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11 January 2013
Contractor Sentenced to Six Months’ Home Confinement for Violating Clean Air Act in Asbestos Removal JobRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Bergen County, N.J., man was sentenced today to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, for conspiring to violate the federal Clean Air Act by improperly removing asbestos from a building, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Vele Bozinoski, 61, of Elmwood Park, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to an Indictment charging him with violating the Clean Air Act’s asbestos work practice standards and with conspiring with others to commit that offense. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: In February 2007, Bozinoski hired workers to remove insulation at the former Garden State Paper Mill, a facility that contained more than 160 linear feet of asbestos-containing material. Bozinoski conspired with others to fail to thoroughly inspect the facility for the presence of asbestos or to notify the Environmental Protection Agency of the presence of asbestos, prior to commencing insulation removal, as was required by federal law. Bozinoski also conspired with others to fail to ensure that material containing asbestos was wet prior to stripping it off pipes and other facility components or to seal asbestos-containing material in leak-tight containers until it was collected for disposal.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez; and special agents of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William V. Lometti, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O'Leary of the U.S. Attorney's Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lori M. Koch Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Connecticut Couple Arrested on Tax Evasion and Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Husband and wife John and Sandra Cote, both of Brooklyn, Conn., were arrested on tax charges, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. On Dec. 18, 2012, a federal grand jury in New Haven, Conn., returned an indictment charging the Cotes with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and four counts of tax evasion. Sandra Cote was arrested and appeared in court on Jan. 9, 2013, in Providence, R.I. John Cote was arrested Jan. 10, 2013, and his initial appearance in court took place today in Miami.
According to the indictment, the Cotes had not filed a timely or valid tax return since 1994, despite earning income from John Cote’s work as a consultant in the high technology welding industry. The IRS assessed John Cote’s unpaid 1995-1996 taxes based on Forms 1099-MISC. Per the indictment, the Cotes responded to IRS efforts to assess and collect taxes for these years by concealing income and assets from the government and by submitting obstructive letters and other documents, including fake financial instruments and false criminal complaints against IRS employees. For the years 1998-2009, the Cotes allegedly prevented the companies for which John Cote consulted from filing Forms 1099 bearing his Social Security Number with the IRS and caused these companies to pay his compensation to nominee bank accounts, including accounts in Costa Rica, Antigua and Sweden. The Cotes also used a nominee entity called “Sandra Cote, Overseer of God's Battery Ministry, and Her Successors, a Corporation Sole (*an unincorporated Altruistic Spiritual Order)” to conceal income and assets from the IRS. In 2003, Sandra Cote conveyed their personal residence to this entity.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted on all counts, the Cotes face a maximum potential sentence of 25 years in prison and fines of up to $1,250,000.
This case was investigated by special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Jeff McLellan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/tax .
Collin County Couple Arrested for Health Care Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsSHERMAN, Texas – A Collin County, Texas, husband and wife have been arrested and charged with health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
John Mitchell Rutoskey, 59, and Gwenice Rutoskey , 54, were arrested early this morning at their McKinney, Texas, home without incident. On Dec. 12, 2012, the Rutoskey’s were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, six counts of health care fraud, causing false representations in relation to federal health care programs, and two counts of money laundering. The Rutoskey’s will make an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amos Mazzant.
If convicted of these charges, the Rutoskey’s face up to 10 years in federal prison for each health care fraud and money laundering charge. They face up to five years in federal prison for the charge of causing false representations in relation to federal health care fraud programs.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the McKinney Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Peacock.
Any individuals with knowledge of these or other health care fraud violations are encouraged to contact the Department of Health and Human Services’ fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (447-8477)
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
####Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Bringing Minor to Illinois for Prostitution; Admits Forced Sex-Trafficking of Four VictimsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man is facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison after pleading guilty today to transporting a minor from Wisconsin to Illinois for prostitution. The defendant, CARL BRANDON SMITH, also admitted that he engaged in forced sex-trafficking of the victim, as well as a second minor and two young adult women. Between 2010 and early 2012, Smith forced his victims to engage in commercial sex acts, used physical violence, and threatened to kill them if they ever left him. The guilty plea was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Thomas R. Trautmann, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Smith, also known as “Moo,” 25, of Chicago, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5 by U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve. Smith has remained in federal custody since he was arrested last April last and charged with two counts of sex-trafficking of a minor and by force, two counts of sex-trafficking by force, and one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution.
According to a plea agreement, Smith met Victim B in December 2010 and began contacting her via phone, text, and social media, asking her to move to Chicago, intending that she be his “girlfriend” and also engage in prostitution. In February 2011, Smith drove from Chicago to Victim B’s residence in Wisconsin, and then drove her from Wisconsin to his apartment in Chicago, acknowledging that she was under 18 at the time.
Once in Chicago, Smith “dated” Victim B for approximately a week before Victim B began working as a prostitute under his employ. Between February and July 2011, Victim B engaged in commercial sex acts at Smith’s direction. Smith acted as Victim B’s pimp, advertised her for commercial sex on internet sites, and instructed her to have sex with customers in his apartment and in area motels. Victim B had sex with numerous men per week and gave a portion of the money she earned to Smith.
As part of the guilty plea, Smith stipulated that he acted as a pimp for Victim A, also a minor, and forced her to engage in prostitution during 2010. Smith inflicted physical violence on Victim A when she gave him “attitude” or when she indicated that she no longer wanted to work as a prostitute. On one occasion, Smith beat Victim A so severely that one eye swelled shut.
Similarly, Smith stipulated to using and threatening violence against both Victims C and D, both adults, while acting as their pimp and forcing them to engage in commercial sex acts in 2011 and early 2012.
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, the Naperville and Aurora police departments, and the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force assisted in the investigation. The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Grohman and Felicia Manno Alesia.
Plea Agreement
California Man Sentenced to 34 Years in Prison for Traveling to the Dominican Republic and Sexually Abusing Minor BoysRead the Press Release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, announce that defendant Troy Douglas Brimm, 50, of Modesto, California, was sentenced on Thursday, January 10, 2013, to 34 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release for traveling from the United States to the Dominican Republic and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors.
On August 29, 2012, a jury convicted the defendant of two counts of traveling from the United States to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minor boys, and committing the offense while required to be registered as a previously convicted sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and California law.
According to trial evidence, on October 23, 1991, Brimm was convicted of sodomy with a 16-year old boy in Stanislaus County, California. On January 21, 1997, Brimm was convicted of receipt and distribution of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. On July 18, 2001, Brimm was convicted of performing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under fourteen (14) years old, again in Stanislaus County, California. Brimm was required to register as a sex offender as a result of these prior convictions.
Evidence at trial also showed, that on October 20, 2009, Brimm flew to the Dominican Republic, where he sought out shoe-shine boys, offered them food and money, and then performed sex acts with these boys.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, the Dominican National Police, and the Puerto Plata Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Miami-Dade Police Department and the United States Marshal’s Service for their assistance in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Medetis and Francis Viamontes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Brandon Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Yener Vahit Belli (28, Brandon) to 32 years in federal prison for brandishing a firearm during two different armed robberies. The court also sentenced Belli to a five-year term of supervised release following his incarceration, and ordered him to pay restitution to several of his victims.
Belli pleaded guilty on October 4, 2012. Previously, co-defendant Kara Denise Guggino, who admitted to acting as Belli's getaway driver for several of his armed robberies, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years incarceration.
According to court documents, Belli, aided and abetted by co-defendant Guggino, committed a series of armed robberies of convenience stores in October 2010. On October 13, 2010, Belli, with assistance from Guggino, committed an armed robbery of a Chevron gas station and convenience store located at 939 Brandon Boulevard, in Brandon. Belli went into the convenience store brandishing a Tec-9 semi-automatic firearm, and demanded that the store clerk put the money from the register into a paper bag. He also demanded cigarettes. Belli stole $580 in cash from the store and a pack of cigarettes.
On October 19, 2010, Belli, again along with Guggino, committed an armed robbery of a 7-11 store located at 1531 Brandon Boulevard, in Brandon. Belli went in the store displayed a Tec-9 semi-automatic firearm, demanded cash, a carton of Newport cigarettes, and scratch-off lottery tickets. He ordered customers to lay on the floor, prior to fleeing the store with $72 in cash and 61 lottery tickets. When Belli and Guggino were arrested on October 22, 2010, a Tec-9, 9mm semi-automatic firearm that Belli had used in the commission of several of the armed robberies was recovered in the car in which the two had been driving.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini, Colleen Murphy-Davis, and Jay L. Hoffer.
Bergen County, N.J., Man Convicted of Distributing, Receiving and Possessing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, N.J., man was convicted today of two counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
The jury returned the guilty verdict against Martin J. Villalobos, 41, of Lodi, N.J., following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
As part of an undercover investigation, special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations discovered an individual sharing images of child pornography over the internet. Agents used the IP address of the computer to identify Villalobos as the individual sharing the child pornography. After obtaining a search warrant, agents found Villalobos in a locked bedroom with eight computer hard drives, more than 100 DVDs and other electronic media. A forensic analysis of the materials found in Villalobos’s bedroom revealed that he was in possession of more than 5,000 photographs and more than 150 videos of minors and prepubescent minors, nude and/or engaged in sexual acts with one another and with adults. Other evidence found in Villalobos’s possession showed that he routinely used the internet to solicit, receive and distribute child pornography.
The receipt and distribution counts each carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The possession count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of ICE HSI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew M. McLees in Newark, for the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph B. Shumofsky and Nicholas P. Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Pro se
Axius Ceo Roland Kaufmann Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Pay Bribes in Stock SalesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roland Kaufmann, CEO of Axius Inc., pleaded guilty today in Brooklyn for conspiring to bribe stock brokers, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch.
Kaufmann, 60, a Swiss citizen, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Gleeson in the Eastern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
“Roland Kaufmann conspired to bribe stock brokers and fleece investors in Axius stock,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “He took the crooked path, and now faces the prospect of years in prison. Although he committed his crimes from outside the United States, U.S. authorities tracked him down and he has now been held to account. This case shows our determination to prosecute all those who seek to corrupt U.S. securities markets.”
“Roland Kaufman sought to game the system with his scheme to bribe stockholders to help him artificially raise the price of his company’s stock,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch. “He reached across the ocean to insert his deception into U.S. markets, thereby placing investors at risk. We will continue to bring our resources to bear against anyone who would harm the integrity of United States capital markets for their own personal financial gain, even when those who try to exploit our investors are hatching their schemes from abroad.”
“The flagrant market manipulation engaged in by Kaufmann was designed to make him rich,” said George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI New York Field Office. “Absent the undercover agent, the scheme also would have made honest investors much poorer. The FBI is committed to policing the securities industry to prevent unjust enrichment for cheaters, victimization of honest investors, and the undermining of public confidence in market integrity.”
“This case demonstrates the value of a coordinated approach by law enforcement authorities,” said Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation. “As a result of the collaborative effort in this investigation, investors were protected from further financial harm. IRS Criminal Investigation is always ready to lend its financial investigative expertise to the investigation of complex and sophisticated financial crimes.”
Kaufmann admitted to conspiring with co-defendant Jean-Pierre Neuhaus, another Swiss citizen, to violate the Travel Act by bribing stock brokers. Axius, which refers to itself as a “holding company and business incubator” that develops other businesses, is incorporated in Nevada, and its principal offices are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As part of the scheme, Kaufmann and Neuhaus, while located overseas, enlisted the assistance of an individual they believed had access to a group of corrupt stock brokers; this individual was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent. Kaufmann and Neuhaus believed that the undercover agent controlled a network of stockbrokers in the United States with discretionary authority to trade stocks on behalf of their clients.
According to court documents, Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent to direct brokers to purchase Axius shares that were owned or controlled by Kaufmann in return for a secret kickback of approximately 26 to 28 percent of the sale price. Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent as to the price the brokers should pay for the stock, and Kaufmann specifically instructed the undercover agent, in Neuhaus’s presence, that the brokers would have to pay gradually higher prices for the shares they were buying. Kaufmann and Neuhaus directed the undercover agent that the brokers were to refrain from selling the Axius shares they purchased on behalf of their clients for a one-year period. By preventing sales of Axius stock, Kaufmann and Neuhaus intended to maintain the fraudulently inflated share price for Axius stock. Kaufmann and Neuhaus agreed to sell approximately $3.5 million to $5 million worth of Axius shares through the undercover agent’s stock brokers.
Kaufmann and Neuhaus were arrested on March 8, 2012. On Oct. 10, 2012, Neuhaus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and violate the Travel Act.
At sentencing, scheduled for May 17, 2013, Kaufmann faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Kaufmann agreed to forfeit $298,740 that victims lost as a result of the crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Justin Goodyear of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilene Jaroslaw of the Eastern District of New York. The case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office and the IRS New York Field Office. The department also thanks the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in this matter.
Axius Ceo Roland Kaufmann Pleads Guilty <br /> to Conspiracy to Pay Bribes in Stock SalesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roland Kaufmann, CEO of Axius Inc., pleaded guilty today in Brooklyn for conspiring to bribe stock brokers, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch.
Kaufmann, 60, a Swiss citizen, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Gleeson in the Eastern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
“Roland Kaufmann conspired to bribe stock brokers and fleece investors in Axius stock,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “He took the crooked path, and now faces the prospect of years in prison. Although he committed his crimes from outside the United States, U.S. authorities tracked him down and he has now been held to account. This case shows our determination to prosecute all those who seek to corrupt U.S. securities markets.”
“Roland Kaufman sought to game the system with his scheme to bribe stockholders to help him artificially raise the price of his company’s stock,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch. “He reached across the ocean to insert his deception into U.S. markets, thereby placing investors at risk. We will continue to bring our resources to bear against anyone who would harm the integrity of United States capital markets for their own personal financial gain, even when those who try to exploit our investors are hatching their schemes from abroad.”
“The flagrant market manipulation engaged in by Kaufmann was designed to make him rich,” said George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI New York Field Office. “Absent the undercover agent, the scheme also would have made honest investors much poorer. The FBI is committed to policing the securities industry to prevent unjust enrichment for cheaters, victimization of honest investors, and the undermining of public confidence in market integrity.”
“This case demonstrates the value of a coordinated approach by law enforcement authorities,” said Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation. “As a result of the collaborative effort in this investigation, investors were protected from further financial harm. IRS Criminal Investigation is always ready to lend its financial investigative expertise to the investigation of complex and sophisticated financial crimes.”
Kaufmann admitted to conspiring with co-defendant Jean-Pierre Neuhaus, another Swiss citizen, to violate the Travel Act by bribing stock brokers. Axius, which refers to itself as a “holding company and business incubator” that develops other businesses, is incorporated in Nevada, and its principal offices are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As part of the scheme, Kaufmann and Neuhaus, while located overseas, enlisted the assistance of an individual they believed had access to a group of corrupt stock brokers; this individual was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent. Kaufmann and Neuhaus believed that the undercover agent controlled a network of stockbrokers in the United States with discretionary authority to trade stocks on behalf of their clients.
According to court documents, Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent to direct brokers to purchase Axius shares that were owned or controlled by Kaufmann in return for a secret kickback of approximately 26 to 28 percent of the sale price. Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent as to the price the brokers should pay for the stock, and Kaufmann specifically instructed the undercover agent, in Neuhaus’s presence, that the brokers would have to pay gradually higher prices for the shares they were buying. Kaufmann and Neuhaus directed the undercover agent that the brokers were to refrain from selling the Axius shares they purchased on behalf of their clients for a one-year period. By preventing sales of Axius stock, Kaufmann and Neuhaus intended to maintain the fraudulently inflated share price for Axius stock. Kaufmann and Neuhaus agreed to sell approximately $3.5 million to $5 million worth of Axius shares through the undercover agent’s stock brokers.
Kaufmann and Neuhaus were arrested on March 8, 2012. On Oct. 10, 2012, Neuhaus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and violate the Travel Act.
At sentencing, scheduled for May 17, 2013, Kaufmann faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Kaufmann agreed to forfeit $298,740 that victims lost as a result of the crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Justin Goodyear of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilene Jaroslaw of the Eastern District of New York. The case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office and the IRS New York Field Office. The department also thanks the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in this matter.
Anchorage Woman sentenced to 84 monthsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska B U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a woman from Anchorage, Alaska was sentenced on Thursday, January 10, 2013, in federal court in Anchorage for her role in an Anchorage drug distribution conspiracy.
Erica Tolliver, 35, from Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 84 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for her role in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Anchorage. Tolliver had previously plead guilty to an indictment charging her and her co-conspirator, Kelvin Washington, a/k/a, “Special K,” with one count of drug conspiracy. Her co-conspirator, Kelvin Washington, a/k/a, “Special K,” was sentenced to 96 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for his role in the conspiracy on November 20, 2012.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, who prosecuted the case, Tolliver and Washington made several sales of crack cocaine out of their shared residence in an Anchorage apartment to a confidential informant working for the Anchorage Police. Anchorage Police searched the apartment and found more crack and powder cocaine, as well as two firearms, and nearly $10,000 in cash. Interspersed with the $10,000, Anchorage Police found money they had used to purchase the crack cocaine from the co-conspirators. The total amount of cocaine that was recovered through controlled sales to a confidential informant and during the search of the apartment was 26 grams of crack cocaine and 68 grams of powder cocaine.
Ms. Loeffler commended the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tolliver.
Allentown Couple Charged in Straw Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - Tracy Martin, 48, and Marie Hinds, 41, both of Allentown, PA were charged today by indictment with orchestrating the straw purchase of two guns, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, Martin directed Hinds to purchase a 9mm pistol and a .32 caliber pistol for him, in January 2011, from an Army Navy store in Whitehall, PA. The couple allegedly lied on the federal firearms form by indicating that the guns were for Hinds. The indictment further alleges that Martin lied to an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives by claiming the guns were secured in a safe in his home when he knew they were not.
If convicted, Martin faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $750,000; Hinds faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph LaBar.
Click here to view the indictment
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Alexandria Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Shooting Military Buildings in Northern VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Yonathan Melaku, 24, of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for damaging property and firearm violations involving five separate shootings at military installations in Northern Virginia between October and November 2010 and attempting to injure veterans’ memorials at Arlington National Cemetery.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
On Jan. 26, 2012, Melaku pled guilty to a three-count information that included injuring property of the United States, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and attempted injury to veterans’ memorials on U.S. property. The defense and government jointly recommended in the plea agreement a sentence of 25 years in prison.
“Yonathan Melaku is a self-radicalized terrorist who carried out a campaign of fear that escalated until his arrest,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “He took calculated steps to target specific military buildings, cover up his crimes, and plan even more destruction should his message not be heard. This sentence is just punishment for the danger he poses to our community.”
“The partnerships and resources shared on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force enhanced the investigation into the multiple shootings that threatened our region and ultimately resulted in today’s sentence,” said FBI Acting ADIC Smith. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners who make up the JTTF including Prince William County Police, Virginia State Police, Fairfax and Arlington Police, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Park Police, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency, as well as the Military District of Washington and the U.S. Marine Corps for their dedicated work throughout this investigation.”
According to court records, Melaku carried out a series of five shootings from Oct. 17, 2010, through Nov. 2, 2010, at the following locations: the National Museum of the Marine Corps (twice), the Pentagon, a Marine Corps recruiting sub-station in Chantilly, Va., and a U.S. Coast Guard recruiting office in Woodbridge, Va. Each shooting took place late at night or early in the morning and involved multiple 9mm rounds fired at each building. The cost for repairs at the facilities exceeded $100,000.
During the second shooting at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Melaku set up a video camera within the interior of his vehicle to record the shooting incident. The video shows Melaku repeatedly firing a handgun out the passenger-side window, and he narrates the incident on the video and states, among other things: That’s my target. That’s the military building. It’s going to be attacked” and at the conclusion of multiple shots, exclaiming “Allahu Akbar” repeatedly.
Melaku attempted to flee law enforcement after being spotted on the property of Ft. Myer in Arlington, Va., at approximately 1:30 a.m. on June 17, 2011. During the pursuit, he dropped a backpack that contained numerous spent 9mm shell casings; four bags containing ammonium nitrate, and a spiral notebook with numerous Arabic statements referencing the Taliban, al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, “The Path to Jihad,” as well as a list of several other individuals associated with foreign terrorist organizations.
At the time of his apprehension, Melaku was attempting to enter the area of Arlington National Cemetery containing graves of deceased Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, intending to desecrate and injure the grave markers by spray-painting the markers with Arabic statements and by leaving the ammonium nitrate he was carrying at the sites of the grave markers.
On June 17, 2011, during a search of his residence, FBI search teams found Melaku had stored within the bedroom closet of his residence a typed list titled “Timer” that included nine items that Melaku admitted are consistent with what would be required to construct the firing mechanism for an explosive device. Four of those items had been crossed through.
In interviews with law enforcement after his arrest, Melaku said he targeted military-associated buildings to send a message that the U.S. should not be involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and to intimidate those who supported U.S. involvement. He planned to desecrate nearly 2,400 grave markers at Arlington National Cemetery and leave ammonium nitrate at the scene to instill fear in the public. He stated that he planned further crimes, including blowing up a military fuel truck, if his message was not heard.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the police departments of Arlington County, Fairfax County and Prince William County; the Pentagon Force Protection Agency; the Virginia State Police; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Coast Guard Investigative Service; the U.S. Park Police; U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico; and the Military District of Washington Provost Marshal Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Grooms, Neil Hammerstrom, and Lynn Haaland of the National Security and International Crime Unit are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Washington - Kenneth Jerome Blackmon Jr., a resident of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.
According to court documents, Blackmon was involved in a scheme to use stolen identities to file false federal income tax returns with the IRS. Blackmon admitted to acquiring identity information, to using that information on false tax returns, and to directing fraudulent tax refunds onto debit cards. He admitted to possessing at least fifteen Social Security numbers for the purpose of obtaining fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS.
Blackmon faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison for the access device fraud count and a mandatory two-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft count. He is also subject to fines and mandatory restitution.
This case was investigated by special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Jason Poole of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at justice.gov/tax.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-761723 Defendants Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA - Today, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging 23 defendants with conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine in the Southern District of Georgia and elsewhere. One of the defendants is also charged with the unlawful possession of 23 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
The indictments follow a two-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into drug trafficking activities within Savannah, Atlanta and elsewhere. Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chatham County Counter-Narcotics Team (CNT), Beaufort County South Carolina Sheriff’s Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, among other agencies conducted the joint investigation. The investigation culminated in arrests and search warrants being executed on November 29, 2012, in the following Georgia locations: Pooler, Garden City, Savannah, Atlanta, and Brunswick. Search Warrants were also executed in South Carolina. During the investigation, agents seized kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of over $2.7 million. Agents seized pounds of marijuana, with a street value of almost $50,000, over $300,000 in cash, and numerous automobiles. Additionally, agents seized 10 firearms from convicted felons.
United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “Drug dealers beware. If you are pushing poison into our community, law enforcement will unite. We will hunt you down. We will find you. We will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law, and we will forfeit your property.”
The 23 defendants indicted on federal charges include: TELLY SAVALAS RILEY, (Age 37, Crescent, Georgia) a/k/a “Jack,” a/k/a “KoJak,”
GRILLY HOLLOWAY, JR., (Age 33, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Grill Cheese,”
RASHAWN AHAMD STEWART, (Age 31, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Magic,” a/k/a “Black Magic,” a/k/a “Smokey,” a/k/a/ “Spot,”
STEVEN PATRICK MCCOY, (Age 37, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Patche,” a/k/a “Scratch,” a/k/a “Lil Pat,” a/k/a “Project,”
JACK LEE BROWN, (Age 42, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Smooth,”
ANTHONY DETHER AARON, (Age 35, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “The Tire Doctor,” a/k/a “Joe Jizzle,” a/k/a “Jizzleasy,”
LEONARD ANTHONY KENNEDY, (Age 36, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Jamal Harris,” a/k/a “Bernard Anthony Gramm,”
JARVIS KING, (Age 42, South Carolina) a/k/a “Jeezy,” a/k/a “Anthony Jarvis King,” a/k/a “Anthony Heyward,” a/k/a “Timothy Monroe Hughes,” a/k/a “Ghost,”
CHAD FITZGERALD MCCOY, (Age 31, Atlanta, Georgia) a/k/a “Feezy,”
MICHAEL JERNARD SINGLETON, (Age 29, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Cheese,”
DYSHAWN JAMEL BEASLEY, (Age 34, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Aubrey Beasley,”
LEROY CHISHOLM, (Age 37, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Fats,”
RON BERNARD ALLEN, (Age 36, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Ron Low,”
VINCENT BRYANT, (Age 43, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Vincent Lonon,” a/k/a “Chill,” a/k/a “Chilly,”
RICARDO JAMAINE CRAWFORD, (Age 41, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Rico,”
JAWYANNA PORCHAI PRINGLE, (Age 29, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Jiggie,”
JOSEPH LAMAR MEDLOCK, (Age 29, South Carolina) a/k/a “Poochie Medlock,”
MICHAEL LAVON BOSTIC, (Age 33, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Mike B,”
MICHAEL DEWAYNE JACKSON (Age 40, Jacksonville, Florida)
EDWARD LEROY WILLIAMS, (Age 44, Crescent, Georgia)
GEORGE LENARD MORAN, (Age 30, Crescent, Georgia)
WILLIE JONES, (Age 30, Savannah, Georgia) a/k/a “Willie Banks,” a/k/a “Zay Glass,” a/k/a “Mike James,” a/k/a “Wille James,” a/k/a “Orlando Norvell King,” a/k/a “Willie Pollie,” and
JAMES WRIGHT (Age 38, Savannah, Georgia)The defendants face a possible life sentence if convicted of the charges. 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.
Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and Karl I. Knoche are prosecuting the case for the United States. For additional information, contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.100-month Sentence for Convicted Felon Who Had 9 Firearms, MarijuanaRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Fred Alverson
Public Affairs Officer
COLUMBUS – David P. Crail, 35, of Dublin, Ohio was sentenced to 100 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, growing marijuana at a house in Dublin, Ohio and making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Columbus Police Chief Kimberly Jacobs and Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, members of the FBI Columbus Metropolitan Violent Crimes Task Force tracked Crail to 3256 Rothschild Court in Dublin on April 27, 2010 after they received information from the FBI in Michigan that Crail was wanted there. Crail was living in Dublin at the time under the name of Raymond Howard Lyons. Crail had applied for a passport using fraudulent documents with that name.
When task force officers searched the house, they found an indoor marijuana growing operation and seized 130 marijuana plants. Investigators also found three handguns, five rifles and a shotgun located in Crail’s bedroom. Task force officers arrested Crail.
Crail pleaded guilty on October 19, 2012 to one count of manufacturing marijuana, one count of illegally transporting firearms, and one count of making a false application on a passport. He was sentenced to 100 months on each count with the sentences to run concurrently. He has been in custody since his arrest.
Crail was convicted in February 2000 on state charges of assault with a weapon in Michigan. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
“The defendant committed three separate offenses while on the run from felony charges in Michigan,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bosley wrote in a memorandum filed with the court prior to sentencing. “He also used this name to buy firearms and apply for a United States Passport. The defendant acquired the numerous firearms in his residence after being convicted of a felony and some of them while on the run for new felony charges.”
Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by members of the task force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bosley, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. government.
10 January 2013
Wyoming Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Christopher A. Crofts announced today that on January 4, 2013, Byron Friday, a 47 year old Northern Arapaho Tribal Member, was sentenced for assaulting a woman on the Wind River Indian Reservation, resulting in serious bodily injury to the woman. The case involved an incident on May 11, 2012, wherein Friday assaulted the victim and her children, who were trying to get Friday out of their home. Mr. Friday was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal, pursuant to a plea agreement, to 20 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 special assessment. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Woman Convicted on Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Lisa Biron, 43, of Manchester was convicted today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on child exploitation charges, including transportation of a child for illegal sexual conduct and manufacturing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.
The investigation began in September of last year when an 18-year-old male went to the Manchester Police and reported that he met the defendant, Lisa Biron on Craig’s List and that she had shown him videos of a minor child engaged in sexual activity. The investigation then revealed that in May of 2012, the defendant took a minor child to Ontario, Canada where she produced videos of that minor engaged in sexual activity. A search warrant was executed for Lisa Biron’s computer which revealed that she had produced additional images of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Kacavas would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, the Manchester Police Department, the Strafford County House of Corrections and the Ontario Provincial Police for their efforts in bringing this case to a successful prosecution.West Virginia Attorney Sentenced to Federal Prison Time for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Mullins failed to pay more than $389,000 in taxes; defendant also overbilled public defender program by nearly a quarter of a million dollars
BECKLEY, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that West Virginia attorney Charles B. Mullins II was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for tax evasion. Mullins, 52, of Daniels, Raleigh County, W.Va., previously pleaded guilty in August 2012. Mullins admitted that for years 2006-2009, he failed to pay more than $389,000 in taxes. Mullins also admitted that he owes the state public defender program $223,605 and Alabama-based Daniels Capital Corporation (“DCC”) $184,030 by making false statements concerning the amount of work he did on court-appointed criminal defense work.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin stated, "Lawyers hold a position of public trust. When that trust is broken, the public and the legal profession suffer. It is particularly disappointing when a member of the bar is convicted of wrongdoing. The sentence of the court in this case will hopefully send a clear message that such conduct cannot be tolerated.”
Mullins practiced law in Pineville, Wyoming County, W.Va. Mullins admitted that he deposited money into his client trust account, which included legal fees, reimbursements from settlements for private clients, as well as his personal income. Mullins further admitted that he then wrote checks for his personal use directly from his law office’s client trust account. Mullins admitted that on his federal income tax returns, he did not report as income the money that he used personally from his law office’s trust account. Mullins also admitted that he did not provide the client trust account ledgers to his accountant to aid in the preparation of his taxes. In an effort to conceal the personal expenditures from his trust account, Mullins had employees falsely assign personal expenses to a random client in his trust account computer software program. In the operating account, which he provided to his accountant, Mullins classified personal expenses as business expenses, which were deducted from his income.
Among other types of cases, he represented indigent clients in state criminal matters pending in Wyoming, Mercer and McDowell counties. As a normal practice, after a case was completed, Mullins submitted a payment voucher form to the Circuit Court Judge in the case for approval. The Circuit Court Judge reviewed the payment voucher and signed a court order authorizing payment. Mullins then submitted the court order to the West Virginia Public Defender Services (“WVPDS”) for payment.
Mullins entered into a cash-advance agreement with Daniels Capital Corporation (“DCC”), a corporation headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, to expedite his payments. In exchange for prompt payments less a small percentage, Mullins assigned his right to full payment from WVPDS to DCC. In essence, Mr. Mullins would fax DCC a form listing the amount ordered by the circuit court, or the amount he expected that the circuit court would order. DCC would wire Mr. Mullins the reimbursement less a percentage that same day or the next day. When WVPDS eventually processed the same payment voucher, WVPDS would pay DCC directly the full amount.
Beginning in March 2005 and at least until June 2011, Mullins submitted false payment vouchers to the WVPDS. Mullins admitted that he inflated the amount of hours he worked on particular cases. Mullins then submitted the vouchers to the Circuit Court, which would in turn submit them to WVPDS by the Clerk of Court.
Mullins also admitted that he submitted false payment vouchers to DCC which represented that he had performed or would perform work on cases and that the court would order payment in a certain amount. Mullins knew that he did not perform such work.
Between March 2005 and June 2011, Mullins reported to WVPDS that he worked more than 24 hours in a single day on numerous occasions, and frequently overbilled WVPDS for work he performed.
Mullins admitted that he owes the WVPDS $223,605. Mullins also agreed he owed Daniels Capital $184,750.85.The court ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $780,146.51. The defendant owes $184,030.85 to Daniels Capital Corporation; $223,605 to the West Virginia Public Defenders Services; and $372,510.66 to the IRS.
In a similar matter, former attorney Christopher B. Bledsoe, 33, was sentenced in February 2012 to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Bledsoe admitted to a similar scheme in which he falsified payment vouchers for court-appointed criminal defense work.
The Bledsoe case was brought as part of an investigation by the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations into false and fraudulent billings submitted by attorneys for services performed in appointed criminal matters.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith George Thomas and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
Two Lawrence Men Arrested for Stealing U.S. Treasury Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON - Two Lawrence men were arrested today for stealing more than $210,000 in U.S. Treasury tax refunds.
Robert A. Montero, 39, and Wilson R. Santana, 36, were charged with 30 counts of stealing U.S. Treasury tax refunds contained in U.S. Treasury checks that had been fraudulently obtained by filing false tax returns with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The indictment alleges that between November 2011 and February 2012, Montero worked as a bank teller at the Metro West Credit Union in Lawrence where, for a fee, he assisted Santana in negotiating these fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks in the bank accounts associated with Santana. In addition, Santana is charged with four counts of possessing fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks containing U.S. Treasury tax refunds with intent to convert the tax refunds for his own use.
If convicted, Montero and Santana face up to 10 years in prison on each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Steven D. Ricciardi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Chief John Romero of the Lawrence Police Department, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxim Grinberg of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Toledo Man Named in 15-Count Indictment Charging Possession of More Than 150 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
A 15-count indictment was filed charging Stanley L. Haythorne, age 37, of Toledo, Ohio, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, structuring financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Haythorne is accused of conspiring with others to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana between 2004 and the present, according to the indictment.
On June 18, 2010, Haythorne possessed more than 150 pounds (71 kilograms) of marijuana, according to the indictment.
In a five-month period in 2008, Haythorne engaged in a series of financial transactions involving approximately $250,000 that were designed to avoid financial reporting requirements (structuring), according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case was accepted and investigated as an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF program divides the country into 13 regions and is designed to insure that the most sophisticated investigative and prosecutive resources are directed against large scale organized drug trafficking ventures.
The indictment culminates a three-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Weldon.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Men Convicted in Puerto Rico in Final<br /> Operation Guard Shack ProsecutionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three men, including two former officers with the Police of Puerto Rico, were convicted today by a federal jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for their roles in providing security for drug transactions, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodriguez-Velez of the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
Former Police of Puerto Rico Officers Daviel Salinas Acevedo, 29, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Miguel Santiago Cordero, 30, of Lares, Puerto Rico, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction.
Wendell Rivera Ruperto, 38, of Las Marias, Puerto Rico, was convicted of one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, attempting to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction. Rivera Ruperto had been convicted previously of 15 other counts arising from his participation in other, related drug transactions.
Salinas Acevedo, Santiago Cordero and Rivera Ruperto were charged in a superseding indictment returned in the District of Puerto Rico on Sept. 30, 2010, in addition to 87 other law enforcement officers and 43 other individuals, as part of the FBI undercover operation known as “Operation Guard Shack.” To date, 131defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted, and 119 defendants have been sentenced. Today’s convictions were the last of the Guard Shack defendants to stand trial.According to the evidence presented in court, Salinas Acevedo, Rivera Ruperto and Santiago Cordero each provided security for what they believed were illegal cocaine deals that occurred on March 24, April 9 and July 8, 2010, respectively. In fact, each purported drug transaction was one of dozens of simulated transactions conducted as part of the undercover FBI operation. The three men performed armed security for the multi-kilogram cocaine deals by frisking the buyer (a confidential informant working for the FBI), standing guard as the kilos were counted, and inspecting and escorting the buyer in and out of the transaction. In return for the security they provided, Salinas Acevedo, Santiago Cordero and Rivera Ruperto each received a cash payment of $2,000.
In return for the security they provided, Salinas Acevedo, Santiago Cordero and Rivera Ruperto each received a cash payment of $2,000. The money was never returned by any of the defendants, and none of the defendants ever reported the transactions.
Sentencing in the case will be scheduled by U.S. District Judge Carmen Consuelo Cerezo for later this year. At sentencing, Salinas Acevedo and Santiago Cordero face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Rivera Ruperto is presently serving a sentence of 126 years and 10 months in prison for his prior convictions and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison for his convictions today.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Anthony J. Phillips and Edward J. Loya Jr., of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case was investigated by the FBI. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice also provided assistance in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico also participated in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Prescription PainkillersRead the Press Release
Defendant admits to distributing a total of more than 3000 pills during illegal scheme
BECKLEY, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that a Tennessee man was sentenced (Jan.10) to seven years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Doneven S. Bailey Jr., 49, of Chattanooga, Tenn., admitted that from June 8, 2011 until February 3, 2012, he conspired with a known associate to illegally distribute oxycodone pills in and around Beaver, Raleigh County, W.Va. Bailey further admitted that on several occasions, he and his associate transported oxycodone pills from the Chattanooga, Tennessee area to sell in and around Beaver, W.Va. Bailey also admitted that his associate’s vehicle was used to transport the oxycodone pills from Chattanooga to a motel in Beaver, W.Va.
Bailey admitted that on two occasions on February 3, 2012, individuals cooperating with law enforcement authorities obtained 50 30-milligram oxycodone pills from him and his associate while inside of their rented motel room in Raleigh County, W.Va. On February 3, 2012, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s motel room and seized a quantity of oxycodone pills and buy money that was used during prior controlled drug transactions.
Bailey admitted that he is responsible for distributing a total of 3200 30-milligram oxycodone pills over an eight-month period.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
The Raleigh County Sherriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
St. Francis Man Pleads Guilty to Simple Possession of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Antoine Kills In Water, age 30, of St. Francis, South Dakota, appeared before United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange on January 10, 2013, and pled guilty to Simple Possession of a Controlled Substance. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 1 year in custody, a $100,000 fine, or both; 1 year of supervised release; and a $25 special assessment.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place between April 29, 2011, and May 11, 2011, when Kills In Water used and possessed methamphetamine and marijuana.
The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Maher.
Kills In Water was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.
Smith County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
Department of Justice
Office of Public AffairsTYLER, Texas – A 23-year-old Whitehouse, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Oscar Vela pleaded guilty on June 11, 2013, to online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Jan. 9, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis.According to information presented in court, Vela communicated with law enforcement agents who were acting in an undercover capacity. The law enforcement agents represented that they were a minor female who was available for sexual activity for a price. Vela agreed to pay for sex with the minor female and was apprehended by law enforcement. As a result of this conviction, Vela will be placed on the required to register as a sex offender following his imprisonment.
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This case was brought 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Longview Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Griffith.Sentences for January 04, 2013Read the Press Release
Billy Joe Floyd Coy, 60, of Cody, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on January 4, 2013, for making a false statement to a National Forest Service Special Agent and for conducting unauthorized work activities and services in a National Forest. Coy was arrested in Cheyenne. He received three years of supervised release, was ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine, a $110.00 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $900.00. This case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service.
Scott Lee Hubeny Arraigned and Pleads Guilty U.S. Federal CourtRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on January 10, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, SCOTT LEE HUBENY, a 48-year-old resident of Missoula, was arraigned and pled guilty to theft of government money. Sentencing has been set for May 2, 2013. He is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
HUBENY filed for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration ("SSA") on June 2, 1999. He was awarded monthly disability benefits beginning on January 20, 2000. As a beneficiary of SSA disability, HUBENY agreed to report employment or income changes that could affect his eligibility to receive SSA disability payments. At the time of the investigation in this case, HUBENY was receiving $1,400 per month in disability payments.
On April 4, 2011, the SSA received confidential information that HUBENY owned and operated a medical marijuana grow in Missoula and was growing marijuana both at his house and a rented warehouse. HUBENY became a medical marijuana provider under Montana law in August 2009.
On June 30, 2011, federal and state law enforcement officers searched HUBENY's house and his warehouse. They seized a total of approximately 243 marijuana plants, four pounds and 12 ounces of bulk marijuana, 5.06 ounces of Hashish, and various items of marijuana processing equipment (grow lights, digital scales, etc.).
HUBENY was interviewed the same day as the searches. HUBENY stated that he understood his SSA disability reporting requirements regarding changes in employment or income but denied earning any income in excess of $500 per year from his medical marijuana business. He said that he knew he was required to report his employment to SSA and provided no explanation for not doing so, saying only that he did not think about it because he was losing money.
HUBENY's bank records were reviewed which revealed that HUBENY deposited approximately $37,890 into his bank accounts from January 2010 through April 2011. That figure does not include HUBENY's monthly disability payments. Approximately $9,130 of that money came from 19 checks from Sharrott Creek Farms to HUBENY from January 14, 2010 through July 13, 2010. Sharrott Creek Farms is a business involved in growing and selling medical marijuana. When asked about Sharrott Creek Farms during his interview on June 30, 2011, HUBENY said he received two or three checks from that business for no more than $700 total.
HUBENY knowingly failed to disclose employment and income information to the SSA and, as a result, fraudulently received $25,200 in disability benefit payments between April 2010 and September 2011.
HUBENY faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Stephen Leone was sentenced today to 135 months in prison and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution for transportation of child pornography, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
Leone pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, 2012, to a one-count Information charging him with violating 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1), transportation of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Leone admitted that on Nov. 27, 2011, he made a video recording of a minor victim that he then transported to other electronic devices and media, and that he knew the video recording depicted conduct that qualifies as child pornography under federal law.
Leone, 50, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 7, 2012. He was charged with producing child pornography on two occasions, in approximately November 2011 and February 2012. He has been in continuous custody since his arrest by San Francisco police officers on April 22, 2012.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey S. White following a guilty plea to one count in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1) (transportation of child pornography). Judge White also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release, and ordered that he pay $15,000 in restitution to his minor victim.
Owen Martikan is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case with the assistance of Rosario Calderon. The prosecution is the result of a three-month investigation by the San Francisco Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(Leone filed information )
Ryan Michael Burras Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Import Violations and to Violate Fda Laws by Mislabeling and Distributing Synthetic MarijuanaRead the Press Release
RYAN MICHAEL BURRAS, age 23, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiring to commit import violations and to violate the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by mislabeling and distributing synthetic marijuana, announced U. S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.
According to court documents, beginning in the first half of 2010 and continuing through at least July 2011, BURRAS conspired with co-defendants, Cody Beaudette, Christopher Buelle, and C Square, L.L.C., a Slidell-based company, to knowingly receive, buy, and sell synthetic marijuana imported into the United States contrary to law, specifically causing the introduction and delivery of a drug that is adulterated and misbranded under Federal law. BURRAS’s role in the offense was to designed labels for C Square, L.L.C.’s brands of synthetic marijuana, and he also assisted in the distribution of C Square, L.L.C.’s synthetic marijuana brands. C Square, L.L.C.’s brands included “ZeRo GrAviTy”, “iAroma”, and “Primo,” among others.
BURRAS faces a maximum statutory penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years, and a $250,000.00 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 17, 2013 at 2:00 P.M.The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Office of Criminal Investigations with the assistance of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Slidell Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir.
(Download Indictment )
Russian National Convicted of 2002 Double Homicide Committed in GatlinburgRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On December 28, 2012, a jury in the Russian Federation Court for the Moscow Region found Yuri Solovyev, 44, guilty of the July 2002 murders of his roommates Vladimir Yemelyanov and Sufiya Arslanova in Gatlinburg, Tenn., where they all three worked on seasonal tourist visas. Solovyev is expected to be sentenced within the coming weeks.
Shortly after the murders, Sevier County and Gatlinburg authorities brought homicide charges against Solovyev for the grisly crime based upon a strong circumstantial case. The proof showed Solovyev acquired the murder weapon and purchased cleaning solutions to attempt to clean the apartment, while giving conflicting statements about the whereabouts of his missing roommates. Solovyev fled before the bloody crime scene was discovered, but the blood of the victims was found in his abandoned automobile, and, thereafter, video-surveillance identified him using the victims’ credit cards.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation traced Solovyev to Moscow where he admitted to the Russian authorities in 2010 that he stole more than $19,000 in cash from the victims and buried their bodies in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but he claimed an unidentified man named “Alex”, unknown to the U.S. investigation, committed the murders.
Based upon Solovyev’s statements to the Russian authorities, Gatlinburg authorities found the remains of the victims almost a decade after the murders, along with the murder weapon and other evidence which served to support the evidence that Solovyev acted alone. Solovyev is scheduled to be sentenced later in January.
Extradition of Russian nationals to the United States is not possible. However, Russian law allows for Russian nationals to be prosecuted under Russian law for crimes committed outside of the Russian Federation. This is the first time in which the Russians have prosecuted a Russian national on U.S. murder charges in response to a request for transfer of prosecution. In conjunction with bringing their own murder charges, Russian authorities spent a week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, interviewing the witnesses and the local detective, after considering the investigative materials and lab reports transmitted under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
U.S. Attorney Bill Killian commended the verdict and stated, “I am very pleased the Department of Justice has been able to assist the authorities in Sevier County with bringing this man to justice. It sends an important message that fleeing to a foreign country – even if extradition is not possible – does not necessarily preclude a successful prosecution. This is a case of excellent law enforcement effort, diligence and persistence in bringing this defendant to justice for this gruesome crime. I especially applaud the work of Gatlinburg Detective Tim Williams, FBI Special Agent Buddy Early and AUSA Chuck Atchley. We hope that the sentence imposed in Russia will reflect the seriousness of the offense.”
“This case is an example of how criminal justice is not constrained by geographical boundaries. Local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners all have a common interest in ensuring that there are no safe havens for fugitives from justice. The FBI commends the cooperative efforts of everyone involved,“ said Kenneth L. Moore, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Knoxville Division.
This case was prosecuted as a result of the efforts by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Atchley, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, City of Gatlinburg Detective Tim Williams, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Buddy Early and Legal Attaché Bryan Earl.
Rossford Man Charged with Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that an indictment was filed against Justin Eckenrode, age 27, of Rossford, Ohio. The indictment charges Eckenrode with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Toledo, Ohio. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.Rosebud Man Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rosebud man convicted of Robbery and Aiding and Abetting was sentenced on January 9, 2013, by United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Raymond Walter Gassman, age 19, was sentenced to 46 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, $790 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.
Gassman was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 12, 2012, and pled guilty to the charge on October 24, 2012.
On May 8, 2012, Gassman was with another individual when they robbed the Paul Mart convenience store by entering the store with bandanas on their faces to mask their appearance and brandished weapons. Gassman attempted to steal things of value, including merchandise and the cash register from the store clerk.
The investigation was conducted by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Maher.
Gassman was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford, Ill. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to 10 years in prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. NICHOLAS STENSON, 29, was convicted on October 3, 2012, after a jury trial in Rockford.
According to the indictment and evidence at trial, on July 10, 2011, shortly after 2:00 am, members of the Rockford Police Department's M3 Unit observed Stenson on Rock Street standing next to a green Pontiac. When officers parked their squad car near the Pontiac and activated the emergency lights, Stenson ran to the back of the Pontiac, reached into his waistband and threw a gun underneath the Pontiac. Officers recovered the gun thrown by Stenson - a black Colt .45 handgun loaded with six rounds of Blazer .45 caliber ammunition.
Stenson was originally charged in state court and was transferred to federal court where he was charged under tough federal firearms laws as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an intensive, cooperative effort between local, state, and federal law enforcement to attack gun crimes. The cornerstone of the program is that every defendant committing an offense involving a gun will be reviewed for possible federal prosecution in order to obtain the harshest penalties for the worst offenders. Additional information about Project Safe Neighborhoods may be found at www.psn.gov.
The sentencing was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; W. Larry Ford, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Joseph Bruscato, Winnebago County State's Attorney; and Chet Epperson, Chief of the Rockford Police Department.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott R. Paccagnini and Monica V. Mallory.
Ponemah Man Indicted for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, an indictment was unsealed, charging a 46-year-old man from the Red Lake Indian Reservation community of Ponemah with one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the August 19, 2012, death of Kaishauna Thunder. On January 8, 2013, Gordon Dean Johnson was charged with the crime. The indictment was unsealed following Johnson’s initial appearance in court today.
The indictment alleges that during the early morning of August 19, 2012, Johnson killed Thunder without malice. It alleges that at approximately 3:00 a.m., Johnson was operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner while under the influence of alcohol. He struck Thunder, who was walking alongside State Highway 1.
If convicted, Johnson faces a potential maximum penalty of eight years in prison. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw.Because the Red Lake Indian Reservation is a federal-jurisdiction reservation, some of the crimes that occur there are investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. Those cases are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding PaymateRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Vernina Adams pleaded guilty in federal court in San Jose yesterday to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
In pleading guilty, Adams admitted that, beginning in March 2010 and continuing to approximately June 2010, she carried out a scheme to defraud Paymate, a credit card processing company located in Woodside, Calif., that processes payments for individuals who buy and sell goods on the Internet. Adams admitted that she created several fictitious businesses on the Internet using the names of other individuals, several of whom she knew to be real people. The fictitious businesses included slickmix.net, opened in the name of victim M.T.; and nicksonrental.com, opened in the name of victim T.N. In order to give the appearance of legitimacy to the fictitious Internet businesses, Adams opened e-mail accounts in those victims’ names with Internet service providers such as Yahoo!.
In addition, Adams admitted that she opened Paymate and bank accounts with MetaBank for each fictitious business in the victims’ true names and, using their identities, linked those bank accounts to designated Paymate accounts. For example, Adams admitted that she knew that victim T.N. was a real person, and she used T.N’s true name, social security number and date of birth to open a Paymate account that was linked to the fictitious business nicksonrental.com. After opening Paymate and bank accounts, Adams admitted that she used her own debit and credit cards as well as debit and credit cards belonging to her relatives and friends to pretend to purchase goods and services in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $7,000 from the fictitious businesses.
Adams admitted that, after Paymate deposited funds from the fictitious sales into the bank accounts associated with the businesses, she immediately withdrew the fraudulently-acquired funds from various automated teller machines in Pennsylvania. After several weeks, she contacted the credit card companies for the credit card that she used to initiate the fraudulent transaction to report that she had not received the goods or services. She also instructed her friends and relatives to report to credit card companies for the cards that were used to initiate the fraudulent transactions that they had not received the goods or services. The credit card companies then initiated a charge-back on the credit cards. When Paymate attempted to reclaim the funds from the bank accounts associated with the fictitious businesses, there were insufficient funds in the accounts because Adams had withdrawn all of the money from the purported sales.
Furthermore, Adams admitted using e-mail accounts linked to the fictitious businesses to communicate with Paymate regarding, among other things, payments from fictitious sales. Specifically, on July 7, 2010, she posed as victim M.T., whose name she had used to create the fictitious business slickmix.net, and e-mailed Paymate employee G.Q. using e-mail address [email protected]. Adams admitted making false statements in the e-mail to induce Paymate to make payments on fraudulent transactions associated with slickmix.net.
Finally, Adams admitted that she conducted approximately 15 other fraudulent transactions involving Paymate, and agreed that the loss to Paymate was over $70,000, but less than $120,000.
Adams, 31, of Philadelphia, Penn., was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on July 25, 2012. She was charged with five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A(a)(1)(A) and 1028A(c)(5). Under the plea agreement, Adams pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The sentencing of Adams is scheduled for April 24, 2013, before Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 is 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution. The maximum statutory penalty of each count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A(a)(1)(A) and 1028A(c)(5) is a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Susan Knight is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of legal techs Elise Etter and Kamille Singh. The prosecution is the result of a one-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Philadelphia Man Indicted on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Michael Green, 30, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, Mr. Green was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that conspired to distribute approximately five kilograms of a mixture and substance containing crack in northwest Philadelphia and Montgomery County from at least March 2006 until at least July 8, 2009. Mr. Green also allegedly conspired to distribute marijuana between March 2009 and November 2009.
If convicted of both charges, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, five years to lifetime supervised release, a $10,250,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark B. Dubnoff and Kishan Nair.
Click here to view the indictment
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Philadelphia Man Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
Johnny Reyes-Agramonte, a/k/a “Johnny Reyes-Castillo,” a/k/a “Santo Johnny Reyes-Castillo,” a/k/a “Juan Sierra,” 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Indictment with one count of illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that on or about December 6, 2012, Reyes-Castillo, an alien, and native and citizen of the Dominican Republic, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about April 10, 1997, June 16, 1999, and May 11, 2004.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel D. Goldstein.
Click here to view the indictment
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525Omak Man Sentenced to Prison for Domestic Violence Related Crimes on the Colville Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Spokane - Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Daniel Quilochin Fry, age 21, of Omak, Washington, was sentenced today for two domestic violence-related crimes occurring on the Colville Indian Reservation. United States District Judge Lonny R. Suko sentenced Fry to 108 months in Federal prison, to be followed by 36 months of court supervision upon release from custody.
Earlier, Fry pleaded guilty to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and 113(a)(3), and Maiming in Indian Country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and 114. According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, the investigation of this case began after the victim, who had been severely beaten on April 21 and 22, 2010 at a house located on the Colville Indian Reservation, placed a call to 9-1-1. The investigation revealed that Fry had periodically locked the victim in a closet and, over a five-month period, beaten her severely with a baseball bat, propane tank, and other objects. Fry had also threatened to kill the victim with a firearm. The maiming charge stems from an incident where Fry forced the victim to lie on the floor and he then poured scalding water on her leg and back.
Michael C. Ormsby said, "Domestic violence is a serious problem nationwide, but is even more pronounced on Indian Reservations where women suffer a disproportionate amount of violence. The physical and emotional scars of domestic violence affect victims for years. This case was particularly egregious because the abuse started when the victim was 17 years old and because the protracted assaultive behavior went on for 5 months. The United States Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Washington is committed to reducing domestic violence through aggressive prosecution."
This investigation was conducted by the Colville Tribal Police Department, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Rudy J. Verschoor, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
11-CR-079-LRS
Nicholas County Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that a Nicholas County woman was sentenced (Jan. 10) to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Jennifer Curry, 37, of Nicholas County, W.Va., previously pleaded guilty in May. The defendant admitted that on June 1, 2011, she manufactured approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine at a residence located in Richwood, W.Va. Curry further admitted that she used manufacturing supplies provided by other individuals.
On June 2, 2011, after being advised of her Miranda rights, the defendant agreed to waive her rights and admitted that she cooked methamphetamine on at least 30 occasions at various locations in Nicholas County, W.Va. since October 2010.
Curry admitted that she was responsible for distributing at least 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine.
The West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Forestry Service conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John Frail handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
New York Woman Sentenced for Mailing Threats to Senator Scott Brown and Attorney General Martha CoakleyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A New York woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Springfield for sending threatening letters containing white powder to government offices in Massachusetts.
Roberta Cicora, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor, to 27 months in prison and to pay $4,630 in restitution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for HAZMAT services. In September 2012, Cicora pleaded guilty to mailing four threatening communications.In May 2012, Cicora mailed threatening letters, which included an unknown white powder, to United States Senator Scott Brown, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and the District Court in Greenfield, Mass. Cicora also sent a threatening letter to the Franklin County House of Correction in Greenfield. Cicora’s white powder letters caused the offices which received them to close down until HAZMAT teams responded and determined that the letters did not pose a lethal threat to the safety of the workers.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Division; Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Colonel Timothy Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the FBI in Springfield, Mass., and Albany, N.Y.; the Postal Inspection Service in Springfield; the Massachusetts State Police Assigned to Attorney General Martha Coakley's Springfield Office and the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan of Ortiz’s Springfield Office.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
January 10, 2013David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KHALID AZIZ, also known as “Corey Williams, Sr.,” “Cory Williams,” “Avery Smith,” “Gregory Richardson,” “Andre Gorham,” and “Big Corey,” 43, of New Haven, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for selling stolen firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, AZIZ’s son, Corey Williams, Jr., told AZIZ that he had stolen multiple firearms from a Meriden gun store and was having trouble selling some of the “big guns.” AZIZ put Williams in touch with Airess Johnson, who knew someone interested in purchasing firearms. The potential purchaser was an individual cooperating with law enforcement, and that cooperator negotiated a purchase price for three firearms with Williams.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on February 2, 2012, AZIZ, Williams and Johnson drove to the parking lot of a New Haven restaurant. After AZIZ and Williams exited the vehicle and waited in front of a nearby store, the cooperator purchased two 12 gauge shotguns and a .308 caliber semi-automatic rifle from Johnson in exchange for $1,200. After the transaction, AZIZ, Williams and Johnson departed together. Williams then paid AZIZ approximately $50 for his role in facilitating the sale of the three firearms.
Law enforcement officers later recovered the three firearms from the cooperator’s vehicle. All three had been reported stolen from a federal firearms licensee in Meriden on November 5, 2011. Six additional firearms that were stolen at the same time remain unaccounted for.
AZIZ’s criminal history includes at least 19 felony convictions.
On October 22, 2012, AZIZ pleaded guilty to one count of sale of stolen firearms.
Williams, 24, of Meriden, pleaded guilty to the same charge on November 2, 2012. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15.
Johnson, 35, of New Haven, pleaded guilty on July 3, 2012, to one count of possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon. On January 3, 2013, she was sentenced to 20 months of imprisonment.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance provided by the New Haven Police Department and the Meriden Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marc H. Silverman.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:
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Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722 [email protected]National Expert Visiting Pittsburgh to Speak on Cyber SecurityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Western Pennsylvania corporate and foundation leaders, law enforcement and cyber professionals will hear from one of the nation's leading experts on cyber security over the next two days. Paul G. Kaminski, chair of the RAND Corporation and chairman and CEO of Technovation, Inc., is visiting Pittsburgh to deliver a series of speeches dealing with the cyber threat and national and economic security. U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton invited Dr. Kaminski to visit the area to stress the importance of addressing the contemporary cyber threat.
Cybersecurity has been one of U.S. Attorney Hickton's areas of focus during his tenure. "Cyber threats represent both a real challenge for Western Pennsylvania, as illustrated by last year's bomb threats against the University of Pittsburgh and the continuing denial-of-service attacks on area banks, and an opportunity given the resources at our universities," he said.
Dr. Kaminski will be available for interviews on Jan. 11, at 11:15 a.m. in the U.S. Attorney's Office.
WHAT:Interview Opportunity with Paul G. Kaminski,
National Expert on Cyber Security IssuesWHEN:Friday, January, 11, 2013
11:15 a.m.WHERE:U.S. Attorney's Office
Main Conference Room
700 Grant Street - Suite 4000
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219Myles Fitzgerald Guidry Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MYLES FITZGERALD GUIDRY, age 48, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty today before the U.S. District Court Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown to one-count of receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dana J. Boente.
According to court documents, GUIDRY downloaded images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children (“child pornography”) by receiving the images from other individuals with whom he communicated via the Internet. Pursuant to a search warrant, Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation recovered one computer that was determined to contain images and videos of child pornography. GUIDRY used an Internet-based, real-time video chat program to communicate with multiple individuals. During the course of a chat session conducted using the program, GUIDRY requested that the individual(s) with whom he was communicating send him images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children.
GUIDRY faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years imprisonment, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 18, 2013.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case is being investigated by Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.
(Download Indictment )
Mission Woman Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Misty Fawn Swalley, age 22, of Mission appeared before United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange on January 9, 2013, and pled guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place on October 1, 2011, when Swalley and others assaulted and beat the victim, which included kicking the victim with shod feet and cutting the victim with a broken bottle.
The investigation was conducted by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Maher.
Swalley must report to the custody of the United States Marshal on February 15, 2013.
Maumee Man Charged with Conspiracy, Firearms Charges in 10-count IndictmentRead the Press Release
A 10-count indictment was filed charging Barry P. DeRan, age 54, of Maumee, Ohio, with conspiracy, making false statements in the acquisition of firearms, and unlawfully dealing in firearms, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
“The laws are very clear about who is forbidden from carrying firearms, and this defendant fell into that category,” Dettelbach said. “We will aggressively pursue those who would violate our nation’s firearms laws.”
DeRan is accused of conspiring with others to obtain firearms from Internet firearms dealers. He falsely identified the actual buyer of the firearms when completing the required firearms transfer records, ATF Form 4473, according to the indictment.
This was done to conceal the fact that DeRan was the actual buyer of the firerarms when he was prohibited from possessing, using, carrying or obtaining any deadly weapons by a Lucas County Common Pleas Court civil protection order, according to the indictment.
Between August 2010 and May 2011, DeRan purchased 11 firearms from an Arizona-based dealer and had them shipped to a licensed Ohio firearms dealer to complete the transfer when a person known to the Grand Jury was falsely identified as the actual buyer when completing Form 4473, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Toledo, Ohio. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Manhhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest of Richard Ammar Chichakli on Money Laundering, Wire Fraud, and Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michele M. Leonhart, the Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that RICHARD AMMAR CHICHAKLI, an associate of convicted international arms dealer, Viktor Bout, was arrested yesterday in Australia for, among other things, allegedly conspiring with Bout and others to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) by attempting to purchase two aircraft from companies located in the U.S., in violation of economic sanctions that prohibited such financial transactions. In addition, CHICHAKLI is also charged with money laundering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and six separate counts of wire fraud, in connection with the attempted aircraft purchases. CHICHAKLI, a citizen of Syria and the U.S., was arrested by Australian authorities at the request of the U.S.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, Richard Ammar Chichakli consorted with the world’s most notorious arms trafficker in the purchase of aircraft that would be used to transport weapons to some of the world’s bloodiest conflict zones, in violation of international sanctions. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of all of our law enforcement partners, both here and abroad, Chichakli has finally been apprehended and will now face justice.”
DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart said: “The international law enforcement community has long recognized Richard Chichakli as a key criminal facilitator in Viktor Bout’s global weapons trafficking regime and his arrest means the world is safer and more secure. Bout merged drug cartels with terrorist enablers, and his close associate, Chichakli, worked to ensure they could ship weapons and conduct illicit business around the world. DEA continues to forge strong partnerships worldwide and applauds our Australian police partners.”
According to the Superseding Indictment previously filed in Manhattan federal court and other court documents:
Bout is presently serving a 25-year prison term as a result of his November 2011 conviction in this district for conspiring to sell millions of dollars of weapons to the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the “FARC”), a designated foreign terrorist organization based in Colombia. Prior to his arrest on those charges in March 2008, in Thailand, and since the 1990s, Bout was an international weapons trafficker. Bout carried out his massive weapons-trafficking business by assembling a fleet of cargo airplanes capable of transporting weapons and military equipment to various parts of the world, including Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
The arms Bout has sold or brokered have fueled conflicts and supported regimes in Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Sudan. CHICHAKLI had been a close associate of Bout’s since at least the mid-1990s, assisting in the operations and financial management of his network of aircraft companies. As a result of Bout’s role in pouring arms into these international conflicts, his relationship with CHICHAKLI, and Bout and CHICHAKLI’s close relationship with former Liberian President Charles Taylor, both Bout and CHICHAKLI have been the subject of United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”) sanctions restricting their travel and their ability to conduct business around the world. In addition, more than 25 companies affiliated with Bout and CHICHAKLI have been listed by the UNSC as subject to similar restrictions concerning their assets and financial transactions.
In 2004, consistent with the sanctions previously adopted by the UNSC concerning Liberia, the President of the United States issued an executive order prohibiting any transactions or dealings within the U.S. by individuals affiliated with former President Taylor. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Treasury, pursuant to its authority under IEEPA, prohibited Bout from conducting any business in the U.S. In 2005, that prohibition was extended to CHICHAKLI.
The United Nations and IEEPA sanctions encumbered CHICHAKLI’s and Bout’s efforts to conduct business within their existing corporate structures. Accordingly, CHICHAKLI and Bout took steps to form new companies, and to register these companies in the names of other individuals in order to create the false appearance that they had no affiliation with them.
One such company – Samar Airlines – was created in 2004, right after the majority of United Nations and IEEPA sanctions became effective. CHICHAKLI and Bout were personally involved in the operational and business affairs and decisions of Samar Airlines, though they held out other individuals as being the officers of the company. In 2007, in violation of the IEEPA sanctions to which they were subject at the time, CHICHAKLI and Bout, acting through Samar Airlines, contracted to purchase two Boeing aircraft from companies located in the U.S.
In connection with the purchase of these aircraft and related services, CHICHAKLI and Bout electronically transferred more than $1.7 million through banks in New York and into bank accounts located in the U.S. They did so through a number of front companies, the assets of which were also owned and controlled by Bout, in order to evade the UNSC’s sanctions regime and IEEPA prohibitions. Upon the discovery that CHICHAKLI was connected to Samar Airlines, the U.S. Treasury Department blocked the funds that had been transferred into the bank accounts of the U.S. aviation companies.
The Superseding Indictment charges CHICHAKLI with nine separate offenses:
- Count One: Conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act;
- Count Two: Money laundering conspiracy;
- Count Three: Wire fraud conspiracy; and
- Counts Four through Nine: Wire fraud.
If convicted, CHICHAKLI faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the nine counts. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley, III.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the DEA and thanked the Australian Federal Police, the Victoria State Police, the Australian Attorney General’s Department, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and Interpol for their assistance in this matter.
The case is being handled by the Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Anjan Sahni, Brendan R. McGuire, Jenna M. Dabbs and Christian R. Everdell are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Richard Ammar Chichakli S2 Indictment
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against 17 Individuals in Connection with A Violent Manhattan Drug Trafficking CrewRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), today announced charges against 17 members of a criminal organization based in Harlem, New York for conspiring to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. The Superseding Indictment also charges seven of the defendants with possessing firearms in connection with, and in furtherance of, the drug distribution conspiracy. One defendant, ROGER KEY, was also charged in the original indictment with orchestrating a murder-for-hire conspiracy of an individual at gunpoint.
Of the 16 new defendants charged, 10 were taken into custody last night and early this morning as part of a coordinated operation involving federal and local law enforcement officers. All the defendants who were arrested last night and this morning will be presented in Manhattan federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman. RUBEN DAVIS and RUBEN FERNANDEZ were previously arrested by the NYPD on related state charges and remain detained. STEVEN HERBERT is currently detained on an unrelated federal charge. GEORGE DAVIS is expected to surrender later to law enforcement today, and KEITH PURVIS and CLAYTON MOLLETTE remain at large.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, this pack of gun-toting drug dealers wrought havoc, instilled fear, and peddled highly addictive – and sometimes lethal – narcotics in the Harlem neighborhood in which they operated. With today’s indictment, they are now off the streets, but our work is not finished and we remain committed to shutting these violent drug crews down completely. I want to thank New York County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance and his office, who began the investigation into this alleged narcotics crew and shared the fruits of their investigation with our Office, enabling us to build this case. It is another great example of our Offices working together in a way that best serves the case and the interests of the people of Manhattan.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said: “For the second time in as many days we are announcing charges in a significant drug trafficking case, and again we see the ever-present link between drugs and guns. If your business is peddling illegal drugs, the business almost always entails violence to protect it. The FBI is committed to teaming with the NYPD in vigorous policing of the illegal drug trade in our mutual effort to reduce violent crime.”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “These arrests are another example of police and their federal partners’ unrelenting pursuit of crews who monetize drugs and violence. I commend the NYPD Manhattan North Narcotics detectives who worked to bring these criminals to justice, to restore some measure of safety to Harlem residents. Their work is among the reasons why New York City experienced a record low in shootings and murder last year.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:
From at least 2009 through May 2012, members of the crew sold significant street level quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana in Harlem, New York. Members of the crew used firearms, threats of violence and violence to protect their drug business.
Additionally, in November 2011, KEY and others recruited and hired individuals to shoot and kill a victim. During the assassination attempt, one of KEY’s co-conspirators, however, shot and hit an innocent bystander, who was standing near the intended victim’s car. The innocent bystander survived.
A chart containing the ages, residency information, and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties they face is attached.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. He also thanked the New York County DA’s Office for sharing evidence that ultimately led to today’s charges. He added that the investigation is continuing.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office's Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail Kurland, Adam Fee, and Santosh Aravind are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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U.S. v. Roger Key, et al Superseding Indictment
US v. Roger Key, et al Superseder ChartMan Indicted on Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. Announced today that a federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned an indictment charging Robert P. Dombrowski, 50, of Buffalo, N.Y., with attempting to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward H. White, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on February 7, 2012, the defendant began online chats with someone he believed to be a minor. However, the individual that he was conversing with was an undercover FBI Agent. On March 9, 2012, agents took Dombrowski into custody after he arrived at a restaurant with the intention to meet the minor he had been conversing with online.
The indictment is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Christopher M. Piehota, Special Agent in Charge and the Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
MPD Officer Sentenced to Prison Term for Assault with A Dangerous Weapon and Solicitation of Prostitution-Charges Stem from Confrontation in August 2011-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Furr, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), was sentenced today to a total of 14 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and solicitation of prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Furr, 48, was found guilty of the two offenses by a jury in October 2012 following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The jury acquitted Furr of several other charges, including assault with intent to kill while armed. The Honorable Russell F. Canan sentenced Furr today to five years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 30 days of incarceration for the solicitation offense. He suspended all but 14 months of that time on the condition that Furr successfully complete three years of supervised probation.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2011, Furr, who was off duty, was attempting to pick up transgender prostitutes in the area of Fifth and K Streets NW. His initial attempts to pick up one transgender woman were rejected by her. He nonetheless followed her into a drug store at 400 Massachusetts Avenue. Once inside, he continued to solicit her, in front of two of her acquaintances. Furr got into a verbal altercation with one of them, and was asked to leave the drug store by the store’s security officer.
A short time later, Furr confronted the two acquaintances outside the store. Furr, who was parked on H Street NW, reached into his glove compartment, took out a semi-automatic pistol, and pointed it at them; this is the offense that led to the guilty verdict on the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. One reported the incident to the store security officer. After Furr identified himself as a police officer, the security officer ceased his investigation and let him go.
Approximately 20 minutes later, three of the complainants, from the incident at the drug store, along with two of their friends, encountered Furr in the area of 5th and K Streets NW. Furr once again was attempting to solicit a transgender prostitute. The complainants pulled their car next to Furr’s, and at least one of the occupants in the complainants’ car assaulted Furr. Furr sped off and the complainants’ car followed.
While being followed by the complainants, Furr drove to the area of First and Pierce Street NW, where he parked his car and began shooting toward their vehicle. The driver of the victims’ car ducked and hit the accelerator, crashing into the side of Furr’s vehicle. Furr then jumped on the hood of the occupied vehicle and continued shooting, firing a total of five rounds. Three of the occupants of the car suffered injuries.
Furr was arrested after the incident and remained in custody pending the trial. Following the jury’s verdict, Judge Canan released him into a high-intensity supervision program pending sentencing. The judge credited the time that Furr had already spent in custody toward his sentence; as a result, Furr remains free and is now on probation.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier commended the detectives and officers who investigated the case from the MPD. They also praised those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Jennifer Clark, of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Joseph Calvarese; Intelligence Specialist Larry Grasso; Paralegal Specialists Marian Russell and Donville Drummond; Legal Assistant Mary Doster; Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Worm and Natalia Medina Burnett, who prosecuted the case.
13-005Los Zetas Kidnappers Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Four Laredoans have been convicted for their roles in a kidnapping ordered by Los Zetas drug trafficking organization and executed by members and associates of the Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL) gang, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Pablo Cerda, 36, and Ernesto Zaragoza-Solis, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of using and discharging a weapon during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Grace Diaz-Martinez, 33, was convicted of one count of being an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping. Efrain Garza, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to use a weapon during a crime of violence.
The kidnapping was in retribution for a money load alleged to have been stolen by a subject who was to have delivered the drug proceeds to Los Zetas in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
On Sept. 19, 2010, at approximately 11:37 p.m., officers received a 911 call indicating that a person had been kidnapped at gunpoint from a residence on Eistetter Street in Laredo and that shots were fired. Officers met with the juvenile daughter of the victim who claimed her mother had been taken by force by several unknown subjects. The men had also attempted to take the daughter but she was able to resist and the kidnappers fled the scene with her mother. The kidnapped victim would later identify Garza as one of the kidnapers who took her by force from her residence.
The next day, Cerda received a call from Zaragoza who reported “his friends already have the mother” and that “that they will pick her up and take her over there” (a reference to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico).
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents ascertained the location of the victim shortly thereafter. On Sept. 20, 2010, agents and officers approached a residence on Piedra China, at which time the kidnapping victim immediately ran out of the house. Arrested at the scene were Zaragoza-Soliz, Diaz-Martinez, Garza and two others. It was determined the residence was the home of Garza and his parents and that Diaz-Martinez was also temporarily residing with them. Also found at the residence were three weapons to include a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, an unknown make 7.62 caliber pistol and a Norinco 7.62 caliber rifle, Model Mak-90.
Following her rescue, the victim explained that Garza was one of the subjects who grabbed her and forced her into a vehicle and she was transported against her will. Her wrists were bound with duct tape and her eyes were covered with a blindfold. During her captivity, suspects held a gun to her temple and demanded to know the whereabouts of her stepson and his friends, whom the kidnappers claimed had stolen more than $1 million from Los Zetas.
The victim was kept in a back bedroom continually with hands and eyes bound until the police came to the residence. When law enforcement arrived, Diaz-Martinez and Zaragoza-Soliz removed the blindfold and duct tape from the victim to avoid detection by the law enforcement agents at the door. Diaz-Martinez also made false statements, such as that the victim was never bound or blindfolded, that she had not been kidnapped nor held against her will. The statements were made to hinder and prevent the apprehension, trial and punishment of Garza whom Diaz-Martinez was amorously involved with at the time and has since married.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Guillermo R. Garcia accepted the pleas today, but a sentencing date has not yet been set. All will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The convictions are the result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation El Chacal is an investigation spearheaded by the DEA and assisted by the Laredo Police Department and Webb County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Lou Castillo.
Lorain Man Charged with Bank Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A six-count indictment was filed charging Clarence Cornwell, age 51, of Lorain, Ohio, with bank fraud and money laundering, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Cornwell is accused of defrauding Charter One by deposting a check with a materially altered payee's name into a business account Cornwell controlled on July 28, 2010, according to the indictment. Between July 30 and Aug. 4, 2010, Cornwell then made five withdrawals from the account totalling $39,900, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the United States Secret Service, Toledo, Ohio. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.