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19 December 2024
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Stalking, Threatening, and Shooting at Ex-GirlfriendsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nahvarj Mills, 31, of Brandywine, Maryland, was found guilty today of 24 counts related to cyberstalking, disseminating sexually explicit photos, and multiple shootings involving two victims.
The jury verdict, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Mills dated both victims at various points in 2022 and 2023. Each victim ended their relationship with Mills. Between November 2023 and January 2024, Mills, angry about the break-ups, stalked both women by sending them threatening text messages, calling them hundreds of times, and showing up to their homes and places of employment unannounced.
Mills went to both victims’ houses and spread sexually explicit images of them on their lawns. He repeated this conduct at one victim’s home multiple times, spreading the photos outside her home, where her neighbors were able to see the images. He subsequently created a fake Instagram account that appeared to belong to the victim and disseminated the victim’s sexually explicit images to numerous individuals via Instagram. Mills ultimately enlisted the help of a friend to shoot at one victim’s home on multiple occasions.
The jury found Mills guilty of multiple counts of cyberstalking, unlawful publication, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington, D.C.’s Criminal Investigation Unit, the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Houck, Marco Crocetti, and Caroline Burrell are prosecuting this case.
The prosecution team received valuable assistance from Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fox-Moles, Paralegal Specialists Melissa Macechko, Elizabeth Rives, and Tiffany Jones, Victim-Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant, Rogers Dickerson, and Tonya Jones, and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
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24cr332
Jury Finds Convicted Killer Guilty of Racketeering in 2017 Robbery that Resulted in Death of Swim CoachRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Green, 38, of Washington D.C., was found guilty today of racketeering and other counts in connection with a 2017 shooting in Southwest that led to the death of a swim coach.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Marc Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Following a 12-day re-trial, the jury found Green, 38, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and kidnapping in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025.
In 2021, Green was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery while armed, and robbery, for his action in the same shooting.
According to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a coach at the Eastern Market pool, was on his way home from swim lessons when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green also was found guilty of firing gunshots at another victim on Feb. 23, 2017.
Green has been detained since his arrest in April 2017.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar R. Mohanty and Michael Liebman.
19cr0019
Jury Finds Convicted Killer Guilty of RICO Conspiracy and VICAR KidnappingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Green, 38, of Washington D.C., was found guilty on Wednesday of RICO Conspiracy (racketeering) and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) kidnapping, in connection with a series of violent crimes he committed in early 2017.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director, Washington Field Office, David Sunberg, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince Georges County Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Following a 12-day re-trial, the jury found Green, 38, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and VICAR kidnapping. U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025.
In 2021, Green was found guilty of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, assault with a dangerous weapon, and attempted robbery in connection with other offenses committed during the same period. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the RICO conspiracy and VICAR charges, which led to the most recent trial and convictions.
In the 2021 trial, according to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a swim coach at the Eastern Market pool, who was on his way home when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green was also found guilty at the initial trial of firing gunshots at another victim on February 23, 2017.
In the recent re-trial, the evidence at trial established that Green and a co-conspirator committed a series of violent acts and were working as an “enterprise” to enrich themselves. The VICAR kidnapping conviction in the re-trial involved an incident on April 8, 2017, in which Green and a co-conspirator confronted a young man at gunpoint as the man was getting out of his car in a convenience store parking lot. Green ordered the victim back into the car and robbed him of his ATM card. He then forced the victim to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where he forced him to take off his clothes, and then robbed him of his sneakers and other belongings.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman, of the Superior Court Division Homicide Section.
19cr0019
Jersey City Gang Member Charged with Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering and Weapons Offense for Role in ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang operating in the area of Triangle Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, is charged for his role in shooting rival gang members, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Micah Reid, aka “Nips,” 33, of Jersey City is charged by complaint with one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and one count of discharging of a firearm during a crime of violence. Reid made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Reid is a high-ranking member and associate of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang, which operates in the area of Triangle Park in Jersey City. The gang has historically engaged in retaliatory acts of violence against rival neighborhood street gangs operating in the area of the Salem Lafayette Apartments and the area of Wilkinson Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Martin Luther King Drive, and Wegman Parkway.
On October 1, 2023, Reid, driving a stolen vehicle, shot at members and associates of rival street gangs who were exiting a nightclub on Culver Avenue in Jersey City. In total, six individual suffered gunshot wounds. Law enforcement later recovered the firearm used in the shooting from Reid’s residence while executing a search warrant.
Reid faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the violent crime in aid of racketeering charge, and a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the firearm offense, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Both offenses carry a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
reid.complaint.pdf
Jefferson Parish Man Indicted for Firearm and Narcotics ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – KERNELIUS ALFORD (“ALFORD”), age 35, of Metairie, was charged on December 13, 2024, in a six-count superseding indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 1 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D). Counts 2 and 5 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 942(e). Count 4 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(2). Finally, Count 6 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 942(e).
According to the indictment, ALFORD possessed a firearm on May 2, 2024. ALFORD was prohibited from possessing a firearm, due to his previous felony conviction(s). If convicted, ALFORD faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, at least two (2) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment for Count 1; a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to life of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Counts 2 and 5; up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3; up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $2,000,000 fine, and up to 6 years of supervised release for Count 4; up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 6. ALFORD also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all six counts.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Jefferson County felon sentenced for federal gun violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Kemien Sharod Taylor, 51, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 19, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in November of 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on 12th Street in Port Arthur, where Taylor had previously sold crack cocaine. During the search, Taylor directed officers to a firearm in a bedroom closet. The firearm had been reported stolen in Houston. In addition to the stolen firearm, detectives also located a quantity of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia to include Pyrex mixing bowls with cocaine residue and digital scales with cocaine residue. Further investigation revealed Taylor to be a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Iranian Man Indicted for Providing Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organization Resulting in Death, and for Scheme to Procure Sensitive U.S. Technology Used in Military DronesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men who were arrested earlier this week have been indicted on charges related to a scheme to illegally export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran.
Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, 42, a dual U.S.-Iranian national of Natick, Mass. and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, A/K/A Mohammad Abedini (Abedini), 38, of Tehran, Iran, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act “IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions (ITSR) regulations; and three counts of violation of the IEEPA and the ITSR. Abedini was also indicted on four additional counts of violation of the IEEPA and the ITSR; as well as one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death; and one count of provision and attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.
On Jan. 28, 2024, three U.S. service members were killed, and more than 40 others were injured, in a drone attack by IRGC-backed militants on a military base located in northern Jordan, known as Tower 22. According to court documents, analysis of the drone that was recovered from the site of the attack showed that the drone was an Iranian Shahed UAV and that the navigation system used in the drone was manufactured by Abedini’s company.
The defendants were charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 16, 2024 and were arrested on Dec. 16, 2024. Sadeghi was arrested in Massachusetts and remains in federal custody. Abedini was arrested in Italy by Italian authorities at the request of the United States and is pending extradition proceedings.
According to court documents, Abedini is the founder and managing director of an Iranian company, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA or SADRA), that manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC’s military drone program. SDRA’s main business is the sale of a proprietary navigation system—known as the Sepehr Navigation System—to the IRGC, which the United States designated as an foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on April 15, 2019. The primary application of SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System is for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) – also known as drones – as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. Sadeghi was employed by a Massachusetts-based microelectronics manufacturer (U.S. Company 1) and was one of the founders of a Massachusetts-based technology company (U.S. Company 2) that specializes in wearable sensors that provide kinetic monitoring for fitness applications.
As alleged in court documents, Abedini, Sadeghi, and others conspired to evade U.S. export control and sanctions laws by procuring U.S. origin goods, services and technology from, U.S. Company 1 and causing them to be exported and supplied to Iran and, in particular, Abedini’s Iranian company, SDRA.
As further alleged, in or around 2016, Sadeghi traveled to Iran to request funding for U.S. Company 2 from the Iranian National Elites Foundation (INEF), which is an Iranian governmental organization whose main purpose is to recognize, organize and support Iran’s elite national talents. In exchange for funding for U.S. Company 2, which Sadeghi’s company ultimately received from the INEF, Sadeghi and others created a second company in Iran (Iranian Company 1). Shortly after forming Iranian Company 1, Sadeghi, through Iranian Company 1, entered into a contract with SDRA for the purchase of SDRA’s technology. It is also alleged that, since in or around 2016, on multiple occasions, Sadeghi has helped Abedini procure U.S. export-controlled electronic components for Abedini’s use in Iran.
Due to U.S. laws restricting exports to Iran, Abedini established a Switzerland front company for SDRA, Illumove SA (Illumove). According to court documents, with Sadeghi’s assistance, Abedini, through Illumove, entered into a contract with U.S. Company 1 to develop a mechanism to evaluate U.S. Company 1’s electronic components, including sophisticated semiconductors. It is alleged that Sadeghi and Abedini subsequently caused U.S.-origin goods, services and technology to be transferred to Iran, through Illumove, for the benefit of SDRA. Certain of the electronic components that Abedini allegedly obtained through Illumove were the same types of electronic components used in SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System. According to court filings, the same navigation system that was determined to be used in the drone that struck Tower 22 and caused the death of three U.S. service members.
Abedini is also charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is a strategic missile, air and space force. Since at least in or about 2014, SDRA has had multiple projects with the IRGC Aerospace Force, including projects for guided rockets and integrated navigation systems. As alleged, between 2021 and 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA’s sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, which are used in IRGC one-way attack drones, were to the IRGC’s Aerospace Force.
Sadeghi and Abedini each face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million fine on the charges related to violating the International Emergency Economics Powers Act. On the charges related to providing material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, resulting in death, Abedini faces up to life in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jared Dolan and Alathea Porter of the District of Massachusetts’ National Security Unit; Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and Trial Attorneys Katie Sweeten and David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing assistance and is seeking extradition of Abedini from Italy.
This prosecution is being coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Inmate at Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood Sentenced to an Additional 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Assault on A Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Demetrius Catching, age 34, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood, and formerly of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to serve an additional 41 months in prison on the charge of assaulting, resisting, and impeding a corrections officer.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Catching was previously indicted by a grand jury in Scranton in April 2016, after an incident at FCI Allenwood in which Catching punched a corrections officer. Sentencing in this matter was delayed while Catching was prosecuted on federal charges for drug distribution and money laundering in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Catching is presently serving sentences from the Eastern District of Kentucky totaling 148 months for those offenses. The sentence imposed by Judge Mariani will run consecutively, or in addition to, the Eastern District of Kentucky sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
At the time of the incident at FCI Allenwood, Catching was serving a sentence of 60 months from the Eastern District of Kentucky for distributing cocaine base (crack). That sentence has since expired.
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Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition Sends Two Acadia Parish Men to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two men from Acadia Parish were sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays on firearms charges.
Tylius Arceneaux, 35, of Lafayette, Louisiana was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. On July 7, 2021, Arceneaux was involved in a single vehicle crash in Lafayette. At the time of the crash, he was in possession of a Beretta 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine loaded with approximately 23 rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement officers learned that Arceneaux had numerous felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arceneaux admitted to illegally possessing the loaded firearm, knowing that he was prohibited from doing so, and pleaded guilty to the charge on September 5, 2024.
The case was investigated by ATF and Lafayette Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
Kiari Robinson, 35, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Robinson was charged in an indictment with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and pleaded guilty to the charge on September 4, 2024. On November 11, 2022, narcotics agents working with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle run a stop sign and activated the emergency lights in their fully marked vehicle. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop for law enforcement and began to flee traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle finally came to a stop and the driver was identified as Robinson. When the deputies approached Robinson’s vehicle, they observed a black Glock handgun with an extended magazine sitting on the driver’s side floorboard. Deputies learned that Robinson was a convicted felon, having been previously convicted of several offenses in Acadia Parish, and they seized the firearm. A subsequent search of Robinson’s cell phone revealed photos of him holding the seized firearm. At his guilty plea, Robinson admitted that he possessed the gun, knowing he was prohibited from doing so.
The case was investigated by ATF and Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
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Hyannis Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Timothy Lee Galvin, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2025. Galvin was indicted in August 2023.
On or about June 2, 2023 in Barnstable, Galvin was arrested for possession of approximately six grams of fentanyl and three rounds of 9mm ammunition in his pocket, and a backpack in which the police found a privately made firearm which was a .45 caliber pistol, 11 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 47 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum term of three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, a maximum of five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $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.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.
Houston armed felon sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing fentanylRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Derrick Wayne Roberson, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 19, 2024.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2023, law enforcement conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating out of Houston and into East Texas. Roberson was found to be a member of that organization and a distributor of methamphetamine, heroin, a fentanyl analogue, as well as a firearms trafficker. As a member of the organization Roberson would transport contraband from the Houston area to East Texas and distribute the contraband. Over the course of the investigation, Roberson sold not only large amounts of methamphetamine, but also fentanyl and a firearms, including a firearm equipped with a “glock switch.” A glock switch allows for a handgun to be fired as a fully automatic weapon, making it a machine gun. Roberson has previous felony convictions for robbery, felony theft, and evading law enforcement with a motor vehicle. As a felon, he is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations, and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Wilbur Curtis Arnold Jr., 59, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2024, law enforcement officers found a Winchester model 190 .22-caliber rifle at Arnold’s residence while arresting him on a warrant. Arnold told officers the rifle belonged to him. The rifle had been reported stolen on June 12, 2012.
On June 30, 2023, Arnold brought a Rock Island Armory model 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun to a White Sulphur Springs business, where he sold the firearm for $300. Arnold presented his identification and signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the gun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2016.
Arnold has a long criminal history that also includes three convictions for domestic battery and convictions for violating a protective, battery, assault, DUI, and multiple additional controlled substance offenses.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-61.
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Fruit Juice Manufacturing Company and its Former President Plead Guilty to Food Safety CrimesRead the Press Release
The former president and primary owner of the now-closed fruit juice manufacturer Valley Processing Inc. (VPI) in Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges related to the manufacture and sale of tainted fruit juice products in violation of federal food safety laws.
Mary Ann Bliesner, 83, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts under the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including failing to register a food facility with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bliesner also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor FDCA violation in connection with failing to prevent and correct VPI’s introduction of adulterated grape juice concentrate into interstate commerce, including grape juice concentrate that was delivered to a customer for use in the National School Lunch Program. VPI pleaded guilty to conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded fruit juice into interstate commerce, including selling tainted fruit juice to customers. Bliesner and VPI agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture amount of $742,139 as proceeds of their criminal conduct.
In pleading guilty, VPI admitted that it conspired to distribute tainted and potentially unsafe apple and grape juice to customers in the United States and abroad between October 2012 and June 2019. VPI admitted that it misrepresented to customers the age and quality of VPI’s products. VPI admitted that it blended grape juice concentrate, which was stored outside the VPI facility for years and exposed to the elements, with newer grape juice concentrate, and sold the resulting blended grape juice product to unsuspecting customers as if it were new product. VPI sold at least some of this contaminated product to customers who provided grape juice for the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-cost lunches to children.
Bliesner and VPI admitted that they failed to register a food facility, known as the “Grape Road Facility,” with the FDA. Bliesner and VPI used the Grape Road Facility to store earlier seasons’ unsold grape juice concentrate, sometimes for years, in large concrete vats that were not properly covered or cooled. Bliesner and VPI admitted that product stored at the Grape Road Facility was adulterated, unsafe and unfit for consumption. According to VPI’s plea agreement, during a May 2018 FDA inspection, employees placed caution tape over the entrance to the room at the Grape Road Facility with the concrete storage vats. VPI employees then told FDA investigators that the facility was unsafe to enter and that it contained no juice or juice products. According to the VPI plea agreement, FDA investigators later learned about the vats and, after entering the room, observed grape juice concentrate that testing later confirmed was contaminated with bird and rodent feces, fur, insects, decaying remains of animals, mold, yeast and other contaminants. FDA inspectors also observed and photographed a live rat walking across the hardened crust that had formed on top of the grape juice concentrate.
In November 2020, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to enjoin Bliesner and VPI from producing, storing or selling juice or juice products. In January 2021, Bliesner and VPI agreed to a consent injunction barring Bliesner and VPI from processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding or distributing any type of food without first notifying and receiving approval from the FDA. VPI subsequently closed. Bliesner and the company no longer manufacture or sell juice products. In September 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bliesner and VPI with 12 counts of fraud and food safety crimes.
“Protecting the safety of American’s food supply is essential,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will take action whenever appropriate to ensure the individuals and companies that produce our food maintain safe facilities and tell the truth to their customers and the FDA.”
“Bliesner and her company, Valley Processing, produced juice in filthy and unsafe conditions, mis-labeled that product, and then sold it to the National School Lunch Program that serves low-income school children,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “School children deserve safe and nutritious food. Nothing is more important that the health and safety of our children. I commend the excellent work by investigators with the Food and Drug Administration and prosecutors in my office who uncovered and stopped this conduct and are protecting our public health.”
“Companies that mislead consumers and the FDA by selling adulterated products manufactured and stored under insanitary conditions place the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “In this case, the company’s actions put at risk the health of consumers, including schoolchildren, who consumed the fruit juice. FDA will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert our regulatory processes at the expense of consumer safety.”
Bliesner and VPI will face a sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney James Hennelly and Senior Trial Attorney David Gunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Devin Curda for the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit their website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Fruit Juice Manufacturing Company and its Former President Plead Guilty to Food Safety CrimesRead the Press Release
The former president and primary owner of the now-closed fruit juice manufacturer Valley Processing Inc. (VPI) in Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges related to the manufacture and sale of tainted fruit juice products in violation of federal food safety laws.
Mary Ann Bliesner, 83, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts under the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including failing to register a food facility with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bliesner also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor FDCA violation in connection with failing to prevent and correct VPI’s introduction of adulterated grape juice concentrate into interstate commerce, including grape juice concentrate that was delivered to a customer for use in the National School Lunch Program. VPI pleaded guilty to conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded fruit juice into interstate commerce, including selling tainted fruit juice to customers. Bliesner and VPI agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture amount of $742,139 as proceeds of their criminal conduct.
In pleading guilty, VPI admitted that it conspired to distribute tainted and potentially unsafe apple and grape juice to customers in the United States and abroad between October 2012 and June 2019. VPI admitted that it misrepresented to customers the age and quality of VPI’s products. VPI admitted that it blended grape juice concentrate, which was stored outside the VPI facility for years and exposed to the elements, with newer grape juice concentrate, and sold the resulting blended grape juice product to unsuspecting customers as if it were new product. VPI sold at least some of this contaminated product to customers who provided grape juice for the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-cost lunches to children.
Bliesner and VPI admitted that they failed to register a food facility, known as the “Grape Road Facility,” with the FDA. Bliesner and VPI used the Grape Road Facility to store earlier seasons’ unsold grape juice concentrate, sometimes for years, in large concrete vats that were not properly covered or cooled. Bliesner and VPI admitted that product stored at the Grape Road Facility was adulterated, unsafe and unfit for consumption. According to VPI’s plea agreement, during a May 2018 FDA inspection, employees placed caution tape over the entrance to the room at the Grape Road Facility with the concrete storage vats. VPI employees then told FDA investigators that the facility was unsafe to enter and that it contained no juice or juice products. According to the VPI plea agreement, FDA investigators later learned about the vats and, after entering the room, observed grape juice concentrate that testing later confirmed was contaminated with bird and rodent feces, fur, insects, decaying remains of animals, mold, yeast and other contaminants. FDA inspectors also observed and photographed a live rat walking across the hardened crust that had formed on top of the grape juice concentrate.
In November 2020, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to enjoin Bliesner and VPI from producing, storing or selling juice or juice products. In January 2021, Bliesner and VPI agreed to a consent injunction barring Bliesner and VPI from processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding or distributing any type of food without first notifying and receiving approval from the FDA. VPI subsequently closed. Bliesner and the company no longer manufacture or sell juice products. In September 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bliesner and VPI with 12 counts of fraud and food safety crimes.
“Protecting the safety of American’s food supply is essential,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will take action whenever appropriate to ensure the individuals and companies that produce our food maintain safe facilities and tell the truth to their customers and the FDA.”
“Bliesner and her company, Valley Processing, produced juice in filthy and unsafe conditions, mis-labeled that product, and then sold it to the National School Lunch Program that serves low-income school children,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “School children deserve safe and nutritious food. Nothing is more important that the health and safety of our children. I commend the excellent work by investigators with the Food and Drug Administration and prosecutors in my office who uncovered and stopped this conduct and are protecting our public health.”
“Companies that mislead consumers and the FDA by selling adulterated products manufactured and stored under insanitary conditions place the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “In this case, the company’s actions put at risk the health of consumers, including schoolchildren, who consumed the fruit juice. FDA will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert our regulatory processes at the expense of consumer safety.”
Bliesner and VPI will face a sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney James Hennelly and Senior Trial Attorney David Gunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Devin Curda for the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit their website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Four Plead Guilty in Drug Conspiracy Involving More Than 80 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that four Orlando-area residents have pleaded guilty for their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy involving an estimated 89 kilograms of cocaine. Israel Miranda (36, Kissimmee), Abiezer Laboy-Lozada (36, Orlando), Jorge Antonio Gonzalez de la Fuente (31, St. Cloud), and Carlos Antonio Garcia Garcia (35, Kissimmee) have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute kilograms of cocaine. Miranda and Laboy-Lozada each face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Gonzalez de la Fuente and Garcia Garcia each face a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The conspirators also forfeited $464,031 in cash seized during the case.
According to the plea agreements, the Drug Enforcement Administration identified a group of individuals working to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and the proceeds of those sales during 2022. On May 1, 2023, Miranda distributed drugs to Laboy-Lozada in a parking lot. In this and similar meetings during the conspiracy, Laboy-Lozada obtained 20 - 30 kilograms of cocaine from Miranda. On October 4, 2023, Miranda delivered a shoebox to Gonzalez de la Fuente, who then delivered it to Garcia Garcia. When law enforcement stopped his vehicle, Garcia Garcia was found to be carrying the shoebox containing a kilogram of cocaine:
During the course of the conspiracy, Gonzalez de la Fuente met with his conspirators two or three times a month and was involved in distributing 15 - 50 kilograms of cocaine. Gonzalez de la Fuente continued to engage in drug distribution after being charged and was detained when this was discovered.
On October 13, 2023, Miranda delivered drug proceeds to an individual who was found to be transporting $262,257 in a brown paper bag. At the same time, Miranda texted a conspirator an image of the stacks of cash he was distributing with the message “should be 110k.”
Similar enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of $51,989 from Miranda on November 7, 2023, and $149,785 from Miranda on March 6, 2024. Over the course of the conspiracy, Miranda distributed drugs or drug proceeds reflecting distribution of more than 89 kilograms of cocaine. Miranda has agreed to forfeit of all the cash seized in the case.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Founder and Head of Archegos Capital Management Bill Hwang Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Massive Market Manipulation and Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SUNG KOOK (BILL) HWANG, the founder and head of a private investment firm known as Archegos, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to 18 years in prison concurrently on each count charged for leading a criminal enterprise that manipulated the prices of multiple stocks and defrauded at least nine investment banks. In July 2024, HWANG was convicted following a nine-week jury trial of racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, market manipulation, and wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Bill Hwang weaponized his personal hedge fund, Archegos, to pursue financial fraud on a national scale. For months on end, Hwang and his coconspirators used an array of lies and manipulative trading strategies to rig the stock market in Hwang’s favor. Hwang’s crimes brought him to the brink of staggering wealth before his fraud collapsed and left investors, banks, and even Hwang’s own employees with billions of dollars in losses. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that criminal manipulation schemes will be met with serious prison sentences.”
As reflected in the Indictment, court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
Beginning in 2020, HWANG—along with his co-conspirators, including codefendant Patrick Halligan (Archegos’s Chief Financial Officer)—used the Archegos enterprise to pursue two interrelated criminal schemes, one involving manipulative trading in the marketplace and the other involving false and misleading statements to Archegos’s trading counterparties. Although HWANG held himself out as an investor focused on company fundamentals with a three- to five-year investment horizon, which had been Archegos’s investment approach for years, by the fall of 2020, HWANG spent his time—and nearly all Archegos’s capital—on constant trading in the same core stocks. HWANG began deploying strategies aimed to manipulate, control, and artificially affect the market for securities in Archegos’s portfolio. Those techniques included purchasing or selling securities at particular times of day including marking the price of securities up at the close of trading to trigger payouts to Archegos and trading at times and in a manner to give the false impression of additional interest in the securities, transacting in certain securities in large amounts or high volume, and timing or coordinating certain transactions to maximize impact on the market.
HWANG’s manipulative trading was sustained and furthered by lies and misrepresentations made to Archegos’s counterparties. As HWANG’s trading led to large position sizes, Archegos’s counterparties started to impose limits on Archegos’s trading. To enable HWANG to continue to trade the same names at larger sizes, HWANG, Halligan, and others conspired to make repeated, materially false and misleading statements to Archegos’s counterparties about Archegos’s portfolio of securities. These false and misleading statements were designed to fraudulently induce the counterparties into trading with and extending credit to Archegos, enabling and facilitating the market manipulation scheme, and to hide the true risk of doing business with Archegos.
By March 2021, HWANG’s manipulative trading scheme—which relied in part on continually increasing the size of Archegos’s positions in a handful of equities—had profoundly reshaped Archegos’s portfolio and risk profile. Now Archegos had concentrated its investments in a number of publicly traded stocks with markets that HWANG found he could distort, including of large companies, such as ViacomCBS and Discovery. Archegos’s portfolio became highly vulnerable to external events that might deflate the artificial prices HWANG had created. In late March 2021, the markets exposed HWANG’s price manipulation. On March 22, 2021, ViacomCBS announced a seasoned equity offering. Following that announcement, on March 23, 2021, HWANG directed nearly a billion dollars in additional purchases of stock in ViacomCBS and other companies whose stock HWANG had manipulated in a final effort to control the prices of those stocks and prevent them from declining and harming the value of his portfolio. On March 24, 2021, using what cash and trading capacity remained, HWANG made one final attempt to reverse market forces, but he failed. When the markets closed, Archegos faced substantial margin calls that it could not meet, causing billions of dollars in losses to the counterparties that had financed HWANG’s trading.
Ultimately, the market manipulation and fraud schemes, and the billions of dollars in losses that they caused, victimized a wide swath of market participants, including counterparties that engaged in loans and securities trading with Archegos based on lies and deceit, ordinary investors who purchased and sold the relevant securities at artificial prices, and securities issuers who made business decisions based on the artificial prices of their stocks. The schemes also caused millions of dollars of losses to innocent Archegos employees who had been required to allocate to Archegos a substantial amount of their pay as deferred compensation.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, HWANG, 60, of Tenafly, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release concurrently on each count and ordered to pay more than nine billion dollars in restitution.
Halligan, who was convicted at trial alongside HWANG of racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2025.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Alexandra Rothman, Samuel P. Rothschild, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted on Federal Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTSEVILLE, Va. – A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents. In return, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office.
In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.
Jenkins was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison on each of the honest services fraud counts, and 10 years in prison on each of the bribery counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme and will be sentenced at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and are prosecuting the case.
Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents. In return, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.
Jenkins was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison on each of the honest services fraud counts, and 10 years in prison on each of the bribery counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme and will be sentenced at a later date.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by PIN Paralegal Specialist Lauren Fastenau.
Former Richmond County, Georgia, Deputy Pleads Guilty Federal Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
A former Richmond County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office deputy has pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges involving an assault on a jail detainee.
Dantavion Jones, 33, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to an information charging the officer with one felony count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law.
According to court documents, Jones was a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. On May 7, 2022, Jones was working with other deputies at Richmond County’s Charles D. Webster Detention Center to secure inmates who had caused flooding in a section of the jail. Jones deliberately removed the handcuffs of a compliant inmate, after which another officer proceeded to punch him. Jones pleaded guilty to failing to intervene or stop the assault on the inmate, who was not posing a threat to anyone at the time of the assault. Former deputies Daniel D’Aversa and Melissa Morello previously pleaded guilty for their involvement in the same incident.
A sentencing date will be set at a later time. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia and Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Anita T. Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lucas Allen Fussell, 42, of Onley, Virginia, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges arising out of his distribution of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer in June 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Fussell pleaded guilty on December 18 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two counts of distribution of child pornography. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 6, 2025.
According to court papers, between December 20, 2023, and February 7, 2024, Fussell, using an anonymous account on an end-to-end encrypted messaging application, exchanged videos and images containing child pornography with another individual whose phone was later seized and searched by the FBI pursuant to a search warrant. In the course those conversations, Fussell shared details that revealed his identity. Those details included his home address, a description of his vehicle, and numerous sexualized comments about examining the genitals of patients—some as young as 11 years old—that he saw in the course of his work as a nurse practitioner.
In June 2024, an undercover agent with the FBI-MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force used the seized phone to respond to a message from Fussell on the end-to-end encrypted messaging app. On June 22, 2024, and again on June 30, 2024, Fussell sent the undercover agent numerous images and videos depicting the rape and sexual abuse of prepubescent boys.
On July 16, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Fussell’s residence in Onley, Virginia, and seized numerous encrypted electronic devices. Fussell was arrested and has remained in custody ever since.
Fussell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison. He also faces mandatory restitution. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the Onley Police Department, CEOS’s High Technology Investigative Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case is being 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 justice.gov/psc.
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Former Mississippi State Capitol Police Officer Indicted for Excessive Force Against a Handcuffed ArresteeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Southern District of Mississippi charging former Mississippi State Capitol Police Flex Unit officer Jeffery Walker with felony deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to court documents, Walker used excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee, identified as E.S., including the use of dangerous weapons and force resulting in bodily injury.
On July 27, 2022, Walker, driving an unmarked police car, attempted to initiate a traffic stop involving E.S., who failed to stop and led Walker on a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, several Jackson Police Department (JPD) officers followed behind until Walker cut E.S. off, causing Walker to run into a tree and E.S. to swerve into the yard behind Walker’s car. An assisting JPD officer pulled E.S. from the car and handcuffed him without issue. Shortly after taking control of E.S., who was still handcuffed and compliant at this point, Walker slammed E.S.’ head into the hood of E.S.’ car, put him on the ground and kicked him in the head and face area. E.S. suffered bodily injury as a result of Walker’s actions.
If convicted, Walker faces 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section 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.
Former Mississippi State Capitol Police Officer Indicted for Excessive Force Against a Handcuffed ArresteeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Southern District of Mississippi charging former Mississippi State Capitol Police Flex Unit officer Jeffery Walker with felony deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to court documents, Walker used excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee, identified as E.S., including the use of dangerous weapons and force resulting in bodily injury.
On July 27, 2022, Walker, driving an unmarked police car, attempted to initiate a traffic stop involving E.S., who failed to stop and led Walker on a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, several Jackson Police Department (JPD) officers followed behind until Walker cut E.S. off, causing Walker to run into a tree and E.S. to swerve into the yard behind Walker’s car. An assisting JPD officer pulled E.S. from the car and handcuffed him without issue. Shortly after taking control of E.S., who was still handcuffed and compliant at this point, Walker slammed E.S.’ head into the hood of E.S.’ car, put him on the ground and kicked him in the head and face area. E.S. suffered bodily injury as a result of Walker’s actions.
If convicted, Walker faces 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section 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.
Former Head of Suburban Chicago Public Library Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling More Than $770,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former director of the Markham, Ill. Public Library has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $770,000 from the library over a decade.
From 2009 to 2019, XAVIER MENZIES misappropriated approximately $770,715 from the library. Much of the money was initially received by the Markham library from the public library district in nearby Posen, Ill., which paid Markham for allowing Posen residents to access the library and use its services. Menzies opened bank accounts in the name of Markham Public Library and deposited checks made out to the library. He later withdrew the funds and used the money for personal expenses, including mortgage payments, ticket purchases, and auto repairs. Menzies concealed the scheme by routinely misrepresenting the library’s financial condition to the Markham Public Library’s Board of Trustees.
As part of the fraud scheme, Menzies also increased his annual salary as library director without the approval or knowledge of the Board of Trustees and continued to receive the higher salary for approximately three years.
Menzies, 52, of Glenwood, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the prison sentence and ordered Menzies to pay $770,715 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Fraud such as this one involving the misappropriation of public funds can be difficult to detect and lucrative to the participant,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Greed and an arrogant belief that he would not be caught or significantly punished are the only explanations for why Menzies chose to engage in this fraud.”
Former Fayette County Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking and Obstruction CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Allen Clay Jr., 58, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution for sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female and obstructing the resulting investigation. Clay must also register as a sex offender.
Clay was the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department and a deputy with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the offenses. Evidence at trial proved that Clay paid a total of $100 to co-defendant Kristen Naylor-Legg to have sex with her 17-year-old minor female relative on two separate occasions in June 2020.
During both incidents, Clay wore his Gauley Bridge Police uniform, badge, duty belt, and service firearm. The first incident occurred at or near Clay’s Gauley Bridge-issued vehicle on a rural Fayette County road. The second incident took place inside the former Gauley Bridge High School, in a basement office reserved for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. Investigators were able to retrieve DNA evidence from a washcloth discarded in the office.
After the minor female reported both incidents, Clay sought to persuade Naylor-Legg to lie to law enforcement about what happened. Clay also asked a law enforcement officer if his criminal conduct could be covered up.
Following four days of trial, a federal jury found Clay guilty on April 28, 2023 of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice.
“Today’s sentence reflects the incalculable harm Larry Allen Clay Jr. inflicted on his minor victim, his community, and the public’s trust of law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “He failed his oath to protect the public and uphold the law. But Clay also failed to anticipate his victim’s courage. Despite everything she endured, she came forward. Because of this survivor’s bravery and resolve, he was brought to justice.”
Naylor-Legg, 31, of Gauley Bridge, was sentenced to nine years in prison on August 31, 2023 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18.
Thompson commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Monica Dillon tried the case, securing guilty verdicts on all four counts against Clay.
Members of the public are urged to report suspected instances of child sex trafficking through a toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or online at www.ice.gov/tips.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-62.
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Former Doctor and Her Wife Sentenced for Fraud and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former family practice doctor in Huntsville was sentenced today for drug crimes, health care fraud, and COVID-19 disaster relief fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General Atlanta Region. The doctor’s wife, who owned the medical practice, was also sentenced.
Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Francene Aretha Gayle, 50, to 87 months in prison on four opioid prescribing charges, one count of health care fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Judge Burke sentenced Schara Monique Davis, 48, to 42 months in prison for one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each defendant was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution, forfeit $226,815, and pay a fine.
According to the defendants’ plea agreements, between about 2014 and early 2020, Gayle was a doctor who operated a multi-clinic practice in Huntsville, Athens, and Killen. Davis owned the practice and served as business manager. In 2019, the Killen clinic shut down. In March 2020, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission revoked Gayle’s license, and the other two clinics closed shortly after that.
Gayle admitted that she had unlawfully distributed drugs, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone.
Gayle and Davis both admitted to having conspired to commit health care fraud for several years by billing insurers for office visits under Gayle’s name even when she did not see the patients, was not in the same building, and sometimes was not in the same town. The defendants knew that the billing scheme was fraudulent. In 2015, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama audited the practice and discovered that Gayle was absent, other staff were seeing patients, and yet all office visits were being billed under Gayle’s name. Blue Cross flagged the issue, and Gayle promised it would stop. Instead, the practice continued fraudulently billing insurers for office visits for the next four years. In total, between 2015 and 2020, Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross paid more than $2.3 million for office visits billed under Gayle’s name.
Gayle and Davis both also admitted to having conspired to commit wire fraud. In March 2020, based on concerns about her prescribing and billing practices, Gayle’s Alabama medical license was revoked. Months later, Gayle and Davis applied for and obtained more than $450,000 in COVID-19 disaster relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Those funds were designed to stabilize businesses struggling because of the pandemic. In their funding applications, Gayle and Davis certified that their medical practice needed the money because of economic uncertainty or injury caused by the pandemic. In reality, Gayle and Davis’s practice had closed, and they used COVID-19 funds they received on other things.
The FBI, DEA, and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office provided exceptional investigative assistance after the Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program Integrity Division initiated the case and referred it. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case.
Former Bank Teller Arrested for Stealing More Than $180,000 from Customer AccountsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Saugus man has been arrested and charged for allegedly embezzling bank funds while working as a teller at TD Bank.
Derek Aut, 28, has been charged by criminal complaint with embezzlement by a bank employee. Aut was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Aut allegedly stole from the bank accounts of two TD Bank customers. When one of the victims noticed money missing from her account, Aut allegedly attempted to cover up his theft by taking money from the other victim’s account and depositing it into the first victim’s account. In total, Aut is alleged to have taken more than $180,000 from the victims’ accounts.
The charge of embezzlement by a bank employee provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
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
Felon Who Assaulted Pregnant Teenager with a Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A felon who used a gun to assault a pregnant teenager was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison. Diago Davis, age 51, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a July 15, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.
Evidence at sentencing showed that on February 3, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Davis’s residence in Hiawatha, Iowa, where officers found a loaded firearm that Davis knowingly possessed. Earlier in the day, Davis had assaulted a pregnant teenage victim with that same firearm because he mistakenly thought she had taken his PlayStation 5. Davis has multiple drug‑related felony convictions.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Davis was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Davis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-41.
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Federal Judge Orders Lower Yakima Valley Dairies to Test Wells and Provide Safe Drinking Water to Area Residents at Risk from Nitrate-Contaminated WellsRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that today, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice granted the United States’s motion for preliminary injunction and ordered three large dairies located north of Granger, Washington, in the Lower Yakima Valley to provide well testing and bottled water or water treatment systems to nearby community members at risk from nitrate-contaminated wells.
This action, brought under the Safe Drinking Water Act, seeks to ensure access to safe and clean drinking water and is part of the lawsuit, filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in June of 2024, that alleges that dairies in the Lower Yakima Valley have contributed nitrate to the area’s groundwater and contaminated drinking water wells. Nitrate is an acute contaminant. A single exposure can pose serious health risks, including a condition in infants known as methemoglobinemia, or “blue baby syndrome,” that can result in death.
In the court’s order granting the United States’ motion for preliminary injunction, the court ordered the dairies to test drinking water wells in an area up to 3.5 miles downgradient of the dairies and to provide and maintain reverse-osmosis water treatment systems or bottled water to homes where this testing finds nitrate levels above 10 milligrams per liter. The court also ordered the dairies to immediately conduct groundwater monitoring and test a lined lagoon for leaks.
This ruling is part of an ongoing legal action against the dairies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the DOJ also seek to address the risk to nearby residents from the dairies’ ongoing contamination of groundwater and to resolve the dairies’ failure to comply with outstanding requirements of their 2013 agreement with EPA.
“Everyone deserves access to clean, safe drinking water,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “My office is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Washington residents. Strong and fair enforcement of public health and environmental laws protect our families and make our region safer and stronger.”
Dan Opalski, Deputy Regional Administrator for EPA’s Region 10 office in Seattle said, “EPA is committed to continuing its work with public health agencies, community groups, and the agriculture industry to address the complex public health challenges of legacy and ongoing nitrate contamination in the Lower Yakima Valley.”
The EPA is urging nearby residents to visit EPA’s Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater webpage to learn whether their well is in the area affected by the ruling and to accept upcoming offers for well testing. To comply with the court’s order, the dairies must submit a plan for testing residential wells within 30 days and complete the testing within 60 days of EPA’s approval of a plan. People can also call the EPA’s dedicated hotline at 509-204-1941 or 888-508-6344 for more information.
For residences located outside of the area impacted by today’s ruling, free well testing and alternative water is available from the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area Safe Drinking Water Initiative or by calling 866-886-7117.
Father and Son Admit Role in International Market Manipulation Scheme Related to New Jersey DeliRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A father and son today admitted to orchestrating a large-scale market manipulation scheme related to two publicly traded companies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Peter Coker, Sr., 82, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Peter Coker, Jr., 56, formerly of Hong Kong, China, both pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
James Patten, 65, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina previously pleaded guilty to the same charges.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through September 2022, Peter Coker Sr., Peter Coker Jr., and Patten conspired to enrich themselves through a scheme to manipulate securities prices via a pattern of coordinated trading, which injected inaccurate information into the marketplace, creating false impressions of supply and demand for these securities.
As part of the securities fraud scheme, the defendants targeted two publicly traded companies—Hometown International Inc. and E-Waste Corp.—which were both traded on the OTC Link Alternative Trading System, also known as the OTC Marketplace. The OTC Marketplace is an alternative trading system that contains three tiers of markets, which are largely based on the quality and quantity of the listed companies’ information and disclosures.
Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took steps to gain control of both entities’ management and stock with the ultimate intention of entering reverse mergers, a transaction through which an existing public company merges with a private operating company. A successful reverse merger would allow the defendants to sell shares of each entity at a significant profit.
In or around 2014, two New Jersey residents began the process of opening a local deli in Paulsboro, New Jersey. One of the individuals discussed his interest in opening the deli with Patten, a long-time friend, who suggested the creation of Hometown International, an umbrella corporation, under which the deli would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Unbeknownst to the deli owners, after Hometown International was formed, Patten and his associates began positioning Hometown International as a vehicle for a reverse merger that would yield substantial profit to them.
Around October 2019, Hometown International began selling shares on the OTC Marketplace. Shortly thereafter, Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. undertook a calculated scheme to gain control of Hometown International’s management and its shares from the deli owners. Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took similar actions to gain control of E-Waste Corporation’s stock and management.
Once the defendants gained control of Hometown International and E-Waste’s shares, they arranged for the transfer of millions of shares of stock to a number of nominee entities, including entities controlled by Coker Jr., in an effort to mask their control of the shares.
In addition, the defendants transferred shares to family members, friends, and associates and gained control over their trading accounts by obtaining their log-in information in order to conceal the defendants’ involvement. The defendants then used those accounts to commit a number of coordinated trading events, often referred to as match and wash trades, to trade in Hometown International and E-Waste Corp.’s stock on both sides of the transaction.
These tactics artificially inflated the price of Hometown International and E-Waste’s stock by giving the false impression that there was a genuine market interest in the stock. Their scheme had the ultimate impact of artificially inflating Hometown International’s stock by approximately 939 percent and E-Waste’s stock by approximately 19,900 percent.
The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The conspiracy to commit securities fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense whichever is greatest.
Judge O’Hearn scheduled Coker, Jr.’s sentencing for April 2, 2025 and Coker Sr.’s sentencing for May 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked special agents from FBI Charlotte, FBI Los Angeles, FBI San Francisco, FBI Denver, and FBI Knoxville, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Lauren E. Repole, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit.
pattencokeretal.indictment.pdf
FACT SHEET: National Law Enforcement Accountability DatabaseRead the Press Release
To strengthen hiring practices by federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement agencies and increase transparency and accountability, the Justice Department launched the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD) in December 2023. NLEAD is a centralized repository of official records documenting instances of misconduct as well as commendations and awards for federal law enforcement officers.
- The NLEAD connects all federal law enforcement agencies under one accountability infrastructure. With the NLEAD, law enforcement agency hiring personnel have more accurate and complete information about misconduct in a job candidate’s past. Agencies can make more informed hiring decisions, which enhances both accountability and public safety.
- The NLEAD is accessible only to authorized users to help determine suitability and eligibility of candidates for law enforcement positions.
- On Dec. 18, the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) published the first public report containing aggregated and anonymized data to maintain transparency and accountability. As required by the Executive Order, BJS will publish the report annually.
- All 90 Executive Branch agencies that employ law enforcement officers have certified to the Department that they have provided to the database all their responsive records (which could include a certification of “no records”). This reporting accounts for the approximately 150,000 Executive Branch law enforcement officers.
- Although agencies outside the Executive Branch are not obligated to use the NLEAD, several additional federal agencies have voluntarily committed to using NLEAD for their law enforcement officers, to increase transparency and accountability.
- The database includes records of instances of misconduct and commendations for current and former federal law enforcement officers that occurred over the past seven years, and the Department will conduct regular periodic compliance reviews to assess data quality. The NLEAD.gov website serves as a clearinghouse for information about the NLEAD and facilitates access to the database for authorized users.
- Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department requires its components that employ law enforcement officers to utilize the NLEAD in making a decision involving an officer’s hiring, job assignment, promotion, or participation on a task force. All Department law enforcement agencies have implemented standard operating procedures to ensure consistency in how NLEAD is utilized.
- Since launching in December 2023, the NLEAD has been searched nearly 10,000 times to assist federal law enforcement agencies in hiring, promotion and job placement decisions. Twenty-five of those searches, or about 0.25% of queries, resulted in a cross-agency match within NLEAD, allowing the vast majority of hiring decisions to proceed without the need to gather additional information from a prior employer. In the instance of a match, agencies gathered additional information about the candidate before determining whether to proceed.
- Based on the BJS report and the Department’s experience administering the NLEAD, it appears to be working as intended. The overwhelming majority of federal law enforcement officers are not in the NLEAD because they have no instances of misconduct. Federal law enforcement agencies are regularly and systematically querying the NLEAD. An officer’s presence in the NLEAD is not disqualifying; rather, it allows hiring and security managers to gather all relevant information about an applicant so they can make a complete and informed decision.
The Department has also recently taken steps to support law enforcement officer accountability efforts at the state and local level:
- The Department is partnering with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) and the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets) to allow SLTT law enforcement agencies to query the NLEAD. This will improve accountability for officers moving from federal employment to SLTT
- The Department has awarded funding to IADLEST to expand its National Decertification Index (NDI). The NDI is a national registry of law enforcement de-certification and revocation actions relating to officer misconduct that is currently used by all 50 states and D.C., and the expansion will include the additional categories of information set forth in the Executive Order. In May 2024, IADLEST entered into an agreement with a technology vendor to launch an updated NDI in 2025, with funding provided by the Department. This will improve accountability for officers who have any SLTT employment.
- In May 2023, the Department released accreditation standards for SLTT law enforcement agencies that called for usage of the NDI in connection with officer hiring. This will improve accountability for officers who have any SLTT
- The Department now requires its law enforcement agencies to utilize the NDI in making a decision involving an officer’s hiring or participation on a task force. The Department similarly encourages other federal law enforcement agencies to do the same checks. This will improve accountability for officers moving from SLTT employment to federal employment.
Essex County Convicted Felon Admits Drug Trafficking and Possession of Firearms, Including Two Assault RiflesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possessing three firearms, including two assault rifles with high capacity magazines, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Azmar Carter, a/k/a “Bizzy,” 32, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to a superseding information charging him with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that operates primarily in and around Orange, New Jersey and distributes narcotics throughout Essex County. During the investigation, Carter distributed cocaine to law enforcement in May 2021 and in July 2021. Subsequently, on August 18, 2021, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence and car in East Orange, New Jersey and recovered the following items: one Draco AK 47 rifle; one Smith and Wesson AR rifle; one .40 caliber pistol; ninety-four rounds of associated ammunition; a distribution quantity of heroin and cocaine; and approximately $7,177.00.
The drug trafficking offenses carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted a felon offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, Chief Vincent Vitiello and Captain Brian Mooney; members of the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl J. Graves; members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; member of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests.
This case is part of Operation Orange, which is a part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.
carter.superseding_information.pdf
Enel Ordered to Remove Osage Wind Farm After More than Ten Years of LitigationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves of the U.S. Court of International Trade concluded 10 years of litigation by awarding monetary damages for both conversion and trespass. Further, Judge Choe-Groves ordered the Defendants to remove the wind farm from the Osage Mineral Estate and return it to its pre-trespass condition on or before December 1, 2025.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to preserving and defending tribal sovereignty,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “As Judge Choe-Groves emphasized, injury to the Osage sovereignty cannot be condoned or suffered. The Defendants disregarded cease-and-desist instructions with willful and wrongful intent.”
The Osage Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe and the Osage Reservation was originally established in 1872. In 1906, Congress enacted the Osage Act, severing the surface estate from the mineral estate in Osage County. The Osage Mineral Estate was placed in a trust for the benefit of the Osage Nation. With approval from the Secretary of Interior, the Act allowed the Osage Nation to issue leases for all oil, gas, and other minerals with specific regulations applicable to non-oil and gas mining.
As trustee of the Osage Mineral Estate (OME), the United States is charged with its administration and protection, authorized to litigate on behalf of the OME to fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities of protecting its resources and maximizing economic benefit to its beneficiaries.
The Osage Minerals Council (OMC) is an independent agency within the Osage Nation, established by the Osage Nation Constitution. The OMC has several responsibilities, including the negotiation of leases for the development and extraction of minerals from the OME.
Beginning in 2010, Enel leased approximately 8,400 acres of surface rights in Osage County, Oklahoma to construct a wind farm (Osage Wind) ultimately completing 84 wind turbines and associate infrastructure. The excavation for 82 turbine involved explosives to create craters over 10 feet deep and 60 feet wide to install reinforced concrete foundations. Significant amounts of Osage minerals were engineered and used as backfill for, and positioned around, the wind turbine foundations.
In November 2014, the United States commenced this litigation by seeking a declaratory judgment, an injunction, and monetary damages for the unauthorized mining and excavation into the Osage Mineral Estate (OME), without a lease, by Defendants Osage Wind, LLC; Enel Kansas, LLC; and Enel Green Power North America, Inc. (collectively Enel). The United States brought two declaratory judgement claims and additional claims for conversion, trespass, and continuing trespass of the OME.
Judge Choe-Groves found Defendants liable for all five of these claims in December 2023. A non-jury damages trial lasted for eight days in May 2024 regarding monetary damages. As reimbursement for the lengthy prosecution of the case, the United States and the Osage Minerals Council received a substantial judgement for attorneys’ fees and costs.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cathryn D. McClanahan, Nolan M. Fields, IV, and attorneys from the U.S. Department of the Interior-Office of the Field Solicitor, Charles R. Babst, Jr., and Stuart P. Ashworth.
Ellicott City Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Jennifer Tinker, 41, of Ellicott City, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of wire fraud.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, between January 2020 and November 2023, Tinker defrauded a real estate agency that she worked for by transferring more than $1 million of company funds through wire transfers, Zelle payments, checks, and ACH to her personal bank accounts. Tinker fraudulently embezzled funds from the real estate agency’s accounts – including its escrow, operating, and commission accounts.
Tinker hid the transfers by listing fictitious “recipients” on the wire transfer paperwork to make them appear legitimate. She then wired the stolen funds into her personal bank accounts. Between approximately February 2021 and November 2023, Tinker wired money to her personal accounts more than 90 times. Additionally, Tinker made false and fraudulent edits and entries into her employer’s internal accounting records to conceal the transfers.
The defendant used the funds that she stole from her employer to pay for luxury goods and personal expenditures such as vacations, Taylor Swift tickets, and five different vehicles.
Tinker faces a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2025, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Wenner who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una compañía de mantenimiento de vegetación para resolver acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Burford’s Construction LLC (Burford’s), un contratista con sede en Alabama que proporciona mantenimiento y limpieza de vegetación para empresas de servicios eléctricos y municipios. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Burford’s discriminaba, de forma rutinaria, a residentes legales permanentes al verificar su permiso para trabajar, exigiéndoles documentos específicos, y, a veces, innecesarios.
«A la hora de verificar su permiso para trabajar, los empleadores no pueden exigir documentos específicos o innecesarios a los trabajadores por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Todos los trabajadores, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, merecen un proceso de contratación libre de discriminación».
Después de llevar a cabo una investigación, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, determinó que al menos desde el 1 de enero del 2021 hasta el 30 de mayo del 2023, Burford’s requería, de forma rutinaria, que los residentes permanentes legales presentasen documentos migratorios específicos para establecer su permiso para trabajar, incluso cuando ya habían proporcionado pruebas suficientes.
Conforme los términos del acuerdo, Burford’s pagará $308,689 en sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a sus empleados en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios, revisará sus políticas de contratación y se someterá a supervisión por parte del Departamento.
A veces se les refiere a los residentes permanentes legales como «titulares de tarjetas verdes», pero pueden demostrar su permiso para trabajar mediante diferentes tipos de documentación. Como se explica en la hoja informativa del Departamento para residentes permanentes legales que se publicó hace poco, la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) protege a los residentes permanentes legales de la discriminación cuando un empleador verifica su permiso para trabajar. Los empleadores no pueden limitar la documentación válida que un residente permanente legal puede mostrar al verificar su permiso para trabajar. La hoja informativa también explica cómo los residentes permanentes legales pueden obtener ayuda si son discriminados.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
El sitio web de IER tiene más información sobre los derechos de residentes permanentes legales en virtud de la INA y cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación ilegal al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I̠‑9 e E‑Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1‑800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.
Dupree Man Sentenced to Three Years’ Probation for Possessing a Rifle as a FelonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Dupree, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024.
William Vandervier, age 38, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Vandervier was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 25, 2024.
On June 26, 2023, officers from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services responded to a residence in Dupree and observed Vandervier standing outside. He reached into a vehicle, grabbed a rifle, and refused to comply with orders from the officers to put down the rifle; instead, he continued holding it until his brother was able to take it away. Vandervier knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions.
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 Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Drug Dealer Receives 168-Month Sentence After Trafficking over 6 Pounds of Methamphetamine in OmahaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Dario Calderon-Pereda, age 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Calderon-Pereda to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Calderon-Pereda’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between February 27, 2024, through March 10, 2024, Calderon-Pereda trafficked over 3,000 grams of meth in the Omaha area. On February 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction involving 2 pounds of meth from a co-conspirator whereby Calderon-Pereda collected payment. On March 8, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction against Calderon-Pereda purchasing another 2 pounds of meth. Over the next two days, law enforcement seized an additional 2 pounds of meth from Calderon-Pereda in a traffic stop and from a search warrant of a residence in Omaha.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Evann Robinson, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2023, Robinson sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley.
On May 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Robinson was living and seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and $9,350 including $40 in recorded buy money.
Robinson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and prisoner possessing weapons.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-198.
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Defendants Charged with Robbery in Design DistrictRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Dec. 6, three of five defendants appeared in federal court on an indictment charging conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the indictment, on Dec. 15, 2023, Ildemar Jose Chirinos-Torres, Briann Ricardo Hernandez-Castillo, Larry Junior Mendez-Ruiz, Alejandro Moises, and Raynner Jorland Pacheco-Sandoval, all from Venezuela, drove in three separate vehicles throughout the Miami Design District searching for wealthy victims to rob. Alejandro Moises drove the getaway vehicle occupied by co-defendants Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo. According to the allegations, Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo were seen on surveillance video exiting the vehicle, walking to a valet stand, and then robbing at gunpoint a tourist wearing a high-end watch valued at up to $100,000. When the defendants fled, undercover detectives investigating a separate matter followed behind in their unmarked vehicles. While following them, Chirinos-Torres shot multiple rounds at one undercover detective. Fortunately, the detective was not struck by gunfire. Pacheco-Sandoval served as the look-out to identify victims wearing high end jewelry. Mendez-Ruiz picked up Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo after they abandoned the getaway vehicle driven by Moises. Some of the defendants drove to and out of Florida to commit the robbery.
Mendez-Ruiz, Moises, and Pacheco-Sandoval were ordered detained pending trial. Their co-defendants Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo have yet to be brought in for their initial appearances.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the Miami Police Department, and Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement.
ATF and City of Miami Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Altanese Phenelus is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
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 24-cr-20405.
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Defendant in Fort Eisenhower shooting death ordered to remain in custodyRead the Press Release
EDITED TO ADD: Landry has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
AUGUSTA, Ga.: The defendant charged with murder in the Dec. 14 shooting death of U.S. Army Sgt. Andre S. Stewart Jr. at Fort Eisenhower has been ordered to remain in federal custody.
Natravien Landry, 25, of Abbeville, Louisiana, a soldier in the Army National Guard, is charged with murder. Following a Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 18, hearing, U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Brian K. Epps ordered Landry to be detained pending further court proceedings.
Landry has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
The case is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr., Patricia G. Rhodes and Kelsey L. Scanlon, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Capt. Jacqueline M. Stryker.
December Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Terrance Frank Buffalomeat. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Simple Assault. Buffalomeat, 20, of Hominy and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with breaking into Midwest Wraps with intent to steal. He is further charged with assaulting a victim. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-392
Mark Verron Callshim, Jr. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (superseding). Callshim, 37, of Tulsa and a member of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, is charged with taking something of value by force, violence, and intimidation. He is further charged with brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-159
Tony Deanglio Davis. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Davis, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-393
Keith Edward Enyart; Jennifer Barger Enyart. Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 4); Child Abuse in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 5); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 3). Keith Enyart, 52, a member of the Wyandotte Nation, and Jennifer Enyart, 44, of Wyandotte, are charged with willfully failing to provide appropriate medical care and supervision to protect a child under their care. They both are charged with willfully harming the safety and welfare of the minor victim. Jennifer is additionally charged with intentionally assaulting the minor child by tasing his testicles. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-394
Sarai Jamila Nyasha Freeman. Passing and Uttering Counterfeit Obligations and Securities (Counts 1 & 2); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 3 & 4); Failure to Appear (Count 5) (superseding). Freeman, 40, of Aurora, Colorado, is charged with forging and cashing counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks. She is further charged with using the victim's last name and social security number without lawful authority. Additionally, Freeman failed to appear for trial, knowing she was required under the conditions of her pretrial release. The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Treasury Inspector General are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-220
Grant Stephen Goers. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (Counts 1, 3, & 4); Production of Child Pornography (Count 2). Goers, 23, of Greenwood, Arkansas, is charged with knowingly persuading and enticing three separate minor victims under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with enticing a minor victim to produce sexually explicit material. Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Sand Springs Police Department, and the Tahlequah Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-395
Diana May Harjo. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Harjo, 39, of Tulsa and a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim, which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele W. Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-403
Ricky Troy Juarez. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Juarez, 32, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with unlawfully killing Shane Thompson, Sr., with malice aforethought. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-404
Jose Jesus Lozano-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Lozano-Gonzalez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2022. Further, Lozano-Gonzalez unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies in Oklahoma. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-374
Stuwart Raymon Owens. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Owens, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-405
Rudi Reyes-Rosales. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reyes-Rosales, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2021. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-396
Kyle Thomas Smith. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Smith, 33, of Claremore, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-406
Ryan Blake Still. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Still, 33, transient, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from June 2024 through July 2024 after previously being convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in
Indian County in 2021. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-407Marcos Javier Suazo-Otero; Marcos Javier Suazo-Mancilla. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Suazo-Otero, 46, and Suazo-Mancilla, 23, both Mexican nationals, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 2024 through Nov. 2024. They are further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Suazo-Otero knowingly possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute and is additionally charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2018. Lastly, Suazo-Mancilla knowingly possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and possessed firearms while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-397
Aristride Villatoro-Izaguirre. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Villatoro-Izaguirre, 32, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2018. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-398
Dearborn, Michigan man, who used fake refund scheme to defraud retailers of more than $4 million, sentenced to three years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for a fraud scheme damaging retailers across the country, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Teal L. Miller. Sajed Al-Maarej operated “Simple Refunds” through the messaging service Telegram, where coconspirators were encouraged to purchase items from retailers Al-Maarej claimed he could defraud. Al-Maarej and his staff of “professional refunders” impersonated the purchaser and lied to the retailer about the status of the item to secure a refund for the purchaser, while permitting the purchaser to keep the ordered item. The scheme caused more than $4 million in losses for retailers and induced young adults nationwide to join a criminal scheme. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik noted that the fraud “was a difficult and expensive proposition” for the victim companies. “We need to send a message that this behavior is criminal,” Judge Lasnik said.
“This defendant enticed many young and naïve online contacts to his illegal refunding scheme – some perhaps believed Al-Maarej’s spiel that this conduct was not illegal. They were badly misled,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Teal L. Miller. “This fraudulent refund scheme hurts retailers and ultimately raises prices for all of us. Al-Maarej got his expensive toys by convincing others to become complicit in his crimes.”
According to records in the case, between September 2020 and December 2022, Al-Maarej represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value) and for a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej and his coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations. For example, Simple Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was often issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered. Al-Maarej recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company.
The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej 15-25% of the purchase price as his fee.
Al-Maarej engaged in fraudulent refunding activity as well, on his own purchases. That conduct lasted until at least August 2023. In one instance, Al-Maarej obtained a refund for bulky tools, but he returned to the retailer an envelope filled with plastic toy frogs. One retailer identified more than $500,000 in items shipped to Al-Maarej’s home for which Al-Maarej obtained fraudulent refunds. In total, Al-Maarej made (and retailers lost) more than $1.4 million to his personal refunding activities.
The Simple Refunds channel on Telegram amassed a following of more than 1,000 subscribers. Al-Maarej used a second channel to post information on successful refunds. Al Maarej represented to some of those he recruited that the scheme was not illegal. He targeted young men in their teens and twenties and embroiled them in criminal conduct.
The indictment details how two Snohomish County residents ordered thousands of dollars of merchandise and conspired with Al-Maarej to get the payments refunded. Al-Maarej or others at his direction, impersonated the buyers, claimed the items had been “delivered not received” and got the purchase price refunded. The customers kept the items.
In May 2022, Al-Maarej deepened his fraud by offering a “mentorship” program where he would teach others to create their own refunding scams – he charged $6,000 for admission to the program. He boasted that students would “learn from the best in the game, from everything fraud related, to legit businesses and cleaning your money.”
Last summer, Al-Maarej pleaded guilty to wire fraud and mail fraud. As part of his sentence Al-Maarej was ordered to pay $4,353,819.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Amazon, Costco, and Microsoft assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.
Dauphin County Man Indicted for Drug-Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rasheek Blackstone, age 35, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for methamphetamine trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Blackstone with one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Dauphin County.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), and the Harrisburg Police Organized Crime and Vice Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Under federal law, Blackstone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Crane Company Manitowoc to Pay $42.6M for Clean Air Act Violations for Sale of Noncompliant Diesel Engines in Heavy Duty CranesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement agreement today with Manitowoc Company Inc. and two of its subsidiaries, Grove U.S. L.L.C., and Manitowoc Crane Group Germany GMBH (collectively, Manitowoc), for violations of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source emission standards regulations.
The settlement agreement requires Manitowoc to pay a civil penalty of $42.6 million and resolves allegations that the company imported and sold heavy nonroad cranes with diesel engines that were not certified to meet applicable Clean Air Act emission standards, and violated related Clean Air Act regulatory requirements which resulted in the release of excess carcinogenic diesel exhaust containing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter.
“Manitowoc’s sale and importation of cranes with uncertified engines violated Clean Air Act requirements designed to protect public health from harmful diesel emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement highlights our commitment to holding violators of the Clean Air Act accountable and will result in a tangible reduction in emissions in the Sparrows Point and Port of Baltimore area.”
“For years, Manitowoc imported and sold diesel engines that do not meet Clean Air Act emission standards, even after EPA made clear that such brazen conduct would not be tolerated,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Diesel exhaust is one of the dirtiest forms of air pollution and is linked to serious health conditions, including asthma and respiratory illness. This settlement requires Manitowoc to complete a project near the Port of Baltimore to improve air quality and once again makes clear that EPA will hold companies accountable when they sell illegal diesel engines.”
As part of the agreement, Manitowoc will undertake a project to mitigate harm from the alleged unlawful emissions by retrofitting a short-line locomotive currently in service in the Sparrows Point, Maryland, area. This area is near the Port of Baltimore where Manitowoc had imported cranes with the illegal engines. The pathway of the 70 miles of track includes areas with underserved and overburdened communities. Reducing NOx and particulate matter emissions around the track will improve surrounding air quality.
Retrofitting of the locomotive includes removing, destroying and replacing the locomotive’s old engine, which was manufactured before locomotive emission standards were in place, with a new engine equipped with present-day emission controls.
The complaint alleges that, between 2014 and 2018, Manitowoc imported or introduced into U.S. commerce and sold nonroad cranes with at least 1,032 diesel engines that were not covered by EPA-issued certificates of conformity. Many of the engines also did not qualify for a limited exemption. Manitowoc also failed to comply with Clean Air Act labeling, bonding and reporting requirements.
More information is available on the Manitowoc Clean Air Act Settlement Summary web page.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comments and to access the settlement agreement is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
Convicted Felon to Serve 59 Months in Prison Following Federal Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jereal J. Booker, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced this week to an aggregate term of 59 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded firearm in March 2023. At the time of the offense, Booker was on probation for a 2023 felon-in-possession conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a 2021 attempted carjacking conviction in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland.
The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Booker pleaded guilty on July 1, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. On December 17, 2024, the Honorable Richard J. Leon sentenced Booker to a term of 51 months in prison. Upon his release from the prison term, Booker will be required to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on March 21, 2023, an MPD officer observed Booker walking outside a convenience store in a manner that suggested he was carrying a firearm in the front of his pants. An employee of the store then told the officer that he had seen Booker adjusting a firearm in the front of his pants, and he showed the officer surveillance footage that corroborated his account. When the officer attempted to stop Booker in the 4600 block of Livingston Road Southeast, Booker broke into headlong flight. While fleeing the police, Booker discarded the firearm in some bushes before allowing himself to be apprehended. Nearby construction workers who had witnessed the chase alerted the officers to look in the bushes. They did so and recovered a .40 caliber, semi-automatic handgun loaded with one chambered round and ten rounds in its magazine. DNA testing later linked the firearm to Booker.
Booker was arrested on March 21, 2023, and has been detained ever since.
Federal law prohibited Booker from possessing a firearm because he previously had been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2023 conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a 2021 conviction for attempted carjacking in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Booker was on probation for both convictions at the time of this offense.
In the Superior Court case, Booker was originally sentenced under the District’s Youth Rehabilitation Act to a term of 20 months’ imprisonment suspended as to all but 12 months, and probation. Today, following Booker’s conviction in federal court, the Honorable Errol R. Arthur revoked Booker’s probation and sentenced him to a term of 20 months imprisonment, with credit for the 12 months he previously served, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Arthur ordered that the revocation sentence is without the benefit of the Youth Rehabilitation Act and must be served consecutively to any other sentence.
The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, with essential contributions from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole G. H. Conte.
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Connecticut Woman Sentenced for Role in Organized Burglary Ring that Targeted Residences and Businesses Owned by Individuals of Asian DecentRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Connecticut woman who previously admitted to a federal judge that she conspired with others to target and rob residences belonging primarily to individuals of Asian descent in at least eight states has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Basneyareth Rebollar-Martinez, 28, of Stamford, CT, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 24 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Additionally, Rebollar-Martinez was ordered to pay$722,420 in restitution to the victims of her criminal activity. A Mexican national, Rebollar-Martinez faces deportation once she completes her term of incarceration.
In pleading guilty on September 12, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, Rebollar-Martinez admitted to a federal judge that, from July 2022 to January 2023, she and others worked collaboratively to burglarize and attempt to burglarize at least ten residences in eight states, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Residences were targeted based on a belief that they would contain large sums of cash, valuable jewelry, heirlooms. and other items.
According to information presented to the court, forensic audits of the defendant’s and others cell phones revealed photographs and communications illustrating that members of the conspiracy conducted surveillance on the victims they were targeting, including at their place of work, which included Chinese restaurants and nail salons. GPS trackers were placed on victims’ vehicles to monitor their movement and to determine when and whether they were at home. The conspirators also used drones for surveillance purposes. Once a residence was targeted, some members of the conspiracy would act as lookouts at a nearby locations; others would serve as drivers dropping off and picking up co-conspirators at designated locations; while other members of the conspiracy would force entry into the residences. After the burglaries, the stolen goods were transported elsewhere and sold for profit.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Julianne Klein.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Warwick and Smithfield, RI Police Departments; Shrewsbury and Framingham, MA Police Departments; Gorham, NH Police Department; Stamford, Wallingford, and Westport, CT Police Departments; West Allis, WI Police Department; New Castle County, DE Police Department; Manalapan, NJ Police Department; New York City Police Department; Jacksonville and Flagler County Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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Columbus Resident Sentenced to Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with prior state convictions including aggravated assault and illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced to serve more than 14 years in a federal prison this week resulting from an investigation that began in 2019.
Quantay Thomas, 40, was sentenced to serve 175 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Dec. 17. Thomas previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 20. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat armed offenders will be held accountable for crimes which perpetuate violence in the Columbus community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office is working with local, state and federal law enforcement to bring lawless individuals to justice, no matter how long it takes.”
“Quantay Thomas is a dangerous career criminal,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This sentence is commensurate with the destructive impact on the community caused by Thomas’ distribution of dangerous drugs while in possession of a firearm.”
"We must keep up the good fight in removing drug activity and violent offenders from our community. We will continue to work together without let up for safe streets and a safer Muscogee County,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman.
“We are extremely pleased to see another drug dealer in our area identified, arrested, prosecuted and sentenced. This is a prime example of multi agencies working together to accomplish the mission,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley.
According to the court documents and statements referenced in court, DEA agents conducted a controlled buy of 55.64 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from Thomas on May 17, 2019, at a gas station in Columbus. Another controlled buy occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, when DEA agents purchased 51.81 grams of pure methamphetamine. Subsequently, Thomas had federal warrants issued for his arrest. Agents eventually learned of his location and executed a search warrant on Double Churches Rd. on Nov. 29, 2023. Thomas was arrested and agents found a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol and three bags of methamphetamine in the residence where he was taken into custody. The GBI drug lab confirmed the three bags contained a total of 418.93 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and Thomas admitted to distributing methamphetamine. Thomas has past criminal convictions in the Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court, including aggravated assault, illegally possessing a firearm and drug distribution.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Williams and Crawford Seals prosecuted the case for the Government.
Chicago Attorney Indicted on Immigration Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago attorney has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly providing false and fraudulent information to U.S. authorities to obtain immigration benefits for his foreign national clients.
GERARDO DEAN owned a law office in Chicago and represented a company that operated skilled-nursing facilities. An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that Dean conspired with a company employee, FELICITAS CORDERO, to provide false and fraudulent information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on behalf of individuals in the Philippines who were seeking U.S. visas. Specifically, Dean and Cordero filed and caused to be filed fraudulent H-1B and EB-2 visa petitions representing that the foreign nationals had managerial, supervisory, or higher-level jobs waiting for them at the company, when in actuality Dean and Cordero knew that the foreign nationals would work for the company as staff or registered nurses at lower rates of pay than what was stated in the visa petitions, the indictment states. Dean and Cordero also allegedly instructed the foreign nationals to provide false information about the purported managerial, supervisory, or higher-level jobs during their overseas consular interviews. Dean and Cordero did so knowing that U.S. immigration officials had a higher likelihood of approving H-1B or EB-2 visa petitions that stated the employer would hire a foreign national in a managerial, supervisory, or other higher level position, the indictment states.
The charges allege that Dean and Cordero collected money from foreign nationals whom they helped fraudulently obtain the visas to work at the company, and that Dean also collected money from the company for his fraudulent conduct.
The indictment charges Dean, 58, of Park Ridge, Ill., and Cordero, 76, of Buffalo Grove, Ill., with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and three individual counts of immigration fraud. Dean and Cordero were arraigned Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, Mark Woods-Hawkins, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service’s Chicago Field Office, and James Mead, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
0001_-_0000_-_indictment_as_to_gerardo_dean_1_counts_1-4_felicitas.pdfChemonics International Inc. to Pay $3.1M to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Billing Under Global Health Supply Chain ContractRead the Press Release
Chemonics International Inc. (Chemonics), a private international development firm based in Washington, D.C. has agreed to pay $3,119,582 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent claims for payment to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Chemonics disclosed the fraudulent billing to the United States in 2020.
The settlement resolves allegations that Chemonics acted recklessly in failing to detect fraudulent charges by its subcontractor, Zenith Carex (Zenith), for certain delivery services in Nigeria, and passed the charges on to USAID under the Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement and Supply Chain Management contract. Under this contract, Chemonics provided health care supply chain management services and related technical assistance in Nigeria and other countries. Chemonics subcontracted with Zenith, an in-country logistics provider, to perform last-mile delivery and long-haul delivery of cold-chain commodities throughout Nigeria. Between June 2017 and March 2020, Zenith fraudulently charged Chemonics for its long-haul delivery services based on truck tonnage as opposed to the weight per kilogram of the commodity transported, as the subcontract between Chemonics and Zenith required. During the same time period, Zenith charged Chemonics more for last-mile delivery services than the subcontract allowed. Chemonics failed to detect Zenith’s fraudulent overcharging for more than two years due to systematic process and personnel failures, including inadequate financial controls, monitoring and oversight and inadequate employee training, direction and support.
“Government contractors must exercise responsible oversight and management of their subcontractors to ensure contract compliance and appropriate billing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to hold accountable those who knowingly or recklessly submit false claims for payment to the United States no matter where in the world the underlying conduct occurs.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Chemonics took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government in connection with the resolution of this matter. Chemonics disclosed the fraudulent billing to the government in connection with an investigation by another entity for which it provided delivery services in Nigeria and took remedial actions, including terminating an employee for conduct related to the submission of fraudulent invoices, conducting a comprehensive review of subcontractor billing and enhancing internal oversight in Nigeria. Chemonics also assisted the government during its investigation.
“USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain program is designed to provide uninterrupted supplies of health products and services to the vulnerable populations worldwide,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG). “This settlement underscores that justice has no borders, and that USAID’s contractors and grantees must have systems in place to detect and prevent false invoices submitted by subawardees. The USAID OIG will vigorously investigate those who seek to defraud U.S.-funded foreign assistance programs, and we are relentless in our pursuit of holding awardees and subawardees accountable. We appreciate our partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and commend them on their hard work in bringing this case to a resolution.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated investigation conducted by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and USAID OIG.
Trial Attorneys Robin Overby and Samuel Lehman of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Sparks and Cari Walsh for the Western District of Missouri handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Charlotte Businessman Is Sentenced to Prison for Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Peter Anthony Thomas, 63, formerly of Charlotte and now a resident of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for a tax offense, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Thomas was also ordered to pay $2,526,131.99 as restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). On July 2, 2024, Thomas pleaded guilty to failing to account for and pay over to the trust fund taxes due and owing on behalf of the employees of PT Media, LLC for the quarter ending June 30, 2021.
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI) joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Thomas was the owner of Club One CLT, LLC, Sports ONE, Inc., Sports ONE CLT LLC, and PT Media, LLC, (collectively “the Charlotte businesses”) which operated as sports-themed bar/restaurant/lounges in Charlotte. Thomas also owned several other bars, restaurants, and lounges in Florida and Maryland, including Bar One Miami Beach LLC and Bar One Baltimore LLC. Thomas exercised control over the Charlotte businesses’ financial and business affairs and was responsible for collecting trust fund taxes and accounting for employment taxes by filing Forms 941 with the IRS and paying over to the IRS the employment taxes for the Charlotte businesses’ employees.
Between 2017 and 2022, Thomas caused the Charlotte businesses to collect more than $640,000 in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees, but Thomas did not pay over these taxes to the IRS. In addition, between 2021 and 2023, Thomas caused Bar One Miami Beach LLC and Bar One Baltimore LLC to collect more than $1.1 million in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees, but Thomas did not pay over these taxes to the IRS. In total, between 2017 and 2023, Thomas caused the Charlotte businesses, Bar One Miami Beach LLC, and Bar One Baltimore LLC to fail to pay over more than $2.5 million in employment taxes, including more than $1,740,000 in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees.
Court documents show that instead of paying the trust fund taxes that were due on behalf of the Charlotte businesses, Thomas used the trust fund taxes for other purposes, including more than $2.5 million in cash withdrawals, $370,000 for travel, real estate purchases, and more than $250,000 in retail purchases, including on high-end purchases at Neiman Marcus, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Givenchy. Thomas also caused more than $2.9 million to be transferred between the Charlotte businesses, Bar One Miami Beach, LLC, and Bar One Baltimore, LLC.
Thomas will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terrence Jay Mason, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2023, Mason sold a total of approximately 74 grams of methamphetamine over the course of three transactions, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston. Mason admitted to the April 6, 2023, transaction, during which he sold approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.
On May 2, 2023, law enforcement officers obtained an arrest warrant for Mason and a search warrant for his person, and entered a Frame Street residence in Charleston to execute the warrants. Officers found Mason in a bathroom attempting to flush a large sum of U.S. currency and methamphetamine. Officers also saw a tactical shotgun, a semi-automatic rifle, and large quantities of controlled substances in plain view in the residence. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence and seized approximately 140 grams of methamphetamine, 44 grams of fentanyl, five loaded firearms including the shotgun and semi-automatic rifle, and $8,724.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Street Crimes Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel D. Marsh and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-34.
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