Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Justice Department Announces Four Cases Brought by Election Threats Task ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force (ETTF) announced developments this week in four cases involving interstate transmissions of threats to election personnel and other victims.
Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, Colorado, pleaded guilty today to threatening a Colorado election official and making other threats to an Arizona election official, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024.
Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, Alabama, was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison for sending messages threatening violence to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix from Aug. 2-4, 2022, during and immediately following the Arizona primary elections.
Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, Florida, was charged on Monday for allegedly sending a threat on Feb. 9 to an election official in addition to already pending charges for threats made to three other victims based on their political commentary in 2019 and 2020.
John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, was charged on Monday for allegedly threatening on Sept. 6 to kill a representative of a Pennsylvania state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers.
“As we approach Election Day, the Justice Department’s warning remains clear: anyone who illegally threatens an election worker, official, or volunteer will face the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past three and a half years, the Justice Department has been aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who threaten the public servants who administer our elections, and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. For our democracy to function, Americans who serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.”
“Threats to election workers are threats to our democratic process,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “No one should face violence or threats of violence simply for doing their job. The actions announced today make clear that we will not tolerate those who use or threaten violence in an effort to undermine our democratic institutions. To carry out their essential work, election officials must be free from improper influence, physical threats, and others forms of intimidation.”
“Our elections are made possible by the hard work and patriotism of election workers in communities across the country who are also our neighbors, relatives and friends, and they deserve to do this important work without being subjected to threats,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The fact that election workers need to be worried about their security is incomprehensible and unacceptable. While these four cases are examples of the kinds of threats election workers are unfortunately facing, these cases also represent the FBI’s dedication in holding accountable those who undermine our democracy with this conduct. The FBI and our partners on the ETTF will work tirelessly to charge and arrest those callous enough to make these threats and make sure they are held accountable. Free, fair, and safe elections are critical to our country and our democratic ideals.”
“These defendants made serious threats of violence against members of the election community. Threats like these strike at the very heart of our democracy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The cases announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to defending our democracy, safeguarding our elections, and protecting all election workers. Through the ETTF, the Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute all criminal threats against members of the election community.”
The four cases were all brought by the ETTF. 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they join the task force in its critical work.
Under the leadership of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
United States v. Brockbank (District of Colorado)
According to court documents, Brockbank admitted to using three social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials between September 2021 and July 2024.
On Sept. 22, 2021, Brockbank posted the following message on social media:
“[Election Official-1] . . . needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”
As part of his plea, Brockbank also admitted to posting a message on Aug. 4, 2022, referring to election officials in Arizona and Colorado, saying: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
In addition, Brockbank admitted to posting a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021, saying: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Brockbank further admitted to threatening federal law enforcement on July 13, posting: “I believe every single FBI agent deserves to go explain themselves to our creator right away!!!! I am more than willing to send any/All of you there.”
Finally, Brockbank admitted to illegally possessing multiple firearms and ammunition.
“The security and sanctity of the American election system is core to the foundation of our Democracy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “We will prosecute people who threaten elections, election officials, or election workers to the fullest extent of the law.”
Brockbank pleaded guilty today to interstate transmission of a threat. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Director Jonathan E. Jacobson of PIN’s Election Crimes Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Ogstad (District of Arizona)
According to court documents, on or about Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through on or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad sent multiple threatening direct messages to a social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated: (1) “You did it! Now you are f*****.. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) F*** you! You are caught! They have it all. You f****** are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating m****** f******* . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are f****** stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You f****** are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking stupid. Everyone knows you are lots, cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang f******!” In the course of his messages to the recipient, Ogstad transmitted an image of the character “Woody,” from the Toy Story film franchise, lying face down with an unidentified projectile in its back.
“In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this District with robust prosecution.”
Ogstad was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000 fine, after pleading guilty on July 25 to one count of interstate transmission of a threat.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
United States v. Kantwill (Middle District of Florida)
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Kantwill, a dentist, sent over 100 threats to various public figures via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text. As charged in the superseding information filed on Monday, those threats included a threat sent via email to an author, a threat sent via text to a religious leader, and a threat sent via Instagram to a television personality. From April 2022 to April 2024, Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook, including a threat to an election official in another state on Feb. 9, when Kantwill wrote: “You are a degenerate c***. and you are now the target of our own investigation. Take note because liberal t***s like you get raped in alleys, by really big black guys that serve our cause. So, you t*** are going to get raped by at least 5 n*****s, and do nothing. You are the number 1 target, you degenerate t***.”
“If you threaten someone with violence, we will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Law enforcement officers and members of my office will work together to hold accountable and federally prosecute individuals who threaten to injure or kill others.”
Kantwill is charged with four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado.
United States v. Pollard (Western District of Pennsylvania)
According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, Pollard sent threatening text messages to Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: (1) “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”; (2) “Your days are numbered, B****!”; and (3) “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This is no less true when those threats of violence are directed at individuals associated with our electoral process — in this case, someone seeking to organize poll watchers. This conduct will not be tolerated in our district, and we will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to prosecute these offenses with the full weight of the law.”
Pollard was arrested on Monday and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
*****
An indictment or information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 tips.fbi.gov/home. 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.
Jury Convicts New Jersey Man of Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
Albany, NEW YORK – Kenneth Moore, age 41, of New Jersey, was convicted today of two counts of alien smuggling for private financial gain, following a 3-day jury trial.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
The evidence at trial established that on June 20, 2023, Moore traveled from New Jersey to an area just south of the Canadian Border in Clinton County, New York, to pick up several people who had illegally crossed into the United States at a place other than a Port of Entry. Moore anticipated being paid $3,000 for his services but was quickly apprehended by agents from the United States Border Patrol.
Jurors could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 25, 2025, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, at which time Moore faces a mandatory term of 3 years in prison and up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. 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.
United States Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey and Joseph S. Hartunian are prosecuting this case.
Jury Convicts Michigan Man for Illegal Possession of Marijuana, Methamphetamine, and Using a Loaded Shotgun in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
A man with four prior felony convictions was convicted by a jury today, after a 3-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Caleb Root, age 44, from Concord, Michigan, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about 3-hours of jury deliberations.
Evidence in the case revealed at about 3:00 am, on May 23, 2023, a uniformed police officer, of the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, on routine patrol in a marked police car saw a pickup truck, pulling a box trailer, driving toward him on Hamilton Blvd. As the officer and the truck passed, the truck behaved suspiciously by: (1) the motorist changed course (by using a parking lot as a throughfare); (2) drove away from the officer; and (3) drove into a residential neighborhood in an attempt to lose the officer. After observing the truck’s behavior, the Officer positioned himself, to observe the motorist’s travel. The truck eventually exited the neighborhood and returned to its original line of travel.
The Officer initiated a traffic stop for using a parking lot as a throughfare. The driver refused to roll the window down all the way to talk to the officer, then lied to the officer claiming he did not have an ID and could not remember his own birth date.
Eventually the driver identified himself as Caleb Root, and admitted lying to the officer, and to being a convicted felon. At this time, law enforcement officers looked into the truck – from the outside – and, in plain view, saw marijuana.
Root was arrested, the truck and trailer searched, and about 4 pounds of marijuana, a loaded shotgun, and more than 12 grams of pure methamphetamine were found inside.
Root was released from custody the next day, and on July 22, 2023, he was stopped for speeding in Adair County, Iowa. Root was stopped for speeding, 90 in a 70-mph, upon approach, the officer detected the odor of marijuana. Root again provided a false identification to the officer. Further investigation led the officer to locate more than 1 pound of marijuana and 1 gram of methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Root remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Root faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and 3-years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4041.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Jury Convicts Mexican National of $4.7 Million Meth, Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national who worked with a drug-trafficking organization tied to the Cárteles Unidos cartel in Michoacán, Mexico, was convicted by a federal trial jury today of his role in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin in the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area and throughout the United States.
Luis Eduardo Pineda-Zarao, 29, a citizen of Mexico residing in Lebanon, Tennessee, was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to June 1, 2022.
The indictment alleges the conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.
During the investigation, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations conducted two undercover bulk cash pickups totaling $308,775 and seized $610,400 in bulk cash, over 56 kilograms of methamphetamine, 5.5 kilograms of heroin, 2.6 kilograms of marijuana, and at least eight firearms, two of which were stolen. Law enforcement officers also seized $277,863 during a vehicle stop and $114,863 while executing search warrants at four Kansas City, Mo., residences.
Pineda-Zarao is among 44 defendants charged in this case. Nine co-defendants have been sentenced and 34 co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, Oct. 21.
Under federal statutes, Pineda-Zarao is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Megan Baker. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Jersey City Man Sentenced to 225 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City man was sentenced today to 225 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jamil King, 32, of Jersey City, was previously convicted after a two-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
King is a high-ranking member of the Jersey City neighborhood street gang known as Parkside. Law enforcement officials obtained a search warrant for King’s residence, and during the evening of July 8, 2022, officers executed that warrant. When the police arrived, King fled, but law enforcement recovered approximately 50 grams of cocaine from a pair of sweatpants inside the apartment. Those sweatpants contained the defendant’s DNA and matched the sweatshirt that the defendant was wearing that night.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced King to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Office’s General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Meet a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man was sentenced today on a charge of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Robert Elton Trimble, 38, of Kimberly, to 120 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In June, Trimble pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents, on October 16, 2023, Trimble made contact with an individual he believed was a 15-year-old girl on a social networking app. After learning her age on day one, Trimble continued to communicate with the “child,” asking her questions about school, telling her about his work, and requesting photos. Within two weeks, Trimble turned their conversation sexual by asking the “child” about her sexual experiences and discussing plans to meet her. On November 21, 2023, Trimble arrived for the meeting and was arrested. Only then did he discover that he actually had been communicating with an undercover officer.
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the National Children’s Advocacy Center have partnered and released a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent kids and teens from being victims. This series offers three-to-five-minute videos about current online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities.
The videos can be accessed from the following locations:
https://www.nationalcac.org/sextortion-prevention/
https://www.youtube.com/@nationalcac
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children or online at www.cybertipline.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Indictment Returned in June 2023 Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent Jones, 29, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for robbing the victim at gunpoint outside of a McDonald’s Restaurant, at 3901 Minnesota Ave. in Northeast D.C., in June of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, on June 16, 2023, the defendant and two accomplices approached the victim near the parking lot, pointed firearms at him, demanded that he “give it up,” and forcibly took his keys, bag, and cash. The defendant and one accomplice then fled in the victim’s vehicle while the third accomplice fled in a separate car.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Jacob Green of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment Charges Stamford Man with Fentanyl Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that DARIUS GAMBLE, also known as “Rell,” 39, of Stamford, has been charged with fentanyl trafficking offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Gamble as a large-scale fentanyl distributor. On September 1, 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of approximately 50 grams of fentanyl from Gamble.
Gamble was arrested on criminal complaint on September 12, 2024. On that date, a search of his residence revealed approximately 42 grams of fentanyl, a kilogram press machine, additional items used to process and package narcotics, and approximately $31,307 in cash. A search of Gamble’s vehicle revealed approximately six grams of fentanyl.
On October 2, 2024, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging Gamble with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Each charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Gamble appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Stamford Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Possessing Bald EagleRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ramiro Hernandez Tziquin, age 22, of Guatemala, was sentenced on October 23, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson sentenced Hernandez Tziquin to time served. Hernandez Tziquin has been in custody since June 6, 2024. Hernandez Tziquin is subject to removal proceedings with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On or about February 28, 2023, law enforcement received a report of a suspicious vehicle located at the Wood Duck Wildlife Management Area, located in Stanton County, Nebraska. Law enforcement arrived at Wood Duck and approached the vehicle with Hernandez Tziquin and Domingo Zetino Hernandez as the occupants. During the encounter, Zetino Hernandez admitted that he shot a bird and that it was in the trunk of Hernandez Tziquin’s vehicle. Law enforcement obtained consent to search the vehicle and found one bald eagle carcass. Hernandez Tziquin admitted to possessing the bald eagle found in the trunk of the vehicle without being permitted to do so.
Co-defendant Zetino Hernandez was sentenced to time served on November 14, 2023, for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
This case was investigated by United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Nebraska Games and Parks Commission, and the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office.
Georgia Woman Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine in Trunk of Car when Traveling Through Acadiana AreaRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Sarah Rose Cea, 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking charges.
On June 8, 2023, Cea was stopped while traveling on Interstate 10 near Lafayette, Louisiana by troopers with the Louisiana State Police. Cea was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. A Louisiana State Police K-9 conducted an open air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics in Cea’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and law enforcement agents located approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the trunk of her vehicle. The seized substance was sent to the criminalistics laboratory for testing, and it was confirmed to be approximately 19,943 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride with a substance purity of 100%.
At the guilty plea hearing on July 31, 2024, Cea admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to another individual.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel.
# # #
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Stolen Firearm and SilencerRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Trequille Donte Rodreguez, Sr. (31, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered firearm silencer. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, while executing a search warrant at the residence of Rodreguez on July 2, 2024, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department located a Ruger firearm and a firearm silencer inside a bag in one of the bedrooms. Both the firearm and the suppressor had been reported stolen in a car burglary approximately one month earlier in Hendry County. Two latent fingerprints were lifted from the silencer. Both were later identified as belonging to Rodreguez. As a convicted felon who previously served time in Florida state prison for firearms and burglary offenses, Rodreguez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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.
Former federal employee faces up to five years in prison for mishandling classified materialsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A former employee of a U.S. Department of Defense component agency faces up to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to mishandling sensitive documents.
Margaret Anne Ashby, 26, of Henderson, Nevada, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to an Information charging her with Unauthorized Removal/Retention of Classified Documents, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Ashby to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison, along with substantial financial penalties, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Maintaining confidentiality of sensitive government documents is essential to protecting our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Those who are granted the privilege of working with such material are well aware of the rules regarding the safekeeping of these documents, and also are aware of the consequences for failing to comply with those rules.”
As described in the plea agreement, starting in March 2020, Ashby was a civilian employee of a Department of Defense component agency located in the Southern District of Georgia, and during this time held a Top Secret security clearance as required for her employment.
From February 2022 to May 2022, Ashby, without authority, knowingly removed documents and materials containing classified information “concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States . . . with the intent to retain them at unauthorized locations, including her residence in the Southern District of Georgia and in digital files saved via a personal computing device located in the Southern District of Georgia.”
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule a sentencing hearing for Ashby upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“When people violate the trust given to them to safeguard our nation’s intelligence, they put our country at risk,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will seek to hold accountable those who knowingly and willfully mishandle classified information.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron J. Hubbard, and Trial Attorney David J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Justice Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Former Tribal Police Officer Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Oscar Hudspeth, Sr., age 54, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 10, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hudspeth was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2023.
In 2023, a female juvenile disclosed that Hudspeth had sexually abused her while her mother was married to him. The child was forensically interviewed and disclosed that Hudspeth touched her in a sexual manner on more than one occasion while he was her stepfather. The abuse occurred at their home in Oglala while the child’s mother was working. At the time, Hudspeth worked as a law enforcement officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.
“This case represents a tragedy on many fronts, including that the child victim suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of a person sworn to uphold the law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Our office’s prosecution is a reminder that no one—not even a police officer—is above the law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to vigorously protect children and aggressively fight to vindicate their right to lead lives free from abuse of any kind.”
“Our communities rely on law enforcement officers to serve and protect. Hudspeth betrayed his oath and violated the trust placed in him by harming the most vulnerable among us. No child should ever endure such an egregious crime,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI's commitment to ensuring that those who commit such heinous acts are held accountable, no matter their position or authority.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography with Hidden CamerasRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a former St. Louis County, Missouri teacher to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography with hidden cameras.
Judge Autrey also ordered Joseph R. Gutowski to pay $86,500 in restitution to his victims, including those who appeared in the child sexual abuse material he collected.
Gutowski hid cameras in his office at Lafayette High School in Wildwood and in his home. He secretly filmed a minor and traded some of the images with others online. He was a member of an underground child pornography group on the cloud storage service Mega. He also traded videos he’d secretly recorded of an adult in the “Club Creep” group on Mega.
Gutowski, 42, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to one count of producing of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division'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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Admits Misusing Public FundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner has admitted misusing public funds and entered a pretrial diversion program in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
As part of the agreement, Gardner admitted directing her employees to issue a series of checks totaling $5,004.33 from the Contingent Fund Account in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to reimburse her for paying the fees and costs assessed against her personally by the Missouri Supreme Court in its August 30, 2022, Disciplinary Order, Case Number SC99645. The Supreme Court reprimanded Gardner and found that she had violated ethical rules during her office’s prosecution of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. By Missouri statute, the Contingent Fund is only to be used to pay such expenses as necessary for the proper and vigorous prosecution of the duties of the Circuit Attorney’s Office. The diverted funds “were deposited in her personal bank account and used for her personal expenses unrelated to her job duties and the operations of the Circuit Attorney’s Office. Kimberly Gardner was not entitled under the law to that additional compensation,” the diversion agreement says.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction in the case because the City of St. Louis receives federal program funds in excess of $10,000 annually and because Gardner admitted misusing more than $5,000 in public funds.
The agreement defers prosecution for a period of 18 months, during which time Gardner must avoid violating any laws, report to a pretrial services officer and follow the instructions of that pretrial services officer. She is also required to repay the diverted funds to the Circuit Attorney’s Office as restitution.
“The agreement follows a thorough investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, during which investigators interviewed all pertinent witnesses and reviewed all available evidence and financial records,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “This is a just and fair outcome for a case involving a former official and the misuse of public funds that just met the minimum required under the pertinent federal criminal statute.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith handled the case. The FBI investigated the case.
diversion_agreement_final.pdfFormer School Counselor in Riverside Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation Crimes, Including Hiding Cameras Inside BathroomsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former counselor at a private school in Riverside County pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and placing a hidden camera inside bathrooms to film boys using the toilet and showers.
Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, of Bryan, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was remanded into federal custody after he pleaded guilty.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement searched Johnson’s home in March 2020 and seized several videos featuring minor boys engaged in sexual activity. The videos depicted victims under the age of 12 and some as young as 3 to 5 years old.
During the search of his residence, Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he had hidden a pen-shaped recording device in a toilet paper holder inside of a school bathroom, across the hall from his office as a school counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside.
Inside Johnson’s office, law enforcement found an external hard drive which contained more than 100 video files depicting approximately 62 minors, which were created by Johnson by hiding a recording device inside a bathroom. The recording device was hidden inside a toilet paper roll to capture the genitals of minor boys using the toilet.
Another video file depicted Johnson adjusting a recording device inside a different bathroom at a Junior High School Bible Camp where he was working as a chaperone of children attending the camp. The video file subsequently captured minor boys using the toilet and the shower.
Johnson further admitted to using and employing a minor victim in January 2020 for the purpose of creating a visual depiction of the victim engaging in sexual conduct.
United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a February 5, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Johnson will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to 50 years in federal prison.
The Fontana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Riverside Police Department, and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Probation for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVID RAYFORD (“RAYFORD”), age 40, of Kenner, La., was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on October 17, 2024, to one year probation, payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee and three hundred dollars in restitution, for Mail Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to court records, on June 14, 2021, a Postal Service customer, contacted the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General to report non-delivery of a greeting card that was sent to his address. The card was sent by a family member, in early May, 2021. The family member advised that she mailed a Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card and cash to the victim and was able to provide a receipt for the purchase of the gift card.
RAYFORD, an employee of the United States Postal Service, was the postman on the delivery route on which the card was stolen. RAYFORD used the stolen Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card at Walmart. Walmart Global Investigations identified two purchases made by RAYFORD utilizing the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Mishandling Classified MaterialsRead the Press Release
Margaret Anne Ashby, 26, of Henderson, Nevada, pleaded guilty today for mishandling sensitive documents as a former employee of a Department of Defense component agency.
As described in the plea agreement, starting in March 2020, Ashby was a civilian employee of a Department of Defense component agency located in the Southern District of Georgia, and during this time held a top secret security clearance as required for her employment.
From February 2022 to May 2022, Ashby, without authority, knowingly removed documents and materials containing classified information “concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States . . . with the intent to retain them at unauthorized locations, including her residence in the Southern District of Georgia and in digital files saved via a personal computing device located in the Southern District of Georgia.”
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ashby faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and three years of supervised release for mishandling sensitive documents, along with substantial financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia, and Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch announced the case.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron J. Hubbard for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney David J. Ryan of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Eastern Kentucky Pharamacist Sentenced for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Corbin, Ky., woman and former pharmacist, Stephanie Collins, 57, has been sentenced to 20 months, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for her role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid, by billing for medications that she never dispensed to her customers.
According to her plea agreement, Collins operated as a registered pharmacist and operated Stephanie’s Down Home Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy located in Corbin. The pharmacy sought reimbursement from Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for the drugs and other medical products it dispensed to its customers. As part of the scheme to defraud these taxpayer-funded health care benefit programs, Collins used the pharmacy’s computer system to submit claims for payment for prescription drugs that patients never picked up or otherwise received. Collins also submitted fraudulent claims for diabetic test strips, billing Kentucky Medicaid for more expensive test strips when she was actually giving her customers lower-cost test strips. In total, her false and fraudulent claims caused Kentucky Medicaid and Medicare to reimburse Collins’ pharmacy $730,055.78.
Under federal law, Collins must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years. The Court also ordered Collins to pay $730,055.78 in restitution.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; and Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), jointly announced the sentence.
The case was investigated by the DEA, IRS, HHS-OIG; the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement and Professional Practices Branch; and the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Smith prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
— END —
Former Eagle Pass Police Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Human Smuggling Stash HousesRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass woman, who had served as a police detective, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 120 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to harbor undocumented noncitizens for a human smuggling organization (HSO).
According to court documents, Hazel Eileen Diaz, 54, rented out multiple properties she owned in Eagle Pass to assist in harboring undocumented noncitizens between September 2020 and August 2021. Diaz would often travel to the properties where the migrants were being held to collect rent payments. An investigation revealed that, in total, nearly 200 migrants were smuggled by the HSO Diaz worked for, and that she had received approximately $36,916 in cash and money service business transfers, much of which were proceeds from human smuggling. At the time of her arrest, she was in possession of $23,522 in cash from the smuggling operation.
Co-defendant Tomas Alejandro Mendez pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 13, 2025. Co-defendant Paola Nikole Cazares was sentenced Oct. 11, 2023 to 63 months in prison for the same offense with credit for time served since Aug. 26, 2021. Mendez and Cazares worked with Diaz to operate her properties as stash houses.
In addition to imprisonment, Diaz will serve three years of supervised release, pay a $10,000 fine and money judgement of $237,600, and she will forfeit three properties, a truck, and $23,522.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Pavlinski prosecuted the case.
###
Former Coffeewood Prison Guard Sentenced to 40 Years on Child Exploitation, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A former prison officer at Coffeewood Correctional Center in Mitchells, Virginia, was sentenced this week to 40 years in federal prison on a series of federal charges related to child sexual exploitation and child pornography.
Davey Jonathan Sisk, 30, of Culpeper, Virginia, pled guilty in June to two counts of sexually exploiting and attempting to sexually exploit a child as well as one count of receiving child pornography.
According to court documents, Sisk used the social media application “Telegram” to engage another individual, Anna Layher, to create videos and photos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and then send to him. These videos and photos involved victims as young as three years old. Anna Layher, who was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia for her role in sexually exploiting these victims, also received a 40-year sentence in September 2024.
In addition, from 2021 through 2022, a 12-year-old minor living in Texas engaged in sexual intercourse with another minor child and then sold videos and images of these sexual encounters on the internet through various social media applications, including Snapchat. Sisk admitted to using the Snapchat username “JAKESMOOT2021” and to paying over $450 through Cash App to the 12-year-old minor in exchange for multiple sexually explicit images and videos.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg, VA and Washington, D.C. investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Palm Bay, Florida man to 70 months in prison for using a fake identity to purchase a vehicle. On October 21, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 39-year-old Anthony Vila to 70 months in prison. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also ordered that Vila serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, in early August of 2022, Vila contacted a salesman at a Prattville, Alabama car dealership via electronic communications regarding the purchase of a vehicle valued at $45,000. After being denied financing, Vila sent the personal identifying information of someone he claimed to be his aunt to be used by the dealership as a co-signor on the loan. The information included a copy of the co-signor’s driver’s license and a pay stub. However, both documents were counterfeit. Vila also provided a date of birth and social security number for his alleged co-signor and had an unknown female claiming to be his aunt speak to the dealership over the phone. The $45,000 loan was eventually approved. The individual that Vila falsely claimed to be his aunt had no knowledge of the transaction and had not given permission for her personal information to be used.
On August 4, 2022, Vila picked up the vehicle from the dealership. Vila was apprehended with the vehicle a few days later in Montgomery. During a search of the vehicle, investigators found a laptop, printer, holograms, phone, firearm, and other items commonly used to commit identity theft. The phone contained over 100 stolen identities. The laptop contained evidence of the vehicle purchase described above. Vila pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on June 7, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
Florence Man Sentenced to over 31 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Pills Containing Fentanyl in Watertown and Sisseton AreasRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Florence, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 21, 2024.
Heath Kelvin Hagen, a/k/a Rem, age 37, was sentenced to 31 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hagen was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He was convicted at trial on July 30, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from Hagen’s involvement in a large fentanyl trafficking organization over the course of the Fall of 2021 into the Spring of 2022. Hagen knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Hagen obtained pills containing fentanyl from a co-conspirator in Minneapolis. Hagen then re-sold the pills to sub-distributors and drug customers in Watertown and Sisseton. Following a search of Hagen’s residence, investigators recovered 60 fentanyl pills hidden in a fake tea can. Investigators determined Hagen was involved in the distribution of over 20,000 pills containing fentanyl.
“This defendant was repeatedly identified as the biggest fentanyl dealer in the Watertown area, responsible for peddling thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “His sentence of over thirty-one years not only reflects the seriousness of his crime, but the relentless, collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify and investigate drug traffickers so that my office can prosecute and put away reckless criminals looking to profit off vulnerable and unsuspecting South Dakotans.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Hagen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Final Defendant Pleads Guilty, Three Others Sentenced in Upstate Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Three members of an Upstate drug ring have been sentenced to federal prison and the final member has pleaded guilty for their role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
Richard Brian Walker, 49, of Chesnee, was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment. Walker additionally pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Rebecca Elizabeth Whitesides, 54, of Mooresboro, N.C., 120 months’ imprisonment. Whitesides also pled guilty to money laundering.
Amanda Gail Tuck, 45, of Chesnee, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment.
The final defendant Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia pled guilty to conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Wilson was convicted in a prior federal methamphetamine conspiracy case in 2000.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Jan. 18, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over Whitesides on I-85 and searched her car, finding almost two kilograms of methamphetamine. Investigation into her bank accounts demonstrated that she was assisting others to conceal payments for drug proceeds.
On Feb. 22, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was conducting surveillance on Walker’s home and observed Wilson’s car arrive and leave. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Wilson, locating more than 5,800 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol with 19 rounds. Over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for trafficking 50 kilograms of methamphetamine with Walker.
A search warrant was also executed on Walker’s residence and storage building that day, and investigators located over 500 grams of methamphetamine and 85 grams of fentanyl, a loaded pistol, a rifle, and an unmarked short-barreled AR-15 style rifle, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” Tuck was also located on the premises.
Only a month later, on March 24, 2023, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over Tuck and located almost a kilogram of her methamphetamine in a U-Haul truck.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced the defendants and accepted Wilson’s guilty plea. The court ordered each sentence to be followed by a term of supervised release. Judge Coggins will sentence Wilson at a later date. The maximum penalty for the offense is life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
###
Federal Jury finds Mission Man Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and KidnappingRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Canku Martinez, age 22, of Mission, South Dakota, was found guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Kidnapping following a four-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 18, 2024.
Each charges carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024.
At trial, the evidence established in the early morning hours of October 29, 2024, in the Rosebud Indian Reservation, Martinez agreed to give a juvenile a ride home from a party near Rosebud, South Dakota. Rather than give her a ride home, however, Martinez drove her to a secluded area outside of Rosebud and made sexual advances. When the juvenile rejected his advances, Martinez produced a knife and forced her to engage in sexual activity. Martinez subsequently dropped the victim off at her residence, told her not to tell anyone what he had done, and left the area shortly thereafter.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Winner (SD) Police Department. Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. Martinez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Federal Jury Finds Princeton, Kentucky Man Guilty of Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Last week, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Princeton, Kentucky man of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Chief Chris King of the Princeton Police Department, and Director David Thompson of the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 26 and 27, 2021, Micah Gray, 44, distributed quantities of methamphetamine on three occasions. On August 27, 2021, investigators searched Gray’s apartment and located approximately one and one-half pounds of methamphetamine and items related to methamphetamine distribution.
Gray is scheduled for sentencing on February 21, 2025, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Gray remains in federal custody pending sentencing, and he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA, the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, and the Princeton Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for the 56th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky.
Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Cristy Crockett.
###
Federal Indictment Charges Man with Assaulting and Robbing Two Postal Carriers in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly assaulting and robbing two U.S. Postal Service carriers in a Chicago suburb.
DEVAN FLAX, 21, of Chicago, assaulted and robbed a postal carrier on Nov. 25, 2023, and another on Nov. 28, 2023, in Forest Park, Ill., according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Flax robbed the carriers of a U.S. Postal Service key, the indictment states.
The indictment also accuses Flax of robbing an employee of a Berwyn, Ill. pizzeria on Nov. 26, 2023.
Flax is currently detained in law enforcement custody. He was arraigned on Oct. 16, 2024, in federal court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to assault, robbery, and firearm charges. A status hearing is set for Nov. 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department, Forest Park, Ill. Police Department, and Lombard, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Stone and Simar Khera.
“U.S. Postal Service employees delivering mail to the American people must be allowed to do so safely and securely,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public's mail must be held accountable.”
“This indictment is another example of the roles Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
flax_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on October 16, 2024, charging a local man with illegal possession of a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Dashawn Sublett, 18, was charged with possessing a Glock Switch Device (machine gun conversion device) on June 26, 2024. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.
Sublett made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on October 21, 2024. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the LMPD and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Porter is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of the Prohibited Firearm Possessor Initiative (PFP), a collaborative partnership between all levels of law enforcement and prosecutors to reduce violent crime and firearm offenses. On January 23, 2024, Louisville Metro initiated a gun crime reduction initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting illegal firearm possession. The PFP partners include the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Cumberland County Man for Burning Burkesville, Kentucky City HallRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on October 9, 2024, charging a Cumberland County, Kentucky man with setting fire to the Burkesville, Kentucky City Hall.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Nathan Riddle, 47, was charged with arson of a building receiving federal funds, and arson of a building affecting interstate commerce. On October 25, 2020, Riddle, maliciously damaged by means of fire, the Burkesville City Hall, which was owned by the City of Burkesville, Kentucky. The City of Burkesville received federal funding and the building was involved in business which affected interstate commerce.
Riddle made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on October 17, 2024. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending further proceedings. If convicted, Riddle faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Fargo, ND Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 23, 2024, Kyle Dameon Belgarde, made his initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Belgarde for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
As alleged, Belgarde was required to register as a sex offender due to his 2016 federal conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and failed to register and update his registration. Belgarde’s last registered address was an apartment in The Arbors at McCormick Park in Fargo, which does not necessarily mean he had a lease or had been permitted by management to reside there.
Belgarde’s trial has been set for December 10, 2024.
The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is being investigated by the Fargo Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker.
# # #
Elkhart Man SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Tyson Scott, 52 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to delay of mail by a postal service employee, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Scott was sentenced to 12 months’ probation.
According to documents in the case, Scott was working as a United States Postal Service carrier when, in October of 2023, he was entrusted to deliver mail on an Elkhart city route. Several customers reported to the Postal Service that they had not received their mail. While Scott initially claimed he had delivered the mail in question, he later admitted that he hid over 900 pieces of mail in a storage unit instead of delivering it. After a search of the storage unit, the mail was found and the U.S. Postal Service was able to successfully deliver the mail to its customers.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
Election Officer Appointed for the District of South Dakota for the November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Ann M. Hoffman will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Hoffman has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of South Dakota, 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.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the integrity of the election process and bringing to justice those who seek to corrupt it.”
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).
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 Hoffman will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (605) 838-9446. 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. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (605) 334-6881.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by filing a complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at (800) 253-3931.
U.S. Attorney Ramsdell further stated, “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.
Denver Man Convicted of Being A Felon in Possession of Ammunition by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Tyrell Braxton, 25, of Denver, was found guilty by a federal grand jury of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to the facts established at trial, in the early morning hours on August 19, 2023, a large group of people gathered on the southwest corner of 28th and Welton in Denver. Shortly before 4 am, multiple gunshots were heard, and Denver Police officers were dispatched to a shooting. Surveillance video from a nearby home showed Braxton repeatedly displaying a firearm for hours prior to the shooting. The video also showed Braxton getting into a man’s face before firing six shots at the man and the people standing near him. This man was shot and killed. Two women were shot and injured. After Braxton started shooting, other individuals on scene also began to fire, and a second man was shot and killed. Ultimately, law enforcement recovered 71 spent shell casings that were identified as being fired from eight different firearms. Braxton fled the scene with his firearm and was a fugitive before being captured. Braxton was on federal supervised release at the time for a prior unlawful possession of a firearm and had been released from prison in April 2023.
“Violent criminals have no place on our streets,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Our office works hard to hold repeat offenders accountable for their actions, and I am grateful for the dedicated support of our local law enforcement partners.”
Sentencing will be held on January 29, 2025.
United States District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson presided over the trial. The Denver Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Celeste Rangel and Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak handled the prosecution.
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.
Case Number: 24-cr-00029-RBJ-1
Denham Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Barry Paul Vining, age 56, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to distribution of child pornography.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images. In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe stated, “Our office will remain steadfast in the prosecution of the horrific crime of child pornography, a crime that preys on the most vulnerable, our youth. I want to thank our Project Safe Childhood Partners, especially the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations for their hard work in investigating this illegal act.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Nathan Neil Tyson, 25, distributed fentanyl to another person. That person died because they ingested the fentanyl Tyson gave them. Officers located marijuana, cash, and an extended firearm magazine at Tyson’s residence. In addition, when he was arrested, Tyson had a loaded firearm near him.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Tyson will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents, Devin Lee Ortiz, 32, received and searched for child sexual abuse material using his phone in July 2020. Ortiz’s phone had approximately 550 images of child sexual abuse material. Ortiz committed this offense while he resided at the residential reentry center in Davenport as the result of a 2013 conviction for lascivious acts with a child in the Iowa District Court for Scott County.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ortiz will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Ortiz was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.
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 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Danville Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Children and Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Joseph Allen Carpenter, 52, was sentenced today to 180 months of imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for attempted sexual exploitation of a child and attempted receipt of child pornography.
Carpenter was convicted of the offenses following a jury trial in June 2024. At the sentencing hearing, the government highlighted evidence from the jury trial showing that from November 2021 and into early 2022, Carpenter communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of an eight-year-old girl via text communication applications. In those communications, Carpenter requested various child pornography images and encouraged abuse of the alleged minor.
Also at the hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm found that Carpenter’s offense should be considered more serious than others because of his attempt to exploit a person he believed to be a child under the age of twelve. Judge Mihm commented that he found Carpenter’s conduct “reprehensible.”
The statutory penalties for attempted sexual exploitation of a child are a minimum of 15 years of imprisonment, a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. The statutory penalties for attempted receipt of child pornography are a minimum of five years of imprisonment, a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Lynch and Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the prosecution.
This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.gov.
Court Finds Three Miami-Area Tax Return Preparers in Contempt and Orders Disgorgement of Ill-Gotten Fees as a SanctionRead the Press Release
A federal court in Miami today issued an order holding Gerald Vito, James Eleby and Kwame Thomas in contempt for violating a permanent injunction that prohibited Vito and Eleby from preparing, filing or assisting in the preparation or filing of federal tax returns for others.
According to the complaint filed against Vito and Eleby in March 2021, the defendants prepared tax returns that significantly understated their customers’ tax liabilities by claiming deductions for fabricated or inflated charitable deductions, medical expenses, and employee business expenses. The complaint further alleged that the defendants significantly understated their customers’ tax liabilities by reporting false or inflated business losses. On Dec. 27, 2021, the court issued a default judgment of permanent injunction that barred Gerald Vito and James Eleby from preparing tax returns for others.
Following a hearing in September, the court found that the United States demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that Vito and Eleby violated the permanent injunction by continuing to prepare tax returns for others. The court further found that Thomas, who was not a defendant in the original complaint, violated the injunction by working alongside Eleby to prepare returns in violation of the injunction.
For these violations, the court held Vito, Eleby and Thomas in civil contempt and ordered that they disgorge, in the aggregate, $988,789.56 in fees they earned while violating the injunction. Vito and Eleby were further ordered to disclose to the government the names of all taxpayers for whom they prepared returns after Dec. 27, 2021, notify those taxpayers of the injunction against them, vacate the premises at which they prepare returns and file an affidavit of compliance with these terms.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Vito et al Contempt Order.pdfCortez Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against Election OfficialRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Teak Ty Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, pleaded guilty today to one count of transmitting interstate threats.
According to the plea agreement, Brockbank made a series of online threats toward elections officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024. On September 22, 2021, for example, Brockbank posted on a social media account: “I live in Communist Colorado and this Crazed liberal [referring to Election Official-1] and many others in Communist Colorado needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”
In the plea agreement, Brockbank also admitted that, during that time, he used that account, as well as another social media account to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials. Brockbank admitted to other threats as well. On August 4, 2022, for example, Brockbank posted a message referring to separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado and then stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
Brockbank also posted a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Finally, Brockbank allegedly threatened federal law enforcement on July 20, 2022, posting: “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of shit first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property! justified.”
United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the change of plea hearing. The FBI Denver Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution.
Sentencing will be held on February 3, 2025.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced 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. A year 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.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
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 here: 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.
Case Number: 24-cr-00291-SKC
Columbia Man on Federal Supervised Release Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Daisean Montez Skeeters, 30, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 17, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call at Skeeters’ home. After arriving, police learned there might be firearms in the home. Because Skeeters was already on federal supervised release for a previous federal firearms conviction, agents also spoke to his U.S. Probation Officer, who said he was also advised of firearms in the home. Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and located two firearms, including one loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition. Agents obtained a second search warrant for Skeeters’ DNA to compare to swabs taken from those firearms. DNA testing confirmed an extremely high probability that Skeeters’ DNA was present on one of the firearms. Skeeters entered a guilty plea to possessing that firearm as a convicted felon.
Skeeters was already on federal supervised release following a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces a separate penalty for violating the terms of that release.
According to a sentencing memorandum filed by the Government in his prior case (3:19-CR-992), Skeeters has a history of leading a street gang that was responsible for a substantial disruption of local communities to include through gun violence, organized drug distribution, and fraud schemes.
Skeeters faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Skeeters after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department with forensic assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford are prosecuting the case.
###
Colombian National Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking $75 Million of Cocaine on A Self-Propelled Semi-SubmersibleRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Henry Aguirre-Valois (36, Colombia) to 16 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Aguirre-Valois entered a guilty plea on May 24, 2024.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, Aguirre-Valois and his three co-defendants smuggled cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on board a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, which is a closed hull boat built specifically for transporting bulk levels of narcotics. Members of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Waesche interdicted the defendants and their vessel approximately 170 nautical miles west of Ecuador, in international waters.
The United States Coast Guard seized 2,523 kilograms of cocaine from the vessel, which has an approximate wholesale value of $75 million.
Aguirre-Valois had previously been convicted and sentenced in 2019 for trafficking cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Colombian Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man was sentenced yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to six months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. In September 2024, Lopez Mejia pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In June 2024, Lopez Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Lopez Mejia was previously removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lopez Mejia returned to the United States. Federal authorities became aware of Lopez Mejia’s return to the United States while he was serving a state prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in October 2023 in Suffolk Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and one count of forgery/misuse of an RMV document.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Chula Vista Man Admits Defrauding Investors of More than $4 MillionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Chula Vista resident Paolo Roberto Flores pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting he defrauded investors of more than $4 million through lies and deception.
According to his plea agreement, Flores made false statements about the success of his prior investments and promised to do the same for new investors. He agreed to invest their funds in cryptocurrency and take 20 percent of any profitable trades. He also told potential investors that he had effective risk mitigation measures in place to limit potential losses.
Flores sent frequent text messages to investors, purporting to document profits resulting from his cryptocurrency trading. Based on Flores’ claim of consistent profits, some clients decided to increase their investments.
When his investments started declining consistently, Flores took multiple steps to conceal his losses from investors. He doctored account statements to falsely show profits that did not exist. For example, on July 8, 2022, Flores sent a screenshot to investors that purported to be an “Assets Overview” page from trading platform BYBIT. He had doctored the screenshot to show an overall asset amount of approximately 69.06515482 BTC (or approximately $1,502,431.64 based on the closing price of $21,753.83 for one BTC on July 8, 2022). In reality, the account had a nominal balance.
Later, when investors tried to withdraw funds as Flores had promised, Flores falsely claimed that BYBIT had frozen the account in which investor money had been deposited. He provided a series of apparent screenshots of emails, which he claimed were his communications with BYBIT. Instead, he had secretly created a new account, then initiated a user request through BYBIT to disable the login for the new account claiming, “suspicious account activity.” After BYBIT blocked the account as requested, FLORES logged into the new account to get the error message. He provided the error message, “This account has been banned,” to the investors to support his fraudulent claim that BYBIT had banned the account.
According to court documents, Flores obtained at least $4,781,248 from victim investors because of his false statements and fraudulent documentation. At least 15 people gave amounts from $50,000 to $1.6 million. Flores used the proceeds of his scheme to purchase a 2021 Tesla Model S and a 2022 Land Rover RR, which he boasted about on his Facebook page.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing those who commit fraud for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “If you believe you have been the victim of a scam or fraud scheme, contact law enforcement for help.”
“Mr. Flores willingly preyed upon investors who trusted him with their money,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “People should be able to confidently invest their hard-earned money in the way that they choose. If that confidence and trust are exploited by criminals aiming to commit fraud, investors should know that law enforcement will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible.”
In addition to the investment fraud, Flores admitted that he attempted to commit mortgage fraud. In July 2023, Flores executed an application to refinance a Veteran’s Administration mortgage with Rocket Mortgage LLC in the amount of $1,086,000 for his residence. In connection with the application, Flores made false statements about his employment status and income, and supported those false claims by submitting fabricated pay stubs to the mortgage lender.
Flores was ordered to appear for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz on January 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
If you believe you were a victim of this crime, you may contact the San Diego Field Office at (858) 320-1800, or the Victim Witness Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office at [email protected].
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie H. Chu.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR2216-BTM
Paolo Roberto Flores Age: 39 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory D’Arquaes Zander, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Zander admitted to possessing six firearms found by law enforcement officers during March 11, 2024, traffic stops of two vehicles on Interstate 77 North near the Kanawha County-Jackson County line. Zander was a passenger in one of the vehicles and the other vehicle was a blue pickup truck. Officers found a rifle case in the blue truck containing the six firearms: a Smith & Wesson model M&P 10mm M2.0 10mm pistol, a Springfield Armory model DS Prodigy 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson model M&P 9 9mm pistol, a Kimber model Rose Gold Ultra II .45-caliber ACP pistol, a Glock model 17 Gen 4 9mm pistol, and a CMMG model MK4 5.78x28mm pistol.
Officers also found a wallet in the blue truck containing Zander’s state identification card and birth certificate and receipts for the purchase of two of the firearms. The receipts listed the driver of the blue truck as the purchaser. The driver told investigators that he purchased multiple firearms for Zander, who selected which firearms to buy and provided the money for each purchase, and transported the firearms to one of two adjacent apartments rented by Zander in Charleston. The driver also admitted that just before the traffic stops, Zander directed him to load the rifle case containing the six firearms from one of those apartments into the blue truck and paid him to drive the blue truck to Michigan.
Officers searched Zander’s apartments following the traffic stops and found three additional firearms, ammunition, magazines, over 200 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia including a digital scale and vacuum sealed bags. Officers also found packaging for four of the firearms seized from the blue truck and the receipt of the purchase of one of those firearms.
Investigators established that Zander had accompanied the driver during the purchase of four of the seized firearms, and wore one of the firearms on his ankle during a purchase. Investigators also found that Zander had fired one of the firearms at a public outdoor shooting range and purchased nearly $4,000 worth of firearms accessories around the time of the firearm purchases. Zander was responsible for at least 13 illegally possessed firearms based on facts learned during the investigation.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Zander knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, methamphetamine, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 22, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-55.
###
Charles City Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Dashaune Terrell Burns-Johnson, age 31, from Charles City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the plea hearing, Burns-Johnson admitted that, on May 22, 2024, in Charles City he knowingly possessed a Taurus G3c, 9x19 mm pistol. At the time he possessed the gun, he knew that he had been convicted of a felony, domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, second offense, and that he had been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, specifically, domestic abuse assault.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Burns-Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Burns-Johnson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Charles City Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-2033. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold methamphetamine and unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than 14 years in federal prison.
Julius Anthony Montgomery, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 17, 2024 guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance following a conviction for a prior serious drug felony.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that four times in January 2023, Montgomery sold methamphetamine. On January 26, 2023, law enforcement officers searched his home in Cedar Rapids. Montgomery, another adult, and six minor children were home at the time. When Montgomery realized that law enforcement officers had arrived, he tried to escape out the upstairs window with a firearm. Ultimately, he surrendered to officers. Inside his house and car, officers found over seven pounds of ice methamphetamine, his firearm, and over $2,000 in drug proceeds. Montgomery has prior federal felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school after having been convicted of a felony drug offense, and for possession of ammunition by a felon and drug user.
Montgomery was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Montgomery was sentenced to 169 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Montgomery is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the United States Probation for the Northern District of Iowa.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-44.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
California brothers sentenced to federal prison for roles in large meth, fentanyl trafficking ring that distributed drugs in Butte, Helena areasRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal judge on Oct. 22 sentenced two brothers from California to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a large trafficking ring that distributed pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in the Butte and Helena communities, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Defendant Martin Topete, 33, of Mira Loma, California, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Topete’s brother, Johnathan Topete, 28, of Mira Loma, California, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Both defendants pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The Topete brothers are the last defendants in the case to be sentenced.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
“Drugs, cash, and guns. Virtually every case we prosecute includes each of these, but this case is even worse because of the amounts of each and that it was a family affair. The Topete brothers were among eight Montana and California defendants who brought a staggering amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to the Butte and Helena communities over approximately six months. The brothers will collectively serve 30 years in federal prison, we’ve removed more drugs and guns from our streets, and we will continue pursuing justice against those who poison our state and nation,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court records, the government alleged that from June 2022 until about January 2023 in Butte and Helena, the Topete brothers and six other co-defendants conspired to traffic meth and fentanyl. In June 2022, the Utah Highway Patrol stopped an individual traveling in a vehicle carrying 3.5 pounds of meth and 6,000 pills containing fentanyl and learned that the individual was transporting the drugs to Butte for distribution by “Esco,” who was co-defendant Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, of Anaheim, California. Law enforcement further learned that Fuentes was staying at Whitehall residence along with at least one co-defendant, James Andrew Stringari, of Whitehall, and that Fuentes was supplying both fentanyl and meth throughout the Butte area from the Whitehall residence. In addition, law enforcement corroborated information about meth and fentanyl trafficking that implicated Fuentes, Stringari, co-defendant Janet Dean White, of Butte, and another co-defendant.
During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted packages containing thousands of pills that were mailed from California to a Whitehall address and a Butte address. Law enforcement also learned that Fuentes had relocated to a house in Helena. Investigators conducted coordinated raids of the Helena and Butte addresses. In the Butte residence, law enforcement located approximately six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms. In the Helena residence, law enforcement located approximately seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl.
The evidence showed that Martin Topete was one of the leaders of the conspiracy and communicated with his co-conspirators to coordinate resupplies of drugs. Martin Topete worked closely with Fuentes, including directing drug runs from to California for resupply and dictating drug flow to Fuentes for distribution. Martin Topete also would direct other co-conspirators to Fuentes when he did not have drugs to distribute.
The government further alleged that Johnathan Topete aided in the distribution of thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of meth and helped launder the profits. Johnathan Topete also procured guns for the conspiracy and was a participant in tracking a January 2023 package, which contained almost 3,000 fentanyl pills. Johnathan either threatened or assisted in threatening a co-conspirator after that package was delayed and was subsequently discovered to have possessed or aided in the possession of almost six pounds of meth and seven firearms.
Co-defendant Fuentes was sentenced to 30 years in prison, Stringari was sentenced to 16 years in prison and White was sentenced to 15 years in prison. A federal jury convicted all three defendants of trafficking crime during a trial in April. Co-defendant Wayne Johnson II, of Santa Ana, California, who pleaded guilty in the case, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Co-defendant Trevor Allen Handy, of Butte, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and co-defendant Agatha Noriz Carranza, of Whitehall, was sentenced to three years in prison. Handy and Carranza also pleaded guilty to charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Utah Highway Patrol and Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
XXX
California Man Charged with Weapon of Mass Destruction Offense in Connection with Bomb Attack in Lobby of County CourthouseRead the Press Release
A three-count federal grand jury indictment was returned today charging Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, California, with committing a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria in which several people were injured. McGuire’s arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 25 in the Central District of California.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, on Sept. 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were near the bomb when it exploded.
Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by law enforcement officials as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.
Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe. McGuire told law enforcement he intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms in order to kill a judge.
A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.
McGuire was charged with one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive, and one count of possessing unregistered destructive devices. McGuire has been in custody since his arrest in September, shortly after the attack.
If convicted of all charges, McGuire faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch announced the case.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for gun and drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala sentenced Damion Deonte Wade, 24, to 120 months in prison after Wade pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement, on April 11, 2023, Birmingham Police officers stopped a vehicle for having a tinted windshield; Wade was driving. Officers saw drugs, drug paraphernalia, and firearms in plain view. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered two digital scales, methamphetamine, fentanyl, a Mak-47, a Glock 10mm extended magazine and an AK-47 magazine.
ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
Belleview Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) has pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material. Burbank faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files over the internet from a 12-year-old child in another state. The videos depicted child sex abuse material. During a review of Burbank’s social media accounts, investigators identified a second victim, a 13-year-old child, also living in a different state. Burbank had received child sex abuse material from the second victim on September 26, 2023.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sherriff’s Office and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.