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Thursday 5 December 2024
Chelsea Man Sentenced for Selling Fake Social Security Cards and Green CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man was sentenced today for selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.”
Wilberto Sandoval Mazariego, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to one month in prison, followed by six months of home confinement. In July 2024, Sandoval Mazariego pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature. In October 2023, Sandoval Mazariego was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and later indicted by a federal grand jury.
During an investigation into Tomas Xirum for selling fraudulent Green Cards and fraudulent Social Security cards, Sandoval Mazariego was identified as the creator of the fraudulent documents Xirum was selling. Following Xirum’s arrest in August 2022, a text message string was discovered between Xirum and Sandoval Mazariego that contained approximately 568 attachments. Xirum would regularly text Sandoval Mazariego pictures of unknown persons along with a name, date of birth and country of birth – to which Sandoval Mazariego would later respond with pictures of Social Security cards and/or Green Cards with a person’s photo and information that Xirum provided.
On Aug. 17, 2023, Sandoval Mazariego sold a fraudulent Green Card and a fraudulent Social Security card to an undercover agent. On Oct 3, 2023, Sandoval Mazariego was arrested after leaving his Chelsea residence. During a search of his residence, all items necessary to produce counterfeit forms of identification were found, including two laminators, card stock paper, photo paper, glue, trimmers and printers. Also recovered were nine Legal Permanent Resident cards, six Social Security cards and five driver’s licenses. Five of the recovered Social Security cards contained the names provided by the undercover agent to Sandoval Mazariego as part of the investigation. A total of $17,095 in cash was also recovered from the residence.
On Aug. 21, 2023, Xirum pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature. In January 2024, Xirum was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Cape Girardeau Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU - A man from Cape Girardeau on Thursday and admitted recording his sexual abuse of a child.
Steven Lee Brown, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of production of child pornography. According to court documents, last May, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Brown had sexually abused a 10-year-old child. The child was interviewed and confirmed the abuse. Officers immediately responded to Brown’s residence. During an interview, Brown admitted that he engaged in various sexual acts with the child. Brown further admitted that he used his cell phone to record some of the sexual activity. Officers seized Brown’s phone and discovered several sexually explicit images of the minor child on the device. At his plea hearing, Brown admitted that he used his cell phone to produce the sexually explicit material.
Brown’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 6, 2025. He faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years.
This case was investigated by the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester is handling the prosecution for the Government.
Camden Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 260 Months in Prison for Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 260 months in prison for trafficking three minors to engage in commercial sex acts, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Semaj A. Gilmore, 34, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to three counts of a superseding indictment charging him with sex trafficking minors. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2020 to April 2021 Gilmore transported, at various times, three minor victims from Philadelphia to New Jersey knowing they would engage in a commercial sex act at Gilmore’s direction. Each of the victims was under age 18 at the time. During that time period, Gilmore had been required to register as a sex offender as a result of a prior conviction.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Gilmore to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked members of the Mount Laurel Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Buckhannon Man Admits to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – David Walter McCauley of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to possessing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit acts, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
McCauley, age 66, appeared in federal court today and entered a plea of guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, McCauley enticed a 17-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct for photo and video production. Investigators searched McCauley’s residence and office and seized electronic devices containing illegal images and videos of the minor engaged in sexual acts with McCauley.
McCauley faces up to 10 years in prison, and the United States Attorney’s Office will recommend that McCauley receive the maximum sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Manipulating a child to produce pornographic images is a despicable crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “I’m grateful for the hard work of our law enforcement partners to ensure that David McCauley will no longer pose a threat to the community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Police Department, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
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 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Boone Man Is Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Using the Dark Web to Transport Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jacob Elijah Kilgore, 29, of Boone, N.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release today for using the dark web to transport child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Kilgore was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Andy LeBeau of the Boone Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, in February 2023, law enforcement determined that Kilgore was using the dark web to share over 150 videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children. On February 23, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Kilgore’s apartment, seizing a homemade laptop that contained 11 integrated hard drives. A forensic analysis of one of the seized hard drives revealed that it contained an extensive collection of videos and images of child pornography, with a running time of more than 66 hours for the video files, and approximately 55 gigabytes of storage space for the image files. Some of the videos and images in Kilgore’s library depicted children as young as infants and toddlers being sexually abused. During an interview with law enforcement, Kilgore admitted to accessing the dark web to download child pornography and using a peer-to-peer network to transfer child pornography to others.
On December 8, 2023, Kilgore pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In announcing Kilgore’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said that the public should know that “this kind of conduct leads to long prison sentences.”
The investigation was handled by HSI and the Boone Police Department with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bookkeeper and Sister Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling $1.5M from Florence County BusinessRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Margaret Ward Heilman, 66, of Darlington County and Katherine Ward Gray, 60, of Florence County, were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Heilman was the bookkeeper for a business in Florence County. As bookkeeper, she had access to the business’s bank accounts and had signature authority. Beginning in 2014, Heilman began to write checks to herself and others, to include her sister, Gray, for personal expenses. When Heilman wrote the checks to herself, and others, she made them look like legitimate business expenses on the business’s general ledger.
Through the course of the scheme, Heilman defrauded the company out of $1.5 million.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Heilman to 20 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Heilman was also ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution. Gray was sentenced to seven months in imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Gray was ordered to pay $234,131.82 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy F. Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Bay Area Man Indicted After Escaping from Federal Custody for Nearly 8 YearsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Eric Pree, 55, of San Francisco, charging him with escape from custody, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2012, Pree was convicted on federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. He was sentenced to 101 months and transferred to serve his sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary Atwater. On Jan. 29, 2017, Pree was discovered missing from the facility. Pree did not have permission to leave the Atwater facility and remained at large until his arrest.
In October 2024, investigators arrested Pree in Walnut Creek. At the time of his arrest, Pree had several cellphones, ID cards, debit and credit cards in different peoples’ names, as well as multiple driver’s licenses and a fake Harvard University Student ID. He is back in federal custody serving the remainder of his original sentence while also facing his new indictment for the escape.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service's San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Pree faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that James S. Burland, age 69, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to possession of child pornography. Burland was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Office pending sentencing. His conviction is punishable by a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 11, 2022, Burland uploaded a file containing an image of child pornography to his internet-based cloud storage account. A subsequent investigation identified that between that date and April 9, 2024, Burland possessed at least 150 additional files containing images of child pornography in his internet-based cloud storage account and on some of his personal computers and storage devices. Some of the images of child pornography depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Baldwin County Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Baldwin County man, Teddy Rivers, 57, was sentenced yesterday in federal court on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Rivers pled guilty to the charge in August of 2024.
Court documents show that Rivers is a long-time Baldwin County drug dealer. In August 2022, law enforcement executed a traffic stop on Rivers. Rivers was found to be in possession of 48.8 grams of pure methamphetamine. Rivers admitted that he regularly sold methamphetamine to a number of individuals and had been doing so for some time. Rivers has a prior federal conviction for Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine in 2007, and a prior state conviction for Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute in 2021.United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced Rivers to 292 months in custody. When Rivers is released from custody, he will serve an eight-year term of supervised release. Rivers will be subject to search upon reasonable suspicion that he has violated the conditions of supervision, and he will also be subject to drug testing and treatment. No fine was imposed in the case, but the judge ordered that Rivers pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years in Federal Prison for a Scheme to Obtain More Than $16 Million in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On December 5, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Tyler Keith Andrews, age 39, of Russellville, Arkansas, to 196 months in federal prison in connection to a scheme to obtain millions of dollars in COVID-19 funds by directing, assisting, facilitating, and submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release, restitution of $16,330,814.30 to the Small Business Administration, and forfeiture of $4,300,474.75.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program, offered forgivable loans to eligible small businesses in order to retain or rehire employees who lost their jobs, or were in danger of doing so, due to the pandemic. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which has not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, between June 2020 and May 2022, Andrews, then a resident of Arkansas, directed, assisted, and facilitated the submission of dozens of EIDL loan applications using false and fraudulent information on behalf of his co-conspirators, including co-conspirators in the Eastern District of Washington. Andrews charged his co-conspirators a fee, usually 10% of the loan amount, to paid after receipt of the funding. In total, Andrews assisted co-conspirators in obtaining at least $13,449,179 in EIDL funding.
Andrews also submitted numerous false and fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications on behalf of his own businesses, including Andrews Associates, Inc., Texas Oil and Gas Express, Inc., Total Logistic Solutions, and numerous other businesses. In the applications, Andrews misrepresented active status, payroll, number of employees, revenue, and other information in order to obtain EIDL and PPP funding. In total, Andrews obtained at least $3,253,541 in PPP and EIDL funding for his own businesses. Andrews’s company, TE Andrews Holdings, LLC, obtained an additional $1,232,000 in Small Business Administration loan programs.
According to Court documents, after originally being released pending trial following his initial Indictment and arrest, in July 2023, Andrews was arrested and indicted by a grand jury in the Western District of Arkansas for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with attempting to fraudulently obtain a passport using false information in an apparent attempt to flee the United States.
“Mr. Andrews developed a fraudulent scheme to assist and advise others on how to lie and cheat in order to obtain millions in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds – funds that were supposed to help small and local businesses that were struggling to stay afloat during a global crisis. He then took a percentage off the top of the over 13 million dollars fraudulently obtained through his scheme,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I am proud of the work my office’s COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force. Our skilled prosecutors and law enforcement partners will continue to be relentless in tracking down fraudsters and holding them accountable.”
“Mr. Andrews took advantage of a program meant to help Americans affected by the pandemic to enrich himself.” said Gregory L. Austin, Acting Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While legitimate small business owners were struggling to stay open and pay employees, he fraudulently obtained millions in assistance funding. Despite his efforts to conceal the fraud, the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors were able to bring his scheme to an end.”
"Today’s charges highlight our unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of SBA programs,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Exploiting relief efforts for personal gain undermines public trust and deprives legitimate businesses of essential assistance. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to ensuring that those who engage in fraudulent schemes are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, Department of Labor (DOL), and others.
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, the FBI, the Small Business Administration, and TIGTA. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter. U.S. Attorney Waldref also wishes to thank the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas for their assistance and coordination.
2:22-cr-00057-TOR
Wednesday 4 December 2024
Wallingford Men Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl Laced with XylazineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ALEXANDER GARCIA, 28, and DANIEL VARGAS, 27, both of Wallingford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in August 2024, the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Garcia and Vargas, who were sometimes called “Drake and Josh” or “Mikey and Tony.” Between August and November 2024, investigators made several controlled purchases of fentanyl from Garcia and Vargas. Completed laboratory analysis of some of the purchased fentanyl revealed the presence of xylazine.
Garcia and Vargas were arrested on criminal complaints on November 13, 2024. On that date, a search of their residence on Lee Avenue in Wallingford revealed a firearm and more than $29,000 in cash. They have been detained since their arrests.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force includes members of the New Haven Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.
United States and State of Oklahoma File False Claims Act Complaint Against OKC Laboratory and DirectorRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The United States and the State of Oklahoma filed a complaint under the federal False Claims Act and the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act against Coordinated Care Health Solutions, LLC d/b/a HunterCare Coordinated Care Health Solutions (CCHS) and Eric P. Wallis, Ph.D., for submitting or causing the submission of false and/or fraudulent claims for payment to certain Government Health Benefit Programs (Government Programs) for testing services that were not rendered or not reimbursable. The Government Programs harmed by the alleged conduct are Medicare, Oklahoma Medicaid, the TRICARE health plan, the Civilian Health and Medical Programs of the VA, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
The complaint alleges CCHS purports to perform laboratory testing services ordered by third-party practitioners to monitor and treat patients. During the time relevant to the complaint, Wallis was employed by CCHS as its laboratory director. He was a management official, directed CCHS’s laboratory operations, and supervised the laboratory employees, including the CCHS billing supervisor.
The complaint alleges that from at least November 2018 through 2021, CCHS and Wallis disguised non-reimbursable urine drug tests as blood tests to by-pass Oklahoma Medicaid’s prior authorization requirement for definitive urine drug testing services. The complaint alleges CCHS submitted, and Wallis caused the submission of, claims for payment to Oklahoma Medicaid that misrepresented the services performed and included services that were not rendered.
The complaint also alleges CCHS systematically billed the federal agency Government Programs for presumptive urine drug testing that was not rendered, and that Wallis caused the submission of these claims. Defendants knew or should have known there was no medical purpose to report “presumptive results” and that those results were not used in the treatment of program beneficiaries. The claims were submitted to the Government Programs for payment for presumptive testing anyway and violated the False Claims Act.
The complaint further alleges that, from at least November 2018 through January 2023, CCHS routinely billed the federal agency Government Programs for medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services, and Wallis caused the submission of these claims. These tests were ordered and/or billed through impermissible blanket directives, were not ordered at all, and/or were not medically reasonable and necessary for the treatment of program beneficiaries.
The complaint alleges that, as a result of Defendants’ conduct, the Government Programs paid millions of dollars for thousands of false and/or fraudulent claims for non-reimbursable testing services. The United States and the State of Oklahoma seek to recover damages, along with appropriate trebling of those damages, and penalties for each false claim submitted or caused to be submitted by Defendants.
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Office of Audit Services, Qlarant (the CMS Unified Program Integrity Coordinator for the Southwestern Jurisdiction), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
The case is U.S. et al. v. Coordinated Care Health Solutions, LLC, d/b/a HunterCare Coordinated Care Health Solutions et al., No. CIV-24-1185-JD (W.D. Okla.).
The claims asserted in this action are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Presents 2024 Law Enforcement AwardsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson honored more than 80 federal, state and local law enforcement professionals today for their outstanding contributions to investigations and cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.
The 2024 Law Enforcement Awards, presented during a ceremony at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, recognize both invaluable assistance within specific categories of cases and office initiatives as well as overall exemplary service over the past year.
“Today, we recognize and honor those who did an outstanding job serving and protecting our communities during the past year. They provided vitally important assistance to our office in the pursuit of justice,” Thompson said. “We also celebrate and promote the cooperation among agencies. Through these awards, we salute collaborative efforts, including joint investigations and partnerships formed to spearhead criminal justice initiatives. These are so crucial to our shared mission.”
Law enforcement officers and organizations were honored in the following categories:
Category: White Collar Crime
Outstanding White Collar Crime Case: U.S. vs David K. Smith et al. (3:23-cr-5)
- Port Security Specialist Todd A. Childers, United States Coast Guard (USCG)
- Marine Science Technician First Class Caitlin Furman, USCG
- Marine Science Technician First Class Adam Krukowski, USCG
- Marine Science Technician First Class Lenn L. Pitt, USCG
- Chief Warrant Officer Michael D. Rushane, USCG
- Chief of Inspections Geoffrey Scibek, USCG
- Special Agent Nick Gillispie, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
- Special Agent Kim Taylor, USEPA
- Environmental Inspector Supervisor Ryan Harbison, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
An investigation revealed that David K. Smith, 69, of Paducah, Kentucky, was the sole owner and officer of Western River Assets LLC and River Marine Enterprises LLC. Western River Assets owned a towboat, Gate City, that docked along the West Virginia shore of the Big Sandy River.
The U.S. Coast Guard inspected the Gate City towboat and issued an administrative order in November 2017 that required Smith to remove all oil and hazardous materials from the Gate City towboat. This administrative order said in part that the Gate City presented an “imminent and substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the environment because of a threatened discharge of oil from the vessel.”
On or about January 10, 2018, the Gate City towboat sank while docked along the West Virginia shore of the Big Sandy River. The sinking discharged oil and other substances into the Big Sandy, leaving a sheen on the river and oily deposits beneath the surface. As a direct result of the Gate City’s sinking and oil spill, the City of Kenova, West Virginia, closed its municipal drinking water intake for three days. Various regulatory agencies had to take actions and expend resources to respond to the spill.
Smith pleaded guilty individually and on behalf of River Marine Enterprises and Western River Assets to the discharge of refuse into navigable waters on October 17, 2023. Smith was subsequently sentenced to one year and six months of federal probation, including six months on home detention. River Marine Enterprises and Western River Assets were each fined $100,000 and placed on corporate probation for five years. The defendants were also ordered to pay $1,856,957.92 in restitution, and the LLC defendants are prohibited from operating any business while on probation.
Outstanding White Collar Crime Case: U.S. vs Tabatha Deavers et al. (2:23-cr-14)
- Inspector Melissa Belmont, United States Postal Inspection Service
- United States Secret Service Special Agent Bryan Cruickshank (now with the United States Postal Inspection Service)
- Special Agent Gary Hilton, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations
- Special Agent Brian Horvath, United States Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General
- Detective Brian Middleton, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, Brittany King, 35, of East Bank, and Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, were employed by a Kanawha County business that cleaned local office spaces. King and Deavers unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of multiple individuals while cleaning these area businesses. They also rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims, which allowed King and Deavers to open lines of credit and bank accounts and obtain loans and credit cards in the names of their identity theft victims.
King and Deavers caused a loss of at least $260,239.19 to more than 10 victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes. They stole money and property from individuals, lenders, financial institutions, car dealerships and other companies.
King and Deavers pleaded guilty in the fall of 2023 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They were both sentenced to five years in prison. The mother of Tabatha Deavers, Amy Deavers, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with this case. Amy Deavers admitted that she helped access and attempt to transfer a veteran’s stolen disability benefits as part of the identity theft scheme.
Category: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched by the Department of Justice in 2006. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, 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.
Outstanding PSC Case: U.S. vs Thomas John Mills (5:21-cr-96)
- Detective Wayne Long, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office
- Detective Jarred Payne, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
On or about March 10, 2020, Thomas John Mills, 37, of Beckley, was released from jail following a conviction for child abuse causing injury against a 15-year-old female victim. After being released from jail through October 2020, Mills communicated via his cell phone and Facebook Messenger to coerce the same15-year-old female victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating images and videos of this conduct. Mills had the minor take pictures and videos to send to him and also had her participate in live video chats where he told her to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The Court described the case as “one of the worst set of circumstances” it has seen.” Mills pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. On February 23, 2023, Mills was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and is required to register as a sex offender.
Category: Drug Trafficking
Outstanding Drug Trafficking Case: Operation Smoke & Mirrors
U.S. v. Jasper Wemh et al. (2:23-cr-4), U.S. v. Antonio Jeffries et al. (2:23-cr-31), U.S. v. Alexandria Estep et al. (2:23-cr-33), U.S. v. Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr. et al. (1:23-cr-32)
- Digital Forensic Specialist Kelsey Billups, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
- Paralegal Specialist Amy Boyd, FBI
- Senior Digital Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
- Tactical Specialist Rose Chestnut, FBI
- Intelligence Analyst Sarah Cole, FBI
- Special Agent Mark Phillip Gunther II, FBI
- Special Agent Jennifer L. King, FBI
- Senior Financial Investigator Dean A. Lauffer, FBI
- Evidence Technician Joshua VanMeter, FBI
- Keven Allen, Charleston Police Department, Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT)
- Detective Matthew Cooper, St. Albans Police Department, MDENT
- Corporal Wes Daniels, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Detective David Harvey, South Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Detective Jordan Hilbert, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Corporal Paul J. Hodge, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, MDENT
- Corporal Brian Hudson, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, MDENT
- Corporal Seth Johnson, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Administrative Assistant Lori Lipscomb, MDENT
- Corporal Owen Morris, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Lieutenant Justin Raynes, Nitro Police Department, MDENT
- Detective Nigel Waller, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
- Deputy Chief of Police Jason Webb, Former MDENT Commander, Charleston Police Department
- Corporal Michelle R. Shaffer, West Virginia State Police
- Special Agent Ambra Dunn, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
- Detective Alexander Bobinger, Charleston Police Department
- Special Agent Dan Karshenas, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
The eight-month investigation dubbed Operation Smoke and Mirrors resulted in the largest seizure of methamphetamine to date in the state of West Virginia. It disrupted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) with connections to California and the southern border that was responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in Charleston.
Law enforcement obtained more than 50 search warrants, culminating in waves of arrests in March 2023. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Four federal indictments were returned charging 32 individuals for their roles in the DTO. Another 24 individuals were charged in state criminal complaints. Thirty of the federal defendants pleaded guilty. Another was convicted by a federal jury after a two-day trial. The remaining federal defendant, Deayria Eyshay Willis, 25, of Charleston, is a fugitive. Nearly two dozen of the federal defendants were sentenced to prison. Eight of those defendants were sentenced to 10 years or more of imprisonment.
This investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Critical to the success of this strategy is harnessing the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies while in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.
Outstanding Drug Trafficking Case: U.S. vs Raymond Jaquette Howard, et al. (3:22-cr-102)
- Special Agent Ben Henrich, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
- Special Agent Brian Roscoe, DEA
- Special Agent Matt Yount, DEA
- Corporal K.L. Adkins, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- First Sergeant P.W. Boyles, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- Captain Lacy J. Deskins, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- Sergeant J.R. Garnes, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- First Sergeant J.M. Parde, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- Detective Jon Vernon, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- Lieutenant T.L. Weese, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
- Sergeant A.M. Whittington, West Virginia State Police
On September 22, 2021, Howard, 34, of Las Vegas, Nevada, sold approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. On December 24, 2021, Howard was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers. The vehicle was searched an officers found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that the fentanyl was his and that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.
Howard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced on January 17, 2023, to 14 years and eight months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
A related defendant, Jamie Lyn Music, 41, also of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
Category: Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case: U.S v. Randell Lee Proctor (2:23-cr-74)
- Special Agent Jarrod Chittum, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Special Agent Mari Woodford, ATF
- Detective Chris Boner, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Nathan Brill, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy T.D. Burks, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy D.J. Dorsey, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Trooper D.M. Copley, West Virginia State Police
- Trooper Larry Holstein III, West Virginia State Police
- Forensic Scientist Farrah S. Machado, West Virginia State Police
- Corporal S.W. Perdue, West Virginia State Police
- Sergeant Joseph Robinson, West Virginia State Police
On December 29, 2022, Randell Lee Proctor, 45, of Belle, was engaged in a domestic altercation with his girlfriend while armed with a handgun. Proctor fired one round into the air while walking through a neighborhood in Rand. He fired a second round into the ceiling of a front porch at a residence where the girlfriend was inside. Proctor then entered the residence and began physically assaulting the girlfriend. Law enforcement officers responded after receiving complaints about the gunshots and found Proctor inside the residence. They recovered a Hi-Point, model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Proctor pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Proctor had four prior convictions for domestic battery in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. He was sentenced on December 7, 2023, to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case: U.S. vs Thomas Ray III (3:21-cr-57)
- Officer Ernie Blackburn, Huntington Police Department
- Corporal Nicholas Bloomfield, Huntington Police Department
- Captain Steve Compton, Huntington Police Department
- PFC Angela Faircloth, Huntington Police Department
- Sergeant Steve Fitz, Huntington Police Department
- Detective Christopher Hurst, Huntington Police Department
- Officer Matt Keesee, Huntington Police Department
- Sergeant Joseph Koher, Huntington Police Department
- Sergeant Adrian Roasario, Huntington Police Department
- Corporal David Rowsey, Huntington Police Department
- Special Agent Jarrod Chittum, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
On October 23, 2020, Thomas Ray III, 54, of Huntington, entered an Artisan Avenue residence in Huntington where he physically assaulted two women, brandished a firearm, pointed it at the forehead of a third woman and fired two rounds into the air. Officers responding to the resulting 911 calls located Ray in an alley several blocks from Artisan Avenue. Ray fired a round at one officer and continued to flee. Ray fired several more shots at officers while fleeing before they returned fire and wounded him in the leg.
Ray was still holding the firearm while on the ground and resisted being placed into custody. Officers recovered the firearm, a loaded Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber pistol, after Ray tossed it to the ground. Officers also found .40-caliber ammunition and a Harrington and Richardson revolver in Ray’s pants pockets.
A federal jury found Ray guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 12, 2023, following a two-day trial. Ray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for forcible detention while armed and giving a false bomb or gas alarm in Will County, Illinois, Circuit Court on February 28, 2012, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 9, 2013.
At the time of this offense, Ray was serving a term of federal supervised release for the 2013 conviction. Ray was sentenced on December 18, 2023, to 12 years in prison, including two years for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case: U.S. v. Stephen Simmons (3:23-cr-21)
- Senior Special Agent Jason J. Berty, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Branch Chief David Bullard, ATF
- Special Agent Jarrod C. Chittum, ATF
- Special Agent Kachine R. Jonese, ATF
- Special Agent Sean McNees, ATF
- Special Agent Mari Woodford, ATF
- Detective Mathew Cooper, St. Albans Police Department
- Lieutenant Brandon Perry, St. Albans Police Department
- Sergeant J.R. Farry, Nitro Police Department
On January 3, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Stephen Simmons, 41, of Nitro. Law enforcement seized two Glock switches, two drop-in auto sears, six firearm silencers, and more than 40 firearms including a Ruger, model 10/22, .22-caliber rifle that was reported stolen in Boone County.
Simmons pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered machinegun for possessing one of the Glock switches, admitting that he did not register device in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
Investigators documented Simmons’ substantial history of unlawful drug use and addiction. Their investigation showed that Simmons was illegally using drugs at the same time he possessed firearms, silencers, and devices designed solely to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. The Court concluded that Simmons was an unlawful user of controlled substances, and as a result was prohibited from possessing firearms on January 3, 2023. Simmons was sentenced on September 12, 2023, to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the Year: Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT)
The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the Year recognizes outstanding cooperative law enforcement efforts and endeavors that have significant and lasting community impact. This award is a highlight of our annual ceremony because it not only honors a task force for one or more specific cases but also for their continuing role in significant investigations and prosecutions.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
This year’s award recognizes MDENT for its role in Operation Smoke and Mirrors.
Law Enforcement Officers of the Year
Our Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awards honor individual federal, state, and local officers selected for work that consistently stands out in significant cases.
- Federal Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Special Agent Terrance “Terry” Taylor, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- State Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Captain Lacy Deskins, West Virginia State Police
- Local Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Deputy Jason A. Redden, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office
Each of these individuals has distinguished himself in multiple cases prosecuted by this office. This award also honors them for their consistently outstanding contributions throughout their careers to the criminal justice system and the communities they serve.
Outstanding Community Partner: West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University has been a committed contributor as a West Virginia Civil Rights Stakeholder and a gracious host of the Stakeholders’ quarterly meetings. The Civil Rights Stakeholders are an array of federal, state and local agencies and organizations committed to addressing and responding to hate crimes and incidents in the Southern District of West Virginia.
West Virginia State University is also a valued partner with this office in the advancement of the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative, a nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate and improve hate crime reporting.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two-time Federally Convicted Georgia Man Sentenced in Upstate Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The final defendant in an Upstate drug trafficking conspiracy, Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, after having served a prior federal sentence on similar charges.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Feb. 22, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Wilson, locating more than 5,800 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol with 19 rounds. The investigation revealed that over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for trafficking over 89 kilograms of methamphetamine.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Wilson to 235 months imprisonment, followed by 120 months supervised release, and ordered a forfeiture judgement of $311,000.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Two Lake Charles Men Sentenced on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two Lake Charles men have been sentenced for illegally possessing firearms and drugs, including fentanyl. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows:
Johnathan C. Norwood, 42, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In early 2023, law enforcement agents investigated the suspected involvement of Norwood with drug distribution in the Calcasieu Parish area. On April 3, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle being driven by Norwood in order to arrest him pursuant to an active arrest warrant. During the traffic stop, agents searched Norwood’s vehicle and found approximately 29.21 grams of cocaine and over $3,000 in cash inside. A subsequent search warrant was obtained for his residence and upon execution, law enforcement officers found and seized four firearms and ammunition, approximately 6,535.3 grams of cocaine, 128,923.95 grams of marijuana, over 50 pill tablets containing hydrocodone, and over $80,000 in cash. Through their further investigation, agents learned that two of the seized firearms had been reported as stolen from their lawful owners.
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force in Calcasieu Parish and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker.
The second defendant, Cohaynee D. Jones, 28, was sentenced to 72 months (6 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On April 20, 2022, agents with the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force in Calcasieu Parish had four arrest warrants for Jones which were all active. Agents executed the warrants at his residence on 10th Street in Lake Charles and found Jones asleep on the couch with a rifle on the headrest where he was laying. Jones was taken into custody and a search of his residence was executed. Officers found two additional firearms on the couch where Norwood was laying, with one having been reported as stolen. Jones has a previous felony conviction for aggravated battery from 2020 and was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. In addition, officers conducted a search of a rental vehicle in Jones’ driveway which officers had observed him driving. Inside the vehicle was a backpack containing several Ziploc bags with a substance that appeared to be narcotics, along with mail addressed to Jones. The substance was seized and sent to the crime lab for testing and confirmed to weigh approximately 57 grams and contained a detectable amount of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.
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Two Defendants Sentenced to 15 Years in 15-Year-Old’s Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
The pair that supplied fentanyl pills to a 15-year-old Carrollton girl who fatally overdosed have been sentenced to a combined 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Lizbeth Prieto, 19, also known as Lizbeth Escamilla, and Cristian Lopez, 24, were charged via criminal complaint in June 2023 and indicted the following month. Ms. Prieto pleaded guilty in November 2023 to distribution of a controlled substance to a person under 21 and was sentenced in April 2024 to 84 months in federal prison. Mr. Lopez pleaded guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced Monday to 96 months in federal prison.
“Fentanyl rips through communities and decimates families. And with so many traffickers wantonly pushing these pills, all of our teenagers are vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “I launched the Protect Our Children Project – aimed at using law enforcement resources to help schools prevent fentanyl overdoses and other tragedies – in honor of children like this victim, lost to drugs or guns in our schools. It is my fervent hope that we can drastically reduce fentanyl fatalities in North Texas. Removing traffickers from the streets is another step towards that goal.”
“Selling poison in the form of fentanyl to our youth is one of the most treacherous and evil ways to hurt our community,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “To all of those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners such as Carrollton PD will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our families and community depends on it.”
According to court documents, Mr. Lopez supplied fentanyl pills to Ms. Prieto, who provided them to the victim, a 15-year-old student at Newman Smith High School in Carrollton identified in court documents as “J.G.”
Family members called 911 when they found the J.G. unresponsive, face down on her bed on Tuesday, June 13. She was transported to the hospital and pronounced deceased shortly thereafter.
Inside the child’s bedroom room, agents found ten counterfeit Percocet pills inscribed M/30, which later tested positive for fentanyl. On her Instagram, they found communications between the girl and Ms. Prieto from approximately 24 hours before the death.
In messages, Ms. Prieto allegedly offered to sell J.G. 13 fentanyl pills for $100 dollars, confirmed she could pay with cash, and asked for her address. A short while later, Ms. Prieto allegedly advised J.G. that she was pulling up to the home to deliver the pills.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phelesa Guy and Rick Calvert prosecuted the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that five out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Two Charged with Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Craig Coins, Jr., age 30, and Aubreanna Odendahl, age 26, both of Mississippi, were indicted on charges involving conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of a minor for sexual activities, and production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that the minor was transported from Mississippi to Tioga County, Pennsylvania in April and the criminal conduct took place from March to May of 2023 in Tioga County and elsewhere.
The case was investigated by the Wellsboro Police Department, Mississippi Capitol Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Two Admit Promoting Prostitution of Women in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men from Tennessee have admitted this week promoting the prostitution of women in the St. Louis area.
Martavis Walker, 30, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. Walker admitted meeting a woman in Tennessee in late December 2023. He created online ads, forced her to work well-known prostitution areas in Memphis and forced her into at least a dozen sex acts there, Walker’s plea says. On Jan. 12, 2024, Walker took the woman to St. Louis, where he forced her to engage in commercial sex acts at hotels and Airbnb rentals.
Walker is scheduled to be sentenced March 12. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
Domaniko McCrary, 33, of Memphis, pleaded guilty Tuesday to the same charge in an unrelated case. McCrary admitted buying a bus ticket for himself and the victim and traveling to the Eastern District of Missouri on April 16, 2023. McCrary then rented two hotel rooms so that the victim could engage in commercial sex acts.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the Walker case. The Hazelwood Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the McCrary case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting both cases.
Three Idaho Falls Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate drug distribution cases in Eastern Idaho.
“The justice achieved in these cases reflects how the strong partnerships between my office and state and local law enforcement remove dangerous criminals from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to focus on prosecuting drug traffickers in all parts of Idaho, and I am grateful for the talented officers, investigators, and prosecutors making a difference in this fight.”
- Convicted Felon and Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Federal Prison
In one case, Jesus Rosas, 45, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced on November 25, 2024, to 55 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, on January 8, 2024, Rosas was pulled over for a traffic violation by Idaho Falls Police. Rosas’s passenger had several warrants for his arrest. The passenger fled the vehicle on foot and later shot at an officer with a handgun. The officer returned fire, striking the passenger, who ultimately died from the resulting injuries.
During the traffic stop, officers removed Rosas from the vehicle and located a loaded handgun next to the driver’s seat. While removing Rosas from the vehicle, officers observed Rosas reaching in the direction of the firearm. Officers searched Rosas before placing him in a patrol vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a black bag in Rosas’s jacket pocket which contained a glass pipe, small clear bags, and two bags containing 35.9 grams of methamphetamine.
Rosas’s criminal history includes five prior state felony convictions: delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of controlled substances, grand theft, and burglary. Records with the Idaho Department of Correction show that he has suspected gang ties.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Rosas to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Rosas pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2024.
- Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine
In a separate case, Brandon Luce, 43, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced on November 21, 2024 to 37 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, in early 2022, Luce, on two occasions, sold to another person a combined 83.24 grams of methamphetamine. Luce told the buyer that there was only one pound left in town and they were going to have to go get more.
Luce’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for possession of controlled substances and misdemeanor convictions for driving offenses, possessing burglary tools, and battery.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered Luce to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Luce pleaded guilty to the offense in August 2024.
- Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Drugs
In a third case, Darren Payne, 51, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced on November 25, 2024 to 24 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, on January 18, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Payne’s home which included a search of his vehicle. During the execution of the search warrant, Payne was located alone in the master bedroom. He attempted to flee from the bedroom to the bathroom and attempted to swallow a bag containing methamphetamine, but ultimately spit it out.
During the search, officers found a plastic bag containing hundreds of light blue M30 pills tucked inside the bottom of a shoe. These were counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Additionally, while searching the pockets of clothing items hanging in the closet, officers located a bag containing a box of suboxone, multiple small bags, and glass pipes. A search of the bedroom revealed the following items: a green bottle containing small purple pills imprinted K57, Oxycodone Hydrochloride; heroin; and cocaine. There were also three individually packaged light blue M30 pills which appeared to be for sale. The items found appeared to be for both personal use and for sale. Payne possessed 76.8 grams fentanyl for distribution.
Payne’s criminal history includes two state felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance. Payne has two pending felony charges in Bonneville County for drug trafficking in methamphetamine and in Fremont County for passing checks with insufficient funds.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Payne to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Payne pleaded guilty to the charge in July 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit applauded the investigations by the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho State Police for their work in all three cases and thanked the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office for their investigations, which led to charges in the Rosas and Payne cases. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted these cases.
These cases were handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in Eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.
The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to use the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.
This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 175 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 152 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 10,639 months (approximately 886.5 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 73.87 months (6.12 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 60.33 months (5.02 years) in federal prison.
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Theft of firearms from Billings pawnshop burglary sends Joliet man to prison for more than six yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Joliet man who admitted to stealing firearms from a Billings pawnshop during a burglary was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Lucious Machiavelli, aka Robert Allen Boyden, 48, pleaded guilty in August to theft from a federal firearms licensee.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $8,783 in restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that on Sept. 11, 2023, Pawnbrokers West, a federal firearms licensee, in Billings, was burglarized shortly before 3 a.m. Ten firearms were stolen during the break in. Five of the firearms are still at large. Law enforcement learned that Machiavelli was involved in the burglary. Some of the stolen firearms were recovered from the residence of a co-defendant, who told law enforcement that Machiavelli had brought the guns to the residence. Another co-defendant told law enforcement that he and Machiavelli broke into the pawn shop and stole the firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Sextortion of Maine Children He Met on InstagramRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for coercion and enticement of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Juan Jose Torres, 27, to 132 months in prison followed by seven years of supervised release.
According to court records, in December 2021, the father of one of the victims contacted law enforcement after discovering that the child had sent sexually explicit photos and videos to someone who had befriended the child on Instagram. The investigation showed that the victim and another child, both in their early teens, were coaxed and coerced into creating and sending graphic and sexually explicit material of themselves to Torres. If the victims hesitated, Torres threatened to harm himself or post the images online if they did not comply. When he was arrested in February 2023, Torres told investigators that he was “just having fun” and that he threatened the young victims because he “liked the attention from them.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information, including gender, location and ages, to protect the minor victims’ privacy.
“Mr. Torres pretended to be something he wasn’t to befriend these young victims, then manipulated and exploited them into a situation they were too young to handle. The crime of sextortion is increasing alarmingly, and these cases so often end tragically with young victims feeling they have no way out,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee. “Thankfully, a vigilant parent realized what was happening and immediately contacted police, averting what could have been a tragedy and likely preventing additional victims. It is so important to talk to children about why it is never safe to share intimate images, videos or livestreams with anyone – even someone they know, love or trust.”
“Torres manipulated children into providing explicit photos to him, using fear and threats to coerce them after they realized they wanted to stop,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “This crime happens all too often, and victims often feel trapped and that there’s nowhere for them to turn. We want victims and families to know that they are not alone, and there is always help available through HSI and our partners.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 300% increase in online enticement reports between 2020 and 2023. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project iGuardian program available to Maine communities, schools: The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) program Project iGuardian is focused on keeping children and teens safe from online predators through education and awareness. The in-person educational outreach effort was created to share information about the dangers of online environments, how to stay safe online, and how to report abuse and suspicious activity. Schools, parent groups, and other community groups interested in bringing the program to their community can find more information at: https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect/training.
Project Safe Childhood: 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Supervisor of Luxury Jewelry Company Sentenced for Stealing, Selling Millions of Dollars Worth of Precious MetalsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A manufacturing supervisor for a luxury jewelry company was sentenced today for stealing over $1.7 million in gold, silver and platinum from his employer over a period of more than three years.
Benjamin Preacher, 54, of North Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 59 days in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, including 10 months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service. Preacher was also ordered to forfeit $1,267,093. The government recommended a sentence of 30 months in prison. In June 2024, Preacher pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods and one count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.
From 2018 until early 2024, Preacher worked as a manufacturing supervisor at a Rhode Island facility operated by a company that sells luxury items, including jewelry made from gold, silver and platinum. Preacher used his position overseeing the production and security of high-end jewelry to steal scrap precious metals from the company’s facility in Rhode Island. Preacher then drove the stolen metals into Massachusetts and then sold them to various businesses in Massachusetts. An image of some of the stolen metals appears below.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jonathan Wlodyka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Spearfish Police Officer Recognized with Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS — Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Among the 13 nationwide recipients was Officer Reece Walno of the Spearfish Police Department in Spearfish, South Dakota.
This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety.
“Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.”
During the course of 2023, Officer Reece Walno showed his commitment to his department and his community by establishing a strong and diligent work ethic and personally fielding more than 1,200 calls for service. One traffic stop stood out from the rest: On August 8, Officer Walno stopped a vehicle for speeding and equipment violations. During the traffic stop, Officer Walno observed multiple indicators of criminal activity. Officer Walno was able to obtain consent for a K9 free-air sniff which provided additional narcotic detection resources. During the vehicle search, suspected methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia were located and seized. Officer Walno’s training and experience led him to determine the evidence located was involved in the distribution of illegal controlled substances. The driver was later taken into custody for active arrest warrants and other felony and misdemeanor charges.
Despite call volume and shift shortages, Officer Walno continued his proactive investigation and seized the suspect’s cellphone. Officer Walno began the search of the cellphone data and discovered information suggesting further narcotic activity occurring through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Officer Walno contacted the USPS Postal Inspector and provided actionable intelligence which led to an initial seizure of a dark web marijuana parcel from Wyoming. Officer Walno contacted drug agents with the UNET-N [Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team – North)] Drug Task Force and provided further intelligence.
Officer Walno’s investigative tenacity and attention to detail produced significant, well-documented intelligence which allowed law enforcement to stop more than a pound of controlled substances in addition to dark web marijuana from being distributed to Spearfish and other surrounding communities. Officer Walno completed a high-level narcotics investigation while also meeting the high-volume demand for calls for service and continuing other proactive police activities.
U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota Alison J. Ramsdell offered these comments, “I commend Officer Reece Walno on his selection for the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. In the District of South Dakota, we rely heavily on the work of local law enforcement officers like Officer Walno to build impactful federal drug prosecutions. Officer Walno’s detailed and thorough investigations have been crucial in helping to piece together drug rings and bring drug traffickers to justice. Through the dedicated efforts of Officer Walno and others throughout the law enforcement community in South Dakota, we will continue to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that are peddling poison in our communities.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.
The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities.
The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.
South Texan imprisoned for attempting to run over federal agentRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 23-year-old San Benito man has been ordered to federal prison after attempting to run over an FBI agent while trying to evade arrest in a stolen vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Damian Evans Lopez pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer Sept. 9.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 110 months to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Olvera enhanced the sentence for use of a motor vehicle as a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment during flight and official victim adjustments. At the hearing, the court heard how Lopez had a history of placing law enforcement and the public in danger given his three prior felony convictions for evading arrest with motor vehicles.
On June 28, an FBI agent was engaged in an investigation involving stolen vehicles being illegally exported into Mexico. He identified a stolen Chevrolet truck parked near the Gateway International Bridge Port of Entry in Brownsville and called for assistance.
The agent was wearing FBI gear with clear law enforcement markings and began approaching the vehicle. Authorities asked Lopez to exit from the driver’s seat, but he failed to do so. Instead, he turned the vehicle’s wheels to exit the parking space and aggressively accelerated directly at the FBI agent.
He managed to jump out of the way of the accelerating vehicle and avoided serious injury and or death by mere inches.
Authorities apprehended Lopez in San Benito, following a high-speed vehicle chase through the streets of Brownsville and onto the freeway. The pursuit, which lasted 20 minutes, involves speeds exceeding 100 mph.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Brownsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
South Dakota Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Sioux Falls, South Dakota man and Guatemalan national was sentenced on November 26, 2024 to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon and in relation to his drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, Johny Fernando Diaz-Mendez, 47, was arrested in March 2024 and found in possession of a firearm in his waistband and a large quantity of methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Diaz-Mendez will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Smith County man sentenced for producing counterfeit identification documentsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas –A Tyler man has been sentenced to federal prison for counterfeit documents scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Sr., 50, pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on December 4, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in January 2024, Rodriguez produced and provided counterfeit permanent resident cards and social security cards for three individuals in exchange for $450. In March of 2024, Rodriguez again produced and provided fraudulent permanent resident cards and social security cards for another eight individuals in exchange for $1,200. A federal search warrant was executed at Rodriguez’s residence where law enforcement officers recovered additional fraudulent identification documents in various stages of manufacture and the equipment used to produce the documents. Rodriguez admitted to producing more than 25 fraudulent identification documents.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Smith County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024.
Wilson Boneshirt, 50, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Boneshirt was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in September 2024.
Boneshirt is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act due to a 2002 conviction in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota, for Incest. In March 2024, Boneshirt was on parole with the South Dakota Department of Corrections and residing at the Glory House in Sioux Falls. On March 29, 2024, Boneshirt was granted a two-day furlough to attend a relative’s funeral, but he failed to return to the Glory House as required and did not update the sex offender registry with his new location. His whereabouts were unknown to registration officials until his arrest on May 23, 2024.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case.
Boneshirt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 11 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024.
Larry Wayne Moss, a/k/a “Lucci,” age 48, was sentenced to 11.5 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Moss was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 30, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from an investigation early in 2023. Moss sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions between January and March of 2023. On March 6, 2023, investigators obtained a search warrant for the motel where Moss was staying. They executed the search warrant and discovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine, 42 grams of fentanyl pills, ecstasy, and marijuana. Moss intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others in the District of South Dakota. Methamphetamine is a Scheduled II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Moss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saratoga Springs Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Barry, age 42, of Saratoga Springs, New York, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for receiving child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Barry admitted that between June 2021 and January 2022, he received child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors, and on February 9, 2023, possessed two phones containing child pornography. The offense involved more than 1,500 still images and at least four videos of child pornography.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also ordered Barry to serve a 15-year term of post-incarceration supervised release, to forfeit the two phones involved in the offense, and to pay a total of $42,000 restitution to 14 victims. Barry will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Salt Lake Police Officer Recognized with Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, including Detective Tyler Norman of the Salt Lake City Police Department.
This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety.
“Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.”
Detective Norman’s relentless pursuit of justice has not only disrupted gang activity but also established him as a leading expert in the field across the county. His tireless dedication, his work to build his own knowledge of the intricacies of the law, and countless hours of investigative work has resulted in the arrest of numerous violent street gang members and the seizure of firearms and narcotics. His efforts have profoundly strengthened public safety throughout the region.
“I want to thank Detective Norman for his outstanding and selfless work to protect our citizens and keep the community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “Congratulations on this prestigious achievement.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.
The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities.
The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.
SCDC Inmate and 4 Florence Co-Conspirators Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a four-count indictment against Samual Earl Ramu, 33; Kathy Denise Roberts-Poston, 57; Michael Allen Dorsey, 56; Justin Allen Cox, 40; and Ryan Marie Lovell, 37, all of Florence, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that the five named defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in South Carolina since at least May 2021. Ramu faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently incarcerated and serving a 15-year sentence with the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Dorsey faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently detained on related state charges. Roberts-Poston, Cox, and Lovell each face maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment and are currently detained awaiting their initial appearances before the Honorable Kaymani D. West, United States Magistrate Judge.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Ellis is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Recidivist drug trafficker sentenced to over 26 years in prison for running drug operation from his apartmentsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 26 years and 10 months in prison for drug conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from at least June 2018 through his most recent arrest on Oct. 14, 2022, Lemoyne Williams, 44, conspired with others to manufacture, distribute, and possess with the intent to manufacture and distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
After conducting a controlled purchase of narcotics from Williams, Newport News Police executed a search warrant on Williams’ apartment and vehicles on Oct. 30, 2019. Though officers knocked for several minutes, they eventually had to force entry into Williams’ residence where they encountered not only Williams, but also his intimate partner and two of his children, aged three and twelve. Officers recovered, among other things, almost 50 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 45 grams of cocaine, other controlled substances, a pill press, digital scales, 10 cellphones, almost $3000 in cash, and a stolen handgun loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition that was hidden in a bathroom floor vent.
A federal grand jury indicted Williams on Aug. 10, 2022, in connection with his 2019 conduct. When officers attempted to execute the resulting arrest warrant, Williams did not comply with the officers’ directions and agents breached the door, observing narcotics and processing materials in plain view. The officers obtained a search warrant and recovered almost 45 grams of meth, two grams of crack cocaine, and five grams each of fentanyl and cocaine powder, along with processing materials, three phones, and five loaded firearms.
Williams has previous convictions, including for a 1999 manslaughter and possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it while wearing body armor and driving a stolen vehicle while pending trial in 2000. At the time of his lates offenses, Williams was under court supervision for a drug-trafficking conviction.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-66.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years and Three Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024.
Patrick Left Hand Bull, age 51, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury indicted Left Hand Bull in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024.
Left Hand Bull is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as a result of a federal felony conviction in February 2014 for Abusive Sexual Contact. On March 11, 2024, he updated his sex offender registry address to the Cornerstone Rescue Mission in Rapid City. Left Hand Bull resided there intermittently between March 11, 2024, and April 23, 2024. Between April 27, 2024, and May 8, 2024, he did not live at the Cornerstone Rescue Mission and did not register or update his new address with the sex offender registry. Left Hand Bull knew of his requirement to register and knowingly failed to do so.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Left Hand Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 26, 2024.
Jordan Running Hawk, 21, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running Hawk was indicted for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024.
In April 2024, an officer with the Rapid City Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Running Hawk. During the traffic stop, the officer discovered Running Hawk was in possession of a firearm and a firearm magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. When the officer asked Running Hawk about the firearm, Running Hawk attempted to flee but was apprehended by officers shortly thereafter and arrested. Running Hawk is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony crime.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Running Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Charles Merrival, age 32, was sentenced on November 22, 2024, to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition was also ordered. Merrival was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022 and pleaded guilty on July 8, 2024.
From approximately July 2021 through January 2022, Merrival was involved in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in Rapid City. Law enforcement stopped Merrival in a truck in July 2021. A search of the vehicle recovered 10 grams of methamphetamine and other drug related items. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement witnessed Merrival hand a backpack to a co-conspirator in a store parking lot. When that backpack was subsequently searched, law enforcement located 40 grams of methamphetamine, a pink semi-automatic pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Merrival was found to be in possession of additional rounds ammunition. During the investigation, multiple sources confirmed Merrival’s history of violence and firearm possession. Merrival is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions. Merrival is a former member and Sergeant-at-Arms of the Ghost Dance Motorcycle Club, a support group for the Bandidos.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy Morley, Brian Murphy, and Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Merrival was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing. Merrival faces additional, unrelated charges in Pennington County.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024.
Jacob Denker, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Denker was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024.
Beginning around March 2023, Denker began obtaining fentanyl along with his girlfriend, Jamie Lee. They picked up fentanyl in Colorado and then brought it to South Dakota. In Rapid City, Denker and his girlfriend’s sub-distributors further distributed fentanyl throughout the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation. This activity continued through September 2023. Overall, Denker and the other co-conspirators were responsible for bringing over 400 grams of fentanyl to the area. Co-defendant Eugene Giago is scheduled for trial on January 7, 2025, and co-defendant Jamie Lee is scheduled for sentencing on January 27, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Denker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing Apartment Building in FlushingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Atahualpa Rodriguez pleaded guilty to committing arson of an apartment building in Flushing, Queens. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross. When sentenced, Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Robert S. Tucker, Commissioner New York City Fire Department (FDNY), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.
“Today, the defendant admitted that he deliberately set fire to an apartment building in the pre-dawn darkness while many tenants slept, causing the destruction of one apartment unit, damage to surrounding units and injuries to the brave first responders who battled the blaze,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “His actions showed complete disregard for human life and placed hundreds of people in grave danger over a personal dispute. Rodriguez will now face just punishment for his actions.”
“Deliberately setting a fire is an egregious crime that deserves severe punishment,” said FDNY Commissioner Tucker. “In this case, three of our firefighters were injured due to this unspeakable crime. We want to thank the NYPD’s Arson and Explosion Squad along with FDNY fire marshals and ATF agents for their diligent and swift work in this case. We are relieved Atahualpa Rodriguez will no longer be on our city’s streets.”
“Deliberate criminal activity, such as the type Mr. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to today, poses a significant threat to both first responders and private citizens and goes against everything that New York City stands for,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “I am grateful that the injuries sustained by our FDNY colleagues were not more severe, and I commend them for their dedication in maintaining the safety of all New Yorkers. I also thank our partners at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York for their diligent efforts in ensuring that criminal actions are met with appropriate consequences.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, on January 11, 2022, Rodriguez was in a dispute with the tenants of one unit in the building. On January 12, 2022, Rodriguez firebombed the multi-story building on Parsons Boulevard in Flushing, Queens, which contained approximately 175 units and hundreds of tenants. At approximately 4:40 a.m. on January, a resident of the targeted apartment unit awoke to the sound of breaking glass and heard a voice state: “F—k you all.” The resident walked out of the bedroom and saw the fire ignited by the defendant. One firefighter was injured when a section of ceiling collapsed on him, another suffered first-degree burns and a third was hospitalized after breathing contaminated air. The fire caused approximately $1 million in damages and completely destroyed the targeted apartment unit, as depicted below.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ATAHUALPA RODRIGUEZ
Age: 50
Flushing, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-266 (ARR)
Puerto Rico Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Leadership Role in Puerto Rico/Western Pennsylvania Region Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, was sentenced in federal court to 10 years of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics and racketeering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Antonio Bernacett Rodriguez, 40.
According to information presented to the Court, Bernacett Rodriguez was a leading member of an organized drug trafficking group that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico, often mailing drug parcels through the U.S. Postal Service to co-conspirators responsible for selling the cocaine in Western Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; and elsewhere as part of an ongoing drug trafficking conspiracy. Specifically, Bernacett Rodriguez was responsible for obtaining and shipping between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in 2023 and early 2024, and, in January 2024, travelled from Puerto Rico to Philadelphia and Youngstown, Ohio, to facilitate and promote the drug trafficking enterprise by receiving drug proceeds from other members of the organization.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to Bernacett Rodriguez’s conviction in this case in close collaboration with the Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Castle City Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Department of Agriculture, Union Township Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and Pennsylvania State Police.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Lawrence County is one of six western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.
Podiatrist and Patient Recruiter Sentenced for $8.5M Compounding Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A podiatrist and a patient recruiter were sentenced to 45 months and 60 months in prison, respectively, and ordered to pay over $7 million in restitution for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently bill TRICARE — the health care program for U.S. service members and their families — for compounded creams that were medically unnecessary and procured through kickbacks and bribes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Carpenter, 58, of Paradise, Texas, was a podiatrist who signed prescriptions for compounded pain and scar creams for TRICARE beneficiaries to whom he never spoke and whom he never examined or treated. Jerry Lee Hawrylak, 71, of Lake Worth, Texas, recruited Carpenter to sign the prescriptions and recruited TRICARE beneficiaries to accept the medically unnecessary creams. From November 2014 to January 2017, Carpenter, Hawrylak, and others caused the Fort Worth-based pharmacy involved in the conspiracy to fraudulently bill TRICARE approximately $8.5 million for these creams. Evidence at trial included so-called standing orders signed by Carpenter that were backdated so the pharmacy could change prescriptions after the fact to maximize TRICARE reimbursement. The prescriptions Carpenter signed and maintained in his office authorized unlimited refills and listed fake addresses for beneficiaries.
In April 2023, a jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted both Carpenter and Hawrylak of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southwest Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge P. J. O’Brien of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Central Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Attempted Murder and Assault of DEA Agent and Related Drug and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of attempted murder and assault of a federal officer or employee, as well as violations of federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The five-count Superseding Indictment named Drew Gordon, 22, as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on or about August 30, 2024, Gordon attempted to murder a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and assaulted the agent with a deadly and dangerous weapon (a firearm). The Superseding Indictment further charges Gordon with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and quantities of cocaine base and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
During a prior detention hearing in this case, the government presented testimony and evidence that, on August 30, 2024, a special agent with the DEA was shot at multiple times while he was working on an unrelated investigation in the Carrick area of Pittsburgh. A total of 18 rounds were fired. The agent was not struck by the gunfire, but his vehicle was hit multiple times. The government further established that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with other law enforcement agencies, gathered extensive evidence tying Gordon to the shooting, including cell phone location records, cell phone data, surveillance video, and vehicle records and data. Investigators located 10 spent 9mm cartridge cases on scene, and five additional 9mm cases were recovered from the vehicle allegedly used by the defendant during the shooting.
During the prior hearing, the government further established that, later that evening, investigators executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence, pursuant to which agents discovered over 100 bricks of fentanyl, approximately 85 grams of crack cocaine, approximately four ounces of powder cocaine, and approximately $10,000 in cash. Agents also seized a 9mm Glock pistol equipped with a 50-round drum magazine, an empty 9mm Glock magazine, and a .40 caliber Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine.
“Drew Gordon allegedly fired as many as 18 shots at a DEA agent, striking the agent’s vehicle multiple times, while the agent was simply doing his job: keeping our streets safe,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Violent assaults on law enforcement, whether federal, state, or local, pose a major threat to the safety of our communities. We will pursue those who unleash gun violence into our communities—regardless of whether they target law enforcement officers or civilians—with the full weight of federal law. Today, we commend the dedication of the FBI and our other law enforcement partners—including the DEA, ATF, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department—for their swift work to identify the alleged shooter and build the case that led to today’s charges.”
“The attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer, someone who dedicates their life to public safety, threatens our entire community,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our local, state, and federal partners stand side by side in holding violent offenders accountable. Our agents, and those of our partners, operate on the front lines to protect our communities, and we will meet any attempt to harm them with the full force of justice.”
If convicted on all counts, Gordon faces a maximum sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $8 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan J. McKenna are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment, with assistance from several other agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; Allegheny County Police Department, and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 3, 2024, Roosevelt Smith, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 58 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Smith previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl.
According to court records, on September 21, 2023, law enforcement arrested Smith, in Burlington, Vermont, after executing a search warrant at 86 N. Champlain St. The warrant was executed shortly after Smith returned to the residence from a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Items seized from the residence included nearly 300 grams of cocaine base and approximately 70 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement later examined the contents of Smith’s phone, pursuant to a warrant. The examination revealed communications indicative of drug trafficking.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the exceptional investigative work of the Burlington Police Department and the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti. Smith was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
Own Every Dollar Gang Member Pleads Guilty to 2019 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea today of JERRIN PENA, a/k/a “Rooga,” a/k/a “Perry,” in connection with his criminal activities as a member of the violent gang Own Every Dollar (“OED”), including the 2019 murder of Hector Cruz. PENA pled guilty today to several charges, including racketeering conspiracy, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On April 14, 2019, Jerrin Pena murdered Hector Cruz, an innocent bystander to gang violence. That murder is just one of the many acts of violence that members and associates of Own Every Dollar have committed that have terrorized Washington Heights and surrounding communities. This Office will not stop its pursuit of dangerous gangs, and violent gang members will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
PENA is a member of the violent gang OED, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. The Indictments in this case charge 24 members and associates of OED with numerous violent crimes, including five murders and 15 attempted murders.
On April 14, 2019, in the early evening, PENA and others drove to West 135th Street in Manhattan to shoot at members of a rival gang. PENA exited the car and shot at a rival gang member on West 135th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. He missed the rival gang member but struck bystander Hector Cruz—then age 57—in the liver. Cruz died of the gunshot wound approximately one month later.
PENA also pled guilty to an attempted murder on February 28, 2023, when he and several other inmates stabbed another inmate in the Metropolitan Detention Center; a gunpoint robbery of a drug dealer on January 22, 2022, in the vicinity of Riverside Drive and West 145th Street in Manhattan; conspiring to traffic more than four kilograms of fentanyl; and trafficking firearms from Pennsylvania to New York.
13 other OED defendants have previously pled guilty in the case, including MAYOVANEX RODRIGUEZ, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a 2022 murder.
* * *
PENA, 23, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. PENA is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken on March 4, 2025.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Ashley C. Nicolas are in charge of the prosecution.
Operations Manager at McCormick Place in Chicago Charged with Pocketing Kickbacks from Snowplow VendorRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An operations manager at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly pocketing kickbacks from a company contracted to provide snowplow services at the facility.
DOMINICK GIRONDA was employed on behalf of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which operates McCormick Place. Gironda managed contracts with vendors that provided services at the McCormick Place campus, which consists of multiple buildings, parking lots, and other spaces for conventions and trade shows. According to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Gironda schemed with an associate, JAMES SANSONE, to approve inflated invoices for services that were not actually provided at McCormick Place. The false invoices included compensation for individuals who had not worked on particular snow removal projects and equipment that had not been utilized, the indictment states.
After Gironda approved full payment of the false invoices, cash was kicked back to Sansone, who then passed on some or all of the money to Gironda, the indictment states. From 2022 to earlier this year, Gironda and Sansone allegedly received kickbacks totaling approximately $26,700. The indictment alleges that when Gironda, Sansone, and others texted with each other about the scam, they used coded language that referred to the kickback payments as bottles of wine.
Gironda, 54, of Bloomingdale, Ill., and Sansone, 38, of Batavia, Ill., were arrested this morning. Gironda is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan, followed by Sansone at 2:15 p.m. The indictment charges them with three counts of mail fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sushma Raju and Richard Rothblatt.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
gironda_et_al_indictment.pdfOnalaska Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael Wilson, 46, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 57 months in federal prison for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. Wilson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 11, 2024.
On July 21, 2022, Wilson sold fentanyl to an individual in La Crosse, Wisconsin during a delivery monitored by law enforcement. One week later, La Crosse police executed a search warrant at Wilson’s home in Onalaska. In one room of the home, police found drug packaging materials and a blender coated with white powder residue, near a digital scale used to weigh drugs. Concealed in the ceiling of the room, police located 96 grams of fentanyl and 83 grams of cocaine.
At the sentencing, Judge Conley stated that his decision on the appropriate sentence was influenced by Wilson’s long, repeated history of returning to drug trafficking after multiple state court convictions reaching back to the age of 17. Judge Conley stated that the 57-month sentence plus four years of supervision following that sentence was necessary to protect the public and allow Wilson the opportunity to earnestly address addiction problems that triggered the drug trafficking.
The charge against Wilson was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Dubuque County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine in Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Northfield, Ohio, has been sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Peter Williams, 58, who previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base in early 2021. Judge Conti also ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that, on January 5, 2021, Williams was the subject of a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, during which it was discovered that Williams possessed with intent to distribute over 300 grams of cocaine. He has a 40-year, multi-state history of committing serious crimes, including several prior drug trafficking and weapons crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Williams.
North Carolina Men Sentenced in International Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeffrey Doctor, age 52, of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Samuel Baker, age 46, of Laurinburg, North Carolina, were sentenced today in connection with a scheme to smuggle cut rag tobacco into Canada from the United States. Doctor was sentenced to 14 months in prison and Samuel Baker was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Harry Chavis, Acting Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
As part of their previously entered guilty pleas, Doctor and Samuel Baker each admitted that from approximately 2013 to 2016, they worked with co-conspirators to acquire cut rag tobacco and smuggle it into Canada, where it was used to make contraband cigarettes. Members of the conspiracy sold the contraband cigarettes, making substantial profits by avoiding taxes and duties, and used some of their profits to buy more cut rag tobacco that they sent into Canada. Cut rag tobacco is tobacco cut into fine strips and used to make smoking tobacco.
Funds to purchase the cut rag tobacco were sent from Canada, often through the Northern District of New York, to North Carolina. Once purchased, the cut rag tobacco was delivered to warehouses and buildings in the Northeastern United States, including on the St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne Reservation, where it was staged for smuggling into Canada.
Samuel Baker admitted that he laundered more than $19 million as part of the scheme, and previously agreed to an administrative forfeiture of $738,442 in proceeds from his crime. Samuel Baker was also fined $100,000.
Doctor admitted that he obtained more than $503,850.66 in unrecovered proceeds, which he agreed to forfeit as a money judgment.
Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also imposed a 2-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release on each defendant.
Edgar M. Baker, age 51, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, was sentenced today to three years of probation and a $75,000 fine following his prior guilty plea to misprision of a felony, for failing to report the conspiracy to authorities once he learned about it.
Carey Terrance, another co-conspirator involved in the same scheme, was previously sentenced to time served and to pay a $350,000 fine.
HSI and IRS-CI, along with the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Sûreté du Québec, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case.
New York Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to serving as a courier for a Dominican Republic-based “grandparent scam” that targeted elderly Americans.
Victor Anthony Valdez, 40, of the Bronx, New York, was charged in District of New Jersey with one count of wire fraud conspiracy for his role in the scam. According to the indictment, returned over the summer by a grand jury sitting in Newark, New Jersey, the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic, making phone calls to elderly American victims purporting to be the victim’s grandchild, an attorney representing the grandchild in criminal proceedings, court personnel, or other persons associated with the legal system. Co-conspirators told the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses. Once victims were convinced through lies and falsehoods, coconspirators instructed the victims to provide cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to victims’ homes to pick up the money.
While acting as a courier for the scam between August 2020 and August 2021, Valdez is alleged to have retrieved, or attempted to retrieve, tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey. Valdez was an employee of the Social Security Administration, New York Region, at the time he committed the offense.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes like the one in which the defendant here participated,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who aid transnational criminals in deliberately targeting vulnerable consumers in the United States will be held accountable.”
“The defendant admitted today to his role in a scam targeting vulnerable seniors,” said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “The defendant and his co-conspirators took advantage of grandparents’ love and concern for their grandchildren they believed to be in trouble, convincing them to pay thousands of dollars. My office will continue to protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who target and cheat vulnerable seniors.”
“Mr. Valdez intentionally conspired to defraud the elderly of their money and property through a cruel, international grandparent scam,” said Acting Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Social Security Administration. “The vast majority of the victims are Social Security beneficiaries, who live on a fixed income. We will continue to aggressively pursue such intolerable criminal activities. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case.”
Valdez pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in a hearing in Newark before the Honorable Claire C. Cecchi of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Valdez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Joshua Ferrentino of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Alison Thompson for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Mitchell Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Identity Theft. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024.
Jeremy Zwetzig, age 44, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1,935.90, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Zwetzig was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 29, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 23, 2023, when Zwetzig stole mail in Mitchell. One piece of mail contained a check that was not addressed to him. He then used the banking information from that legitimate business check to create a fraudulent check drawn on that same account, unbeknownst to the actual holder of the account. Zwetzig made the fraudulent check payable to an actual person and then negotiated the fraudulent check by depositing it into a bank account that he fraudulently opened using the name of the actual account holder so he could draw the funds and spend them.
This case was investigated by the Mitchell Police Department, the U.S Postal Inspection Service, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Zwetzig was allowed to self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service by December 30, 2024.
Middle District of Florida Law Enforcement Personnel Receive U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Award recipients in the Middle District of Florida recipients included Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo Police Department.
This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety.
“Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.”
Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was recognized for his diligent work, study and understanding of new technologies, and commitment to pursuing the truth. Detective Newbold was able to crack a cold case that had gone unsolved for 36 years. Over his 24 years of service, Detective Newbold’s steadfast commitment has delivered justice to countless victims and their families, leaving an indelible mark on the community.
Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo Police Department were honored for their extraordinary efforts that have transformed the lives of over 500 individuals experiencing homelessness. In addition to this team’s creative solutions like partnering with a homeless shelter or drafting new city ordinances, they have also shown their dedication, their deep understanding of the nature of these challenges, and their unwavering commitment that has made such a change for the community.
“Working collaboratively with communities to address concerns and reduce crime is the cornerstone of effective policing,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “The law enforcement personnel recognized in our district today are among the best in the nation. Their active engagement and innovative approaches towards public safety has greatly improved the quality of life for the citizens of our district.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.
The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities.
The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 151 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Gregory Morrison, 54 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Morrison was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2023, on 8 separate occasions, Morrison distributed, a total of 122 grams of cocaine. A search of Morrison’s house in September 2023 resulted in the recovery of an additional 148 grams of cocaine and $1,700. This is Morrison’s fourth conviction for a drug distribution offense.
This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.