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Wednesday 6 November 2024
Atlanta VA Doctor Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Female Veteran PatientRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Following an eight-day trial, Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia, was found guilty by a jury of violating a patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and for engaging in unwanted sexual contact.
“Dr. Patel violated the cardinal rule of a physician to do no harm to patients under his care,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Veterans who consulted him for treatment, like the victim in this case, trusted Dr. Patel and he violated that trust. His conviction hopefully provides a measure of healing for those impacted by his crimes.”
“The verdict is an important step in seeking justice for a sexual assault committed against a veteran seeking care at a VA medical center,” said Michael J. Missal, Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “VA employees are entrusted with keeping our nation’s veterans safe while receiving care. Acts of violence against veterans in VA facilities are reprehensible and shatters that trust. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold anyone who would commit these crimes accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was charged with sexually assaulting four of his female patients during routine exams, where he groped their breasts and improperly touched their vaginal area between 2019 and 2020. The jury acquitted him of charges related to three victims and found him guilty of violating the fourth victim.
Rajesh Motibhai Patel, 69, of Lilburn, Georgia is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II. Dr. Patel was found guilty by a federal jury on November 5, 2024.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin N. Spritzer and Jennifer Keen are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Alton Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Alton man pleaded guilty in federal court for violating his sex offender registration requirements, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Chad Amodio, 52, of Alton, pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to register his online identifiers. Chief United States District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2025.Amodio has a prior federal conviction for traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct. As a result of this prior conviction, Amodio is required to register as a sex offender. Among other things, Amodio is required to report on his sex offender registration paperwork any internet or online identifiers, which includes screen names and user profiles on social media accounts.
In December 2023 and January 2024, Amodio was using an unregistered screen name in an internet chat room for teenagers. Within the chat room, Amodio began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. Amodio exchanged hundreds of sexual messages with the purported minor. Amodio requested photographs of the purported minor and suggested that they meet in person, even offering to pick her up from school so they could engage in illegal sexual activity. After Amodio was identified, authorities discovered two other online identifiers that Amodio had failed to report.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a 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.
The United States Marshals Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Haverhill Massachusetts Police Department, and the Alton New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Matthew Hunter are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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40-Month Sentence in Connection with a May 2023 Shootout Near a Nightclub in Northwest Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Garrick Richardson, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 40 months in federal prison in connection with a May 13, 2023, shootout near a DuPont nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Richardson pleaded guilty on March 4, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Richardson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 13, 2023, just after 3 a.m., a large group of men was outside the Abigail nightclub at 1730 M Street NW. At 3:09 a.m., a physical altercation erupted in the parking garage next to the nightclub. The fight quickly broke up, with two of the men entering a silver Kia, and the rest briefly exiting the parking garage towards M Street.
As the silver Kia attempted to leave the garage, the men who had left the parking garage briefly returned with a much larger group and swarmed around the Kia. Richardson, who was wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering, dark jeans, white shoes, was one of the men. The men surrounded the Kia in what appeared to be an attempt to stop it from leaving. As Richardson ran toward the driver side of the vehicle, another man pulled at the vehicle’s door and then punched the window. The Kia tried to pull forward, but Richardson ran after it, holding what appeared to be a black handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand.
Garrick Richardson, circled in yellow, carried a handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand during an altercation in a Dupont garage.
As the silver Kia began reversing out of the garage, Dirk Easton, who was with Richardson, pointed a different black handgun with an extended magazine and ran forward at the vehicle, firing multiple times directly at its front windshield. After several shots, Easton was struck in the eye by a ricochet bullet and fell to the ground, dropping his firearm.
Richardson, circled in yellow, watched as Easton, circled in red, fired multiple times at the silver Kia that was trying to leave the parking garage.
Police officers recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun that had been converted to fire as a machine gun. Testing linked DNA on the weapon to Richardson.
Richardson and others escorted Easton to GWU Hospital, with Richardson riding in the back of a black BMW. From the back of the BMW, officers later recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun, outfitted with a switch that converted it a fully automatic machine gun, and an extended magazine. A DNA test confirmed Richardson’s unlawful possession of it. The investigation revealed the Raleigh, North Carolina, Police Department had reported the weapon stolen on April 22, 2023.
Three other men were arrested and charged in the garage shootout. Easton, 28, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and, on July 23, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. Adrian Vinson, 23, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and, on February 20, 2024, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. Tyron Hines, 32, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and on March 19, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.
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17-year-old sentenced to more than 29 years in prison for murder in shooting death of man on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A 17-year-old who admitted to murdering a man by shooting him on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 29 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Orrin Richard Alden III, of Crow Agency, pleaded guilty in September to an information charging him with second-degree murder and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
“Far too many juveniles are resorting to deadly violence, which is as alarming as it is unacceptable. Alden took another young man’s life in a brutal and shocking way. He should no longer be on our streets, which is why we argued so strenuously for a long federal prison sentence. We can’t get the victim’s life back, but we will move swiftly and aggressively against those like Alden who think violence is the answer to their problems,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents, the government alleged that on May 5, 2024, an unidentified body was recovered from the Little Big Horn River in Crow Agency. The body was later determined to be an 18-year-old male identified as John Doe. An autopsy was conducted, and two bullets were recovered.
Doe’s family last saw him alive on either April 27 or 28 as he was walking with a group of males toward the location on the Little Big Horn River where his body was recovered. Alden was identified as one of the males in the group. On the day Doe disappeared, a witness saw Doe with a black backpack that contained marijuana, a sizeable amount of methamphetamine and a large amount of cash.
The government further alleged that the group of males, including Alden and Doe, drank alcohol and smoked marijuana before walking to the river. Alden and one of the other males were overheard discussing that Doe was carrying money. Alden, one of the males, and Doe got separated from the group. When that happened, a single shot was heard. Immediately after the first shot was heard, Alden was seen with a rifle in his hand. As Doe tried to run away, he grabbed his side and said, “You shot me, you shot me, Tripp (a nickname for Alden).” A second shot was heard. Minutes later, Alden and the male who was with him joined the rest of the group. They were laughing, and the other male had Doe’s backpack and the rifle.
The group then went to Alden’s house where Alden and the male who was seen carrying the backpack and rifle removed their clothing and put it in a black bag. The male used his shirt and rubbing alcohol to clean a hatchet. Another of the males asked if he could call an ambulance for Doe. The male who was with Alden when Doe was shot told him no. Alden and the male took the rifle and black bag of clothing and stashed them in an abandoned building near Alden’s house.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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10 Convicted in South Carolina for Multi-State Identity Theft and Fraud RingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ten defendants have been convicted in federal court for their participation in an identity theft and fraud ring based out of Columbia, South Carolina with victims in at least South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, and New York. The following defendants have been convicted of the following offenses:
- Ronda Weston, a/k/a “Lisa Caldwell,” a/k/a “Lisa Baker,” 49, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud related to PPP loans. Weston faces up to 20 years in federal prison, plus an additional mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other time, forfeiture of assets and property seized from Weston during the investigation, and mandatory restitution. Weston is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21. This is Weston’s third federal prosecution.
- Kashon Harrison, 46, of Elgin, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Harrison faces an agreed-upon two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Harrison is awaiting sentencing. This is Harrison’s second federal prosecution.
- Michael Terrance Butler, 54, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Butler faces up to 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14.
- Kasaun Dante Simons, 27, of Blythewood, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Simons faces up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property seized from Simons during the investigation, and mandatory restitution. Simons is awaiting sentencing.
- William Charles Brown, 37, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Brown faces a mandatory two years in federal prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Brown is awaiting sentencing. This is Brown’s second federal prosecution.
- Monique Sherrie Corbett, a/k/a “Monique Sumter,” 52, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervision, and more than $37,000 in restitution.
- Stanzetta Teresa Johnson, 63, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Johnson faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Johnson is awaiting sentencing.
- Shakirah Khalidah Chapman, 28, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Chapman faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Chapman is awaiting sentencing.
- Ashley Nicole Drummond, 39, of Lugoff, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Drummond faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Drummond is awaiting sentencing.
- Darryl Dewayne Dumas, 61, of Palatka, Florida, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervision.
According to evidence presented in court, from at least July 2020 through August 2023, the conspirators obtained the stolen personal identifying information of identity theft victims from the dark web, including the names, home addresses, social security numbers, dates of birth, and credit scores of victims from at least nine states. One defendant’s home was searched by federal search warrant, and that search led to the recovery of a ledger with 151 identity theft victims listed in alphabetical order. Agents recovered fraudulent identity documents and financial records from numerous conspirators.
Weston generally led the scheme and recruited others to participate. The conspirators used the stolen identities to manufacture fraudulent driver’s licenses, utility bills, pay stubs, social security cards, and bank statements using their identity theft victims’ names and credit but with photos of the conspirators on the driver’s licenses. They then obtained money and property through fraudulent means, including:
- A vehicle purchase scheme, where conspirators obtained luxury vehicles including a Jaguar, a Maserati, a Range Rover, RVs, pickup trucks, sports utility vehicles, sedans, golf carts, motorcycles, three-wheel side-by-side vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles;
- A vehicle title loan scheme, where conspirators obtained title loans from financial institutions in the name of their identity theft victims by claiming they were selling vehicles between themselves;
- A personal title loan scheme, where conspirators obtained personal loans from financial institutions in the name of their identity theft victims by claiming planned home renovations or the purchase of appliances; and
- A residential rental scheme where conspirators fraudulently leased and rented residences in the name of their identity theft victims but for their own personal use, often leaving the residence owner unpaid and a debt in their identity theft victims’ names.
Individual conspirators were responsible for as much as $650,000 fraud through this scheme, and during the investigation, agents seized residences, real property, boats, vehicles, golf carts, cash, and other property as fruits and proceeds of the scheme. Many of the vehicles have been returned to the sellers.
Some conspirators also obtained fraudulent loans through the PPP program, which provided fully forgivable loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide emergency relief to businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted the guilty pleas of the defendants and will sentence the eight defendants awaiting sentencing at a later date. All of the defendants will be subject to court-ordered supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.
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Tuesday 5 November 2024
Westbrook Bank Robber Who Threatened to Detonate a Car Bomb at South Portland Bank Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank robbery.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jason Arsenault, 41, to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution. Arsenault pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024.
According to court records, on January 26, 2024, Arsenault pulled up to the drive‑through window of a South Portland bank wearing a black winter hat, sunglasses and a black mask covering his face. Using the pneumatic tube, he passed a note to the teller that read, “CAR BOMB No Cops Alarms or WE ALL DIE $50,000 in 20’s.” The teller placed some cash into the pneumatic tube, and Arsenault took the funds and drove away. Using multiple surveillance cameras, investigators were able to trace the vehicle’s movements and capture an image of Arsenault’s face, leading to his identification. Six days following the robbery, Arsenault was arrested in Portland, and he confessed to the robbery and directed investigators to the money hidden in a backpack in Baxter Woods in Portland. The backpack and all but $1,700 in stolen funds were recovered.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the South Portland and Portland police departments.
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Wagoner Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Kent Leondis Honeycutt, age 44, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The Information alleged that on January 24, 2024, Honeycutt knowingly possessed 50 grams or more of mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with intent to distribute. The Information also alleged that on that same date, Honeycutt knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol and 56 rounds ammunition, shipped and transported in interstate commerce, despite having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Honeycutt will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Ulster County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register Email AddressRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joseph Nash, a/k/a “Nash Von Wicked” and “Nash Bridges,” age 45, of Port Ewen, New York, pled guilty today to failing to update his registration as a sex offender to include an email address that he failed to disclose. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
Nash admitted that he became a Tier II sex offender after he pled guilty in federal court in 2009 to distributing child pornography. Nash knew that as a registered sex offender, he was required to report, among other things, all email addresses he used to the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services. Despite this requirement, he created an email address in August 2023 and failed to disclose it to New York authorities as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Nash, who was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense, further admitted he also did not disclose this email address and a contemporaneously created Facebook account to the U.S. Probation Office for the Northern District of New York.
In addition to his guilty plea to failing to update his registration information as a sex offender, Nash also admitted today that his conduct violated the terms of supervised release imposed as a result of his child pornography conviction.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2025 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. The SORNA offense carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. The supervised release violations carry a maximum term of 2 years in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officer for the Western District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Raymond McGee will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for today’s general election. AUSA McGee has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Kentucky, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Bennett said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Bennett stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO McGee will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. Tips can be submitted through the FBI’s national tip line at 800-CALL-FBI or via www.tips.fbi.gov. The Louisville FBI field office can be reached by the public at 502-263-6000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Bennett said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Army Research Biologist Sentenced to 51 Months Imprisonment for Engaging in A Bribery Scheme and Ordered to Forfeit the FundsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jason Edmonds, age 45 of North East, Maryland was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In addition, the Court ordered Edmonds to forfeit $111,794.83, which is equal to the value of the bribes he received.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
“Edmonds’ actions as a public official harmed government integrity. Bribery spawns distrust of government and the work we do on behalf of the taxpayers, “said U.S. Attorney Barron. “The sentence imposed today sends a clear message of intolerance to any public official who would abuse their position of trust for personal financial gain”.
"Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted and to maintain the trust in our government contracts and programs," says FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. "The FBI and our partners stand ready to root out fraudsters seeking to corrupt and falsely influence the process for their personal gain."“Our government officials are entrusted to protect and ensure a fair procurement process. Edmond’s actions violated that trust.” said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard. “DCIS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our tax dollars from fraud and corruption."
According to the guilty plea, Edmonds was employed by the United States Army as a Research Biologist at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (“CCDC”) Chemical Biological Center (“CB Center”) located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (“APG”). The CCDC CB Center was the nation’s principal research and development center for non-medical chemical and biological weapons defense. The CB Center developed technology in the areas of detection, protection, and decontamination.
From 2012 to 2019, Edmonds accepted cash and other financial benefits from John Conigliaro, the owner and CEO of EISCO, Inc. in exchange for favorable action on CB Center contracts. For example, in July 2013, Edmonds directed a $300,000 CB Center project to EISCO. Three months later, in October 2013, Conigliaro gave Edmonds $40,000 in cash so that Edmonds could purchase two rental real estate properties. Once Edmonds purchased the rental properties, Conigliaro paid for thousands of dollars of renovations to the rental properties.Relative to the cash exchange, Edmonds and Conigliaro executed a “Promissory Note,” which was subsequently amended by Edmonds on June 14, 2014. In the amended “Promissory Note,” Edmonds credited himself $18,100 against the $40,000 in cash for past projects that Edmonds had directed to EISCO at the CB Center. Edmonds also wrote that Conigliaro would provide him an additional $25,000 in exchange for future projects that Edmonds would direct to EISCO.
Between December 2016 and August 2017, Edmonds directed a series of government projects to EISCO in exchange for a stream of benefits from Conigliaro, including a kitchen remodel at Edmonds’s personal residence, the purchase of a granite countertop, a kitchen sink, and new siding to his home.
In June 2020, after federal agents attempted to interview Edmonds and Conigliaro, the co-conspirators met approximately three times to discuss the investigation. During those meetings, Edmonds proposed that he and Conigliaro inform federal investigators that Edmonds had repaid Conigliaro with gold and baseball cards, knowing that it was false. At sentencing, the Court found that this behavior constituted obstruction of justice under U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 and imposed a two-level enhancement.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the DCIS , and the Army Criminal Investigation Division for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, who is prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna Huber.
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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Tucker Man Sentenced for Enticement of a Minor on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Tucker man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, Antonio Deron Wallace, 36, used the internet to entice a minor under the age of sixteen to engage in sexual activity. Wallace was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2021, and pled guilty in March of 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.
Thirteen Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Oxycodone, Some Through an Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Twelve western Pennsylvania residents and one Indiana resident have been charged by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone in two separate but related Indictments—charging one count and 22 counts, respectively—announced today by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan. Each of the Indictments names six western Pennsylvania residents as defendants, with the 22-count Indictment also charging Dr. Martin J. Maassen, a resident of Lafayette, Indiana, with distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance. A complete list of the defendants is included at the bottom of this release.
The charged drug conspiracies allege conduct spanning several years—from January 2019 to July 2024 (as to the 22-count Indictment) and from December 2019 to July 2024 (as to the one-count Indictment). The conspiracy charges in each Indictment allege that the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. Further, as to Maassen, the 22-count Indictment also charges the physician with 21 additional counts of unlawful distribution of an amphetamine commonly known as Adderall.
For the conspiracy charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Maassen faces an additional penalty of up to 20 years of imprisonment on each of the controlled substance distribution charges. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
“The illegal distribution of addictive and deadly drugs continues to tear apart communities throughout western Pennsylvania and the rest of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “What makes the conduct alleged here even more troubling is the involvement of a physician—a resident of another state, no less. Dismantling drug trafficking organizations is at the center of what our office does, and these charges should send a clear and loud message: whether you sell drugs out on the street or while wearing a white coat in a doctor’s office, law enforcement at all levels of government will work as long and as hard as it takes to hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The allegations in these indictments are serious and deeply concerning,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Dr. Maassen stands accused of unlawfully distributing powerful painkillers such as oxycodone and amphetamines such as Adderall. Doctors such as Maassen have a legal and moral obligation to prescribe these drugs for legitimate medical purposes and within the usual course of professional practice; Maassen allegedly did neither. The unlawful distribution of oxycodone has contributed to the opioid crisis that has so adversely affected our communities.”
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by the Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Monroeville Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Canonsburg Police Department, Clairton Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, and Munhall Police Department, conducted the investigations leading to the Indictments.
These prosecutions are part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Indictment 1
NameAge
Place of ResidenceMartin J. Maassen82
Lafayette, INWilliam J. Kelley64
West Mifflin, PAJeffery A. Yates51
Pittsburgh, PARhodney Yates55
Tarrs, PANick Bombiani34
Pittsburgh, PAKahla Sweeney31
Pittsburgh, PALeonard Hoffman78
Braddock, PAIndictment 2
NameAge
Place of ResidenceJon L. Brinson44
Duquesne, PAGerald B. Ragin Jr.59
Duquesne, PALashawn Hardy51
Pittsburgh, PAKimberly Scabora56
West Mifflin, PAEmerson L. McClelland Jr.68
Pittsburgh, PAPhillip Reich60
Duquesne, PATexas Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Hunter Colville, age 32, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison for the illegal possession of a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern District of Oklahoma Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On March 19, 2024, Colville pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on September 24, 2023, members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force apprehended Colville on outstanding arrest warrants out of the state of Texas for Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant and Unlawful Possession of Firearm by a Felon. While taking him into custody, law enforcement seized a chamber-loaded 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine from Colville. At the time of the arrest, Colville had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Colville will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Geizura and Edith Singer represented the United States.
Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Lesley, 34, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers conducted a parole search in Galt at the residence of Lesley’s co-defendant, Dexter Weeks, 35, a known felon on parole. While clearing the residence, officers encountered Lesley as he was coming out of a bedroom. In the bedroom where Lesley had exited, officers found a loaded Ruger pistol in a backpack on the floor near the bed. Lesley is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions.
After pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, Weeks was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024, to seven years in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tallahassee Couple and Ghanaian Man Sentenced for Participating in A Ghana-Based Romance Scam Which Victimized the ElderlyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences of three defendants who were convicted for their participation in a Ghana-based romance scam:
- Sadia Alhassan, 35, a citizen of Ghana who resided in Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
- Shawn William Smith, 26, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to serve 1 day in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, to include 150 hours of community service, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
- Mohammed Saaminu Zuberu, 39, a citizen of Ghana who was naturalized as a dual U.S. citizen and who resided in Aldie, Virginia, was sentenced to serve approximately 5½ months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
"Given our large elder population, Florida experiences far too many instances of fraud against unsuspecting, vulnerable seniors through overtures of affection,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our senior citizens."
Each will also be required to pay $581,261.67 in restitution to their victims.
“Whether you are spearheading the scheme or acting as a “money-mule,” there is no tolerance for those who are knowingly involved with defrauding citizens throughout the United States in a romance scam,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate those who target innocent people, especially our elderly, and use the U.S. Mail to abuse their trust for financial gain.”
Court documents reflect between March 2019, and March 2022, unknown individuals in Ghana engaged in a military romance scam in which they used telephone and online platforms to contact (usually) elderly victims in the United States and trick them into believing that they were involved in a romantic relationship with another person. Eventually through continued communications, the victims were duped into sending money to their supposed romantic partner (who they had never actually met in person). Sadia Alhassan, who was in the United States on a student visa, and her husband, Shawn Smith, knowingly served as money launderers (also known as “money mules”) for the unknown scammers in Ghana. Smith and Alhassan did not have any direct communications with the scam victims; rather, the victims were instructed by the “romantic partner” to send money via the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) or a commercial interstate carrier to an address in Tallahassee which turned out to be used by Smith and Alhassan, or to bank accounts that they controlled.
“Targeting the elderly for financial gain is morally reprehensible,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Protecting this vulnerable population is not just the responsibility of family members, but also law enforcement agencies like HSI and our partners. We are committed to apprehending those who target our seniors.”
Court records also show that Mohammed Zuberu served as an intermediary between Smith and Alhassan and the unknown Ghana scammers. On at least one occasion, Zuberu sent a screenshot of USPS receipt (including the tracking number of a package en route to Smith and Alhassan) to Alhassan via a social media phone application. The receipt was consistent with having been sent from one of the elderly victims to a “romantic partner” during their communications. Once Smith and Alhassan received the package in Tallahassee, Alhassan sent a photo of the received package back to Zuberu to alert the scammers that the fraud money was received. The money and/or money orders contained in such packages were then used, in part, to buy money orders which were deposited into bank accounts of Zuberu and others. Within a few days of being deposited in Zuberu’s account, the money was usually withdrawn at ATMs located in Ghana.
“I want to remind everyone to be extremely careful when sending money to someone you barely know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “These manipulators preyed on the good nature of their elderly victims, plain and simple. We all have a desire to feel close to someone and this group sought to exploit that for their own greed. We will continue to do everything we can to bring the criminals who run these types of scams to justice.”
Court records also reflect that the defendants used and operated multiple registered and unregistered business entities to transfer funds on behalf of the public without an appropriate money transmitting businesses license as required by Florida law. Further, the defendants operated such money transmitting businesses knowing that the funds being transported and transmitted were derived from a criminal offense or were intended to be used to promote or support unlawful activity. As a result of their conduct, Smith, Alhassan, Zuberu, and others fraudulently received more than approximately $500,000 to which they were not entitled.
These convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Louis County Felon Admits Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon on Monday pleaded guilty and admitted shooting at St. Louis County Police Department officers.
On the day his trial was set to begin, Dexter McKinnies. 34, pleaded guilty to five felonies: one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On Sept. 1, 2020, police, including officers who are members of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, were trying to arrest McKinnies. They arranged a meeting with McKinnies and his brother, Lawton McKinnies, under a ruse in which the McKinnies thought they would be performing maintenance work on a property in St. Louis County. Police arrested Lawton McKinnies, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, on a felony warrant. When they tried to arrest Dexter McKinnies, he ran while firing multiple shots at officers with a 9mm pistol, striking a truck owned by the FBI. Officers returned fire and struck McKinnies.
Dexter McKinnies, who is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2025. He faces 20 years to life in prison.
Lawton McKinnies, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in prison. In March, he was sentenced to another year for violating his supervised release.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg are 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.
South Boston Man Indicted for Role in Elder Fraud Conspiracy that Defrauded Victim of Nearly $500,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Boston man was indicted by a grand jury in Boston today in connection with a scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old elderly man from Berkshire County, Mass., of approximately $500,000.
Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 21, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Patel was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 7, 2024. He was subsequently released by the Court on conditions including GPS monitoring and orders that he remain in Massachusetts.
According to the charging documents, beginning in or about February 2024 and continuing until on or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel and others participated in a scheme to defraud victims.
It is alleged that Patel’s co-conspirator contacted the victim by phone, posing as an official from the U.S. Treasury Department named “Sam Wilson.” Wilson allegedly told the victim that Treasury documents showed him as being involved in a money laundering scheme and instructed the victim to take out the cash from his bank accounts to send to the Treasury Department for safekeeping. It is further alleged that Wilson directed the victim to place the cash in a taped box with the victim’s own name and address written on it and then sent couriers to the victim’s home to collect the boxes of cash. Prior to each collection, Wilson allegedly made the victim describe the clothes he would be wearing and provided the victim with a “PIN” passcode the couriers were to recite upon pickup.
It is alleged that on or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel drove from South Boston to North Adams, Mass., for the purpose of retrieving cash from the victim. On that date, it is alleged that Patel spoke with an individual he believed to be the victim and provided the prearranged passcode, before taking possession of the box of cash and driving away. Patel was immediately apprehended.
The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including elder fraud scams, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact [email protected]. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311) Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm EST.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Adams Police Department and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office 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.
Somerville Tax Preparer Convicted of False Tax Returns SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Somerville tax preparer was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on charges that he prepared false tax returns in the names of taxpayers.
Yves Isidor, 68, was convicted of five counts of filing false tax returns. Isidor was acquitted on one count. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 6, 2025.The evidence at trial established that from at least 2012 through 2020, Isidor operated a tax preparation business under the name Tax and Realty Pro to file more than 1,200 tax returns in the names of clients, charging between $100 to $500 per return. Isidor added false information to six tax returns to claim deductions for fictitious medical and dental expenses, gifts to charities and unreimbursed employee business expenses. The false returns resulted in taxpayers receiving tax refunds to which they were not entitled or paying lower taxes than they owed. Six taxpayers testified at trial that Isidor had never discussed the false items with them, and they were not aware he had inserted them into their returns. An undercover agent also testified that he was present and observed the defendant create a false tax return in the agent’s undercover name.
“When someone hires an individual to complete your tax returns, they have a right to expect honesty, professionalism and integrity. Most importantly, you expect them to provide accurate information to the IRS,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Yves Isidor lied to his clients, who had no idea that he had improperly filed tax returns on their behalf until they were contacted by investigators and alerted to the false information in their returns. Tax fraud is not a victimless crime. We all suffer when people like Yves Isidor lie and cheat the tax system.”
“The guilty verdict of Yves Isidor demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to the prosecution of tax return preparers who are looking to exploit the American taxpayers,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Isidor held a position of trust in his local community as a tax return preparer and he used that trust to take advantage of his clients by preparing fraudulent tax returns, often without his clients’ knowledge, resulting in the underpayment of legitimate tax obligations that all Americans are required to pay. The jury’s verdict in this case sends a clear message that tax fraud is not a victimless crime. These countless acts lead to the reduction of tax revenue that local communities rely on to fund schools and maintain essential civil services.”
The charges of aiding and assisting in the filing of false federal tax returns each provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, IRS SAC Chavis and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Christina M. Grimes, Trial Attorney for the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Six Individuals Indicted for Conspiring to Murder Fulton County Detention OfficersRead the Press Release
Wayne Alford, Latasha Baker, Matthew Freeman, also known as “Coach Poker,” “Pokerface Matt,” and “Gotti Freeman,” Jaheim Arnold, also known as “Slime” and “Toppslime,” Carlos Pearson, also known as “Rico Reflection” and “Rice Rico,” and Jayden Barnes, also known as “Swipe” and “El Swiper,” have been indicted for conspiracy to murder two Fulton County Jail detention officers in exchange for payment, and for other drug and firearms offenses.
“These defendants demonstrated a callous disregard for human life when allegedly plotting to murder detention officers who threatened their illegal drug and contraband activity at the Fulton County Jail,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is especially proud of the critical federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships that made this successful investigation and indictment possible. Prosecuting threats of violence against law enforcement officials during the performance of their duties is a top priority for the Department of Justice and those who engage in such offenses will be held accountable.”
“No law enforcement officer should have to be fearful for their life simply because they are carrying out their sworn duties,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are extremely grateful that this plot was foiled before harm could come to either of the targeted individuals. The FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue the harshest punishment for the individuals involved in this crime.”
“It is unthinkable and deplorable that one of our detention officers would conspire to have one or more of her co-workers killed,” said Fulton County Sheriff Patrick “Pat” Labat. “This indictment underscores the serious nature of the allegations and the importance of accountability. We must ensure that those who are entrusted with public safety adhere to the highest standards of conduct, and any breach of that trust will be met with swift justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Wayne Alford, a pretrial detainee at the Fulton County Jail - South Annex, allegedly conspired with others, both in and out of prison, to kill at least two detention officers who had interfered with his contraband and narcotics trafficking operations.
Latasha Baker, a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail and Matthew Freeman, who was serving a sentence for armed robbery at Valdosta State Prison, allegedly agreed with Alford to hire and pay individuals to kill the detention officers. The conspirators communicated using contraband cell phones from inside the jail and prison.
Carlos Pearson and Jayden Barnes allegedly agreed to commit the murders for $1,000 each. The plot was thwarted when the targeted detention officers detected tracking devices attached to the bottom of their vehicles. Several of the conspirators are known to be members of the GoodFellas gang.
A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment on October 22, 2024, that was unsealed on November 4, 2024. The defendants were charge in the indictment as follows:
- Wayne Alford, 27, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
- Matthew Freeman, 26, of Glennville, Georgia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
- Latasha Baker, 38, of Hampton, Georgia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
- Jaheim Arnold, 21, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. He was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
- Carlos Pearson, 33, of College Park, Georgia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
- Jayden Barnes, 19, of Atlanta, Georgia was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. LaGrone and Teresa M. Stolze are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Shakopee Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Shakopee man has been sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession and distribution of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the evidence presented at trial, law enforcement executed a series of controlled buys of methamphetamine from Saul Rodriguez Pineda, 40, on three separate occasions between September and October 2022. On October 12, 2022, law enforcement searched the residence where Rodriguez Pineda was staying in Shakopee, Minnesota, and found 31 pounds of methamphetamine in Rodriguez Pineda’s yard as well as a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab. Law enforcement also found numerous items related to drug trafficking inside the residence.
Following a three-day trial in March 2024, Pineda was convicted on three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On October 30, 2024, Pineda was sentenced by Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, and the Shakopee Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and Allen A. Slaughter presented the matter at trial.
Santa Fe Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for Submitting Fake Online Tips Claiming Others Planned Attacks on Military FacilitiesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Fe Springs man has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for reporting eight online tips to the United States Department of Defense (DOD) falsely claiming that certain women were about to perpetrate mass-casualty attacks at U.S. military facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Justice Department announced today.
Daniel Sandoval, 29, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson.
Sandoval pleaded guilty on February 12 to one count of false information and hoaxes.
According to his plea agreement, on March 21, 2021, Sandoval knowingly provided an online tip to the DOD reporting system that falsely stated that a woman – identified in court documents as “S.C.” – was planning to detonate bombs in a “mass attack” at a U.S. Navy weapons facility located in Seal Beach. According to Sandoval’s tip, the attack would involve “blowing up military vehicles stationed there and civilian personnel vehicles.”
During the following two days, Sandoval made seven more online tips to the DOD, falsely identifying additional women who purportedly posed threats. For example, on March 22, 2021, Sandoval provided an online tip to the DOD that falsely stated a woman – identified in court documents as “S.H.” – and others planned to detonate bombs at a U.S. military hospital located in Bell Gardens.
On March 23, 2021, Sandoval provided a false online tip to the Defense Department that falsely stated a woman – identified in court documents as “L.E.” – and others were planning to bomb and conduct a mass shooting at a U.S. Army Reserve Center in South El Monte.
Sandoval admitted in his plea agreement that his conduct substantially disrupted public and government functions and services, including the evacuation of personnel from a Navy building due to the false tip.
“[Sandoval’s] unlawful conduct harmed not only the military bases he targeted and the personnel living or working on those bases, but also harmed the innocent women who he claimed were perpetrating these dangerous threats,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander H. Tran of the General Crimes Section and James A. Santiago of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, prosecuted this case.
San Bernardino County Woman and Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging $2.1 Million Scheme to Illegally Get COVID Jobless BenefitsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – Two San Bernardino County residents were arrested today on a nine-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds by submitting more than 120 fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits using stolen identities, including those of California state prisoners.
Lisa Puente, 43, of Rialto, and Arthur Marquez, 53, of San Bernardino, were arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
Both defendants are charged with six counts of mail fraud and one count of use of unauthorized access devices. Puente and Marquez also each are charged with one count of aggravated identity theft.
Puente and Marquez pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, and a December 30 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Puente released on $20,000 bond and ordered Marquez released on $10,000 bond.
According to the indictment returned on October 9 and unsealed today, from February 2020 to August 2023, Puente and Marquez filed with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) fraudulent applications for UI benefits in the names of other people. EDD administers California’s unemployment benefits program. The other people included individuals who did not qualify for UI because they were incarcerated in California state prisons and people whose personal identifying information (PII) was used without their permission.
The fraudulent applications falsely stated that they were individuals whose employment had been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered eligibility for UI benefits under federal law. The applications also falsely stated that the named claimants resided and had worked in California. In fact, most identity theft victims in this scheme did not live in California. The applications also used false mailing addresses, bogus prior annual income information, and that the named claimants were unemployed self-employed individuals whose employment was adversely impacted by COVID-19.
As a result of the bogus UI applications that Puente and Marquez filed, EDD authorized Bank of America to issue debit cards in the names of dozens of victims and straw claimants. Once in possession of the debit cards, the defendants withdrew the UI benefits loaded onto the debit cards by making cash withdrawals at ATMs and bank branches and by using the debit cards to buy items sold at businesses.
In total, Puente and Marquez causing at least 124 fraudulent applications for UI benefits to be filed, causing losses to EDD and the United States Treasury of approximately $2,136,768.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the unauthorized access device count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count.
The United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit; the United States Secret Service; the U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mitchell M. Suliman of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California to jointly head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Richland Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Transporting Minor Across State Lines for Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Richland, Mo., man who sexually abused a victim between the ages of 10 and 17 was sentenced in federal court today.
Robert Norman Kennedy, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Kennedy to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration. Kennedy will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Jan. 18, 2024, Kennedy pleaded guilty to transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The victim told investigators that Kennedy forced her to engage in sex and that he sexually abused her starting at age 10. After law enforcement began an investigation into the sexual abuse, Kennedy forced the victim to leave Missouri, and they traveled from Missouri through several states where he continued to sexual abuse the victim. Kennedy and the victim ended up in Georgia, where the victim reported they had lived in a van parked in the driveway of Kennedy’s brother’s residence and in a tent in the back yard. Law enforcement arrested Kennedy on unrelated charges in December 2022 at which time the victim and Kennedy were living at a motel.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Registered Sex Offender from Damariscotta Sentenced to 18 Years for Possessing, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Damariscotta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Trey Knof, 28, to 216 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,250 in restitution. Knof pleaded guilty on February 13, 2024.
According to court records, in August 2022, Knof used an internet-based mobile application to transfer an internet hyperlink containing child pornography to an online covert FBI employee. As part of its review of the material that Knof distributed, the FBI located numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including victims as young as infants. In May 2023, the FBI executed a warrant for Knof’s residence, vehicle, and person, and child sexual abuse material was recovered from his mobile phone.
Knof was a registered sex offender in Maine with prior state convictions for gross sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, dissemination of sexually explicit material, and possession of sexually explicit material of a minor under 12.
The FBI investigated this case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Real Estate Developer Sentenced for Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Haidir Altoon, 52, of Farmington Hills, was sentenced to one day of incarceration to be followed by two years of supervised release with the first 6 months under house arrest, a $10,000 fine, and 100 hours of community service for conspiring to commit bribery with Richard Sollars, the former Mayor of City of Taylor, and Jeffrey Baum, City of Taylor Community Development Manager, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Altoon, the owner of Dominick’s Market and a real estate developer, paid bribes to Sollars by giving him tens of thousands of dollars in cash, scratch-off lottery tickets, and other items of value in connection with the City of Taylor’s Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. Under the ROFR program, the City of Taylor acquired tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County and selected developers to rehabilitate and eventually purchase the poperties. After meeting Sollars at his market and expressing interest in acquiring houses under the ROFR program, Sollars asked Altoon to cash fraudulent checks from his campaign fund. Sollars made campaign checks payable to Dominick’s Market in various amounts, each purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. At Sollars’s direction, Altoon prepared false invoices for catering services that were not actually provided and gave Sollars some or all of the proceeds from the cashed fraudulent checks for Sollars’s personal use.
Following an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received $70,362.98 from this, and other wire fraud schemes related to his campaign account. It was also part of the conspiracy that Altoon gave money and other things of value to Jeffrey Baum, who, at the time, was running the ROFR program for the City. In exchange for the cash and other things of value that Altoon provided to Sollars and Baum at Sollars’s direction and without the knowledge and consent of the City Council, Baum facilitated the transfer of nine ROFR properties to Altoon.
“This case should send a message to anyone who seeks to do business with local municipalities that giving into the corrupt demands of public officials does not pay. My office will aggressively prosecute and hold accountable both the bribe payer, as well as the bribe receiver, since any exchange of bribes deny the citizens of this district the honest services they expect and deserve,” said United States Attorney Ison.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Kenneth Barber, age 44, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on December 20, 2023, Barber killed the victim with malice aforethought.
The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Barber was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Passaic County Man Admits to Failure to Pay Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a $3.5 million payroll tax evasion scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Walter Hass, 62, of Hewitt, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of failure to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hass was the owner and operator a shipping/logistics company located in Oakland, New Jersey. Since 2014, he has operated the company under three different names. He failed to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on behalf of each of these companies from 2014 to 2022. In total, he failed to pay over to the IRS at least $3.5 million in payroll taxes. Instead of paying over payroll taxes to the IRS, Hass used company money to fund his personal lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, including Aston Martins and McClarens, high-end watches and jewelry, designer clothing items and accessories, tickets to sporting events, home renovations, vacations, water sports vehicles, and extravagant meals.
The charge to which Hass has pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April, 22, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Calle and Edeli Rivera of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
hass.information.pdfOwners of Clark County automotive repair and performance shop sentenced to home confinement, probation for conspiracy and violations of Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The owners of two Clark County automotive businesses were sentenced yesterday afternoon for conspiracy and felony violations of the federal Clean Air Act for tampering with diesel trucks’ emissions monitoring systems, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Tracy Coiteux, 44, and Sean Coiteux, 50, of La Center, Washington, were both sentenced to four years of probation, four months of home confinement, 60 hours of community service and each must pay a $10,000 fine. The two are the co-owners of Racing Performance Maintenance Northwest (known as RPM) and a related sales company called RPM Motors and Sales NW. Tracy Coiteux was convicted by a jury in May 2024 following a three-day jury trial. Sean Coiteux pleaded guilty in March 2024.
The United States Attorney’s Office recommended that the Court sentence both defendants to prison time. At the sentencing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “The defendants put their desire for money above their duty to the community and environment… But this once prosperous middle-aged couple is now in financial ruin.” .
“These defendants removed pollution controls from some 375 trucks, causing them to continuously spew massive amounts of pollutants into the environment. Emissions of diesel exhaust are harmful to human health with links to cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The Coiteuxs knew their conduct was illegal and was harming the environment but kept it up to help pay for their 10-acre estate, yacht, and collection of exotic cars. The Department of Justice will continue to seek to hold business owners accountable for putting the health of the community at risk.”
An indictment returned in May 2021 charged the Coiteuxs with conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and eleven specific violations of the Clean Air Act for tampering with the emissions-monitoring system on vehicles when removing pollution control equipment between January 2018 and November 2020.
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the investigation began when a former RPM employee notified the EPA that the company was performing the unlawful modifications, which are known as “deletes” and “tunes.” A single truck that has been deleted and tuned can cause the same amount of pollution as up to 1,200 trucks with compliant emissions systems. These modifications are marketed to truck owners as improving vehicle power and performance.
The investigation revealed that between January 2018 and January 2021, the defendants charged their customers fees of about $2,000 per truck to remove (delete) emissions control systems required by federal law. They then modified (tuned) legally required software that works to ensure the vehicle’s pollution remains within legal limits. RPM Motors and Sales sometimes offered, as part of the sale of a truck, to remove the emissions control system after the customer purchased a truck. Email and other electronic records document the conspirators’ purchase of equipment and software kits to remove the pollution control and reprogram the monitoring systems.
Over the three years described in the court records, the defendants took in more than $500,000 for illegal modifications. Even as they broke the law, the couple used the income for their 10-acre compound with a saltwater pool and garage housing an extensive collection of expensive exotic cars.
In asking for prison time, prosecutors argued, “By deleting 375 trucks, (the) Coiteuxs in effect placed the pollution equivalent of 127,500 new trucks on the road. To put this in perspective, there are only 274,000 diesel trucks registered statewide in Washington. Based on these figures, RPM’s modifications had the capacity to increase total diesel pollution by 46% above the pollution caused by all compliant registered light duty diesel trucks statewide.”
“For years, the defendants intentionally violated the Clean Air Act by defeating emissions control equipment on well over three hundred diesel trucks,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) in Washington. “Their actions directly resulted in significant excess pollution being emitted into the air, which are linked to heart and lung diseases and even cancer. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that individuals and their companies who violate our nation’s environmental laws and deliberately threaten human health and the environment will be held criminally responsible for their actions.”
The case was investigated by Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Cindy Chang and Environmental Protection Agency Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Gebel Perrin.
Owen County Man Sentenced for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – An Owenton, Ky., man, Tyler Leathers, 35, was sentenced to 180 months in prison on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Greg Van Tatenhove, following convictions for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, and 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on September 29, 2023, law enforcement served an unrelated state arrest warrant on Leathers and searched the property. Inside, they found cocaine, a ledger, multiple clear baggies, scales, and several thousand dollars. In the garage, law enforcement found methamphetamine, fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and additional drug trafficking paraphernalia. Law enforcement also found 10 firearms, throughout the residence. Leathers admitted that he possessed the drugs with the intent to distribute them and that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug distribution.
Under federal law, Leathers must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Brent Caldwell, Owen County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Owen County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Baker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeremiah Cundiff (19, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. Cundiff faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on October 23, 2023, law enforcement apprehended Cundiff, who had an active warrant for his arrest. During the apprehension, Cundiff fled and made a stealthy movement. At the area of Cundiff’s movement, a loaded firearm with a machinegun conversion device installed (pictured below), was recovered. Cundiff’s DNA was found on the firearm.
The type of machinegun conversion device in this case is commonly referred to as a “switch,” and is designed and intended, solely and exclusively, to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a machinegun, causing the pistol to fire more than one shot with the single pull of the trigger.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
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.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilbert Lamon Rivers, age 26, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on November 4, 2023, Rivers knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol and forty rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Lighthorse Police Department, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Rivers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Nigerian national arrested on arrival in U.S. on indictment for multi-million-dollar romance fraudRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 40-year-old Nigerian national was arrested upon his arrival at an airport in Texas on an indictment returned in the Western District of Washington. Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo was indicted in December 2023 for 14 counts of wire fraud connected to his romance fraud scheme. Nwadialo was traveling from Nigeria when he was arrested. Nwadialo will be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.
“All too often the defendants in these romance scams are overseas and unreachable by U.S. law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “I congratulate investigators who are alert to any opportunity to arrest such defendants and hold them accountable.”
According to the indictment and criminal complaint filed in the case, Nwadialo allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million. According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas so he could not meet the victims in person. Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons he needed the victims to send him money. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.
A second victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-schemers. In this instance Nwadialo represented that he needed the help moving money in connection with his father’s death. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant.
A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her. He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments and he had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction.
Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition.
The fourteen counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang.
nwadialo_indictment.pdfNew York Man Indicted for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bolarinwa Salau, 30, of Rockaway Beach, New York, has been charged with identity theft.
According to the court documents, West Virginia State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Salau. Salau was found in possession of means of identification of other people in connection with a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, often referred to as “SIRF.” This type of fraud involves the use of stolen personal information, including a social security number, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Salau is charged with possessing such documents with the intent to engage in unlawful activity.
Salau faces up to five years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police with assistance from The Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 31, 2024 JOHNNIE HAGANS (“HAGANS”), age 31, pled guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) (Count 1); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1(a)(i) (Count 2); and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Counts 3 and 4).
As to Count 1, HAGANS faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, HAGANS faces from five years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. As to Counts 3 and 4, HAGANS faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each of Counts 1-4, HAGANS also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
HAGANS is set for sentencing on January 30, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 23, 2024, a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer conducting surveillance of a Valero gas station on South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans saw HAGANS making multiple hand-to-hand drug sales. NOPD patrol officers attempted to detain HAGANS,one officer was able to feel and detected an object in HAGANS’s waistband recognizable as a firearm. HAGANS fled from the officers and discarded an object in an open lot. After HAGANS’s subsequent detention, officers recovered a Ruger Model LCPII, .380 caliber pistol from the open lot. Officers also obtained a search warrant for a Nissan Rogue SUV located in the Valero gas station parking lot that HAGANS had previously been seen accessing. Inside the SUV, officers found a Kahr Arms Model CW40, .40 caliber pistol, and a plastic bag containing cocaine.
After HAGANS’s arrest, officers began monitoring his jail phone calls. Based on these calls and the belief that additional firearms might be found at HAGANS’s residence, officers obtained a search warrant for HAGANS’s residence. Pursuant to the warrant, they recovered a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62-millimeter pistol and an Anderson Arms Model AM-15, .223 caliber /5.56-millimeter pistol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Monongalia County Man Indicted for Failing to Report to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Mansfield Davis, 67, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been charged with failing to surrender for a federal sentence.
According to the filed indictment, Davis was sentenced to 82 months for a child pornography charge in the Northern District of West Virginia. He was ordered to report to serve his sentence on October 4, 2024. Davis didn’t report to the facility and was arrested on October 15, 2024 in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Davis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Roosevelt White, a Mobile man, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge William H. Steele.
According to court documents, in August 2023, members of the Mobile Police Department responded a gas station on Springhill Avenue where they observed White engaged in several hand-to-hand transactions. White was detained for investigation and officers located a firearm on his person. White is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possession a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Steele imposed a 46-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon White’s discharge from prison.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.Marion County Man Indicted for Drug, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Vincent Irving Jones, 33, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted on methamphetamine and firearms charges.
Jones is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to the court documents, Jones was found with methamphetamine and a .32 caliber pistol in Marion County. Jones is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions of voluntary manslaughter, escape from custody, and fleeing while under the influence of alcohol.
Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, up to 15 years for the unlawful firearms charge, and up to five years for the obliterated serial number charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man who Smuggled Fatal Drugs into Jail Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for arranging the smuggling a fatal dose of drugs into the St. Francois County jail.
Timothy L. Noll, 35, of Park Hills, Missouri, arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and began trying to find someone to smuggle drugs into the jail that he could sell. Noll instructed an intermediary to get the drugs from Garry W. Triplett and conceal them in a Bible.
On August 1, the intermediary arranged for the Bible to be dropped off at the jail. When Noll discovered the next morning that he was being transferred to state prison and couldn’t bring the Bible, he had jail staff give it to his cell mate. His cell mate died two days later of mixed drug intoxication, including a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Noll pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, resulting in death. Triplett, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Triplett is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison After Serving as Getaway Driver in Enfield Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Halifax County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for helping to rob a Speedway convenience store on January 31, 2023, in Enfield. On August 9, 2024, Khiyelle Dent pled guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. He also pled to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Dent, age 21, was the getaway driver for an individual who entered the Speedway in Enfield, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from the clerk. The clerk gave cash to the robber, who then returned to the vehicle, and fled the area. Enfield Police Department Officers were able to stop the suspect vehicle shortly after the robbery. They found Dent as well as several items of clothing that matched several robberies that had occurred in the month prior in Halifax County. As police approached Dent’s vehicle, his passenger successfully fled on foot.
On February 2, 2023, deputies from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Dollar General store located near their office after employees called 911, fearing a robbery was about to occur. The suspect, identified as Dent, entered the store, looked around, and signaled to someone in the parking lot before the deputies arrived. Dent was carrying a cross-body bag, and when officers arrived, one of them frisked him and discovered a firearm. Dent is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Enfield Police Department, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Gaston Police Department, and the ATF investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-CR-55-D-RN.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement and Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in federal prison for enticement and sex trafficking of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service (USSS), and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Timothy Boden, 41, was sentenced to 17 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of enticement of a minor victim and one count of sex trafficking a minor victim.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the HSI, the USSS, and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Danielle Yannelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Leonard Glenn Francis Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Massive Bribery, Fraud and DisappearanceRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Leonard Glenn Francis, mastermind of an unprecedented bribery and fraud scheme targeting the U.S. Navy, was sentenced in federal court today to 180 months in prison and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy and a $150,000 fine. Francis was also ordered to forfeit $35 million in ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes.
Francis’ sentence reflects admissions in his first guilty plea in 2015 concerning bribery and fraud, his extensive cooperation with the government, and his guilty plea today for failing to appear for his original sentencing hearing in 2022. U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino handed down a 164-month sentence for bribery and fraud and 16 months for failing to appear, to be served consecutively.
Francis admitted today in his second plea agreement that he fled the country to avoid his sentencing hearing in September 2022. Around September 4, 2022, while he was on house arrest, Francis cut off a GPS monitor he was required to wear and disappeared, first fleeing to Mexico, then Cuba, and ultimately, Venezuela. He was later arrested in Venezuela and brought back to the U.S. on December 20, 2023.
"Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The impact of his deceit and manipulation will be long felt, but justice has been served today.”
Francis, 60, a Malaysian citizen most recently living in Singapore, was initially arrested in San Diego on September 16, 2013, and remained in pretrial custody until December 18, 2017, when the court granted his request for release pending sentencing due to a medical condition. Francis served four years and three months in custody before he was released on bond and ordered into house arrest. He remained on bond under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services for almost five years, from December 17, 2017, until he fled the U.S. on September 4, 2022. He has remained in custody in the U.S. since his return on December 20, 2023. Based on today’s sentence and the court’s finding that Francis has so far served 2,333 days of his sentence - including time spent in custody in Venezuela at the request of the U.S. government - Francis has an estimated 8.5 years remaining.
According to admissions in his initial 2015 plea agreement, and other court documents, Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, or GDMA, which provided services to U.S. Navy ships in Asia Pacific ports, gave co-conspirators millions of dollars in things of value, including over $500,000 in cash; hundreds of thousands of dollars in the services of prostitutes and associated expenses; hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel expenses, including airfare, often first or business class, luxurious hotel stays, incidentals, and spa treatments; hundreds of thousands of dollars in lavish meals, top-shelf alcohol and wine, and entertainment; and hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury gifts, including designer handbags and leather goods, watches, fountain pens, Kobe beef, Spanish suckling pigs, designer furniture, Cuban cigars, consumer electronics, ornamental swords, and hand-made ship models.
Francis admitted that in return, U.S. Navy personnel and command staff advocated on behalf of Francis and his company during the procurement process and provided classified information about various U.S. Navy ships’ port visits, proprietary U.S. Navy information such as details about competitors’ bids for U.S. Navy contracts, and information about Naval Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Navy investigations into GDMA’s practices, among other things.
In his 2015 plea agreement, Francis also admitted to defrauding the U.S. Navy of tens of millions of dollars by routinely overbilling for goods and services provided, including fuel, tugboats, and sewage disposal.
GDMA the corporation was also sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $36 million fine.
According to the government’s sentencing memo, Francis’ scheme to defraud the United States over many years and the entrenched bribery and corruption he fostered within the U.S. Navy were aggravated and egregious. By contrast, once caught, he pleaded guilty, and cooperated extensively with authorities.
Over the course of several years, Francis met with government investigators dozens of times to discuss unprecedented levels of corruption within the U.S. Navy. Francis provided detailed information about hundreds of Sailors, from petty officers to admirals, and turned over financial records, photographs, receipts and Navy contracting documents. Corroborated information from Francis substantially assisted the United States in its investigation.
“Mr. Francis’ sentencing brings closure to an expansive fraud scheme that he perpetrated against the U.S. Navy with assistance from various Navy officials. This fraud conspiracy ultimately cost the American taxpayer millions of dollars and weakened the public’s trust in some of our Navy’s senior leaders. Mr. Francis’ actions not only degraded the 7th Fleet’s readiness but shook the Fleet’s trust in its leadership who furthered his corrupt practices,” said Kelly P. Mayo, the Director of the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “The exhaustive joint investigation exemplifies the lengths DCIS and its investigative partners will go to in order to pursue justice for the American taxpayer and our warfighters. DCIS will continue to protect our nation’s precious resources so they are not lost to illicit schemes that only serve one’s greed and self-aggrandizement to the detriment of our national security.”
“Leonard Francis put the safety of our warfighters and Department of Navy assets at risk,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “He disregarded the law and lined his pockets by bribing U.S. Navy officials and others to exploit sensitive national security information. NCIS remains committed to protecting Department of the Navy personnel and resources. As we reach the final sentencing in this complex and intensive procurement fraud investigation that spanned over a decade, I want to thank the countless NCIS professionals and partner agencies involved.”
DEFENDANT Case Numbers: 13-CR-3781, 3782 and 4287
Leonard Glenn Francis Age: 60 Singapore
Glenn Defense Marine Asia Pte. Ltd. Singapore
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371.
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §201
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution
Failure to Appear, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §3146
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
Kingsport Man Sentenced to over 17 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On November 4, 2024, Shane Douglas Stallard, 44, of Kingsport, was sentenced to 205 months in prison by the Honorable Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following imprisonment, Stallard will be on supervised release for five years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Stallard agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of the 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1).
According to filed court documents, for at least four months, Stallard sold large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin/fentanyl in the Kingsport area. Stallard and his partner regularly made trips to North Carolina, where they purchased one kilogram of methamphetamine and six to seven ounces of heroin/fentanyl at a time. Stallard, a convicted felon, carried a firearm with him while he sold drugs and possessed numerous firearms which he kept at his home and at a storage unit. During the investigation Stallard twice sold a substance described as heroin to a confidential informant. Lab testing showed that on both occasions, the drug Stallard sold contained heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. On April 1, 2022, Stallard was arrested following a traffic stop. A loaded firearm was found in the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle where Stallard had been sitting. Another loaded firearm and approximately 80 grams of fentanyl were found in the back of the vehicle. The evidence showed that Stallard was on the way to a hotel to sell the fentanyl. A few days later, police executed a search warrant at the Kingsport residence where Stallard had been staying prior to his arrest. They also searched a storage unit that Stallard used. Police found seven firearms, ammunition, and approximately $27,000 cash at the residence. In the storage unit, they found six firearms and approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Kingsport Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Emily M. Swecker represented the United States.
This case was brought as 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 communicates, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
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Kalispell company admits filing false claims for payment to federal agency claiming an abatement of lead paint in veterans housing at Fort HarrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA — Mold Wranglers, Inc., a Kalispell-based company that provides hazardous material mitigation services, today admitted to filing false requests for payment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claiming an abatement of lead paint was done at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison when it was not, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The defendant, Mold Wranglers, Inc., appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of False Claim Act conspiracy, a felony. Mold Wranglers was represented by Jonathan Carpenter, owner of the company. The company faces a maximum fine of $500,000 and restitution.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025.
The government alleged in court documents that Mold Wranglers agreed to perform work at the Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, which is affordable rental housing for veterans and their families at Fort Harrison. The project consisted of converting residential units for military veterans and their families. From 2018 to 2019, Mold Wranglers conducted work at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, including, but not limited to, painting over lead-based paint with an encapsulating paint. Because of the dangers associated with lead, federal regulations strictly regulate all lead work. All contractors must hold certifications to conduct such work, and the Environmental Protection Agency must receive notification that lead work is occurring. Mold Wranglers’ employees were not certified to conduct lead work, they failed to notify the EPA and they applied the encapsulating paint inconsistent with the paint manufacturer specifications.
Mold Wranglers submitted 11 Subcontractor Requisitions for Payment detailing that lead-based paint work was performed. Those claims, through other companies, were submitted to the VA and paid with federal funds. When doing so, Mold Wranglers and others claimed they performed an “abatement,” which was false. Indeed, the companies specifically agreed they would not perform an abatement, which requires certain specifications be met. In an email, one individual said:
“The plan is to aesthetically repair the paint and finish the homes. It’s not to remove the lead hazard and if the plan is to go down the abatement road, then it will be a significant increase to the scope of the work.”
Th companies requested and received payment of approximately $456,000 from the United States for an “abatement.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation.
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Jackson, Michigan Man Charged with Threats to Political Action CommitteeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Jackson, Michigan man was arrested today and charged with one count of making a threatening interstate communication. The charge arises out of Pierce allegedly sending threatening e-mails to a political action committee (PAC) engaged in fundraising activities related to the November 5, 2024, election, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement was Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court documents, on or about October 2, 2024, Christopher Pierce, 46, of Jackson, Michigan, allegedly sent two electronic communications containing threats to injure or kill individuals associated with the PAC. In apparent response to fundraising solicitation communications, Pierce communicated: “I guarantee I can find each and every one of your [expletive] organizees. And we will turn you [expletive] inside out. . . . Now you better stop or I promise you this is badly for all of you [expletive] and we won’tinvolve [sic] the law.” In a second communication shortly thereafter, Pierce stated, “You will shut down your entire organization or it will be shut down for you. 90% of the members of [named organization]… are trained killers. . . . It paints targets onyour [sic] backs and the backs of your families. Your call centers have been located. Don’t make these boys and girlsgo [sic] to work.”
Pierce is charged with one count of making a threatening interstate communication. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
The investigation is being conducted by FBI.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua L. Wolfe, 42, of Givens, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failure to pay a tax and failure to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wolfe admitted that the failed to pay approximately $20,000 in taxes withheld from the gross pay of employees of his business, Wolfe Construction Company Inc., due on April 30, 2019. Wolfe also did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2018. Wolfe admitted that he drew a salary of approximately $75,000 from Wolfe Construction and transferred approximately $50,000 from his business accounts to his personal accounts that year.
Wolfe was president, sole officer and 50 percent shareholder of Wolfe Construction from 2015 to 2020 and became the sole owner of the commercial construction business in September 2020. Wolfe admitted that he did not pay all of Wolfe Construction’s employment taxes for many quarters from 2017 and 2019, after withholding taxes from the gross pay of his employees. Wolfe Construction generally had 11 to 15 employees during this time period.
Wolfe was also the sole owner of the Barge Restaurant, which he opened in 2017 in Charleston. Wolfe admitted that he often failed to pay the full amount of employment taxes he withheld from the gross pay of Barge Restaurant employees from 2017 to 2019. The Barge Restaurant generally had at least 10 employees during this time period.
Wolfe also admitted that he claimed and received a refund on his 2017 individual income tax return after reporting employment taxes withheld from his 2017 Wolfe Construction salary as “payment.” Wolfe further admitted that he did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2019 even though he knew his salary from Wolfe Construction alone exceeded the minimum requirement for filing.
Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, up to two years of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine. Wolfe also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Rebecca Caruso of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-166.
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Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua L. Wolfe, 42, of Givens, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failure to pay a tax and failure to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wolfe admitted that the failed to pay approximately $20,000 in taxes withheld from the gross pay of employees of his business, Wolfe Construction Company Inc., due on April 30, 2019. Wolfe also did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2018. Wolfe admitted that he drew a salary of approximately $75,000 from Wolfe Construction and transferred approximately $50,000 from his business accounts to his personal accounts that year.
Wolfe was president, sole officer and 50 percent shareholder of Wolfe Construction from 2015 to 2020 and became the sole owner of the commercial construction business in September 2020. Wolfe admitted that he did not pay all of Wolfe Construction’s employment taxes for many quarters from 2017 and 2019, after withholding taxes from the gross pay of his employees. Wolfe Construction generally had 11 to 15 employees during this time period.
Wolfe was also the sole owner of the Barge Restaurant, which he opened in 2017 in Charleston. Wolfe admitted that he often failed to pay the full amount of employment taxes he withheld from the gross pay of Barge Restaurant employees from 2017 to 2019. The Barge Restaurant generally had at least 10 employees during this time period.
Wolfe also admitted that he claimed and received a refund on his 2017 individual income tax return after reporting employment taxes withheld from his 2017 Wolfe Construction salary as “payment.” Wolfe further admitted that he did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2019 even though he knew his salary from Wolfe Construction alone exceeded the minimum requirement for filing.
Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, up to two years of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine. Wolfe also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Rebecca Caruso of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-166.
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Indictment Charges Greenwich Investment Group OperatorRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 23-count indictment charging JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 49, of Stamford, with offenses stemming from an alleged investment fraud scheme.
The indictment was returned on September 22, 2022. Murphy, who was extradited from Brazil, appeared on November 1, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $250,000 bond. Murphy had been detained in Brazil since his arrest on December 6, 2023.
As alleged in the indictment, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.
It is alleged that Murphy stole approximately $3.5 million in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company.
The indictment charges Murphy with 15 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; five counts of money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count; and three counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count. Per the extradition agreement with Brazil, the government has agreed not to pursue the tax evasion charges against Murphy.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Hershey Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Connie Bott, age 74, of Hershey, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Court judge Jennifer P. Wilson on October 31, 2024, to a charge of filing a false federal income tax return. Bott remains free on her own recognizance.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bott was employed by Autohaus Lancaster, a car dealership and service center in Lancaster, PA. Bott was the bookkeeper and controller for the business. In 2019, the owners of the dealership suspected that Bott was potentially embezzling money from them. When interviewed Bott admitted to stealing money from her employer and, consequently, to making false declarations under penalty of perjury when she filed her federal income tax returns (mailed in Dauphin County, within the Middle District of Pennsylvania) in which she did not report the income she realized from the thefts. US Attorney Karam said the Internal Revenue Service calculated the unreported income as $76,472.74 over 4 years from 2016 through 2019, and additional income tax owed by Bott for that period to be to be $16,825. The unreported income for the sole count of the Information for tax year 2017 is $30,456.68, and the unreported tax for that count is $7,246.
The following federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Manheim Township Police Department, and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is three years of imprisonment, a maximum term of supervised release of one year following imprisonment, and a $100,000 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.
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Helena real estate agent admits failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures for veterans residing in rental housing at Fort HarrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA – A Helena real estate agent and property manager today admitted to failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required to veterans residing in housing at Fort Harrison, in Helena, which resulted in the exposure of veterans and their families to significant levels of lead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The defendant, Melanie Ann Carlin, 54, of Clancy, appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of knowing endangerment, a felony. Carlin faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025. Carlin remained on release pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that from September 2019 until September 2021, Carlin failed to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required, placing an individual in imminent danger of death and serious bodily injury and exposing low-income veteran families and their children at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison to significant levels of lead.
Carlin is the owner of 406 Properties, Inc, a property management service in Helena, and has more than 26 years of professional real estate experience. In 2018, Carlin agreed to provide property management services for rental units known as Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The rentals included multiple homes for military veterans to use as affordable housing. In May 2019, Carlin received and forwarded an email from the Montana Department of Commerce requesting information detailing any lead-based paint remediation completed on the homes because the buildings were constructed before 1978. The buildings were constructed in approximately 1895 and 1905, depending on the building.
Despite the email, in June 2019, Carlin signed two Request for Tenancy Approval Forms for the Fort Harrison rentals. Carlin selected “lead-based paint disclosures do not apply because this property was built on or after January 1, 1978” on the form. Carlin knew the selections were false and did not provide lead-based paint disclosures to veterans seeking residence at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison.
In September 2019, Carlin attended a meeting discussing that lead-based paint was peeling at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The meeting agenda identified “lead-based paint peeling in the units – doors won’t shut, paint peels when attempt to shut door” and veterans have identified “chipped paint” in the units. At this point, Carlin knew the buildings were built prior to 1978, and she knew deteriorating lead-based paint was located inside the buildings.
Despite Carlin’s knowledge and extensive real estate experience, she continued to sign forms indicating that the units were free of lead-based paint, or they were built after 1978, none of which was true. In addition, Carlin continued in failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures to the veterans and their families residing in the units.
The government further alleged that in December 2020, Carlin failed to provide a lead-based paint disclosure to a veteran of Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. In September 2021, an 18-month-old child in the veteran’s home was found eating paint chips inside the unit. Subsequent medical testing confirmed the child had elevated blood lead levels exceeding levels considered to be “very high” and required treatment for lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can have catastrophic effects on children and their development, and Congress requires a warning about the effects of lead poisoning be given when individuals lease homes built prior to 1978.
When interviewed by federal agents, Carlin agreed that she was familiar with the requirement to provide lead disclosures and confirmed that no lead disclosures were provided to veterans living in units at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. A review of the rental units confirmed lead was present in almost every unit, including the building where the 18-month-old child was present. A subsequent property management company corrected the omission by making lead disclosures to the veterans.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation.
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Guilty Plea from Second Assailant Who Tried to Steal a Man’s Car at Gunpoint in January 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Caleb Johnson, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to charges stemming from an attempted armed carjacking and armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Johnson pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert A. Salerno to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Salerno set a sentencing date of January 13, 2025. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2024, Johnson and his co-defendant, Marquis Derby, robbed and attempted to carjack a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, Johnson punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Johnson got into the victim’s truck, and Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV nearby. When Johnson was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together. Johnson was arrested on June 27, 2024, and has been detained ever since.
Derby pleaded guilty to armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on August 29, 2024; his sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2024.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.