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27 November 2024
U.S. Attorney Announces Cocaine Importation Charges Against Chief Superintendent of Royal Bahamas Police Force and Other Bahamian OfficialsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 13 defendants with cocaine importation and related weapons offenses in connection with their participation in a massive cocaine importation conspiracy enabled by corrupt Bahamian government officials, including high-ranking members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (“RBPF”). ELVIS NATHANIEL CURTIS, an RBPF Chief Superintendent, and DARRIN ALEXANDER ROKER, a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (“RBDF”), were arrested on Monday in Florida and had their initial appearances yesterday afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. LORIELMO STEELE-POMARE, a/k/a “Steele” and WILLIAM SIMEON, a/k/a “Harvey Smith,” a/k/a “William Jacques,” a/k/a “Romeo Russell,” a/k/a “Dario Rolle,” were arrested overseas on Monday. LUIS FERNANDO OROZCO-TORO was arrested overseas yesterday. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, for years, drug traffickers have smuggled tons of cocaine through The Bahamas with the support and protection of corrupt Bahamian government officials who control airports throughout the country and provide sensitive information about U.S. Coast Guard movements to drug traffickers. This Indictment is the latest in a series of charges that this Office and the DEA’s Special Operations Division have brought against corrupt government officials around the globe who partner with dangerous cocaine traffickers. Today’s charges should serve as yet another powerful wake-up call to corrupt officials everywhere—we will not rest until you are held accountable for your role in the drug trade that is poisoning this country and our community. I commend the career prosecutors of this Office and our partners at the DEA for their tireless efforts to disrupt drug-fueled corruption wherever it takes hold.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “The arrests of corrupt officials, including a leader of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and another government official in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, expose the alarming betrayal of public trust that has enabled tons of cocaine to flow through The Bahamas and into the United States. In 2024, there was a 5.4% increase in cocaine seizures in the United States. By abusing their positions to accept bribes, protect traffickers, and facilitate drug shipments via airports and maritime routes, these individuals jeopardized countless lives for personal gain. Let this be a clear message from the DEA: if you are a government official who uses your power to traffic in drugs and corruption, we will bring you to justice in the United States.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
Since at least May 2021, drug traffickers have smuggled tons of cocaine through The Bahamas for importation into the U.S. with the help and support of corrupt Bahamian government officials. The Bahamas has in recent years become an increasingly important transshipment point for U.S.-bound cocaine. This is a result, in part, of its proximity to the U.S., as the northernmost Bahamian islands are less than 100 nautical miles from the coast of Florida, making The Bahamas an attractive route for cocaine traffickers.
The increased cocaine flow through The Bahamas and into the U.S. has been a direct result of yearslong, drug-fueled corruption by certain officials in key Bahamian government institutions. Such corruption includes certain high-ranking members of the RBPF and other Bahamian government officials who work with drug traffickers to receive, protect, and provide safe passage for massive cocaine shipments through the airports and ports of The Bahamas. These corrupt officials support the drug trade into the U.S. at multiple levels. First, cocaine-laden aircraft, including on U.S.-registered planes, are received at remote airstrips and larger airports in The Bahamas under the supervision of corrupt RBPF officials who work with, and accept bribes from, drug traffickers. Then, once the cocaine arrives in The Bahamas, those corrupt officials also help drug traffickers transport their cocaine from the northernmost points of The Bahamas to the U.S. using go-fast vessels, yachts, and fishing boats.
The DEA has historically coordinated drug enforcement operations with the RBPF through a counternarcotics program called Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or “OPBAT.” Although OPBAT has had its share of successes in combatting the drug trade in the Caribbean, certain corrupt RBPF and Bahamian officials abuse the OPBAT program and their relationship with the DEA to disrupt U.S.-led law enforcement attempts to combat drug trafficking in The Bahamas. Corrupt RBPF officials have, among other things, denied the DEA access to seized cocaine and evidence, provided information to the DEA that was contradicted by aerial surveillance, and even informed a DEA agent that certain drug trafficking targets were “off limits.”
As alleged, CURTIS is an RBPF Chief Superintendent who supervises airport locations throughout The Bahamas, including the Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau (the “Nassau Airport”), which is the largest airport in The Bahamas. In exchange for bribes made by drug traffickers, CURTIS has abused his official position to, among other things, provide safe passage for cocaine shipments through airports in The Bahamas, with the assistance of other corrupt officials such as RBPF Sergeant PRINCE ALBERT SYMONETTE. For instance, on or about October 18, 2023, CURTIS and SYMONETTE each accepted approximately $10,000 in bribe payments as a down payment for their assistance in what they understood to be an upcoming 600-kilogram cocaine shipment to The Bahamas through the Nassau Airport, for eventual distribution to the U.S. Additionally, in or about September 2024, CURTIS explained that, in exchange for a $2 million bribe, a high-ranking Bahamian politician that CURTIS named would authorize the assistance and involvement of armed RBPF officials to facilitate incoming cocaine shipments. CURTIS and ROKER also discussed abusing their official positions to transport drug proceeds from cocaine sales in the U.S. back to The Bahamas, including with Bahamian government and military aircraft.
Other corrupt Bahamian officials, such as ROKER, a Chief Petty Officer in the RBDF, have facilitated maritime drug trafficking activities through The Bahamas and into the U.S. by providing sensitive information about U.S. Coast Guard and DEA-led OPBAT operations to alert drug traffickers, in exchange for bribes. RICCARDO ADOLPHUS DAVIS also purports to be an official in the Bahamian government who used his influence with corrupt Bahamian government officials to authorize drug trafficking facilitated by RBPF officials.
Drug traffickers who work with the RBPF and other Bahamian officials coordinate closely with pilots to fly their U.S.-bound cocaine shipments from Central and South America into The Bahamas. These pilots also work for various Bahamian private charter companies that provide flight services to Bahamian citizens and foreign tourists who are visiting The Bahamas.
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CURTIS, 51, of The Bahamas; SYMONETTE, 52, of The Bahamas; ROKER, 56, of The Bahamas; DAVIS, 59, of The Bahamas; SIMEON, 52, of The Bahamas; THEODORE NATHANIEL ADDERLEY, a/k/a “Blue,” 53, of The Bahamas; JOSHUA MCDONALD SCAVELLA, a/k/a “Cow,” 46, of The Bahamas; STEELE-POMARE, 59, of Colombia; OROZCO-TORO, 58, of Colombia; DAVON REVION KHAIM ROLLE, 34, of The Bahamas; DARREN ARTHUR FERGUSON, a/k/a “Hubba,” 54, of The Bahamas; DOMONICK DELANCY, 36, of The Bahamas; and DONALD FREDERICK FERGUSON II, a/k/a “DJ,” a/k/a “Billy,” 26, of The Bahamas, are charged with cocaine importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; using and carrying firearms during, and possessing firearms in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and conspiring to use and carry firearms during, and possessing firearms in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division’s Bilateral Investigations Unit, Nassau Country Office, Bogota Country Office, and Panama City Country Office, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky, Nicholas S. Bradley, and Juliana N. Murray are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know has information about the conduct in this case, please contact the DEA’s tip line at [email protected]
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitutes only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two men sentenced to prison for California-to-Virginia fentanyl networkRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to mail fentanyl and other drugs from California to Virginia for distribution.
According to court documents, Devin Joseph Stukes-McFarland, 27, of Virginia Beach, distributed fentanyl using an online service and marketing his fentanyl as legitimate Percocet. From Sept. 21, 2021, to March 27, 2023, Stukes-McFarland received approximately 70 USPS parcels, 15 of which contained fentanyl pills, Xanax pills, and ketamine, from Brian Malik Williams, 27, of Modesto, California. Williams, who used the alias “Matty Ruger” received payments from Stukes-McFarland through Cash App, Apple Pay, and other methods.
On Feb. 2, 2023, Williams sent a parcel to Stukes-McFarland’s former address. On February 9, 2023, the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a controlled purchased of approximately 600 Fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 65 grams from Stukes-McFarland at his then-current address.
On Feb. 27, 2023, Williams mailed another parcel from Sacramento to Stukes-McFarland. On March 2, 2023, VBPD and the DEA conducted another controlled purchase of approximately 400 Fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 46 grams, from Stukes-McFarland at his then-current address.
On March 21, 2023, Williams mailed another parcel from Sacramento to Stukes-McFarland. On March 24, 2023, an undercover U.S. Postal Inspector delivered the parcel to Stukes-McFarland’s residence. Immediately after the parcel was taken into the residence, DEA, VBPD, and USPS executed a search warrant on the residence, and Stukes-McFarland was arrested.
During the search, investigators recovered the parcel, which contained 4,260 fentanyl pills, weighing 466 grams, as well as 1,279 Xanax pills and other controlled substances.
Stukes-McFarland pled guilty on Nov. 15, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On July 11 Williams was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Williams pled guilty on March 12 to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting in the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Williams was sentenced today to 10 years in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Williams was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted 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 Nos. 2:24-cr-2 (Williams) and 2:23-cr-73 (Stukes-McFarland).
Tucson Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – David Berry Garmarnik, 46, of Tucson, was indicted last week on 20 counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography, 20 counts of Attempted Enticement and Coercion of a Minor, and five counts of Receipt of Child Pornography.
The indictment alleges that in July 2024, Garmarnik was identified as a suspect in a child exploitation investigation. Law enforcement officers developed evidence that Garmarnik was using Skype to conduct live streaming shows of child sexual abuse being committed in the Philippines. Garmarnik allegedly sent payments to sex traffickers via money service wire transfers, and the sex traffickers and Garmarnik would then conduct the live sex shows. Since 2017, Garmarnik allegedly participated in dozens of shows by directing traffickers on how to sexually abuse children.
Attempted Production of Child Pornography carries a sentence of between 15 and 30 years in prison for each count; Attempted Enticement and Coercion of a Minor carries a sentence of between 10 years to life in prison for each count; and Receipt of Child Pornography carries a sentence of between 5 and 20 years in prison for each count. Each offense also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and at least five years to life of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08214-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-166_Garmarnik# # #
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.Three New Haven County Residents Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Pills and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on November 25, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging LINDSEY EDWARDS, also known as “G-ride,” 45, of Hamden; MATTHEW SANTOS, 20, of Waterbury; and PARIS HUCKABY, 25, of New Haven, with various offenses related to the trafficking of counterfeit ecstasy pills and firearms.
Edwards, Santos, and Huckaby were arrested yesterday. They appeared in New Haven federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges. Edwards is detained and Santos and Huckaby were each released on $100,000 bonds.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Haven Safe Streets Task Force has been investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Lindsey Edwards. The investigation included controlled purchases and the seizure of various narcotics, including multi-colored pills pressed to look like ecstasy, which contain methamphetamine and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid with a potency similar to or greater than fentanyl. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than six kilograms of methamphetamine pills, approximately 600 grams of metonitazene pills, and approximately 300 grams of pills containing a synthetic amphetamine. Investigators also determined that Edwards and Santos trafficked firearms.
The indictment charges Edwards and Huckaby with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and metonitazene. In addition, Edwards is charged with three counts, and Huckaby with one count, of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
As to the drug conspiracy charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Edwards faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Huckaby faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. The substantive charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
The indictment also charges Edwards and Santos with one count of engaging in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, and with one count of unlawful transfer of a firearm. In addition, Edwards is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, and one count of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
The firearms trafficking and possession charges each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. As to Edwards, the charge of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Spokane Accountant Sentenced for Stealing More than $715,000 from Spokane Medical PracticeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On November 27, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice, sentenced Carol Dacaymat Casilla to 24 months in federal prison in connection with Casilla’s fraud and embezzlement of more than $715,000 from a Spokane medical practice at which she was employed between 2020 and 2023. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release, as well as restitution to the victims in the amount of $715,255.09.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, between May 2020 and March 2023, Casilla was employed as an accountant by Spokane Dermatology Clinic (SDC), a dermatological practice located in Spokane. While employed at SDC, Casilla used her position to fraudulently issue company checks to herself and deposit them into her own personal accounts, and to make electronic funds transfers using company funds toward her personal credit cards. According to court documents, some of the transfers were made to a fictitious company that Casilla created in order to make it appear as though the transfers were for legitimate company expenditures. Casilla made hundreds of fraudulent transfers in this manner, stealing more than $715,000 in total.
“Ms. Casilla betrayed her employer’s trust and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars,” stated United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Accountants and financial professionals like Ms. Casilla are given a significant amount of control over a company’s finances. This sentence should send a message that those who abuse their positions of trust to enrich themselves will be held accountable. I want to especially commend the stellar investigative work in this case done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who commit fraud and financial crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
2:2023-cr-00085-TOR
Self-Proclaimed “Neighborhood Pharmacist” Found Guilty in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Josiah Hampton, 26, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court for his role in a multi-year drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division.
On November 26, 2024, after a six-day jury trial, Hampton was found guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2025.
The ATF identified Hampton, also known by his rap alias “Carti Ears,” as an opioid and marijuana dealer operating in the District of Columbia. On October 31, 2022, ATF agents executed a search warrant at Hampton’s residence, which he shared with co-conspirator Myles Allen, and recovered three firearms, numerous prescription oxycodone pills, fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, promethazine, several pounds of marijuana, and several thousand dollars in cash.
Evidence presented over the course of the trial established that Hampton was a prolific drug trafficker who utilized social media to conduct his business. Both Hampton and Allen also posted numerous pictures of themselves together with large quantities of cash, firearms, and bulk marijuana. Hampton referred to himself as “The Neighborhood Pharmacist,” posting frequent advertisements about the opioids he possessed for sale.
On August 31, 2023, Myles Allen pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced, on December 20, 2023, to five years in prison.
Hampton faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it and conspiracy thereof. Hampton also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, with a statutory maximum of life imprisonment, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
This case was investigated by ATF’s Washington Field Division with assistance from the DEA’s Washington Division, the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Solomon S. Eppel of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Rochester man accused of threatening and stalking a police officerRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Orlando Justice, 37, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmission of threats in interstate commerce and stalking, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on November 23, 2024, a Rochester Police Officer (Victim) participated in the arrest of Justice at the RTS Bus Terminal on St. Paul Street for Trespass and Resisting Arrest. Justice was intoxicated at the time of arrest and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. While at Strong, he threatened the arresting officers, spit at them, and told officers that he would find them and come to their houses. Justice was charged and issued an appearance ticket. The following day, the Victim received a series of phone calls on his personal cell phone from an unknown number, which he did not answer. After receiving yet another call, the Victim answered, and Justice identified himself as the caller. Justice said, “I told you that I would find you,” and that he knew the Victim’s personal information and where he lived, reciting the Victim’s home address. Justice told the Victim he “messed with the wrong one” and that he was “a different breed of human.” The Victim told Justice not to call him again and hung up the phone. A few minutes later, the Victim received a FaceTime video call from Justice, who was demanding that the Victim give him the names of the other RPD officers who were present during his arrest.
On the evening of November 23, 2024, Greece Police and Rochester Police went to Justice’s residence in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest him. Moments later, the Victim answered a Facetime video call from Justice, who asked, “Why your friends come to my house?” A few minutes later, Justice called 911 and asked to speak with a sergeant, falsely claiming that the Victim was contacting him and harassing him. Justice asked to file a complaint against Victim 1 for use of excessive force. The sergeant, who was unfamiliar with Justice’s prior conduct and interactions with the Victim, offered to send officers to take his complaint, but he refused and insisted he would only meet with the sergeant one-on-one.
Justice made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Payson and was detained pending a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Acting Major Kevin Sucher.
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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Rochester business leader pleads guilty to misusing federal grant fundingRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Arkady Malakhov, 52, New York, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conversion/unlawful conveying of government money, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, and a fine of $100,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that in 2006, Malakhov became Chief Executive Officer of Solid Cell, Inc., a small business in Rochester, NY. In December 2016, Malakhov submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for a project entitled, “SBIR Phase I: Integrated Thermoelectric Heat Exchanger (iTEG-HX) for Carbon Neutral Electricity Production through Recovery of Cold Energy from Regasification of LNG.” In July 2017, NSF awarded Solid Cell, Inc., a $225,000 SBIR grant to support the project. That same month, Malakhov requested a payment of $100,000 of the grant funding. NSF transferred the funding to Solid Cell, Inc.’s bank account, which Malakhov controlled. Malakhov converted a portion of the NSF grant funds to his own use and, knowing that he did not have the authority to do so, conveyed this NSF money to other parties for purposes unrelated to the project. Later that month, Malakhov requested and obtained another $100,000 of the project’s grant funding, which was also deposited into a bank account he controlled. Once again, Malakhov converted a portion of this money to his own use and to other parties for purposes unrelated to the Project.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Allison Lerner, and the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Teri L. Donaldson.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024.
Mason Neck, age 35, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Neck was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024.
Neck was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2019. As a consequence of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In September 2023, Neck began a period of supervised release residing in Rapid City and appropriately registered as a sex offender. In April 2024, Neck moved from his registered address, but did not thereafter update his registration. He was arrested in Rapid City on May 8, 2024.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Neck was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ramsey County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm and CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Ramsey County man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 30, 2022, Ricardo Rydell Walker, Jr., 21, took a black 2021 Toyota Highlander by force and with threat of violence and bodily harm. Walker and others approached Victim A as they were walking from the vehicle to their apartment building, and tripped Victim A as they tried to escape. Walker then hit Victim A on the left side of the head with a handgun.
Six days later, on July 6, 2022, Walker was arrested in Maplewood, MN, in a stolen car, while in possession of a Springfield Hellcat 9mm.
Walker pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to one count of carjacking. He also admitted to aiding and abetting the 2021 carjackings of a black 2019 Volkswagen Atlas and a gray 2015 Mazda 3, and the carjacking of a gray Nissan Rogue on June 24, 2024. In each case, Walker and others used the threat of violence and intimidated the victims with firearms.
Walker also pled guilty to one count of receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony. He was arraigned today in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Mary Riverso are prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonen Castillo (24, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to smuggling goods from the United States. Castillofaces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in June 2023, Castillo concealed five firearms and nine firearm magazines inside record players and mailed them to a recipient residing in Canada.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
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.
Operators of Jacksonville Roofing Business Plead Guilty to Payroll Tax Fraud and Workers’ Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud related to a Jacksonville roofing business that they operated. They each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the tax fraud offense and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the mail and wire fraud offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Travis Slaughter has agreed to forfeit to the United States $2,780,947 in proceeds he obtained from the mail and wire fraud offense and to pay restitution of $6,768,612 for the payroll tax loss, $2,780,947 for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $271,217 for two paid workers’ compensation claims. Tripp Slaughter has agreed to forfeit to the United States $416,800 in proceeds he obtained from the mail and wire fraud offense and to pay restitution of $623,269 for the payroll tax loss, $416,800 for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $137,778 for a paid workers’ compensation claim.
According to their plea agreements, since 2007 the Slaughters have operated a roofing business in Jacksonville, first under the name Great White Construction, then under the name Florida Roofing Experts, and finally under the name 5 Star Roofing Services. Although the names changed, each business operated in the same manner, banked at the same financial institutions, and employed the same employees.
The company contracted with professional employer organizations (PEOs) to prepare payroll checks for employees, after making deductions for payroll taxes, and to file payroll tax returns and forward tax payments to governmental authorities. However, the company did not provide the PEOs with information about all the hours worked by, or all the wages due to, its employees. Instead, the company also paid the employees directly, with separate checks drawn on company bank accounts, and did not deduct payroll taxes from these checks. By paying employees with “split checks”—one from the PEO and one from the company—the company avoided paying the full amount of payroll taxes due to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
During the period of January 2017 through July 2020, the PEOs issued payroll checks to the employees totaling approximately $4,930,613, after deducting and paying over to the IRS the payroll taxes due. During that same period, the company issued checks to the employees totaling approximately $18,545,845, with no payroll taxes being deducted or paid. The total unpaid payroll taxes on that amount were $2,768,377.
The PEOs also secured workers’ compensation insurance coverage for the company. The premiums charged by the workers’ compensation insurers were based on the total amount of payroll that the company reported to the PEOs. If the company had reported the actual amount of payroll, the insurers would have charged additional premiums totaling $2,780,947.
In addition to causing the company to underreport their payroll to the IRS, the Slaughters also underreported their personal income to the IRS. For the tax years 2014 through 2019, the total unpaid taxes due on Travis Slaughter’s unreported income totaled $2,467,183. For the tax years 2015 through 2019, the total unpaid taxes due on Tripp Slaughter’s unreported income totaled $263,614.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Nine Members of Multi-State Money Laundering Organization Charged in Wide-Ranging ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in Nashville, Tennessee, charging nine members of a multi-state money laundering organization responsible for laundering millions of dollars derived from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes. The nine defendants were arrested in a takedown coordinated across three jurisdictions.
According to court documents, Samson A. Omoniyi, 43 of Houston; Misha L. Cooper, 50 of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Robert A. Cooper, 66 of Murfreesboro; Carlesha L. Perry, 36 of Houston; Whitney D. Bardley, 30 of Florissant, Missouri; Lauren O. Guidry, 32 of Houston; Caira Y. Osby, 44 of Houston; Dazai S. Harris, 34 of Murfreesboro; and Edward D. Peebles, 35, of Murfreesboro, were charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants were members of a long-running money laundering organization operating since approximately November 2016 in and around Tennessee, Texas, and across the country. The conspirators allegedly structured the organization so that recruiters or “herders” recruited and directed participants or “money mules” to launder money obtained from internet frauds that targeted businesses and individuals in the United States and abroad. The defendants allegedly used sham and front companies to conceal the fraud proceeds and enrich the members of the conspiracy. The conspiracy is alleged to have agreed to launder more than $20 million in fraud proceeds.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee; and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 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 Nashville Field Office and Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency are investigating the case. FBI’s Forensic Accountant Support Team provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nine Members of Multi-State Money Laundering Organization Charged in Wide-Ranging ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE — The United States yesterday unsealed an indictment in Nashville, Tennessee, charging nine members of a multi-state money laundering organization responsible for laundering millions of dollars derived from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes.
According to court documents, Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, also known as Dada, Dadaman81, and Mr D; Misha L. Cooper, 50, also known as Misha Brookings, Misha Harris, and Misha L. Brookins; Robert A. Cooper, 66; Carlesha L. Perry, 36, also known as D Man; Whitney D. Bardley, 30; Lauren O. Guidry, 32, also known as Mommy; Caira Y. Osby, 44, also known as Solomon Amanti; Dazai S. Harris, 34; and Edward D. Peebles, 35, were charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants were members of a money laundering organization, which has been in existence in and around Tennessee, Texas, and elsewhere, since approximately November 2016. The conspiracy allegedly relied on a structured organization where recruiters – referred to as “herders” – recruited and instructed participants — referred to as “money mules” — to launder proceeds derived from internet frauds that targeted businesses and individuals in the United States and abroad. The defendants allegedly used sham and front companies to conceal the fraud proceeds and enrich the members of the conspiracy. The conspiracy is alleged to have agreed to launder more than $20 million in fraud proceeds.
Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI’s Nashville Field Office and Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency are investigating the case. FBI’s Forensic Accountant Support Team provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New York Business Owner Convicted of Illegal Transport and Sale of Unregistered PesticidesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A New York business owner has been found guilty of recklessly transporting a dangerous probable carcinogen without proper documentation and knowingly selling an unregistered pesticide in Maryland.
The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Allison Landsman, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID).
Idrissa Bagayoko, 58, owner and operator of Maliba Trading LLC, was found guilty by a Baltimore jury in federal court of two counts related to his transporting and sale of the unregistered pesticide known as Sniper DDVP. Charges were brought against Bagayoko under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Hazardous Material Transportation Act.
FIFRA provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale, and use to ensure that pesticides sold in the United States are safe, effective, and bear labelling containing true and accurate information. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responsibility under FIFRA to regulate the distribution and sale of all pesticides shipped or received in interstate commerce. All pesticides must be registered with the EPA before the pesticide can be sold or distributed, and no person may distribute or sell a pesticide that has not been registered with the EPA.
The Hazardous Material Transportation Act provides for federal regulation of hazardous substances transported in interstate commerce. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has responsibility under the Hazardous Material Transportation Act to ensure private motor carriers maintain shipping papers with critical information about the relevant hazardous substance to safeguard police and first responders in the event of an accident or exposure.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 29, 2021, Bagayoko drove from New York to Maryland and sold two boxes of the unregistered pesticide Sniper DDVP to an individual in Maryland. Police later stopped Bagayoko in Elkton, Maryland, with 18 additional boxes of Sniper DDVP. The government’s investigation revealed that the defendant procured a total of 1,728 bottles of Sniper DDVP and drove from New York to Maryland to sell the unregistered pesticide.
Laboratory testing of samples taken from the bottles revealed each bottle contained the chemical dichlorvos, which has been classified by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen. The defendant transported over 330 pounds of dichlorvos, without requisite shipping papers, which alert first responders that they are dealing with a probable carcinogen, in the event of an accident.
The illegal sale of an unregistered pesticide carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of one year and a fine of up to $25,000. The illegal transport of dichlorvos without required shipping papers carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Phillips and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kertisha Dixon and David Lastra, who prosecuted the case. Mr. Barron also thanked Special Agent Christopher Michael with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Special Agent Charles Bradford with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the Elkton Maryland Police Department, for investigating the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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New London Behavioral Health Provider Agrees to Make Changes to Welcome Service Animals in ADA SettlementRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Sound Community Services, Inc. (“Sound Community”), a behavioral health provider located in New London, to resolve allegations that the company was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with a disability alleging that Sound Community made the person feel unwelcome because of their service animal, including by requesting a license and vaccination record for their service animal and refusing to arrange transportation on one occasion because of their service animal.
As a result of the settlement agreement, Sound Community has agreed to post signage indicating “Service Animals Welcome,” implement a Service Animal Policy that is consistent with the ADA, and provide training for staff. Sound Community must also make compensation payment to the complainant if the complainant signs a release.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including private health care facilities, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. As part of that obligation, public accommodations cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities who have service animals and must make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, and procedures to ensure equal access for those individuals. More information about the ADA and service animals can be found at https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that the owners of Sound Community have worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to promptly address the ADA issues without litigation.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-696-3000.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.
Neurosurgeon pays $2M to settle allegations involving false proceduresRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Sugar Land man has agreed to pay $2,095,946 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims for the placement of electro-acupuncture devices, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Dr. Rajesh Bindal used the entity Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center P.A. to conduct his medical practice. From March 16, 2021, to April 22, 2022, Bindal billed Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes.
These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare and the FEHBP pay thousands of dollars per procedure.
However, neither Bindal nor his staff performed these surgical procedures, according to the allegations.
Instead, patients allegedly received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimeters into patients’ ears and taping the device behind the ear with an adhesive. In some instances, a device sales representative or a physician assistant allegedly performed these placements, which were then billed as surgeries. All device placements took place in Bindal’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient. Most patients claimed the adhesive came loose and the device fell off on its own accord within a few days.
“A neurosurgeon, like Bindal, should know when he is and is not performing surgery,” said Hamdani. “Even though neurosurgeons, according to one study, are the highest paid physician specialists in the United States, Bindal allegedly submitted false claims in an effort to further enrich himself. To maintain the trust of the public in our federal health care system, it is imperative that medical professionals, such as neurosurgeons, bill accurately for the services provided. Otherwise, my office may get involved and seek to hold accountable anyone who violates that trust.”
“Ensuring that health care professionals are held accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare is essential for preserving public trust and safeguarding critical resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “Dr. Bindal not only submitted false claims to Medicare but also deceived our most vulnerable population. DHHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain committed to working together to uphold the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“False claims come at a cost not only to our federal health care programs but also to the members who rely on these programs for necessary care,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM-OIG.) “We support the efforts of our law enforcement partners and colleagues to protect not only the integrity of federal health care programs but also the safety of federal employees, annuitants and their families.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with DHHS-OIG and OPM-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Collins handled the matter.
Mother-Son Duo Plead Guilty in Connection with Hialeah Armed Jewelry HeistRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Julian Flores, 25, and his mother, Lourdes Diaz, 56, of Naples, Fla., each pled guilty to charges stemming from a brazen armed robbery of $750,000 worth of gold jewelry from a business owner in Hialeah, Fla.
On Sept. 16, 2023, the victim-business owner began to load a suitcase of jewelry into a vehicle in a commercial parking lot in Hialeah when Diaz backed up a white SUV rental from a nearby parking spot, and Flores hopped out of the back seat, garbed in black clothing and a ski mask. While brandishing a revolver in his gloved hand, Flores rushed at the victim, grabbed the suitcase full of jewelry and attempted to rip it away from the victim. When the victim held onto the suitcase, Flores struck the victim’s body multiple times with revolver. The victim continued to grasp the suitcase and yell out for help, at which point Flores fired off a shot from the revolver towards the ground, gained control of the suitcase, and hopped back into the white SUV rental. Diaz drove herself and Flores away from the scene.
On Oct. 2, 2023, law enforcement located Flores and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, Flores was wearing gold jewelry from the victim’s collection.
After Flores was arrested, Diaz concealed a black safe containing the victim’s jewelry inside the residence of one of Flores’s close associates. On Oct. 3, 2023, law enforcement arrested Diaz near that residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered the black safe which contained the remainder of the gold jewelry stolen from the victim.
On Nov. 22, 2024, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian accepted Diaz’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. On Nov. 26, 2024, Flores entered his guilty plea as to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. Each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment up to life. Judge Damian will sentence each defendant after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled in this matter.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Chief George Fuente of the Hialeah Police Department announced the guilty pleas.
ATF and the Hialeah Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling M. Paulson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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 23-cr- 20472.
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Missouri Man Accused of Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to an indictment accusing him of illegal sexual activity with a minor.
Harold Paul White, 54, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis November 20 with one count of production of child pornography and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment accuses White of inducing or coercing a minor into sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct on Aug. 25, 2023, and of traveling from Michigan to Missouri on that date for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.
During a detention hearing in court Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke said White met the 12-year-old victim online, traveled to Michigan to have sex with her and then returned with her to Missouri, where he produced recordings of her and shared them with other underage girls.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The production of child pornography charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and maximum of 30 years in prison. The travel with intent charge carries a term of up to 30 years in prison.
The Detroit Police Department, the FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
King County man charged for possession of destructive device that shut down Interstate 90 at Mercer IslandRead the Press Release
Seattle – a 42-year-old King County resident appeared in federal court yesterday, charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Sokphana Soeung was arrested October 12, 2024, following a slow speed chase and confrontation with law enforcement. Soeung remains detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac pending additional hearings.
According to the criminal complaint, Bellevue Police responded to Enatai Beach Park around noon on October 12, 2024, because of reports of two men sleeping in a car with the motor running. When contacted by police, Soeung drove away, running over spike strips that punctured all four tires on the car. Law enforcement followed and Washington State Patrol (WSP) joined the slow speed chase when the car pulled onto Interstate 90 in the westbound direction.
While on Mercer Island, a WSP trooper executed a maneuver to stop the car. At that point, Soeung jumped from the car holding a black ball device in one hand and a lighter in the other. Ultimately, police tackled Soeung, and he dropped the ball shaped item and the lighter. An investigation revealed that the ball shaped item was a tennis ball filled with explosive powder with a fuse. In the car law enforcement found a second explosive device made with sparklers taped together.
The investigation shut down I-90 for a lengthy period while the bomb squad determined there was no danger to the public or the I-90 bridge.
The second person in the car had jumped out ahead of Soeung and was detained and questioned and claimed to have no knowledge of the explosives.
Soeung has been in state custody since his arrest.
Unlawful possession of a destructive device is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Bellevue Police Department, Washington State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Y. Gregson.
Chester Man Who Embezzled $2 Million from Newington Business Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that EVAN BOBZIN, 39, of Chester, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for theft and tax offenses stemming from a $2 million embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from July 2013 until December 2023, Bobzin was an employee of Hoffman’s Gun Center (“Hoffman’s”) in Newington and, in 2016, he became the head of information technology at Hoffman’s. In January 2016, Bobzin began to steal cash receipts from a safe in Hoffman’s front office. Bobzin would arrive at work before other employees, disconnect ethernet cables from the company’s computers servers to cameras that captured views of the safe, enter the front office, open the safe, steal thousands of dollars in cash from receipt pouches, return the pouches to the safe, and then reconnect the ethernet cables. He would then deposit some of all of the cash proceeds into his personal bank accounts.
Between 2016 and 2023, Bobzin and his former spouse made 287 cash deposits of stolen money from Hoffman’s totaling $1,901,250 into his bank accounts, and seven cash purchases of cashier’s checks totaling $161,330.
In October 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office notified Bobzin that he was conducting cash transactions in amounts below $10,000 in a manner indicative of structuring to avoid having his bank file Currency Transaction Reports. Bobzin ceased making cash deposits at his bank, opened new accounts at a different bank, and resumed making structured cash deposits into those accounts.
Bobzin failed to report the stolen income on his federal personal income tax returns for the 2016 through 2022 tax years, resulting in a loss to the IRS of $436,178. For example, on his income tax return for the 2020 tax year, Bobzin reported taxable income of $9,914 and tax owed of $0. The return omitted income of approximately $432,615 and understated tax due and owing by approximately $110,530.
On August 29, 2024, Bobzin pleaded guilty to interstate transmission of stolen money and tax evasion.
Judge Dooley ordered Bobzin to pay restitution of $2,062,580 and to cooperate with the IRS to pay $436,178 in taxes, as well as penalties and interest.
Bobzin, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 6.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years and 8 Months in Prison for Defrauding Central Illinois InvestorsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Brett Michael Bartlett, 37, of Fountain Valley, California, was sentenced on November 25, 2024, to 188 months in prison for wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. Bartlett was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment and to pay $22,502,092.66 in restitution to his victims.
During his previous plea of guilty, Bartlett admitted that, using his California-based companies, Dynasty Toys, and 7M E-group, he devised a scheme to defraud investors and obtain their money by making materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Bartlett, through Dynasty Toys and 7M E-group, purchased items at liquidation sales and resold those items online, especially through Amazon. Bartlett solicited and accepted money from Central Illinois investors, first to purchase inventory to be resold by 7M E-group at promised annual returns of 20% to 40% and later to purchase Dynasty Toys’ preferred stock shares, which Bartlett claimed were expected to double in value.
Bartlett admitted that he induced investors to invest by dramatically overstating the success of the companies and the returns that the companies generated for investors, lying about the companies’ assets, failing to disclose the companies’ struggles even while continuing to solicit investments, and using investors’ funds for Bartlett’s own benefit. For example, Bartlett falsely told investors their existing shares were worth approximately $30 million in total, that Dynasty Toys owned hundreds of millions of dollars of gold assets, and that another company was going to purchase Dynasty Toys for $120 million. As a result, over 1,000 individuals, including over 50 investors from Central Illinois, invested over $22.5 million with Bartlett, 7M E-group, and Dynasty Toys.
Bartlett further admitted that in May 2020, he mailed to Central Illinois investors checks totaling millions of dollars, but the checks bounced. Nonetheless, after that, Bartlett transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank account and took his family members and employees to a luxury business retreat at Big Bear Lake in California. The Court found that
investors lost approximately $22.5 million as a result of Bartlett’s fraud.
At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution presented evidence that numerous victims experienced substantial financial hardship as a result of Bartlett’s fraud scheme, in some cases losing their entire retirement savings. Many of the victims were devastated not only by the financial loss, but also the sense of betrayal because they had trusted Bartlett, who had repeatedly told the investors that they were his “family” and that he shared their faith in God.
The prosecution told the sentencing judge that many of the victims felt guilty because they had encouraged other family members, friends, and church associates to invest with Bartlett based on his false representations.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that a sentencing enhancement was appropriate because Bartlett’s scheme involved sophisticated means, including offering to convert investor’s shares to “gold contracts” that turned out to be worthless. Judge Bruce also ordered the criminal forfeiture of a property held in Tennessee in the name of one of Bartlett’s corporations.
Bartlett faced a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each fraud charge and a penalty of up to ten years in prison on the money laundering charge. Bartlett also faced a penalty of up to three years of supervised release on each charge. Although the charges also carried maximum fines of up to $6.25 million, the prosecution did not request a fine so that any money recovered from Bartlett would to go to restitution for his victims.
“The defendant’s reprehensible conduct had life-changing and devastating repercussions for his victims in Central Illinois and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Our office is dedicated to pursuing those who deal in fraudulent investments. We are grateful to our federal law enforcement partners’ critical work in accomplishing that mission.”
“Brett Bartlett’s greed left a trail of victims in the path of his fraudulent schemes,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson.” And while the victims lives and financial futures were sadly changed forever, this significant sentence brings justice and underscores the investigative efforts of FBI Springfield and the FDIC–Office of Inspector General.”
“It is fitting that Mr. Bartlett was brought to justice for having engaged in a massive fraud that brought financial ruin to more than 1,000 unsuspecting and trusting investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Region. “His prison sentence and the restitution ordered is just punishment for luring investors with false representations and promises; betraying their trust; and selfishly using more than $22 million of their hard-earned funds for his personal benefit and to support his scheme. Adding insult to injury—he mailed some of them millions of dollars in checks that bounced. The FDIC OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring a halt to such schemes that harm innocent consumers and undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banks.”
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Attorney Stephen L. Snyder Found Guilty of Attempted ExtortionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On Friday, November 22, 2024, after a nine-day trial, a federal jury found Stephen L. Snyder of Baltimore, Maryland guilty of one count of Attempted Extortion and seven counts of the Travel Act. The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
The evidence at trial showed that Snyder, a plaintiffs medical malpractice attorney in the Baltimore area, represented two medical malpractice claimants who allegedly experienced injury following organ transplants at the University of Maryland Medical Center (“UMMC”). One of those claimants received a kidney transplant. From in or around January 2018 through September 2018, Snyder attempted to extort the University of Maryland Medical System (“UMMS”) by threatening to “destroy” the UMMC transplant department unless UMMS paid him $25 million personally, and separate from any settlement with his client.
Specifically, Snyder threatened a public relations campaign that would falsely accuse UMMC of tricking unsophisticated patients into accepting diseased organs. Snyder claimed that he would run a front-page ad in the Baltimore Sun, hold a press conference, and create an internet advertisement that would direct anyone searching for the UMMC transplant program to his law firm’s website. Snyder also threatened to release commercials that he created that conveyed his false message and accused UMMC of putting “profits over safety.” Snyder played these commercials during meetings with attorneys representing UMMS. Snyder claimed that the parties could enter into a sham consulting agreement that would provide cover for the $25 million payment.
Snyder made his extortionate demands and threats over a series of meetings and phone calls with attorneys for UMMS in 2018. One of those meetings, which occurred on August 23, 2018, was recorded by Federal law enforcement using hidden video cameras.
Snyder faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of incarceration for the Hobbs Act violation and up to 5 years of incarceration on each Travel Act violation. 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. Sentencing is currently scheduled for February 25, 2025 at 10:00 am.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Evelyn L. Cusson, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Ames Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Fourteen VictimsRead the Press Release
Des Moines – IA An Ames man pleaded guilty yesterday to fifteen counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Carl Dale Markley, a former licensed nurse practitioner and Ames business owner, admitted to using fraud and coercion to cause fourteen victims to engage in commercial sex acts. From 2004 to 2023, Markley lied to dozens of young men to convince them to allow Markley to perform sex acts on them and observe the young men engage in sex acts. Markley’s lies included telling the young men he needed to perform sex acts on them or observe them engaging in sex acts in order to obtain medical or massage certifications, complete classwork, conduct third-party research, and for product development. Markley paid the young men for the sex acts, falsely claiming he had received grants or funding from a third party.
According to the plea agreement, Markley deceived dozens of young men by fabricating consent forms and contracts requiring victims to participate in a certain number and type of paid sex acts, acting as if he was recording data or information during so-called “research sessions”, and falsely claiming to be submitting data to legitimate research companies or institutions. Markley lied to dozens of young men that he was working with, and at the direction of, these research companies and institutions. Markley appealed to the benevolence of the young men, telling them that the research was helping others.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Markley sometimes used hidden cameras to capture videos and images depicting young men or minor male children naked.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2025, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose. For each of the 15 sex trafficking counts, Markley faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
The Ames Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa is prosecuting the case.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
26 November 2024
Worcester Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man has been charged for his alleged sexual exploitation of two minor females and filming the assault.
Antonio Merced, 26, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. The defendant is in state custody on related offenses and will appear in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the criminal complaint, on or about July 13, 2024, Merced allegedly created video recordings of himself sexually assaulting two minor victims.
Merced was previously arrested in September 2024 and subsequently charged in Worcester District Court with three counts of dissemination of obscene material to a minor, and one count each of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior, dissemination of Child sexual abuse material (CSAM), intimidation, enticing a child under 16 and two counts of aggravated rape of a child.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Warrenton woman sentenced to two years in prison for embezzling over $1M from homeowner associationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Warrenton woman was sentenced today to two years in prison for wire fraud involving the pilfering of over a million dollars from homeowner associations (HOAs) she managed.
According to court documents, in 2012, Rose Kasande Bailey, 60, formed Rosewood Management and Consulting Services, LLC, a property management company in Fairfax that specialized in property management for HOAs. As of March 2023, Rosewood provided management services to over 70 HOAs in Virginia, including properties in Lorton, Reston, Falls Church, and Leesburg. The HOAs contracted with Rosewood to collect dues from residents to maintain and repair the properties and common areas.
Rosewood maintained two operating bank accounts, while each HOA opened one or more bank accounts into which dues and fees were deposited. Bailey maintained signing authority over all Rosewood accounts as well as HOA accounts. Rosewood was required to receive HOA board approval for any single unbudgeted disbursement in excess of $1,000.
In May 2018, Bailey began transferring funds from certain HOA bank accounts to Rosewood bank accounts to cover expenses that were not approved by HOA boards. The illicit transfers, totaling approximately $1.1 million, were used to cover Rosewood payroll and business rent expenses, credit card payments, Bailey’s personal expenses, and payments on business loans associated with Bailey acquiring a new HOA management firm.
When HOAs requested updates on their operating accounts, Bailey provided altered bank statements to conceal the transfers. Prior to the discovery of Bailey’s theft, one of Rosewood’s HOAs decided to seek new management. To account for her illicit transfers, Bailey provided falsified bank statements and transferred $600,000 from other HOA bank accounts to make the departing HOA whole.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon Jr. prosecuted 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-187.
Violent Felon Sentenced to Nine and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm While on Community CorrectionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Brandon Williams, 39, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 115 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Williams must also pay a $1,000 fine.
According to court documents, on December 2, 2022, Brandon Williams began serving a home detention sentence through Marion County, Indiana, Community Corrections, following felony convictions for Dealing in Methamphetamine and Battery Against a Public Safety Official. On October 18, 2023, officers from Community Corrections and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department searched Williams’ home to ensure his compliance with home detention rules.
In one of the drawers of William’s kitchen, officers located thirty-two grams of fentanyl, eighteen methamphetamine pills, three grams of crystal methamphetamine, and multiple THC vape cartridges and edibles. Officers also found drug paraphernalia, including scales and multiple types of baggies for packaging narcotics for sale. In another kitchen drawer, officers located $8,280 in cash.
In Williams’ bedroom, officers found a plastic tote with a .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number. Prior to possessing the gun, Williams was convicted of multiple felonies including Methamphetamine and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon. As a convicted felon Williams is permanently prohibited from ever again legally possessing a firearm under federal law.
“Illegally armed, repeat violent criminals are responsible for a disproportionate share of the gun violence suffered in Indianapolis and all of our communities These offenses will not be tolerated,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Every offender returning to our community has a choice. There are many services and supporters dedicated to keeping you safe, alive, and successful, and turning your life around. If instead, you choose to illegally carry a firearm, you risk serving a serious sentence in federal prison with no possibility of parole.”
IMPD and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Union County Man Admits COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Joseph McKeon, aka “Jay McKeon,” 54, of Westfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2021 through February 2022, McKeon submitted fraudulent PPP loan and forgiveness applications for $900,000 on behalf of a New Jersey company he owned. In support of those applications, McKeon lied about the number of employees the business employed and the income the employees earned. McKeon also submitted forged documents, including fake payroll information, bank statements, tax return documents. After the victim lender funded the loan, McKeon withdrew a significant amount of the loan proceeds as cash and made several large transfers between bank accounts, including one transfer for $315,504, that was sent to an Indiana title company.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The money laundering conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
mckeon.information.pdfU.S. Department of Justice Brings Lawsuit to Stop Unlawful Fencing on Forest Service Land in ColoradoRead the Press Release
DENVER—The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Patrick Pipkin, Brian Hammon, and a group of unidentified persons unlawfully placed fencing, without permission, on federal public lands near Mancos, Colorado. The lawsuit, which was filed in the federal district court in the District of Colorado, seeks to clarify that such activity is not permitted and to prevent future unlawful fencing of the area.
In its complaint, the United States alleges that in October 2024, Mr. Pipkin, Mr. Hammon, and other unidentified individuals erected miles of fencing on public land in the San Juan National Forest that is owned by the United States and managed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The public uses this land for many purposes, including recreation and grazing. The defendants used fenceposts and barbed wire to erect the fencing, which obstructed free passage across a large area of this land. While much of the fencing materials were later removed by members of the public, some of those materials, including barbed wire, remain on the land. The lawsuit also alleges that since that time, Mr. Pipkin has regularly posted notices in the town of Mancos, signed by him as a representative of a group called the “Free Land Holder Committee,” which purport to exercise authority over the public’s use of this land and set deadlines for members of the public to act to protect their rights.
The complaint asserts claims under the Unlawful Inclosures Act of 1885 and for civil trespass. The lawsuit seeks a court order to prevent further obstruction or intimidation of lawful users of this popular area and further harm to the land and the public, and to ensure continuing free and lawful access to public land.
“Public lands belong to all of us, not to any individual person or group. It is unlawful to construct fences on Forest Service lands without the Forest Service’s permission,” stated Matt Kirsch, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado. “We have filed this lawsuit to make clear that these federal lands remain open to the public for all lawfully permitted uses, and to prevent anyone from obstructing that public access.”
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the United States would need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Lake and Bill Scarpato.
Attachments:
civil_complaint_0_0.pdf exhibit_1_-_overview_map_0_0.pdf exhibit_2_-_detail_map_0_0.pdfU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Nurse Charged with Unlawfully Accessing Patient Health InformationRead the Press Release
Jessica Nicole Pitcher Charged with Misdemeanor Offense
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Jessica Nicole Pitcher, 41, of Shelbyville, Michigan, was charged by misdemeanor information with unlawfully accessing health information pertaining to a patient of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs without authorization, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 1320d-6(a)(2).
“Patients have an absolute expectation of privacy concerning the communications and information shared with medical professionals and contained within their medical records,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Federal law has long protected such privacy to ensure that patients, without fear of any disclosure, can share with their medical providers all information critical to receiving proper medical care. My office will hold accountable those who access or disclose confidential patient health information without authorization and without justification under federal law.”
According to court documents, Pitcher is a nurse with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The misdemeanor information charges that on or about November 27, 2023, without authority, she unlawfully accessed and obtained protected health information of a patient at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Battle Creek, Michigan.
If convicted, Pitcher faces a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.00.
“Protecting patient privacy is paramount to the VA Office of Inspector General,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG’s Central Field Office. “Unlawfully accessing patient records erodes trust in VA’s programs and services. The VA OIG will diligently investigate any employee who violates this trust.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is investigating this case with the assistance of the Battle Creek VA Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Stella.
The charges in a misdemeanor information are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Charge Man for Gas Station Robbery in ShiprockRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A man is charged with robbing the 7 2 11 Gas Station in Shiprock, New Mexico, after allegedly assaulting a cashier and stealing $276 from the register.
Ryan Douglas Yazzie, 27, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on the morning of October 31, 2024, Yazzie allegedly entered the 7 2 11 Gas Station in Shiprock, New Mexico, located within the Navajo Nation reservation. Yazzie is accused of pushing a cashier to the ground and stealing the cash register drawer containing $276.00 before fleeing on foot.
If convicted on the current charges, Yazzie faces up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Previously Convicted Felon for Firearm Offense Following Conviction by JuryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being convicted by a federal jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm. This was his second federal conviction for such an offense.
According to court documents, on December 11, 2021, Jesus Coronado, 43, brandished a firearm at his former girlfriend and another man in a smoke shop parking lot. Following the incident, both parties fled the scene in their vehicles and the victim called 911.
Screen capture of surveillance video showing Coronado confronting the victim. Coronado pointing a firearm at the victimLas Cruces Police Department (LCPD) officers obtained an arrest warrant for Coronado and located his vehicle at a Las Cruces residence. After several days of surveillance, officers observed a male matching Coronado's description in the driveway of the residence on December 13, 2021. When commanded to stop, Coronado fled.
Officers set up a perimeter around the residence and called for occupants to exit. While maintaining the perimeter, an officer observed a firearm on the roof of the residence. Coronado was later found hiding between a tree and a small cinder block wall across the street.
Photo of firearm that was located on the roofThe firearm recovered from the roof was sent for DNA testing, which returned a match for Coronado's DNA As a previously convicted felon, Coronado was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Coronado was federally charged on February 8, 2022, and indicted on June 21, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following a two-day trial, a jury found Coronado guilty on February 14, 2024.
Upon his release from prison, Coronado will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher McNair and Richard Williams prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea in Domestic Violence CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault of dating partner by strangling.
According to court documents, between May 5 and May 11, 2022, Kevin El Cavazone, 41, assaulted his ex-girlfriend by strangling her on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
At sentencing, El Cavazone faces up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
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Two Men Accused of Roles in Fatal KidnappingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been accused in charging documents of involvement in the fatal kidnapping of a woman in Clayton, Missouri last week.
Anjuan Q. Mosby, 43, of St. Louis, was charged by complaint November 23 with kidnapping resulting in death. Emmanuel Suarez, 36, of St. Louis, was arrested Monday and charged by complaint Tuesday with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mosby is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday.
Affidavits filed in support of the complaints accuse Mosby of kidnapping a woman on November 20 from Clayton, Missouri, and then forcing her to withdraw cash from a bank before unsuccessfully attempting another withdrawal. Mosby fatally shot the victim in the 4700 block of Greer Avenue in St. Louis later that morning, the affidavit says.
The affidavit accuses Suarez of driving a stolen Ram pickup truck during the kidnapping, and being in possession of a .45-caliber Glock handgun just before he was arrested. The affidavit says Suarez is a felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms.
Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The kidnapping resulting in death charge is punishable by a term of life in prison or the death penalty, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The felon in possession charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and the same fine.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI, the Clayton Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two Highest-Ranking Leaders of Gorilla Stone Bloods Gang Sentenced to 35 Years Each in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DWIGHT REID, a/k/a “Dick Wolf,” and CHRISTOPHER ERSKINE, a/k/a “Beagle,” were both sentenced to 35 years in prison, respectively, for their years-long leadership of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang (“Gorilla Stone”), a brutally violent street and prison gang that operates across the country. REID, the gang’s highest-ranking member, is the gang’s founder and prison leader, and was sentenced on May 21, 2024. ERSKINE, the gang’s street leader, also known as the “Sun,” is the gang’s second highest-ranking member, and was sentenced today. The sentencings were imposed by the Honorable Philip M. Halpern following a nearly three-week trial last year, in which REID and ERSKINE were convicted of racketeering and narcotics offenses.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dwight Reid and Christopher Erskine are the two highest-ranking members of Gorilla Stone, a ruthless gang, and are responsible for terrible violent acts and trafficking dangerous narcotics across the country and state, including throughout the New York State prison system. Reid and Erskine’s convictions and lengthy sentences, as well as our successful prosecution of many of the gang’s most senior and violent members, send an important message to gang leaders that they will be convicted and sentenced to significant terms in prison.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:
REID founded Gorilla Stone over 20 years ago. Gorilla Stone has many members across New York State, including throughout New York City, Westchester, Upstate New York, and the New York State Prison System, and all over the country — such as in Florida. Gorilla Stone is comprised of various sets (or “Caves,” as they are called by gang members). Gorilla Stone is a highly organized and efficient street gang with an organizational commitment to violence that strictly enforces its internal laws.
Among Gorilla Stone’s acts of violence are:
- a September 2020 broad daylight murder of a teenager on a busy Poughkeepsie street;
- an October 24, 2020 gang-related shooting outside of a Miami, Florida strip club, in which two rival gang members were shot and seriously wounded, requiring one to be airlifted from the scene;
- multiple shootings and attempted murders, including an August 8, 2018 shooting in Brooklyn, New York, July 5, 2020 gang shootings at a house party in Miami, Florida, and a July 20, 2020 drive-by shooting in New Rochelle, New York;
- a June 12, 2020 gunpoint drug-related robbery in Peekskill, New York; and
- a vicious January 12, 2018 face slashing of a rival gang member on 125th Street in Manhattan outside a subway station.
As for the gang’s sources of revenue, in addition to some more traditional sources such as the proceeds of nationwide narcotics trafficking both inside and outside of prisons, Gorilla Stone is deeply involved in several fraud schemes that are well organized and sophisticated, and net a significant amount of money for the gang, including a fraudulent unemployment benefits scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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REID, 52, of the Bronx, New York, and ERSKINE, 41, of Brooklyn, New York, were convicted after trial of racketeering and narcotics offenses.
All 21 defendants in the Gorilla Stone case before Judge Halpern have been convicted. Eighteen defendants have been sentenced and three defendants have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing. The 18 defendants, including numerous Godfathers and Godmothers, who have been sentenced by Judge Halpern to date are:
- REID, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
- BRANDON SOTO, a/k/a “Stacks,” who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
- ERSKINE, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
- AHMED WALKER, a/k/a “Ammo,” who was sentenced to 235 months in prison;
- Godmother NAYA AUSTIN, a/k/a “Baby,” who was sentenced to 234 months in prison;
- Godfather DONAVAN GILLARD, a/k/a “Donnie Love,” who was resentenced to 19 years in prison;
- Godmother BRINAE THORNTON, a/k/a “Luxury,” who was sentenced to 210 months in prison;
- JARRETT CRISLER, Jr., a/k/a “Jayecee,” who was sentenced to 207 months in prison;
- CASWELL SENIOR, a/k/a “Casanova,” who was sentenced to 188 months in prison;
- ROBERT WOODS, a/k/a “Blakk Rob,” who was sentenced to 188 months in prison;
- Godfather BRANDON NIEVES, a/k/a “Untouchable Dot,” who was sentenced to 110 months in prison;
- JAMAL TRENT, a/k/a “Trap Smoke,” who was sentenced to nine years in prison;
- DEZON WASHINGTON, a/k/a “Blakk,” who was sentenced to 97 months in prison;
- ROBERTA SLIGH, a/k/a “Trouble,” who was sentenced to eight years in prison;
- JORDAN INGRAM, a/k/a “Flow,” who was sentenced to eight years in prison;
- STEPHEN HUGH, a/k/a “Chino,” who was sentenced to seven years in prison;
- ISAIAH SANTOS, a/k/a “Zay,” who was sentenced to seven years in prison; and
- SHANAY OUTLAW, a/k/a “Easy,” who was sentenced to three years in prison.
Three additional defendants have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing: Godfather DESHAWN THOMAS, a/k/a “Don,” Godfather WALTER LUSTER, a/k/a “Shells,” and NEIKO CRUDUP, a/k/a “JhitRilla.”
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, New York City Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland District Attorney’s Office and the Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Departments.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shiva H. Logarajah, David R. Felton, Kathryn P. Wheelock, and Courtney L. Heavey, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Shannon Becker and Liam Ronan, are in charge of the prosecution.
Three Bay Area Real Estate Professionals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Roles in $55 Million Mortgage Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Tjoman Buditaslim, Jose De Jesus Martinez, and Jose Alfonso Tellez were sentenced today to 24 months, 14 months, and 12 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a mortgage fraud conspiracy. The sentences were handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
Buditaslim, 52, of San Francisco, Martinez, 59, of Daly City, Tellez, 27, of San Jose, and a fourth defendant, Travis Holasek, 52, of San Francisco, were indicted in November 2023 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
As detailed in court records, from 2018 through 2022, Buditaslim, a licensed real estate broker until his license was revoked in 2019, conspired to originate approximately 102 home loans worth more than $55 million based on false and fraudulent loan application information. Buditaslim obtained home loans for his clients, potential homebuyers, by submitting false loan applications and income information to multiple loan companies. Buditaslim knew that the applicants could not qualify using truthful income information. Unbeknownst to the applicants, Buditaslim created fraudulent documents, including judicial divorce decrees, alimony and child support checks for nonexistent children, bank statements, and loan applications, that falsely inflated the applicants’ income. The loan companies extended home loans to Buditaslim’s clients relying on the falsely inflated income information. Buditaslim and his co-conspirators profited from the conspiracy via payments from escrow when the clients purchased homes or direct payment from the clients. Buditaslim admitted that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which insured many of the fraudulently obtained mortgage loans, lost approximately $486,484.38 to keep certain of the loans from going into foreclosure.
According to Martinez’s plea agreement, Martinez, who worked as a licensed real estate agent, directed clients to Buditaslim knowing that Buditaslim would qualify his clients for home loans based on false and fraudulent loan application materials and information. Buditaslim obtained approximately 49 loans for Martinez’s real estate clients totaling about $27.7 million. As the agent for the buyers, Martinez earned nearly $590,000 in real estate broker commissions.
According to Tellez’s plea agreement, Tellez worked as a loan officer at a mortgage company where he received home mortgage loan applications and supporting documentation to determine if applicants qualified for a mortgage based on his employer’s and FHA rules and guidelines. As part of the conspiracy, Tellez helped originate approximately 30 home mortgage loans worth more than $17 million based on what he knew to be false and fraudulent income information. Despite knowing that he was required to stop and flag applications based on false and fraudulent income representations, Tellez knowingly assisted in originating and funding the loans. Tellez earned more than $134,000 in commissions on the 30 fraudulently obtained loans.
“The defendants tried to line their own pockets at the expense of homebuyers, lenders, and federally insured programs. Instead of helping potential homebuyers obtain home loans for which they were qualified, defendants chased loans that should never have been extended,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “Today’s sentences hold the defendants accountable for their conduct.”
“Justice was served today. People seeking to fulfill their American dream of homeownership must not be victimized,” said Herminia Neblina, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “FHFA-OIG will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of mortgage frauds and we will always seek to hold such criminal fraudsters accountable in the justice system.”
“The defendants and other co-conspirators engaged in a $55 million mortgage fraud scheme, fabricating material documents to falsely qualify individuals for loans they would not have otherwise qualified for. When individuals commit fraud against federally funded programs, it creates significant risks to the viability of the program and limits the financial resources available to assist hard working Americans with homeownership,” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Joshua Stockman with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
“To protect the public, Postal Inspectors worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at Federal Housing Finance Agency OIG and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development OIG to arrest and prosecute those individuals responsible for fraud schemes committed against businesses and the public,” said San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Breyer sentenced each of the three defendants to three years of supervised release. Buditaslim was also ordered to pay $1,393,018.46 in restitution, Martinez was ordered to pay $840,847.35 in restitution, and Tellez was ordered to pay $858,321.67 in restitution. Buditaslim, Martinez, and Tellez will begin serving their sentences on Feb. 3, 2025. Holasek is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4, 2024.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud and General Crimes Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by FHFA-OIG, HUD OIG, USPIS, and the California Department of Justice.
Tampa Man Indicted for Attempting to Coerce and Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Yitzchak Reuven Baum (36, Tampa) with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, receipt of child sex abuse material, and accessing with intent to view child sex abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Baum faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between August and October 2023, Baum attempted to persuade an individual Baum believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity. In October 2023, Baum attempted to transfer an explicit image to an individual Baum believed to be under the age of 16. On October 30, 2023, Baum knowingly received a visual depiction that involved the sexual abuse of a minor. On December 29, 2023, Baum accessed with the intent to view an image depicting the sexual abuse of a minor.
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 Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sunset Chief of Police Charged with Federal Civil Rights OffenseRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – A federal grand jury in Lafayette, Louisiana, has returned an indictment charging Luis Enrique Padilla a/k/a Louis Padilla, Chief of Police of the Sunset Police Department, with a federal civil rights violation for willfully using unreasonable force against an individual.
The indictment alleges that on or about December 1, 2023, Padilla, acting in his official capacity as Chief of Police, used unreasonable force against an individual during an investigation and detention. The indictment further alleges that without legal justification, the individual was restrained in handcuffs, and Padilla forcefully twisted the individual’s thumb and wrist in a manner intended to cause pain, which resulted in bodily injury to the individual.
Padilla has been arrested and is scheduled to make his initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst at 3:30 p.m.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Padilla faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.
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St. Louis Man Sentenced for Possessing 15 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Terrall Lamar Johnson, 33, for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Judge Heil ordered Johnson to 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in July 2023, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers pulled over Johnson on US Highway 69 near Big Cabin. Johnson allowed troopers to search his vehicle. Once inside the vehicle, Troopers discovered suspected cocaine in six individually wrapped bundles. Further investigation revealed that the six bundles weighed 15.3 pounds and tested positive for cocaine.
Johnson will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Making, Selling Fraudulent IDRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted producing and selling fraudulent identification documents.
David B. Crosby, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud with identification documents. Crosby admitted selling stolen and/or fraudulent identification documents and a Social Security number. He advertised fraudulent documents via social media. Crosby caused or intended to cause a total loss of at least $103,000.
Crosby admitted selling a fraudulent Missouri driver’s license in October 2023, bearing the name and information of a victim but the photograph of someone else. He also sold the victim’s Social Security number to the same buyer. That identification document and information was subsequently utilized to attempt to purchase a roughly $70,000 BMW in Texas through a fraudulent loan, Crosby’s plea agreement says. Crosby also produced a fraudulent identification document with his photo but the identifying information of another victim, and used that identification document to attempt to lease an apartment and obtain a $33,000 automobile loan.
Crosby is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2025. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Secret Service, the St. Charles Police Department and the Wentzville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.
Somerset County Man Admits Stealing more than $600,000 in Federal Benefits Meant for His Deceased FatherRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man today admitted stealing more than $600,000 in federal benefits that were intended for his deceased father, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Steven Jones, 66, of Somerset, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court today to an information charging him with conversion of federal funds.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Steven Jones’ father received several federal retirement benefits before he died in October 2004. After Jones’s father died, Jones intentionally falsified his father’s death certificate so that the federal agencies would continue to issue the retirement benefits. On two occasions, Jones had a person impersonate his father to a federal agency so that the agency would think his father was still alive and continue payments. The investigation revealed that Jones unlawfully collected these payments for nearly 20 years, from October 2004 to December 2023.
The charge of conversion of government funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 21, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration Office, of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the OCDETF Unit in Newark.
jones.information.pdfSociety Hill Businessman Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Murat Aslansan, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to 12 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine, and was ordered to pay $327,723 to the Internal Revenue Service for committing tax evasion.
Aslansan was the sole owner and operator of MA-SA Construction LLC, a general contracting construction and maintenance company that provided home remodeling and maintenance services. Aslansan operated the business from his home in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia.
From 2016 to 2018, Aslansan cashed his business checks at a check cashing business and failed to report all of his gross receipts from his business on his tax returns. Specifically, Aslansan failed to report over $600,000 of gross receipts for this business on his 2016 to 2018 tax returns.
In 2019 and 2020, Aslansan continued to use the check cashing business instead of his business bank accounts to cash business checks and failed to file tax returns in 2019 and 2020. As a result, Aslansan attempted to evade the assessment of his taxes and owed $327,723 to the IRS.
Aslansan pleaded guilty to tax evasion in July of this year.
“By evading his tax responsibilities of more than $300,000, Murat Aslansan cheated not just the government, but all taxpayers who dutifully, if ruefully, pay their fair share to the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Tax evasion may seem tempting, but be forewarned, it will wind up costing you dearly when you’re arrested, prosecuted, and even imprisoned for these crimes.”
“Individuals like Mr. Aslansan, who intentionally violate the law to evade paying their fair share of taxes undermine public confidence in our tax system,” said Acting IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Amy MacNeely. “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes.”
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright.
Six Accused of Bank Fraud Involving ATM Skimming DevicesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Six people have been accused in an indictment of installing skimming devices on St. Louis area ATMs to harvest bank account information from customers.
Laurentiu Miguel Ivan, 33, Venera Isabelle Dumitru, 28, Mihai Florin Marinescu, 37, Ianus Nita, 52, and Mihai Vlaicu, 47, were indicted August 7 on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Nelu Nae, 36, is facing one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Marinescu, Vlaicu and Nae appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty. Ivan and Dumitru pleaded not guilty on August 13. Nita has not yet been arrested.
The indictment accuses all six of a conspiracy to install skimming devices on bank ATMs to steal customer account data and PINs that they then used, or attempted to use, to defraud financial institutions. Vlaicu and Marinescu harvested information from numerous victims in January of 2024 by placing skimmers on a bank in Frontenac and a bank in Clayton, the indictment says.
In April, Dumitru, Vlaicu and Ivan used cloned cards to try and withdraw cash in various St. Louis-area locations, the indictment says. On May 2, Marinescu unsuccessfully tried to install a skimming device on an ATM in south St. Louis County and Nae retrieved it the next day, the indictment says. On May 9, Marinescu installed a skimming device on an ATM in Wildwood, the indictment says. On May 11, Nita withdrew and attempted to withdraw cash from a St. Louis County ATM using the account information of at least two victims.
On May 28, Marinescu and Nae installed a skimming device on an ATM in St. Louis, which was located and removed by law enforcement before Nita and Vlaicu could retrieve it, the indictment says.
“It’s not uncommon for some skimmers to be hidden inside an ATM or gas pump, so there’s no way for a victim to know. To help protect yourself, review your bank or credit card statements regularly for unauthorized transactions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley T. Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “You can also avoid a hidden skimmer by not inserting your card. Instead, go inside to pay or withdraw money with the merchant or teller.”
Ivan, Dumitru, Marinescu are not legally in the United States and Nita has overstayed his visa, motions seeking to have them held in jail until trial say.
The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Webster Groves Police Department, the Clayton Police Department and the Frontenac Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 11 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of a Sioux Falls Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Interference with Commerce by Means of Robbery and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024.
Bryan Louis Archambeau, 21, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Archambeau was indicted for Interference with Commerce by Means of Robbery; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He pleaded guilty to Interference with Commerce by Means of Robbery and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence in July 2024.
In the evening of November 2, 2023, Archambeau went to the 49’er Marathon C-Store in Sioux Falls wearing a medical mask. He entered the store and took two cases of Twisted Tea and exited the store without paying for the items. When confronted about the theft, Archambeau lifted his shirt, brandished a pistol, and then left the scene.
Then, in the evening of November 3, 2023, Archambeau went to the Freedom Valu Center in Sioux Falls. He placed two-12 packs of Twisted Tea on the counter and pulled out a pistol from his waistband. He pointed it at the clerk, racked the slide of the pistol, and demanded money. Archambeau then left the scene.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Archambeau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024.
Thomas William Tatar, age 38, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and restitution in the amount of $3,000. Tatar must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.
Tatar was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 11, 2024.
The investigation discovered that Tatar had been grooming a 10-year-old female for months through the online application “Discord”. Tatar convinced the child into thinking they were in a romantic relationship which ultimately led to him convincing her to create for him and send to him depictions of herself engaged in sexually explicit behavior.
“Using the Internet, this defendant targeted a 10-year-old girl and persuaded her to share pornographic images of herself,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “His 30-year sentence rightfully reflects the gravity of his crime. More than that, however, this case is yet another reminder to parents and caretakers across the state that we must be vigilant when it comes to our children’s use of smart phones, tablets, and gaming devices. Each platform provides defendants like this one an avenue through which children can be targeted and victimized. It will take all of us—community members, caretakers, educators, and law enforcement—to put an end to this nightmarish criminal activity.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Tatar was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography and Assaulting a Federal Officer in the Course of a Multi-Hour StandoffRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography and Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024.
Brad Hicks, age 58, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200, and restitution in the amount of $39,000. Hicks must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.
Hicks was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from Hicks creating an account through the application BitTorrent to send and receive images and videos of child pornography. He was found to be in possession of 3,045 images and 743 videos of child pornography, which included a victim as young as 3-5 years old.
In addition, on February 27, 2024, when the U.S. Marshal Service attempted to take Hicks into custody, Hicks observed law enforcement outside of his home, retrieved a firearm, and proceeded to have a multi-hour standoff with the Sioux Falls SWAT team. The standoff ended after tear gas was deployed and Hicks finally surrendered.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and the U.S. Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Hicks was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Siblings Sentenced in Murder for Hire CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A brother and sister from Clinton, Mississippi were sentenced today for their actions in a murder for hire plot.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Joshua Druid Bryan, 29, and Regan Emily Bryan, 30, sought to hire a hit man to murder their stepfather in order to obtain life insurance proceeds.
Regan Emily Bryan was sentenced to 65 months in prison. She previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
Joshua Druid Bryan was sentenced to 120 months in prison. He was previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and murder for hire following a trial that concluded on December 15, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The Bureau of ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Matthew Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Multiple Armed Postal RobberiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A four-count indictment was unsealed today, charging William Carl Jackson, 36, of Sacramento, with two counts each of armed robbery of a postal carrier and possession of mail keys, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Jackson robbed postal carriers on July 11 and 31, 2024. During in each robbery, he brandished a pistol at the victim and then ordered the victim to turn over his postal keys. After taking the victim’s keys, he then fled from the scene on a bicycle.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison for each robbery count and 10 years in prison for each count of possession of a mail key. Each count also carries a maximum statutory fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would 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 charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Russian woman pleads guilty to attacking CBP officerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Olesia Sumina, 43, of Russia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge McCarthy to resisting a federal immigration officer and was sentenced to time served.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Henning, who is handling the case, stated that on October 9, 2024, Sumina traveled to Canada with her two children to file an immigration asylum claim. The claim was refused by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which resulted in Sumina being driven by CBSA to the Peace Bridge Point of Entry. CBSA officers informed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers that Sumina became difficult to deal with during transport and that she had spit inside their vehicle. CBP officers attempted to interview Sumina utilizing a language translation application but were unsuccessful. Sumina was uncooperative throughout the interview and was also reluctant to provide her personal information. As CBP officers attempted to gain access to Sumina’s cellular telephone, she grabbed the phone and quickly put it in her pocket. As CBP officers attempted to retrieve the phone, Sumina quickly became aggressive towards them and resisted multiple comply commands.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Ruskin Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Javier Alejandro Anaya-Leal (31, Ruskin) to eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The court also ordered Anaya-Leal to forfeit $9,750, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Anaya-Leal entered a guilty plea on July 11, 2024.
According to court documents, from 2022 through 2023, Anaya-Leal possessed with the intent to distribute more than 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and four kilograms of cocaine. In July, August, and September 2022, Anaya-Leal sold more than 1,400 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant (CI) working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On March 4, 2024, Anaya-Leal agreed to sell two to three kilograms of cocaine. The CI met with Anaya-Leal at his residence in Hillsborough County to complete the transaction. A courier, later identified as Matias Sanchez Cardosa, arrived a short while later with the cocaine. After the courier’s arrival, the CI left the residence to retrieve payment for the drugs. During this time, law enforcement agents moved in to arrest Anaya-Leal and Cardosa. Four kilograms of cocaine were discovered in Cardosa’s vehicle. Anaya-Leal was supposed to receive all four of the kilograms to distribute throughout the Middle District of Florida.
Matias Sanchez Cardosa was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on October 21, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.