Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
10 January 2025
Florida Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Stealing COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Fredrick Mendez, 45, of Boca Raton, Florida, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,589,565.75 after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which provided emergency assistance to small business owners suffering adverse economic effects caused by the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. The CARES Act created Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. The CARES Act also expanded the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (“EIDL”) to provide funding to help small businesses recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the plea agreement, from approximately March 2020 through November 2021, Mendez prepared and submitted fraudulent EIDL and PPP applications on behalf of the following business entities: SkyWorth Technical Solutions Inc., Northern Technology Inc., Acumen Energy Group Inc., and Acumen Holding Group, LLC. These applications contained materially false statements, including false representations about the entities’ number of employees, gross revenues, and cost of goods sold; Mendez further falsely certified that the information provided in the EIDL applications was true and accurate and that the funds would be used for working capital and other normal operating business expenses when, in fact, he used the bulk of the proceeds for his personal benefit.
“This defendant lied and stole government funds meant to help people struggling in the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “Our office continues to identify and prosecute people who stole taxpayer dollars during a time of crisis.”
“This prison sentence and forfeiture order should serve as another strong deterrent against pandemic-related fraud,” said Marc DellaSala, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Denver Field Office. “Our pursuit of criminals stealing from government aid programs intended for struggling small businesses and families will not tire. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our Pandemic Fraud Task Force partners for their continued dedication to protecting America’s financial infrastructure.”
The defendant was sentenced by United States District Court Judge S. Kato Crews. The United States Secret Service handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cassidy handled the prosecution.
On July 11, 2023, the Attorney General selected the District of Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-results-nationwide-covid-19-fraud-enforcement-action.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a sex trafficking conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Angelo Dominic Lombardo, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2025. In May 2022, Lombardo was indicted by a federal grand jury.
“Mr. Lombardo deceived his victims with promises of a better life, and then he delivered the exact opposite. He forced them into a life of sexual servitude, all for his own personal gain,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Human trafficking is a deplorable crime and this office will continue to hold individuals like Mr. Lombardo accountable for their deplorable conduct.”
“What Angelo Lombardo admitted to doing today is horrific—using force, fraud, and coercion to traffic vulnerable women for his own financial benefit, even going as far as threatening one at gunpoint,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Lombardo came to Boston because he thought it would be easy to stay off law enforcement’s radar, but he was clearly wrong. We want victims to know that we will work very hard to make sure they receive the services they need and deserve, and our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will do everything it can to ensure that anyone who profits from the detestable exploitation of human beings will be brought to justice for perpetrating these egregious crimes.”
From in and around June 2020 to July 12, 2021, Lombardo conspired with others to traffic four victims to engage in commercial sex acts by physically assaulting the victims, coercing the victims psychologically, making false promises of a better life and making explicit threats to one of the victims with a firearm, among other things.
In June 2020, Lombardo recruited a victim in Florida to work for him engaging in commercial sex in various states, including Massachusetts, where she engaged in commercial sex at Lombardo’s direction. Lombardo promised the victim a better life, however the money that she was paid engaging in commercial sex was turned over to Lombardo. On multiple occasions, Lombardo was violent with the victim who reported that she did not feel able to leave him because she would leave with nothing.
Another victim recruited by Lombardo in or around October 2020 in Florida, travelled with Lombardo to other states, including Massachusetts, to engage in commercial sex. Lombardo threatened the victim that if she did not do what she was told, she would not see her family again. On one occasion when the victim did not want to participate in any more commercial sex dates, Lombardo confiscated her license and punched her repeatedly.
Around May 2021, Lombardo met a homeless victim in Portland, Ore., provided her with a place to stay and then advertised her on commercial sex websites. Lombardo would set up dates and drive the victim who travelled to Boston, Mass. on two occasions to engage in commercial sex. In addition to taking the money, he verbally abused the victim and on one occasion put a gun to the victim’s head and told her to go and make more money.
Finally, another victim was recruited to work for Lombardo in June 2021, in Portland, Ore., shortly after she turned 18 years old. Lombardo promised the victim financial stability and a better life if she worked for him. In reality, Lombardo kept the money that the victim was paid, for himself. The victim reported that Lombardo was verbally abusive toward her.
Ultimately, one of the victims went to the police and reported that Lombardo was trafficking her in July 2021. On July 12, 2021, following a traffic stop in Boston, Lombardo was arrested on state trafficking charges. At the time of his arrest, Lombardo had approximately $3,310 in his possession. A subsequent search of a hotel room in Revere associated with Lombardo resulted in the recovery of a firearm with a laser attached matching the descriptions provided by two of the his victims, and a loaded large capacity magazine with 20 live rounds of ammunition. Due to at least one prior felony conviction, Lombardo is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this individual or alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking conspiracy provides for up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Revere and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe, Chief of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
Five Defendants Plead Guilty for Bid Rigging Conspiracies on Commercial Roofing Projects in Central FloridaRead the Press Release
As part of an ongoing investigation, four individuals and one company have pleaded guilty for their roles in bid-rigging conspiracies throughout central Florida.
Glenn Bailey and Douglas Sutter each pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to participating in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by rigging bids on commercial roofing projects in violation of the Sherman Act on Jan. 8 and 9, respectively. Kenneth Cody and Christopher Rakos also pleaded guilty to the same crime on Oct. 3 and Dec. 6, 2024, respectively. Service Works of Fort Lauderdale LLC, also pleaded guilty to the same crime on Oct. 3, 2024, and was sentenced on Jan. 6.
According to the plea agreements, each of the defendants knowingly entered into a conspiracy to restrain trade by rigging bids for commercial roofing services in the Middle District of Florida. The commercial roofing services included the installation and repair of flat and sloped roofs on commercial and other facilities. The rigged bids impacted a variety of projects, including roofing services for schools, religious buildings, condominiums and retail stores.
“Safe, affordable roofing is critical to Florida communities that are prone to hurricanes and other harsh weather conditions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The guilty pleas secured today further demonstrate our commitment to protecting the competitive bidding process that is essential to constructing and maintaining America’s infrastructure.”
"Today's guilty plea reflects the FBI's unwavering commitment to holding those accountable who undermine fair competition through bid-rigging conspiracies," said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. "The actions of these individuals manipulated competitive processes, harmed taxpayers and the integrity of the marketplace. The FBI will continue to protect businesses and consumers from those who try to abuse the system for their own personal gain."
“These individuals thought they could game the system and would not get caught. They were wrong,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John Carlo of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG)’s Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes. America’s taxpayers and students deserve nothing less.”
The FBI and Department of Education OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Daniel A. Loveland Jr., Ronald P. Fiorillo II., Vijay N. Rao and Sumaiya F. Ismail of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation or other anticompetitive conduct in the roofing should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Federal Jury Finds Windsor Locks Man Guilty of Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found GEOFFREY SHAPIRO, 44, of Windsor Locks, guilty of committing two robberies in February 2020. The trial before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden began on January 8 and the jury returned its verdicts this morning.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, on February 9, 2020, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Shapiro entered the Dunkin’ Donuts, located at 142 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury, placed an order, and then displayed a small handgun and pointed it at the employee at the register. Shapiro stated “Give me the money” two times. The employee gave Shapiro approximately $390. Shapiro said “thank you” and exited the store.
On February 21, 2020, Shapiro entered the Webster Bank located at 141 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury. When he reached the teller counter, Shapiro handed the teller a note that stated in part “Stay calm” and “I have a gun.” The teller then gave Shapiro $1,837 from her drawer. Shapiro took back the note and exited the bank. Glastonbury Police arrested Shapiro later that day at his residence.
On February 22, 2020, a court-authorized search of Shapiro’s vehicle revealed a handgun, the demand note Shapiro used during the bank robbery, clothes worn by Shapiro during the robberies, and other evidence.
Shapiro was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of armed bank robbery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years.
Shapiro is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Glastonbury, Simsbury, and Westfield (Mass.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Federal Firearms Licensee Sentenced to Prison for Firearm Trafficking and Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.
Cory Daigle, 30, of Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In August 2024, Daigle pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of illegal possession of a machine gun; one count of receipt or possession of unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL; and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL.
Daigle was charged by criminal complaint in January 2023 along with Gustavo Rodriguez and Shakim Grant. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
“Mr. Daigle utilized his status as a licensed firearms dealer to recklessly amass an alarming number of firearms. He knowingly sold multiple firearms to a person he knew was not eligible to own them he – and then aided in concealing such criminal conduct in the immediate after one of those firearms was then used in the shooting,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence and moreover, this case entirely, should be a warning to other licensed federal firearms dealers in Massachusetts, particularly in the Littleton Mill, that by selling illegal deadly weapons, you’re not only gambling with public safety – you’re gambling with your freedom.”
“The illegal sale and transfer of firearms threaten the safety of our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who exploit firearms laws for personal gain will be held accountable. ATF will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt these dangerous networks and uphold the integrity of lawful gun ownership.’”
Daigle was a licensed firearms dealer doing business as Steelworks Defense Solutions in Littleton. In late 2022, Rodriguez – a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms – asked Grant if he would purchase a number of firearms for him. Rodriguez proposed to make the purchases through Daigle, whom Rodriguez knew to be an FLL and with whom Rodriguez had an existing relationship. Grant knew that Rodriguez – a known Wood Avenue gang associated – was prohibited from possessing firearms, but agreed to purchase the firearms nonetheless. At some point prior to Oct. 27, 2022, Rodriguez and Daigle agreed upon the firearms that would be purchased and Rodriguez paid Daigle for the firearms.
To complete the purchase and obtain the firearms, Rodriguez later accompanied firearms-licensee Grant to Steelworks Defense Solutions. There, Daigle presented Grant with three firearms intended for Rodriguez, which Rodriguez had previously selected and paid for: a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 29, 10mm pistol; and a Glock 19X, 9mm pistol. Daigle then provided Grant with paperwork required to be maintained by an FFL, documenting the sale of the three firearms. This included a required Firearms Transaction Record to be completed by the buyer, in which Grant falsely claimed that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. Daigle signed the form, knowingly endorsing the false claim.
Less than two weeks later, on Nov. 6, 2022, one of the firearms that Daigle had sold to Rodriguez was used in shooting outside of Rodriguez’s apartment. During a search of Rodriguez’s apartment, a Glock 23 pistol and the Glock 29 pistol were discovered, but only the manufacturer’s box for a Glock 19X pistol – which was later identified as the firearm used in the Hyde Park shooting. That same firearm was subsequently recovered from a juvenile in New Bedford.
During a search of Daigle’s residence in January 2023, multiple firearms were found in numerous safes, on furniture, in bedrooms, in drawers and in open areas throughout the home. An incendiary device was also located. During the search, Daigle attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. He also stated that if anyone came to take his guns away, he would fight the government until he died. The firearms were immediately seized.
Additionally, at the time of his arrest, Daigle was carrying four tactical/military style knives on his person.
Grant and Rodriguez each pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On Oct. 18, 2024, Grant was sentenced to three years of probation. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2025.
U.S. Attorney Levy, ATF SAC Ferguson and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Fall River Man Charged with Shipping Cocaine Through the MailRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River man has been charged in federal court in Boston with a drug trafficking offense arising from his shipment of cocaine through the U.S. mail from California to Massachusetts.
Justin Dupras, 42, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. Dupras will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, Dupras mailed a package containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from a Post Office in Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. on Dec. 17, 2024. Dupras then returned to Massachusetts and, on Dec. 19, 2024, drove to the Fall River Post Office. Another individual signed for the package containing cocaine and handed it to Dupras.
The charging document also alleges that Dupras mailed packages containing cocaine from California to Massachusetts on multiple prior occasions. For example, on Sept. 17, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing more than two kilograms of cocaine from Chino Hills, Calif. to Fall River, Mass.. On Oct. 29, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. Flight records show Dupras returning to Massachusetts on the same day that he mailed the two packages.
The charge of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to life and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. The Fall River Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Dealer with History of Violence Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
A drug dealer with a history of violence who fled a traffic stop was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.
Antonio Rockwood, age 26, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an August 13, 2024, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Drug User, and a Misdemeanant Domestic Abuser.
Evidence in the case revealed in September of 2023, officers with the Sioux City Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a Silver Chrysler 300, for dark window tint, that was known to be driven by Rockwood. The vehicle fled officers. Officers went to a nearby address Rockwood was known to frequent. The vehicle was found abandoned and high-centered, where it had collided with two parked vehicles. A neighbor advised officers Rockwood was the driver and had fled into a nearby residence. While officers were clearing the vehicle, they observed a handgun stuck between the driver’s seat and center console. Officers also located a backpack containing a crystalline substance that tested positive for methamphetamine weighing 153 grams. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and found Rockwood hiding in a crawl space in the attic.
Rockwood has previous felony convictions for theft and controlled substance violations, as well as a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, all in Woodbury County, Iowa.
Rockwood was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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.
Rockwood is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4082.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cryptocurrency Investment Firm Founder Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Thousands of Investors of over $9M in Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a cryptocurrency investment fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents, Travis Ford, 35, of Glenpool, was the CEO, co-founder, and head trader of Wolf Capital Crypto Trading LLC (Wolf Capital), a purported cryptocurrency investment firm. From January 2023 through August 2023, Ford solicited investments through Wolf Capital’s website and other social media and internet-based promotion activities. Ford held himself out as a sophisticated trader able to deliver high returns of 1-2% per day (approximately 547% per year). Ford admitted that he did not believe those promised investment returns were possible to achieve consistently. Ford made such false promises to induce members of the public to invest money in the company. Ford misappropriated and diverted investor funds to benefit himself and his co-conspirators, to the financial detriment of investors. In total, Wolf Capital raised $9.4 million from approximately 2,800 investors through fraudulent conduct.
Ford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, for which he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigation Group made the announcement.
The USPIS is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys John J. Liolos and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felons Illegally Possessing Firearms Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Bahamian fugitive and a Georgia jail escapee were sentenced to prison this week on federal gun charges resulting from separate Project Safe Neighborhoods investigations in the Middle District of Georgia.
Byron Bradley Demeritte, 31, a Bahamian citizen residing in Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Jan. 8. Demeritte previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machinegun on Aug. 26, 2024.
Chavis Stokes, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Jan. 8. Stokes previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Oct. 9, 2024. Stokes, who is serving significant state sentences, was ordered to serve his time consecutively to already-imposed sentences.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell presided over the cases. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize federal prosecutions against illegally armed, dangerous criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I salute the excellent investigative and prosecutorial work in these Project Safe Neighborhoods cases, which endeavor to make our communities safer.”
According to the plea agreement and other statements referenced in court in the Demeritte case, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle Demeritte was driving on I-75 for improper license plate and erratic driving on May 3, 2023. The officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana in the vehicle, and Demeritte showed the officers his marijuana cigarette and a small bag of marijuana. Demeritte told officers he was traveling to Miami, Florida, to retrieve his passport. Demeritte and his passenger, Darriyo Saunders, of the Bahamas, were asked to exit the vehicle so a search could be conducted for drug possession, and Saunders attempted to remove a backpack. Saunders then took off running while being pursued by another deputy and was later taken into custody at a nearby Wal-Mart. Inside the backpack, deputies found six firearms and extra magazines (one extended and one drum), one of which was a stolen Glock Model 21 .45 caliber modified to fire as a machinegun. In addition, officers found MDMA tablets and multiple small bags of marijuana inside the backpack. Demeritte is a fugitive from the Bahamas wanted on a pending and active murder warrant issued on March 27, 2023.
According to the plea agreement and other statements referenced in court in the Stokes case, the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) located Stokes—who had escaped from the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center—in Montezuma, Georgia, on Oct. 26, 2023. He was alone at a single wide trailer on Shiloh Church Road. Stokes surrendered without incident; inside, SERFTF agents saw a bag on a table with an AK style magazine sticking out of it and found two firearms in a back bedroom: a semiautomatic pistol and a rifle. Agents found loaded magazines for both firearms as well as 29 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 68 rounds of assorted 7.62 caliber ammunition. Additionally, agents located multiple phones and a half a kilogram of suspected marijuana.
These cases are 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.
The Demeritte case was investigated by ATF and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers.
The Stokes case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom.
Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation and Co-Conspirator Charged in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging Calvert White, the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation (SP&R), and Benjamin Hendricks, a local businessman, with participating in a bribery scheme. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to court documents, White, 49, of St. Thomas, solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, who acted as an intermediary. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White allegedly agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.43 million contract with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, allegedly provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks allegedly served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme.
White and Hendricks are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation and Co-Conspirator Charged in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging Calvert White, the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation (SP&R), and Benjamin Hendricks, a local businessman, with participating in a bribery scheme. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to court documents, White, 49, of St. Thomas, solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, who acted as an intermediary. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White allegedly agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.43 million contract with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, allegedly provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks allegedly served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme.
White and Hendricks are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cleaning Service Owner Charged with Employment Tax Scheme and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned an indictment earlier this week charging a former Nevada business owner for not paying employment taxes, not filing personal tax returns and obstructing justice.
According to the indictment, Deborah Meadows, formerly of Las Vegas, owned and operated A to Z Employment Services LLC, which provided carpet, upholstery and roadside cleaning services in Nevada. Meadows allegedly was responsible for all financial matters related to the company, including for filing the company’s quarterly employment tax returns and withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS, as well paying the Social Security and Medicare taxes the company owed.
From at least the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, Meadows allegedly withheld taxes from her employees’ wages, but did not pay over all those taxes to the IRS. In addition, from 2018 through 2021 Meadows also allegedly did not file his own personal tax returns as required by law.
After the grand jury began its investigation, Meadows allegedly responded to a grand jury subpoena by providing altered bank records and inaccurate tax records. The altered bank records allegedly showed that AZ-TEC Restoration LLC, another company Meadows owned and operated, had made tax payments to the IRS, when in fact the company had not done so. She also provided inaccurate individual and employment tax returns that allegedly showed taxes paid to the IRS, when in fact Meadows knew at the time that this did not happen.
If convicted, Meadows face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each employment tax charge, a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each failure to file an individual tax charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each obstruction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Regina Jeon and Assistant Chief Eric Powers of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chairman of High Times’ Parent Agrees to Plead Guilty in Scheme to Give Undisclosed Payments to Analyst Touting its Securities OfferingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The founder and chairman of Hightimes Holding Corp., the company that publishes High Times magazine, has agreed to plead guilty to joining a criminal conspiracy to pay more than $150,000 in undisclosed compensation to an analyst for an investment newsletter that touted its stock and assisted Hightimes in raising at least $6 million.
Adam Levin, 45, of Marina Del Rey, was charged last month with one count of conspiracy to tout securities for undisclosed compensation. In a plea agreement filed December 20, Levin agreed to plead guilty to that felony offense.
Levin is scheduled to appear January 14 in United States District Court to make his initial appearance in this case.
Levin is the fourth defendant to be charged in this scheme in which companies paid the analyst at “Palm Beach Venture,” an investment newsletter with subscribers nationwide. That analyst, Jonathan William Mikula – along with his associate, Christian Fernandez, who acted as a money launderer for the scheme; and Raj Beri, the CEO of a Beverly Hills company who brokered deals for undisclosed payments by other issuers, each received a portion of the payments. Mikula, Fernandez and Beri each pleaded guilty last year and are scheduled to be sentenced in July.
The payments made by executives such as Levin were in exchange for Palm Beach Venture publishing promotional pieces for securities offerings, according to court documents.
Federal law requires full and public disclosure from anyone who has received payment – directly or indirectly – from an issuer for publishing, publicizing or circulating any advertisement or communication that describes the issuer’s security offered for sale.
According to Levin’s plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, “Hightimes raised approximately $20 million from more than 10 investor-victims, with at least $6 million in investment proceeds associated with Palm Beach Venture’s promotion.”
In exchange for the favorable articles in the newsletter, Levin admitted he paid $150,000 via wire transfers, as well as tens of thousands of dollars for entertainment expenses.
To conceal the scheme, Levin entered into a sham “marketing agreement” and routed the payments through a Canadian bank to a shell company in Canada, according to the plea agreement.
Mikula then caused Palm Beach Venture to promote Hightimes’ securities offering on April 6 and September 23 in 2020 in articles that falsely stated, “Neither the Palm Beach Research Group nor its affiliates receive compensation for bringing this deal to you,” the plea agreement states.
Levin also admitted that he lied to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission when he denied knowing that he entered into a “pay-for-play arrangement.”
The FBI is investigating this matter.
The SEC filed a civil action against Hightimes that was resolved in 2023 with Hightimes agreeing to a cease-and-desist order and paying a penalty of $558,071.
Any investors who believe they are a victim of the crimes in this scheme are encouraged to go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/united-states-v-jonathan-william-mikula-christian-fernandez-and-amit-raj-beri for further information and updates regarding this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam P. Schleifer of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is prosecuting this case.
California Couple Sentenced for Defrauding Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – On January 9, 2025, Senior United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright sentenced Christopher A. Mazzei, 46, and Erin V. Mazzei, 43, both of Arroyo Grande, California, to 36 months and 27 months of imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the government of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds intended for Coronavirus-related relief. The Mazzeis pleaded guilty to two counts of an Indictment on August 28, 2024.
According to court documents and the statements of counsel at sentencing, Christopher and Erin Mazzei, who are husband and wife, submitted applications for PPP funds to Bank of Hawaii and two other banks on behalf of three purported businesses, each time utilizing interstate wires. For each application, the Mazzeis created false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax returns and payroll records, which they presented as authentic and submitted to the banks to support their claims for PPP loan funds. The Mazzeis admitted that as a result of the false and fraudulent applications, they received $1,365,000 in PPP loan funds, which they then used for personal purposes, such as to purchase multiple sport utility vehicles and a home in Kapolei, Hawaii, among other things. In addition, the couple spent approximately $164,796 to film a promotional trailer for a television project entitled “Ohana,” that they hoped to produce in the State of Hawaii, and that they hoped would attract the attention of film producer and actor Dwayne Johnson.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds had to be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and used at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Referring to the PPP as “crisis-based legislation,” Judge Seabright called the fraud conduct here “particularly blatant and egregious.” In pronouncing his sentence to both defendants, Judge Seabright remarked, “greed drove both of you.”
“The Mazzeis perpetrated a gross fraud to obtain critical resources intended for members of our community experiencing devastating hardships as a result of the pandemic,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “The sentences appropriately condemn their conduct, and our office remains committed to bringing these prosecutions to ensure accountability for such bad acts and to protect the public fisc.”
“This scheme diverted emergency relief that could have paid 25 Americans an average salary,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “While small businesses shut down all over the country, the Mazzeis lived in excess on the taxpayer’s dime.”
“Christopher and Erin Mazzei falsified loan applications to fraudulently obtain PPP loan proceeds earmarked to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mazzeis actions not only defrauded the PPP Loan Program, but also disadvantaged business owners who were entitled to the benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “The FDIC OIG is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the Nation’s financial system and hold accountable those individuals, like the Mazzeis, who steal benefits designated to help those in need.”
“Christopher and Erin Mazzei defrauded the federal government of pandemic relief funds for their own personal gain and have now been brought to justice for their actions,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold Mr. and Mrs. Mazzei accountable.”
The investigation was conducted jointly by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, with assistance from the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Beaver County Resident Sentenced to Prison for Role in Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Rochester, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on January 8, 2025, to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Roberto Muniz Sanchez, 46.
According to information presented to the Court, Sanchez was a member of an organized drug trafficking group that obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine via United States Postal Service parcel from Puerto Rico and then sold them in western Pennsylvania and elsewhere as part of an ongoing drug trafficking conspiracy. From approximately October 2023 to March 2024, Sanchez knowingly conspired with the leaders of the drug trafficking organization to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine in and around Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, with Sanchez having purchased quantities of cocaine on several different dates during that period for both distribution to others and personal use.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to Sanchez’s conviction in this case in close collaboration with the Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Castle City Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Department of Agriculture, Union Township Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and Pennsylvania State Police.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Lawrence County is one of six western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.
Armed Robber from New York Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A New York man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for robbing Lowest Price Tobacco and Vape in Knightdale. On September 19, 2024, Mekhi Marquise Hooi pled guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mekhi Hooi, 20, entered the Lowest Price Tobacco and Vape in Knightdale. Hooi then charged the clerk while brandishing a 9mm firearm, and demanding the clerk put money and tobacco products in a bag. During the robbery, Hooi threatened to shoot the clerk if he did not move faster. Hooi fled the scene and was ultimately apprehended in New York City and extradited to North Carolina to face his charges here.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Knightdale Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Loeser prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-62-D-RN.
Armed Bank Robbery Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for More Than a DecadeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, AKIN ZHON WOFFORD, 29, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 135 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Wofford, charging him with armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On August 21, 2024, a federal jury convicted Wofford on both counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, on November 7, 2022, Wofford entered a branch of City National Bank and Trust in Oklahoma City. After he waited several minutes in the lobby, Wofford pulled out a firearm, jumped over the teller counter, pointed it at a bank employee, and demanded money. Wofford then opened the teller drawer and grabbed handfuls of cash before he exited the bank. An investigation into the vehicle used during the bank robbery ultimately led authorities to Wofford. He was arrested on November 18, 2022.
At the sentencing hearing on January 9, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Wofford to serve 135 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the circumstances of the offense, including the risk of danger caused by the robbery, and Wofford’s history of violence.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Stanley J. West prosecuted 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.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Albany County Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Taykwun Smoaks, age 32, of Albany, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for receipt of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Smoaks admitted that from February to March 2023, he received and possessed images and videos of child pornography on his computer and external hard drive. Smoaks admitted that he downloaded more than 600 videos and 22,000 still images, including images of prepubescent minors, images that involved sadistic and masochistic conduct, and images involving the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also ordered Smoaks to serve a 15-year term of post-incarceration supervised release; to pay restitution of $3,000 to each of 15 victims for a total amount of $45,000 in restitution; and to forfeit the electronic devices used to commit the offense. Smoaks will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
HSI and NYSP investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Air and Marine Operations Interdicts Vessel Carrying 188 Kilos of Cocaine - Two Defendants Charged FederallyRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Two Bahamian nationals have been charged by criminal complaint with attempting to smuggle approximately 188 kilograms of cocaine into the United States via a water vessel.
According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 5 at approximately 11 a.m., Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Marine Interdiction agents from the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Marine Units were notified by the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) of a suspicious vessel enroute to the Port Everglades Inlet in the Southern District of Florida. Agents responded and launched multiple Coastal Interceptor Vessels (CIV) to stop the approaching vessel. Using constant position, course, and speed updates from the AMOC, they were able to intercept a Contender Center Console vessel with Alfred Lynton Laing and Runo Traveeno Laing, both of the Bahamas, on board approximately four nautical miles from Hillsboro Inlet. The vessel was escorted to a nearby harbor for a thorough and safe inspection. During the inspection, Marine Interdiction agents discovered approximately 188 kilograms of individually wrapped bricks of cocaine hidden within the vessel.
Alfred and Runo Laing are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, AMO Executive Director Andres “Andy” Blanco, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
AMO and DEA investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nardia Haye is prosecuting it.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-6004.
###
40 Years for Drug Trafficker Linked to Murder, Dismemberment, and Disposal of Confidential InformantRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro drug trafficker was sentenced to 480 months in prison for conspiracy and trafficking significant quantities of methamphetamine. The lengthy sentence was imposed due to his previous criminal history and the evidence tying him to the murder, dismemberment, and disposal of a confidential informant during the course of the investigation. On August 29, 2024, Tamarcus Shaquan Ellis, age 34, was convicted by a federal jury for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. Ellis is facing state charges of first-degree murder and concealment of body.
“We won’t tolerate drug traffickers using violence, surveillance, and intimidation to dodge accountability and undermine the safety and dignity of American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Ellis’ large-scale trafficking and ties to the gruesome murder of an informant – dismembered, wrapped in a tarp, and set on fire – have put him in federal prison for the next forty years. This U.S. Attorney’s Office is home to one of the most aggressive counter-narcotics teams in the nation. We won’t flinch or be intimidated by drug traffickers, here or abroad, using violence to protect their turf. Victims and their families deserve it and the well-being of our community demands it.”
“The level of violence uncovered in this investigation was disturbing and bringing an end to this network of drugs, crime, and intimidation was a top priority,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “ATF and our law enforcement partners are proud to know that this dangerous individual is no longer a threat to our community.”
“The successful federal prosecution of this dangerous individual demonstrates the unwavering commitment of law enforcement to protect our community from violence and the devastation caused by drugs. Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue justice for victims and ensure that those who bring harm to our city are held accountable,” said Goldsboro Police Chief Michael West.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the ATF was investigating Ellis as part of an operation targeting crystal methamphetamine dealers operating in Goldsboro and Jacksonville in early 2021. By late March 2021, the ATF had arrested a number of high-level methamphetamine traffickers and began targeting Ellis’ drug trafficking organization.
Over the course of multiple months in the Spring of 2021, investigators used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Ellis’ organization. Due to the number of takedowns of other methamphetamine traffickers in February and March of 2021, Ellis went to great lengths to avoid direct involvement in the drug transactions through his use of low-level underlings in his organization to deliver the drugs while he monitored the drug deal from nearby. In addition to counter-surveilling buy locations for law enforcement presence, Ellis made last minute changes to the buy location in order to limit the risk of detection. In one instance, Ellis changed the location from Goldsboro to LaGrange, which is approximately ten miles away. At trial, the Government presented evidence that Ellis’s cell phone hit various cell phone towers en route to LaGrange during this drug deal. The underlings testified at trial that Ellis supplied them with drugs for the delivery to the confidential source.
In a sentencing memorandum supporting the imposition of a life sentence and at the sentencing hearing, prosecutors outlined evidence related to Ellis’s role in the dismemberment and disposal of the body of the confidential source used in the case. According to the details of the memorandum and evidence presented at sentencing, the torso of a woman’s body was dumped in the driveway of a residence on Bright Street in Goldsboro just before midnight on May 24, 2021. The torso, which had been set on fire, was determined to be a confidential source used to make controlled purchases from Ellis. Review of video footage showed Ellis’s white Ford Ranger pickup truck entering the driveway of the residence with the torso wrapped in a tarp in the back of the pickup truck. Footage from a nearby pole camera shows what appears to be Ellis and another individual dragging the tarp from the truck and dumping the torso on the ground. The pickup truck then traveled to Ellis’s loft apartment in downtown Goldsboro. At approximately 12:33 a.m. on May 24, 2021, a person believed to be Ellis is seen leaving his loft apartment, entering the Tahoe he used during counter-surveillance, returning to the Bright Street location, dumping an accelerate on the torso and lighting it on fire. The Tahoe is then shown on downtown security cameras returning the Ellis’s loft. Later that day, Ellis was stopped driving the white pickup (which had a unique sticker on its back window) seen in the surveillance video. After obtaining a search warrant, officers with the Goldsboro Police Department searched Ellis’ residence and a Rap Studio he owned. At the residence, they found two loaded guns and over $63,000 in cash. At the Rap Studio, they found a large amount of human blood and a bullet lodged in the floor. The DNA profile of the blood was linked to the deceased confidential source.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The ATF and the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Duffy and Evelyn Yarborough prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-273-FL.
12 ½ Year Prison Term for Man Who Killed 13-Year-Old Karon BlakeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jason Lewis, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for the killing of 13-year-old Karon Blake in January 2023, in the 1000 block of Quincy Street, NE, Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Lewis was found guilty on August 16, 2024, of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, committed against a minor. Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein ordered Lewis to serve an aggregate sentence of 12 ½ years.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, at approximately 4:00 a.m., on January 7, 2023, Lewis armed himself with a fully-loaded handgun and went outside his home in the 1000 block of Quincy Street, NE. Lewis is seen on video leaving his house, aiming and firing at two young people who were fleeing their involvement in breaking into cars. After Lewis fired at those two people, hitting the car that one was driving, Karon Blake then ran in Lewis’s direction. Lewis then fired two shots into Karon’s left side, killing him. Lewis claimed that he acted in self-defense because the two people that he initially fired at threatened him. In finding Lewis guilty of the assaults with a dangerous weapon, the jury rejected his claim of self-defense.
Lewis was arrested on January 31, 2023, and was initially held until he was released in March 2023, over the government’s objection.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended those who worked on the case including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Wojcik and Shauna Payyappilly, who tried and prosecuted the case.
9 January 2025
Montgomery County Man Sentenced for Election Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip C. Pulley, 62, of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg to three years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, with 50 of those hours dedicated to an entity that works toward the promotion of free and fair elections, a fine of $9,500, and a $400 special assessment, for committing multiple election fraud offenses. Chief Judge Goldberg also ordered Pulley to write a letter explaining why he committed the offenses.
Pulley was charged by information in August of last year with falsely registering to vote, double voting, and election fraud, and pleaded guilty to those charges in September.
In 2018, while registered to vote in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the defendant also registered to vote in Broward County, Florida.
In 2020, while already registered to vote in Montgomery County and Broward County, he registered to vote in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, using a false home address in Philadelphia and social security number.
In the 2022 general election, which included the election for United States Senator, Pulley voted in both Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
“Free and fair elections are critical to the health of our democracy, and people who seek to corrupt the process can dangerously erode the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Protecting the integrity of the vote is a priority for my office and the FBI. We will continue to investigate and prosecute election fraud cases and bring offenders like Philip Pulley to justice.”
“Safeguarding the right to participate in free and fair elections is a cornerstone of our democracy and a top priority for the FBI and our partners,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Working closely with our partners, we are committed to investigating and holding accountable anyone who undermines the integrity of our electoral process.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Mark B. Dubnoff, with support from James Price, Senior Deputy Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney.
Former Tri-Cities Pastor Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar Cryptocurrency ScamRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced that on November 7, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Francier Obando Pinillo, age 51, of Miami, Florida, with 26 counts of fraud in connection with running a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded investors of millions of dollars between November 2021 and October 2023. Pinillo was arraigned today at the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.
Pinillo was pastor at Ministerio Apostolico Profetico Tiempos de Poder, a Spanish-language church in Pasco, Washington. The Indictment alleges Pinillo used his position as pastor to induce members of his congregation and others to invest their money in a cryptocurrency investment business known as “Solano Fi.” Pinillo claimed the idea for Solano Fi had come to him in a dream and that it was a safe and guaranteed investment. The Indictment further alleges that Pinillo also recruited investors using social media, including a Solano Fi Facebook page as well as a Telegram group known as “Multimillionarios SolanoFi”, which had more than 1,500 members. The Indictment further alleges Pinillo told prospective investors that Solano Fi used cryptocurrency “staking” to guarantee a compounding monthly return of 34.9% with no risk. Pinillo explained that investors could access, view, and withdraw their money from Solano Fi through an online interface. However, as alleged in the indictment, the online application was actually designed to allow investors to see fraudulent purported balances and supposed investment gains but did not permit the investors to withdraw funds.
The indictment further alleges that, rather than investing funds on victims’ behalf as he had promised, Pinillo defrauded victims into making cryptocurrency transfers into accounts he designated, then converted the victims’ funds to himself and his co-schemers. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Pinillo convinced investors to recruit other investors, promising that the person who made the referral could earn additional returns for each additional investor they recruited.
The indictment alleges when victims tried to remove their assets from Solano Fi, Pinillo claimed he could not return the assets until cryptocurrency markets improved, or because the website or application was down, or that he would not return their investment unless the victim brought in a new investor to “buy out” their account. The indictment further alleges Pinillo told investors they were required to send more money to “repair” and upgrade the Solano Fi system so that investors could get their funds back.
“Fraudulent investment schemes are not new, but cryptocurrency scams are a new way fraudsters take money from hardworking, honest people,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Cryptocurrency fraudsters often quickly route funds to international accounts, which presents new challenges for law enforcement attempting to recover lost funds. My office and our partners at the FBI are committed to doing all we can to recover the proceeds of these frauds for victims and to hold the people running these scams accountable.”
The fraud charges against Pinillo carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Jeremy J. Kelley.
4:24-cr-06032-SAB
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlottesville Bodybuilding Coach Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Charlottsville-based, virtual bodybuilding coach, who sexually exploited at least six minors over the course of six years, was sentenced yesterday to 254 months in federal prison.
Elliott Atwell, 35, pled guilty in June 2024 to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
“This defendant targeted young people who put their trust in him as a coach and mentor and violated that trust to satisfy his own desires,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “I am grateful to the men and women of the FBI who tirelessly investigated this case and brought some semblance of justice to the victims. Cases like these remind us how vulnerable our young people are and how vigilant we must be to protect them from manipulative online predators.”
“FBI Richmond is unwavering in its commitment to seeking justice for victims of child exploitation. Today's guilty verdict is the culmination of years of relentless work and dedication by our agents and analysts,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Division said today. “Together with our partners, the FBI will continue protecting our children by removing harmful predators from our communities.”
According to court documents, between December 2013 and April 2020, Atwell portrayed himself as a virtual bodybuilding coach for high-school bodybuilders. He approached minors online to purportedly mentor them and quickly transitioned their conversations and alleged bodybuilding training to the topics of sex and sexuality. Under the guise of coaching, Atwell would encourage the minors to send nude photographs and videos of themselves. Atwell further manipulated at least six minors to record themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then send those recordings to him.
In efforts to gain the victims’ trust and willingness to participate, Atwell sent them gifts, including a digital camera, and other sexual-related items. Atwell then gave detailed instructions on what sexual activities he wanted the minors to perform and capture on video.
In addition, the FBI searched Atwell’s iCloud account, which contained over 300 images and video files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent boys engaged in sex acts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith and Trial Attorney Jessica Urban of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
8 January 2025
Zephyrhills Man Previously Convicted of Five Robberies Indicted for String of Armed Robberies Throughout Tampa BayRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the indictment of Peter Latimore, Jr. (43, Zephyrhills) with interference of commerce by robbery, attempted robbery, use of a firearm during and in commission of a felony offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Latimore faces a minimum sentence of 29 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint and indictment, between October 2 and November 22, 2024, Latimore committed armed robberies of Tampa Bay area businesses, including a supermarket on Fowler Avenue in Tampa, a supermarket in Brandon, a supermarket in Zephyrhills, and a beauty supply shop in Plant City. On each occasion, Latimore approached the customer service desk and lifted his shirt to display a firearm to the clerks. In one instance, Latimore told the clerk to hurry up or he would shoot her.
ATF agents and local law enforcements officers identified Latimore, arrested him, and on December 3, 2024, executed search warrants at his residence. During the search, law enforcement officers located the pistol he allegedly used in the commission of his offenses.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Plant City Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
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.
Winnsboro Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national with Legal Permanent Resident status was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 48 months in prison for smuggling firearms and other goods from the United States into Mexico.
According to court documents, Miguel Tapia-Barcenas, 23, of Winnsboro, gave negative declarations for firearms, ammunition and currency over $10,000 while traveling through the Del Rio Port of Entry into Mexico July 14, 2022. Customs and Border Protection officers searched his vehicle and the attached trailer, revealing four semiautomatic pistols, 2,688 ammunition rounds of various calibers, and several magazines. Tapia-Barcenas said that he was being paid by a third party to smuggle firearms into Mexico and had done so on two previous occasions.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayvee Rhoda prosecuted the case.
###
West Wareham Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Wareham man was charged today in federal court in Boston and has agreed to plead guilty to possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joshua Roe, 37, was charged by Information with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Roe was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the same offenses in September 2024 and has remained in federal custody since.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered. A forensic examination of at least one device allegedly revealed images and videos depicting CSAM.
The receipt charge provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of no less than five years and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge provides for up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Walter Correia of the Wareham Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Vian Resident Sentenced for Strangling Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lucas James Blackbird, age 40, of Vian, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling or Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Vian Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 19, 2024, Blackbird pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on February 19, 2024, Blackbird strangled the victim, causing life-threatening injuries. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Blackbird will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Ute Man Charged with Murder of Child on Ute Mountain Ute Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jeremiah Hight, 23, of Towaoc, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of second-degree murder of a child in Indian Country, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Hight was previously charged by a criminal complaint authorized by Magistrate Judge James Candelaria on December 19, 2024. Hight was arrested on the Navajo Reservation on December 24, 2024, and made an initial appearance in the District of Arizona on December 26, 2024. Hight is currently being transported to the District of Colorado.
According to the complaint and indictment, in the early hours of December 11, 2024, Hight fired a rifle twenty-four times into a residence, killing a seven-year-old member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Towaoc, Colorado, on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. The investigation is ongoing.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey K. Graves, R. Josh Player, and Lisa Franceware.
Case Number: 25-cr-0003-GPG
United States Files Civil Complaint Against New York Online Seller of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat DevicesRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Lisa Garcia, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 (EPA), today announced the filing of a civil complaint in federal court in Central Islip against Long Island-based company Spectrum Wholesale, Inc. (Spectrum) and Thomas J. Ciccarelli, Spectrum’s principal, alleging the defendants’ illicit sale of hundreds of products designed to remove, bypass, defeat, or render inoperative the emissions controls that vehicle and engine manufacturers use to meet emission standards, is in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The complaint seeks a court order finding that defendants’ sales violate the Clean Air Act, injunctive relief enjoining Defendants from further violations, as well as civil penalties for each violation.
“These sales have put the public health and the environment at risk by defeating critical vehicle emission controls on hundreds of vehicles,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to rigorously enforce the Clean Air Act against those who degrade the public health and environment to make a fast dollar.”
“The increased air pollution resulting from these devices threatens the health of everyone, especially those with pre-existing health conditions, children and older adults,” stated EPA Regional Administrator Garcia. “To protect public health, EPA is enforcing measures to eliminate the manufacture and sale of such devices to ensure that the vehicles on our roads meet required emission standards.”The Clean Air Act prohibits selling, offering for sale, or causing the sale or offer of aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls (commonly known as “aftermarket defeat devices”). The complaint alleges that between October 18, 2019 and September 2, 2020, primarily through online transactions, the defendants sold, offered for sale, or caused the sale of approximately 672 such devices. By enabling vehicle emission controls to be evaded, aftermarket defeat devices contribute to air pollution and harm to public health. They also impede efforts by the EPA, states, tribes, and local agencies to plan for and meet air quality standards. The use of defeat devices can exponentially increase emissions of particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC). For example, EPA testing has found that deleting a motor vehicle's emissions controls can increase tailpipe emissions of NOx by a factor of up to 300 times, CO by a factor of approximately 130 times, NMHC by a factor of approximately 1,000 times, and PM by a factor of up to 37 times.
The lawsuit is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Silverman and Paralegal Specialist Annabelle Duval of the Eastern District of New York, along with EPA Office of Regional Counsel, Assistant Regional Counsels Cassandra Basile and Erick Ihlenburg, with assistance from the EPA Office of the Inspector General.
In June 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York created an Environmental Justice Team within the Office’s Civil Division. The focus of the Environmental Justice Team is the protection of the rights of residents of the Eastern District of New York who are disproportionately burdened by environmental and health hazards. Additional information concerning the Office’s Environmental Justice Team can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/environmental-justice-and-enforcementThe Defendants:
SPECTRUM WHOLESALE INC.
Oakdale, Long IslandTHOMAS J. CICCARELLI
Oakdale, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CV-127 (JMA)
us_v._spectrum_wholesale_complaint_as_filed.pdfUnited States Attorney Todd Gee Announces Anticipated Resignation from the Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Todd Gee, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, announced today his intention to resign his position as United States Attorney, effective 11:59 p.m. on January 17, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee said: “The opportunity to serve as a United States Attorney in my home state of Mississippi has been the highest honor of my over 17 years of public service in the United States Department of Justice. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is full of talented professionals dedicated to public safety, fairness, and the rule of law. It has been a great privilege to work with them and my other colleagues in the Department. I thank President Biden for nominating me as United States Attorney, and Attorney General Garland for leading the Department and supporting the Southern District of Mississippi during my tenure.”
Todd Gee was sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi on October 3, 2023. He has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice since 2007, including previously serving as a Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia.
United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces Resignation from OfficeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown has announced his resignation, effective January 20, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. from the Department of Justice. Brown was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. to the position of United States Attorney on November 15, 2021, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 7, 2021, and sworn in on December 10, 2021. During his tenure as United States Attorney, Brown served as the chief law enforcement officer in the Western District of Louisiana, which includes 42 of the state’s 64 parishes and geographically encompasses two-thirds of the state of Louisiana. As U.S. Attorney, Brown oversaw the investigation and litigation of all federal criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Western District of Louisiana.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime and the pinnacle of my career to serve the American people and the citizens of the Western District of Louisiana for 12 years, with the last 3 being the U.S. Attorney. I thank President Biden for nominating me, Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy for their constant and unwavering support and Attorney General Merrick Garland for his vision and guidance during my tenure,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Working with the men and women in this office over the years as well as our federal, state, and local partners has been the privilege of a lifetime. They are my family and will be sorely missed. U.S. Department of Justice employees are American heroes.”
During his tenure, U.S. Attorney Brown led an office of approximately 90 prosecutors, civil litigators, and administrative and support personnel in executing the mission of the U.S. Department of Justice by representing the United States in federal court. In his role, he oversaw investigations and prosecutions mainly involving violent crimes, firearm offenses, child exploitation, health care fraud, drug trafficking, gang activities, civil rights violations, public corruption, and white-collar crime offenses.
Within months of being confirmed, Brown was chosen by Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve on his Attorney General Advisory Committee (AGAC) as the U.S. Fifth Circuit representative. The AGAC is comprised of a select group of U.S. Attorneys that assists the Attorney General in creating department wide policy for all 94 districts and other DOJ components. It was created to serve as the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the U.S. Attorneys. In addition, he also served on the AGAC’s white collar crime, violent crime, and civil rights subcommittees. In 2023, Brown was appointed to the Resource Allocation Working Group (RAWG), comprised of another select group of U.S. Attorneys and DOJ leaders, chosen to advise the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the Deputy Attorney General on the allocation of personnel resources in all United States Attorneys’ Offices.
Under Brown’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted hundreds of firearms cases in an effort to reduce violent crime in our district. Other priority cases included the trafficking of drugs to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, as well as public corruption, child pornography, and human trafficking. As a result of these efforts, the district saw significant declines in the violent crime rates in the Shreveport and Monroe divisions in 2023 and 2024. These results were a by-product of Brown developing close and strong working relationships with other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and state district attorneys’ offices. For example, Brown entered into agreements with several state district attorneys that allowed state prosecutors to become Special Assistant United States Attorneys and prosecute violent crime in federal court. The District has also been a DOJ leader in the implementation of E-Litigation strategies resulting in enhanced efficiency of investigations and litigation. A sampling of notable cases and outreach efforts during U.S. Attorney Brown’s tenure are as follows:
Civil Cases/Asset Recovery
- The district court ordered William Ross Hickman to pay restitution of over $2.6 million pursuant to a conviction of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for which he received 52 months in prison. The Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) secured an order of foreclosure and sale of motor vehicles, jewelry and immovable property belonging to Hickman resulting in approximately $900,000 being applied to Hickman’s restitution balance;
- A Clean Air Act enforcement case was brought in United States v. Power Performance Enterprises, et. al for manufacturing and selling devices that thwart the emission controls installed on diesel trucks. This office filed a garnishment against the defendants resulting in the seizure of $1,000,000 in satisfaction of civil penalties;
- Entered into a settlement where Lafayette Physical Rehabilitation Hospital and its parent company Acadiana Management Group, paid $1.2 million, and Dr. Carolyn Smith agreed to pay $575,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare for unnecessarily inpatient rehabilitation services;
- The District’s Financial Litigation Unit secured more than $49 million in collections for victims of crimes and to satisfy debts owed to the United States. The unit also forfeited $200,000 in property seized from criminal defendants and arising out of civil forfeiture matters.
Civil Rights/Public Integrity Accomplishments
- Joined the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Louisiana in opening an investigation into the Louisiana State Police to assess whether the department has a pattern and practice of engaging in racially discriminatory policing. The investigation is pending. Also joined these offices in filing a lawsuit against the state of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Corrections (LDOC) for violating the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) alleging that the state and LDOC has a pattern and practice of confining incarcerated persons for weeks and sometimes months after they have completed their prison sentences and are legally entitled to be released. This litigation is pending;
- Jared Desadier, a former Monroe Police Department officer, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on excessive force charges when the victim, who posed no threat to] officers, surrendered after leading officers on a brief foot chase;
- Dylan Hudson, a former Shreveport Police Department officer, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after beating and tasing a non-violent loitering victim;
- Former Shreveport Police Department officers Jeffrey Peters and James Cisco pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy charges for defrauding the Community-Based Crime Reduction Program, a grant administered by the DOJ that pays officers for overtime worked;
- Former Desoto Parish Sheriff Deputies Javarrea Pouncy and Demarkes Grant were sentenced to 37 months and 10 months in prison respectively for using excessive force against a detainee at the Desoto Parish jail;
- Harold “BJ” Sanford, a former Bossier City Police sergeant, was sentenced to 1 year and a day in federal prison for defrauding the Bossier City Police Union and obtaining controlled substances by fraud;
- Chance Seneca was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for kidnapping and attempting to murder a gay man as part of a months-long hate crimes scheme to kidnap and murder gay men.
Child Exploitation
- An investigation revealed William Malone sexually abused and threatened a child over several years, oftentimes from a vessel off the coast of Louisiana, near Abbeville, Louisiana. Malone was sentenced to a total of 160 years on all counts and ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $206,580.80;
- Jacob De La Paz, a high school teacher and coach was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for attempted receipt of child pornography after requesting a pornographic video over social media from a student;
- Gary Harper was sentenced to 300 months in prison for production of child pornography involving children between 13 and 16 years old in the Monroe area. The investigation revealed he victimized over 25 minor females;
- Deray Richard was sentenced to 228 months in prison in connection with a human trafficking case in which he groomed and later physically and sexually assaulted multiple victims. The illicit activity took place in Kentucky, north Texas, and Bossier City, LA.
Drug Diversion/Drug Trafficking Convictions
- Brian Broussard and Sheila Adams were sentenced to 162 and 24 months respectively for drug conspiracy and firearm charges arising out of the Lafayette area;
- Larry Daniels, a medical doctor authorized to treat patients with opioid addictions, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for prescribing controlled substances, some which were opioids, outside the bonds of medical practices;
- Gabriel Hawthorne was sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiring with Frederick Thornton (210 months) and Andrea Mitchell (18 months) for distributing heroin and fentanyl in the Lafayette area. Customers were led to believe they were purchasing heroin, when in fact it the heroin was laced with fentanyl;
- Brian Jesus Garcia Pena and 3 additional defendants were sentenced to a total of 560 months after using smuggled contraband cellular telephones to communicate with Mexican cartel members to coordinate methamphetamine trafficking into USP Pollock;
- Anthony Pouncy and 9 additional defendants were sentenced to a combined 708 months on cocaine trafficking, money laundering charges and Payroll Protection Program (PPP) fraud;
- James Weeks and 6 additional defendants were sentenced to a combined 1,308 months for a methamphetamine and firearm charges involving drug smuggling with the Mexican cartel at USP Pollock, the Natchitoches area, Alexandria area as well as portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Fraud/White Collar
- Convicted 24 members or affiliates of Shreveport street gang Step or Die (SOD) of wire fraud charges after they obtained over $600,000 in SBA PPP loans and attempted to obtain another $2.2 million for no legitimate business purposes. The defendants used the money, in part, to purchase firearms and conduct other illicit activities. Sentences ranged anywhere from supervised probation to 71 months in prison;
- Joseph Boswell was sentenced to 60 months in prison and $646,259.70 in restitution for bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion after concocting schemes to avoid paying taxes and creditors from whom he borrowed;
- In US v. David D. DeBerardinis, Shreveport businessman DeBerardinis pleaded guilty to wire fraud after defrauding numerous victims out of millions of dollars. DeBerardinis represented himself and his business entities to be part of a major energy company in the petroleum industry involved in a complex fuel trading business, soliciting private funds in exchange for guaranteed return of principal and interest. However, at the time the funding was obtained, he was not making fuel trades nor was he part of the energy company. In 2022, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $51,462,909.66 in restitution to his victims;
- Michael Tolliver was sentenced to 120 months in prison and over $1.1 million in restitution in a PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) scheme. The PPP and EIDL programs were established to assist employers severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic;
- Krystal Glover-Wing was sentenced to 72 months and ordered to pay $3.6 million in restitution after being convicted for conspiracy to commit health care fraud;
- Charged 21 defendants with conspiracy to commit bank fraud in an elder fraud investigation where employees of Teleperformance conspired with others to target elderly USAA bank customers to obtain account information for fraudulent purposes. The investigation is ongoing.
Violent Crime/Terrorism
- In a domestic terrorism investigation, Daniel Aikens was sentenced to 16 years in prison for illegal explosive related charges. In September 2019, Aikens caused an explosion at Cloyd’s Beauty School in Monroe, a Texaco gas station in Alexandria in December 2019 and a Payday Today in Alexandria in January 2020;
- Montrelle Jones was sentenced to 78 months in prison after a Monroe Police Officer foiled an attempt by Jones, who had a pending domestic protective order, to brandish a firearm at a Neville High School basketball game during a fight that took place outside the gym;
- Jeremiah Deare and Sarah Fogle were sentenced to 97 and 60 months respectively for conspiring to deal firearms without a license, making false statements in records required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer and failing to run required background checks in connection with the unlicensed firearm business. These defendants operated Dave’s Gun Shop of Lafayette. During the investigation, 619 firearms were forfeited;
- Joseph Harrison was sentenced to 216 months, Cody Williams was sentenced to 300 months and Drapper Anthony, Jr. was sentenced to 240 months in prison in a case involving a conspiracy to commit kidnapping devised by members and associates of the All The Money (ATM) Acadiana area street gang. The gang lured an individual from Los Angeles to Lafayette under the guise of executing a multistate narcotics transaction. Once present in Lafayette, the victim was kidnapped and ransom demands were made including $300,000, 100 pounds of marijuana and high-end jewelry;
- Lake Charles Police responded to the home of Jordan Soileau after receiving a report that he had beaten a woman with whom he lived with. Soileau, a convicted felon, had numerous firearms in the home. One of the firearms was as a semi-automatic rifle with a silencer and auto-sear conversion device, allowing it to illegally operate as a machine gun. Soileau was sentenced to 86 months in prison.
Partnerships with Federal, State & Local Law Enforcement/Community Outreach
- Through the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, this office has trained approximately 1,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers across the state of Louisiana annually since U.S. Attorney Brown was confirmed. Also, approximately 50 U.S. Attorney awards have also been granted to federal, state and local law enforcement for exemplary performance in investigations;
- U.S. Attorney Brown, the district’s law enforcement coordinator and numerous Assistant United States Attorneys have participated on law enforcement panels around the country sharing case studies and best practices regarding both federal civil and criminal investigations;
- Convened a Shreveport based community advisory group of 15 members called “Focusing on the Future” that advised U.S. Attorney Brown, on a monthly basis, how the community can assist in civil rights issues and violent crime prevention strategies;
- The District participated in the Shreveport area National Night Out activities with local law enforcement, Paint Your Heart Out and Love the Boot all in conjunction with the City of Shreveport;
- Partnered with the DOJ’s Criminal Rights Division to participate in the department’s Southern Civil Rights Tour in March 2023. Meetings were held with community advocates in Tallulah, LA, students and administration at Grambling State University, Bossier and Caddo Parish students and Shreveport area community advocates;
- Partnered with the DOJ’s Community Relations Service, FBI, Louisiana State University at Shreveport, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Shreveport Police Department, People Acting for Change and Equality (PACE), Louisiana Trans Advocates, Acadiana Queer Collective and Community Advocate to host forums in Lafayette and Shreveport in furtherance of the DOJ’s United Against Hate platform which is an effort to discuss strategies and resources to help prevent LGBTQIA+ hate crimes.
Before becoming United States Attorney in 2021, Brown served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana beginning in November 2012, where he prosecuted a wide range of criminal offenses. In March 2017, U.S. Attorney Brown was appointed as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator for the district, charged with coordinating two task forces comprised of federal and state law enforcement agencies with the goal of investigating and prosecuting firearm and high-end violent crime organizations in the WDLA. He left the office in March 2018 to accept a position in private practice and then rejoined the Shreveport Criminal Division in October 2018 as the Shreveport Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) attorney and the district’s Violent Crime Coordinator.
Brown is from Richwood, Louisiana, and a graduate of Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe, LA. He went on to obtain both a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in 2002, and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University. Brown received his law degree from Southern University Law Center in 2007 and began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office in Monroe, Louisiana.
Pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, a 25 year veteran of the office, will succeed Mr. Brown as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana until a successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
# # #
Union City Man Sentenced to over Eight Years of Imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Michael Eaton, 41, of Union City, Tennessee to 105 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Reagan Fondren, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, on February 11, 2023, an officer with the Union City Police Department saw a silver Ford SUV driving near the area of Todd Street. The Ford SUV was pulled over for a window tint violation. During the stop, the passenger, Eaton, became involved in a confrontation with law enforcement officers, who eventually detained him and found him in possession of a loaded Charter Arms .38 special caliber revolver.
Eaton is a felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms. Previously, in 2000, Eaton was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to resell it. In 2010, he was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment for attempting to rob a Union City grocery store at gunpoint.
In January 2024, Eaton was indicted in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty to the offense in August 2024. On December 30, 2024, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Eaton to 105 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities 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 Union City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Immanuel Chioco who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.
###
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington Highlights Key 2024 Prosecutions of COVID-19 Financial FraudRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref highlighted several prosecutions involving pandemic relief fraud during 2024 that were brought by the District’s COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force. U.S. Attorney Waldref has prioritized fighting fraud and public corruption, and her White Collar Section’s work combatting financial fraud and recovering damages continued to set the standard for medium-sized U.S. Attorney Offices.
A hallmark of this work is the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, which was launched in February 2022 by U.S. Attorney Waldref and White Collar Chief Dan Fruchter, along with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and federal law enforcement agencies. The Strike Force leverages partnerships between over a dozen agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against pandemic relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force has prosecuted cases involving fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and other pandemic relief programs, holding fraudsters accountable and recovering millions of dollars for taxpayers.
“Many struggling, deserving small businesses requested money from COVID-19 relief programs. Fraudsters saw these programs as an opportunity to enrich themselves, and when funds ran out, eligible businesses were denied critical funding to keep their doors open,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “In 2024, the Strike Force continued to hold fraudsters accountable, recovering millions of dollars in settlements, seizures, and restitution judgments. By combatting pandemic-related fraud, we protect local and small businesses that play by the rules, provide critical services for our community, and support our economy.”
Since the launch of the Strike Force in 2022:
- 37 defendants charged by indictment, information, or complaint
- 22 defendants have been convicted of felony fraud in connection with receipt of CARES Act funding
- 6 False Claims Act civil settlements
- Millions of dollars in forfeited assets, including cash, real property, cryptocurrency, and vehicles
- More than $20 Million in restitution ordered
“The Eastern Washington COVID Fraud Strike Force represents the highest ideals of law enforcement and government – imagination, partnership, dedication, and service to the community. The Strike Force also involves many of the most skilled and hardworking law enforcement and other professionals, not just in Eastern Washington, but anywhere in the country,” said Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter. “I’m proud and humbled to have had the opportunity to work with such a dedicated team of committed public servants on an effort that has brought accountability to an area badly in need of it, and look forward to continuing to work together to serve and protect the community.”
“The SBA-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to rooting out fraud and holding wrongdoers accountable,” said Weston King, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “The defendants exploited programs designed to help small businesses survive unprecedented challenges, undermining the integrity of critical relief efforts. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring justice to those who seek to profit illegally at the expense of taxpayers.”
U.S. Attorney Waldref highlighted the following COVID-19 fraud cases prosecuted by her office in the past year:
Tyler Keith Andrews took part in a scheme to obtain more than $16 million dollars in COVID-19 relief funds. Andrews assisted co-conspirators in obtaining at least $13,449,179 in COVID-19 relief funding. Andrews obtained another $4,485,541 by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications for his own companies. In December 2024, he was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, restitution of $16,330,814.30 to the Small Business Administration, and forfeiture of $4,300,474.75.
In November 2024, Taylor Jashaun Kendall and Michael Tyriq Allen, were charged with a dozen counts of fraud as part of a scheme to obtain $300,000 COVID-19 relief funding for themselves and others.
Antonio Crawford submitted false applications in his name, and on behalf of others, in order to obtain more than $750,000 in COVID-19 relief funding. In November 2024, he was sentenced to 45 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, restitution of $203,347.08, and forfeiture of $173,329.00 in cash seized during a search of Crawford’s home, and $13,642.00 in cash Crawford provided in lieu of forfeiture of his vehicle.
BNL Technical Services, LLC (BNL), which provided contract labor services to Hanford Site prime contractors, pleaded guilty in October 2024, to fraudulently obtaining $493,865 as part of a scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funding. BNL’s labor costs and payroll were paid by the Department of Energy throughout the pandemic. BNL’s owner, Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, agreed to pay $1,105,498 as part of a civil settlement in the case.
William Philip Werschler, and his associated businesses, were charged with 23 counts of fraud in October 2024, for fraudulently obtaining and using approximately $1.5 million dollars in COVID-19 relief funds to purchase luxury sports cars, buy real estate, and pay off personal debt.
Nathan Michael Triano, obtained six COVID-19 relief loans totaling $140,865.00 by submitting materially false and fraudulent information concerning various purported businesses. In September 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $157,154.50.
In August 2024, Gilbert Orosco was indicted for a scheme in which he allegedly conspired with co-conspirators to defraud the United States government and the governments of California, Nevada, and Arizona and obtain money from the states’ COVID relief programs in the form of unemployment insurance proceeds.
Marisa Beck submitted false and fraudulent payroll, revenue, and other information associated with three purported businesses to obtain $368,829 in COVID-19 relief funding. In August 2024, Ms. Beck was sentenced to a year in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, as well as restitution of $402,020.32.
The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, Department of Labor (DOL), and others.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter, Brian M. Donovan, Tyler H. L. Tornabene, Frieda K. Zimmerman, and Jeremy J. Kelley are members of the COVID-19 Strike Force and prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Ten Individuals for Outstanding Contributions to Public SafetyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON –United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam honors ten individuals for their outstanding contributions to public safety. These awards are made each year to a select group of individuals who perform in an exceptional manner and who make significant contributions to the United States Attorney’s Office’s efforts to enforce federal laws and to protect society.
Exemplary Lifetime Service as a Law Enforcement Officer
- FBI Special Agent Timothy K. O’Malley
This award recognizes FBI Special Agent Timothy K. O’Malley’s tenacious work in a nearly 25-year career of federal service that included time as a Secret Service agent before joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During his many years in the Williamsport Office, he was responsible for the investigation of homicides and other violent crimes at a time when violence was at a peak at U.S.P. Lewisburg, and he achieved significant results in the investigation of bank fraud and other white-collar crimes. His career also included significant and tireless efforts in an investigation and successful prosecution of a years-long operation that manufactured and distributed hundreds of kilograms and millions of doses of fentanyl analogues.
Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement
- PA Office of Attorney General, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Robert Smulktis
This award recognizes the outstanding legal support Attorney Smulktis provided the U.S. Attorney’s Office in drug trafficking trials this past year. Attorney Smulktis played a critical role in preparing witnesses, participating in trial strategy sessions, and provided an excellent rebuttal to the defendant’s closing argument. This award also recognizes Attorney Smulktis’ exemplary work in United States v. David Darby, et al., a case that involved drug traffickers trafficking oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, where many of Darby’s customers overdosed and one died. Attorney Smulktis’ outstanding contributions during trial resulted in Darby’s conviction and ultimately a life sentence and Malik Bonds being sentenced to 156 months in prison.
- FBI Resident Agent in Charge Special Agent Joseph Noone
This award recognizes Special Agent Noone’s successful efforts to create a strong working relationship between the FBI, other law enforcement agencies, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute individuals who pose a danger to our community. Special Agent Noone’s work as both an agent and supervisor helped obtain numerous convictions in cases involving public corruption, drug trafficking, fraud, child exploitation, and violence in Pennsylvania for more than a decade.
Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer
Six individuals received the United States Attorney’s Award for Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer for their exceptional work in multiple, significant criminal prosecutions:
- FBI Task Force Officer Shane Yelland
- FBI Task Force Officer Daniel Spath
- DEA Task Force Officer Francis A. Carito
This award recognizes the recipients’ unending commitment to holding criminals responsible for their crimes. They have worked countless large-scale investigations involving the worse types of drug dealers including repeat and career offenders; those who traffic in deadly fentanyl; and those who possess firearms in furtherance of their crimes. Their relentless desire to serve and protect our communities is representative of the best in law enforcement.
- FBI Special Agent Eric Bailey
This award recognizes Special Agent Bailey’s exceptional work in the investigation and prosecution of child exploitation cases. His commitment to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse has resulted in the identification and successful prosecution of dozens of individuals who committed such violations.
- IRS Special Agent Eric Conahan
This award recognizes Special Agent Conahan’s tenacious work on numerous high profile sophisticated white-collar investigations over the last several years. These cases involved complex tax frauds, commercial bribery offenses, and some of the most significant pandemic fraud prosecutions brought by our district. His efforts have resulted in significant sentences for white collar defendants, and the recovery of fraudulent proceeds.
- IRS Resident Agent in Charge Carmine Pellegrino
- IRS Special Agent Jeff Decker
This award recognizes the recipients’ exceptional work in United States v. Abrams. Abrams was the CEO of EthosGen LLC, a company operating in the clean energy industry, who defrauded investors out of $1.1 million. Abrams was convicted at trial of all 48 counts in an indictment. This relatively complex and sprawling investigation spanned several years, and the agents brought it to a successful conclusion, despite much of the investigation taking place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Abrams ultimately was sentenced to six years of imprisonment.
“We are pleased to recognize the achievements of our colleagues who have made outstanding contributions to promoting public safety, said United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “All too often their tremendous sacrifices go unrecognized and unnoticed. On behalf of the entire U.S. Attorney’s Office, I congratulate them and thank them for their service.
# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $33 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, announced today that the Office Asset Recovery Unit collected $33,855,363 in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $18,840,034.68 was collected through enforcement of criminal restitution debts and civil collections, and $15,015,329 resulted from criminal and civil forfeiture actions.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “We are proud to have partnered with so many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to compensate victims and hold criminals financially accountable.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to crime victims in federal cases. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelese Woods, Chief of the Office’s Civil Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Rota, Chief of the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit, as well as the Office’s outstanding support professionals and attorneys for their diligent efforts to uphold the law, hold wrongdoers accountable, and recover funds for victims of crime.
###
U.S. Attorney, FBI Announce Federal Charges Against Navajo Man for MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Navajo man has been charged with second degree murder in Indian Country.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2022, officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to reports of a shooting near Ojo Encino. Upon arrival, officers discovered John Doe deceased at the scene with a gunshot wound to his chest and right arm. Witnesses identified Jason Lee Martinez, 51, a member of the Navajo Nation, as the shooter, who fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
Investigators recovered seven .40 caliber bullet casings from the scene, and the autopsy confirmed fatal gunshot wounds consistent with a single bullet that traveled through John Doe’s chest, heart, lung, and liver.
On August 26, 2022, FBI agents interviewed Martinez, who admitted to being involved in the altercation with John Doe.
Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Martinez faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures 19-Year Sentences for Defendants in 2020 Murder CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two defendants have each been sentenced to 19 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $5,355.60 for their roles in the brutal 2020 murder of Jane Doe.
There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 23, 2020, Stacey Yellowhorse, 53, and her then-boyfriend Timothy Chischilly, 51, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, invited Jane Doe to Chischilly’s home in Mexican Springs. That night, they restrained Doe by nailing her hands and head to the floor and then bludgeoned her to death before burning her remains and scattering them across various locations in the Navajo Nation.
Following the murder, Yellowhorse and Chischilly misled Doe's family about her whereabouts, falsely claiming that Yellowhorse had dropped Doe off at a local restaurant. They visited Doe’s family a few days after the murder, and Yellowhorse assured them that they would find her safe, including telling Doe’s seven-year-old daughter that Yellowhorse was going to look for the girl’s mother and would bring her back safe.
On January 27, 2020, after Jane Doe was reported missing, Chischilly confessed to his family, detailing how he and Yellowhorse had killed Doe. This confession led to their arrest on February 1, 2020.
Chischilly pled guilty to second-degree murder in February 2024. Shortly before trial was set to begin in March 2024, Yellowhorse also pled guilty to second-degree murder.
Upon their release from prison, Yellowhorse and Chischilly will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department, Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall are prosecuting the case.
# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Charges Dulce Man with Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man is facing federal charges for assault by strangulation after the victim was hospitalized with serious injuries.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2024, officers responded to a fight on Veneno Street in Dulce. There they encounter Chalmers Dedios, 32, and the victim. Officers determined that the victim was in distress, showing signs of fear and wearing heavy clothing despite warm weather. After Dedios was arrested on unrelated charges, the victim told officers they had been assaulted multiple times, including strangulation incidents on February 10 and 14.
The victim was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for serious injuries, including an active brain bleed. During a subsequent interview, Dedios admitted to strangling the victim. Dedios and the victim are enrolled members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation Indian Tribe.
Dedios is in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Dedios faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Dedios).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
U.S. Attorney Hamdani announces resignationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani has announced he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) effective midnight Jan. 19.
“Serving as the 24th Presidentially Appointed U.S. Attorney for this incredible district has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Hamdani. “Over the past two years, we have made significant strides across multiple fronts, strengthening our community, upholding justice and ensuring safety for all citizens."
Hamdani was responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in one of the largest districts in the country - covering 44,000 square miles and representing over nine million people. He oversaw over 400 employees, including approximately 200 Assistant U.S. Attorneys who cover the seven offices across the district.
In just over two years as U.S. Attorney, Hamdani led the office in approximately more than 10 thousand criminal cases against over 12 thousand defendants while maintaining an average 95% conviction rate. From fentanyl to the cartels, crimes involving children to human smuggling and white collar crime to cybercrime, Hamdani worked to ensure justice was served every day and the SDTX was a safe place to live.
The Civil Division filed more than 2,500 cases in fiscal years 2023-2024, which included a historic $85 million settlement against a cardiac imaging company. “Patients deserve care based on their medical need and not on a doctor or company’s financial interest or gain,” Hamdani said. The Texas Medical Center also agreed to pay a record $15 million for allegations of concurrent billing claims for critical surgeries.
The office was at the forefront of numerous new and ongoing issues to include violent crime, which was at record levels when he took office. He made several announcements on numerous cases against felons illegally in possession of firearms to those involving known gang members. As part of those efforts, the office partnered with the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section as part of the Department’s Violent Crime Initiative which contributed to a reduction in violent crime over the past two years.
He also worked with the three other Texas U.S. Attorneys in a coordinated announcement on a statewide effort targeting machine gun conversion devices.
Hamdani placed particular emphasis on cases linked to Mexican cartels, often noting how their violence spreads into the district. This included a matter out of the Galveston Division which saw the arrest of 23 in a poly-drug indictment. Noting that “Fentanyl-laced pills disguised as something else are killing our kids,” Hamdani and his office targeted those dealing the drug that destroys lives and families and anyone who provided it to others. As part of the effort, Hamdani also announced charges against a Chinese national for his alleged part in a conspiracy involving the importation of what is believed to be the largest amount of fentanyl precursors - chemicals used to make fentanyl - in the SDTX.
He also targeted cybercrime, often speaking and participating in numerous conferences on the topic. In one matter of note, the office helped disrupt a botnet that used hundreds of U.S.-based small office/home office routers so that People’s Republic of China state-sponsored hackers could monitor key parts of American infrastructure.
USA Alamdar Hamdani speaking at a cybersecurity summit in 2023Spending much of his career prosecuting cases involving national security matters, Hamdani continued that focus as U.S. Attorney, from those attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization to another who allegedly exported U.S. technology to Iran.
Hamdani’s office also targeted deadly human smuggling organizations, including a Brownsville matter that saw the conviction of six men who were charged in an alien smuggling ring which resulted in the death of eight people. To further combat the issue, the office also participated in Joint Task Force Alpha, which the Attorney General created to marshal and combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. And just a few weeks ago, as part of that mission, the office unsealed charges against several defendants for the death of over 50 migrants in an overturned trailer in Chiapas, Mexico.
A similar issue due to the proximity to the border is human trafficking, and the office continued its efforts to combat this troubling crime throughout the district and provide for victims, such as a woman who received 30 years for forcing young girls to engage in commercial sex.
A father himself, Hamdani also sought to make sure those committing crimes against children were held accountable. One such criminal was recently sentenced to 100 years in prison for raping two children. On the other end of the spectrum, he emphasized protecting the elderly from those who take advantage of them, such as those who tricked a WWII veteran out of $300,000 to many that are involved in Indian call centers who often target the elderly.
The office increased efforts to hold those committing white collar crime and health care fraud accountable, such as a Houston man who was convicted in a $160M Medicare fraud scheme. Another significant matter and a focus of the office was a company charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act who agreed to pay $160 million. “Prosecuting and investigating this type of crime is an important role our office takes seriously in order to ensure fair and equal playing fields for U.S. companies and consumers,” Hamdani noted.
In October 2023, Attorney General Merrick Garland picked Hamdani to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. Hamdani, along with 13 other U.S. Attorneys, advised the Attorney General on behalf of the U.S. Attorney community. While in this role, he also led the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee which included U.S. Attorneys along the Northern and Southern borders working together to secure both those borders from transnational criminal organizations, cartels, gun, drugs and human smuggling.
During his tenure, Hamdani made it a priority to get the news of the office’s important work to the people, so as to inform some and deter others from committing crime. He used multiple platforms, including the use of social media clips, to ensure these messages were heard.
He is proud to have run his office under the “mama rule.” Citing his own mother’s history as a poor migrant and her age, his mantra was that you treat and protect others as you would your own “mama.”
Hamdani was the first Asian in Texas that was presidentially appointed and senate confirmed as U.S. Attorney. He was born in England to Indian parents who had moved there from India. The family immigrated to Texas when he was 10. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1999 and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.
Hamdani joined the SDTX in 2014, but has been with the Department of Justice since 2008. As an AUSA with the SDTX, he was primarily responsible for the investigation and prosecution of national security and official corruption crimes. From 2010 to 2014, Hamdani served in the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, holding the position of deputy chief from 2012 to 2014. Before that, he was an AUSA in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Prior to his government service, Hamdani was in private practice.
He is married and is a proud father of two teenagers, a University of Texas Longhorn and Bellaire High School Cardinal.
As he departs the office, he is reminded of the privilege he enjoyed to lead a group of dedicated public servants who work every day to make Texas safer, noting that “we love mercy, walk humbly and always, always, seek justice.”
Tulsan Convicted by Federal Jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse and StrangulationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, a federal jury convicted Denzil Austin Berryman, 38, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country and Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country.
“The victim courageously testified about this horrible act against her,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to thank her and the prosecution team for bringing Mr. Berryman to justice.”
In June 2023, Berryman was with the victim at her apartment. Berryman became enraged when he saw that the victim had gummy bears that he believed were a gift from someone else. The victim testified that Berryman began screaming at her, punched the bedroom door, broke several electronics in the apartment, and threatened to harm her cat.
The victim further described that Berryman forced her into the bedroom and began sexually assaulting her. When the victim said no and asked Berryman to stop, he proceeded to strangle her. After passing out, the victim woke to Berryman forcibly raping her.
Berryman is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Previously released on bond, Berryman was taken into custody, pending sentencing at a later date.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Ihler and Stephen Scaife prosecuted the case.
Trader Arrested for Stealing Trade Secrets from Global Quantitative Trading FirmRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging CHEUK FUNG RICHARD HO with theft and attempted theft of trade secrets. The charges in the Indictment arise from HO’s alleged scheme to steal trade secrets from his former employer (“Firm-1”), a global quantitative trading firm. HO was arrested this morning in Los Angeles, California, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. District Court for the Middle District of California, Magistrate Judge the Honorable Joel Richlin.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim said: “As alleged, Cheuk Fung Richard Ho abused the trust his former employer placed in him and stole trade secrets to use at his own quantitative trading firm. Ho allegedly tried to cover his tracks by lying to his former employer repeatedly and asking his employees to delete evidence. Thanks to the FBI, Ho is now in custody.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Cheuk Fung Richard Ho allegedly stole and unlawfully shared private proprietary information to clandestinely develop his own firm in collaboration with his employer’s competitors. The defendant allegedly abused his trusted position by breaching company confidentiality agreements to the detriment of his former firm. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who attempts to garner success through manipulative and dishonest business strategies.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From approximately July 2019 to approximately August 2021, HO was a research developer and quantitative trader at Firm-1, a global, quantitative trading firm, which trades in equities and other securities on exchanges located in the U.S. and abroad. Firm-1’s proprietary source code (“Firm-1’s Source Code”), the development of which took years and cost Firm-1 more than one billion dollars, has been the linchpin of Firm-1’s success in these markets. During the period of HO’s employment at Firm-1, Firm-1 took substantial measures to protect the confidentiality of its Source Code. Among other things, Firm-1 limited access to Firm-1’s Source Code to only those individuals, like HO, who needed access to it in connection with the duties of their employment. Employees with access to Firm-1’s Source Code were required to enter into agreements with Firm-1 in which they acknowledged the importance of keeping Firm-1’s Source Code secret and promised to protect the confidentiality of that Source Code throughout their employment—and after their employment concluded. Firm-1 also implemented numerous physical and network security protocols to prohibit unauthorized access to Firm-1’s Source Code.
In or about the spring of 2021, HO secretly started his own quantitative trading firm (“Firm-2”), which partnered with one of Firm-1’s competitors (“Firm-3”). While still employed at Firm-1, and while taking advantage of the nearly complete access to Firm-1’s Source Code afforded to him as a result of that employment, HO stole valuable trade secrets from Firm-1 (the “Stolen Trade Secrets”) for use in developing the source code for Firm-2 (“Firm-2’s Source Code”). The Stolen Trade Secrets included, among other things, some of the very building blocks of Firm-1’s Source Code, known as “Atoms,” as well as some of its predictive formulas, known as “Alphas.” By stealing these trade secrets, HO was able to quickly launch Firm-2 and begin trading successfully.
Aware that he had misappropriated Firm-1’s trade secrets—and knowing that this theft would injure Firm-1—HO repeatedly lied to Firm-1 about his plans after his employment with Firm-1 concluded. For example, when Firm-1 asked HO about his post-Firm-1 employment plans, HO omitted any mention of the fact that he had started Firm-2 and he misrepresented his affiliation with Firm-3. And once Firm-1 learned that HO had started Firm-2, HO sought to destroy evidence. He directed his employees to delete their internal communications and further directed them to delete the source code history for Firm-2’s Source Code, a direction that HO’s employees did not follow.
* * *
HO, 36, of Los Aneles, California, is charged with one count of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran and Ni Qian are in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Third Ward narcotics dealer heads to prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 46-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for trafficking narcotics, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Demitrios Ramon Jerry pleaded guilty June 20.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Jerry to serve 108 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered the fact that Jerry admitted to dealing fentanyl and meth out of a drug house in Houston’s Third Ward neighborhood. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the quantity of fentanyl.
A joint law enforcement operation revealed Jerry was selling narcotics from a drug house in Third Ward. Jerry sold counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl and ecstasy pills containing meth.
During the operation, authorities searched the drug house and observed crack cocaine, powder cocaine, promethazine syrup and scales within the house.
Jerry was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Accused of Attempting to Rob an ATM Technician is Facing Federal Charges in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with a violent crime after he allegedly attempted to steal cash from an ATM technician, while armed with a weapon.
Jawuan Donte Thomas, 22, of Texas, was initially charged by complaint on December 17, 2024, in Salt Lake County and taken into custody.
According to court documents, on December 17, 2024, Thomas attempted to rob a bank technician outside of a Wells Fargo Bank in Draper, Utah. That same morning, a detective with the Riverton Police Department was notified of an intentionally damaged and jammed Wells Fargo ATM in Riverton, Utah. During the investigation, the detective was notified of another intentionally damaged and jammed ATM in Draper. Through surveillance video, detectives ran a license plate that came back to a Jeep. However, the suspect vehicle was not the vehicle associated with the license plate. Shortly after, detectives located the suspect vehicle at the Wells Fargo in Draper. Detectives observed the occupants inside the vehicle pull into the bank parking lot and watch the ATM technician make repairs on the machine. When the technician opened the safe to the ATM, two occupants wearing ski masks exited the vehicle. One of the occupants, later identified as Thomas, was allegedly armed with a screwdriver. Detectives apprehended Thomas, but the other suspect fled in the vehicle.
Thomas is charged with one count of bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment is January 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer from the South Jordan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Riverton City Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tennessee Man Sentenced for Using Drone to Fly Marijuana into Yazoo City Federal Correctional ComplexRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 2 months in prison for providing marijuana to an inmate of a federal prison. He will placed on supervised release for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
According to court documents, Mark Anderson, 50, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, flew a drone carrying approximately 195 grams of marijuana over the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City and delivered it by releasing it from the air where an inmate would later retrieve it during the early morning hours of October 2, 2021.
Anderson pled guilty on September 26, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
Tampa Man on Federal Supervised Release for Firearm Offense Sentenced to 14 Years for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Benjamin Cedric Graddy (41, Tampa) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating the terms of his supervised release in a separate federal criminal case. Graddy entered a guilty plea on October 2, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) observed a vehicle driven by Graddy fail to stop at a stop sign in Ybor City, Florida. During the traffic stop, the officers smelled burnt marijuana and observed white power in plain view on the driver’s floorboard. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine in the vehicle’s center console. TPD officers also found a distribution amount of dimethylpentylone in two containers in the vehicle, cocaine in Graddy’s pocket, a digital scale, and small plastic baggies.
At the time of the incident, Graddy was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction involving possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan.
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.
Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SUMTER, S.C. — Denetrick Devontae Holland, 24, of Sumter, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute illegal drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Evidence presented in court revealed that in 2023, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received information regarding a “stash house” allegedly operated by Holland and his co-defendants in Sumter County. Acting on this information, the SCSO conducted a series of controlled drug purchases from the residence. During one of these transactions, Holland was caught on video distributing drugs from the location.
On Aug. 31, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the property. During the operation, authorities seized substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 109 grams of crack cocaine, 45 grams of fentanyl, 415 grams of marijuana, digital scales, individual packaging materials, cash, a stolen pistol, and a semiautomatic firearm.
Holland was not present at the time the warrant was executed, but he arrived shortly afterward, used his personal key to enter the residence, and searched the property. In a recorded jail call, Holland was heard telling a co-defendant that law enforcement had confiscated everything from the home used to distribute drugs.
Holland has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for second-degree assault and battery, possession of marijuana, unlawful carrying of a pistol, and third-degree assault and battery.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Holland to 70 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
###
Sturgis Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Selling Drugs on Dark WebRead the Press Release
KALAMAZOO – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Erik Miller, a 47-year-old resident of Sturgis, Michigan, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, MDMA, and Xanax®. Miller previously pleaded guilty to distributing pills and other drugs purchased by customers on the dark web.
“One pill can kill,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Individuals should only take prescription drugs prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. My office will continue holding peddlers accountable for pushing potentially deadly poisons into our communities.”
In 2022, Miller began working with a dark web vendor to distribute fake Xanax® pills, as well as illegal controlled substances, including methamphetamine and MDMA. He also distributed real prescription drugs without requiring customers to provide a prescription. Throughout his participation in the conspiracy, Miller regularly received packages containing thousands of Xanax® pills and other drugs, which Miller then used to fulfill customer orders.
On April 14, 2023, Miller’s involvement in the scheme led investigators to execute search warrants at his home and another associated property. Inside the properties, Miller had stored both controlled and non-controlled substances, including MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, and counterfeit Xanax®, as well as other hallmarks of a drug trafficking operation. Miller also possessed three firearms despite being prohibited from doing so.
Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of what the pills contain.
For more information on counterfeit pills and they dangers they pose, see this Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fact Sheet and the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website, www.dea.gov/onepill.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Carowan prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
# # #
Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Jill Steinberg announces resignationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg has announced her resignation from her presidentially appointed position in the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office, effective Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Steinberg served as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for the 43-county Southern District of Georgia since being sworn into office Feb. 22, 2023. Her departure coincides with the pending transition to a new presidential administration and the traditional appointment of new leaders for federal agencies.
“Serving as U.S. Attorney has been a distinct honor and privilege, and I am grateful for the hard work, camaraderie, and friendship of the dedicated professionals who continue to serve on behalf of the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Representing the United States in court is an incredible responsibility, and those who seek justice on behalf of our nation deserve our lasting gratitude. I am proud to have served alongside them.”
During Steinberg’s tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office concluded a statewide investigation that identified unconstitutional conditions at Georgia’s state prisons; worked to hold accountable individuals responsible for more than $12 million in pandemic relief fraud; and successfully prosecuted significant criminal cases including drug trafficking conspiracies, large-scale fraud operations, child sexual exploitation crimes, and nearly 200 cases involving illegal firearms possession.
Highlights of U.S. Attorney Steinberg’s tenure include:
Criminal prosecutions for drugs, violent crime
- Operation Ghost Busted, the largest single drug trafficking indictment returned in the Southern District of Georgia, was designed to address, and did in fact address, the significant uptick of overdose deaths in the Brunswick, Georgia, area. The defendants, many of them affiliated with a white supremacist gang, collectively have been sentenced to more than 4,000 months in prison, including one defendant who received a life sentence.
- In Operation Night Drop, the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 15 defendants – many of them inmates in Georgia state prisons – for operating a widespread methamphetamine trafficking operation that used drones to deliver contraband to incarcerated conspirators.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a violent extremist who used a weapon of mass destruction on a Savannah street, and another who stalked a woman before using an explosive on her home.
- U.S. Attorney Steinberg took great care to ensure federal resources were used to vigorously defend against those who threatened our national security; the office prosecuted a hostile foreign state actor for exporting restricted equipment and information, and an individual for leaking classified information.
Protecting the vulnerable
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized the protection of our most vulnerable citizens from sexual predators, including the prosecution of a defendant sentenced to 100 years in federal prison for sexually abusing multiple children, a defendant indicted for surreptitiously recording unclothed images of minors in a gym, and multiple defendants indicted as part of a multi-agency operation aimed at identifying online predators.
The office also reached a settlement with a Savannah-area landlord who engaged in a pattern and practice of sexually harassing female tenants for more than 15 years, and then coordinated a multi-agency community roundtable to provide public education on the rights of tenants in rental housing.
Fighting financial fraud
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the supervisor of the Glynn County public works department for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money for his own personal benefit.
- An individual who used the complex and emerging world of cryptocurrency to defraud multiple individual victims of over a million dollars was sent to prison.
- An office manager who abused her position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from a prominent real estate management company received a prison sentence and was ordered to pay restitution.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted multiple individuals who committed millions of dollars in tax fraud and fraudulently accessed pandemic relief programs.
- The office successfully tried a years-long prosecution with the Antitrust Division involving a concrete company and its associates for engaging in anti-competitive practices such as price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation.
- The office reached a $3.9 million settlement with two companies whose employee was murdered when he exposed a scheme by other employees to illegally profit from undocumented laborers.
In addition to these initiatives, U.S. Attorney Steinberg oversaw the revival of the district’s Human Trafficking Task Force and supported the office’s efforts to provide law enforcement training and public education on human trafficking. She also facilitated the district’s entry into the Department of Justice and Department of Commerce-led Disruptive Technology Strike Force, boosted participation in Chatham County’s HOPE Court, and strengthened efforts to pursue prosecution of domestic abusers who illegally possess firearms. Early in her tenure, Steinberg brought together leaders from federal law enforcement agencies to collaborate on major government-led initiatives.
Steinberg was a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) and the AGAC White Collar, Cyber, and Violent Crime Subcommittees. The AGAC is composed of select U.S. Attorneys who advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management that impact the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
U.S. Attorney Steinberg emphasized the importance of community education, visiting school and civic groups and sending staff attorneys to build awareness in such vital areas as hate crimes enforcement, constitutional rights, and elder financial fraud, while supporting the office’s efforts to provide continuing education to law enforcement professionals in areas including white collar crime and human trafficking. The office conducted a public outreach program in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regarding illegal firearms purchases, and coordinated multiple sessions across the district to train law enforcement officers on the growing threat of “ghost” guns and illegal machine gun conversion devices.
“It is my hope that the citizens of the Southern District of Georgia will feel safer and better informed and empowered through our outreach efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Knowledge is a powerful tool, and informed citizens are a vital part of protecting our civil rights and the security of our neighborhoods.”
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Steinberg was a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP. From 2008 to 2014, and from 2016 to 2021, she served the citizens of Georgia as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. From 2014 to 2016, Steinberg worked at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. where she served as an Attorney Advisor in the National Security Division and then as Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. From 2001 to 2008, she was an associate at Rogers & Hardin LLP in Atlanta, Georgia.
Steinberg began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2001. She received her Juris Doctor from Duke University Law School in 1998 and her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Georgia in 1995.
As U.S. Attorney, Steinberg served 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 led a team of more than 70 attorneys and staff in prosecuting federal crimes in the district and defending the United States in civil cases brought in U.S. District Court.
Learn more about the district at www.justice.gov/usao-sdga/about-district.
South Florida Payroll Services Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to not paying employment taxes withheld from his employees’ pay and to filing a false tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Matthew Brown, of Martin County, owned and operated businesses in and around Martin County. One of these businesses was Elite Payroll, a payroll services company. Elite Payroll provided such services to small businesses in and around St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach Counties. This included withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from the wages of its clients’ employees, and then paying over those funds to the IRS.
Between 2014 and 2022, Brown did not pay over $20 million in taxes withheld from clients of Elite Payroll and from other businesses he controlled. Brown charged his clients the full amount of their tax liabilities, filed false tax returns with the IRS substantially underreporting those liabilities, and pocketed the difference.
Instead of paying over the funds he held in trust for Elite Payroll’s clients, Brown purchased commercial and residential real estate, including his multi-million-dollar home, and high-value luxury assets including a Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht, a Falcon 50 Aircraft and a collection of cars including Ferraris, Porsches and Rolls Royces.
In total, Brown caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $22 million.
Brown will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Ascencio and Ashley Stein of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Porter for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Acosta assisted in the investigation.