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21 January 2025
Ringleader of COVID-19 relief fraud scheme sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.
According to court documents, Lentine oversaw a fraud scheme in which he prepared and filed fraudulent loan applications and controlled a significant portion of the loan proceeds once obtained. He knowingly and intentionally made false statements to receive funds to which he and other applicants were not entitled. In addition to defrauding Small Business Administration loan programs, Lentine also fraudulently sought unemployment assistance and emergency rental assistance.
In total, Lentine submitted more than 20 loan applications seeking more than $3 million and obtaining $1.5 million.
The defendant personally received more than $450,000 in PPP loan proceeds related to this scheme and used the money to buy a yacht and a Mercedes Benz vehicle.
As part of his sentence, Lentine was ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration and nearly $33,000 to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Lentine pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to commit bank fraud and making a false statement on a loan or credit application.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
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Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Nearly 13 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking and Supervised Release ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 153 months of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and violations of federal supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Dirk Barfield Jr., 38.
According to information presented to the Court, Barfield was the subject of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police in September 2022. The investigation revealed that Barfield would travel from a Pittsburgh residence in his Maserati to distribute cocaine. On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants upon Barfield and the Pittsburgh residence. When law enforcement announced their presence from outside the residence, Barfield threw bags of suspected controlled substances from a second floor window onto the yard. Law enforcement recovered the bags and made entry into the residence, where, following a waiver of his rights, Barfield admitted to throwing about two ounces of cocaine and one ounce of crack from the window.
At the time Barfield committed this crime, he was serving a term of federal supervised release related to his last drug trafficking conviction in the Western District of Pennsylvania, for which he had been sentenced to 151 months of imprisonment. While on federal supervised release, Barfield was also the subject of an attempted traffic stop, during which he drove over a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper’s foot and hit a pedestrian who was crossing a street in the South Side of Pittsburgh. The pedestrian required surgery to fix his broken bones.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barfield.
Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Kenneth Gaines, 34, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on February 15, 2024, Gaines was found in possession of a stolen firearm and firearm magazine. Gaines previously had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, and was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Ball and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gaines.
Pearl River Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River man was sentenced to 2 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
In January 2024, Bill Clemons, Jr., 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in the distribution of methamphetamine. In September 2024, Clemons pled guilty to the charge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
PA Man Receives Maximum Penalty of 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Soumya Rudra, 42, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams, after he pled guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and a $50,000 fine.
According to court documents, Rudra met the victim, who was 14-years old at the time of the incident, on the “Kiss Kiss” dating game app. He then used the Snapchat social platform to text and talk to her via video calls throughout several months in 2023. In late November 2023, Rudra made a 400-mile trek from Pennsylvania to Ohio to meet the underage victim. He admitted to picking her up in his vehicle to drive her to a hotel for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with her. During the investigation, the defendant’s electronic devices recovered in the hotel room were found to contain multiple CSAM images involving other minors.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Canton Field Office and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Orleans Parish Man Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEVIN HILLIARD (“HILLIARD”), age 49, of New Orleans, pled guilty on before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, to selling drugs and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Sentencing is set for April 24, 2025.
According to court documents, HILLARD was engaged in drug trafficking in the New Orleans area and was apprehended carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
HILLIARD faces up to life imprisonment on the charges, a fine of up to $1,000,000, followed by up to five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of three hundred dollars.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Gary Neal Abbott, 52, of Chesapeake, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substances containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Augst 9, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Abbott in Ashton, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, Abbott told the officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle and that there may be marijuana and “ice,” or methamphetamine, in the vehicle as well. The officer searched the vehicle and found approximately 8.7 ounces of methamphetamine in a black bag, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in a separate container, and a Glock model 30 Gen4 .45-caliber pistol in the front seat.
Abbott is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-155.
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New York Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death and Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Eric Francis Butler, age 49, of Nassau County, New York, to 240 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Butler set up a hub for drug distribution in 2019 in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. During a two-week period of time in July into August 2019, Butler’s sale of fentanyl resulted in the death of two individuals in Monroe County, and the near death of another who survived only with the administration of Narcan. Butler was indicted by a grand jury in Scranton on January 11, 2022, and subsequently arrested in Nassau County, New York by federal law enforcement officers. Butler appeared in federal court in Scranton on November 7, 2023, and plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Scranton, and the Pocono Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also 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.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced DONTE EDWARDS (“EDWARDS”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, to 27 months imprisonment.
According to court documents, EDWARDS and co-defendant, Carlos Jones, were charged in an 11-count indictment with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act relating to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans from January through June 2022. Specifically, EDWARDS pled guilty to Counts 1 and 7 of the indictment that charged him with violating 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, controlled substances (crack) and 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Due to previous his felony convictions, EDWARDS is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 16, 2025, U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced BRIAN WARD (“WARD”), age 30, to 30 months imprisonment, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on January 7, 2024, WARD was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department following a physical altercation between WARD and another man in the 300 block of Bourbon Street. During the altercation, WARD produced a firearm he possessed and shot at the man. After WARD’s arrest, his firearm, a Taurus Model PTl40 G2, .40 caliber pistol, was recovered near a van where WARD had hidden it. Additionally, law enforcement recovered a spent .40-caliber shell casing from the scene that matched the gun recovered.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
New Brunswick Man Pleads Guilty to Crossing into U.S. Unlawfully Carrying Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to unlawfully entering into the United States from Canada and importing a controlled substance.
According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade, 31, in Caswell for illegally entering the United States from Canada. Agents encountered Curran-McQuade while he was operating an ATV on a trail bordering Canada that was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use.
Curran-McQuade faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the controlled substance charge and up to 180 days in jail and up to a $5,000 fine for crossing the border illegally. Any sentence would be followed up three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joseph Mitchell, age 38, of Nelliston, New York, pled guilty on Friday to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm as a felon.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Mitchell admitted to working with another person to distribute over 350 grams of methamphetamine throughout August 2024. A search warrant executed at Mitchell’s home on September 5, 2024, led to the recovery of two rifles and one shotgun, which the defendant agreed to forfeit as part of his plea agreement. As a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted robbery and narcotics possession, Mitchell could not lawfully possess the firearms.
Mitchell faces a mandatory prison term of at least 10 years and up to life, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Military contractor to pay $1.2 million to United States to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Neuro Stat Analytical Solutions, LLC (Neurostat), a Texas company that contracted with the United States Air Force to, among other things, develop and implement psychological assessments and occupational health stress screening tools, has agreed to pay $1.2 million to the United States to settle False Claims Act and related allegations.
The settlement resolves allegations that Neurostat paid more than $1 million between 2016 and 2021 to a federal employee for preferential treatment related to various federal contracts awarded to or performed by Neurostat. As part of the settlement, Neurostat agrees to fully cooperate with the United States’ investigation of individuals not included in the settlement.
“This investigation and settlement show our continued commitment to protect taxpayers’ resources,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “We will continue to vigorously investigate and address allegations of fraud or inappropriate conflicts by those that seek or perform federal contracts.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to work with our partner agencies and the Department of Justice to pursue individuals and corporations that attempt to corrupt the Department of Defense (DoD) procurement system,” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the law enforcement arm of the DoD’s Office of Inspector General. “Investigating schemes that undermine the integrity of the Defense Health Agency, which manages the healthcare program and hospitals for military members and their families, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.”
“Department of the Air Force OSI is proud to partner with the US Attorney’s Office, DCIS, and Air Force Acquisition Fraud Counsel, to protect the integrity of defense contracting and America’s warfighter,” said William Rouse, Special Agent In Charge, OSI Procurement Fraud Det 4, WrightPatterson AFB. “We will continue to join together and hold those accountable who attempt to defraud the US government of the resources provided by American taxpayer.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Horwitz represented the United States in this settlement. Air Force Material Command Law Office, Procurement Fraud Law Division attorneys Sarah Schild and Kate Rottmayer also helped pursue this matter.
The settlement agreement is neither an admission of liability by Neurostat nor a concession by the United States this its claims are not well founded.
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Middlesex County Man Admits Defrauding South Koreans Through Bogus Sugar Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey man today admitted defrauding victims in South Korea through a bogus investment scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Mohammed Rahman, 64, of Iselin, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rahman controlled a company, Caltech Trading Corporation, through which he purported to buy and sell commodities. Rahman and other individuals in South Korea persuaded approximately 60 victims there to invest funds purportedly towards the purchase of $1 million of sugar from Brazil, which Caltech would then sell for a substantial profit. Rahman and his associates memorialized the investment terms in a fraudulent investment agreement that falsely promised the victim investors that they would receive a one hundred percent return on their investment. The victims relied on Rahman’s misrepresentations about how their funds would be used which, instead of being invested towards the purchase of sugar, were wired into Rahman’s bank account and used to pay his personal expenses, including his mortgage. Rahman also altered his bank account statement in an attempt to conceal the fact that he did not use the investors’ funds to purchase sugar.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge to which Rahman pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Robert G. Stahl, Esq.
rahman.information.pdfMember of Transnational Criminal Street Gang ‘18th Street’ Sentenced to 40 Years for Rockville Triple Shooting Resulting in Death of 22-Year-Old Male VictimRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cesar De La O Rodriguez, 21, a citizen of El Salvador and a member of the violent transnational criminal street gang known as 18th Street, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 40 years in federal prison in connection with the 2021 stalking and killing of an individual he suspected was a rival international gang member in Rockville, Maryland, a slaying committed to increase his standing in the 18th Street gang.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., for the District of Columbia, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division.
Rodriguez, aka “Lunatico,” pleaded guilty on February 9, 2024, to conspiring to participate in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO Conspiracy) and conspiracy to commit violent crime in aid of racketeering-murder.
Days after making his plea, on February 18, Rodriguez participated in the jail house stabbing of a fellow inmate at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia. Rodriguez is facing additional charges in connection with the stabbing of attempted murder, malicious wounding resulting in significant physical impairment.
In addition to the 40-year prison sentence, Rodriguez also will face deportation hearings at the completion of his sentence.
The 18th Street gang engages in a variety of criminal activities to include acts of assault, robbery, kidnapping, murder, and firearms trafficking in the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, both within United States and in foreign countries. 18th Street members are required to commit acts of violence to further the interests of the gang. These violent acts are often directed against rival gang members, 18th Street members who have violated gang rules or have otherwise disrespected the gang, and people who are suspected of cooperating with law enforcement.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2021, at the command of a senior member of 18th Street, Rodriguez and co-defendants followed the victim, Danis Alcides Salgado Mata, to Mata’s home on the 13700 block of Ashby Road in Rockville, Maryland. Rodriguez and his co-defendants believed that Mata was a member of the international gang MS-13.
Upon arriving at Mata’s home, Rodriguez and another 18th Street member fired multiple gunshots at Mata, striking him multiple times in the torso. Mata eventually died from his injuries. During the shooting, Mata’s mother and stepfather were also struck by gunfire, but survived their injuries. Rodriguez and the other 18th Street gang member fled the scene and into the District of Columbia.
At the time of the shooting, the Rodriguez was a low-ranking member of the 18th Street gang and was ultimately promoted to a full-fledged member or “homeboy.”
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Gang Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Korba, Sitara Witanachchi, and William Hart.
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Maui Police Officer Indicted for Deprivation of Civil RightsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Carlos Frate, age 40, of Kihei, Hawaii, was arrested today on a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on January 16, 2025. An arraignment in federal court is set for January 22, 2025.
The indictment alleges that Frate, while acting under color of law as an officer of the Maui Police Department, deprived another person of the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by tasing that person without legal justification. The indictment also alleges that Frate falsified a police incident report with the intent to obstruct the investigation of the use of force.
If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendant would face up to ten years in prison on the deprivation of civil rights charge, and up to twenty years in prison on the false report charge.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The Maui Police Department made the initial referral to the federal government, and the charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maui Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese.
Massachusetts Men Face 10+ Years Following Guilty Verdict in Northern Maine Drug Trafficking Conspiracy TrialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two Massachusetts men were found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for their role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl following a 10-day bench trial last month before U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Daquan Corbett, 30, Daviston Jackson, 28, and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere.
Both Jackson and Corbett face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 10 of the defendants have been sentenced while 11 await sentencing:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
- Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
- Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
- Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
- Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
- James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
Awaiting sentencing:
- Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
- Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
- Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/03/25
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: 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.
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Maine Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Harassing and Threatening Woman and Her Family MembersRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making repeated phone calls with the intent to harass and transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Angelo Castigliola, 44, formerly of Biddeford, to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. For the first year of his supervised release, he will be subject to stand-alone monitoring. He was also ordered to pay the victim restitution. Castigliola pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024.
According to court records, from mid-July to early August 2023, Castigliola repeatedly called and texted the victim, including calling 57 times and leaving nine voicemails. He also sent the victim 40 text messages on one day alone. These repeated communications were harassing in nature. In the communications, Castigliola repeatedly threatened to harm an unidentified police officer with whom he believed the victim had a relationship, and repeatedly referenced the victim’s minor child. On July 28, 2023, Castigliola also made several telephone calls to the victim’s mother, often disguising his phone number, leaving two voicemails. In one voicemail, Castigliola threatened to kill three of her family members including the victim, and to rape two minor children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the victims’ privacy.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Lebanon, Virginia Town Councilman, Sister, Automotive Companies Settle with Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia announced today it has entered into a non-prosecution agreement with Michael Elijah Leonard, a member of the Town Council in Lebanon, Virginia and his sister Amber Musick. The pair have interests in several automotive groups and previously made money winning bids to do work for the Town of Lebanon.
According to court documents, Michael Elijah Leonard serves on Town Council in Lebanon, Virginia and has done so since 2020. He also is a director and owner of Leonard Automotive. In or about December 2022, Leonard’s sister, Amber Musick, submitted bids for work with the Town of Lebanon under the name Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. was solely owned by Musick and had no assets. Leonard Automotive provided all of the services for any contracts secured by Appalachian Collision.
Leonard abstained from the Town Council votes on the bids submitted by Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. However, he knew that the work was to be done by Leonard Automotive. The Town of Lebanon paid Appalachian Collision over $10,000 for the work done by Leonard’s company.
In December of last year, the United States Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia, Leonard Automotive, Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc., Michael Elijah Leonard, and Amber Musick agreed, among other things, that Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. would disgorge the monies it received from the Town of Lebanon for work it billed but was actually performed by Leonard Automotive. The parties also agreed that Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. should be dissolved and that the subjects would submit all bids made to public entities only in the name of Leonard Automotive.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Macon is prosecuting the case.
Leaders and Members of ABG Gang Sentenced for Murder, Attempted Murder, Assault, Racketeering, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the sentencing of DAIVON MORGAN, a/k/a “Leeky,” the last of 10 defendants to be sentenced in a case involving members of a street gang known as “ABG” in the Bronx, New York. MORGAN was sentenced to 292 months in prison for crimes relating to his membership in ABG, including the murder of 19-year-old Darren Scruggs in February 2019 and a slashing of a rival gang member in February 2021. MORGAN previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering on December 15, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, who imposed today’s sentence. MORGAN was the last of the 10 defendants in the ABG case before Judge Vyskocil to have been convicted and sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “ABG terrorized communities in the Bronx with violence and drug-dealing. Among ABG’s many victims was Darren Scruggs, who was gunned down at the age of 19 by members of ABG. The 10 ABG leaders and members charged in this case have now been convicted and sentenced for their crimes. We will continue to protect the public from gangs and the senseless violence they bring.”
According to the Superseding Indictments, public court filings, and statements made in court:
From at least in or about 2017 to in or about the present, ABG was a criminal enterprise centered in the Bronx, New York. ABG primarily operated in the vicinity of the Mitchel Houses in the vicinity of 135th and 138th Streets and Lincoln and Willis Avenues. In addition to their local affiliation, many ABG members also affiliated with the national Crips gang. In order to make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of ABG engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and violence, including murder. To that end, ABG members sold crack cocaine, promoted their gang affiliation on social media, possessed firearms, and engaged in shootings and slashings as part of their gang membership and narcotics trafficking. Among other crimes committed by the gang, ABG was responsible for the following acts of violence:
On February 18, 2019, ROBERTO ESPINOSA, assisted by HENRY JONES and MORGAN, shot and killed Scruggs.
On October 30, 2018, ELIJAH PERKINS shot at rival gang members. On August 21, 2021, PERKINS and AMIER WILSON participated in a shooting of rival gang members.
On March 25, 2022, WILSON carried out a shooting, which resulted in a victim being shot and injured.
On November 7, 2021, JONES, assisted by JUAN REYES, committed a shooting in rival gang territory.
On May 8, 2020, REYES, PERKINS, and XAVIER ARAU beat and slashed a victim in rival gang territory.
On February 20, 2021, MORGAN slashed a victim across the face at the direction of DAVID TRUSTY in rival gang territory.
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A chart containing the names of the defendants, the charges they were convicted of, and the sentences they received is set forth below.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Department of Corrections.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney Heavey, Christopher Brumwell, and James Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
DefendantAgeConvictionSentenceJONES, a/k/a “Dew Man”28Racketeering Conspiracy and Attempt to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering30 yearsMORGAN, a/k/a “Leeky”25Racketeering Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Commit a Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering292 monthsESPINOSA, a/k/a “Taco”23Racketeering Conspiracy and Receipt of a Firearm Intended to be Used in a Felony;28 yearsWILSON, a/k/a “Smula”26Racketeering Conspiracy13 yearsTRUSTY, a/k/a “Saint”25Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering12 yearsPERKINS, a/k/a “Eli”24Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; and Use and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence162 monthsJAMIE WILKINS, a/k/a “OJ”26Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime78 monthsXAVIER ARAU, a/k/a “X”23Use and Brandishing of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime7 yearsREYES, a/k/a “Gunplay”27Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm Following a Felony Conviction and Conspiracy to Assault with Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering9 yearsCASSIUS MILLER, a/k/a “Cash”24Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine5 yearsLabelle Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Joshua Leon Tyree (39, Labelle) to 19 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Tyree entered a guilty plea on September 23, 2024.
According to court documents, deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Tyree’s residence and located nearly one pound of methamphetamine for distribution, and 24 assorted rifles and handguns. Tyree told deputies that the items located in his residence belonged to him.
This case was investigated by the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies across the state over a four-day period.
Kentrail M. Collins, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, five counts of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Collins admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies from Jan. 5 to Jan. 8, 2023. Collins pleaded guilty to the armed robberies of three businesses on Jan. 5, 2023 – the Petromart at 1004 N. Stadium in Columbia, Mo., the Breaktime at 2241 Pioneer St. in Boonville, Mo., and the Casey’s at 807 S. Broadway in Oak Grove, Mo. Collins also pleaded guilty to the Jan. 8, 2023, armed robberies of Casey’s at 5869 N. Main in Joplin, Mo., and Lamarti’s Truck Stop at 71 US 160 in Lamar, Mo.
Collins also admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Taurus 9mm luger pistol with an extended magazine. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Collins has felony convictions for burglary, robbery and resisting arrest.
On Jan. 9, 2023, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a black Honda Accord being driven by Collins. Collins initially pulled over but then fled when the trooper began walking up to his vehicle. The trooper pursued Collins and the chase reached speeds up to 120 miles per hour. Collins lost control of his vehicle, crashed, then fled on foot. The trooper continued to pursue Collins on foot and eventually found him hiding behind some bushes. After Collins was arrested, officers found the Taurus pistol on the front passenger seat of the Honda he had been driving.
Under federal statutes, Collins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boonville, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who led police officers on two high-speed chases a month apart, causing a serious collision during one pursuit and driving the wrong way on Interstate 70 during another, has been convicted at trial of drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.
Davon R. Williams, 31, was found guilty on Thursday, Jan. 16, of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.
Williams also was found guilty of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, all in relation to his arrest on Feb. 23, 2022.
Williams was also was found guilty of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, all in relation to his arrest on March 26, 2022.
Nine co-defendants already have pleaded guilty in this case.
On Feb. 23, 2022, Kansas City police officers attempted to stop Williams, who was driving a black Kia K5 rental car. Williams, who had fled from officers the day before, again fled from officers at a high rate of speed. Williams sped through an intersection while failing to stop for a red light and collided with another vehicle, seriously injuring the other motorist. Williams, who was arrested and searched by officers, was in possession of cocaine, crack cocaine, 177 pills, and $1,900 in cash. Officers later searched the Kia and found a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, $2,030 in cash, and a backpack that contained methamphetamine, marijuana, mushrooms, tar (methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl) and pills.
On March 26, 2022, Independence, Mo., police officers saw an orange Hyundai that had been reported as stolen parked on the west side of Hometown Studios hotel in Independence. An officer placed a portable tire deflation device underneath the front passenger tire of the Hyundai to deflate the tire if someone attempted to leave in the vehicle. Officers kept the vehicle under surveillance until Williams got into the driver’s seat and a woman (who is not charged in this case) got into the front passenger’s seat. Williams was carrying a black zip bag and a white trash bag in one hand while shouldering a black backpack. Police officers attempted to box in the Hyundai with their patrol cars, but Williams was able to flee from officers and circle around the parking lot, maneuvering through multiple parked vehicles as well as the police vehicles attempting to block him in. Williams made it to 42nd Street, where he began accelerating as police officers pursued him. Williams traveled to Noland Road before going onto the ramp to I-70, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-70.
Due to the substantial public safety risk by Williams entering into oncoming traffic, officers terminated their pursuit. An officer saw the Hyundai farther down the interstate, in the grass, with Williams and the woman running from the vehicle. Williams was carrying a black backpack. The woman was caught and taken into custody.
Williams was found walking westbound next to U.S. 40 Highway and began running from officers. An Independence police sergeant deployed his Taser, which struck Williams in the left elbow, and Williams continued to run and jumped the guard rail under the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge on the south side of U.S. 40 Highway. The police sergeant jumped the guard rail and grabbed Williams, who was trying to jump back on the highway. They struggled and Williams was taken into custody.
Officers searched Williams, who had $7,581 and .9 grams of crack cocaine in his pants pockets. The backpack, which was located nearby, contained an SAR Arms 9mm firearm, 314 grams of marijuana, 92.4 grams of cocaine, 4.6 grams of powder cocaine, a plastic sandwich bag with five pills, and a sandwich bag that contained multiple sandwich bags with various pills. On the ground next to the backpack was a loaded FNH 9mm handgun.
Officers searched the stolen Hyundai, which had severe damage, including airbag deployment. Officers found an AR-15 style rifle with no serial number in the back seat, loaded with 27 rounds of 5.56 ammunition and an additional round chambered. A black duffle bag, also in the back seat, contained a freezer bag with 1.022 kilograms of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 1.027 kilograms of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 111 grams of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 170 grams of methamphetamine, and six sandwich bags that each contained between 26 and 29 grams of marijuana. A large white trash bag that contained three bags with a total of 1.238 kilograms of marijuana was also in the back seat.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has a prior felony conviction for possessing methamphetamine and marijuana with the intent to distribute and a prior felony conviction for possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute.
Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Kansas City, Kan., Violent Crime Task Force, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
John J. Durham Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New YorkRead the Press Release
John J. Durham has begun serving as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York as per the authority of Acting United States Attorney General James R. McHenry III. Mr. Durham was sworn in on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. He will serve as Interim United States Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Durham has served as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division since June 2024 to the present.
“As someone who has served this Office for nearly 20 years, it is truly an honor to be appointed as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York,” stated John J. Durham. “Our mission remains steadfast and vital: to combat the greatest threats to this district – from violent crime, terrorism and drug trafficking to cybercrime, corruption, white-collar fraud and civil litigation – uphold the rule of law and pursue justice. I, along with my team of dedicated public servants in this great Office will never waver in our mission to protect the over eight million residents of this district, and the nation at large.”
Mr. Durham joined the Office in October 2005 and has served in the General Crimes and Long Island Criminal Sections. He has been appointed to several leadership positions in the Office and the Department of Justice, including Deputy Chief for the Long Island Criminal Section, the Office’s Capital Case Coordinator, the Attorney General’s Review Committee on Capital Cases and Chair of the MS-13 Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. In August 2019, Mr. Durham was appointed to serve as the Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), a Department of Justice initiative to combat La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), where he spearheaded indictments against MS-13’s highest-ranking international leaders.
During his time in the Office, Mr. Durham has investigated, prosecuted, and supervised a broad range of federal offenses, including racketeering, murders, terrorism, civil rights, obstruction of justice, armed robberies, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, firearms and public corruption. Most significantly, he has directed the Office’s efforts to dismantle the operations of MS-13 in the EDNY, as well as nationally and internationally. In a series of EDNY indictments, he has led teams of AUSAs and investigators that have arrested and convicted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates on charges related to more than 70 murders committed in this district between January 2008 and the present.
As the Director of JTFV, Mr. Durham led a team of prosecutors and law enforcement officers from across the country and secured significant indictments against MS-13’s command and control structure across the United States, Central America and Mexico, including the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders. In addition to his work combatting MS-13, Mr. Durham has prosecuted defendants who attempted to travel to Yemen for the purpose of joining al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and fighting jihad against United States allies, and members of numerous other violent criminal organizations, including the Bloods, 18th Street gang, Crips, Salvadorans With Pride and violent narcotics trafficking and robbery crews. In addition to his violent crime work, Mr. Durham has prosecuted several significant and sensitive public corruption and civil rights matters, including cases brought against the former Chief of Department for the Suffolk County Police Department, the former Suffolk County District Attorney and former Chief of Investigations and Chief of the Government Corruption Bureau for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, a then-sitting Nassau County Legislator, a New York City Police Department sergeant and a Food and Drug Administration official.
Among other awards, John is the recipient of the Charles E. Rose Award; Henry L. Stimson Medal; EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance; National Association of Former United States Attorneys Exceptional Service Award; and several Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Awards.
John graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1998 and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2001. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Stephen C. Robinson in the Southern District of New York.
Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Demoreal Killebrew, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a search of Killebrew and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his left shoe. The shank was a metal rod approximately five and one-half inches long, with a sharpened point on one end and a plastic cap on the other end as a handle. Killebrew admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Today’s prison sentence will follow Killebrew’s current term of incarceration, with the term of supervised release to commence upon Killebrew’s release from prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-108.
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Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Savion Garcia, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a random search of Garcia’s prison cell. During the search, the staff member found two handcrafted weapons commonly known as “shanks” on Garcia’s person. One was a six-inch-long flat metal bar with a cloth wrapped around one end as a handle. The other shank was a piece of metal approximately six and three-fourth inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth wrapped around the other end as a handle. Garcia admitted to possessing the shanks, and further admitted that they were designed and intended to be used as weapons.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Today’s prison sentence will follow Garcia’s current term of incarceration, with the term of supervised release to commence upon Garcia’s release from prison. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-91.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tairon Jordan Bradley, 25, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bradley in Kenova. As the officer was collecting information, Bradley fled the traffic stop in his vehicle. Bradley drove onto Interstate 64 during the resulting pursuit and struck another vehicle as he entered Cabell County. Bradley’s vehicle came to a stop in the middle of I-64, and Bradley fled the vehicle on foot across the interstate and into a nearby wooded area where he was found and arrested. Officers found a loaded Weihrauch Hermann Model EA/R .38 Special/.357 magnum revolver in Bradley’s vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bradley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court on January 17, 2019.
Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kenova Police Department, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
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 copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-83.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Curtis Lavall Capers, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of quantities of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2022, Capers sold quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a 7th Avenue residence in Huntington. Capers admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.
Capers is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-87.
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Honduran National Sentenced in $14 Million Payroll Scheme to Defraud the IRS and Workers’ Compensation Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Jose Molina-Herrera (27, Honduras) to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States for the purpose of impeding the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The court also ordered Molina-Herrera to forfeit $867,005, which are proceeds of the wire fraud offense. In addition, Molina-Herrera was ordered to pay $3,558,579.42 in restitution to the IRS. Molina-Herrera entered a guilty plea on November 1, 2024.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2020, Molina-Herrera conspired with others to facilitate the payment of construction workers “off the books” to avoid paying premiums for workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes. Construction contractors and subcontractors entered arrangements with the conspirators, through which All National Remodeling LLC – a shell company formed by Molina-Herrera – facilitated both the distribution of proof of insurance and the payment of workers with cash. In exchange for 6% to 8% of the contractors’ and subcontractors’ payroll, Molina-Herrera and others caused the distribution of certificates of liability insurance in the name of All National Remodeling, which contractors and subcontractors then used as nominal proof that workers were supposedly insured. In reality, All National Remodeling’s insurance policy was issued based on a fraudulent application that never disclosed that contractors and subcontractors would be employing workers who were ostensibly insured under the shell company’s barebones insurance policy. As a result of contractors and subcontractors using All National Remodeling’s proof of insurance, but never paying any insurance premiums, the insurance company was defrauded more than $2.2 million.
Molina-Herrera and others also facilitated the deposit of checks into the shell company’s bank accounts, as well as the withdrawal of cash to be paid to workers – all without withholding, or paying over, payroll taxes to the IRS. Through these arrangements with the conspirators, the construction contractors and subcontractors could disclaim responsibility for withholding and paying payroll taxes to the IRS or ensuring that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. By facilitating payments to workers of over $14 million without payroll taxes being withheld, Molina-Herrera and his co-conspirators caused the U.S. Treasury to lose more than $3.5 million in tax receipts.
One of Molina-Herrera’s co-conspirators, Oscar Molina-Avila, was previously sentenced to 52 months’ imprisonment for his role in the scheme.
“Using shell companies to pay workers under the table is not only illegal, it gives an unfair competitive advantage that businesses who do things the right way can’t match,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “We will continue to investigate these schemes to ensure compliance with the law and return competitive balance to the industry.”
“Wire fraud and the facilitation of “off the books” payments not only undermine the integrity of our legal and economic systems but also supports unlawful employment activities.” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “Homeland Security Investigations, alongside our partners at the Internal revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Florida Department of Financial Services – Bureau of Insurance Fraud, is committed to holding those who facilitate these complex fraud schemes accountable for their actions.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services – Bureau of Insurance Fraud. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Hartford, Connecticut Man Charged with Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 16, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Stephens, 38, of Hartford, Connecticut with distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Stephens entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on January 16, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. On January 17, 2025, Judge Doyle ordered that Stephens be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on three occasions between June 11, 2024 and July 23, 2024, Stephens sold fentanyl to an individual who was working on behalf of law enforcement. Those drug sales occurred in Burlington, Vermont. On June 23, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel where Stephens was staying in Shelburne, Vermont. Inside of that hotel, law enforcement found fentanyl packaged for street level distribution. Stephens was arrested on January 16, 2025, inside of a residence in Burlington, Vermont. From the room where law enforcement found Stephens, law enforcement also recovered a Walther .380 caliber firearm with a loaded magazine.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Stephens is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Stephens faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Burlington Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Vermont State Police.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Stephens is represented by Barclay Johnson, Esq.
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.
Harrison County Man Admits to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Frederick Blaine Rinehart, Jr., age 54, of Clarksburg West Virginia, has admitted to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Rinehart was selling methamphetamine in Harrison County. Investigators linked more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to Rinehart, some distributed and some found in his home.
Rinehart is facing up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Georgia man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for possessing distribution quantities of meth, fentanyl, and heroin, and a firearm.
According to public court documents, Taft Cornelius Burtton, 32, fled from law enforcement who were attempting to traffic stop his car on April 20, 2023 within Adair County. Burtton drove over 112 miles per hour on I-80, exited and re-entered the interstate, and made a U-turn in the median. Law enforcement disabled Burtton’s vehicle and he fled on foot and was not apprehended. Inside Burtton’s vehicle was 884 grams of methamphetamine and more than $42,000 in drug proceeds.
On December 7, 2023, law enforcement searched Burtton’s Des Moines residence and found him in possession of more than 50 grams of fentanyl, 150 grams of heroin, 150 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack, 300 grams of marijuana, and a loaded Ruger pistol. Burtton is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon, including a 2016 conviction in the Illinois Circuit Court for Cook County for delivery of cocaine at a public high school.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Burtton 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 the Adair Police Department, Des Moines Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Fresno Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl That Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christian Gonzalez, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison for distributing fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on July 20, 2020, Gonzalez knowingly distributed 10 fentanyl pills to a person in Fresno, who then distributed one of those pills to a victim who took the pill, overdosed, and died. About a month later, an undercover law enforcement officer, posing as a drug-buying customer, ordered fentanyl pills from Gonzalez and met him in a parking lot for the purchase. Gonzalez brought fentanyl pills to the meeting and was arrested. On July 29, 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Stephon Jamal Dale (38, Fort Myers) to two years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Dale entered a guilty plea on June 11, 2024.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2022, Dale sold a loaded Taurus revolver for $400. As a convicted felon, Dale is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Gilman Teacher Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Christopher Kenji Bendann, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.
After a three-day trial, on August 28, 2024, a federal jury found the defendant guilty of five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of possession of child-sexual-abuse material, and one count of cyberstalking.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from approximately September 16, 2017, to February 9, 2019, the defendant — a former teacher at The Gilman School in Baltimore — produced multiple videos of a minor male. Additionally, Bendann engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minor male who was one of his students. The victim was 16 and 17 years old at this time.
Law enforcement found these same videos stored on the defendant’s iCloud, resulting in a possession of child-sexual-abuse-material charge. In addition, as detailed at trial, between May and December 2022, the defendant cyberstalked the same victim by sending him electronic cellphone messages. Bendann demanded that the victim remain in contact and send him explicit images of himself. The defendant threatened to make sexually explicit images of the victim public if he did not comply. Evidence at trial also established that on February 3, 2023, the date of the defendant’s arrest, he possessed multiple depictions of child-sexual-abuse material on multiple electronic devices.
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 Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Kim Y. Hagan, who prosecuted the federal case. He also recognized Paralegal Specialist Julie Jarman for her assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Communications Professor at Virginia Tech Sentenced to Prison Time for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former professor of communications at Virginia Tech, who used peer-to-peer filesharing software to download child pornography, was sentenced last week to 60 months in federal prison.
In September 2024, Michael Horning, 51, of Christiansburg, Va., pled guilty to a one-count Information charging him with knowingly possessing one or more visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors and minors who have not yet attained 12 years of age.
According to court documents, Horning downloaded child pornography between 2009 and 2021, sometimes through use of the peer-to-peer filesharing program, Freenet. At the time his electronic devices were seized in December 2021, Horning was in possession of 663 images and fourteen videos depicting child pornography, as well as additional child sex abuse material.
Of this child sex abuse material, thirty-eight images and one video depicted infants or toddlers and one video depicted sadomasochism.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff prosecuted 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. Named Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. has succeeded U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, effective January 20, 2024, at 12:00 a.m., pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C § 3345.
“Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. is an accomplished trial lawyer and a career prosecutor who lives the mission of the Department of Justice,” said Mr. Ryan K. Buchanan. “Additionally, he is a capable and experienced leader who has the trust and faith of the public servants of the United States Attorney’s Office, our law enforcement partners, and our community stakeholders. He is a worthy steward of the leadership of this office, and he will work tirelessly to keep the people of the district safe, to uphold the rule of law, and to protect civil rights. As a resident of the Northern District of Georgia, I look forward to his service as Acting United States Attorney.”
“It has been an incredible privilege to work side-by-side with U.S. Attorney Buchanan as the District’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney,” said Mr. Moultrie. “Along with the dedicated and talented attorney, administrative, and legal support staff of our office, I will steadfastly continue our District’s mission to prosecute federal crimes, seek justice on behalf of victims and their families, represent the interests of the United States and its agencies in civil litigation, and maintain our robust relationships with law enforcement partners and community stakeholders.”
Mr. Moultrie has extensive experience in handling complex, high-profile matters in federal court. He formerly served as Chief of the Office’s Violent Crime & National Security Section. A member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, he is also the previous recipient of the U.S. Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award and the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance.
Mr. Moultrie received his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas at the Austin School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Felon Who Hid Loaded, Fully Automatic Handgun in 6-Year-Old Nephew’s Pants Found Guilty of Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, Calif., was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, following a one-day bench trial on Jan. 17, 2025, before the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, U.S. District Judge.
The evidence at trial established that on Aug. 27, 2023, San Pablo Police Officers attempted to stop Yates for a vehicle infraction. Yates drove for several blocks before pulling up partially onto the sidewalk in front of a relative’s house. Yates had his young nephew and niece in the backseat of his car. At the time, Yates was on parole following three felony convictions for carjacking, solicitation to commit murder, and possessing a loaded firearm.
Upon learning that Yates was on parole with a search condition, officers searched his person but did not find anything. When Yates’s six-year-old nephew got out of the car, Yates urged the child to go inside the house. The child moved slowly and kept his back to the officers. When officers looked at the front of the child, they saw an object tucked into the front of his pants. Upon further inspection, officers located a Glock firearm loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition inside the six-year-old’s pants. The gun had a “Glock switch” or “machinegun conversion device,” which allows a shooter to fire an endless stream of bullets with one pull of the trigger. During the traffic stop, Yates sent text messages telling an individual to come get the child out of the car before the police searched the vehicle, and admitting that the child had Yates’s gun on him.
“Defendant’s actions inexcusably endangered a young child. Thanks to the careful work of the officers on the scene, this did not turn into a tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “My office will continue to use all resources available to reduce violent crime and gun violence in our communities.”
“Using a child to conceal a loaded, fully automatic firearm shows an alarming disregard for their safety and well-being,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to holding dangerous offenders accountable and removing illegal firearms from our streets.”
Yates was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison. Defendant’s sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2025.
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 of Justice 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Richard Ewenstein are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Pablo Police Department.
Federal Indictment Charges Former Cannabis Executive and Three Friends with Insider TradingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former cannabis executive used insider information obtained from his employment to purchase shares of a rival cannabis company that was privately the target of an acquisition, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago.
The indictment accuses ANTHONY MARSICO of obtaining material, non-public information about his company’s agreement to purchase the rival company. Prior to the public announcement of the agreement, and while the two companies were privately negotiating the proposed acquisition, Marsico used the information to purchase more than 900,000 shares in the rival company’s stock, resulting in illegal profits of approximately $607,338, the indictment states. Marsico later sold all of the stock before it was publicly announced that the potential acquisition was canceled, the indictment states.
While the proposed acquisition was still pending, Marsico tipped off a friend, ARTHUR PIZZELLO, about the potential acquisition. The information allowed Pizzello to also buy shares in the rival company, the indictment states. Pizzello, in turn, passed on Marsico’s information to two others, ROBERT QUATTROCCHI and TIMOTHY CAREY, allowing them to purchase the rival company’s stock as well, the indictment alleges. The four defendants were social friends and played golf together at a private country club, the indictment states.
The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges Marsico, 39, of Bartlett, Ill., Pizzello, 61, of Wayne, Ill., Quattrocchi, 63, of Schaumburg, Ill., and Carey, 57, of Hanover Park, Ill., with conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Marsico is also charged with six individual counts of securities fraud. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement action against the four defendants, provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Tucker and Jared Hasten represent the government.
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.
0001_-_0000_-_indictment_as_to_anthony_marsico_1_counts_1-6.pdfErik Siebert appointed Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA).
As Interim United States Attorney, Mr. Siebert supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in EDVA in which the United States has an interest. He leads a staff of approximately 300 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across four divisions in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News. The District serves over six million residents.
Mr. Siebert began his service to EDVA in 2010 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, handling a variety of cases related to violent crime, international and domestic drug trafficking, illegal possession and trafficking of firearms, fraud, child sexual exploitation, illegal immigration, and public corruption offenses. Mr. Siebert also served as the Lead Task Force Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for EDVA. From 2019 to 2024, he served as the Deputy Criminal Supervisor for the Richmond Division of EDVA.
Mr. Siebert has received numerous awards related to his prosecutions, including the 2018 OCDETF, Mid-Atlantic Region, Case of the Year Award; and the 2024 Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking AREA (HIDTA) Award for “Outstanding Community Impact Investigation.”
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Siebert served as a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C., from 2002 to 2006. He served as a law clerk for Judge Henry E. Hudson on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2009 to 2010.
Mr. Siebert received his J.D., with cum laude honors, from the University of Richmond Law School in 2009 and his B.A., with distinction, from the Virginia Military Institute in 2001.
Ecuadorian Man Sentenced for Introducing Misbranded Prescription Drugs Without a License in the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mauricio Sarmiento, 35, of Ecuador, was sentenced today to one year of non-reporting probation, a $500 fine, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
On November 20, 2024, Sarmiento pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with that offense.
Since in or about 2022, Sarmiento, an Ecuadorian physician, made regular trips to the United States to provide medical care and prescription drugs in return for payment. Sarmiento did so even though he was not licensed to practice medicine or prescribe drugs in the United States. He also caused some of the drugs he dispensed while in the United States to be shipped from Ecuador.
On September 10, 2024, law enforcement encountered Sarmiento and seized misbranded drugs and medical equipment, including intravenous medications and a centrifuge used to provide plasma therapy.
“Medical care and treatments are tightly regulated in this country, to keep people healthy and safe,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Sarmiento was well aware that he wasn’t licensed to practice here and that the drugs he dispensed were misbranded. This office and the FBI will continue to work on the public’s behalf to prosecute such medical malfeasance.”
"Protecting the safety of our community is our highest priority," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI is steadfast in its commitment to investigating fraud, safeguarding the integrity of our healthcare systems, and ensuring those who exploit them are held accountable."
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.
Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm Agrees to Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Cryptocurrency “Wash Trading”Read the Press Release
BOSTON – CLS Global FZC LLC, a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” has agreed to resolve criminal charges relating to its fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume.
As part of the criminal resolution, CLS Global will plead guilty to the charges in a September 2024 indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Boston, including one count of conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. If its plea is approved by the court, CLS Global will also pay a total of $428,059 to the government, representing both seized cryptocurrency and a fine and will be prohibited from participating in U.S. cryptocurrency markets.
As alleged in the Indictment, CLS Global provided “market making” and other services for cryptocurrency companies through its public website and other promotional materials. CLS Global was a company registered in the United Arab Emirates that employed over 50 individuals, all located outside the United States, but offered services to related to cryptocurrencies available to investors inside the United States.
The charges against CLS Global followed an undercover law enforcement operation targeting cryptocurrency “wash trading,” sham trading activity intended to attract investors. The investigation included the creation of NexFundAI, a purported cryptocurrency company that had a website (https://nexfundai.com) and an Ethereum-based token that traded on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange before being disabled by law enforcement.
CLS Global has admitted that it agreed to provide market making services for the NexFundAI token that included “wash trading” to fraudulently attract investors to purchase the token. During several videoconferences between July and August 2024, a CLS Global employee explained that the company could “help with volume generation” so that NexFundAI could meet cryptocurrency exchange listing requirements and attract purchasers of the NexFundAI token. The employee explained that CLS Global used an algorithm that “basically does self-trades, buying and selling . . . from multiple wallets so it’s not visible” and so “it looks like organic buying and selling that is happening.” The employee further explained, “It’s very hard to track. . . . We’ve been doing that for many clients.” The employee also acknowledged, “I know that it’s wash trading and I know people might not be happy about it.”
CLS Global’s employee provided a “Market Making proposal” which, in a section titled “Volume Support,” contained an illustration of the CLS Global “dashboard” that reflected “total volume,” “CLS volume,” and “external volume.” Traders employed by CLS Global subsequently bought and sold the NexFundAI token on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange using CLS Global’s trading wallets and provided reports on the trading activity created by the “volume generation algorithm.”
As part of the criminal resolution, CLS Global will be prohibited from participating in cryptocurrency transactions on trading platforms available to investors located in the United States or providing services to cryptocurrency clients based in the United States, as set forth in the plea agreement. CLS Global has also committed to make annual certifications that its business practices conform to these prohibitions.
The Securities & Exchange Commission brought a related civil enforcement action alleging violations of the securities laws and has entered into a separate resolution with CLS Global. Moneys seized from or paid by CLS Global will be credited in the SEC resolution, and vice versa.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm During Altercation with Bar EmployeesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TRAVIS JORDAN (“JORDAN”), age 39, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced on January 17, 2025 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
Specifically, JORDAN was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2024, JORDAN was denied entry into the Saint Bar in Orleans Parish due to his intoxication. In response, JORDAN instigated an altercation with an employee and a firearm fell from his waistband. As JORDAN reached for the firearm, other employees, who witnessed the altercation, seized and secured the firearm. They then restrained JORDAN until the police arrived.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by AssistantUnited States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit .
Chinese National Sentenced for Bankruptcy Fraud and Violations of Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHI GANG ZHENG (“ZHENG”), age 55, a Chinese national residing in New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe.
According to court documents, ZHENG was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty, to making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding (18 U.S.C. § 152(2), possession with intent to distribute marijuana (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8)).
ZHENG is a Chinese national who illegally entered the United States in 1991. Although he was ordered removed, the government of China declined to facilitate his removal, causing him to remain in the United States illegally. In July 2018, ZHENG filed a petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in which he falsely stated that he did not own any firearms, significant jewelry, or other assets. Thereafter, the United States Trustee determined that numerous Chapter 7 bankruptcy documents submitted by ZHENG were fraudulent. Further, the Trustee located unreported assets, including numerous firearms. ZHENG admitted ownership of those firearms and learned he was prohibited to possess firearms due to his immigration status. In September 2023, members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office saw ZHENG conduct a drug transaction. Subsequent searches of ZHENG’s vehicle, residence and his arrest yielded, in combination, approximately 51 kilograms of marijuana as well as a firearm, which was prohibited due to his immigration status.
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 Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey N. Knight, Chief of the Criminal Division.
Beckley Man and Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Michael Dwayne Kelly II, 35, of Beckley, was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Savannah Elizabeth Todd, 32, of Beckley, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2022, Kelly sold approximately 6.9 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $700 at a residence in Beckley. Kelly admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 28 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant for $500 at the Beckley residence on February 10, 2022.
On February 8, 2022, Todd sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl for $550 to a confidential informant at the Beckley residence. On February 17, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Beckley residence, where they found Kelly and Todd. Officers seized 189 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of heroin, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber handgun, a Taurus model 22LR handgun, a Sig Sauer model 1911 .45-caliber handgun, a Glock model 42 .380-caliber handgun and $13,046. Kelly and Todd admitted that each intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-163.
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8 defendants in Puerto Rican cocaine trafficking organization sentenced in federal courtRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The final three of eight defendants in related cocaine conspiracy cases were sentenced in U.S. District Court throughout the last two weeks, including lead defendant Herminio Gonzalez-Quintana, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The drug trafficking organization shipped tens of kilograms of cocaine into Ohio from Puerto Rico.
Gonzalez-Quintana and several coconspirators were indicted in November 2023 and charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute bulk amounts of cocaine.
According to court documents, in 2021, the DEA began investigating the drug trafficking organization that was transporting large volumes of cocaine into the Southern District of Ohio. The defendants sourced cocaine in and through Puerto Rico and shipped the drugs in 2-to-3-kilogram increments through the United States Postal Service to the Columbus area, often to the addresses of friends and family members, using fictitious recipient names. Conspirators then received and redistributed the cocaine from central Ohio.
The drug trafficking organization was responsible for a steady stream of illicit drugs into Ohio and elsewhere. In total, law enforcement seized nearly 20 kilograms of cocaine that were tied to this drug trafficking organization.
The defendants and sentences imposed include:
NameSentence imposedHerminio Gonzalez-Quintana120 months in prisonAbdel Padilla-Montero108 months in prisonJosaias Vazquez-Pinero60 months in prisonJonathan Vega-Iglesias66 months in prisonJesus Maldonado-Ortiz60 months in prisonRafael Alicea-Ruiz60 months in prisonAnthony Miranda-Gonzalez12 months and one day in prisonPablo Joel Velazquez-TorruellaTime servedKenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Jennifer M. Rausch represented the United States in this case.
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20 January 2025
Tara M. Lyons named Acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: As of January 18, 2025, and by virtue of the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons is officially Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. She is the first Black woman to serve in the role as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia.
A resident of Evans, Georgia, Acting USA Lyons has served as a law clerk for the Honorable Henry F. Floyd; as a Public Defender in Richland County, South Carolina; an attorney advisor for the Executive Office for United States Attorneys; as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division, District of South Carolina; and Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division, Southern District of Georgia. She served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since April 2023.
During Acting USA Lyons’ 20-year career with the Department of Justice she has handled a wide range of federal cases related to violent crimes, human trafficking, child pornography and civil rights violations. In the District of South Carolina she served as the Project Sentry Coordinator, related to the prevention of gun violence; and in Southern District of Georgia, she served as the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, responsible for the prosecution of childhood exploitation cases, and as the Civil Rights Coordinator, responsible for the prosecution of color of law and civil right violations.
As Acting U.S. Attorney, Lyons serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia, which covers 43 of Georgia’s 159 counties with a population of more than 1.6 million people and includes the cities of Savannah, Augusta, and Brunswick. She leads a team of more than 70 attorneys and staff in prosecuting federal crimes in the District and defending the United States in civil cases and collecting debts owed to the United States.
19 January 2025
Justice Department Secures Settlement to Resolve Discrimination Claims in Student Loans Against SouthEast BankRead the Press Release
Note: View the complaint here and the consent order here.
The Justice Department announced today that SouthEast Bank agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by disproportionately discouraging and denying Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) graduates seeking to refinance their student loans.
“Everyone in our country should have a fair chance and equal opportunity to refinance a school loan. By rejecting graduates based on where they obtained their degree, SouthEast Bank’s policy denied and discouraged Black, American Indian and Alaska Native graduates seeking to refinance student loans for reasons that were wholly unrelated to their personal merit or ability to repay their loans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is a reminder of how historic inequities in lending and refinance opportunities for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students persist today, and why combating these inequities is an essential part of the Justice Department’s work.”
The complaint, which was filed on Jan. 18, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, alleges that, between December 2015 and April 2021, the refinance program’s eligibility criteria automatically denied graduates of schools with school-based default rates above thresholds SouthEast established. Under this policy, for example, Black bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 4.3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not Black. Similarly, AI/AN Bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not AI/AN. The department’s complaint further alleges that SouthEast’s policy disproportionately excluded graduates of as many as 84.4% of majority-Black schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but no more than 21.1% of colleges and universities whose student bodies were not majority-Black.
The consent order, which is subject to court approval, requires SouthEast Bank to spend a total of $1.5 million to:
- Compensate applicants who were denied the ability to refinance their student loans by the policy;
- Increase access to student loan refinancing for qualified graduates of schools that were previously excluded under the policy; and
- Provide consumer financial education to students and graduates of those previously excluded schools.
The department’s investigation into SouthEast’s student loan refinancing program originated from a referral by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. SouthEast cooperated with the investigation and worked with the Justice Department to resolve the allegations.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect civil and constitutional rights is available at justice.gov/crt. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.
18 January 2025
Utica Man Sentenced to 96 Months on Drug and Money Laundering ConvictionsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Willie Alvarado, Jr., 34, of Utica, New York, was sentenced last week to serve 8 years in federal prison for attempted possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and money laundering.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Alvarado admitted that, as early as October 2022, he began using the United States Postal Service to receive drug parcels from Puerto Rico. In May of 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package shipped from Puerto Rico, intended for Alvarado, which contained two kilograms of cocaine. Alvarado admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine in the package. Alvarado further admitted that, in September of 2023, he used another individual to launder at least $9,940 of his drug proceeds.
Senior United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a four-year term of supervised release to begin after Alvarado is released from prison.
The DEA, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Utica Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.
Indianapolis Drug Dealer Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes, Including Possession of a Murder WeaponRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Marvin T. Golden Jr., 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 26, 2022, Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies observed Marvin Golden, Jr. sell 55 grams of methamphetamine while his children were sitting in the back seat of his car. On November 3, 2022, Golden sold another 20 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl in Shelby County.
In the early hours of March 25, 2023, Anthony Shelman was shot to death in Marion County. At approximately 3:25 a.m., Shelman was driving east on I-70 with a passenger in his car. As they approached the Emerson Avenue exit, multiple rounds were fired at their vehicle. Shelman was shot in the chest, his passenger was shot in the hand, and the vehicle crashed into a light pole at the intersection after the Emerson Avenue exit, and two other nearby vehicles fled the scene at high speed. Shelman was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital, and his passenger survived. Police later identified multiple gunshot holes in the windshield and passenger side of the vehicle.
The Indiana State Police began an extensive investigation of the killing, including extensive review of video evidence from traffic and surveillance cameras. Troopers discovered that Shelman, his passenger, Marvin Golden, and another individual were all at the Sunset Strip Club in Indianapolis, immediately prior to the shooting. Golden and the other individual were waiting outside the club when Shelman and his passenger drove away. Golden and the other individual each followed Shelman in their own vehicles. The two vehicles followed Shelman for more than ten minutes and over seven miles before exiting I-70 at Emerson Avenue at the same time the shots were apparently fired, and fled at high speed after the shooting. At approximately 7:00 that same morning, Golden is seen on video extensively cleaning his car for ten minutes in the pouring rain, including moving the seats and shining a light in an apparent effort to locate objects in the car.
On May 3, 2023, Troopers conducted a court-authorized search of Golden’s home and seized a .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun. The gun was previously possessed by a relative of Golden’s, and forensic testing found that it was the gun used to kill Shelman. DNA testing identified Golden’s DNA on multiple parts of the gun. At Golden’s federal sentencing hearing, the judge enhanced his advisory sentencing range after finding that Golden possessed the murder weapon in connection with a felony offense related to Shelman’s murder.
On August 28, 2023, Indiana State Police Troopers and two Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Golden and seized a loaded Glock 9mm handgun from his person.
Unsealed court records demonstrate that Golden was previously a member of a street gang referred to as the Mob. He was charged as a juvenile in federal court for his role in a series of armed robberies of pharmacies committed when he was 17 years old. Golden and his co-conspirators stole drugs from the pharmacies at gunpoint and then sold the stolen drugs. Golden brandished firearms and pointed them at victims’ heads during multiple robberies. At one of the robberies Golden participated in, two members of the conspiracy got into a dispute, and one shot the other in the head, killing him. The following day, Golden robbed another pharmacy at gunpoint.
In 2019, Golden was sentenced as a juvenile to time served, the maximum penalty available under the law, and given one year of juvenile probation. His co-conspirators were charged and convicted in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
He was later convicted of additional drug and gun offenses as an adult and was a felon when he conducted both drug deals and possessed both firearms, including the murder weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Golden was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
“Anthony Shelman should be alive today, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and all who loved him,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Marvin Goldman has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a violent, vicious criminal who has an utter disregard for the law. As we work to urgently reduce gun violence, investigation and federal prosecution of the most dangerous armed criminals is a top priority. We are grateful to our partners at ATF, ISP, and in Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, as well as our federal prosecutor, for ensuring that this measure of justice is done and this menace to our community will be off of our streets for years to come.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Indiana State Police, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case.
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.
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