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Tuesday 22 October 2024
Operator of Tow Truck and Auto Repair Company Charged with Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging CHRISTIAN LUGO, a/k/a “Coco,” with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and related firearms charges. These charges relate to LUGO’s leadership role in a racketeering conspiracy that used fraud and violent intimidation to run a tow truck and auto repair shop known as Certified Auto. On February 7, 2022, LUGO ordered a co-conspirator who worked for him at Certified Auto to shoot at members of a rival tow truck company, which resulted in the death of Gloria Ortiz. LUGO was arrested this morning and will be presented today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Christian Lugo corrupted a tow truck and auto repair business in the Bronx and ran that enterprise by engaging in rampant fraud and serious acts of violence. Lugo’s alleged rivalry with other tow truck companies culminated in him allegedly ordering another member of his enterprise to shoot at rivals, which resulted in the murder of Gloria Ortiz. We hope that these charges bring some measure of comfort to Ms. Ortiz’s family and make clear that this Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to prosecuting those who allegedly commit senseless violence in the name of increasing their power in a criminal enterprise.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Christian Lugo allegedly engaged in a racketeering conspiracy using violence as part of the operation of a Bronx-based tow truck and auto repair business. As alleged, his callous actions directly led to the 2022 murder of Gloria Ortiz as well as additional crimes and fraud. FBI New York will not sit idly by and allow violent crime – let alone murder – to be used as a means to operate a business.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
LUGO, along with others, corrupted the operations and activities of Certified Auto, which was a company that provided towing and auto repair services to vehicles damaged in car accidents. LUGO and his co-conspirators used Certified Auto to commit wire, mail, and insurance fraud and to assert control over the towing and auto repair industry in their territory in the Bronx, New York, using violence and threats of violence.
On February 7, 2022, LUGO ordered a co-conspirator who worked for him at Certified Auto to shoot at members of a rival tow truck company, which the co-conspirator did. The resulting gunfire caused the death of Gloria Ortiz and non-fatal injuries to two other people outside of the Certified Auto shop.
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LUGO, 37, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum term of life in prison; murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison; attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; and two firearms offenses, each of which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of Special Agents from the FBI New York Safe Streets Task Force and the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Herman, Andrew Jones, and Ni Qian are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Alfred Rogers, age 63, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced October 17, 20224 in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rogers to 180 months’ imprisonment for the drug count and to 300 months, consecutive, for the firearm offense for a total of 480 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Rogers is released from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Rogers’ sentence was enhanced due to a prior serious felony drug conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Rogers will also forfeit $45,906.00 in United States currency to the United States as drug proceeds.
On May 23, 2022, officers of the Omaha Police Department Narcotics and SWAT units executed a search warrant at a home in Omaha. Officers located Rogers at the home. During the search, officers located 428 grams of meth, 33 grams of cocaine, 1,968 grams of marijuana, and 95 fentanyl pills. Officers also located a 9mm handgun in the ceiling rafters and $45,906 in U.S. currency.
Rogers was found guilty by a jury on July 18, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jerrod Lee Sharp, 41, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, was sentenced on Monday, October 21, 2024, to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor. Sharp must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 17, 2022, Sharp began messaging a woman located in West Virginia whom he believed to be the mother of two minor girls. Sharp repeatedly stated in his messages to the woman that he wished to engage in sexual relations with both girls, and that he wished to travel to West Virginia to meet them.
Sharp exchanged over 1,600 messages with the woman. On July 30, 2023, Sharp flew from Oklahoma to Charleston, West Virginia, where he planned to meet the woman and the two minor girls. Upon his arrival in Charleston, Sharp was arrested by law enforcement officers.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph Robert Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-126.
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Muskogee Resident Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Lamar Tims Jr., age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the January 2024 robbery of a Muskogee Family Dollar store.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 16, 2024, Tims pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery in Indian Country. According to investigators, on January 16, 2024, Tims approached a clerk at a Family Dollar store in Muskogee and demanded $50 in cash. Tims had his hand in his vest pocket and the clerk feared Tims was armed with a gun. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Tims will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Morris County Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting MinorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man has been charged with producing and possessing images of child sexual abuse and enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Carlos Xavier Urbina-Gutierrez, aka Luis Urbina-Gutierrez, 23, of Wharton, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with possessing and producing child pornography and enticing a minor to produce child pornography. Urbina-Gutierrez appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2023, Urbina-Gutierrez, posing as a student at a high school in Morris County, New Jersey. Urbina-Gutierrez used a fake online female persona on social media to communicate online with minor male victims who were students at the high school. On Dec. 25, 2023, Urbina-Gutierrez used these social media accounts to solicit one of the minor victims to engage in sexually explicit behavior while participating in a video call. Urbina-Gutierrez then surreptitiously recorded the video call and saved it to his phone. A forensic search of Urbina-Gutierrez’s cell phone revealed an approximately one-minute video of the video call with the victim.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each charge also includes a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the Child Exploitation Group of the Newark Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; the Borough of Wharton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dave Young; and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Hardin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
urbinagutierrez.complaint.pdfMissoula man sentenced to 15 years in prison for meth, fentanyl traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man convicted by a federal jury of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community and possessing firearms in relation to drug dealing was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a two-day trial in June, the jury found Keith Andre Green, 50, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crimes as charged in an indictment.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
“Green flooded the Missoula area with pounds of meth and thousands of fentanyl pills, poisoning an untold number of Montanans. But he was even more dangerous because he traded drugs in exchange for firearms. It’s the kind of danger we should not have on our streets and indeed, he won’t be after today’s significant sentence. For the next 15 years, Green will no longer be able to peddle drugs and guns, and we will continue to pursue those like him to ensure they end up in federal prison, too,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from about May 2022 until September 2023, Green and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Missoula and Mineral counties and possessed firearms. Law enforcement received information that Green was a major drug distributor and that he went to Spokane, Washington, three to five days a week and received about one pound of meth and a boat of fentanyl, which is 1,000 pills, on each trip. Green also traded drugs for firearms. Law enforcement executed search warrants in February 2023 on Green’s vehicle and residence and another search warrant on his residence in September 2023. Officers seized a total of 4,205 fentanyl pills and approximately 2,204 grams, which is approximately 4.8 pounds, of meth. Officers located approximately six firearms and ammunition at his residence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Missoula County Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Member of Multi-State Gas Pump Skimming Device and Fuel Theft Ring Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deonelky Tabares Cid (36, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, six counts of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Cid faces a minimum penalty of 2 years in federal prison on the count of aggravated identity theft, up to 20 years in federal prison on each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years in federal prison on each count of access device fraud, up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendants defrauded. No sentencing date has been set.
According to court documents, Cid and his co-conspirators worked together to install skimmers on gas pumps to include gas stations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida, including the Florida Panhandle. The conspirators used the skimmers to illegally obtain credit and debit card account numbers involved with the purchase of fuel by customers at the gas pump. Using the account numbers stolen by the skimmers, they subsequently made counterfeit credit and debit cards and then, used them to purchase large amount of diesel fuel.
During the conspiracy, Cid and others drove vehicles that contained a fuel bladder system. This system allowed the conspirators to fake pumping gas into the vehicle’s gas tank when in fact the diesel fuel was being pumped into the fuel bladder system. Analysis by law enforcement of fuel purchases, vehicle tracker data, gas station video surveillance, and real time surveillance of the conspirators determined that Cid and other conspirators drove to multiple case stations throughout Northern Florida. After obtaining the gas, the conspirators offloaded the stolen fuel into 9,500-gallon tanker trucks at a fuel yard. The stolen fuel was then sold to a gas station associated with one of the co-conspirators.
The co-defendants, Luis Edel Trujillo Pena (29, Miami), Deyvis Hernandez (37, Miami), Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32, Miami), and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38, Jacksonville) are set for trial in January 2025.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Media Advisory – U.S. Attorney to Announce Charges Related to 2023 Quintuple Murder in Sampson CountyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton, and other state and federal law enforcement partners, will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce indictments and arrests related to the October 2023 murder of five people in Clinton.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601
WHEN: Wednesday, October 23rd at 10:30 a.m.
Media: please arrive by 10:00 a.m. for set up.
For logistical information in advance of the media availability, please contact Katie Holcomb at [email protected]. No case specific information is available until the press conference.
Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Newington Gun Store BurglaryRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROY HARRIS, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a Newington gun store burglary in September 2021.
According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on September 5, 2021, Harris, who had absconded from state parole, approached a woman in the parking lot of a supermarket in Bristol. Pointing what appeared to be handgun at the victim, Harris demanded that she leave her car and give him the keys. After the victim complied, Harris threw her to the ground and drove and away in her car.
In the early morning hours of September 7, 2021, Harris drove the victim’s car to Hoffman’s “Guns for the Good Guys,” a federal firearms licensee located in Newington, and crashed it through the store’s front entrance. He then entered the store, kicked out a display case, and stole five handguns before fleeing the scene on foot. He was arrested the next day.
Judge Bolden ordered Harris to pay restitution of $36,166.30.
Harris has been detained since his arrest. On July 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensee.
State charges against Harris relating to the carjacking are pending.
Only one of the five stolen firearms has been recovered by law enforcement.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Newington and Bristol Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New Britain for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Man Arrested for Exposing Himself on an AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man was arrested and charged yesterday for allegedly masturbating and exposing himself within the view of two other passengers seated near him on board a flight from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to Boston, Mass. yesterday.
Krishna Kunapuli, 39, of India, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Kunapuli was arrested yesterday and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging documents, Kunapuli allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward a female passenger on board an Etihad Airlines flight, including touching her hair and taking pictures of her without her permission. After a crew member intervened, Kunapuli returned to his seat.
It is alleged that, later in the flight, two male passengers seated near Kunapuli noticed Kunapuli masturbating under a blanket and, at times, with his penis fully exposed. One of the passengers reported this conduct to a flight attendant who intervened and alerted law enforcement.
The charge of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Macon Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident with a criminal history admitted to distributing fentanyl in federal court today.
Gary Hollingshed, 31, of Macon, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Oct. 22. Hollingshed faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Fentanyl is a killer, and fentanyl dealers in Middle Georgia will face federal prosecution and stiff penalties,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with our law enforcement and community partners, we will continue our combined efforts to prevent fentanyl distribution and hold fentanyl traffickers accountable.”
“This career criminal is a tragic example of individuals who have no regard for the safety of our community,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will continue to bring to justice drug traffickers who drive addiction and destroy communities.”
“It is good that justice has been served concerning the illegal deeds of Gary Hollingshed,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “His prosecution was a result of diligence and dedication by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and our federal partners. This conviction will assure that citizens are safer from the deadly distribution of fentanyl.”
According to documents and statements made public in court, federal and local agencies began investigating Hollingshed for distributing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine in Macon. Using a confidential source and surveillance, agents conducted their first controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Hollingshed in the parking lot of a hotel in Macon on Feb. 10, 2022, purchasing approximately 83.9 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine from Hollingshed. A second similar controlled purchase occurred on Feb. 16, 2022, at a local store in Macon. While under surveillance, Hollingshed asked an undercover agent acting as the buyer if he wanted heroin or fentanyl; the undercover agent requested heroin. The substance thought to be heroin was actually a fentanyl mixture weighing 28.56 grams. Hollingshed also sold the undercover agent 140.1 grams of methamphetamine.
Hollingshed was taken into custody in Monroe County on March 9, 2022, after a trip to the Atlanta area to resupply. When deputies stopped the car for a malfunctioning taillight off I-75, law enforcement smelled marijuana. Three preschool-aged children were in the car. Agents found nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine in the car and 56.30 grams of fentanyl. On March 15, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at Hollingsworth’s supplier’s residence in Woodstock, Georgia, and seized more than a half-kilogram of methamphetamine, an AR-15 rifle, a shotgun, two Glock pistols, a Ruger pistol, cocaine, crack cocaine, scales and marijuana. Hollingshed has prior felony state convictions for burglary and illegal drug possession and distribution.
The case was investigated by DEA, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Laredo drug dealer receives three decades in prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Daniel Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 2.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 360 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Rodriguez sold poison to people and despite having multiple opportunities to stop, he continued selling drugs. During the hearing, Rodriguez remarked he was a father and the court asked if he sold these same drugs to his family. Additionally, the court questioned if he would stop selling drugs if one of his own children had overdosed.
On Jan. 3, authorities executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence. While approaching the house, law enforcement saw Rodriguez flee from inside his home, during which time he attempted to discard a baggie that was later found to contain meth.
After detaining Rodriguez, authorities searched the home and found more meth inside. He later admitted that the seized drugs belonged to him.
Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and the Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.
The case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Kyle Man Sentenced to 50 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of four counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor, one count of Abusive Sexual Contact, and one count of Witness Tampering. The sentencing took place on October 17, 2024.
Lloyd Emerson Elk, 48, was sentenced to a total of 50 years in federal prison on each count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also sentenced to five years in prison for Abusive Sexual Contact and 25 years in prison on the Witness Tampering conviction. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2024. He was found guilty following a two-day jury trial in July of 2024. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Theeler reflected Elk’s long pattern of violence was very concerning to her. She noted, “Crimes against children are some of the most heinous crimes . . . Adults in positions of power can abuse that position, take away the innocence of a child and hurt them.”
Elk, a former tribal law enforcement officer, sexually abused his stepdaughter multiple times when she was between the ages of five and seven years old. Elk employed years of domestic violence to control the victim and her family, including physical and emotional abuse. Elk told the victim if she ever told anyone about the sexual abuse, that he would kill her, her mother, and her brother. When the victim finally disclosed the abuse in late 2023, the investigation revealed Elk had sexually abused another seven-year-old girl in 1998—while employed as a police officer in Idaho—and made similar threats to her to keep her quiet.
“Every instance of child sexual abuse is simultaneously shocking and heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “But it is unthinkable that such victimization would happen at the hands of a law enforcement officer. It took great courage for the victims in this case to come forward with the truth, and we are grateful to our partners at the FBI who expertly investigated the matter so that our prosecutors could bring this violent defendant to justice, once and for all. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will never yield in our steadfast commitment to protecting women and children from violence.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Lindrooth and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. Elk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Killeen Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Import Meth through Del RioRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Killeen man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 264 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to attempt to import 7.86 kilograms of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
According to court documents, Joshua Ruben Olivencia, 34, and other co-defendants were arrested at a hotel in Del Rio on Aug. 1, 2020, after an investigation revealed they were involved in a conspiracy to import methamphetamine from Mexico and distribute it in the United States. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 16 individual multilayered packages of methamphetamine concealed inside the door panels of codefendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz’s vehicle during a port of entry inspection.
Olivencia had distributed methamphetamine in and around Austin, Killeen, Temple and Belton, and had employed a few distributors who worked in Austin and the surrounding areas. On July 31, 2020, he and codefendant David Ray Coplin traveled to Del Rio to meet Ortiz and another codefendant, Jimmie Troy Palmer III. Olivencia gave Palmer $18,500 to purchase methamphetamine in Mexico.
Ortiz pleaded guilty on June 7, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison. Palmer pleaded guilty on July 21, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison. Coplin pleaded guilty on March 8, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 31.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
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Kansas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
A Kansas man pleaded guilty yesterday to preparing and filing false income tax returns on behalf of his clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hophine Bwosinde, of Lenexa, operated Ambroseli Professional Services, a tax preparation business. From 2018 through 2022, Bwosinde prepared and filed false tax returns on behalf of his clients by either inflating legitimate business expenses or by claiming losses related to fake businesses. In addition, Bwosinde falsely reported negative income on clients’ returns. These false items caused his clients to significantly underreport their income to the IRS, which reduced the amount of taxes the clients owed and generated refunds for many to which they were not entitled.
In total, Bwosinde caused a total tax loss exceeding $1.5 million.
A sentencing hearing will take place on Feb. 18, 2025. Bwosinde faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Launches Voter Assistance Resources for People Impacted by Recent Hurricanes and Severe Weather DamageRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched a webpage today compiling information to help voters in states impacted by recent hurricanes Helene and Milton to have access to the ballot. The hurricanes have displaced several thousands of people from their residences; disrupted vital services; closed schools, businesses and other places; slowed postal delivery; and destroyed important personal possessions, including photos and identification documents.
In these online resources, the department focuses on the six states that were directly affected by recent hurricanes: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The site identifies and provides links to various state changes made to accommodate voters who have been displaced, lost their identification documents, have had polling sites moved or who are unsure where or how they can vote. It also provides contact information so that voters can reach local voting officials who can provide the most specific and up-to-date guidance.
The Justice Department is also committed to ensuring every eligible voter can cast their ballot free from discrimination and intimidation. Federal laws protect against voter intimidation, coercion and interference at every stage of the voting process. For additional information about voting and elections, including filing federal voting rights violations or threats against election workers, visit www.justice.gov/voting. Contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling 1-800-253-3931.
Justice Department Announces Murder-For-Hire Charges Against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General and Former Intelligence Officer and Members of an Iranian Intelligence NetworkRead the Press Release
Note: View the superseding indictment here.
The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment containing murder-for-hire, money-laundering, and sanctions evasion charges against Ruhollah Bazghandi, also known as Roohollah Azimi; Fnu Lnu, also known as Haj Taher, Haj Taher; Hossein Sedighi; and Seyed Mohammad Forouzan, all of Iran.
“The Justice Department has now charged eight individuals, including an Iranian military official, for their efforts to silence and kill a U.S. citizen because of her criticism of the Iranian regime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will not tolerate efforts by an authoritarian regime like Iran to undermine the fundamental rights guaranteed to every American. Three of the defendants charged in this horrific plot are now in U.S. custody, and we will never stop working to identify, find, and bring to justice all those who endanger the safety of the American people.”
“Today’s indictment exposes the full extent of Iran’s plot to silence an American journalist for criticizing the Iranian regime,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the charges, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a former Iranian intelligence officer, working with a network of conspirators, planned to kill a dissident living in New York City. The FBI’s investigation led to the disruption of this plot as one of the conspirators was allegedly on their way to murder the victim in New York. As these charges show, the FBI will work with our partners here and abroad to hold accountable those who target Americans.”
“Today’s indictment makes plain that the Iranian regime for years has been behind a violent campaign to stalk, intimidate, and arrange the killing of an American dissident on U.S. soil for bravely speaking up for the rights of the Iranian people,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department is committed to exposing and holding accountable those in Tehran who believe they can hide their hand in carrying out such reprehensible activities.”
“As alleged, for years, the Government of Iran has attempted to assassinate, on U.S. soil, a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin who is a prominent critic of the Iranian regime,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “In January 2023, we unsealed charges alleging that members of an Eastern European crime group engaged in a plot to murder this victim. As we allege, that group was not acting alone. Today, we hold their Iranian masters to account, and allege that these Iran-based co-conspirators, including a Brigadier General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, directed the murder plot. By charging these Iran-based defendants, we seek to strike another public blow at the heart of the Government of Iran’s efforts to execute the victim — as well as its lethal targeting, intimidation, and repression of other Iranian dissidents critical of the regime in the U.S. and abroad.”
As detailed in the superseding indictment, Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan contracted members of an Eastern European criminal organization, including Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ, and Rome; Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa; and Zialat Mamedov, also known as Ziko, to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York City who has publicly opposed the Iranian government and who has previously been the target of similar plots by the Iranian government. Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov previously were arrested on charges contained in underlying indictments. Amirov and Omarov are in custody in the United States, pending trial; Mamedov was extradited from the Czech Republic to the Republic of Georgia to face charges there. Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, all of whom are based in Iran, remain at large. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon for the Southern District of New York.
According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings, Bazghandi, who resides in Iran, is an IRGC Brigadier General and has previously served as chief of an IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) counterintelligence office. In April 2023, the U.S. Secretary of State designated IRGC-IO as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 14078, for hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals abroad. On the same date, the Treasury Department sanctioned Bazghandi in connection with his involvement with the detention of foreign prisoners held in Iran. Bazghandi was designated by the Treasury Department a second time in June 2023, this time under Executive Order 13224, for his participation in IRGC-IO’s lethal targeting operations. Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan (collectively with Bazghandi, the Bazghandi Network), each of whom resides in Iran, also have connections to the Government of Iran.
The Bazghandi Network contracted Amirov, Omarov, Mamedov, and Khalid Mehdiyev to murder, on U.S. soil, a victim residing in New York City. The victim is a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses and suppression of political expression, including in connection with continuing protests against the regime across Iran. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap the victim from within the United States for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence the victim’s criticism of the regime. That plot was disrupted and exposed by the FBI and led to the filing of federal kidnapping conspiracy and other charges in the Southern District of New York against several participants in the plot in United States v. Farahani, et al.
Since at least July 2022, the Bazghandi Network tasked members of the organization with assassinating the victim. The organization’s participation in the murder-for-hire plot was directed by Amirov, who resided in Iran and who was tasked with targeting the victim by individuals in Iran. On approximately July 13, 2022, Amirov forwarded targeting information — which Amirov had received from individuals in Iran — about the victim and the victim’s residence to Omarov. Omarov, in turn, together with Mamedov, directed and collaborated with Mehdiyev, who was residing in Yonkers, New York, to carry out the plot against the victim. Mehdiyev’s participation in the plot was disrupted when he was arrested near the victim’s home on or about July 28, 2022, while in possession of the assault rifle, along with 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.
In January 2023, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were arrested overseas. On Jan. 27, 2023, they were charged publicly for their roles in the plot to assassinate the victim. Nevertheless, in the months that followed, members of the Bazghandi Network continued to target the victim. For example, in or about March 2023, Haj Taher searched for information about the victim’s family members and Sedighi saved an image of the victim’s residence. As recently as on or about May 1, 2023, Bazghandi conducted an internet search, in Farsi, for, “a person in the house of [the victim] movie,” and, on the same date, watched a video with the title, “A video of the arrested gunman in front of [the victim]’s home in New York received by [the victim’s employer].”
Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov have also been charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition of Mamedov.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York, Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jefferson County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bradley Charles Reckert, Jr., 32, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has admitted to the possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, Reckert possessed a privately manufactured AR-style pistol in his home. Reckert is prohibited from having firearms because of his use and abuse of drugs.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; and the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Salem is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Jacksonville Woman Indicted for Credit Scheme and COVID Relief Fraud Involving the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Carnisha Maurica Rogers (30, Jacksonville) with four counts involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, and four counts of false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme and COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Rogers faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count involving wire fraud and up to 5 years in federal prison on each count involving the false representation of a Social Security number, payment of restitution to the victims she defrauded and forfeiture of $20,832, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud.
According to the indictment, Rogers and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of others. From February 2016 through September 2019, Rogers and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. They also attempted to obtain at least one luxury vehicle. Rogers and her co-conspirators resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms.
In May 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Rogers operated her own business. Throughout the loan application Rogers made multiple false statements regarding her purported gross income and expenses associated with operating her business. In support of her PPP loan application, she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 - Profit or Loss From Business. It contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for her purported business. In truth, Rogers’s business did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in her loan application, her application was approved, and she received a PPP loan totaling $20,832.
After receiving the PPP loan proceeds in her bank account, Rogers began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses. In October 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application to the SBA that included multiple false representations. In the application, she falsely claimed that she spent more than $18,000 on payroll costs and that the PPP loan proceeds were only used for eligible purposes. In reliance on her false statements the SBA forgave the entire loan, plus accrued interest.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Illegal export of multiple firearms sends Mexican national to prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old man has been sentenced for illegally exporting firearms from the United States into Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Elmer Espinoza-Ortega pleaded guilty July 11.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Espinoza-Ortega to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
“Many guns exported from the United States into Mexico are used for criminal activity or end up in the hands of the cartels,” said Hamdani. “My office is committed to preventing transnational gun violence by stopping the export of firearms from the United States.”
On May 26, Espinoza-Ortega attempted to exit the United States through the Anzalduas Port of Entry. Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered a firearm magazine in Espinoza-Ortega’s pocket.
A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed four firearms and five firearm magazines concealed in the bumper of the vehicle.
At the time of his plea, Espinoza-Ortega admitted he did not possess a license to export firearms or ammunition, he knew the firearms were in his vehicle and he intended to transport the firearms into Mexico.
Espinoza-Ortega will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Idabel Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Lee Williston, age 33, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On January 4, 2024, Williston pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 1, 2022, Williston was driving a pickup truck eastbound on State Highway 3 with a suspended driver’s license. Williston crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck an oncoming vehicle which rolled on impact, killing the passenger. Law enforcement investigating the crash discovered open beer cans in Williston’s vehicle and Williston admitted drinking approximately “eight or nine beers” before the collision. Investigators obtained blood samples which tested positive for marijuana and a blood alcohol content of .19 g/100ml. The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Williston will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan represented the United States.
Hanford Site Subcontractor Pleads Guilty to Stealing COVID-19 Relief Funding, Owner Agrees to Pay $1.1 Million in Restitution and PenaltiesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that BNL Technical Services, LLC (BNL), pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $493,865 as part of a scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funding. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian accepted BNL’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for March 11, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., in Yakima, Washington. U.S. Attorney Waldref further announced that BNL’s owner, Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, of Nashville, Tennessee, agreed to pay $1,105,498 as part of a civil settlement in the case to resolve his individual liability arising from BNL’s receipt of COVID relief funding.
In the plea agreement accepted by the court and in information disclosed during court proceedings, between 2020 and 2021, BNL provided contract labor services to Hanford Site prime contractors. BNL’s labor costs and payroll continued to be paid by DOE throughout the pandemic, including when BNL employees were not able to physically work at the site and instead were teleworking or simply home in “ready” status.
In April of 2020, BNL applied for and received a $493,865 loan as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide funding to small businesses in order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for small and local businesses. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the United States, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may grant a small business borrower forgiveness so long as the loan proceeds have been used for payroll and other eligible expenses.
BNL fraudulently sought and obtained PPP funding for BNL employees despite their pay and benefits already being covered by DOE contract funds and other federal sources including the Veterans Administration. Shortly after receiving the funds, BNL transferred and used more than $424,230 of the PPP proceeds on unauthorized expenditures.
In August of 2021, BNL, through its sole owner Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, requested and was granted forgiveness of the $493,865 PPP loan, by falsely and fraudulently certifying the loan proceeds had been used for eligible uses and business expenses between April and October of 2020.
“These critical and limited COVID-19 funds were set aside to help small businesses stay afloat during a deadly pandemic. BNL fraudulently obtained these funds and then illegally used the money for their own purpose,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I’m proud of the work done by my Office’s COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force in this case. By holding fraudsters accountable, we are protecting small and local businesses that are so important to our community and economy.”
“Today’s guilty plea should send a message that the VA Office of Inspector General will diligently pursue those who would illegally line their pockets at the expense of the taxpayer,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners as part of the COVID-19 Strike Force to investigate fraud against relief programs intended to support bona fide recipients.”
“The misuse of pandemic relief funds intended to support struggling small businesses is a serious offense that undermines the integrity of critical assistance programs,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our office will remain steadfast in pursuing those who use such vital resources for personal gain. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to justice in this case.”
This case was investigated as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, an interagency team of federal law enforcement agencies dedicated to combatting COVID relief fraud in Eastern Washington. The BNL case was investigated by the Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General, Richland Field Office, the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the VA Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Half-Brothers Sentenced for Murdering their Sister and her Family, Including Three Children, in their Tijuana HomeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Half-brothers Christopher Baltezar Hernandez and Victor Armondo Aguilar were sentenced in federal court today to six consecutive life terms and 45 years, respectively, for the premeditated execution of their sister, her three children – ages 9, 8 and 4 – and her significant other in their Tijuana home. The siblings had been involved in a bitter dispute over property prior to the murder.
“I cannot understand how one can point a gun in front of a child’s face and pull the trigger,” U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez told the defendants during the sentencing hearing. She described the murders as “horrific,” “completely incomprehensible,” and “cold, intentional, planned, calculated, and callous.”
Aguilar, of Tijuana, pleaded guilty in October 2023 and Hernandez, of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty in December 2023, each to a single count of conspiring to murder a U.S. citizen in a foreign country and five counts of stalking resulting in death. The half-brothers are U.S. citizens. The sister and her children were also U.S. citizens; the significant other was a Mexican national.
According to their plea agreements, on December 3, 2021, the day of the murders, Hernandez traveled from Fresno to Tijuana through San Diego, armed with an assault rifle, .223 caliber ammunition, and two revolver speed loaders. Hernandez met up with Aguilar in Tijuana, where they acquired a revolver.
The half-brothers, armed with the firearms and wearing dark clothes and gloves, went to the victims’ residence in Tijuana. According to the plea agreements, which identified the victims by their initials, the defendants first shot and killed the sister, J.H., and her eight-year-old daughter, A.M.M., in the kitchen. The significant other, G.M.V., was shot and killed in a bedroom while he attempted to shield the other two children. The bedroom door was forced open and nine-year-old A.M. and four-year-old S.M. were each shot in the head.
“Borders do not shield criminals from justice when Americans are victimized abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “These executioners were charged, convicted, and held to account in a U.S. court. The Department of Justice will continue to use every available tool to protect Americans from harm at home and abroad.”
“Jealousy and greed led to one family's devastating loss of five loved ones,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Hernandez’s and Aguilar’s well-deserved prison sentences reflect their total disregard for human life. While their imprisonment will never bring back these lives, we hope it offers some peace to the victims’ family. The FBI, alongside our local and international law enforcement partners, remains dedicated to seeking justice and will not hesitate to hold accountable those involved in violent crimes, whether in the United States or abroad.”
While there were likely multiple motivations for the murders, the primary reason was a dispute over the ownership of numerous properties in Mexico. According to court documents, in the months leading up to the murders, the sister retained an attorney to help in the property dispute, which prompted Hernandez to text her: “We already know about the lawyer.” Hernandez asked, “You think you can just fuck us over and nothing will happen?” Hernandez then mentioned J.H.’s attorney’s name and that he had the attorney “in are[sic] hands.” Hernandez continued to say, “Fuck you and all your family” and, “The truth is I’m not fucking around. You thought you were going to make a dumbass out of me but no. You’re not going to have anything.” Hernandez then challenged J.H. to “…try me and see how much you can handle because with me you’re not going to be able to finish it.”
Hernandez had a long history of threats against his sister and her children. In May 2019, J.H. called 911 stating Hernandez was threatening to shoot her and her kids in the head. Hernandez and J.H. had the same parents; Aguilar and J.H. were half-siblings. It’s unclear if J.H. and her significant other were married.
According to the plea agreements, the murders occurred after months of meticulous and obsessive planning and premeditation. Hernandez and Aguilar had researched the victims’ address and the surrounding area online more than 200 times. Hernandez also bought the parts and built a fully functional .223 caliber assault rifle. The week before, Hernandez researched “ar15 jam clearing” and “ar15 room clearing” and watched ten different videos related to tactical firearms training. Hernandez also researched how to build a hidden compartment in his Toyota Corolla and discussed contingency plans with others, among other preparatory steps. The day before the murders, Hernandez bought a pair of revolver speed loaders, and on the day of the murders, Hernandez and Aguilar acquired a revolver in Tijuana, Mexico.
Aguilar searched for and listened to a podcast related to homicide investigations just hours before the murders. Minutes before the murders, Hernandez removed the SIM card from his phone, and returned it about a half-hour after the murders.
Following the murders, Hernandez researched numerous news articles about the killings and searched, “does the fbi investigate murders.” Hernandez and Aguilar also deleted their location and messaging history.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario Peia, Matthew Brehm and Fred Sheppard.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr778-LL
Christopher Baltezar Hernandez Age: 27 Fresno, CA
Victor Armondo Aguilar Age: 22 Tijuana, MX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Murder – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1117
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
Stalking Resulting in Death – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2261A
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Great Falls man admits meth trafficking, money laundering crimesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man suspected of supplying methamphetamine to local dealers, laundering the proceeds and storing more than 100 pounds of the drug and a firearm in an Arizona storage unit admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Daniel Allen Wakeford, 60, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute meth and to money laundering. Wakeford faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised released on the drug charge. He also faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than the greater of the value of the property, funds or monetary instruments involved in the transactions or $250,000 and three years of supervised release on the money laundering charge.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 19. Wakeford was detained pending further proceedings.
“The staggering amount of meth we seized was enough for approximately one-third of Montanans to use. This case shows we will go anywhere and pursue anyone for the harm they’re causing Montanans. Wakeford’s guilty plea is validation of these efforts,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned that Wakeford was involved in distributing meth in the Great Falls area and elsewhere and that numerous individuals had received meth from him for resale from approximately 2020 to 2024. In February 2024, law enforcement apprehended in Billings an individual who possessed meth. The individual outlined how he assisted Wakeford in packaging several hundred thousand dollars in cash, had received meth from Wakeford in Great Falls and that Wakeford indicated he was conspiring to distribute a significant amount of meth.
The investigation determined that Wakeford did not have a significant source of legitimate income, however, in November 2022, Wakeford paid approximately $16,534 for a new snowmobile in Great Falls. After Wakeford was indicted in the case, law enforcement searched his Great Falls home and located documents for a storage unit he leased in Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement arrested Wakeford in Utah on a federal warrant while he was driving a motorhome valued at more than $40,000. Inside the motorhome, law enforcement located more than $60,000 in cash and additional documents related the storage unit. Federal agents in Arizona served a search warrant on the storage unit and located more than 100 pounds of meth, which is the equivalent of approximately 362,400 doses, and a firearm. The items are pictured here:
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS, Great Falls Police Department and Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Giám Sát Viên Quận Cam đồng ý Nhận Tội âm Mưu Hối Lộ Liên Quan đến 10 Triệu đô La Trong Quỹ Cứu Trợ COVIDRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Giám Sát Viên Quận Một trong Hội Đồng Giám Sát Quận Cam đã đồng ý nhận tội với một cáo buộc liên bang trọng tội vì đã nhận hối lộ hơn $550,000 để chỉ đạo và bỏ phiếu ủng hộ hơn $10 triệu trong quỹ COVID cho một tổ chức từ thiện liên kết với một trong những cô con gái của ông, Rhiannon Đỗ, Bộ Tư pháp thông báo hôm nay.
Andrew Hoàng Đỗ , 62 tuổi, đã đồng ý nhận tội với một tội danh âm mưu hối lộ liên quan đến các chương trình nhận tài trợ liên bang. Thỏa thuận nhận tội và thông tin của ông ta đã được đệ trình ngày hôm nay. Ông dự kiến sẽ xuất hiện lần đầu tiên tại Tòa án Quận Hoa Kỳ ở Santa Ana vào cuối tháng này.
Đỗ là một trong năm giám sát viên trong Hội đồng Giám sát Quận Cam, chịu trách nhiệm về ngân sách hàng năm 9 tỷ USD của quận. Là giám sát viên quận, Đỗ đại diện cho các thành phố Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Rossmoor, Seal Beach và Westminster. Ông đã từng là giám sát viên của quận kể từ tháng 2 năm 2015.
Là một phần của thỏa thuận nhận tội của mình, ông Đỗ thừa nhận rằng để đổi lấy hơn 550.000 USD tiền hối lộ, bắt đầu từ năm 2020, ông đã bỏ phiếu ủng hộ và chuyển hàng triệu đô la trong các quỹ liên quan đến COVID cho Hiệp hội Việt Mỹ (VAS), một tổ chức từ thiện liên kết với con gái ông. Đỗ đã chỉ đạo và làm việc cùng với các nhân viên khác của quận để phê duyệt hợp đồng với - và thanh toán cho - VAS. Đỗ tiếp tục thừa nhận ông ta đã hành động tham nhũng và lạm dụng vị trí tín nhiệm của mình với tư cách là giám sát viên quận.
"Bằng cách đặt lợi ích của mình lên trên lợi ích của các cử tri, bị cáo đã bán chức vụ cao của mình và phản bội lòng tin của công chúng", Bộ Công Tố Hoa Kỳ luật sư Martin Estrada nói. "Tệ hơn nữa, số tiền mà ông ta chiếm đoạt và nhận hối lộ đã bị lấy từ những người cần nhất - người già và người khuyết tật. Cộng đồng của chúng ta xứng đáng được tốt hơn nhiều. Tham nhũng không có chỗ đứng trong nền chính trị của chúng ta và văn phòng của tôi sẽ tiếp tục buộc các quan chức phải chịu trách nhiệm, những người lừa dối công chúng."
"Trong khi hàng triệu người Mỹ đang chết vì COVID-19, Giám sát viên Quận Cam Andrew Đỗ là con cáo trong chuồng gà mái được nhân cách hóa, đột kích hàng triệu đô la trong quỹ cứu trợ đại dịch liên bang và dàn xếp số tiền nhằm nuôi sống những người già và người dân ốm yếu để thay vào đó lấp đầy túi của những người trong cuộc, bản thân và những người thân yêu của ông ta trong khi miêu tả một nhân vật công khai của một anh hùng quê hương hướng dẫn các cử tri của mình vượt qua sự không chắc chắn và sợ hãi của một đại dịch toàn cầu, " Chánh Biện Lý Quận Cam Todd Spitzer nói. " . "Không ai đứng trên luật pháp ở Quận Cam và những cáo buộc này sẽ đóng vai trò như một lời cảnh báo mạnh mẽ cho các quan chức dân cử ở khắp mọi nơi rằng các hành động mang lại hậu quả và công lý sẽ nhanh chóng và nó sẽ mang tính quyết định."
"Các quan chức được bầu có trách nhiệm thực hiện các chương trình và chính sách sẽ mang lại lợi ích cho tất cả những người mà họ phục vụ. Vai trò của họ không phải là phung phí tiền bạc, nhận hối lộ hoặc chuyển tiền cho các tổ chức hoặc cá nhân, trong đó một nỗ lực phối hợp cho phép các quỹ đó đến tay các thành viên gia đình hoặc bạn bè," Akil Davis, Trợ lý Giám đốc phụ trách Văn phòng Los Angeles của FBI cho biết. "Lời kêu gọi hôm nay là một dấu chấm than khác cho cam kết của FBI trong việc đảm bảo rằng tất cả các quan chức địa phương, tiểu bang hoặc liên bang được bầu và bổ nhiệm thực hiện nhiệm vụ của họ với sự trung thực, liêm chính và cam kết với tất cả các cử tri mà họ phục vụ."
Ngay sau khi nhận được các quỹ công liên quan đến COVID từ chính quyền quận - quỹ nhằm cung cấp bữa ăn cho người cao tuổi - VAS từ tháng 4/2021 đến tháng 2/2024 đã trả cho một doanh nghiệp được xác định trong các tài liệu của tòa án là "Công ty # 1" $ 100,000 trở lên mỗi tháng, tổng cộng khoảng $ 3,804,000 USD. Vào tháng 9/2021, VAS đã tăng các khoản thanh toán cho Công ty #1 từ 100.000 USD lên 108.000 USD mỗi tháng. Công ty #1 sau đó bắt đầu trả cho Rhiannon Đỗ - con gái của Đỗ - 8.000 USD mỗi tháng, tổng cộng đến tháng 2/2024 là khoảng 224.000 USD.
Trong thỏa thuận nhận tội của mình, Đỗ thừa nhận rằng ngoài khoản thanh toán hàng tháng 8.000 đô la mà Công ty #1 đã thực hiện cho con gái của Đỗ, vào tháng 7 năm 2023, Công ty #1 cũng đã chuyển tổng cộng 381.500 USD từ số tiền mà họ đã nhận được từ VAS cho một công ty ký quỹ. Vào tháng 7/2023, con gái của ông Đỗ đã sử dụng tiền tài khoản ký quỹ để mua một ngôi nhà đứng tên cô ở Tustin với giá 1.035.000 USD. Trong một phần của giao dịch đó, một khoản thế chấp trị giá hơn 600.000 USD đã được thu thập bởi một ứng dụng cho vay có chứa thông tin sai lệch và với các tài liệu bịa đặt. Trong thỏa thuận chuyển hướng liên quan của mình kèm theo như một vật chứng cho thỏa thuận nhận tội của Đỗ, con gái của Đỗ thừa nhận hành vi của mình là phạm tội và vi phạm luật liên bang và tiểu bang
Ông Đỗ cũng thừa nhận rằng 381.500 USD từ Công ty #1 mà con gái ông đã sử dụng để mua ngôi nhà Tustin vào năm 2023 là một khoản hối lộ trá hình đối với ông. Ông cũng thừa nhận rằng thêm 100.000 USD tiền thanh toán được gửi cho con gái khác của ông, bao gồm ba tấm séc trị giá 25.000 USD từ Công ty # 2 - một công ty điều hòa không khí đã được VAS trả - cũng là hối lộ cho ông.
Một số tiền hối lộ đã được chuyển cho các con gái của ông đã được chi tiêu cho lợi ích trực tiếp của ông. Ví dụ, trong năm 2022, tổng cộng 14.849 USD tiền đã được chuyển cho các con gái của ông Đỗ đã được sử dụng để thanh toán thuế bất động sản cho các tài sản ở Quận Cam thuộc sở hữu của ông Đỗ và vợ. Khoảng 15.000 USD đã được sử dụng để thanh toán cho một trong những hóa đơn thẻ tín dụng của ông Đỗ.
Đỗ biết rằng VAS không cung cấp tất cả các bữa ăn mà quận đã trả cho VAS. Thay vào đó, phần lớn số tiền được sử dụng vì lợi ích của những người trong cuộc, bao gồm mua bất động sản dưới tên của cả con gái Đỗ và Công ty #1, thanh toán hối lộ cho cả hai con gái của Đỗ , thanh toán cho những kẻ âm mưu khác, thanh toán cho các công ty khác liên kết với các cán bộ niêm yết của VAS và qua hàng trăm ngàn đô la bằng cách rút tiền mặt.
"Ông Đỗ có nhiệm vụ hành động vì lợi ích tốt nhất của công dân Quận Cam. Ông ấy đã bỏ bê nhiệm vụ đó và lạm dụng hệ thống tài chính để làm giàu cho bản thân", Đặc vụ phụ trách Ryan Korner thuộc Văn phòng Tổng thanh tra Tập đoàn Bảo hiểm Tiền gửi Liên bang cho biết. "Tham nhũng công cộng làm suy giảm niềm tin của công chúng vào hệ thống chính trị của chúng ta và FDIC OIG tự hào làm việc cùng với các đối tác thực thi pháp luật của chúng tôi để xác định và buộc các cá nhân phải chịu trách nhiệm lạm dụng dịch vụ công vì lợi ích cá nhân."
"Andrew Đỗ được giao nhiệm vụ đảm bảo tiền thuế của người dân được sử dụng một cách có trách nhiệm và đúng mục đích đã định," Đặc vụ phụ trách Tyler Hatcher, Điều tra Hình sự IRS, Văn phòng Los Angeles cho biết. "Thay vào đó, khi các cử tri của ông phụ thuộc vào các chương trình cứu trợ COVID, ông Đỗ đã lợi dụng vị trí của mình trong Hội đồng Giám sát Quận Cam không chỉ để gây ảnh hưởng đến việc chuyển tiền cho Hội Việt Mỹ, mà còn nhận hối lộ được sử dụng để mua nhà, nộp thuế tài sản và thậm chí trả thu nhập hư cấu cho các thành viên gia đình. Chống tham nhũng công cộng là một trong những vai trò quan trọng nhất của các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật liên bang trong cộng đồng địa phương của chúng tôi và chúng tôi tự hào là đối tác trong cuộc điều tra này.
"Hành động hôm nay cho thấy quan chức dân cử này đã sử dụng vị trí tín nhiệm của mình cho lợi ích cá nhân. Ông ta không nghĩ rằng mình sẽ bị bắt. Ông ấy đã sai", Adam Shanedling, Đặc vụ phụ trách Văn phòng khu vực phía Tây của Bộ Giáo dục Mỹ cho biết. OIG tự hào là một phần của lực lượng đặc nhiệm điều tra vấn đề này và chúng tôi sẽ tiếp tục làm việc với các đối tác thực thi pháp luật của mình để giúp bảo vệ tính toàn vẹn của các quỹ liên bang.
Theo sự thỏa thuận nhận tội ông Đỗ sẽ bị tịch thu bất kỳ tài sản nào liên quan đến kế hoạch hối lộ, bao gồm cả tài sản ở Tustin mà con gái ông đã mua vào năm 2023. Là một phần của thỏa thuận chuyển hướng liên quan đến con gái ông, bà cũng đồng ý sự việc tịch thu tài sản ở Tustin. Thỏa thuận nhận tội yêu cầu ông Đỗ phải trả toàn bộ tiền bồi thường bằng cách trả lại số tiền hối lộ mà ông và các con gái đã nhận, và ông đã đồng ý trả đầy đủ trước khi bị kết án. Vào tháng 8/2022, chính phủ đã tịch thu hơn 2.4 triệu USD từ VAS và Công ty #1.
Trong một thỏa thuận liên quan với Văn phòng Biện lý Quận Cam (OCDA), đính kèm như một vật trưng bày cho thỏa thuận nhận tội của Đỗ, Đỗ đã đồng ý từ chức ngay lập tức khỏi Hội đồng Giám sát Quận Cam và tịch thu bất kỳ khoản tín dụng hưu trí nào trong thời gian ông tham gia vào âm mưu hối lộ.
Một khi Đỗ nhận tội, ông ta sẽ phải đối mặt với bản án tối đa theo luật định là năm năm trong nhà tù liên bang.
The FBI; Cục Điều Tra của Văn Phòng Biện Lý Quận Cam; Văn phòng Tổng Thanh tra Tập đoàn Bảo hiểm Tiền gửi Liên bang; Điều tra Hình sự IRS; và Văn phòng Tổng Thanh tra Bộ Giáo dục Hoa Kỳ đã điều tra vấn đề này.
Vấn đề này đang được Bộ Công Tố Hoa Kỳ và Văn phòng Biện Lý Quận Cam cùng truy tố. Việc truy tố đang được dẫn dắt bởi Trợ lý Công Tố Hoa Kỳ Charles E. Pell, Bradley E. Marrett và Tara Vavere của Văn phòng Bộ Công Tố Hoa Kỳ và Phó Biện lý Quận Avery T. Harrison và Phó Biện lý Quận Anthony J. Schlehner và LJ Berger của Văn phòng Biện Lý Quận Cam.
Bất kỳ thành viên nào của công chúng có thông tin liên quan đến vấn đề này hoặc bất kỳ vấn đề tham nhũng công cộng nào khác trong Quận Cam được khuyến khích gửi thông tin đến đường dây email của FBI tại https://tips.fbi.gov và / hoặc liên hệ với Văn phòng Los Angeles của FBI theo số (310) 477-6565.
Genesee County man charged with possession of machinegunsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Peter Celentano, of Bergen, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal possession of machineguns, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 29, 2024, the New York State Police, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF, executed a search warrant at Celentano’s Rochester Street residence. During the search, investigators recovered two 3D printed pistol frames, firearm parts and accessories, ammunition reloading equipment, an AR 80% style Jig and drill, a drill press, and various other tools related to the manufacturing of firearms. In addition, investigators also searched two properties associated with Celentano in Lyndonville, NY, and an apartment on East Avenue in Medina, NY, recovering numerous AR-style lower receivers, 3D printed handguns, and additional firearm parts and accessories. Approximately 59 of the AR-style receivers contained a “third pin hole,” qualifying them as machine guns.
On October 9, 2024, a dive team searched the Erie Canal beneath the Beals Road bridge in Medina. A cardboard box was located and retrieved from the bottom of the canal. Inside were 10 AR-style receivers, an unmarked handgun, magazines, and additional firearm parts.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr., and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Franklin County Man Trafficking Kilograms of Methamphetamine Sentenced to 25 YearsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Olegario Pineda-Palacios, age 35, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for importing multi-kilograms of methamphetamine into North Carolina. On March 12, 2024, Pineda-Palacios pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“This sentence underscores the destructive impact that drugs, like the methamphetamine Pineda was distributing, has on the community,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “HSI and our law enforcement partners have an unwavering commitment to find, arrest and prosecute those involved in trafficking these dangerous drugs in our communities.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Pineda-Palacios was coordinating with individuals in Mexico to receive shipments of methamphetamine in Franklin County. After locating a shipment containing approximately four kilograms of methamphetamine, in September 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) executed a search warrant at Pineda-Palacios’ residence. On the property behind the residence, law enforcement discovered a clandestine conversion methamphetamine lab – in which Pineda-Palacios would convert powder methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine (“Ice”). Law enforcement also recovered a 9mm firearm and additional methamphetamine from inside of the residence.
Pineda-Palacios has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, operating a vehicle containing a secret compartment, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. Pineda-Palacios is in the country illegally and faces deportation after serving his sentence.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. HSI, the FCSO, and the SBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-0041.
Fourth Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Member Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kenneth Caspers Jr., 57, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Hells Angels—were beaten by Caspers, Michael Mahoney, Jaime Alvarez, Dennis Killough, and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules.
According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Caspers’ Vacaville home and found several firearms and ammunition, including 18 rounds of .22‑caliber, .25‑caliber, and/or .38-caliber ammunition in Caspers’ master bedroom and bathroom. Caspers has previously been convicted of several felony crimes—including a previous felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm—that prevent him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Alsytn Bennet, and Adrian T. Kinsella are prosecuting the case.
Caspers is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Caspers faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The three other defendants have previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows: Alvarez was sentenced to 21 months in prison on March 21, 2023, Killough was sentenced to 46 months in prison on June 26, 2023, and Mahoney was sentenced to 37 months in prison on May 2, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Taylor Mayor Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Prison for Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT –Richard Sollars was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conspiring to accept bribes and engaging in wire fraud while he was the Mayor of the City of Taylor, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Between 2016 and 2018, Sollars, 50, exercised his authority and influence as Mayor and recommended to the Taylor City Council that Realty Transition, a company owned by his co-defendant, Shady Awad, be awarded the vast majority of the tax-foreclosed properties that the City had or would acquire under its Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment. Sollars recommended Realty Transition for the ROFR program, intending to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Awad provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received bribes from Awad totaling $85,011.73 as part of this bribery scheme. The bribes included items such as home renovations, a humidor, kitchen appliances, a washer and dryer, a Dyson vacuum cleaner, a camera, and cash.
In addition, as part of his election efforts, Sollars established a campaign account entitled, “Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr.” Sollars engaged in a scheme to defraud his donors by fraudulently using donated funds for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign. In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, Sollars directed his campaign treasurer to provide him with signed blank checks from his campaign account. Sollars then made those checks payable to Dominick’s Market in various amounts, each purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. As known to Sollars, the owner of Dominick’s Market, Hadir Altoon, prepared false invoices for catering services that were not actually provided. Instead, Altoon would provide Sollars with some or all of the proceeds from the cashed fraudulent checks for Sollars’s personal use. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received $70,362.98 from this, and other, wire fraud schemes related to his campaign account.
“Sollars, as the Mayor of the City of Taylor, pledged to represent the best interests of the citizens he represented and the voters who supported him. Instead, he used his elected office to award city contracts and spend campaign funds for his own personal financial enrichment,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Sollars’s conviction and sentence demonstrate my office’s commitment to ensuring that those elected officials who place their own greed above their duties to the citizens in the community will be held to answer for their breach of trust.”
"The diligent work of the FBI's Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, working in collaboration with the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, resulted in the conviction of Richard Sollars, the former mayor of the City of Taylor," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gibson. "This betrayal of public trust is a stark reminder of the importance of integrity and accountability in public office. We remain committed to upholding the principles of justice and transparency, ensuring that such actions do not go unpunished. Today's sentencing of Mr. Sollars brings closure to a lengthy and thorough investigation of the former mayor's administration."
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.
Former Montgomery County Restaurant Owner Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for PPP and RRF Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Giuseppina “Josephine” Leone, 62, of North Wales, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 21 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a $50,000 fine and $300 special assessment for pandemic program fraud. The Court denied the defendant’s request for a non-custodial sentence. The defendant has also paid full restitution in the amount of $972,861.75.
Leone was charged by indictment on May 16, 2024, with three counts of wire fraud for making false representations in documents relating to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Restaurant Revitalization Fund (“RRF”) program, which provided emergency financial assistance to business owners suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. She pleaded guilty to those charges on May 23.
Leone and her husband were owners of Ristorante San Marco (“RSM”), an Italian restaurant located in Ambler, Pa. Leone and her husband executed an Agreement for Sale of Real Property dated October 20, 2019, listing themselves as the “Sellers” of the RSM property and a third party as the “Buyer” for a purchase price of $1,575,000. Subsequently, on or about March 18, 2020, Leone posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page informing the public that RSM would be temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RSM remained closed and never reopened.
Despite the restaurant not being in operation in April 2020, Leone submitted a fraudulent application for a PPP loan in the amount of $138,000. This application misrepresented that RSM, which had been closed for approximately a month, had 17 employees, and would use the loan for payroll and other operating expenses. The fraudulent application was approved, and the loan funds were deposited into RSM’s bank account later that month. The loan was subsequently forgiven based on further misrepresentations by Leone.
In January 2021, while the restaurant was still not in operation, Leone submitted another fraudulent application for a PPP loan, this time seeking $120,000. The application made similar misrepresentations and was approved, resulting in the requested funds being deposited into RSM’s bank account in February 2021. Again, the PPP loan was forgiven due to misrepresentations by Leone.
Finally, Leone defrauded another COVID-19 relief program. While RSM was still not in operation in May 2021, Leone submitted a fraudulent application for a grant under the RRF program, requesting $699,196 for restaurant operations. This RRF application mispresented that RSM, which had not been operating since March 2020, was in operation and that the money would be used to pay employee wages. As a result of this deception, the request was approved, and the funds were deposited into RSM’s bank account later in May 2021. One month later, in June 2021, Leone closed on the sale of RSM. Nonetheless, over a year later, Leone misrepresented to the federal government that the RRF funds had been used for eligible purposes, even though RSM was never reopened by Leone.
“PPP and the other covid relief programs were meant to provide emergency aid to businesses and employees financially flattened by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and our partners won’t stand for opportunists like Mrs. Leone thinking they can defraud the federal government, pocket taxpayers’ money, and get away with it. We’ll continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute anyone foolish enough to do so.”
The case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angella Middleton.
Former Correctional Officers Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Using Inmates’ Stolen Identities in International Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Martins Tochukwu Chidiobi, 34, and Lawrence Onyesonwu, 38, of Muncie, have each been sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release and payment of a $5,000 fine, after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft and making false statements to a financial institution.
According to court documents, between on or about 2015 and their arrest date in January 2019, Chidiobi and Onyesonwu worked as Correctional Officers at the New Castle Correctional Facility, a privately managed prison within the Indiana Department of Corrections. During that time, Chidiobi and Onyesonwu stole at least five inmates’ personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. The defendants used the stolen identities of the victim inmates to open at least nine accounts at various Indiana banks using fraudulent passports. The fraudulent passports were purportedly issued by Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana, and included pictures of the defendants, but the names and other information of the identity theft victims.
The accounts opened by the defendants with the stolen identities were then used to receive the proceeds of broader fraud schemes. A total of at least $331,282 was deposited into the defendants’ fraudulent bank accounts from at least 11 sources. Investigators worked to identify and contact individuals who deposited funds into fraudulent accounts. Of the eleven depositors able to be identified, each was themselves the victim of a “romance scam” or other fraud scheme. Further investigation revealed that the defendants also received deposits of apparent fraud proceeds into their own personal bank accounts.
The vast majority of the over $331,282 in apparent fraud proceeds received by the defendants was withdrawn as cash. A large portion of the money was transferred into Nigerian bank accounts.
“It is simply reprehensible for correctional officers to exploit their positions to steal inmates’ identities and further the financial exploitation of scam victims,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Transnational fraud schemes have lasting repercussions for victims all over the country, and everyone who commits these crimes must be held accountable. The federal prison sentences imposed here should serve as a warning that the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to pursuing financial criminals and holding them accountable.”
“This sentence highlights the FBI’s resolve to investigate and prosecute those who exploit their authority for personal gain. The men and women of the FBI are committed to showing respect for the dignity of all those we protect including victims who are incarcerated,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “I am extremely proud of the work we do to protect the rights of all Americans.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany J. Preston and Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.
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Former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and Two Other Individuals Charged with Sex Trafficking and Interstate ProstitutionRead the Press Release
A 16-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging former Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (Abercrombie) Chief Executive Officer Michael Jeffries, along with Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, with sex trafficking and engaging in interstate prostitution. The indictment alleges that between December 2008 and March 2015, Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson used a combination of force, fraud and coercion to traffic men while operating a prostitution enterprise. All three defendants were arrested this morning. Jeffries and Smith are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, and Jacobson is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota. They will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI) and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged in the indictment, former CEO of Abercrombie Michael Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and their recruiter James Jacobson used their money and influence to prey on vulnerable men for their own sexual gratification,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s arrests show that my Office and our law enforcement partners will not rest until anyone who engages in sex trafficking or interstate prostitution, regardless of their wealth or power, is brought to justice.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the FBI Miami Field Office, West Palm Beach Resident Agency; the FBI Milwaukee Field Office, Eau Clair Resident Agency; the Barron County, Wisconsin, Sheriff’s Office; and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida and the District of Minnesota, for their assistance with the case.
“Today’s indictment highlights the alleged abhorrent behavior of Michael Jeffries, Matthew Smith, and James Jacobson. The defendants allegedly preyed on the hopes and dreams of their victims by exploiting, abusing, and silencing them to fulfill their own desires, with insidious secret intentions. This case is yet another example of individuals using their wealth, power, or reputation to manipulate and control others for their personal gratification. The FBI and our partners won’t allow these criminal acts to go unchecked, we remain committed to investigating and bringing these cases forward to prosecution,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
“Sex trafficking remains a pressing issue nationwide and New York City is no exception,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “Through our continued partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the NYPD is able to enhance our investigations and secure convictions. Importantly, our close collaboration also allows us to connect survivors of this abhorrent crime with the necessary support and services they deserve.”
From approximately 1992 to 2014, Jeffries was the CEO of Abercrombie, a fashion clothing retailer that owned and operated retail stores around the world. Smith was Jeffries’ life partner. The indictment alleges that Jacobson was employed by Jeffries and Smith to recruit, interview and hire men to perform commercial sex acts for Jeffries and Smith.
As set forth in the indictment, from approximately 2008 to 2015, Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson, together with others, operated an international sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise. Jeffries and Smith not only relied on their financial resources and Jeffries’ power as the CEO of Abercrombie, but also on numerous others, including Jacobson and a network of employees, contractors and security professionals, to operate this venture, which was dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires.
As further alleged in the indictment, Jeffries and Smith paid for dozens of men to travel within the United States and internationally to various locations, including the Hamptons on Long Island, New York City and hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and Saint Barthélémy, for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts with Jeffries, Smith and others (the “Sex Events”). Jacobson allegedly traveled throughout the United States and internationally to recruit and interview men for the Sex Events. During “tryouts” of potential candidates, Jacobson typically required that the candidates first engage in commercial sex acts with him.
The indictment alleges that Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson used coercive, fraudulent and deceptive tactics in connection with their sex trafficking and prostitution venture. For example, among other things, Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson and others acting at their direction:
- Employed a referral system and interview process that did not inform men of the details of the Sex Events before they attended, including the full extent and nature of the sexual activity that would be required of the men at the Sex Events;
- Caused men to believe that attending the Sex Events could yield modeling opportunities with Abercrombie or otherwise benefit their careers;
- Caused men to believe that not complying with requests for certain acts during the Sex Events could harm their careers;
- Required men to relinquish their personal items, including clothing, wallets and cellular phones, and store them in an inaccessible location during the Sex Events;
- Required men to sign non-disclosure agreements;
- On more than one occasion when men did not or could not consent, Jeffries and Smith violated the bodily integrity of the men by subjecting them, or continuing to subject them, to invasive sexual and violent contact by body parts and other objects;
- On more than one occasion, Jeffries and Smith directed others to inject, or personally injected, men with an erection-inducing substance for the purpose of causing the men to engage in sex acts the men were incapable or unwilling to engage in.
Many of the victims, at least one of whom was as young as 19 years old, were financially vulnerable and aspired to become models in the fashion industry. Some victims recruited by the defendants had previously worked at Abercrombie stores or had modeled for Abercrombie.
If convicted of the sex trafficking charge, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of the interstate prostitution charges, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you believe you are victim of a crime perpetrated by Michael Jeffries, Matthew Smith or James Jacobson, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section and the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Farrell, Erin Reid and Philip Pilmar are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Bilingual Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin and Fact Witness Services Unit Supervisor/Victim Witness Coordinator Huda Abouchaer.
The Defendants:
MICHAEL JEFFRIES
Age: 80
West Palm Beach, FLMATTHEW SMITH
Age: 61
West Palm Beach, FLJAMES JACOBSON
Age: 71
Rice Lake, WIE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-423 (NJC)
af_1_-_indictment.pdfFormer CBP IT employee pleads guilty to stealing and attempting to sell 27 government computersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bristow man pled guilty today to theft of government property.
According to court documents, from at least Nov. 6, 2023, to Aug. 1, 2024, Xavier Mittakarin, 38, was an employee for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), assigned to a CBP facility in Lorton where 27 U.S. government laptop computers were stored.
On Dec. 13, 2023, Mittakarin removed the 27 laptops, valued at a total of over $67,000, from the facility, intending to sell them. On March 22, 2024, Mittakarin sold one of the laptops via eBay to a purchaser in California, who paid $2,803.26. On May 22 and May 27, Mittakarin sold eight more laptops via eBay to another purchaser in California, who paid a total of $16,706.76.
On Aug. 1, Mittakarin attempted to sell 18 laptops to another purchaser, who was actually an undercover officer, for approximately $28,000. Mittakarin brought the laptops to a prearranged meeting place and time, where he was arrested and the laptops were recovered from his vehicle.
Mittakarin is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2025. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kris Cline, Director of the Federal Protective Service; Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security; and Mattew Klein, Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ryan is prosecuting the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Antara Saikat Joardar provided substantial assistance in the prosecution of the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-191.
Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
Defendant Fraudulently Received Almost $500,000 of $2M Sought from IRS
MIAMI – A Florida woman was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay approximately $485,290.03 in restitution to the United States for filing false tax returns with the IRS to obtain tax refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, Yolanda Dewar filed four false tax returns seeking a total of almost $2 million in tax refunds from the IRS on behalf of a trust she created. These returns falsely reported that the trust had earned significant income, made payments to the IRS, and had federal income taxes withheld on its behalf. Dewar continued filing false returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. Dewar used a portion of the funds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60051.
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Florida Woman Sentenced for Filing False Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
A Florida woman was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $485,290.03 in restitution to the United States for filing false tax returns with the IRS to obtain tax refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, Yolanda Dewar filed four false tax returns seeking a total of almost $2 million in tax refunds from the IRS on behalf of a trust she created. These returns falsely reported that the trust had earned significant income, made payments to the IRS and had federal income taxes withheld on its behalf. Dewar continued filing false returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. Dewar used a portion of the funds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $1.7 million he owed for tax years 2004 through 2014.
According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated several furniture liquidations businesses in Florida, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay taxes. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties against him.
To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income and when interviewed by an IRS special agent, falsely represented the amount of income he earned.
A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Fletcher 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.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $1.7 million he owed for tax years 2004 through 2014.
According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated several furniture liquidations businesses in Florida, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay taxes. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties against him.
To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income and when interviewed by an IRS special agent, falsely represented the amount of income he earned.
A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Fletcher 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.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Convicted of $77 Million Tender Offer FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JONATHAN MOYNAHAN LARMORE was convicted of tender offer fraud and securities fraud in connection with LARMORE’s announcement of a fake tender offer to manipulate the stock price of WeWork, Inc. (“WeWork”) and drive up the value of LARMORE’s stock options. The verdict followed a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who will sentence LARMORE on March 4, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Last November, Jonathan Moynahan Larmore orchestrated a scheme to trick the market and prey upon investors by artificially inflating the value of WeWork stock for his personal enrichment. Less than a year later, Larmore stands convicted by a jury of his peers. This case should be a reminder that we remain vigilant and ready to bring swift justice to those who undermine the integrity of our markets and defraud innocent investors.”
According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:
In or about the fall of 2023, LARMORE perpetrated a scheme to use a false and fraudulent tender offer to manipulate the stock price of WeWork, a co-working space company that was headquartered in New York, New York, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
LARMORE executed his scheme in three steps. First, on or about October 6, 2023, LARMORE created Cole Capital Funds LLC (“Cole Capital”), a purported real estate investment firm that was, in fact, merely a sham company. Second, on or about November 1, 2023, and November 2, 2023, LARMORE spent more than $775,000 buying tens of thousands of cheap, short-dated, out-of-the-money WeWork call options (the vast majority of which were set to expire on November 3, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. EDT) and hundreds of thousands of shares of WeWork common stock — the latter primarily because two of LARMORE’s brokerage firms did not authorize him to trade options, but did authorize him to buy equities. In fact, LARMORE chartered a yacht and attempted to travel into international waters to make these trades, hoping to evade U.S. jurisdiction. Third, on or about November 3, 2023, LARMORE caused a press release to be published announcing that Cole Capital proposed to acquire 51% of all outstanding shares owned by minority shareholders of WeWork at a more-than-700% premium in an all-cash offer worth more than $77 million. At the time, WeWork was on the verge of bankruptcy. The press release itself contained a number of false and misleading claims about LARMORE and Cole Capital, and their ability to carry through with the purported tender offer.
In fact, neither LARMORE nor Cole Capital had the intent or ability to execute the announced tender offer. Instead, LARMORE intended for news of the tender offer to fraudulently inflate WeWork’s share price and, thereby, to increase the value of LARMORE’s newly acquired WeWork call options and shares.
On or about November 3, 2023, at approximately 5:12 p.m. EDT, the press release about Cole Capital’s purported tender offer was published. Within approximately one minute of publication, in after-hours trading, WeWork’s share price quickly increased more than 70% from $.85 to $1.45, and continued to rise until 5:31 p.m. EDT, when the stock reached its high of $2.14, which was a more-than-150% increase over the stock price prior to the publication of the press release.
The WeWork call options LARMORE purchased could have made LARMORE millions of dollars if the news of LARMORE’s fraudulent tender offer had caused WeWork’s share price to increase significantly prior to the expiration of LARMORE’s options. Unfortunately for LARMORE, he mistimed how long it would take to properly format his press release and have it published. As a result of these delays, LARMORE’s fraudulent press release was not published—and WeWork’s share price did not accordingly rise—until approximately 5:12 p.m. EDT on or about November 3, 2023, which was about an hour after the vast majority of LARMORE’s WeWork call options had expired worthless at 4:00 p.m. EDT that day.
On the following Monday, November 6, 2023, WeWork filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On or about November 10, 2023, the small number of remaining WeWork options LARMORE had purchased expired out of the money and worthless.
* * *
LARMORE, 51, of Punta Gorda, Florida, was convicted of one count of tender offer fraud and one count of securities fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil action against LARMORE, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson, Sarah Mortazavi, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Emily Cho and Jonathan Oshinsky.
Fentanyl Trafficker and DC Rapper Sentenced for Bringing Thousands of Counterfeit Oxycodone Pills into the DistrictRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Columbian Thomas, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 160 months in federal prison for participating in a massive fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District. Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda,” was one of more than two dozen co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thomas pleaded guilty on May 30 to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 160-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Thomas to serve five years of supervised release.
The impetus for this investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death-resulting case [1] , law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.
According to court documents, Thomas entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Thomas would travel to Southern California to purchase the fake oxycodone from the L.A. supplier and return to the District with the drugs.
Thomas and his co-conspirators employed two primary methods to transport the pills to the District: they smuggled them in luggage or carry-on items on airline flights, or they shipped the pills using commercial mail carriers.
Thomas often bragged on social media about the lucrative business of fentanyl trafficking and proudly showcased the spoils of his drug trafficking. The below-pictured social media post shows Thomas holding a large stack of U.S. currency, exclaiming “I [love] Cali!!!!”
On June 2, 2023, the date of his arrest, law enforcement found Thomas in the bedroom of his home and recovered a baggie containing about 100 blue M-30 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, along with a loaded Glock 21 Gen4 pistol that had been equipped with a “giggle switch,” which converted the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.
In addition to possessing a machine gun and conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, Thomas, whose rap stage name is “Cruddy Murda,” often boasted about firearms and acts of violence in his songs. Below is a chart outlining the status and charges of other defendants in the case:
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
26
Santa Fe Springs, CaliforniaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
20
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty July 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
Sentencing: January 7, 2025.
Charles Jeffrey Taylor20
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Raymond Nava, Jr.20
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Ulises Aldaz28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Max Alexander Carias Torres26
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering
Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”34
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
21
Washington, D.C.Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Marcus Orlando Brown28
Washington, D.C.Sentenced on October 9, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Columbian Thomas, aka
"Cruddy Murda”
26
Washington, D.C.Sentenced October 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden29
Washington, D.C.Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
23
Temple Hills, MarylandSentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
20
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
28
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”38
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
27
Alexandria, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Paul Alejandro Felix25
Glendale,
California
Pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Sentencing: November 6, 2024
Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”26
San Diego,
California
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Raul Pacheco Ramirez30
Long Beach,
California
Pleaded guilty July 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Sentencing: November 26, 2024.
Giovani Alejandro Briones30
Victorville, CaliforniaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez26
Rosarito, MexicoConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.
23cr73
[1] https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/brother-and-sister-sentenced-drug-conspiracy-involving-fentanyl-sales
Federal jury convicts man of methamphetamine trafficking in BillingsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Colorado man of drug trafficking after a high-speed pursuit and search of his vehicle led to the recovery of approximately six pounds of methamphetamine, U.S Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a two-day trial that began on Oct. 21, the jury found Moises Zamora, 39, of Greely, Colorado, guilty of possession with intent to distribute meth as charged in an indictment. Zamora faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 20, 2025. Zamora remained detained pending further proceedings.
“This drug dealer was caught with almost six pounds of methamphetamine while dangerously attempting to flee a Yellowstone County Deputy Sheriff. With their actions, our law enforcement partners kept more than 21,000 doses of meth from poisoning our community. More work is required, and I am confident such work on other people will yield the same result as Zamora – guilty of drug trafficking,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Nov. 11, 2022, a Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputy pulled into a convenience store parking lot in Billings and noticed a passenger car parked in an obscure manner, away from the pumps or store entrances. As the deputy drove toward the car, he saw the driver, later identified as Zamora, point toward his patrol vehicle and then slouch in the seat. The deputy believed this behavior to be consistent with nefarious acts and pulled behind the vehicle to investigate. Zamora reversed his car and drove away. The deputy activated his lights and siren, but Zamora continued driving, and a high-speed pursuit began. The pursuit lasted almost 10 minutes and involved speeds reaching 80 mph, with Zamora driving recklessly and entering the lane of oncoming traffic. Zamora finally stopped when he came to a dead end and was arrested.
The deputy observed two blue “M30” pills, later confirmed to be fentanyl, in the backseat. Law enforcement determined Zamora had a warrant for his arrest and was booked into the Yellowstone County Detention Center. Law enforcement served a search warrant on Zamora’s car and located approximately six pounds of meth, two fentanyl pills, three cell phones and drug paraphernalia. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of approximately 21,744 doses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Federal jury convicts MS-13 member for multiple murdersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Salvadoran national and member of the Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique of the violent Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) gang yesterday on charges relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including six murders and additional murder conspiracies.
On Aug. 25, 2018, Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, aka German Alexander Ramirez Lopez, Buky, and Desquiciado, 27, met other MS-13 members in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to murder an associate of MS-13's Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, identified in court records as K.A.C. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed K.A.C. had betrayed MS-13. That evening, they met K.A.C. at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford. After the group ate dinner together, they beat and strangled K.A.C. to death. The conspirators then dismembered K.A.C.’s body, placed his remains in trash bags, and buried the remains in a wooded area near New Bedford. Alas Candray and other conspirators were promoted in the MS-13 ranks for their participation in the murder.
“This case is a stark reminder of the violence and disregard for human life inherent in MS-13’s criminal enterprise,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their deadly activities, from flooding our streets with dangerous narcotics to the brutal murders by which they attempt to impose their presence, will not go unchecked. Their crimes will be met with the full attention and resources of this office and our law enforcement partners.”
"Alas Candray committed half a dozen gruesome murders to rise in rank in MS-13, demonstrating a vile disregard for his victims' lives," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. "His conviction is the result of a multiyear investigation worked by the FBI, Fairfax County Police Department, and our federal and local partners. We thank the victim's families for their patience throughout Alas Candray's prosecution and reaffirm our commitment to bringing MS-13 members to justice for terrorizing communities throughout the country."
“This verdict sends a clear message that the community will not tolerate violence, and we will hold those accountable for their actions” said Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police.
In June 2019, Alas Candray and others conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, 2019, Alas Candray and other members and associates armed themselves with a 9mm firearm, a .45 caliber firearm, and two machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. The group murdered an individual, identified as J.L.G.M., shooting him and slashing him with a machete.
On Sept. 17, 2020, Alas Candray and others devised a plan to lure a young woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston under false pretenses and kill her because they believed she was associated with a rival gang and had disparaged MS-13 on social media. A co-conspirator exchanged messages with I.J.P.G. via Snapchat, pretending to be a member of MS-13’s rival gang. He and another co-conspirator later picked up I.J.P.G. and drove her to Colts Neck Road, where Alas Candray and another MS-13 member were waiting for them. The four co-conspirators killed I.J.P.G. by taking turns shooting her, primarily in the face.
In March 2021, MS-13 members and associates conspired to murder an individual, identified as S.A.T.L., because they believed he was a member of a rival gang. On March 11, 2021, Alas Candray and other MS-13 members and associates, surveilled S.A.T.L. in Fairfax County and waited for an opportunity to murder him. Alas Candray and his co-conspirators went to an apartment complex on Winterthur Court in Reston where Alas Candray fatally shot S.A.T.L.
On May 30, 2022, Alas Candray and co-conspirators travelled to the Lerner Springs at Reston Apartment Homes and joined others on a footpath behind the complex to patrol the clique’s perceived territory. Shortly thereafter, the conspirators encountered an individual, identified as R.A.P.S., on the footpath. Alas Candray and others murdered R.A.P.S. by kicking him and dropping a large rock on his head as he lay on the footpath.
On June 18, 2022, Alas Candray and a co-conspirator picked up an individual, identified as F.R.A.R., from Reston and drove him to Seneca Regional Park in Fairfax County. Alas Candray, and his co-conspirators believed that F.R.A.R. had disrespected MS-13 and violated its rules. After arriving at a pre-selected location in the park, Alas Candray and several co-conspirators murdered F.R.A.R. by beating him with a baseball bat and stabbing him. They then dismembered F.R.A.R.’s body and buried F.R.A.R.'s remains in a clandestine grave.
On Aug. 17, 2022, Alas Candray instructed a relative to relay a message to other ULS members and associates. Using coded language, Alas Candray, instructed a co-conspirator to get rid of ammunition, warned ULS members and associates that law enforcement had pictures of them, and advised them to move. The relative relayed the message the following day.
The jury convicted Alas Candray of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, five counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and three counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment on each of the five murder counts when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky are prosecuting the case.
This effort 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-178.
Federal grand jury indicts Jamestown man on sex trafficking and drug chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dwayne Lowery aka Chi Chi, 29, of Jamestown, NY, with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force and coercion, sex trafficking by force and coercion, kidnapping, narcotics conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and maintaining a drag-involved premises. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna M. Duncan and Joshua A. Violanti, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between October and December 2022, Lowery conspired with others to coerce individuals to engage in commercial sex acts. Specifically, Lowery forced an individual to engage in a commercial sex act. In addition, between October and November 2023, Lowery kidnapped two individuals.
The indictment also accuses Lowery of conspiring with others to sell and selling fentanyl, using a W. Cowden Place residence in Jamestown for his drug trafficking activities.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Olean Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Ron Richardson.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Prisoner Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Romeo Santino Giovanni, 46, was sentenced last week by Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 45 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Giovanni pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder on May 23, 2024.
On July 5, 2016, Giovanni, who was then a federal prisoner at a United States Penitentiary, used a cloth makeshift clothesline to strangle his cellmate to death. Giovanni left pieces of paper on his cellmate’s body, including one that read “lights out.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-1428-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-143_Giovanni# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Federal Complaint Charges Chicago Man with Illegally Possessing Machine Gun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing a machine gun conversion device in his Chicago residence last week.
Federal law enforcement on Thursday executed a court-authorized search of LATAVION JOHNSON’s residence on the South Side of Chicago and discovered the conversion device in a tool bag in Johnson’s bedroom, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. When equipped to a firearm, the conversion device, also known as a “Glock switch” or “auto sear,” allows the gun to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
The complaint alleges that Johnson posted videos on social media showing himself possessing a firearm equipped with a conversion device. Johnson also allegedly posted a photograph of a conversion device next to a stack of $20 bills.
The complaint charges Johnson, 22, with one count of possession of a machine gun, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. Johnson was arrested on Friday and remains in federal custody. A detention hearing is set for Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek Johnson’s continued pre-trial detention.
The complaint and arrest were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saqib M. Hussain.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together - under one roof - federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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.
johnson_complaint.pdfEau Claire Man Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years for Illegally Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damon L. Clark, 26, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Clark pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.
On January 1, 2024, Eau Claire Police Officers were dispatched to a bar in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for reports that someone pointed a firearm at another individual during a fight. Witness reports and video surveillance identified Clark as the individual who pointed the firearm. When law enforcement arrived, Clark fled to an adjacent parking lot. Law enforcement arrested Clark and located a loaded Glock 19 handgun with a 31-round magazine under a nearby vehicle. The handgun had a machinegun conversion device installed, which is an illegal, after-market attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machinegun. With the attachment, a handgun is capable of firing approximately 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab confirmed Clark’s DNA was present on the firearm. Clark is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley characterized Clark’s behavior as disastrous and emphasized the danger that he posed by pointing a fully loaded machinegun with extended magazine at someone outside a bar with other patrons present. Judge Conley balanced the extremely aggravated nature of this offense with Clark’s lack of prior prison experience. Judge Conley expressed his hope that this would be a turning point for Clark.
The charge against Clark was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, and UW-Eau Claire Police Department also assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
East Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate Cases for Committing Sex Crimes Involving Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate eastern Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 15 years and 12 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children.
“These cases reflect our steadfast commitment to bring to justice criminals who use digital technology, the internet, and cameras to sexually victimize young children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Sadly, there is much work to be done, but the strong partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement will continue to make an impact. We are one team motivated to do as much as possible to stop anyone who would harm Idaho’s kids.”
Shaun Patrick Conley, 53, of Shelley, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. According to court records, on July 28, 2023, a parole search was conducted at Conley’s residence. Conley was on parole for a prior sexual offense involving a minor. During the parole search, law enforcement discovered images on Conley’s phone that showed his attempt to surreptitiously film an 11-year-old child that was undressed. Law enforcement identified the minor as a child belonging to a family that Conley had befriended. Conley had introduced himself to the family of the minor using the name Shaun Millard and had denied having previously been convicted of a sex offense. Law enforcement also found four pairs of the 11-year-old child’s underwear at Conley’s house. Finally, law enforcement found a collection of child pornography in Conley’s possession.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Conley to be placed on supervised release for ten years following his prison sentence. Conley will also be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction. Conley pleaded guilty to the charge on April 19, 2024.
In a separate case, Mathew Dayton White, 44, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 152 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. According to court records, On February 1, 2023, law enforcement received a report that White had hidden a camera in a 13-year-old child’s bedroom. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at White’s residence. Multiple electronic devices including computers and hard drives were seized from White’s home and forensically searched. Homeland Security Investigations identified over 4,000 images of child pornography on White’s devices.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered White to be placed on supervised release for the remainder of his life following his prison sentence, and White was ordered to pay $184,050 in restitution to be distributed among 24 victims. White will also be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction. White pleaded guilty to the charge on March 28, 2024.
“HSI makes it a priority to identify predators anywhere they may be found to stop the exploitation of children, in coordination with our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. "Whether it is a repeat offender or a predator acting covertly to fulfill their own repugnant desires, we will never stop fighting for children who deserve to grow up free from harm.”
The Conley case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Idaho Falls, Idaho State Probation and Parole, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, and the Shelley Police Department. The White case was investigated by HSI in Idaho Falls, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Idaho Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted both cases.
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 (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, 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.
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Del Mar Fairgrounds Agrees to Pay $5.6 Million to Settle Allegations over Pandemic-Related LoanRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – The 22nd District Agricultural Association (DAA), which owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County, and Carlene Moore, the chief executive officer of the 22nd DAA, have agreed to pay $5,664,015 to settle allegations that the 22nd DAA was not eligible for the $4,713,700 Paycheck Protection Program loan that it obtained.
The 22nd DAA is governed by a nine-member board, all appointed by the governor of California. The Del Mar Fairgrounds, under the ownership and operation of the 22nd DAA, hosts various public events, including the annual San Diego County Fair and thoroughbred horse racing.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to eligible small businesses experiencing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many small businesses were eligible for forgivable PPP loans, some businesses were not. Regulations provide that businesses ineligible for SBA loans include those considered “government-owned.” The United States contends that the 22nd DAA was government-owned and therefore not eligible to receive a PPP loan.
In May 2020, the 22nd DAA obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $4,713,700 based on an application that Carlene Moore, then Deputy General Manager of the 22nd DAA, signed and certified for accuracy of eligibility. The loan was subsequently forgiven based on another application that Ms. Moore also signed and certified for accuracy. The 22nd DAA’s loan and forgiveness of the loan resulted in the United States paying $4,713,700 in loan principal plus $97,890 in fees and interest to the bank that processed the loan.
“These loans were intended to provide critical relief to eligible businesses during a time of global crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This settlement upholds the integrity of the COVID-relief program and holds the DAA accountable for obtaining millions in taxpayer-funded benefits to which they were not entitled.”
SBA’s General Counsel Therese Meers stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the SBA’s Office of Inspector General to pursue recovery from those who obtained essential government program funds they weren’t eligible for.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Price Jr.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Defendants Plead Guilty to Violation of the Big Cat Public Safety ActRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that two men involved with violations of the Big Cat Public Safety Act have pleaded guilty. Keidrick Damond Usifo, 30, of Conway, and Deon Johnson, 28, of Little Rock, entered guilty pleas earlier today before United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted December 20, 2022, to protect the public by putting an end to the private ownership of big cats, such as tigers and lions, as pets and by prohibiting exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including tiger cubs. It has placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species. In order to legally possess privately owned big cats, the Act required individuals or entities to register any big cats before the date of enactment, that were in their possession with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Usifo and Johnson were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 5, 2024. That indictment charged Usifo with one count of violation of the Big Cat Public Safety Act and Johnson with misprision of a felony, which related to Johnson’s affirmative concealment of Usifo’s crime. On October 22, 2024, both Usifo and Johnson pled guilty to their counts in the indictment. Judge Moody will sentence Usifo and Johnson at a later date.
Violation of the Big Cat Public Safety Act is punishable by not more than five years’ imprisonment and a fine of not more than $10,000. Misprision of a felony is punishable by not more than three years’ imprisonment and a fine of not more than $250,000.
An investigation revealed that Usifo purchased and transported a tiger cub around March 16-18, 2023, from a tiger broker in Dallas, Texas. On April 7, 2023, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) notified USFWS that they received a complaint of a tiger cub sighting in a residential neighborhood in Conway. On April 17, 2023, an agent with AGFC was notified that there was a man with a tiger in the backyard of a residence in Conway. There was also an anonymous tip posted on AGFC’s page about a tiger cub for sale in Conway. The Big Cat Public Safety Act makes it illegal to privately possess or breed big cats.
A further investigation revealed that on April 19, 2023, a second complaint was made to AGFC about a tiger at a residence in Conway. On April 21, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted and Usifo was arrested on a felony state warrant. The Conway Police Department executed a search warrant at Usifo’s residence and although they did not locate the tiger, there was evidence in the residence indicating the presence of a tiger, as well as matching rooms from Usifo’s Instagram posts.
While in the Pulaski County Detention Facility (PCDF), Usifo made several calls to Johnson. The investigation revealed that Johnson had knowledge of when Usifo was going to travel to Dallas to get the tiger and of Usifo’s possession of the tiger. Johnson also fed the tiger for Usifo during Usifo’s incarceration at PCDF. Johnson concealed any knowledge of the tiger when questioned by agents.
The case was investigated by the USFWS, with assistance from the AGFC, Conway Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Debary Man Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Federal Prison for Dealing in Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Brandon Eugene Brooke (30, Debary) to 15 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license. Brooke entered a guilty plea on May 22, 2024.
According to court documents, between April 14 and October 10, 2022, Brooke purchased 69 firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs). Many of the firearms were identical and were purchased together or close in time to one another. On October 13, 2022, ATF agents questioned Brooke regarding his repeated purchases of identical firearms from FFLs. A search of Brooke’s phone revealed evidence of firearms dealing.
Following the interview, ATF agents served Brooke with a “Warning Notice of Unlicensed Firearms Dealing in Violation of Federal Law.” In the Notice, Brooke was advised that his firearm transfers constituted dealing in firearms without a license. Brooke signed the Notice, acknowledging receipt, and was given a copy to retain. Following his acknowledgment of the Notice, Brooke continued to deal in firearms without a license, in violation of federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for October 26, 2024Read the Press Release
BILLINGS — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
The DEA will be hosting a collection site at the Firehall in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Firehall is located at 128 2nd Ave. NW.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.
“Getting rid of expired or unused prescription drugs, especially opioids, is an important step all Montanans can take to help fight the national epidemic of drug overdoses. I urge everyone to participate in the DEA’s Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinet. It’s an easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
“Prevention of drug misuse starts at home. For over a decade DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has provided our community a safe and easy way to get rid of unnecessary medications,” said DEA Montana Resident Agent in Charge Cesar Avila. “This past spring we collected more than 2,200 pounds of unneeded medications throughout Montana, and, with your help, we hope to collect even more this Saturday.”
Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about event is available here: https://takebackday.dea.gov/
During the last Take Back Day held on April 27, 2024, 4,607 law enforcement participants at 4,869 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 670,136 pounds, or 335 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 18.5 million pounds, or more than 9,285 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.
During the April 2024 event, Montanans turned in 2,270 pounds of prescription drugs at 25 collection sites. Twenty-six law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 56,824 pounds.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 26 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.
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