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22 November 2024
Ex-employee Sentenced for Arson at St. Louis Airport HotelRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a St. Louis woman to two years in prison for igniting multiple fires in a hotel shortly after her employment there was terminated.
Ramona Cook, 26, was also placed on supervised release for three years and ordered to pay $119,067 in restitution.
Cook was a housekeeper at the Marriott St. Louis Airport until she was fired on Dec. 22, 2022. After being fired, she refused to leave until the police were called to escort her out. She later returned and set seven small fires in various locations within the hotel, beginning around 5 p.m. The hotel was evacuated, the sprinkler system was activated and the hotel suffered damages.
Cook pleaded guilty in August to a felony charge of use of a facility of interstate commerce with intent to commit a crime of violence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuted the case.
Elizabeth City Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Fentanyl and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Karem Felton, age 31, from Elizabeth City, was sentenced to 147 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute forty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and ten grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a fentanyl analogue after investigators with Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office searched Felton’s residence on May 19, 2023, in response to shots fired a day earlier.
“Disrupting drug trafficking in our communities is a critical part of our mission. The FBI and our local partners are working very hard to take dangerous drugs off of our streets, along with the people who peddle them. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together to make our communities safer,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
“I want to thank my Deputies at the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the great work that has been done to combat the drug and violent crime issues we face on a daily basis,” said Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten.
On May 18, 2023, Elizabeth City Police officers responded to shots fired at a vehicle. Officers collected eight .300 caliber rifle shell casings in the area and reviewed city cameras around the area of the incident. They were able to see a male step out of a BMW and fire shots at a Dodge Charger. Law enforcement saw Felton driving the same BMW with the same license plate earlier in the month on March 6, 2023.
On May 19, 2023, investigators from the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of Felton’s residence. During the search, they discovered several items in the bedroom: a 7.62 x 39mm pistol hidden under the bed, a .300 Blackout pistol in the closet, and a 10mm pistol containing fentanyl inside the headboard of the master bed. Additionally, officers found two AR pistol braces in a soft-sided cooler and a .300 Blackout magazine with 18 rounds of .300 Blackout ammunition placed between the mattress and box spring.
In a spare bedroom, officers located a safe that contained $11,050 in cash, assorted ammunition, and a digital scale. In the living room, they found $1,108 in cash and two cell phones hidden inside the couch. A firearm holster was also discovered in the children's bedroom. After conducting a further search of the vehicle, officers uncovered fentanyl, cocaine, and additional cash.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Court Judge Louis W. Flanagan. Elizabeth City Police Department, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Katherine S. Englander are prosecuted the case.
This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-114-M-BM.
Dual U.S. and Albanian Citizen Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS and Distributing Instructions Regarding Homemade ExplosivesRead the Press Release
A former New York man and dual citizen of the United States and Albania was arrested yesterday in New York on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and distributing instructional information regarding the making of explosives.
According to court documents, Erald Alimehmeti, 33, of Tirana, Albania, is a former resident of the Bronx, New York, and moved to Albania in 2014. Alimehmeti was arrested by Albanian authorities and imprisoned in late 2015 to 2019 and again from late 2020 to 2022 for weapons and assault offenses.
Between prison terms, Alimehmeti created and used numerous online accounts on encrypted messaging applications and social media websites to communicate with others about planning and training for attacks on behalf of ISIS. For example, in 2019, Alimehmeti expressed interest in “DC sniper” style attacks and referenced an “op” for which he sought the participation of confidential sources, writing, among other things, “Do you know sniping akhi? The formulas and ballistics?” and “I will brief you brothers right before the op, not here akhi. Do you both know how to use red dot optics and how to zero them?” Alimehmeti also requested what he described as “tactical” equipment and “gear” for “training” and “operations” in support of ISIS, including particular models of vests capable of holding “ballistic plates,” “magazine pouches,” and “knives,” and described modifications he intended to make to his “AKM,” an apparent reference to an assault rifle.
In addition, in 2019 and 2020, Alimehmeti regularly posted pro-ISIS propaganda online, praising specific ISIS leaders and promoting ISIS-issued publications and videos. For example, Alimehmeti’s social media posts included praise of the ISIS propagandist Shaykh ul-Haqq Musa Cerantonio and the Libyan terrorist and high-ranking al Qaeda official Abu Yahya al-Libi; photographs of various jihadist publications, such as “The Islamic Ruling of the Permissibility of Self-Sacrificial Operations: Suicide, or Martyrdom?” and “The Book of Jihad”; and a video depicting the killing of U.S. Special Forces in Niger and an accompanying comment in Albanian, which translates to: “The Islamic State in Africa killing crusaders, American and French special forces. Look at how the US special forces scream before they die!!! Hahaha!”
Alimehmeti also described his work compiling resources on mixing dangerous chemicals and making explosives to a confidential source and discussed how to make specific types of incendiaries to spray at innocent bystanders in a terrorist attack. On an encrypted messaging channel, Alimehmeti posted dozens of links and downloadable documents on topics such as explosives-making, firearms-handling, defensive tactics, and outdoor survival, with comments encouraging the use of these resources. For example, he posted a video and described it as “a video release from the official media of the Khilafa, explaining how YOU O Muwahid can make TATP explosives in your own home ... SO FIGHT THEM O MUWAHID,” an apparent reference to a well-known ISIS video titled, “You Must Fight Them O Muwahhid,” which provides step-by-step instructions for constructing a TATP-based explosive device and attacking a human target with a knife.
Alimehmeti is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of distribution of information pertaining to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction in furtherance of a federal crime of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists principally of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, and law enforcement partners in Albania and Australia, including the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Jane Y. Chong for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jessica K. Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Sentenced for his Role in a Human Smuggling Event that Resulted in Child’s DeathRead the Press Release
A Dominican national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his involvement in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy in Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Alcibades De Paz, 34, was one of the individuals at the helm of a vessel carrying non-citizens, including a three-year-old boy, from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. The defendant operated the vessel during the human smuggling venture. When the vessel stopped functioning, the defendant aided in starting the engine and holding the throttle of the outboard engine of the boat towards the shore of Rincón, Puerto Rico, while evading law enforcement’s attempts to safely intercept the vessel. On Dec. 23, 2022, the vessel capsized as it reached the shoreline, leading to the death of a three-year-old child who was illegally being smuggled to the United States.
On Aug. 27, De Paz pleaded guilty to one count of bringing certain aliens into the United States, resulting in death. In addition to his term of imprisonment, De Paz was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico; and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan made the announcement.
HSI San Juan investigated this case, with assistance from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s Joint Forces of Rapid Action and U.S. Border Patrol, Ramey Sector.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Defendants Sentenced to Prison in Separate Armed Meth Trafficking Investigations in Southwest GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two Albany residents with prior felony convictions were sentenced to federal prison this week in separate cases resulting from investigations into armed methamphetamine trafficking in Southwest Georgia.
Wallace Eric Strickland, 40, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 286 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Nov. 21 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Case No. 1:23-CR-23-002 on Aug. 28.
Tanaka Grant aka “Knock-Off,” 39, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Nov. 22 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine in Case No. 1:22-CR-40-001 on May 15.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed methamphetamine trafficking endangers the communities we serve and will not be tolerated by our office,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Both cases exemplify the interagency cooperation between law enforcement at every level focused on holding the most dangerous individuals accountable for their crimes and making our communities safer.”
“Wallace Strickland is clearly a dangerous individual,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Not only did he distribute illegal drugs while in possession of guns, but he advised a co-conspirator to continue to distribute methamphetamine on his behalf while he was in prison.”
"The illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons poses a significant threat to our communities, and we will continue to work tirelessly to remove these dangerous individuals from our streets,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“These sentences send a clear message that methamphetamine trafficking has no place in our communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold those who endanger the public accountable, ensuring that criminals like Strickland and Grant face the full consequences of their actions."
According to court documents and statements made in court in the Strickland case, on Feb. 24, 2022, Americus Police Department (APD) officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle and encountered Strickland and co-defendant Ryan Farr. Officers found a loaded .380 caliber pistol, a .32 caliber revolver, 153 grams of 94% pure methamphetamine and quantities of other illegal controlled substances during a search of the car. After Strickland’s arrest, he was recorded on jail calls instructing co-defendant Aryn Brittany Jones to destroy evidence from his Facebook account and discussing how the methamphetamine was obtained from a Mexican drug cartel near Atlanta. Search warrants executed on Strickland’s and Farr’s cell phones detailed extensive communications of a larger conspiracy involving the distribution of methamphetamine, revealing defendant Strickland and Jones had obtained a half kilogram of methamphetamine from the Mexican source of supply for redistribution just days before Strickland’s arrest when officers found him in possession of methamphetamine on Feb. 24, 2022.
After Strickland was sent back to prison on a Georgia parole violation for another methamphetamine distribution conviction, law enforcement recovered a cell phone from a Georgia state prison inmate which revealed that Strickland continued to engage in the distribution of methamphetamine and other narcotics sourced by a Mexican drug cartel from behind bars. Strickland has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer in Worth County, Georgia, Superior Court and felony methamphetamine distribution in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court. Strickland is also a validated member of the Gangster Disciples criminal organization.
One of Strickland’s co-defendants pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing:
Niki Lynn Crabtree-Booth, 31, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on March 21, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 19, 2024.
Two of Strickland’s co-defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced:
Aryn Brittany Jones, 31, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on May 22 after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 12, 2023; and
Ryan Daniel Farr, 33, of Leesburg, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 27 after he previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice on March 20.
According to court documents and statements made in court in the Grant case, agents investigating armed drug trafficking in the Southwest Georgia community used a confidential informant (CI) while under surveillance to purchase a total of approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine from Grant on two separate occasions in May and July 2022. Agents ultimately arrested Grant at the Araamda Inn in Albany on April 18, 2023. Grant was concealing a fully loaded Glock 19 handgun with an extended magazine in his waistband; he was also carrying quantities of illegal drugs, a digital scale and a box of plastic bags. Grant has several prior felony drug convictions in the Superior Court of Dougherty County, Georgia, as well as a prior burglary conviction.
The Strickland case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) and the Americus Police Department (APD) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
The Grant case was investigated by DEA and GBI with assistance from ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis prosecuted the case for the Government.
DOJ and U.S. Health and Human Services settle claims that MultiCare Health System violated Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Read the Press Release
Seattle – MultiCare Health Systems of Washington will change procedures and set aside more than $2 million to compensate patients whose civil rights were violated by a failure to provide appropriate interpreter services, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. An investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) revealed that two patients, who are deaf-blind, failed to receive appropriate interpreter services both before and after surgery. The two patients will each receive $100,000. The family members of each patient who were forced to become interpreters in these stressful situations are each being compensated with $40,000.
“This settlement with MultiCare not only compensates those whose rights were violated, it also ensures better care in the future for patients who are deaf and deaf-blind,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “MultiCare is designating a point person who will be responsible for providing appropriate assistive devices and ensuring the health system has resources, including three interpreter firms, who can be called on to ensure effective communication with all patients.”
Under the terms of the settlement, MultiCare will provide training to employees about assessing and meeting the communication needs of patients who are deaf or deaf-blind. The settlement calls for MultiCare to put information on its website and in its handbook about interpreter services for those who are deaf or deaf-blind. The detailed agreement will be in place for three years and requires reporting every four months to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HHS about requests for assistive devices or interpreters and how those needs were met.
This investigation began in 2020 when the U.S. Attorney’s office received a complaint that a patient who is deaf-blind, failed to receive appropriate communication assistance at multiple appointments both before and after surgery. MultiCare had the patient’s spouse who is deaf and visually impaired act as an interpreter – something she was not qualified or prepared to do. While that investigation was underway, a second deaf-blind patient reported that his rights were also violated when MultiCare failed to provide appropriate communication aids both before and after his surgery. That patient’s son had to act as an interpreter, something he too was not trained to do.
While not admitting fault, MultiCare acknowledges that there may be additional patients whose rights under the ADA were violated. MultiCare will establish a fund of $2 million and will seek to identify any patients who failed to receive appropriate interpreter services. Under the terms of the settlement, MultiCare will establish a third-party claims administrator to allocate the settlement funds based on the harm suffered by each complainant. The administrator will work with MultiCare records to locate claimants. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will review the allocations after the claims have been submitted and reviewed.
In addition to the settlements to claimants, MultiCare will pay $95,000 to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
This is the 8th settlement in the last eight years regarding failure to provide appropriate interpreter services in the health care setting. The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated and resolved complaints against PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, University of Washington Medical Center – Northwest (UWMC-NW) in Seattle, and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KFHPW) among others.
The matter was investigated, and the settlement was negotiated, by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Kas and Matt Waldrop. AUSA Kas serves as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
You can learn more about our Civil Rights work here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/civil-rights
Colombia-Based Alien Smuggling Coordinator Indicted for Smuggling Colombian Nationals into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Janine Torres-Centeno, a Colombian national, was indicted on November 6, 2024, by a federal grand jury on charges of Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States and Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit.
According to the criminal Complaint and subsequently-filed Indictment, in approximately 2022, United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Torres-Centeno after arresting numerous Colombian nationals who identified her as their smuggling coordinator.
The smuggled individuals contacted Torres-Centeno after learning from others who had successfully crossed into the United States illegally that she could coordinate their illegal entry into the United States. Torres-Centeno informed the Colombian nationals they would need to travel to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico and pay a fee between $1,200.00 USD to $2,000.00 USD per person to cross into the United States. Once the Colombian nationals were in Sonoyta, Torres-Centeno coordinated their transportation to local stash houses, while others ultimately crossed illegally into the United States.
Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit carries at least a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000.
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.
The Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Alien Smuggling Unit – Tucson Sector and Homeland Security Investigations – Casa Grande conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-007816-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-159_Torres-Centeno# # #
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.Co-founder of Medical Charity in St. Joseph Sentenced for $8 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A co-founder of a so-called Christian health care sharing ministry in St. Joseph, Mo., has been sentenced in federal court for his role in an $8 million wire fraud conspiracy that cheated hundreds of members, and for making false statements on a personal tax return.
James L. McGinnis, 78, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Nov. 21, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered McGinnis to pay restitution of $7,758,908 to the victims, $143,141 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $10,787 to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The Court also ordered McGinnis to forfeit to the government a 2021 Ford F-250 truck.
On April 2, 2024, McGinnis pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making false statements on a tax return.
McGinnis co-founded Medical Cost Sharing, a tax-exempt organization, and served as its chief operating officer from 2014 through December 2022.
Another co-founder, Craig Anthony Reynolds, 62, of St. Joseph, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced on the same charges. Reynolds incorporated and ran Medical Cost Sharing as its president and chief executive officer from 2014 through December 2022.
McGinnis and Reynolds each admitted that he and his co-conspirators used false and fraudulent promises to market Medical Cost Sharing as a “Health Care Sharing Ministry” to defraud hundreds of “ministry members.” They collected more than $8 million in member “contributions,” yet paid only 3.1 percent in health care claims so that they could personally profit and take most of the members’ contributions for themselves.
McGinnis and Reynolds pocketed at least $5,168,268 from the member contributions from December 2015 through December 2022. Thus, McGinnis and Reynolds took at least 64 percent of total member contributions for their personal profit.
McGinnis and Reynolds marketed Medical Cost Sharing as a “Christian Health Care Sharing Ministry” through insurance brokers, radio stations, social media, and its website. Medical Cost Sharing sales materials promoted its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, advertising that it was different from for profit health insurance. The Medical Cost Sharing website claimed, “while we are not an insurance company, many think of us as a Christian Health Insurance, or Christian Medical Insurance because, like conventional insurance plans, we help you pay your healthcare costs. We help you protect your family. But unlike these corporate, profit based plans, we are a healthcare sharing ministry … your healthcare costs are shared with other Christians enrolled in our medical sharing plans.”
Medical Cost Sharing promised its member that if they paid monthly “contributions,” Medical Cost Sharing would pay claims after the members’ “personal responsibility” (deductible) was met.
In reality, McGinnis and Reynolds admitted, Medical Cost Sharing rarely paid members’ health care claims. Sometimes Medical Cost Sharing would pay a part of a claim if the member filed a complaint with their state attorney general and/or hired an attorney to represent them against Medical Cost Sharing.
Medical Cost Sharing paid no claims at all for nearly two years from Feb. 22, 2021, through December 2022, although it collected a total of nearly $1.2 million in dues in 2021 and 2022.
On Dec. 13, 2022, federal agents served search warrants on the Medical Cost Sharing business location and the residences of McGinnis and Reynolds and seized property generated from Medical Cost Sharing proceeds. Medical Cost Sharing continued to try to collect membership dues after the search and seizure warrants. On Dec. 27, 2022, the court entered a temporary restraining order that prohibited Medical Cost Sharing, McGinnis, and Reynolds, from continuing to perpetrate a fraudulent scheme and from processing Medical Cost Sharing member payments, among other actions.
In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, McGinnis also admitted that he filed a federal income tax return that claimed he had no taxable income in 2019. McGinnis actually received at least $140,881 in taxable income in 2019.
Reynolds was sentenced, in a separate but related case, on June 26, 2024, to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Reynolds to pay $7,758,908 in restitution to the victims, $253,474 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, and $46,550 in restitution to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The court also ordered Reynolds to forfeit to the government $462,771, which includes proceeds from the sale of a St. Joseph residence, cash representing his interest in another St. Joseph residence, the values of a Lincoln Navigator, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle which will all be sold, and the contents of several bank accounts.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick Daly, and John Constance. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
FBI Website for Victims of Medical Cost Sharing Fraud
Those who believe they are victims of this fraud and wish to receive restitution for any losses suffered as a result may provide their information through the MCS Victim Information Page that has been established by the FBI.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/mcs-victim-information-page
Co-Founders of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Charged for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Northern District of Texas charging two co-founders of Blueacorn, a lender service provider, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 45, and Stephanie Hockridge, 41, also known as Stephanie Reis, both of Puerto Rico and previously of Arizona, allegedly submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of themselves and their businesses, including by fabricating documents that they submitted in their loan applications in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.
The indictment also alleges that Reis and Hockridge, who are married, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. In order to obtain larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Reis and other co-conspirators allegedly fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements. Reis and Hockridge allegedly charged borrowers illegal kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the alleged scheme, Reis, Hockridge, and others expanded Blueacorn’s operations through lender service provider agreements (LSPAs) with two lenders. Under the LSPAs, Blueacorn collected and reviewed PPP applications from potential borrowers on behalf of the lenders and worked with the lenders to submit applications to the SBA in exchange for a percentage of the fees that the SBA paid to the lenders for approved PPP loans. Blueacorn also had a program called “VIPPP” in which Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Reis and Hockridge allegedly recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. In order to obtain a greater volume of kickbacks from borrowers and percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Reis, Hockridge, and their co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information.
Reis and Hockridge are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Chris Altemus of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) Brian Miller; Special Agent in Charge John Ellwanger of the Western Division, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG); and Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI, IRS-CI, SIGPR, FRB-OIG, and SBA-OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 120 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Tido Kirby, 44 years old, of Chicago, Illinois was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Kirby was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on three occasions between March and April of 2021, law enforcement purchased fentanyl from Kirby in Hammond, Indiana. Kirby’s criminal history includes 8 prior felony convictions involving firearms, drugs, and an aggravated fleeing offense. He was also on federal supervision during this time period.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Toth.
Cherokee County Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Krystopher Cordeiro, age 23, from Cherokee, Iowa, was sentenced November 20, 2024, to more than 3 years in federal prison.
Evidence in the case established that between January 1, 2023, and September 26, 2023, Cordeiro possessed child pornography. In April and May of 2023, the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that Cordeiro’s account had uploaded child pornography on four occasions. When law enforcement executed a search at Cordeiro’s residence in September of 2023. Cordeiro admitted to searching for “teen porn”, as well as possessing videos depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct, prepubescent children, and toddlers. Agents discovered over 200 images and 10 videos of actual child pornography and over 1,000 images and 133 videos of simulated children. Some of the simulated images were of such high quality they were virtually indistinguishable from real children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Cordeiro was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cordeiro was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $6,100 in fines and assessments. He was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims in the case. He must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cordeiro is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation, Cyber Crime Bureau and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-4080. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Campbell County Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Newport, Ky., man, Antonio Fox, 37, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Friday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to Fox’s plea agreement, on May 23, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Fox’s vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded gun with an extra, loaded magazine. Fox admitted that he possessed the firearm and he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm, because he had previously been convicted of a felony.
Fox was previously convicted of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon, in 2019, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in 2010.
Under federal law, Fox must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Covington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Calumet City Man Sentenced to 12+ Years in Prison for Carbondale Mail Theft and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced a Calumet City man to 154 months’ imprisonment for engaging in a bank fraud scheme using mail stolen from blue collection boxes in Carbondale.
Isaiah Jordan, 31, pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of theft of mail and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“Communities depend on the U.S. Postal Service to communicate with loved ones and pay bills, but when thieves target collection boxes to steal checks and disrupt the public mailing system, the effects are evident throughout the region,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I commend the Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for leading this complex investigation and ultimately holding these criminals accountable.”
Charged co-conspirators Brian R. Nevils, 25, of South Holland, and Quentin S. Abrams, 25, of Charleston, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of mail theft. The federal judge sentenced Abrams to time served in April and sentenced Nevils to 18 months’ imprisonment in September.
According to court documents, the defendants used a stolen master key to gain access to mail collection boxes throughout Carbondale. The conspiracy involved altering the payees and amounts of stolen checks, depositing the checks into bank accounts of co-conspirators and then transferring the funds into their own accounts or of their associates.
“This sentencing illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions. The Postal Inspection Service will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to collectively pursue criminals who victimize postal customers,” stated Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Nevils, Jordan and Abrams stole and altered more than 100 checks sent by more than 50 individuals through USPS from March through July 2020. The total estimated loss is $396,971.83.
“Our success as law enforcement officers relies in part on the strong partnerships between local and federal agencies in investigating complex crimes that affect our community,” said Carbondale Police Chief and Interim City Manager Stan Reno. “The collaboration between the Carbondale Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was key in bringing these offenders to justice. Together, we are committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of our city, protecting both our residents and our institutions from fraudulent schemes.”
Following imprisonment, Jordan was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. In addition, the Court ordered Jordan to pay $396,971.83 in restitution to the affected banks.
Demarius L. Flakes, 31, of Blue Island, was also charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of mail theft, six counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is in custody in Cook County on separate charges.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service jointly investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman prosecuted the case.
Brooklyn Business Owner Convicted of Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Avraham Tarshish for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and related wire fraud counts, in connection with a scheme to defraud mortgage loan holders, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and other mortgage lending businesses. The verdict followed a 12-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Margo K. Brodie. When sentenced, the defendant faces up to 30 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Robert Manchak, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (FHFA-OIG), Vicky Vazquez, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (HUD-OIG) and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the verdict.
“The defendant defrauded taxpayer-funded mortgage loan holders out of millions of dollars and took advantage of programs designed to help distressed property owners in need,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Short sale mortgage fraud not only harms lending intuitions, it also depresses real estate values throughout our neighborhoods and prevents community members from gaining fair access to housing. Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a reminder that my Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corruptly line their pockets at the expense of mortgage lenders and borrowers.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office (HSI), and the HSI El Dorado Financial Crimes Task Force for their work on the case.
“The defendant and his co-conspirators corrupted a process meant to assist homeowners facing foreclosure. By undermining the integrity of this process, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other lenders were deprived of millions of dollars,” said Robert Manchak, Special Agent-in-Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Northeast Region. “Today's verdict demonstrates the resolve of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and its law enforcement partners to pursue those who defraud the government-sponsored enterprises.”
“Tarshish and other co-conspirators engaged in a $2.4 million scheme to cause FHA-insured mortgage lenders to approve short sale transactions at fraudulently depressed prices by misrepresenting material information for his own enrichment,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Vicky Vazquez with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “No one is above the law. HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.”
“In this elaborate scheme to prey on people facing foreclosure and manipulating the mortgage loan system, Tarshish’s fraud resulted in a multi-million dollar loss to his victims. With this conviction, Tarshish now faces time behind bars where he can longer line his pockets at the expense of his community and their lenders,” said Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.
The defendant was an employee of My Ideal Property Inc. and an owner of Exclusive Homes Realty Group, Inc., Exclusive Homes NY, LLC and Homeowners Solutions Group LTD, Queens- and Brooklyn-based companies formed to buy and sell real property. As proven at trial, between March 2013 and November 2018, the defendant and others conspired to defraud mortgage lenders, misleading them into approving short sale transactions at fraudulently depressed prices. In a short sale, with the approval of the mortgage lender or servicer, a mortgage loan borrower sells his or her property for less than the outstanding balance of the mortgage loan. The proceeds from the short sale, less approved closing costs, are applied to the outstanding mortgage loan balance owed to the lender, who typically agrees to forgive the borrower’s remaining mortgage loan balance. Here, the defendant fraudulently manipulated the short sale process and immediately flipped properties for prices well above the short sale prices.
Among other things, the defendant and his co-conspirators paid homeowners in foreclosure to lock them in to conducting short sales with them; took steps to preclude other prospective purchasers from making higher offers for properties by failing to market properties as required by the lenders; placed fraudulent liens on properties; and further depressed the properties’ values by removing toilets and plumbing, and causing other forms of property damage—a process that the defendant and his co-conspirators referred to as making the homes “pretty.” In furtherance of the scheme, the defendant and his co-conspirators also provided the mortgage lenders and servicers with false and misleading information in transaction documents and failed to disclose either payments made to the borrower and others related to short sale or contemporaneous agreements to transfer the properties at inflated prices. Many of the affected mortgage loans were insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
At trial, the government introduced evidence that the defendant participated in a conspiracy spanning years that involved dozens of fraudulent short sale transactions. From among those dozens of transactions, the government introduced specific evidence relating to eleven examples of Brooklyn short sales through which the defendant and his co-conspirators defrauded lenders and servicers of more than $2.4 million.
When sentenced, Aronov, Konstantinovskiy and Dafna face up to a 30-year max sentence. Herskowitz faces up to a 5-year sentence.
Anyone with information concerning similar mortgage-related fraud can report it by contacting the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General Hotline at 800-793-7724 or via the web at: https://www.fhfaoig.gov/ReportFraud#hotlineform.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including bank fraud and wire fraud.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon C. Jones, John Vagelatos, Joshua B. Dugan and Russell Noble are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
AVRAHAM TARSHISH (also known as “Avi Tarshish”)
Age: 45
Queens Village, New YorkCo-Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
ISKYO ARONOV (also known as “Isaac Aronov”)
Age: 37
Miami, FloridaMICHAEL KONSTANTINOVSKIY (also known as “Michael Kay”)
Age: 38
Rego Park, QueensTOMER DAFNA
Age: 53
Great Neck, New YorkMICHAEL HERSKOWITZ
Age: 45
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-408 (MKB)
Bradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Terry McDonald, Jr. (32, Bradenton) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. McDonald faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, on October 5, 2023, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home in Bradenton based on a series of controlled fentanyl purchases from another individual at the residence. At the time of the execution, McDonald was the sole occupant of a vehicle backed into the driveway. The vehicle was searched, and McDonald was found to be in possession of a loaded Smith and Wesson handgun, a digital scale, fentanyl, and cocaine. At the time, McDonald had multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, and carrying a concealed firearm. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
McDonald has agreed to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm and ammunition which were used in the commission of the offenses.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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.
Billings construction company owner admits to tax evasionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings construction company owner accused of not paying federal income tax on his business and directing his bookkeeper to improperly categorize personal expenses as business expenses admitted to a tax crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Clay Wayland Buckmiller, 60, appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging him with tax evasion. Buckmiller faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Buckmiller was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Buckmiller owns and runs a company he started in 2000 called Moonlight Construction. Buckmiller earned money through the company but has not filed taxes since 2009 for the 2007 tax year. Buckmiller knew of the requirement to file taxes. The IRS repeatedly notified him of his overdue taxes, including a notice he received in 2018 that he owed more than $88,000 in unpaid taxes—the balance of which the IRS has since written off because expired collection statutes.
In 2020, Moonlight earned taxable income, and Buckmiller’s bookkeeper notified him that he would be required to pay federal income tax. Buckmiller willfully made affirmative attempts during and after 2020 to evade paying taxes for that year:
- Buckmiller deposited customer checks into Moonlight’s bank account, but immediately withdrew large sums of cash, which he stored in a safe in his residence. Despite requests by his bookkeeper, Buckmiller refused to provide information about the source and use of these funds.
- Buckmiller instructed the bookkeeper to improperly categorize the withdrawals as business expenses, when in fact they were personal.
- Buckmiller deleted emails containing business-related invoices and instructed his bookkeeper to improperly categorize personal expenses as business expenses.
- Buckmiller lied to the bookkeeper by stating that the deposits he withdrew as cash were used to pay business vendors, when in reality, he used the money on personal expenses, including to buy a house in his girlfriend’s name.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The IRS conducted the investigation.
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Armed Carjacker Gets 20 Years in Prison for Robbery and Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deangelo Richardson, 22, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for committing an armed carjacking on July 14, 2022 and armed robbery on November 26, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Richardson pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. Today, Judge Erik Christian sentenced Richardson to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 14, 2022, Richardson, along with two unidentified co-conspirators, committed a series of violent offenses in Washington, D.C., ending with an armed carjacking near the 600 block of Morton Place NE. During the commission of each violent crime, all three assailants covered their faces. Richardson and his unidentified co-conspirators, armed with firearms, attempted to carjack two separate individuals before proceeding to the 600 block of Morton Place NE at approximately 6:49 p.m. Once at the location, they approached the victim who was parking her car at the location. One of the co-conspirators brandished a handgun and stated, “Give me everything!” Richardson and two associates took the victim’s car keys, phone, and credit cards attached to her phone, and other property. Then they took her car. Richardson later used the victim’s credit card at gas stations and a restaurant.
Richardson also committed an armed robbery that took place on November 26, 2022, near the 1300 block of South Carolina Avenue SE. At approximately 7:54 p.m., Richardson parked a car ahead of the victims who were walking their dog after dinner. When the couple walked near his car, the defendant jumped out with a gun and robbed the husband of his phone. Richardson was arrested that evening after a vehicle pursuit.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force Unit. Valuable assistance provided by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Evans and former Assistant United States Attorney Omeed Assefi.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Perry Ivory Wims (39, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wims entered a guilty plea in August 2024.
According to court records, the Tampa Police Department (TPD) learned that Wims was selling fentanyl out of his motel room in Tampa and obtained a search warrant for the room. Prior to the execution of the warrant, officers observed Wims point a firearm at individuals in the motel parking lot. Inside the motel room, officers located fentanyl, cocaine, two firearms, ammunition, and a drum magazine.
Wims previously served a 15-year federal sentence for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He completed serving that sentence less than three months before his arrest in this matter. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David P. Sullivan and James A. Muench.
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.
Anchorage man charged in string of recent bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment criminally charging an Anchorage man in connection to a string of recent bank robberies.
According to court documents, on Sept. 23, Sean Javier, 36, allegedly used force, violence and intimidation to steal roughly $650 from a local credit union branch. Two weeks later, on Oct. 7, Javier stole roughly $512 from a different local credit union branch, and on Oct. 16, he stole an additional $2,000 from another local credit union branch. In total, Javier allegedly stole roughly $3,162.
The indictment also alleges that on Oct. 20, Javier was also in possession of two firearms. In June 2013, Javier was convicted of stalking in the first degree in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, and in June 2020, he was convicted of bank robbery in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, making him a felon at the time of possession.
Javier was arrested on Oct. 20 on a probation violation related to his 2020 conviction.
Javier is charged with three counts of credit union robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal Lands Offenses
Mathew Crabtree, 36, of New Market, Alabama, was sentenced for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and refusing to consent to a breath test. For the DUI offense, the defendant was sentenced to pay a fine of $750 and placed on two years of unsupervised probation, including a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time. For refusing a breath test the defendant was sentenced to pay a $750 fine and serve a seven-day term of incarceration. The defendant received credit for three days previously served and must serve the remaining four days before May 20, 2025. Crabtree pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 21 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case.
Matthew Stetzel, age 36, previously of Mammoth, Wyoming, was sentenced for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (DUI), refusing to consent to a breath test, and possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. For the DUI, he was sentenced to a fine of $750 and one year of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that period. He was sentenced to a fine of $100 for the open container violation, and for the refusal to take a breath test, he was sentenced to seven days of incarceration. The defendant has credit for one day previously served and must serve the remaining six days before May 21, 2025. Stetzel pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 21 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficking
Ricardo Valencia, 43, of Long Beach, California, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on July 11, 2022, Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) pulled over a car speeding on I-80 in Laramie County. Differing stories from the three passengers who claimed to be going to Iowa for different reasons led the trooper to deploy a narcotics detection canine, who then alerted to the presence of a controlled substance. A search of the vehicle was conducted and approximately 8 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded .38 caliber revolver, a glass smoking pipe, and numerous clear cellophane packages were seized. Valencia admitted that the items belonged to him. He was indicted on Jan. 11, 2023, arrested in California on state charges in March 2024, and brought into federal custody in May. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 30. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Nov. 21, in Cheyenne. WHP and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00012
Nicholas Elton Terry, 40, of Torrington, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months in prison with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) pulled over Terry for speeding on I-25 in Laramie County. The trooper said Terry appeared nervous and was unable to produce any documentation for himself or the vehicle. While they figured things out in the patrol vehicle, another trooper deployed a narcotics detection canine who alerted to the presence of a controlled substance. About 1,000 fentanyl pills were located along with three cell phones. Terry was indicted May 16, pleaded guilty Aug. 28 and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 19, in Casper. Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and WHP investigated the Crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00072
Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun
Preston Lewis, 21, of Rock Spring, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for the unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on April 11, the Rock Springs Police Department was called to a firearms dealer for a report of a suspicious male who had purchased approximately $18,000 worth of high-dollar firearms. Police later found the defendant at another firearms dealer. During questioning, the defendant admitted to straw purchasing firearms for another individual. He also acknowledged that he installed a Glock “switch,” which is a device that modifies a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic “machine pistol,” on a firearm in his home as well as possessing other switches. The defendant also admitted that he had modified an AR-style semiautomatic rifle into a fully automatic machine gun. Lewis waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an Information on July 18. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 20 in Casper. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rock Springs Police Department investigated this crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Case No. 23-00095
21 November 2024
Weslaco resident imprisoned for attempting to transport weapons and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for straw purchasing and possessing child pornography on his cellphone, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Angel Hinojosa Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 19.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Hinojosa to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that cases like these are far from victimless, with many of the weapons being traced to Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court emphasized the seriousness of these crimes, describing them as heinous and reaffirming that they have real victims and far-reaching consequences.
From June 5, 2016, through May 9, 2022, Hinojosa engaged in firearms dealing by straw purchasing firearms from an online gun broker. He then arranged for the weapons to be exported into Mexico. Law enforcement was able to locate several weapons tied to Hinojosa.
At the time of his plea, he admitted to attempting to smuggle more than 40 firearms.
During the firearms investigation, authorities learned Hinojosa maybe linked to crimes involving child pornography. A search warrant was executed and authorities discovered several videos of minors engaging in sexual conduct on Hinojosa’s phone. Hinojosa admitted to receiving child pornography on his cellphone from various third parties.
Hinojosa was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility on Jan. 7, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations - Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking over 40 Firearms and Selling Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JYSHUN TROWER was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to 14 years in prison for trafficking firearms and selling counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. TROWER previously pled guilty to illegally transporting and distributing firearms and conspiring to distribute narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jyshun Trower placed countless New Yorkers’ lives in danger, attempting to flood the City with over 40 illegal firearms, including military-style assault weapons, that destroy human bodies and lives. Trower also sold thousands of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing deadly fentanyl. He now faces significant time in prison for his crimes.”
According to the Indictment, and statements made in court proceedings and filings:
From on or about June 5, 2023, through on or about December 14, 2023, TROWER illegally transported and sold firearms in Manhattan and the New York City Area. In almost a dozen transactions, TROWER illegally sold approximately 43 firearms to an undercover law enforcement agent and others. The firearms included multiple semiautomatic pistols, semiautomatic rifles, assault style rifles and pistols, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, a ghost gun, and components used to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic pistol—that is, a machine gun. Images of several of the firearms that TROWER sold are below.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 21, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 31, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 17, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 25, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on September 29, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on December 14, 2023.
In addition, TROWER conspired to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover law enforcement agent. TROWER also had arranged with the undercover agent to include several firearms in the transaction. On or about December 14, 2023, TROWER arrived at the sale location with the firearms, where law enforcement apprehended TROWER and recovered a bag containing over hundreds of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, TROWER, 27, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Daniels is in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. Trustee Program Prevails on Motion to Dismiss Nine Related Cases for Lack of Good FaithRead the Press Release
The United States Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained dismissal of nine related bankruptcy cases involving a chain of fitness businesses that lacked a good-faith basis for seeking bankruptcy relief.
On October 2, the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas entered an order dismissing the cases of Blush Bootcamp LLC and eight affiliates based on a motion filed by the USTP’s office in Wichita, Kansas. The debtors and their owners engaged in a tangled web of transfers both before and after bankruptcy, using some of the companies’ income to cover others’ debts and commingling funds across multiple accounts without regard to corporate formalities. Some of the companies had stopped operating, leaving no business to rehabilitate. Some entities lacked insurance to protect their assets, and none had workers’ compensation coverage. And the owners—a married couple—each drew a monthly salary of $12,500 out of the bankrupt companies even though they also operated two cash-positive entities that did not file for bankruptcy.
The debtors filed their cases under the streamlined provisions of subchapter V, which provides eligible small businesses with a more flexible, efficient and cost-effective path through chapter 11. The USTP plays an integral role in administering subchapter V cases in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code. This includes seeking dismissal or conversion of cases to chapter 7 liquidations when warranted, and raising objections to eligibility and confirmation of a plan of reorganization when appropriate.
“Subchapter V was designed to help debtors remain in business, so long as they abide by the Bankruptcy Code’s requirements,” said Director Tara Twomey of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees. “Unfortunately, these entities did not follow the requirements and there was no reasonable likelihood of rehabilitation.”
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Find Civil Rights Violations by Trenton Police Department and City of TrentonRead the Press Release
trenton_findings_report.pdf
usa_sellinger_remarks_tpd.pdfTRENTON, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department announced today that the Trenton Police Department (TPD) and the city of Trenton engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
A comprehensive investigation found that TPD unlawfully uses excessive force, including unreasonable forms of physical force and pepper spray when facing little resistance or danger. TPD also conducts stops, searches and arrests without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. In addition, the department identified deficiencies in training, supervision, policy and accountability that contribute to TPD and the city’s unlawful conduct.
“For too long, the residents of Trenton have felt afraid of the police, rather than protected by them. The use of excessive force and unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests, sometimes with tragic consequences, have eroded public trust and undermined public safety. Today’s findings are the first step in achieving the reforms needed to rebuild public trust, so that the Trenton Police Department can effectively fight crime and keep residents safe, while respecting the constitutional rights of each and every person.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Police officers must respect people’s civil and constitutional rights and treat people with dignity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After an extensive review, we found that police officers in Trenton routinely failed to respect the Fourth Amendment rights of those who call Trenton home. Trenton police stop and search pedestrians and motorists without a legal basis, make illegal arrests and use excessive force without basis. We are committed to the hard work necessary to achieve constitutional policing across the country. By bringing city officials, the police department and the community together, we are confident that we can institute meaningful reforms that remedy the violations uncovered.”
The Justice Department found that TPD engaged in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, with police officers often escalating encounters when facing little resistance or threat. For example, in one incident from 2023, after initially using reasonable force to arrest a man, an officer stomped on the man’s hand multiple times once he was on the ground, kneeled on his head and kicked him in the shoulder.
TPD also conducted numerous stops and searches of pedestrians and cars without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, often unlawfully arresting the person they stopped and searched.
TPD’s violations have eroded community trust and cost the city more than $7 million since 2021 to resolve lawsuits stemming from accusations of officer misconduct.
The Justice Department opened this investigation on Oct. 17, 2023. Career attorneys and staff in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted the investigation. The team conducted an extensive review of TPD’s records, including hundreds of police reports and hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage. The team also interviewed city and TPD leadership and line officers, accompanied officers on ride-alongs and met with dozens of community members.
The city and TPD cooperated fully with the Justice Department’s investigation. The department provided a comprehensive written report of its investigative findings to the city and TPD. The report acknowledges the changes already made by the city and TPD, and it identifies additional remedial measures the Justice Department believes are necessary to address its findings.
The Justice Department conducted this investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. Section 12601 authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct.
The Justice Department will conduct outreach to members of the Trenton community to explain the findings and for input on remedies to address the findings. Individuals may also submit recommendations by email at [email protected] or by phone at 973-645-2801
The Justice Department will hold a community meeting at a date to be determined. Members of the pubic are encouraged to attend.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj. Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found at The Civil Rights Division’s Pattern and Practice Police Reform Work: 1994-Present. Additional information about civil rights enforcement at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.
The government is represented by Michael Campion, Chief of the Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Junis L. Baldon and Nicole Taykhman of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division; and attorneys from the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Seizes Approximately $3.5 Million Dollars Associated with Business Email Compromise ScamRead the Press Release
Vanessa R. Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has seized approximately $3,507,191 in funds stolen through a business email compromise scam.
A business email compromise scam (“BEC scam”), which usually involves email spoofing, involves the creation of email messages with a deceptive sender display name. When a bad actor engages in an email spoofing attack, the bad actor sends an email header that displays an inaccurate sender address, which can deceive the receiver unless the receiver inspects the header closely. This inaccurate sender address is usually someone the receiver knows or trusts, so the receiver might open malicious links or engage in risky behavior that the receiver would otherwise not engage in. In this case, the bad actors impersonated one of the parties to the real transactions and replaced the intended beneficiary account with their own prior to payment. By changing the intended beneficiary account, the bad actors commit a BEC scam.
According to a complaint (3:24-cv-1822), which was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, in July 2024, HSI and Westport Police began investigating a BEC scam that victimized a Connecticut business. The investigation revealed that the business had received an email from a spoofed email address, which was very similar to a general contractor’s legitimate email address, with instructions for a payment that was to be made to the general contractor. In May and June 2024, the Connecticut business sent approximately $5.4 million to the bank account as instructed.
The company promptly reported the business email compromise to Westport Police, and HSI successfully traced the stolen money to nine separate bank accounts, which were seized by the government. With the filing of the forfeiture complaint, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to forfeit the proceeds of the crime and, should it be successful, work with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim company.
“These cases demonstrate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to helping victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for these crimes, but using civil asset forfeiture, we can expeditiously recover as much stolen money as possible and return this money to victims prior to criminal convictions. Although it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you were a victim of a crime, we stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.”
“Business email compromise scams are sophisticated and difficult to detect, resulting in major losses for businesses,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Krol. “It is essential that businesses that have been victimized by scammers reach out to law enforcement immediately for the best chance to recover their lost funds. Today’s results are a best-case scenario because of the quick action of the business and the dedication of law enforcement working together to track the money, freeze accounts, and get the business their money back. HSI is using innovative investigative methods to pursue business email compromise cases to get victims their money back and gather evidence to bring scammers to justice.”
To avoid becoming the victim of a BEC scam, verify email addresses are accurate when checking mail on a cellphone or other mobile device before you open any attachments or follow any instructions and never make any payment changes without verifying with the intended recipient by phone or in person. If you think you have been a victim of a BEC scam, immediately contact your bank to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity and contact local law enforcement. Additionally, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding BEC trends as well as other cyber fraud schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Plea from Second Defendant in Carjacking and Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The second defendant pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in a violent carjacking incident that took place on the Navajo Nation in May 2022, following the earlier guilty plea of her accomplice.
According to court documents, on May 9, 2022, Lindsey Yazzie and Brandon Barber attacked a woman driving her Jeep on the Navajo Nation. Yazzie threw a large rock at the vehicle's windshield, forcing the victim to stop. Yazzie and Barber then violently removed the victim from the vehicle, as Yazzie repeatedlyattempted to strike the victim in the head with a rock.
After forcibly taking the victim’s Jeep, Yazzie and Barber fled the scene, nearly striking the victim with the stolen vehicle as they drove away. They later led Navajo Nation police on a high-speed chase before abandoning the vehicle.
At sentencing, Yazzie faces up to fifteen years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Yazzie 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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Yazzie).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures 10-Year Sentence for Assault and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a shooting incident that occurred in Shiprock in 2023.
Tyrell Willie, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2023, Willie contacted Jane Doe via Facebook Messenger and requested to visit her at her home. Willie arrived at Jane Doe’s residence at approximately 2:00 a.m. After a brief conversation, Willie became aggressive and attempted to forcibly remove Jane Doe from her vehicle until her son, John Doe, intervened to protect his mother.
Following the altercation, Willie left the scene but later returned. When John Doe exited his home, Willie, who was lying in wait by circling the neighborhood, turned off the headlights to his vehicle, drove up to John Doe, and discharged two rounds from the driver’s seat, with one shot striking John Doe in the stomach. Navajo Nation Police officers, who were already in the area responding to reports of erratic driving, quickly pursued and apprehended Willie.
Upon his release from prison, Willie will be subject to five 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.
FBI Farmington Agency investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Charge Man for Stabbing Incident in ShiprockRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A man is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing a man outside a Shiprock grocery store.
Josiah Bodie, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on November 12, 2024, Navajo Nation Police Department officers responded to reports of a stabbing at a grocery store in Shiprock, New Mexico, located within the Navajo Nation. When officers arrived, they found a male victim with an apparent stab wound. Officers located Bodie nearby in possession of a knife with brass knuckles on the handle.
The complaint alleges that Bodie approached the victim outside the store and initiated a physical altercation, during which he stabbed the victim with a knife.
If convicted on the current charges, Bodie faces 10 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Bodie).pdfA 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 Guilty Plea in Child Sexual Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A San Felipe man pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl on tribal lands.
According to court documents, Vernon Chavez, 62, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of San Felipe, admitted that between August 1 and August 15, 2022, he intentionally touched an 11-year-old girl through her clothing with the intent to gratify his sexual desire. The abuse occurred within the exterior boundaries of the San Felipe Pueblo.
In his plea agreement, Chavez acknowledged that he knew the victim was approximately 11 years old at the time of the offense.
Chavez was detained pending sending, which has not been set. At sentencing, Chavez faces 10-15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Chavez).pdf# # #
Two Men Sentenced for Illegally Smuggling Juvenile Eels from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
Two Dominican nationals were sentenced for smuggling juvenile American eels from Puerto Rico.
On Nov. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced Simon De la Cruz Paredes, 56, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Today, Judge Delgado-Colon sentenced Saul Enrique José De la Cruz, 39, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Paredes and De la Cruz spent months harvesting juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata), also known as glass eels, in the rivers around Levittown, Puerto Rico. Once they caught the eels, the defendants kept them alive with an oxygenation system while a boat was built to travel back to the Dominican Republic. On Feb. 21, both defendants left Puerto Rico bound for the Dominican Republic in a boat that contained 30 kilograms of glass eels, a handgun and 850 rounds of ammunition. Paredes and De La Cruz stated that they intended to sell the eels in the Dominican Republic, after which the fish would be shipped to Asia.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) intercepted Paredes and De la Cruz about 40 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The men refused to stop their boat and USCG was obligated to neutralize the vessel’s engines, after which the defendants were arrested and indicted.
Paredes and De la Cruz both previously pleaded guilty to smuggling the eels in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554 and trafficking in illegal wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act. De la Cruz also pleaded guilty to failing to heave to when ordered to stop by the Coast Guard. According to court documents, the juvenile eels were worth at least $132,000 and would be worth more than $1 million once raised to adulthood.
“Eels are a highly sought-after food source, including for sushi,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Juvenile or glass eels are key to this food production. Unfortunately, they are often illegally harvested, which has already decimated their numbers in Japan and Europe, and which is also having a profound effect on the American eel population. That is why we will vigorously prosecute individuals or entities caught illegally harvesting glass eels.”
“The illegal trafficking of wildlife threatens the survival of many endangered species,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to protect our natural resources. The environmental protection laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico.”
“American juvenile eels can be traded legally, but they are also subject to poaching and international trafficking,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “These defendants would clearly stop at almost nothing in pursuit of their illegal activities, which harm natural resources and economies. The sentencing of these individuals highlights the effectiveness and persistence of investigators, who work tirelessly to seek justice.”
“We work closely with our joint enforcement partners to detect and identify potential illegal activity related to the Lacey Act,” said Acting Assistant Director Paige Casey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division. “Through our partnerships, we are able to successfully prosecute and convict individuals, such as in this case, who illegally harvest and traffic marine wildlife that could disrupt our fair trade market.”
“These two convictions highlight the collective and unwavering resolve of our Coast Guard and sister U.S. law enforcement agencies to protect the living marine resources and hold transnational smuggling organizations accountable,” said Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of USCG’s Sector San Juan. “As one of our most sensitive missions, we must continue to generate awareness of the impacts smugglers are having in eradicating eel populations around the globe. Now, the juvenile American eel population is being targeted at home, we must remain vigilant as a service and a nation to this threat.”
The American eel is a species of fish native to the Eastern United States and the Caribbean. The American eel is a “catadromous” species, meaning that it reproduces in saltwater systems and matures in fresh water (riverine) systems. American eel eggs hatch in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, after which ocean currents carry the juvenile eels along the eastern American coast. Tidal fluctuations then wash the eels into freshwater river systems, including the rivers of Puerto Rico, after which they migrate upstream. Once a glass eel matures, it will return to the Sargasso Sea in order to spawn.
Because American eels have not been successfully bred in captivity, the commercial market is concentrated on the juvenile glass eel stage. Once captured, glass eels are typically sold to aquaculture facilities in Asia, where they are raised into adults and sold for foods including for sushi as unagi. The fishing pressure on juvenile eels has contributed to record low population numbers.
NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Offices of Law Enforcement are leading the investigation as part of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force, along with USCG and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources also provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Environmental Litigation Coordinator Seth A. Erbe for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Sentenced for Illegally Smuggling Juvenile Eels from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Two Dominican nationals were sentenced for smuggling juvenile American eels from Puerto Rico.
On Nov. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced Simón De la Cruz Paredes, 56, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Today, Judge Delgado-Colón sentenced Saúl Enrique José De la Cruz, 39, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Paredes and De la Cruz spent months harvesting juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata), also known as glass eels, in the rivers around Levittown, Puerto Rico. Once they caught the eels, the defendants kept them alive with an oxygenation system while a boat was built to travel back to the Dominican Republic. On Feb. 21, both defendants left Puerto Rico bound for the Dominican Republic in a boat that contained 30 kilograms of glass eels, a handgun and 850 rounds of ammunition. Paredes and De La Cruz stated that they intended to sell the eels in the Dominican Republic, after which the fish would be shipped to Asia.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) intercepted Paredes and De la Cruz about 40 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The men refused to stop their boat and USCG was obligated to neutralize the vessel’s engines, after which the defendants were arrested and indicted.
Paredes and De la Cruz both previously pleaded guilty to smuggling the eels in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554 and trafficking in illegal wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act. De la Cruz also pleaded guilty to failing to heave to when ordered to stop by the Coast Guard. According to court documents, the juvenile eels were worth at least $132,000 and would be worth more than $1 million once raised to adulthood.
“Eels are a highly sought-after food source, including for sushi,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Juvenile or glass eels are key to this food production. Unfortunately, they are often illegally harvested, which has already decimated their numbers in Japan and Europe, and which is also having a profound effect on the American eel population. That is why we will vigorously prosecute individuals or entities caught illegally harvesting glass eels.”
“The illegal trafficking of wildlife threatens the survival of many endangered species,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to protect our natural resources. The environmental protection laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico.”
“We work closely with our joint enforcement partners to detect and identify potential illegal activity related to the Lacey Act,” said Acting Assistant Director Paige Casey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division. “Through our partnerships, we are able to successfully prosecute and convict individuals, such as in this case, who illegally harvest and traffic marine wildlife that could disrupt our fair trade market.”
“These two convictions highlight the collective and unwavering resolve of our Coast Guard and sister U.S. law enforcement agencies to protect the living marine resources and hold transnational smuggling organizations accountable,” said Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of USCG’s Sector San Juan. “As one of our most sensitive missions, we must continue to generate awareness of the impacts smugglers are having in eradicating eel populations around the globe. Now, the juvenile American eel population is being targeted at home, we must remain vigilant as a service and a nation to this threat.”
The American eel is a species of fish native to the Eastern United States and the Caribbean. The American eel is a “catadromous” species, meaning that it reproduces in saltwater systems and matures in fresh water (riverine) systems. American eel eggs hatch in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, after which ocean currents carry the juvenile eels along the eastern American coast. Tidal fluctuations then wash the eels into freshwater river systems, including the rivers of Puerto Rico, after which they migrate upstream. Once a glass eel matures, it will return to the Sargasso Sea in order to spawn.
Because American eels have not been successfully bred in captivity, the commercial market is concentrated on the juvenile glass eel stage. Once captured, glass eels are typically sold to aquaculture facilities in Asia, where they are raised into adults and sold for foods including for sushi as unagi. The fishing pressure on juvenile eels has contributed to record low population numbers.
NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Offices of Law Enforcement are leading the investigation as part of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force, along with USCG and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources also provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Environmental Litigation Coordinator Seth A. Erbe for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
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Two Men Indicted on Charges Connected to Violent Robbery of Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Marquis Taylor, 28, and Elijah Woods, 21, were indicted by a federal grand jury on one count each of conspiracy, assault with intent to rob a U.S. Postal Carrier, and mail theft.
According to the indictment and connected court filings, in September of 2023, Taylor, Woods, and a third man, Dravell Emon Ross, 28, committed a strong-arm robbery of a postal carrier while she was on duty in her mail truck taking her lunch break. The robbery occurred near Utah Park in Aurora in the middle of the day. The three men attempted to obtain a universal mailbox key from the postal carrier in order to access community mailboxes. The men were unable to steal the universal key, but did steal various pieces of mail, packages, and a postal scanner. The postal carrier suffered minor injuries as a result of the robbery.
On July 17, 2024, Ross was sentenced to federal prison for four years in connection with his role in the robbery. On November 13, 2024, Taylor was arrested and is detained pending trial. Woods was released on bond while the charges remain outstanding. The trial for Taylor and Woods is currently scheduled in federal district court for March 31, 2025.
The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff.
Two Former Employees of Brooklyn Based Non-Profit Charged with Fraud and Bribery OffensesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Gary DSilva, also known as “Pankaj DSilva,” Jonathan Velazquez and Luis A. Camarena with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery and money laundering, as well as substantive counts of wire fraud and federal-program bribery, for their roles in a yearslong kickback scheme. The defendants were arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“These defendants misappropriated public funds through a brazen kickback scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “When corrupt employees siphon public funds to line their own pockets, the neediest New Yorkers bear the brunt. My Office will relentlessly pursue those who try to compromise the integrity of our community organizations.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “These employees of a City-funded nonprofit participated in an illegal kickback scheme, enriching themselves by stealing from their employer, an entity providing critical services to New Yorkers in need, as alleged in the indictment. Theft of precious public funds deprives deserving members of our community of resources and I am thankful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their shared commitment to protect those funds for the benefit of their intended recipients.”
“Gary DSilva and Jonathan Velazquez, two non-profit organization workers, allegedly received more than $500,000 in illicit kickback payments from Luis Camarena, a contractor hired to install security services in some of the city’s homeless shelters. This alleged quid pro quo agreement only enriched the involved parties and deprived the city of vital infrastructural improvements. The FBI will never tolerate corrupt individuals who selfishly steal public funds intended to support our city’s vulnerable populations,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As alleged in the indictment, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of a Brooklyn-based non-profit entity (the Organization) that supplied a number of services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters. DSilva and Velazquez, as part of their work for the Organization, were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology. DSilva solicited bids from one such vendor (the Vendor) for multiple projects involving the installation or replacement of security cameras at the Organization’s homeless shelters. Camarena was the principal of the Vendor. The Vendor ultimately received approximately $1.6 million in payments from the Organization for work related to these security-camera projects from approximately 2017 to 2021. During that same period, the Vendor paid a total of over $500,000 in kickbacks to DSilva and Velazquez. These illegal payments took the form of payments to credit cards in the names of DSilva and Velazquez and their spouses and payments to shell companies registered to DSilva’s spouse. In one email obtained during the investigation, Camarena, DSilva, and Velazquez discussed how they would divide the “profit” from the business the Vendor received from the Organization among themselves.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Turner Buford are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendants:
Gary DSilva (also known as “Pankaj DSilva”)
Age: 46
Manalapan, New JerseyJonathan Velazquez
Age: 54
Massapequa Park, New YorkLuis A. Camerena
Age: 57
Jackson Township, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-471 (HG)
24-cr-471_gary_dsilva_et_al_indictment.pdfTwo City Men Convicted in Pizza Shop Arson That Resulted in the Death of Philadelphia Firefighter Lt. Sean WilliamsonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Al-Ashraf Khalil, 31, and Isaam Jaghama, 31, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted today at trial in the June 18, 2022, arson fire at a Fairhill pizza shop, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Fire Department Lieutenant Sean Williamson and injuries to five other first responders inside the building when it collapsed.
A federal jury convicted the defendants on one count each of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, and one count each of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce. Khalil was also found guilty of one count of wire fraud, and one count of using fire in furtherance of the commission of that wire fraud.
Khalil was the owner of the property at 300 West Indiana Avenue, which housed both apartments and the pizza shop. As proven at trial, in the early hours of June 18, 2022, he and Jaghama set a fire inside the building so that Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim related to the fire. The day of the fire, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing an insurance adjuster to file a more than $400,000 insurance claim on his behalf.
At sentencing, Khalil faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. Jaghama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
“This fire wasn’t an accident or act of God,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “But for these defendants, it never would have started, the building would still stand, and Lt. Williamson would still be with his family — a wholly preventable tragedy, sparked by greed. While today’s convictions can never make up for such an immeasurable loss, they ensure a measure of justice for Lt. Williamson, the Williamson family, and the dedicated first responders of the Philadelphia Fire Department. They also reinforce that anyone reckless enough to commit arson will be held to account for their actions.”
“Arson is a dangerous deadly crime,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Office. “In this case two families with children had to run for their lives, four responders were buried alive, and a firefighter was killed. Bringing together the resources of the ATF Philadelphia Arson & Explosives Task Force and the ATF National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we brought these arsonists to justice, and they now face up to life in federal prison. ATF is committed to protecting our communities from dangerous criminals and will continue to partner to prevent and prosecute crimes like this.”
“The Philadelphia Fire Department will forever mourn the loss of Lieutenant Sean Williamson. We thank the United States Attorney and Justice Department for their diligence in bringing these men to justice. Our fervent hope is that this verdict will bring even a small amount of closure to Lt. Williamson’s family, both at home and in the PFD,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson.
This case was investigated by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections. Special thanks are given to the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in the international apprehension of Al-Ashraf Khalil.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and Michael Miller.
Texas-Based Oil-and-Gas Company Phillips 66 Indicted for Alleged Violations of Clean Water Act Stemming from Wastewater DischargeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging the Houston-based energy business Phillips 66 Company with violating the Clean Water Act by illegally discharging hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater from its Carson oil refinery into the Los Angeles County sewer system then failing to report the violations to authorities, the Justice Department announced today.
Phillips is charged with two counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act and four counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act.
The company is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Protecting our environment is key to protecting our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Just like the rest of us, corporations have a duty to follow the law, so when companies contaminate, they must be held accountable. My office will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our natural resources for all to enjoy.”
“Illegally discharging pollutants into the sewer system violates the Clean Water Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Kim Bahney of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. “The charges today illustrate EPA’s commitment to protecting the environment and ensuring accountability for those that neglect or fail to abide by our nation’s environmental laws.”
According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on Wednesday, for approximately two-and-a-half hours on the early morning of November 24, 2020, Phillips’ Carson refinery discharged to the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) – which manages the county’s sewer system – industrial wastewater containing a concentration of oil and grease more than 300 times the concentration allowed in its permit. The company’s Carson facility failed to inform LACSD of its non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge.
During this approximately two-and-a-half-hour period, LACSD roughly estimated that the Phillips 66 facility in Carson discharged approximately 310,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater, which contained approximately 64,000 lbs. of oil and grease, to LACSD’s sewer system. The energy company’s industrial wastewater pretreatment system process controls and practices were inadequate to prevent or quickly address the non-compliant discharge.
In December 2020, LACSD issued Phillips multiple notice of violations for discharging the industrial wastewater containing an excessive concentration of oil and grease, and failing to notify LACSD about the discharge, which adversely affected an LACSD facility. The following month, a Phillips manager wrote to LACSD, acknowledged its non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge, and noted that the company would “retrain operations personnel” on such situations and the procedure to notify LACSD when it happens.
During the evening hours of February 8, 2021, Phillips’ Carson refinery – for approximately five-and-a-half hours – discharged approximately 480,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater, which contained at least 33,700 pounds of oil and grease, to LACSD’s sewer system.
In March 2021, LACSD – the month following the incident – issued notices of violations to Phillips for discharging industrial wastewater which adversely affected an LACSD facility and for its failure to notify the LACSD about said wastewater discharge. Again, a Phillips manager at its Carson facility wrote to LACSD and acknowledged the non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge and the company’s failure to notify authorities of the discharge.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Phillips 66 would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ probation on each count and up to $2.4 million in fines.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gary Wayne Stuckey, 58, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 12 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Stuckey’s vehicle and observed several pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle. A search revealed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and several items indicative of drug sales, including digital scales, plastic baggies, and hundreds of dollars of U.S. currency in small denominations. Wedged between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle was a Polymer 80 handgun, a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” lacking a serial number, that was loaded with a live round of ammunition in the chamber and five additional rounds in the magazine. Stuckey is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to multiple state felony convictions, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Whitnee Goins and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Distributing Ghost Guns and Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield on firearms charges.
Edward Nathan Gale, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gale was also ordered to forfeit various firearms, ammunition and tools and accessories. In February 2024, Gale pleaded guilty to one count each of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, unlawful firearms dealing and unlawful possession of machineguns.
Between Feb. 22, 2022, and Dec. 2, 2022, Gale manufactured and distributed approximately 50 privately manufactured firearms (commonly known as “ghost guns”) to individuals located in Kansas and Massachusetts. Between approximately Oct. 11, 2022, and Dec. 8, 2022, Gale also imported from China approximately 100 Glock-style machinegun conversion devices (commonly known as “Glock switches”), approximately 60 of which he distributed in Massachusetts and elsewhere, along with other firearms and a silencer. On Jan. 5, 2023, a search of Gale’s residence resulted in the recovery of a Pioneer Arms semi-automatic rifle; numerous rounds of ammunition; assorted tools, parts and accessories used to manufacture ghost guns; and evidence of Gale’s importation and distribution of Glock switches.
Gale is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior conviction of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Additionally, Gale was not licensed to manufacture or distribute firearms, therefore his manufacturing and distribution of the ghost guns and the Glock switches was also illegal.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided by the Springfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuted the case.
Spring resident sent to prison for embezzling nearly $1M from local HVAC companyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced in a wire fraud embezzlement scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez pleaded guilty Aug. 15.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 23 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the victim testified that the defendant, once considered one of her best friends, had deeply betrayed her.
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences,” said Hamdani. “Embezzlement schemes like this not only harm businesses financially but also shatter personal and professional relationships built on trust. We remain committed to holding offenders accountable and seeking justice for victims.”
For approximately 26 years, Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez worked as an office manager for a local heating, ventilating and air-conditioning company.
At the time of her plea, Rodriguez admitted to embezzling $938,387.26 in business funds allocated for federal tax payments from 2015 to 2020. Rodriguez would key payments into the company’s accounting software for tax payments and subsequently clear out the payments from the check register upon making the payments into her personal bank account.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and James Hu prosecuted the case.
Six Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – Adrian Robinson, Julio Martinez-Guzman, Jesse Brooks, James Carden, Reginal Dowdy, and Casanova Pritchett have been sentenced for their roles as members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed illegal narcotics in the Rome, Georgia, area, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone.
“Drug trafficking is a societal scourge that poses serious risks to the public health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The dedication of our federal, state, and local enforcement partners resulted in the disruption of this drug trafficking organization and led to the successful prosecution of these defendants.”
“The success of this investigation and the subsequent arrests of these drug dealers demonstrates DEA’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking organizations responsible for driving addiction and destroying communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration special agents, and Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force officers, discovered that Julio Martinez-Guzman was operating a drug distribution ring from two residential locations in Rome, Georgia. Martinez-Guzman had previously been convicted of drug trafficking in the Northern District of Georgia. During their 2021 investigation, agents identified Martinez-Guzman’s customers as well as his narcotics suppliers, who obtained and distributed quantities of illegal drugs in the North Georgia area, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone.
Each of the following defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offences and received the following sentences:
- Adrian Robinson, 42, of Cedartown, Georgia, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Robinson was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 29, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Julio Martinez-Guzman, 54, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez-Guzman was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, oxycodone, and heroin on February 26, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Jesse Willard Brooks, 41, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years, four months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Brooks was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 15, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- James Carden, 42, of Villa Rica, Georgia was sentenced to five years, three months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Carden was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine on February 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Reginal Eric Dowdy, 46, of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, was sentenced to three years, ten months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Dowdy was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 15, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Casanova DePaul Pritchett, 53, of Calhoun, Georgia was sentenced to two years, six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Pritchett was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone on February 26, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
Abel Santoyo-Santana, age 26, of Mexico remains a fugitive. If you have information pertaining to his whereabouts, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Georgia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with valuable assistance provided by the Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force, Floyd County Police Department, Polk County Police Department, Rome Police Department, Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, and Cedartown Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy M. Palumbo prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Shippenville Resident Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Shippenville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 262 months of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Thomas Joseph Manno, 41.
According to information presented to the Court, in June 2022, Manno communicated online with a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity. During Manno’s communications with the officer, Manno expressed his interest in the sexual abuse of children and sent the officer images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including an image produced by Manno.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and Montgomery County (Texas) Constable’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Manno.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Senior FARC Commander Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for International Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Martin Leonel Perez Castro, a senior leader within the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC), was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 252 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine internationally, intending and knowing that the cocaine would be illegally imported into the United States. Perez Castro pleaded guilty to the charge in August 2023. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit $1 million in drug proceeds.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.
“The defendant extracted millions of dollars from drug traffickers at the point of a gun, funding the FARC’s acts of terrorism and facilitating the global cocaine trade,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence handed down in a U.S. courtroom is fitting justice for Perez Castro, who granted drug traffickers his permission and protection to produce massive quantities of cocaine that was distributed in our country and elsewhere, causing incalculable harm. The dismantling of international drug trafficking organizations and narcoterrorism groups will always be a priority of the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEA’s office in Bogota, Colombia, the United States Department of State, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Perez Castro, the Colombian National Police and the Government of Colombia.
“Today, justice has been delivered. Martin Leonel Perez Castro, who served as a former senior member and one of the highest-level drug trafficking members of the FARC, used violent tactics, which included terrorism, to help distribute shipments of cocaine from Columbia to New York City and the United States” stated Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “While this sentencing closes the door to Mr. Castro’s activities, the DEA and our law enforcement partners, both globally and here in the United States, remain committed to making sure those who use violent and terrorist acts as a measure for illicit drug trade face the justice they deserve.”
“As a FARC senior official, Perez Castro was responsible for the distribution of more than 165,000 pounds of cocaine. He helped create a revenue stream that funded the FARC’s decades-long campaign to overthrow the Government of Colombia, a conflict that resulted in far too many casualties. Today’s sentencing is the result of the incredible investigative work of DEA and IRS-CI Special Agents and committed law enforcement partnerships globally,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Fattorusso.
The FARC was founded in 1964 as a left-wing paramilitary group dedicated to the violent overthrow of the Government of Colombia. Over decades of conflict, the FARC attacked Colombian government forces and used targeted killings, kidnapping and other terrorist tactics to achieve its ends. In October 1997, the U.S. Secretary of State designated the FARC as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). After the Government of Colombia and the FARC entered into a peace accord in 2016, the FARC formally dissolved. On November 30, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of State revoked the designation of the FARC as an FTO. The defendant’s conduct occurred prior to the 2016 peace accord.
Perez Castro was the Head of Finances for the FARC’s 30th Front, a group that operated in southwestern Colombia. The 30th Front extorted drug traffickers by forcing them to pay “taxes” for every kilogram of cocaine trafficked through the 30th Front’s territory. The 30th Front also sometimes produced its own cocaine or held ownership stakes in cocaine shipments produced by local traffickers. Cocaine revenues funded the FARC’s decades-long campaign to overthrow the Government of Colombia, a conflict that resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. Perez Castro was responsible for the distribution of at least 75,000 kilograms of cocaine. He was extradited to the Eastern District of New York in June 2022.
The conviction and sentencing of Perez Castro are the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the Office and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Wang is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MARTIN LEONEL PEREZ CASTRO
Age: 53
ColombiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-465 (S-2) (BMC)
Santa Clarita Man Who Led Organization that Trafficked Drugs to Darknet Customers Nationwide Sentenced to 8 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man who led the Los Angeles-based “Drugpharmacist” drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine via darknet marketplaces was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison.
Jerrell Eugene Anderson, 34, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu.
Anderson pleaded guilty on June 10 to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
From at least July 2018 to March 2019, Anderson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine that they sold on darknet marketplaces. Specifically, Anderson advertised and sold drugs to customers on the darknet marketplaces Dream and Wall Street Market, using monikers such as “Drugpharmacist” and “rickandmortyshop.”
Anderson and his accomplices packaged drugs in stuffed animals for shipment to their darknet customers. Anderson and his co-conspirators then delivered from San Fernando Valley stash houses packages containing drugs to post offices throughout the Los Angeles area for shipment to their customers nationwide. For example, in August 2018, Anderson and a co-conspirator knowingly distributed heroin to a victim in Knoxville, Tennessee whose death resulted from using the heroin.
Also, in March 2019, in a Glendale apartment, Anderson and other co-conspirators possessed methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for distribution to darknet customers. At that time, Anderson knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The other defendants in this case – Christopher Canion Von Holton, 37, of Woodland Hills; Kenneth Lashawn Hadley, 37, of Las Vegas; Adan Sepulveda, 31, of Palmdale; and Jackie Walter Burns, 26, of Lancaster, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and have been sentenced.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department, the Knoxville (Tennessee) Police Department, and the Cleburne County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Khaldoun Shobaki and Lauren Restrepo of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Santa Clarita Man Charged with Distributing Opioid More Powerful than Fentanyl and Causing Victim’s Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl – which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring, the Justice Department announced today.
Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, is charged with one count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death.
This is believed to be the nation’s first death-resulting criminal case involving this narcotic.
Collins was arrested on November 18, and pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment on Wednesday. A trial date of January 14, 2025, was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Collins jailed without bond.
According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of April 19, 2024, Collins knowingly and intentionally distributed protonitazene, which resulted in the death of the victim. In recent years, protonitazene has been sold over the internet and is believed to be several times more powerful than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin.
Collins allegedly sold the 22-year-old victim pills containing protonitazene and arranged to sell the victim a bulk supply of these pills in the future. The victim, a resident of Stevenson Ranch, consumed the pills soon afterward in the front seat of his car and quickly died. His mother later found him dead in the front seat parked outside her home and called 911.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Collins would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bruce Anthony Garcia, 43, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 19 years and seven months in prison for the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor under his care, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 2, 2017, and Sept. 1, 2019, Garcia took hidden video recordings of the victim. He recorded the victim in various stages of undress, using the toilet or shower, or changing in a bedroom or the living room of the apartment they shared. On his devices, Garcia possessed thousands of images and videos of the victim, with the victim either partially or fully nude in several hundred of these images.
When confronted, Garcia admitted that he specifically intended to take these images and videos, that his intent in creating the images and videos was sexual, and that he generally has a sexual interest in children. Garcia described how he would wait until the victim would be getting ready for bed or to take a shower, and then place a cellphone in the bathroom or bedroom. The phone would be propped up so that it would record the minor, but would either appear to be inconspicuous, as if it were being charged, or be hidden altogether. Garcia would then connect to this device remotely using a second device such that he could watch the minor live. From the recordings thus created, Garcia would take screenshots, resulting in the images that were eventually found. Further, Garcia would sometimes manipulate these images to focus or zoom in on the victim’s genitals and pubic area. In a text message conversation with another person, Garcia offered to trade pictures of the victim in exchange for other child sexual abuse material.
In addition to the images and videos described above, Garcia was also found to possess approximately 4,266 images and 426 videos of other child sexual abuse material, including images and videos showing the sexual abuse of toddlers. Several of these videos also depicted violence against the victims, including at least one depicting the bondage and torture of a pre-pubescent female child. Garcia’s child sexual abuse collection included 110 series of known victims of child sexual abuse.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Previously convicted felon returning to prison for federal firearms charges, including selling machinegunsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for illegally trafficking machineguns and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Dec. 15, 2022, while undercover, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Agent and a Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) Detective (UCs) met with Austin Perrine, 33, at a bar in Virginia Beach. Perrine discussed dealing machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), which render semi-automatic firearms capable of automatic firing with the single pull of the trigger, as well as building machineguns, pistols and silencers and having access to cocaine.
Perrine retrieved two MCDs from his clothing and showed one to the UCs. Perrine then exchanged the MCDs for $1,000 for both ($500 per MCD).
On Jan. 4, 2023, ATF and VBPD searched Perrine’s residence in Norfolk. Agents recovered two handguns and various ammunition, magazines, and firearms parts. As a previously convicted felon, Perrine cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. 2:23-cr-105.
Physician Pleads Guilty to Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California physician pleaded guilty today in Los Angeles to criminal health care fraud, arising from her false home health certifications and related fraudulent billings to Medicare.
According to court documents, Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, 61, of Porter Ranch, was a physician licensed to practice in California and an enrolled Medicare provider. From approximately January 2012 through July 2018, Baltaian falsely certified patients to receive home health care from at least four Los Angeles area home health agencies. Baltaian’s false certifications were used by the home health agencies to fraudulently bill Medicare for the unnecessary home health care. In some instances, Baltaian pre-signed blank, undated physician certification forms knowing that the home health agencies would later falsify the forms to make it appear as if she saw the Medicare beneficiaries and made clinical findings to support the need for home health care, when she had not done either. Baltaian received cash benefits related to these referrals and also submitted claims to Medicare for signing the fraudulent certifications.
Between January 2012 and July 2018, four home health agencies used Baltaian’s false certifications to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in loss to Medicare of at least $1,449,050.
Baltaian pleaded guilty to health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)’s Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Belz and Eric Schmale of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Owner of Red Barn Diesel Performance Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Tamper with Clean Air Act Monitoring Devices on Diesel TrucksRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine – A Windham man pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to tamper with Clean Air Act monitoring devices and obstructing an agency proceeding.
According to court records, between January 2017 and September 2020, Isaac Allen, 34, the owner of Red Barn Diesel Performance, conspired with a local truck sales business to download software, known as “tunes,” that reprograms a vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) system, thereby tampering with the OBD system’s monitoring function so that it would not detect malfunctions in emissions control components. Such downloading is known as “tuning.”
Disabling emissions controls or tampering with the OBD system of a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and non-methane hydrocarbons, posing cancer and noncancer health risks.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent Allen an Information Request under the Clean Air Act for information about the vehicles serviced by Red Barn, including identification of all engine tunes installed and a description of whether the tunes affected various components of each vehicle’s emissions control system or interfered with each vehicle’s OBD system. Allen underreported the number.
Allen faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The defendant in this case illegally tampered with the vehicle diagnostic systems from diesel trucks and then impeded EPA’s investigation by intentionally misrepresenting the scope of his illegal conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) in Maine. “The pollution that results from excess vehicle emissions can lead to serious health conditions and has been linked to increased respiratory disease and childhood asthma. This guilty plea demonstrates that EPA will vigorously prosecute those who violate laws designed to protect our communities from harmful air pollution.”
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case with support from the Maine State Police.
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11/21/24: Spelling of defendant's name corrected
Outlaw sentenced as career offender for federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2019, at a Best Western hotel in Newport News, law enforcement located and detained Jermaine Damon Outlaw, 39, who had multiple outstanding felony warrants for his arrest. Outlaw was in possession of 1.36 grams of cocaine, $855, and a loaded illegal handgun. Outlaw’s cellphone was also recovered. On the phone were several text conversations confirming Outlaw’s regular distribution of cocaine and other illicit substances.
Outlaw is a career offender with at least 20 previous convictions for, among other crimes, assault and battery, possession of a firearm on school property, carrying a concealed weapon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, unlawful wounding, destruction of property, malicious wounding, and assault and battery of a family member.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:19-cr-91.
Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JAMAUR JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”), age 36, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 20, 2024, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to four counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Specifically, JOHNSON was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $500 mandatory special assessment fee.
As part of “Operation Big Easy,” agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, identified individuals involved in trafficking firearms in New Orleans. Between August 30, 2023 and October 26, 2023, agents conducted multiple undercover purchases of firearms from JOHNSON.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Orange County man guilty in federal kidnappingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas, man has pleaded guilty to federal violations related to a kidnapping in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Putnam Darwin Richardson, 79, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on November 20, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, a kidnapping for ransom was reported to the FBI. The victim, a local attorney, was kidnapped at gunpoint that morning after arriving at his law office in Beaumont. The victim’s wife received a call from the victim’s cell phone, during which the kidnapper indicated the victim was being held hostage in exchange for $1 million ransom. The kidnapper indicated he would kill the victim if the ransom was not met. Richardson, a former client of the victim, was identified as a suspect during the investigation. Richardson had previously been convicted of kidnapping in 1984 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. On July 17, 2024, Richardson was arrested at a gas station and the victim was rescued by law enforcement authorities.
Richardson faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Beaumont Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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