012, the FBI became aware of another 15-year old victim who had been coerced through similar text messages into having a sexual relationship with Smith. The FBI found that this relationship began in early 2012 and that they exchanged more than 6,000 text messages during the course of the relationship.
FBI agents arrested Smith on July 26, 2012 and he has been in custody since his arrest. Coercion and enticement of minors is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. Judge Marbley will determine the sentence and schedule a hearing following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.
“Police officers are the guardians of our community and to whom our children should be able to turn for safety,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Hanko. “The actions of one officer should not negatively reflect on the good work of other officers. This investigation highlights the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and Columbus Police Department to ensure those who sully their positions as police officers are held accountable.”
Stewart commended the FBI agents conducting the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Doug Squires and Michael Hunter, who are prosecuting the case.
Former Cedar Rapids Resident Sentenced for Defrauding FEMARead the Press Release
A woman who lied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get disaster benefits following the June 2008 Eastern Iowa flood was sentenced on January 16, 2013, to eighteen months in federal prison.
Emily Protsman, age 37, now of Coralville and formerly from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 30, 2012, guilty plea to one count of disaster benefits fraud.
At the October 30, 2012, guilty plea hearing, Protsman admitted that, on July 18, 2008, she submitted a fraudulent application to FEMA seeking benefits related to the June 2008 flood in Eastern Iowa. Protsman admitted she falsely claimed she lived at a specific residence in Cedar Rapids at the time of the flood and that her home and personal property were damaged. Protsman admitted that, at the time of the flood, she did not live at the residence identified in the application and Protsman’s home and personal property were not damaged.
Protsman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Protsman was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and she was ordered to make $8846.95 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.Protsman was released on previously set conditions and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on February 20, 2013.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by 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 12-62.
Former Cape Cod Man Sentenced for Impersonating A Federal AgentRead the Press Release
BOSTON –A former Centerville man was sentenced today for impersonating a federal agent.
Mark E. Daniel, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton to six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release and restitution to the victim. In October 2012, Daniel pleaded guilty to impersonating a federal agent.Between June 7 and August 8, 2012, Daniel pretended to be a high-level special agent with the Department of Homeland Security assigned to the White House. Daniel carried out this ruse in his dealings with a locally-based photographer. The impersonation started when Daniel, posing as a federal agent, entered the photography business and engaged its female owner in conversation. Daniel told the owner that he was a federal agent, displaying a gold metal star-shaped badge along with identification in a black leather case. Daniel told the owner that he would like to hire her to photograph a private party which was to take place on July 7, 2012 at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port. Daniel claimed the event would be attended by high-profile politicians and government leaders, to include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President of the United States (POTUS) Jimmy Carter.
Thereafter, Daniel carried out his impersonation ruse in future in-person meetings, emails and phone calls. Most of the phone calls were consensually recorded by the owner. In their numerous conversations, Daniel explained that he was National Security and that he handled the Secret Service. According to Daniel, his agency was responsible for the security of the United States, the Constitution and the Presidency. Daniel advised that in his job he frequently spoke with the POTUS, Vice President, Chief of Staff and other White House staff members and that he had “100% access to the White House.” To legitimize this assertion, Daniel sent the owner photographs of President Obama in the Oval Office, explaining that he’d taken the photographs himself. Daniel also offered to introduce the owner to White House photographer, Pete Souza; Daniel told her that he regularly interacted with Souza while working in the White House and while she was listening he purported to call the White House and set up a lunch meeting with Mr. Souza.
In carrying out his impersonation, Daniel arranged various details of the proposed Hyannis Port photography event; notably, Daniel asked the owner to provide photographs of herself and her female assistant, explaining that full body photographs and “head-shots” were necessary for security purposes. Daniel instructed that the photographs should depict the day and evening attire that the owner and her assistant planned to wear to the event, explaining that Secretary of State Clinton would need to approve the selected outfits. The owner provided the requested images to Daniel. As the date of the alleged event neared, Daniel told the owner that the event had been cancelled due to a security breach. Shortly thereafter, Daniel told the owner that he would be accompanying presidential candidate Mitt Romney to the Republican National Convention and that he wanted her to accompany him to photograph this four day event. As with the earlier event, because she would be in close proximity to Mr. Romney, Daniel would have to pre-approve all of the owner’s outfit/clothing selections. In another conversation, Daniel claimed that he would be accompanying President Obama to the London Olympics and asked if she wanted to join him on Air Force One to photograph the trip.
The impersonation scheme unraveled as the owner became suspicious of Daniel, contacted law enforcement and began cooperating with law enforcement. Daniel was arrested at the Barnstable Airport in Hyannis on Aug. 8, 2012 where he had planned to meet the owner as he was purportedly disembarking from a flight from Washington, D.C.
Daniel was previously convicted of impersonating a DEA agent in 1992.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Gregory K. Null, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, made the announcement today. The United States Secret Service, the Hanover Police Department and the Barnstable Police Department assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Freniere of Ortiz’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit.
Former Business Owner Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Defrauding IRSRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A Washington, Ill., man, Imad Ribhi Abdallah, has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison. On Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, U.S. District Judge Michael P. McCuskey ordered that Abdallah, a former owner of Ayat 1, Inc., which operated as Price Rite Food & Liquor in Decatur, Ill., and Genan 1 Inc., which operated as Super Saver Liquor in Peoria, Ill., serve 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the IRS, mail fraud, and making false statements concerning health care benefits. According to court documents, Abdallah was also ordered to pay restitution in the amounts of $638,894 to the IRS in unpaid taxes and $27,320 to the Illinois Department of Human Services related to fraudulently obtained benefits. Abdallah was ordered to report on Feb. 20, 2013, to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his prison sentence.
On Jan. 21, 2011, Abdallah entered pleas of guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS related to corporate income tax returns filed on behalf of Genan 1 Inc. and Ayat 1 Inc., which under-reported taxable income and tax due and owing. Abdallah also pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements to obtain health care benefits.
The charges were investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Illinois Department of Revenue. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson.
Former Bank of Oakland President Stephen Henry Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Stephen Henry, 46, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of Misapplication of Bank Funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 656, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.
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Henry was serving as president and CEO of Oakland Deposit Bank, which was owned by his family. According to information revealed during his plea hearing, Oakland Bank had made numerous loans to Stephen Sims, a local real estate investor. In late 2007, many of these loans were delinquent. In an effort to keep the loans from going into default, Stephen Henry assisted Stephen Sims in using monies from construction loans to pay on unrelated unsecured loans which had become delinquent. In addition, Stephen Henry manipulated the bank’s books and records to allow bank monies to be used to pay on delinquent loans without being credited to a customer’s account.
The scheme eventually led to Sims defaulting on more than $2.4 million dollars in loans from the bank. As a result, Oakland Deposit Bank was forced to go into receivership and was taken over by officials with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The bank was later sold.
For his role in the scheme, Sims pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison in July 2012. He was also ordered to pay more than $2.4 million in restitution.
Henry will appear before U.S. District Judge Samuel Mays on April 26, 2013 for sentencing. He could receive up to 30 years in prison and up to a one million dollar fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FDIC. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Laurenzi represented the government.Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Ansel Cruz, 30, a life-long resident of Laredo, has entered a guilty plea to one count of armed bank robbery of the Laredo Federal Credit Union where he was formerly employed, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Cruz admitted to robbing the bank on Corpus Christi Street on Jan. 6, 2012, forcing former co-workers at gunpoint to enter the bank’s vault.
On that date, employees were working after hours. Cruz, wearing black clothing and black face covering, forced employees to give him access through a rear door into the building where the gained entry into the Credit Union’s vault. As one employee exited the rear door, Cruz approached him, tied him up and left him outside the building’s rear entry. Another employee, not realizing the first employee had been restrained, also exited and was forced to let him into the bank. Cruz threatened to shoot both employees with a pistol if they did not cooperate.
After entering the bank, Cruz similarly restrained and threatened two custodians, took their car keys and locked them in a closet. Cruz took the money, exited through the same back door and drove off in the custodians’ vehicle, which was later found abandoned a few blocks away from the bank, close to Cruz’s residence.
Other employees reviewing the surveillance recordings a few days later immediately identified Cruz as the perpetrator, recognizing him as being a former employee who had worked with the Credit Union through 2011. After securing a search warrant for Cruz’s home, FBI agents and officers with the Laredo Police Department (LPD) retrieved the money from various locations, including his home, the stolen vehicle and other persons to whom he gave money. Agents and officers also secured additional items of physical evidence linking Cruz to the robbery, including a bag containing black clothing and gloves, rolls of tape, a pistol slide and ammunition magazine as well as several money bands used by the credit union. Relatives and friends of Cruz informed federal agents and investigators that Cruz admitted having committing the robbery.
The FBI Laboratory was able to confirm Cruz’s fingerprints on the bank bands found with the money in his home, as well as linking fibers on his clothing to the fibers found on the tape used to bind the employees. Blood found on the clothing was also matched to Cruz.
Cruz has been in federal custody since his arrest on Jan. 11, 2012, where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing to be set at a later date. At that time, he faces up to 25 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and LPD. Assistant United States Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Former Auto Dealership Office Manager Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for $1.4 Million EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – Ralph L. Schippers, age 58, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Schippers also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,433,825.37, and was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following release from prison. Sentence was imposed by United States District Judge John A. Jarvey.
Schippers pleaded guilty to the charge on September 17, 2012, and admitted to embezzling more than $1.4 million from his employer, Granger Motors, over a fourteen-year period. Schippers accomplished the fraud by manipulating the dealership’s accounting system and causing monies to be wired or deposited to his personal bank account, making fraudulent journal entries in order to conceal the fraud. Schippers was the dealership’s office manager and, as such, was responsible for managing the dealership’s accounting systems, payroll management, and similar tasks. Schippers admitted that he used some of the embezzled funds to purchase goods and services for himself and his family, including international airline tickets, hotel accommodations, meals at Des Moines-area restaurants, golf-related items, and jewelry.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation–Des Moines Resident Agency, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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Five Canton Men Indicted for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Five Canton men were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office.
“This is an example of federal and local law enforcement working together to make sophisticated cases that take out groups that bring down the quality of life for everyone,” Dettelbach said. “We believe this investigation will eliminate some of the worst of the worst offenders in Canton and Stark County.”
“In the past 15 months, collaborative law enforcement efforts have resulted in the indictment of 26 individuals, including nine who were taken into custody this morning, responsible for bringing cocaine and violence to the Canton area,” Anthony said. “The FBI and our local partners will continue efforts to protect the citizens of Canton by dismantling dangerous, illegal drug organizations."
Indicted are: Jamail Cortez Mitchell, 22; Chad Irvin Tucker, 24; Cruz M. Brown, 23; Jermaine E. Gaitor, 28, and Kevin Slater, 57. All were arrested this morning.
Related state charges were filed against three other people as well.
Mitchell, Tucker, Brown, Gaitor and Slater are accused of conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine in Canton between June 2010 and October 2011, according to the indictment.
The men purchased crack and powder cocaine from previously indicted conspirators and resold the drugs in and around Canton, according to the indictment.
This case is a supplemental indictment to the one filed on May 22, 2011, which charged 17 people with taking part in a conspiracy that brought heroin and cocaine from Columbus, Ohio, to Stark County. All 17 people have been found guilty and many have been sentenced to terms between five and 10 years in prison. Jasmine Watkins, one of the leaders the conspiracy, pleaded guilty and is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr following an investigation by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of the Canton Police Department, Alliance Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Massillon Police Department and Perry Police Department.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Felon in Possession Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Joshua Wallace, 39, of Corpus Christi, has been handed a 160-month sentence for his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Melvin King Jr., special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Wallace entered a plea of guilty on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head sentenced Wallace to the 160-month-term which will be followed by a five-year-term of supervised release.
At the plea hearing, Wallace admitted that in September 2011, he sold three handguns to an undercover agent with the ATF. The undercover purchases were made on Sept. 13, Sept. 14 and Sept. 27, 2011, in Corpus Christi and were captured by concealed audio and video recording devices. Wallace has four previous burglary convictions and one conviction of possession of heroin.
Wallace has been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 28, 2012, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Brown IV.
Federal Inmate and Brother SentencedRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA -- United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy announced today that a federal inmate currently serving a prison sentence at United States Penitentiary Lee has been sentenced to serve additional federal time after he was involved in the distribution of a controlled substance. His brother was also sentenced to serve federal time after he was involved in providing a controlled substance to a federal inmate.
William Ruble, age 35, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon on January 4, 2013, for intent to distribute and distributing a controlled substance, methamphetamine, following his guilty plea.
“The criminal enforcement work of the Department of Justice does not cease at the walls of a Federal Penitentiary,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “When laws of the United States are broken in prison, inmates must realize they will be held accountable for their actions.”
William Ruble, who was sentenced on May 18, 2009 to 57 months of incarceration by the Eastern District of Tennessee for knowingly possessing firearms and ammunition after having previously been convicted of crimes punishable by terms of imprisonment exceeding one year, was released from his federal sentence during the pendency of the action. He was sentenced to serve an additional 120 months of federal incarceration following his most recent conviction.
Scotty Ruble was sentenced to serve 60 months of federal incarceration following his guilty plea for intent to distribute and distributing a controlled substance, methamphetamine.
According to evidence provided by Special Assistant United States Attorney Debbie Stevens, on August 29, 2010, William Ruble was found to be in possession of methamphetamines after a visit with his brother, Scotty Ruble.
The investigation of this case was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Investigative Unit of the Bureau of Prisons. Special Assistant United States Attorney Debbie Stevens prosecuted the cases for the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
South Bend, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Hammond, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on January 16, 2013:
Jonathan Parahams, Jr., 35, Africa Gunn, 35, Angela White, 31, Alicia Green, 27, and Levelle Sanders, 26, all of South Bend, Indiana, were charged in an Indictment with participating in a scheme to prepare and file approximately 1,189 tax returns making false and fictitious claims from the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere requesting a total of approximately $3,543,794 in tax refunds.The Indictment alleges that the defendants solicited identifying information of individuals, including their names and social security numbers, to use to file fraudulent 2008, 2009 and 2010 U.S. tax returns and then directed the refunds to be received and deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants and others.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Maverick County Commissioner Cesar FloresRead the Press Release
In Eagle Pass, Texas this morning, Maverick County Precinct Four Commissioner Cesar Flores, age 46 of Eagle Pass, Texas, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after a federal grand jury in Del Rio indicted him this week in connection with an alleged bribery, kickback and bid-rigging scheme announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez.
The federal grand jury indictment, returned yesterday and unsealed this morning, charges Flores with five counts of receiving bribes. The indictment alleges that in 2010 and 2011, Flores manipulated the bidding process to guarantee that contractors he chose would be awarded Maverick County construction contracts. Those contractors deposited the checks issued to them by Maverick County and then made cash payments to Flores. According to the indictment, the private contractors submitted inflated bids to Maverick County in order for there to be sufficient funds to perform the construction work, make a profit, and pay the bribe to Flores.
Upon conviction, Flores faces up to ten years in federal prison for each bribery charge. Flores appeared before Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia this morning in Del Rio for his Initial Appearance. Bond for Flores was set at $40,000.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Individuals who have first-hand information about corruption, fraud, or bribery related to Maverick County are urged to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741.Assistant United States Attorney Michael Galdo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced RASON LAMAR SPARKMAN, 31, to 115 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release, and SPARKMAN was ordered to pay $7,132.52 in restitution.
On September 4, 2012, SPARKMAN pled guilty to two counts of bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a).
On June 27, 2011, SPARKMAN robbed the RBC Centura Bank on Ramsey Street, (now PNC Bank), in Fayetteville, North Carolina, taking $1,869.00. The investigation revealed that SPARKMAN, approached a bank teller and demanded money. SPARKMAN fled from the scene in a taxi cab.
On August 8, 2011, SPARKMAN robbed a Wachovia Bank on South McPherson Street in Fayetteville, North Carolina taking $4,414.45. SPARKMAN was identified through the bank’s surveillance video and fingerprint analysis.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette is prosecuting the case.
Fairmont Resident Convicted on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Chris Zumpetta-Parr, Public Affairs SpecialistCLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A 67-year old Fairmont, West Virginia, resident was convicted this week after a two-day jury trial presided over by Judge Irene M. Keeley.
United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that CLYDE BATES was convicted on one count of “Possession of Child Pornography on August 27, 2010,” in Fairmont. The evidence presented at trial indicated that BATES possessed a large number of images depicting pre-pubescent girls and boys involved in sexual acts.
As part of the conviction, BATES has to forfeit One Apple MacBook notebook computer as well as any item constituting or containing child erotica including printed-out stories describing sexual encounters involving children.
BATES, who is in custody pending sentencing, faces a maximum exposure of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn A. Morgan and investigated by the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit and the Fairmont Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fairbanks Man indicted in murder for hire plotRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska B U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Fairbanks area man has been indicted by the federal grand jury for two counts of using interstate commerce facilities with the intent that a murder for hire take place in either Indiana or Michigan. The indictment returned by the grand jury charges Fairbanks area resident Eric Donald Grabber, 55, with one count of causing another person to travel from Alaska to Indiana on December 29, 2012, with the intent that a contract murder of another individual take place in either Indiana or Michigan. The indictment charges Grabber with a second count of making a cellular telephone call on January 3, 2013, from Alaska to Michigan in furtherance of the murder for hire plot.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a sentence of up to ten years as well as a fine of up to $250,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in 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.
East Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Christopher H. Monfort, 40, of East Rochester, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa, to manufacturing 50 or more marijuana plants. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that during the execution of a search warrant at a residence at 353 Noridge Drive in Irondequoit, N.Y., police recovered 276 marijuana plants, as well as scales, lights, and other equipment used to grow and manufacture marijuana. Monfort admitted to using the residence to house a marijuana grow operation.
Monfort also faces other federal charges in a separate matter. On September 11, 2009, the defendant pleaded guilty to burglary of a railcar, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Those charges resulted from Monfort's involvement in the theft of more than 67 gross tons of processed scrap metal from railcars at a CSX Transportation railroad yard located south of the City of Batavia, between June 20, 2009, and June 30, 2009.
The plea relating to the marijuana grow operations is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team composed of law enforcement personnel from the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James M. Sheppard, the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Henderson, the East Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven J. Clancy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division.Sentencing for both matters is scheduled for March 4, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.
Dublin Attorney Charged with Conspiracy, Money Laundering for Involvement with Alleged Pill MillsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Steven E. Hillman, 67, of Dublin, Ohio, alleging that he conspired with the owner of three pain clinics in Ohio to illegally divert prescription drugs outside the scope of legitimate medical practice and launder proceeds of the conspiracy.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division; and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the charges contained in a superseding indictment on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.
The indictment alleges that Hillman conspired with Tracy Bias, 47, of West Portsmouth, Ohio in an attempt to open Physicians Pharmacy in Piketon, Ohio in order to service prescriptions for illegal distribution of controlled substances issued by the pain clinics owned and controlled by Bias and others. The indictment charges that Hillman helped Bias launder $132,920 in cash from the activities of the conspiracy in July 2010.
Bias and six doctors were initially indicted in April 2012 in a 12-count indictment alleging that they operated three pill mills in southern Ohio between January 2009 and June 2011, Southern Ohio Complete Pain Management and Portsmouth Medical Solutions in Portsmouth, and Trinity Medical Care in Columbus, Ohio.
Customers allegedly traveled hundreds of miles to the clinics in central and southern Ohio where, for a cash payment of approximately $200 per office visit and with little or no physical examination, clinic customers would receive excessive amounts of “cocktails” of controlled substances including diazepam, hydrocodone, oxycodone and alprazalam.
Hillman is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman in Cincinnati on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. for an initial appearance and arraignment on the charges.
Conspiracy to distribute drugs outside the scope of legitimate medical practice and money laundering are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by agents and officers of the agencies named above, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Oakley, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dr. David G. Millaud Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Small Business AdministrationRead the Press Release
DR. DAVID G. MILLAUD, age 52, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one-count Superseding Bill of Information for theft of government funds in connection a disaster loan that he received from the Small Business Administration, announced U.S. Attorney Dana Boente.
According to the Bill of Information, MILLAUD submitted false invoices to the Small Business Administration in order to support his request for a loan disbursement. As a result of the false invoices, MILLAUD received a loan disbursement totaling $56,449.91in government funds to which he was not entitled.
MILLAUD faces a maximum term of five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis.
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Danville Man Sentenced to 14 ½ Years in Prison for Crack Cocaine, Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A Danville, Ill., man, Marquis D. Robinson, has been ordered to serve 175 months (14 years, 7 months) in federal prison for crack cocaine and weapons offenses. U.S. District Judge Michael P. McCuskey sentenced Robinson, last known address South Beard Street, Danville, Ill., on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. Robinson was also ordered to remain on supervised release for a period of eight years following completion of his prison sentence.
Robinson has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since he was charged in federal court in October 2010. On Aug. 31, 2012, Robinson entered pleas of guilty to distribution of crack cocaine (one count); distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine (one count); possession of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine with intent to distribute it (one count); and, possession of a firearm by a felon (one count.)
The charges were investigated by the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group (VMEG) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller.
Dante Dowers Becomes Sixth Guilty Plea in Teacher Test Taking ScandalRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Dante Dowers, 40, of Belle Glade, FL, pled guilty today to aiding and abetting identification fraud in connection with the teacher certification cheating scam directed by ringleader Clarence Mumford, Sr., 59, of Memphis, announced United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Edward L. Stanton III. This plea, along with previous guilty pleas by John Bowen, 63; Felippia Kellogg, 42; Jeryl Shaw, 40; Shantell Shaw, 40; and Carlos Shaw, 37; all of Memphis, brings to six the total number of guilty pleas thus far in Mumford Sr.’s teacher certification cheating scam.
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The original indictment in the case, filed in July 2012, charged Mumford Sr. with orchestrating a scheme that began as early as 1995 to pay test-takers to take teacher certification examinations on behalf of teachers and hopeful teachers. In August, a superceding indictment charged Dante Dowers, 40, of Belle Glade, Florida and Mumford Sr.’s son, Clarence Mumford Jr., 28, of Memphis. And in September, a second superceding indictment charged ten more individuals, including Samuel Campbell, 39, of Jackson, Mississippi; Darcel Gardner, 35, of Columbus, Mississippi; Steve Holmes, 53, of Memphis, Tennessee; Valerie Humphrey, 47, of Oakland, Tennessee; Carlo McClelland, 35, of Meridian, Mississippi; Jacklyn McKinnie, 44, of Memphis, Tennessee; Jadice Moore, 30, of Port Gibson, Mississippi; Sarah Richard, 54, of Richland, Mississippi; Jeryl Shaw, 40, of Memphis, Tennessee; and Kimberly Taylor, 36, of Charleston, Mississippi. Cedrick Wilson, 34, of Memphis, Tennessee, was charged in a separate indictment related to the scam in October 2012.
During the guilty plea hearing, Dowers admitted to meeting with an aspiring teacher in late 2009 and receiving the aspiring teacher’s driver’s license and $3,580 payment, all of which he forwarded to Mumford, Sr. Mumford, Sr. used the driver’s license to create a fake identification with a test-taker’s picture on the aspiring teacher’s driver’s license. In July 2010, John Bowen, a test-taker who previously pled guilty in this case, passed a PRAXIS examination on behalf of the aspiring teacher.
This investigation is being conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fabian and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirby May represent the government.Damian James Backer Sentenced in U.S. District CourtRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billiings, on January 17, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, DAMIAN JAMES BACKER, a 21-year-old resident of Lame Deer and an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, appeared for sentencing. BACKER was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 21 months
Special Assessment: $100
Supervised Release: 3 years
BACKER was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On August 2, 2011, BACKER came home to find X.X. in the act of raping the victim. BACKER then confronted X.X. and chased him out of the house. BACKER then had an argument with the victim outside of the residence that turned physical. Specifically, BACKER grabbed the victim to carry her back to their house. She struggled with him and fell to the street. BACKER was angry with her and her struggles. He hit and kicked her while she was on the ground. The assault was witnessed by neighbors.
The victim suffered a fracture of her right eye socket with bleeding into the sinuses. She also had severe bruising and lacerations on her eyelids, the bridge of her nose, her right and left cheeks, and lips. She also had some bruises and abrasions on her upper body, knees, and the top of her right foot. These injuries constitute serious bodily injury.
The crime occurred on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BACKER will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BACKER does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cordele, Georgia, Resident Indicted for Using Stolen Identities on False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Macon, Ga., returned an indictment charging Kimberly Michelle Banks, a resident of Cordele, Ga., with crimes involving the use of stolen identities on false federal income tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which Banks was not entitled.
According to the six-count indictment, which charges her with aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, Banks illegally obtained stolen identity information and used this information to prepare false tax returns claiming refunds. She then electronically submitted these returns to the Internal Revenue Service and had the refunds deposited onto prepaid debit cards.
An indictment is merely a formal charge by the grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a U.S. District Court.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Alexander R. Effendi and Justin K. Gelfand of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Michael Solis of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. The case was investigated with the assistance of the IRS.
More information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/tax
Cordele, Georgia, Resident Indicted for Using Stolen Identities on False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Macon, Ga., returned an indictment charging Kimberly Michelle Banks, a resident of Cordele, Ga., with crimes involving the use of stolen identities on false federal income tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which Banks was not entitled.
According to the six-count indictment, which charges her with aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, Banks illegally obtained stolen identity information and used this information to prepare false tax returns claiming refunds. She then electronically submitted these returns to the Internal Revenue Service and had the refunds deposited onto prepaid debit cards.
An indictment is merely a formal charge by the grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a U.S. District Court.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Alexander R. Effendi and Justin K. Gelfand of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Michael Solis of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. The case was investigated with the assistance of the IRS.
More information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/tax.
Charlotte Woman Sentenced for Trafficking 13 Year Old GIrl in Richmond AreaRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Whitney Hayes, 21, of Charlotte, NC, was sentenced today to 57months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to transport an individual across state lines for prostitution.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and D.A. Middleton, Chief of Police for the Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
“The world of sex trafficking is vile and horrific – and unfortunately, it’s happening right here in Central Virginia,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Ms. Hayes found a 13-year-old girl living on the streets and exploited the child’s vulnerability for profit. She taught the victim the business of prostitution and lived with her in hotels for two months while the victim’s family desperately searched for their child. Our utmost priority is to protect our children, and we will continue to go after those who prey on them and lure them into the sexual trade.”
Hayes plead guilty on September 27, 2012, to conspiracy to transport an individual across state lines for purpose of prostitution. According to court documents, Hayes worked as a prostitute for Korey Reynolds in the Charlotte area from 2011 through 2012. In a statement of facts filed with her plea agreement, Hayes admitted that in February or March 2012, she met a 13-year old female while she and Reynolds were in Miami, Florida. She recruited the 13-year old to join the prostitution organization. Once they were back in Charlotte, Hayes taught the juvenile the business of prostitution, including posting internet advertisements offering the female as a prostitute to prospective customers. In May 2012, she, Reynolds and another female transported the juvenile from Charlotte to Richmond, Virginia, with the intent that the juvenile engage in prostitution while in Virginia.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Henrico County Police Division. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie L. Mickelson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
Charlotte Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Thomas Lee Earl, 37, of Charlotte, pled guilty to tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles announced today. Earl, owner of Earl’s Exterior Plus, admitted that he had received substantial business income after a hail storm hit the greater Lansing area in 2008. Earl hid that income from the IRS and filed a false tax return for 2009 that underreported his income.U.S. Attorney Miles stated that “the United States Attorney’s Office will not hesitate to bring to justice those individuals who choose to defraud the IRS by willfully understating their income to avoid paying taxes. Such conduct is criminal and is unfair to honest citizens who pay their taxes on a timely basis.”
U.S. Attorney Miles was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “It is important to remember, especially during filing season, that there are serious consequences for intentionally failing to report all of your income,” said Special Agent Martinez.
Earl faces up to five years in prison. A date for sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
END
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that John A. Cruz, 26, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin. Cruz was arrested along with 17 others in August of 2010 for narcotics trafficking. The drug conspiracy charge against Cruz carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that Cruz was involved in a drug conspiracy which distributed illegal narcotics throughout the Western District of New York. Specifically, the defendant sold heroin. Cruz was arrested in August of 2010 along with 16 others. To date, eight of the defendants have been convicted.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian R. Crowell, New York Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff James Votour, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Toni Weirauch, and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Transit Police, under the direction of Chief George Gast.
Brooklyn Woman Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to One Year and One Day in Prison for Participating in $57.3 Million Fraud on Organization That Makes Reparations to Victims of Nazi PersecutionRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARINA ZAYTSEVA was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to one year and one day in prison for her participation in a $57 million fraud scheme that targeted programs administered by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc. (the “Claims Conference”) and that were established to aid the survivors of Nazi persecution, and for instructing others to lie to the FBI if questioned about the fraud. ZAYTSEVA pled guilty in July 2012 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of witness tampering. She was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Griesa.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Not only did Marina Zaytseva recruit participants into a multi-million dollar fraud scheme against an organization that exists solely for the purpose of aiding victims of Nazi atrocities, but she compounded her shameful conduct by obstructing the investigation into the fraud. She is the latest defendant in this massive scheme to be punished, but she will not be the last.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, the Complaint, and statements made during court proceedings:
The Claims Conference, a not-for-profit organization which provides assistance to victims of Nazi persecution, supervises and administers several funds that make reparation payments to victims of the Nazis, including “the Hardship Fund” and “the Article 2 Fund,” both of which are funded by the German government. Applications for disbursements through these funds are processed by Claims Conference employees in the Manhattan office who are supposed to confirm that the applicants qualify for payments.
As part of the charged scheme, a web of individuals systematically defrauded the Article 2 Fund and Hardship Fund programs for over a decade. The Claims Conference first suspected the fraud in December 2009, and immediately reported their suspicions to law enforcement, which conducted a wide-reaching investigation.
The Hardship Fund pays a one-time payment of approximately $3,500 to victims of Nazi persecution who evacuated the cities in which they lived and were forced to become refugees. Members of the conspiracy submitted fraudulent applications for people who were not eligible, including many who were born after World War II, and at least one person who was not Jewish.
ZAYTSEVA, along with other members of the conspiracy, recruited people to provide their identification documents, such as passports and birth certificates, which were then fraudulently altered and submitted to corrupt insiders at the Claims Conference. The corrupt insiders then processed those applications. When the applicants received their compensation checks, they kept a portion of the money and passed the rest back up the chain.
From the investigation to date, the Claims Conference has determined that at least 3,839 Hardship Fund applications appear to be fraudulent. These applications resulted in a loss to the Hardship Fund of approximately $12.3 million.
The Article 2 Fund makes monthly payments of approximately $400 to survivors of Nazi persecution who make less than $16,000 per year, and either (1) lived in hiding or under a false identity for at least 18 months; (2) lived in a Jewish ghetto for 18 months; or (3) were incarcerated for six months in a concentration camp or a forced labor camp. The fraud involved doctored identification documents in which the applicant's date and place of birth had been changed. The fraud also involved more sophisticated deception, including altering documents that the Claims Conference obtains from outside sources to verify a person’s persecution by the Nazis. Some of the detailed descriptions of persecution in the fraudulent Article 2 Fund applications were completely fabricated.
From the investigation to date, the Claims Conference has determined that at least 1,112 Article 2 Fund cases it processed have been determined to be fraudulent. Those cases have resulted in a loss to the Claims Conference of approximately $45 million.
Witness Tampering
When ZAYTSEVA first learned that the FBI was investigating her involvement in the fraudulent scheme, she instructed other participants in the fraud to lie to the FBI if questioned. Specifically, ZAYTSEVA instructed one witness to claim falsely a lack of memory about the fraud and instructed a second witness to deny having split money with her.
Of the 31 individuals who have been charged with participating in the scheme to defraud the Article 2 Fund and Hardship Fund programs since 2010, 19 defendants, including ZAYTSEVA, have pled guilty, and seven of those defendants have been sentenced. Charges are pending against 12 defendants in the case, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In addition to her prison term, ZAYTSEVA, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. ZAYTSEVA was also ordered to pay $66,597.12 in restitution and to forfeit $6,000.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). He also thanked the Claims Conference for bringing this matter to the FBI’s attention and for its extraordinary continued cooperation in this investigation, which he noted is ongoing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Frey and Jonathan Cohen, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Rohr, are in charge of the prosecution.
Beaver County Man Purchased Merchandise with Fake Credit CardsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Beaver County pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to use counterfeit credit cards, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Rayvon Oscar Kyles, 21, of Aliquippa, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill.
In connection with the guilty plea, from June 2010 through June 2011, Kyles used counterfeit credit cards at Walmart stores in Western Pennsylvania to purchase merchandise.
Judge Cohill scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2013. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,00, or both, as to each defendant. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service along with agents from the United States Secret Service who, as part of the Western Pennsylvania Financial Crimes Task Force (WPFCTF), conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Rayvon Oscar Kyles. The WPFCTF was established as a collaborative, multi-agency effort to effectively combat financial crimes, including identity fraud, in Western Pennsylvania. Partnering in this effort are the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania State Police, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rayvon Oscar Kyles.
Automotive Electronics Manufacturer Fined $500,000 for Selling Illegal Devices Resulting in Tons of Excess Particulate Matter EmissionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –In a settlement with the United States on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, automotive electronics manufacturer Edge Products LLC (Edge) has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty for manufacturing and selling electronic devices that allowed owners of model year 2007 and later diesel pickup trucks to remove emission controls from their vehicles. Diesel trucks that are not equipped with emission controls known as “diesel particulate filters” emit excess particulate matter (PM). When running, trucks without these types of controls leave behind a trail of dark, black smoke. PM is associated with a number of health problems, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis, decreased lung function, and an increased risk of lung cancer.
The company, located in Ogden, Utah, sold more than 9,000 of these electronic devices nationwide, resulting in an estimated 158 tons of excess PM emissions released into the atmosphere. This is equivalent to the emissions from 422 new long-haul semi trucks operating for a period of 29 years.
“The Department of Justice will continue to vigilantly protect America’s health and environment through the enforcement of the Clean Air Act standards governing emissions from vehicles and engines,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This settlement holds Edge Products accountable for selling devices that allow consumers to disable the emission controls on their vehicles by requiring the company to pay a penalty, buy back the devices, and perform a project to offset the air pollution resulting from the Clean Air Act violations.”
“Our goal is to have these illegal devices removed and proper emission controls installed,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Allowing black smoke to billow conspicuously from the tailpipes of diesel pickup trucks is a practice that directly harms public health.”
Diesel particulate filters remove approximately 90% of the particulate matter emissions from a truck’s exhaust. If the filter is removed, the truck will generally not operate properly as the filter is monitored by the truck’s computer. However, the electronic devices sold by Edge allowed individuals to reprogram the truck’s computer so that the truck would continue to operate even after the filter had been removed.
Although Edge stopped selling the illegal devices in mid-2011, the consent decree requires Edge to offer to buy back the devices from anyone who possesses one. In order to sell the device back to Edge, the truck from which the device came must be returned to its original factory programming. Edge is also required to spend at least $157,600 to implement an emission mitigation project to offset the excess PM emissions that it caused. Edge will use the additional funds to offer rebates to individuals who own old wood-burning stoves and who wish to replace them with cleaner burning appliances such as new pellet stoves or EPA-certified wood stoves.
The civil penalty of $500,000 is based on the United States’ determination that Edge has a limited ability to pay a penalty in this matter.
The consent decree resolves allegations in a complaint, filed today, that Edge violated the Clean Air Act by manufacturing and selling motor vehicle parts or components whose effect is to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative a motor vehicles emission control device.
For more information about this case, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/air/cases/edgeproducts.html
Assistant District Attorney and Secretary Plead Guilty to Felony ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La.: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Greg Williams, 44, of Lafayette, La., an Assistant District Attorney for the 15th Judicial District, pled guilty to a one- count Bill of Information charging Williams with Conspiracy to Commit Bribery. His secretary, Denease Curry, 46, of Broussard, La., also pled guilty to a separate one-count Bill of Information charging her with Misprision of a Felony, that is, failure to report the bribery scheme.
The following admissions were made by Williams and Curry in their factual stipulations entered during the guilty plea hearings in open court before Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Hanna:
The District Attorney's Office had previously established a process by which select individuals could receive what was referred to as “immediate 894 pleas” on OWI cases. In order to qualify for the “immediate 894 plea,” the charged individuals had to provide certifications at the time of the plea that they had completed all legal prerequisites, including community service, a substance abuse program, and a driver safety program. If the District Attorney authorized the “immediate 894 plea,” their case was not placed on any docket, and they were allowed to plea at a time and place different than the normal OWI docket. Following the entry of the “immediate 894 plea,” the judge would immediately grant the 894 motion dismissing the conviction, which served as an acquittal, thereby enabling those OWI defendants to immediately reinstate their driving privileges.
Beginning in 2010, Williams and Curry became aware that Barna Haynes, the former office administrator and secretary to the District Attorney for the 15th Judicial District, and another individual, (hereafter referred to as co-conspirator #1) were utilizing the “immediate 894 plea” sessions to provide favorable dispositions of OWI cases for individuals who were willing to pay co-conspirator #1. Williams served as the prosecuting attorney in all of the “immediate 894 sessions” conducted for co-conspirator #1’s “clients,” and Curry assisted in coordinating those sessions. Both Williams and Curry were aware that the individuals were paying co-conspirator #1 for being allowed to plead in the “immediate 894 sessions.” Williams and Curry also were aware that co-conspirator #1 was not licensed to practice law.
Curry was regularly contacted by Barna Haynes to help coordinate the “immediate 894 sessions.” At the request of Barna Haynes, Curry would contact the district judge’s chambers for the purpose of setting the session, give the judge’s staff the names of the OWI defendants who were to plead guilty, and obtain a date and time for the upcoming session. Curry would contact co-conspirator #1 informing him of the date and time for the “immediate 894 session.” Curry prepared the OWI files for the “immediate 894 sessions” and would regularly see and interact with co-conspirator #1. On the day of the “immediate 894 session,” co-conspirator #1 would escort his “client” to Assistant District Attorney Greg Williams’ office, and Williams would explain to the “client” what he or she could expect to occur during the “immediate 894 session.”
In 2010, co-conspirator #1 began giving gifts to Curry. That same year, Barna Haynes took an extended medical leave of absence from the District Attorney’s Office. Nevertheless, Haynes continued to coordinate the “immediate 894 sessions” for coconspirator #1’s “clients.” Because of Haynes absence, both Haynes and co-conspirator #1 turned to Curry for additional assistance in coordinating the “immediate 894 sessions.” During this period, co-conspirator #1 began making a series of $200 cash payments to Curry. After the initial payment from co-conspirator #1, Curry spoke to Barna Haynes of her concerns about the payment. Barna Haynes informed Curry that she was also receiving payments from co-conspirator #1. Curry received approximately eight payments from coconspirator #1 totaling $1,600.
In 2010 and 2011, co-conspirator #1 gave Williams a series of gifts and a cash payment as a reward for his participation in the “immediate 894 sessions.” The gifts included an autographed New Orleans Saints hat, bicycles and clothing for Williams and family members. In December 2011, co-conspirator #1 gave Williams a cash payment of $500. This occurred in Williams’ office at the District Attorney’s Office.
At sentencing, Williams faces a term of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years, following confinement, and Curry faces a term of imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years, following confinement. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Finley stated, “There is no place for this kind of activity in the criminal justice system. Both Williams and Curry were entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that justice was served as it related to the OWI cases. They grossly violated that trust. My office, along with the FBI, will continue to investigate and prosecute corruption in the Western District of Louisiana.”
Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Division, Michael Anderson, stated, “Given the high degree of authority and discretion of any District Attorney’s Office in resolving criminal charges and the associated impacts on victims, the FBI remains fully committed to rooting out corruption that obstructs that process in any way.”
For additional details regarding Williams’ and Curry’s guilty pleas, see attached copies of each defendant’s Plea Agreement and Factual Basis.
The case is being investigated by lead agent Doug Herman, with the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Richard Willis.
Albuquerque Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Connection with 2010 Hitching Post FireRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Crofts announced today that Ajay Jariwala, 51, of Albuquerque, N.M., has been indicted by a Wyoming Federal Grand Jury for his alleged involvement with a fire at the Hitching Post Inn on September 15, 2010.
Jariwala has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Arson; Conspiracy to Use Fire in the Commission of another Federal Felony; Aiding and Abetting Arson; Aiding and Abetting the Use of Fire in the Commission of Another Federal Felony and Wire Fraud.
Jariwala was arrested on January 17th, 2013 on these charges in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will make his initial appearance in federal court in New Mexico in the near future.
If convicted of all of these offenses, Jariwala will be subject to a term of not more than 110 years in federal prison, fines of not more that 1.5 million dollars, 3 years supervised release and $600 in special assessments.
The fire occurred on September 15, 2010, and destroyed a large portion of the historic Cheyenne hotel.
An Indictment is only an accusation. In every criminal case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and the government always has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is leading the investigation with assistance from the Cheyenne Police Department and the Cheyenne Fire Department.
As the investigation into the fire is ongoing, no further comment regarding the case may be made at this time.Alabama Residents Indicted Stolen Identity Refund Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Mary and Christian Young and Octavious Reeves were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama on a variety of charges stemming from an identity theft and tax fraud conspiracy, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The alleged conspirators were charged in a 31-count indictment that was returned on Dec. 18, 2012, and unsealed today.
Mary and Christian Young and Octavious Reeves, all of Elmore County, Ala., were charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, along with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Mary Young was also charged with several counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, the defendants’ conspiracy lasted from January 2012 through June 2012 and involved using stolen identities to file tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds.
The indictment further alleges that Mary Young obtained the names and Social Security numbers of individuals that were then used to electronically file false tax returns. Mary Young would direct the false tax refunds to bank accounts linked to prepaid debit cards. Mary and Christian Young and Octavious Reeves would then use the prepaid debit cards to withdraw cash or pay for personal items.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Mary Young faces face a maximum potential sentence of 328 years in prison, Christian Young faces a maximum of 27 years in prison, and Octavious Reeves faces a maximum of 78 years in prison.
IRS-Criminal Investigation agents investigated this case, and Justice Department Tax Division trial attorneys Charles M. Edgar Jr. and Michael Boteler are prosecuting the case.
12 Indicted for Their Roles in Alleged Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Ring Operating Out of Savannah, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
“Operation Dark Night” results in the dismantling of an alleged multi-state sex trafficking and prostitution ring, and the rescuing of several women allegedly forced into prostitution
SAVANNAH, GA – A federal indictment, unsealed today, has charged 12 defendants for their roles in an alleged sex trafficking and prostitution ring stretching from Georgia to Florida to North and South Carolina. The federal charges follow a lengthy investigation dubbed “Operation Dark Night,” which was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Yesterday, in addition to a number of arrests and searches, federal authorities rescued 11 women alleged to have been forced into prostitution.
United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “In what essentially amounts to slavery in the year 2013, the conduct described in the indictment against these defendants is reprehensible. Human trafficking is a cancer facing our society. This indictment confirms that the United States Attorney’s Office, HSI and other federal and state law enforcement agencies are taking an aggressive stand to stop the victimization of women involved in sex trafficking.”
“ICE investigates a wide array of crimes, but the trafficking of women and girls for prostitution is among the most sinister,” said ICE Director John Morton. “Few crimes so damage their victims and undermine basic human decency. Our fight against this evil must be relentless, both here and abroad.”
According to allegations in the Indictment, Joaquin Mendez-Hernandez, aka El Flaco, conspired with each of the defendants to transport people across interstate boundaries to engage in prostitution. In addition, Mendez-Hernandez allegedly conspired with at least three others to entice women from Mexico, Nicaragua and elsewhere to travel to the United States with false promises of the American dream. Once inside the United States, these women were allegedly threatened and forced to commit acts of prostitution at numerous locations in Savannah, Georgia and throughout the southeast. In one such instance identified in the indictment, Mendez-Hernandez is alleged to have told a Mexican woman that she would be sent back to her home country unless she serviced 25 clients a day.
A copy of the indictment is attached. Mr. Tarver stressed that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The Defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
HSI provides relief to victims of human trafficking by allowing for their continued presence in the United States during criminal proceedings. Victims may also qualify for a T visa, which is issued to victims of human trafficking who have complied with reasonable requests for assistance in investigations and prosecutions. Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking is encouraged to call the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anonymous calls are welcome.
Operation Dark Night was led by HSI, with assistance from the FBI; the ATF; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP Air and Marine Operations; IRS-Criminal Investigations; the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department; the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office; the Garden City Police Department; and, the Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team. Assistant United States Attorneys Tania D. Groover and E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
16 January 2013
“murder Squad” Brothers Plead Guilty to Violations of Rico Conspiracy, the Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts, and Aiding and AbettingRead the Press Release
DANTE CARSON, age 21, and, DWIGHT CARSON, age 22, both of Algiers, Louisiana pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to Violations of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act, the Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts, and Aiding and Abetting, announced U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.
DANTE CARSON, pled guilty to Count 1 - RICO Conspiracy; Count 5 - Conspiracy to Possess Firearms During and In Relation to Crimes of Violence and Drug Trafficking Offenses; and Count 10 - Aiding and Abetting in the Unlawful Acquisition of a Firearm.
As part of the RICO Conspiracy, DANTE CARSON admitted that both he and other Murder Squad members participated in the murder Reginald Francois on April 1, 2010. DANTE CARSON pled guilty pursuant to an 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement where he will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 360 months. The Court may accept or reject the plea agreement.DWIGHT CARSON, pled guilty to Count 1 - RICO Conspiracy; Count 2 - Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base; Count 5 - Conspiracy to Possess Firearms During and In Relation to Crimes of Violence and Drug Trafficking Offenses; and
Count 11 - Aiding and Abetting in the Unlawful Acquisition of a Firearm. DWIGHT CARSON pled guilty pursuant to an 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement where he will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 240 months. The Court may accept or reject the plea agreement.This case arose out of a joint investigation by ATF, FBI, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. This investigation targeted an area which exhibited a disproportionate amount of violent crimes and narcotics trafficking. During the course of the investigation, specific individuals were identified as the main perpetrators of many of the violent acts and much of the narcotics distribution. Federal and local law enforcement officers interviewed witnesses, confidential informants, as well as state defendants, relative to the targeted individuals. It was revealed that a group of individuals operated in various areas of Harvey Louisiana, specifically the neighborhoods known as Scottsdale and Haydel. This group controlled these areas for their narcotics distribution activities through violence and through threats of violence, to include murder, attempted murder, obstruction and assaults. They were referred to as the Harvey Hustlers and/or Murder Squad.
The “Murder Squad, “ or MS, was a faction of the Harvey Hustlers composed primarily of individuals residing in the Harvey, Louisiana area of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. While they primarily operated on the Westbank of Jefferson Parish, members conducted business in other parts of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The “Harvey Hustlers” also referred to as “HH” originated in the Harvey area in the mid-1980s. Members of the organization “hustled” meaning they distributed illegal narcotics. The original goal of the Harvey Hustlers was to make money from sales of illegal narcotics.
Sentencing for the named defendants is set for April 18, 2013 before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Federal Bureau Investigation, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans and Bill McSherry.
(Download Plea - Dante Carson )
(Download Plea - Dwight Carson )
Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fabricating Hospital Insurance ClaimsRead the Press Release
Raleigh - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, MEDINA K. BLANTON, 39, of Hubert, NC, was sentenced to a 1 year and one day in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on the charge of Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. BLANTON was also ordered to make restitution to insurer AFLAC in the amount of $234,295.00.
Pursuant to the Defendant’s plea of guilty to the one-count Criminal Information, the Government proved that between September of 2004 and April of 2010, Blanton devised a scheme to defraud AFLAC, an insurance company, by filing $234,295.00 in false Hospital Confinement Indemnity claims. The evidence showed that the defendant and her family members were covered beneficiaries under a Hospital Confinement Indemnity insurance policy (hereafter “the Policy”) with AFLAC. In the event that BLANTON or her family members were admitted as an inpatient to a hospital, the Policy covered BLANTON and her family for certain expenses incurred during the period of the hospital admission. The defendant created and filed claims with AFLAC stating that BLANTON and certain members of her family had been admitted to a hospital as an inpatient for periods of days and weeks when, in fact, BLANTON and her family members were not admitted to a hospital as an inpatient during the times listed in the claims. To carry out the scheme BLANTON fabricated medical documentation to make it appear as though BLANTON and her family members had been admitted to a hospital. BLANTON received and deposited funds from AFLAC in the total amount of $234,295 relating to the false and fraudulent claims. BLANTON spent the money on her own interests.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.
Winchester Man Indicted for First Degree MurderRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Kenneth D. Broncheau, 48, of Winchester, Idaho, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene for first degree murder, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. An initial appearance in federal court has not been set.
The indictment alleges that on June 21, 2012, within the boundaries of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, Broncheau, an enrolled tribal member, shot and killed Carol Haskell, his mother. Broncheau was detained at the scene. He is currently in the custody of Nez Perce Tribal Police.
The charge of first degree murder is punishable by life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nez Perce Tribal Police, Idaho State Police, and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wilmington Man Convicted for Drug Sale and Using Firearm During and in Relation to the Drug SaleRead the Press Release
RALEIGH- United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today WILLIS SARVIS, 34, was convicted by a jury of Distrbution of PCP in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), and Using and Carrying a Firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Previously, SARVIS pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924.
On March 18, 2011, Wilmington officers responded to the Hillcrest Housing Community regarding a man that was shot, and ultimately died from his injuries. The investigation revealed that during the course of a drug deal, the victim had been shot twice with a Romarm/Cugir, WASR, 7.62 x 39 mm assault rifle. There were numerous shell casings from the rifle in the area and the investigation revealed two homes were also struck with bullets. The investigation quickly focused on SARVIS who had left the rifle with a friend who gave the rifle over to law enforcement. Police located SARVIS and took him into custody where he confessed to selling the deceased two small bags of PCP and shooting him when an altercation arose between them. SARVIS claimed the shooting was in self-defense.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Special Assistant United States Attorney Charity Wilson is serving as prosecutor for the government. Ms. Wilson is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office. District Attorney Ben David has assigned her to the United States Attorney's Office to prosecute federal Project Safe Neighborhood cases and other violent crime cases.
West Brookfield Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Brookfield man with a prior child pornography conviction was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Springfield.
Christopher Boucher, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release with special conditions relating to sex offenders.
In January 2012, the Massachusetts State Police executed a state search warrant at Boucher’s former residence in Ware and seized a laptop that contained a video depicting multiple rapes of a young girl known as “Vicky.” Boucher then told the police that he used file-sharing programs on the Internet to obtain images of children from 12 to 15-years-old engaged in sexual acts. Boucher also said that as recently as a few days ago, he used the e-Mule file-sharing program to download a child pornography video belonging to the “Vicky” series.
In 2000, Boucher pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography. In 2001, he was sentenced to five years of probation with six months in home detention.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.
United States Attorneys Recognize Southwest Virginia Drug Task ForceRead the Press Release
BIG STONE GAP, VIRGINIA -- Timothy J. Heaphy, United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and William Killian, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, held a ceremony yesterday, in Wise, Virginia, to recognize the contributions of the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force and its officers, in the investigation of the Rodney Mitchell Drug Trafficking Organization.
The Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, comprised of law enforcement officers from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Wise Police Department, was recognized by both United States Attorney’s Offices for assisting in a joint investigation by federal, state and local authorities from Tennessee and Virginia which culminated in the federal prosecution of Rodney Mitchell and twenty-two others in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Greeneville and the prosecution of nine individuals in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Big Stone Gap.
The Rodney Mitchell Drug Trafficking Organization was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of cocaine, prescription pain medication and marijuana in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee and had sources of supply in Detroit and Florida. More than 80 individuals were prosecuted as a result of the investigation in state and federal courts in Tennessee and Virginia.
“The officers involved with this task force put aside jurisdictional and agency boundaries to bring Rodney Mitchell and his co-conspirators to justice,” US Attorney Heaphy said today. “Impactful prosecutions like these help make our communities safer and send a powerful message about the benefits of law enforcement cooperation. I thank all the investigators who contributed to this important result.”"I am very proud of the cooperative efforts of the investigators from the numerous local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and Virginia. Their hard work resulted in these charges and guilty pleas of members of one of the largest drug conspiracies in east Tennessee," stated U.S. Attorney Bill Killian.
Agencies involved in the investigation included the Southwest Virginia Drug Tas Force, Tennessee Second Judicial Drug Task Force, Sullivan County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office, Sullivan County, Tennessee District Attorney’s Office, and the Wise County, Virginia Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.Two Men Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Child Pornography Video Investigation Snares Two Cobb County Men
ATLANTA – A Cobb County school bus driver and a college music instructor were arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Janet F. King on two separate indictments for child pornography charges stemming from their ordering and receiving videos containing child pornography from a foreign company. Stanley Keith Johnson, 57, of Mableton, Georgia, is charged with one count of producing child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. In a separate case, Jerry Michael Lanier, 51, of Smyrna, Georgia, is charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The indictments were returned by a federal grand jury on January 8, 2013.
“Child pornography preys on the most innocent and vulnerable members of society,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “These men are charged with participating in the victimization of children when they received child pornography through the mail. These cases reflect our commitment to end this horrendous cycle of victimization.”
“Postal Inspectors have been on the forefront aggressively investigating cases involving the sexual exploitation of children through the U.S. mail. We will continue our fight against sexual predators who insist on dissolving the innocence of children.” said Keith Morris, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division.
“The victimization of children by purveyors of child pornography is a growing problem in Georgia and assisting state, local, and federal agencies in identifying and prosecuting those involved in the child porn trade is a priority for the GBI and its Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. The GBI is proud to have assisted the United States Postal Inspection Service in this investigation,” said Vernon Keenan, GBI Director.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court:
- From November 2010 to April 2011, Stanley Keith Johnson placed orders with a foreign company for approximately 180 DVDs containing videos of nude boys between the ages of 8 and 14. Johnson received those videos through the United States Postal Service. A search warrant executed in December 2012 revealed that he not only possessed child pornography on his computer, but that he had also produced images of child pornography as far back as May 2004. Johnson was working as a bus driver for Cobb County Public Schools during all the times listed in the indictment.
- Between January 2010 and January 2011, Jerry Michael Lanier also placed orders with the same foreign company. He ordered and received through the mail approximately 19 DVDs containing child pornography. A search warrant executed at his residence December 2011 revealed that he had numerous videos of child pornography on his computer. Lanier was working as a music instructor at the University of West Georgia when the search warrant was executed.
The charge of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum period of confinement of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum confinement period of 5 years and a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The charge of possessing child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Each charge carries a fine of up to $250,000 and a period of supervised release from 5 years to life. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
These cases are being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
These cases are being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Cobb County Police Department, and Smyrna Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul R. Jones is prosecuting the cases.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.